same is to be understood of voluntary Vows which have an equal Obligation with Precepts St. Gregory also bears witness to our Lord Return sayes he my dear Brethren inwardly to your selves Ask your selves if indeed you love God Yet let no body believe himself whatsoever his mind shall answer him without the attestation of his Works Let the Tongue Mind and Life be asked concerning the Love of your Creator The Love of God is never idle For if it be it works great things but if it refuse to work it is not Love But this Execution of Works and Observation of God's Commandments must be purified by the Intention and must be done neither for fear of Punishment nor for love of Reward as St. Augustin testifies He loves God not who therefore keeps the Commandments because he is compelled thereunto either by the greatness of Punishment or by the greedy desire of Reward but because that which is commanded is honest and the very best There are also two other signs of a sincere Love to God to wit when a man congratulates with God in all things which please him by whomsoever at whatsoever time and in whatsoever place they are done For a natural Love deserves no praise from God because it alwayes reflects it self upon it self and seeks its own commodity but the gratuitous or free Love only is praise-worthy which always is carried out of it self into another A second sign is when a man condoles with God in all things which displease him by whomsoever at whatsoever time and in whatsoever place they are done Of true Love of our Neighbour True Love to ones Neighbour is to love ones Neighbour as himself Friend and Enemy as St. Augustin says To love ones Neighbour as himself is to love him in God to God and for God Thus every one ought to love his Neighbour as himself As he desires all good to himself and flies all Evil so let him do to his Neighbour Or thus As every one loves his own proper Good in Body and Soul in Goods and good Name and as every one in these four flies and hates his own proper Evil and Dammage so every one ought in these to love all the good and hate all the dammage both of Friend and Enemy Though no body is bound by way of Precept to be moved so much or so ardently to his Neighbour as to himself True Charity cannot be known by our Love of our Friends For even the Publicans love those who love them Matt. 5. But true Charity is understood by our love of our Enemies To love him that loves us is but Nature but to love one who does not love us is the work of Grace But true Charity to our Neighbour is yet more excellently understood in the Gloss upon St. Matthew which says To love one that loves us is Nature but by Favours and Courtesies to draw one to love who loves us not is Perfection And although no body be bound by Precept to love so much and so fervently his Enemy as his Friend yet happy were he and highly Perfect who could love as much yea more and do works of Charity for his Enemy as for his Friend for him that corrects and reproves him as for him that flatters him for him that dispraises him as for him that praises him because as St. Chrysostom says Nothing makes us so like unto God as to be courteous to those who malign and hurt us And it is certain we might get greater Grace out of Persecution than out of Favour if we knew how to use it aright as the Enemies of the Martyrs profited them more to Eternal Glory than did their Friends Nature ought to move us to the love of our Neighbour because every living Creature loves his like and so should every man his Neighbour Eccles 13.19 And because the Image of God is in him and it is commanded us so to do in the Holy Scripture The signs of true Charity to our Neighbour are Truly to condole as well with Enemies as with Friends in all their Adversities Truly and from the heart to rejoyce with them in every thing that happens prosperous unto them The signs of true Hatred to our Neighbour are when we think of him with Regret when we see him with sadness of heart when we speak with him or of him or hear others speak of him with bitterness of mind when we hinder as much as we can all his Good and that which is profitable unto him when we diminish and pervert the good which is in him Our Lord Jesus did not so to his Traytor Judas who in the very time of his Treason fed him with his own Body and Blood together with his other beloved Apostles and in the very place where he betrayed him refusing not to be kiss'd by him most courteously saluted him grieving more for his Evil than for his own incommodity as sayes St. Hierom. But it is wonderful that any one can flatter himself as if he loved his Brother when he has these signs of Hatred in his Heart But to many it seems sufficient if they wish Eternal Happiness to their Neighbours which they can neither give them nor take away from them and which they ought to wish even to Jews and Pagans Nor will they remember that seeing our Lord has laid down his Life for his Enemies we are obliged also not only to love our Christian Brethren but also to part with our Goods and Lives for them in the time of their necessity But Superiours are chiefly obliged hereunto By two things Charity is cherished Our Charity to God by keeping his Commandments according to that John 15. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall remain in my Love as I also have kept my Fathers Commandments and remain in his Love Our Charity to our Neighbour by Compassion according to that of Ecclesiasticus c. 7. Fail not to comfort those that weep and walk with those that mourn refuse not to visit the sick for by these things thou shalt be strengthened in Charity CHAP. II. Of Humility OUR Humility is true and perfect when we do not desire glory should be given us and contemn it when it is given us The humble man always fears lest any glory should be given him and if any be given him he trembles and is heavily sorry for it knowing that Honour and Glory are due only to God The truly humble never glories of any Grace or Glory unless he intend hereby to raise his Hearers to a Confidence in God But if any Grace or any thing that 's glorious be reported of him he hears it with grief of Heart and dejection of himself knowing that what is ascribed to him is God's alone To whom alone all Glory is to be given 1 Tim. 1. The truly humble compares himself neither to his Superior nor to his Inferior nor to his Equal nay indeed he deems no Body inferiour to himself he contemns no Body he heartily despises none
in the Church and upon Earth for all the gifts they have received and shall receive from God Also to rejoyce with Sinners for their Conversion with the Just for their Confortation and Conservation in Grace and with the Church for the Sacraments and Gifts of the Holy Ghost The exceeding great profit of true Congratulation ought to induce us thereunto for whatsoever Perfection Goodness and Beatitude the omnipotent God has naturally in himself whatsoever Glory the Angels and Saints have in Heaven and whatsoever Grace and Virtue there is in the Church and the faithful have in it all this by Congratulation is made proper to every one It ought to induce us to the same also that the Congratulation of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Origine of all Creatures and always was and now is the Principle of all the Divine Works He has an Argument of true Congratulation who is delighted in all things which are in God whom the Order of the Church and all die Works and Judgments of God and the Divine Manners and most holy Examples of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all his Friends do heartily please and he commends them all with his Words and manifests them to others Also who has spiritual Joy in all the natural spiritual and gratuit Gifts of the Angels and Saints in Heaven and of all men on Earth and always and every where according to his Power cooperates with them all He has an Argument of false Congratulation who with his Mouth commends all the Divine Ordination in Heaven and in Earth and the Works of the Just and their Virtues and their holy Life but dispraises them all in his Heart such our Lord upbraids in Esaias chap. 29. This People draws near to me with their Mouth and honours me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me Such are cut off from the Body of the Church who do not by Congratulation participate the Goods of the Body CHAP. XXXVI Of Confidence TRUE and perfect Confidence is a Security of Mind that the omnipotent and faithful God never leaves his Friends according to that Eccles 2. No body has hoped in God and was confounded for who has remained in his Commandments and was forsaken He has true Confidence who is assured that the good God is always present with his Servants in their Afflictions and is always ready to deliver them out of Temptations and to glorifie whom he has delivered according to that Psal 90. I am with him in Tribulation I will deliver him and will glorifie him As he was with Daniel in the Lyons Den Dan. 14. With Noah in the Ark Gen. 7. With Joseph in the Cistern Gen. 37. With the three Children in the fiery Furnace Dan. 3. And all these he most graciously delivered Whence S. Peter 2 Epist 2. The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of Temptation And Sarah says in Tobias ch 3. This every one who worships thee holds for certain that his Life if it shall have been proved it shall be crowned but and if he shall have been in Tribulation he shall be delivered and if he shall have been in Correction he may come to thy Mercy For thou art not delighted in our Destruction because after a Tempest thou makest a Calm and after Tears and Weeping thou infusest Joy He has true Confidence who does not doubt but that all his Prayers and all his just Desires are heard For St. Chrysostom says If thou shalt approach to God with this Zeal of Mind and shalt say I will not depart to wit unless I receive thou shalt certainly receive if thou ask such things as it behoves him to give who is asked and as are expedient for thee to receive who askest them This Vertue is very laudable and of great merit before God to which the Apostle exhorts us saying Heb. 10. Do not lose your Confidence which has a great Reward It ought to induce us to true Confidence that the most liberal God without our asking oftentimes gives us greater things of his mere incomprehensible Bounty than we should dare to ask for the Father has created us to the Image of the Trinity and his most holy Son has given us his Flesh for Food and his Blood for Drink and his Soul to be the price of our Redemption And who could ever once have dared to think of such gifts as these The Posture of our Lord Jesus on his Cross ought to induce us to the same for of this St. Bernard says Who would not be raised up to Hope and to a Confidence of obtaining if he would consider the posture of the Body of Christ on the Cross Behold his Head bowed down to kiss thee his Arms stretched out to embrace thee his Hands bored through to give thee Gifts his Side opened to love thee his whole Body stretched forth to bestow his whole self upon thee He has an Argument of true Confidence whose Conscience does not reprehend him of mortal Sins witness St. John 1Epist 3. If our Heart reprehend us not we have Confidence in God and whatsoever we ask we shall receive from him Whence we read of Susanna Dan. 13. Her Heart had confidence in God because she knew her self innocent of the crime objected against her Another Argument of true Confidence he has who continually exercises himself in good Works especially in spiritual Alms which is to remit Injuries and moreover to pray for those who injure us concerning which it is said in Tobias chap. 4. Almsgivings delivers from all Sin and from Death and will not suffer the Soul to go into Darkness Alms-deeds are great Confidence before the most high God to all that do them Another Argument of true Confidence of the pardon of his Sins he has who does true Penance for them in his Youth and Health witness St. Augustin If any man in his last Sickness desire to receive Penance and does receive it and is reconciled at the same time and dies immediately I confess unto you that we do not indeed refuse him what he demands but also we do not presume that he dies well I do not presume that I will not deceive you I do not presume it He who lives well after his Baptism he who is baptized in the Article of Death he who during his Health does Penance is reconciled and lives well afterwards all these dye with Assurance of their Salvation But as for him who does not Penance and who is not reconciled but upon his Death-bed if you ask me if he dye with Assurance of Salvation I will answer you that I am not assured of it And a little after Do I say then he shall be damned I do not say so But do I say then he shall be saved No. What do I say then I know not I do not presume I do not promise I know not Would'st thou fee thy self of this Doubt Would'st thou avoid this Vncertainty Do Penance whilst thou art in Health for
was subject also both to good Men and bad yea even to the very Devils Moreover because all things sensible and insensible are obedient unto God and he has subjected them to Man to the end that he might understand that himself ought to be subject unto God The Sun and Moon were obedient unto Joshua Josh 10. The Earth to Moses when it swallowed up Cone Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. The Sea to St. Peter when he walked upon it Matth. 14. And to Moses when it drowned Pharaoh and his Army Exod. 14. Serpents to the Magicians in Egypt Exod. 7. Wild Beasts to the Eremites and Holy Fathers in Egypt as we read in their Lives The Air Snow and Hail to Samuel 1 Sam. 12. The Rain to Elias 1 Kings 17.18 And the Fire to him also which burnt up two Companies of fifty men a piece 2 Kings 1. The Birds to the Holy Father S. Francis The Devils to the Apostles and Diseases to Holy men who delivered the sick from them and many other Creatures to Moses in Egypt Exod. 7.8 9 10. And because all things are obedient to God in Heaven under Heaven in Purgatory and in Hell therefore deservedly man ought to obey God in all things fulfilling his Will and Commandments St. Bernard gives us the signs of true Obedience The truly obedient knows no delayes abhorrs putting off till to morrow is ignorant of Slowness prevents the Command puts in readiness the Eyes to see the Ears to hear he Tongue to speak the Hands to work the Feet to go he gathers up his whole self that he may fulfill the the Will of him that commands him The same St. Bernard says moreover Every good obedient Man gives up his Will and his Nill to wit into the hands of his Superiour that he may be able to say My Heart is ready O God my Heart is ready ready to do whatsoever thou shalt command me ready to obey at thy Beck yea sooner than thy Beck ready to attend to thee to serve may Neighbour to watch over my self and to rest in Contemplation of heavenly things A sign of Disobedience is when a Subject judges the Command of his Superiour to be unjust and hence murmurs in his Heart then he excuses himself as though he were neither able nor ought to fulfill the Command afterwards he subtilly devises divert ways of evading the Precept At last he persuades some or other by Counsel or Entreaties to hinder or retract the Command Not so Abraham who went away in the Night that he might forthwith fulfill what was commanded him leaving his Servants at the Foot of the Mountain lest they should hinder him from killing his most dear Son and therefore deserved a large Benediction for himself and his Seed CHAP. IV. Of Patience TRue and perfect Patience is when one endures Injuries patiently not only when he is guilty but also when he is innocent after the Example of Job saying I have not sinned and my Eye dwells in Bitterness Job 17. And although an Injury be more intolerable to the Innocent than to the Culpable yet an Injury both may and ought to be borne much more contentedly when no Fault remorces the Conscience than when one has deserved a Vexation for some precedent Fault according to St. Peter who says Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer or a Thief or a Reviler or a Coveter of other mens Goods but if as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this Account 1 Pet. 4. For it is better that ye suffer if so be the Will of God for well-doing than for doing ill 1 Pet. 3. For what Glory is it if doing ill and being buffetted ye bear it patiently But if doing well you suffer with Patience this is gracious before God 1 Pet. 2. That Patience is praise-worthy which endures Injuries patiently not only from the bad but also from those who seem to be good and Friends nor only for bad Deeds but even also for good Then the Soul is the beloved of God among the Daughters as a Lilly among Thorns Cant. 1. For a Lilly though it be pricked by Thorns it retains notwithstanding it 's Whiteness and sends forth a more fragrant Smell than if it were not pricked So a Soul the Spouse of God if it be afflicted by those who seem to be of the number and Society of the Sons of God yet it is not provoked to Impatience but endeavours carefully to preserve the Candour of a good Conscience and the sweet Odour of a good Name He is truly patient that not only endures patiently Troubles that are brought upon him but also desires Troubles should be brought upon him after the Example of Jesus Christ saying My Heart has looked for Reproach and Affliction Psal 68. The truly patient does not murmur amidst his Sufferings after the Example of Job who amidst his Pressures did not speak a foolish Word against God Job 1. but with a cheerful Mind he rejoyces in the Grievances he suffers and from the bottom of his Heart gives Thanks for them The truly Patient never excuses himself for any Injury that is done him even tho' asked but commits his Cause to the All-faithful God who in his own time will not fail to manifest the Innocency of all who suffer wrongfully as our Lord Jesus being interrogated by Pilate when falsly accused answered not a Word The truly Patient complains to none of the Injuries he suffers because by Complaints and Excuses the Mind is sometimes alleviated which Alleviation he regards not but alone with God he bears his Trouble until his pious and faithful Lord repeal it by some inward Comfort There are three things which deservedly incite true Patience The one is to understand that for our Sins we have deserved the eternal and bitter Pains of Hell for Exchange whereof we are afflicted with Corporal Inconveniences The other is that our Lord Jesus Christ by many divers and great Injuries suffered by him for a long time deserved for us that we might return his Love by being molested a little time The third is That the just God according to the Length Greatness and Sharpness of our Sufferings will weigh the Length Continuance Delight and Sweetness of our Joys the Apostle St. Paul testifying That a momentary light Tribulation for the present works for us on high above Measure an eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. A sign of true Patience is not to revenge our selves when it is in our Power and also to hinder others from revenging of us after the Example of David who hindred Shimei from being kill'd who cast Stones and Dirt at him and call'd him a Man of Blood 2 Sam. 16. But the truly patient rather devoutly prays for those who injure him as did our Lord Jesus effectually for his Crucifiers and blessed Stephen for those who stoned him Yea the truly patient even compells Almighty God to have Mercy on those who injure him as did Moses saying
there is not a moderation of the Tongue there will never be Perfection according to that James 3. If any one offend not in his Words he is a perfect man And no other saies the Gloss Where there is a custody of the Tongue there is Happiness according to that Eccles 14. Blessed is the man who has not faln by a word out of his Mouth And Pro. 21. He who keeps his mouth and his Tongue keeps his Soul from straits He has an argument of true Silence who when he may freely and lawfully and without offence speak and whose words would be received with great desire and yet can by no means or very rarely be induced to speak remembring that of S. Gregory If the holy Prophet Ezekiel was sent to speak and yet sat silent and weeping seven days we ought to consider how great a fault it is for him not to be silent whom no necessity compels to speak And that Evangelical word Mat. 12. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment An Argument of false Silence or Loquacity is to speak malapertly and clamorously that he may seem to be some body amongst others Or in an importune time whereas seasonable Speech is the best Against this is that Eccles 20. A wise man will hold his peace until a fit time but the wanton and imprudent will not observe time Or to speak when no body attends or cares to hear Against that is Eccles 32. Where there is no hearing do not poure forth Speech Or when one answers before he hears or be asked Against this Pro. 18. He who answers before he hears shows himself to be a Fool and worthy of confusion Or when he answers for another not being asked Against that is Eccles 32. Young man scarce speak in thy own Cause if thou shalt be asked twice let thy answer have a head An Argument of false Silence is not to be silent out of Virtue but lest he should be confounded before the hearers Or that he may be praised for his Silence Or when he is ashamed to speak knowing not how to speak understandingly or profitably Or that his folly may be covered by his Silence according to that A Fool if he hold his peace shall be acounted a wise man CHAP. XXXII Of Solitude TRUE Solitude is to abstract the Mind from the Solicitude and inordinate employ of exteriour Actions from all delight of Creatures and unanimuosly to direct as much as we can all our Affections Wills and Intentions unto God that we might be made one Spirit with him to this the Prophet Esaias exhorts us Chap. 2. saying Enter into the Rock and hide thy self in the digged earth Enter into the Rock that is into the Divinity of Christ hide thy self in the digged Earth that is in the Wounds of Christ he who is in this Rock is alone he who is out of this Rock is in a Crowd of People In this Solitude of Mind so great Grace and illumination of Mind is received that the Receiver is offensive to others to behold As Moses remaining alone with God in the Mountain forty days and forty Nights was so illuminated that the Light broke forth into his Face and from the shining of his Countenance proceeded as it were Rayes of the Sun which the Children of Israel were not able to behold until he covered his Face with a Veil Exod. 34. The most holy Example of our Lord Jesus Christ ought to move us to the love of Solitude who though he could not by the Conversation of any be hindred from his Spiritual Employ yet notwithstanding he often retired from Company for the love of Solitude and sometimes when he could not go farther off he withdrew himself a Stones cast from his dearest Apostles that he might attend to Prayer as St. Luke writes ch 22. Hereby insinuating unto us that even holy men amidst the Multitude cannot familiarly converse with God or do get little or no efficacious Grace amongst Men. Hence it is that Zacheus could not see our Lord Jesus in the Crowd but afterwards he saw him and heard his Voice when alone he climbed up into a Tree Luke 19. The profit also of Solitude ought to induce us unto it concerning which our Lord says of his Spouse Hosea 2. I will lead her into the Wilderness and speak to her Heart O how happy is he who even once once hears our Lord speaking within him The speaking of the Lord in the Heart is to give Assurance of Mind concerning heard Graces It ought to move us to the same that holy Eremites of old ran into Desarts Mountains Dens and Caves of the Earth that they might continually attend to God and sometimes saw not a Man for forty Years He has an Argument of true Solitude who with pain is in the Company of Men and takes all occasions to withdraw himself from them Behold I have fled a great way off and have remained in Solitude Psal 54. As it was a Pain to S. Mary Magdalen to see Men after she could no longer see her Lord Jesus yea it was painful to her even to see Angels whence when the Angels went about to comfort her concerning the Departure of our Lord out of his Sepulcher she says I seek the Creator and therefore it is grievous to me to see the Creature And therefore she fled into the Desart for the love of our Lord Jesus thirty years wanting all corporal Meat and Drink whom the Angels elevated into the Air at her set hours of Prayer in which Prayer she received the Nutriment of Soul and Body He has an Argument of false Solitude who though he be alone with God corporally yet his Soul is occupied in variety of Businesses in diverse parts of the World These two things Silence and Solitude do efficaciously elevate to Contemplation Whence that of the Lamentations chap. 3. He shall sit alone and be silent because he has elevated himself above himself CHAP. XXXIII Of Contemplation TRUE and perfect Contemplation is a Collection of all the Affections and Forces of the Soul to know with delight and admiration of Mind something of the Divine Nature to wit of the Divine Power Wisdom Goodness Charity Excellency Liberality c. or to know the secret Judgments of God or his most holy Will or some Perfection which tends unto him This Contemplation had the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles for God revealed his Secrets by his holy Spirit to the Patriarchs and Prophets To Noah he revealed the Flood Gen. 7. To Abraham the Destruction of the Sodomites Gen. 18. To Jeremy the Transmigration and Captivity of the Jews To Joseph the Famine in Aegypt Gen. 47. To Daniel the Tree of Nebuchodonozor Dan. 4. The like of other Patriarchs and Prophets to whom God revealed his Secrets as diverse Visions to Ezekiel chap. 1. whence Amos ch 3. The Lord God will not do a Word unless
fasted every day except the Solemn Feasts Jud. 8. The great Profit which comes from the mortification of the Flesh ought to induce us to it For by the mortification of the Flesh the Spirit is strengthened in Spiritual exercises According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. For when I am weak in the Flesh then I am strong in Spirit And on the contrary by the cherishing of the Flesh the rigor of the Spirit is damped in Spiritual exercises according to that of St. Augustin The delicate Flesh burns up and consumes the Soul as the Fire Stubble An Argument of true Mortification is when no Pleasure but only what 's necessary is allowed to the Flesh according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. We are Debtors not to the Flesh that we should live according to the Flesh For pleasure exacts many more things and more delicate than necessity requires but necessity is contented with a few things And the Apostle subjoyns the Evil which follows Pleasure saying If ye shall live according to the Flesh ye shall dye but if by the Spirit ye shall mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh ye shall live But the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are Fornication Vncleanness Immodesty Luxury Serving of Idols Witchcrafts Enmities Contentions Emulations Anger 's Brawlings Dissensions Sects Envies Murthers Drunkennesses Junkettings and such like which I fore-tel you as I have fore-told you that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5. Another Argument is when any one according to the Counsel of Jesus Christ hates his own Soul in this World for our Lord himself says Luk. 14. If any one come to me and do not hate his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brothers and Sisters and moreover his own Soul he cannot be my Disciple Which St. Gregory expounding says For then we well hate our own Soul when we do not yield to it 's carnal Desires when we break it's Appetites resist it's Pleasures that therefore which by being contemned is led to something that 's better is as it were loved through Hatred But he who does not restrain his Soul from it's Concupiscences precipitates himself into the Snares of the Devil according to that of Ecclesiasticus chap. 18. If thou yieldest to thy Soul her Concupiscences she will make thee a Joy to thine Enemies As Dalila delivered up the valiant Sampson to the Philistins to be mocked Jud. 16. He has not an Argument of true Mortification who only bridles his Belly and Mouth from the Pleasure of Meat and Drink but bridles not his Tongue from unlawful Words nor his Sight Hearing Tasting Smell and Touching from their Delight nor his Heart from voluptuous Thoughts and Affections For it is a small matter to restrain the Mouth and Belly from Meats when the Heart and the five Senses are sed with Delights Whence St. Chrysostom They who abstain from Meats and do ill they imitate the Devils to whom not Meat but Wickedness is always present CHAP. XXXIX Of Contrition TRUE Contrition is a grief for Sins voluntarily assumed according to the quantity and quality of the Crimes with a purpose of confessing and making Satisfaction proceeding from the free grace of God for a natural Grief or a Grief without grace profits or is good for nothing Jeremy expresses the quantity of the Grief when he says Make to thy self the mourning for an only Son This the Lord commanded in Joel saying Cut your Hearts To this cutting are helpful the Thorns Nails Rods Whips Cross and Spear which cut the body of our Lord Jesus Christ True Contrition is very rare as testifies St. Gregory We must know that there are some who although leaving the World they offer indeed all they have and yet have not Compunction in the good things which they do nor must we always believe there is true Compunction where there are Sighs and Tears for such things are often wont to come from the fear of Hell or from the consideration of some Damage or from natural Grief or from natural Compassion when one remembers the Enormity of his Crimes or the most bitter Passion of Jesus Christ To true Contrition is required a grief for all the Sins we have committed and for all the good we have omitted and for all the Graces neglected to our selves and others and also for those which might by occasion of us be committed or neglected It will move us to true Contrition if we seriously think what we have lost by Sin to wit the Holy Ghost with his Gifts and all gratuit Graces the Friendship of the B. Trinity and the Society of the celestial Court Also what we have got by Sin to wit eternal Death the Malediction of God the Father as the Psalmist testifies Psal 118. Cursed are they who decline from thy Commandments The Hatred of our Lord Jesus Christ who hates all those who work Iniquity The departure of the Holy Ghost Who takes himself away even from Thoughts which are without Vnderstanding as he says in the book of Wisdom chap. 1. But much more from wicked Works for these are worse and more horrible than the very pains of Hell as says St. Chrysostom The great Profit also proceeding from the same ought to induce us thereunto for the least Contrition effaces all the blots of the Soul kills eternal Death confers the Benediction of God the Father restores the Friendship of God the Son the Familiarity of the Holy Ghost and the Society of the supernal Citizens And Contrition how little soever it be more satisfies than the greatest Alms we can give All these things often weighed in the ballance of the Heart are inductive of true Compunction He has an Argument of true Contrition who does so detest the filthiness of Sin that he would rather chuse all the pains of Purgatory than commit any Sin against his most gracious God and who would expose himself rather to the pains of Hell with Eleazarus than for the future deliberately commit any Sin which also St. Augustin says ought rather to be chosen And who would most willingly endure the torments of all the Martyrs that he might hereby merit never more to commit any Sin and who would offer himself to all the Sufferings of the Sick and Poor that he might duely satisfie God for his Offences He has an Argument of false Contrition who although he weep bitterly for the Sins he has committed yet instantly after his Grief he is not afraid to commit the same or other Sins Against this it is said in Ecclesiasticus ch 34. He who is washed from the Dead and again touches the dead what doth his washing profit him In like manner he who is sorry for his past Sins and does not resolve for the future to leave his Sins to wit his Pride Envy carnal Friendship fleshly Delights or the unjust Possession of the Goods of others Concerning which S Augustin says The Sin is not forgiven unles that which
but himself and earnestly desires to be despised by all and greatly rejoyces when he is despised Such an one never fears Reproaches because he loves no Glory There is one who wickedly humbles himself and his inward parts are full of Deceit Eccles 19. But the truly humble says S. Bernard desires to be reputed vile not humble He who loves Humility ought to plant the Root of Humility in his Heart that is to acknowledge his own Frailty He ought to acknowledge not only how vile he is but also how vile he may be Yea also how vile he would be this very day unless God Almighty did violently restrain him from sinning and substract Temptations from him There every one may know himself and how that of his own Frailty he is disposed to fall into the Abyss and Gulf of all Vices according to that Thy Humiliation is in the middle of thy self Mich. 6. A frequent Exercise in humble Offices begets true Humility the holy Scripture testifying that he shall never attain the Vertue of Humility who shuns humble Works True Humility is cherished by this that a man truly and indeed acknowledge that he cannot overcome any Temptation carnal or spiritual of himself and that he is not able to do the least Good and acceptable Work to God without the special Assistance of Jesus Christ It is a sign of true Humility when a man so far depresses himself that he judges himself unworthy of all Grace nor dare he desire any Grace and if any Grace without his Desire flow in upon him from God he receives it with Fear nay he judges it more laudable to want the Grace of God than to have it which he has so often divers ways demerited and defiled and which he never enjoyed according to God's Appointment Also it is a Sign of true Humility always to seek the lowest Place the meanest Companions the humblest Office and the poorest Cloaths The Pride of the mind may be discerned two ways By an outward Argument according to that The Cloathing of a Man and his Laughter and his Gate shew what he is Eccl. 19. as a good or bad Tree is known by good or bad Fruit because all Works proceed from the Heart or Thought as says S. Augustin as a sweet or stinking Breath exhales out of a sound or corrupted Stomach as out of good or bad Spices laid up in it and as a wanton Eye is the Messenger of an unchaste Heart according to St. Augustin so outward Signs betray mens Intentions Pride is discerned by an inward Argument when one in his Heart takes pleasure in himself and prefers himself and desires to be preferred before others and when in his Deeds he desires and affects to please men Such an one is very unlike our humble Master Jesus Christ who neither pleased himself as St. Paul testifies but expected the Reproach of Men and Misery nor came to rule but to be subject as himself testifies Matth. 20. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve Therefore such a Master dissipates the Bones of Scholars who seek not to please God but Men who as the Psalmist testifies shall at length be confounded because God has despised them Psal 53. CHAP. III. Of Obedience to God TRue and perfect Obedience to God is when a Man diligently and often considers what in every Time and Place would best please God and what the wise God has especially ordered him to do and this with all his Might he always endeavours to fulfill Of Obedience to Superiors But true Obedience to the Vicars of Jesus Christ to wit Superiors is when the Subject faithfully and willingly performs what is most contrary to his Inclination never manifesting by any Sign Word or Deed that he has an Aversion from that he is commanded But there true Obedience cannot be seen where the Subject contrives the Precept and himself suggests the Work which he would gladly do St. Augustin testifying He is thy best Servant O Lord who does not desire to hear from thee what he would but rather would that which he shall hear from thee The truly obedient never expects an absolute Command but only knowing or believing the Will of his Superiour he fervorously executes it as if it were a Precept after the Examample of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom the Will and good Pleasure of his Father was the highest Command The truly obedient never disposes of his own Actions nor does he judge according to his own Sense nor does he declare his own Sense to any one concerning his own Actions seeing he has neither Will nor Nill but simply and securely he commits to God and his Superiour the entire Disposal of himself The truly obedient does not discern betwixt Good and Evil As Abraham when God Almighty commanded him to kill his Son did not discern whether it was good or evil nor does he discern betwixt good and better For he always judges that to be best which is commanded even when it is doubtful unless the Command should appear manifestly to be sinful for then according to S. Gregory We must know that never any ill thing must be done for Obedience but sometimes a good thing we are a doing ought to be intermitted for Obedience The same S. Gregory says moreover But because sometimes the desireable things of this World are commanded and sometimes the contrary It is greatly to be remarked That Obedience sometimes if it have any thing of it's own 't is of no value and other times unless it have something of it's own 't is little worth for when the agreeable things of this World are commanded a higher place for example He who out of Obedience accepts of these things he evacuates in himself the Virtue of Obedience if he also aspire after these things by his own proper Desire For he does not guide himself by Obedience who in accepting the grateful things of this Life serves the Lust of his own Ambition Again when the despicable things of this World Disgraces and Contumelies are commanded unless the Soul of it self desire these things it lessens to it self the merit of Obedience because forced and unwilling it descends to those things which are despised in this Life And a little after Obedience therefore in things that are displeasing it ought to have something of it self and again in those things that are pleasing it ought not by any means to have any thing of it self To the end that in things that are displeasing it may be so much more glorious by how much it is joyned to the divine Disposition even with Desire And in things that are pleasing it may be so much more true by how much it is more heartily separated from the present Glory which it partakes by the Divine Order The motive of true Obedience is the exact Obedience of Jesus Christ who was obedient in all things not only to God his Father saying Notwithstanding not my Will but thine be done Luke 22. but
Either forgive them this Fault or if thou doest not blot me out of thy Book which thou hast written Exod. 32. Such Prayers God willingly hears and grants whence those David Christ and Stephen were heard for their Enemies An Argument of Impatience is when one for some Trouble brought upon him by reason of some inward Disturbance voluntarily omitts certain good Works which he might conveniently and ought to have done for then God suffers Injury done him by Man the same inward Motion can hardly hide it self but it will break out either in the Countenance Gesture or Words This is the most dangerous kind of Impatience whose Revenge breaks it self upon the innocent God CHAP. V. Of Poverty TRue and perfect Poverty is voluntarily and freely to leave all things for God to possess nothing but bare Necessaries and to think ones self unworthy of them yea sometimes for God and for the Love of Poverty willingly to want even Necessaries for where there is no need there true Poverty cannot be discerned So our Lord Jesus Christ wanted necessary Food when he could not have Bread for himself and his Disciples rubbing Ears of Corn who in like manner wanted necessary Cloaths when as says St. Bernard he was stripped stark naked before his Cross who also being a thirst upon his Cross could not have a Draught of Water nor a Stone or Board whereon when he was a dying he might lean his crucified Head Alas how often is Superfluity there where true Need is believed to be The truly Poor desires no transitory things yea refuses them when they are offered after the Example of Elizeus who refused the gifts of Naaman 2 Kings 5. and after the Example of Daniel who despised the gifts of King Balthazar He truly loves Poverty who had rather deserve a little Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven through Poverty than a great one through Riches And this to be more conformable to Jesus Christ Three things ought to move us to the love of true Poverty according to St. Bernard Nothing says he is more dear to God nothing more amiable to the Angels nothing more profitable to Men than to end this Life in Poverty and Obedience That Poverty is pleasing to God the same St. Bernard testifies In the left hand of God says he are Riches and Glory in his right hand length of Life Of all these there was an eternal Abundance in Heaven but Poverty was not found there but on Earth it did abound and superabound and Man knew not it's Value wherefore the Son of God being enamoured with it came down that he might make Choice of it for himself and that he might also by his Esteem of it make it precious to us Another motive to true Poverty is the glory of sitting beside our Lord Jesus proceeding hence that the ignoble Poor shall sit by him in Judgment and judge the Noble and Rich. And how laudable is it before God purely to leave all things for him and of ones own Choice to be poor for the Love of God to confide in God above all things because he is so powerful once or twice a day to afford all things necessary for the Body which are the least things before God for he gives them more abundantly to his Enemies than to his Friends as he is powerful to minister to the Spirit Day and Night and every Moment an abundance of spiritual gifts which are the greatest things before God nor does he communicate them to his Enemies but only to the good who are his Friends An Argument of true Poverty is to have no Solicitude for transitory things but simply and securely to commit himself to God who plentifully administers all Necessaries even to Birds and Worms and especially to the young ones of Crows which cry for Hunger in their Nest whom the old black Crow leaves to starve because of their Whiteness as if they were not her own Brood who are fed either by the Bounty of God or by the Dew of the Air until growing black their Damn succour them or else they swallow down Gnats and Flies which stick to the Foam of their Bills they crying uncessantly for Hunger An Argument of false Poverty or Covetousness is willingly to beg Gifts without necessity or willingly and frequently to receive them Such an one sells his Liberty according to that of the Philosopher Publius Mimus to receive Gifts is to sell ones Liberty yea the Scripture says Thou shalt not receive Gifts because they blind the Eyes of the Wise and change the Words of the just Deut. 16. For how is he a Lover of Poverty who will endure no Want and receives unnecessary Gifts willingly and frequently Yea who asks them and by certain subtle Devices extorts them and without Necessity keeps them CHAP. VI. Of Chastity TRue and perfect Chastity is when not only the Body is kept from carnal Pollution but even the Soul is preserved clean from carnal Concupiscence after the Example of Sarah saying Thou knowest O Lord that I have never lusted after man and have kept my Soul clean from all Concupiscence yea and from those things which give occasions of Concupiscence And this is that which follows in the same place I have never kept Company with those that sport neither have I familiarly conversed with those of light behaviour Tob. 3. He truly loves Chastity who if it were possible would chuse rather less Grace in this life and less Glory in the other by Virginal Chastity to be more conformed to Jesus Christ than by paying the Conjugal debt to merit greater Grace and Glory The motives which ought to incite us to the love of Chastity are the Example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Blessed Mother and the holy Virgins who have despised Kingdoms and voluntarily lost their Lives to preserve their Chastity as S. Agnes S. Katherin S. Agatha and inumerable others and especially the Chastity of Pagan Women and Virgins of whom S. Hierom writes That they chose Death that they might conserve their Chastity The Cleanness also and Freedom which follow Chastity ought to move and invite us to it as also the glory which our Lord Jesus has promised to Chastity He who shall overcome says he Apoc. 3. to wit the concupiscence of the Flesh I will give him to sit with me in my throne as I also have overcome and have sat with my Father in his Throne for incorruption makes one very near unto God Sap. 6. These things are inductive of Chastity and conserve it a spare Diet plain Attire corporal Incommodity to avoid opportune time and place for Impurity which if Dina the Daughter of Jacob had done she had not been taken when she went to a feast to see the women of the Country Gen. 34. Moreover to shun the Company of suspected persons Now every man ought to be suspected by every woman for hence Thamar the daughter of David was corrupted by her own Brother because she did not suspect
they should burthen their Stomach and when they did eat any they eat pounded Hysop with it that by the Heat of this Herb they might concoct that grosser Food they used no Oyl but with Herbs and this very sparingly to take away the Offensiveness and Sharpness of their Taste What shall I speak of Fowls when they abstain from Eggs and Milk as Flesh one of which they call liquid Flesh the other Blood only with the Colour changed An Argument of true Abstinence is when one does not only in time of Health reject costly and delicate Viands but also when in Sickness and other Necessity he makes use of them with Grief of Mind also when one does not only abstain from delicate costly and superfluous Meats but also sometimes subtracts from himself even Necessaries that he may impart them to the Needy according to that of St. Hierom What thou wouldest eat if thou did'st not fast give to the Poor that the Fast of thy Body may be the Feast of thy Soul but not the gain of thy Purse c. An Argument of false Abstinence is to forbear costly and delicate Meats only when thou hast them not or for vain-glory to be praised or for Parsimony to prevent Poverty or for Covetousness to grow rich or for Health-sake or to avoid Infamy and Detraction or to procure some Dignity or transitory Emolument and not to obtain Grace in this Life and glory in the other CHAP. VIII Of Prudence TRue and perfect Prudence is always to labour after the knowledge of the divine Nature and the depth of humane Misery which Prudence St. Augustin aspired after saying O God who art always the same may I know my self may I know thee He has true Prudence who labours sollicitously to acknowledge what is the best and embraces it with all his Might and what is the worst and detests it with all his Heart He is truly prudent who frequently ponders what shall be the Lot of the good and what of the bad what Joy it shall be to the good to be eternally united to the supreme Good and what a grief it shall be to the bad to be eternally separated from the same chiefest Good He has true Prudence who eyes with his utmost Endeavour every thing which hinders for a time from the Familiarity of God to wit Venial Sin and which separates for ever from the Fruition of God to wit Mortal Sin In like manner he uses true Prudence who loves all things which make to draw near to God to wit good Works and which eternally unite to God to wit Vertues and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost A Motive to true Prudence is the Example of the Philosophers who laboured so much for Knowledge as St. Hierom writes that they shunned Cities and much Company pleasant Gardens where the ground is watered with delightfull Streams the Birds sweetly sing the Trees are peruqued with Leaves or are other Allurements of the Eyes least by a luxuriant Abundance the Fortitude of the Mind should be effeminated and its Prudence debauched For it is unprofitable often to see those things by which some time or other thou mayst be taken and so commit thy self to the Temptation of such things as thou canst not want but with difficulty In like manner the Pythagoreans were wont to dwell in desart places And we read of some who have put out their Eyes lest by their Sight they should be drawn from the Contemplation of Philosophy But if any one think he may enjoy all Abundance in Meats and Drinks and yet be able to attend to the study of Wisdom that is be in the midst of all delights and not be entangled and held by them he deceives himself for our Mind runs upon that which we see hear smell taste and touch and our appetite is drawn after that with whole pleasure it is taken How much more we who ought to study Divine Wisdom We ought also to be moved hereunto by the Damnation of many for their Imprudence according to that of Esaias Chap. 5. Therefore thy people was led away Captive because they had not knowledge And of Baruch chap. 3. Because they had not Wisdom they perished through their folly The Office of Prudence is to order the Thoughts of the heart that they wander not out of God the Affections of the mind that they be not taken up with creatures our Wills that they be not averted from God our Intentions that they be not mixed but pure our Judgments and Suspicions that they be converted to God In like manner it ought to order all our Words Deeds and Motions that they be done for a due End for the common Good and Amendment of all For as Solomon testifies The wisdom of a man appeareth in his Countenance that is in his exterior Conversation Eccles 8. He who is so ordered has an Argument of true Wisdom Concerning this S. Bernard saies Every day discuss and examine thy Life Advert diligently how much thou hast profited how much thou hast gon backward what thou art in thy Manners what in thy Affections how like and unlike unto God study diligently to know thy self For thou art much better if thou knowest thy self than if being ignorant of thy self thou knowest the Course of the Stars and the Vertues of Herbs An argument of false prudence is to endeavor to know the course of the Stars the Vertues of Herbs the value of Jewels only for gain For such knowledg does not edifie but puff up with Vanity 1 Cor. 8. To be crafty also in secular affairs indicates false Prudence yea it is Foolishness as the Apostle testifieth who says 1 Cor. 3. The Wisdom of this World is folly in the sight of God And such alas there are but too many and therefore our Lord Jesus complains saying Luke 16. The Children of this World are wiser than the Children of Light in their Generation There are also others who are subtil to continue Wickednesses and new Inventions but they are blind to consider the Will of God of such the Prophet Jeremy says They are wise to do evil but they are ignorant how to do well Such as the Apostle sayes saying and believing themselves to be Wise they are become Fools CHAP. VIII Of Fortitude TRue and perfect Fortitude is to have Command over ones own Soul when the Mind is tempted by Pride Envy Anger Luxury Covetousness vain Glory Complacence and carnall Delights and rightly understanding Reason does by no means consent but instantly suppresses such Motions Whence that Pro. 16. Better is he who commands his own Soul than he who conquers Cities This Fortitude the strongest of men Sampson had not although he tore a Lion in Pieces and killed a thousand men with the Jaw-bone of an Ass Because for the lust of a woman he was deprived of all his strength Judges 14.15 16. He has true Fortitude who restraines his Body and senses from all unlawful Things This Fortitude David had not who killed a
So Moses obtained Pardon for the Jews who went about to stone him saying Either pardon them this Fault or if thou do'st not blot me out of thy Book which thou hast written Exod. 32. So St. Stephen for those who stoned him and our Lord Jesus for those who crucified him obtained Grace and Pardon Acts 7. Luke 23. Both of them saying Forgive them for they know not what they do Where the Doers of Injury are greatly excused as if they should say they have no Understanding for they know not what they do and therefore what they do is not deservedly to be imputed to them but to be mercifully pardoned them It ought to induce us to the love of true Mercy that God in his own Nature is infinitely merciful and in others loves Mercy beyond measure as himself hath said Go ye and learn what that means I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 9. Another motive to Mercy is that the merciful God will in his Judgment condemn without Mercy merciless Men according to St. James Judgment without Mercy to him who has not shewn Mercy Jam. 2. And the Merciful shall plentifully obtain Mercy from God For he lends upon Vse to the Lord who has Mercy on the Poor Prov. 19. that is with great Usury and Gain he shall receive whatsoever he gives to the Poor The Office of Mercy is to give every one a place with God according to his Deserts All Mercy shall make a place for every one according to the merit of his Works says Ecclesiasticus chap. 16. An Argument of true Mercy is when one subtracts from himself whatsoever he can saving his Life And moreover continually labours even above his Strength that he may be able more abundantly to relieve the Indigent An Argument of false Mercy is when one does not relieve the Necessities of another according to his Ability but says to the Needy that of St. James chap. 2. Go in Peace be Ye warmed and be fed but Ye give not to them such things as are necessary for the Body What shall it profit them Whence St. Chrysostom It is needful also that thou should'st not be so sparing of thine own but when thy Lord's Goods are committed to thee why art thou so tenacious of them Also when he pardons those that injure him when it is not in his Power to revenge himself or when he pardons them not purely for the Love of God but because he knows God will not pardon him unless he first pardon them or when he prays for them only with his Mouth but inwardly in his Heart rejoyces at their Confusion CHAP. XV. Of Concord TRUE Concord with God is to be unitid to the Divine Will in Prosperity and Adversity and according to our Power to be conformed to the Divine Manners and examples of Jesus Christ For S. John Chrysostom saies Nothing is more worthy than that a man be an Imitator of his Maker and execute the Divine Work according to the measure of his proper Facultie This Union our Lord asked for us in the last Instant of his Life saying As thou Father art in me and I in thee so may they he one in us John 17. True Concord with our Neighbour is to Judge and think the same with all men in all things which belong to God As in the Primitive Church The multitude of Believers had one Heart and one soul Act. 4. Also to be conformed to others in Meat Drink Sleep Manners and Workes which are not contrary to God nor against our Profession nor against Perfection that we may gain more As the Apostle says of himself 1 Cor. 9. To the Infirm I became infirm that I might gain the Infirm I was made all things to all that I might save all It ought to move us to the Love of true Concord that the Agreement of Brethren is praise-worthy before God and very pleasing unto him As he has said by Solomon Eccles 25. In three things my Spirit is delighted which are approved before God and men the Concord of Brethren and the Love of Neighours and a Man and his Wife agreeing well together For miserable and frail men observe that on Earth which Angels would not observe in Heaven We ought to be invited to the same by the Diligence which our Lord Jesus used to make Concord between Men and God and betwixt his Apostles when there was a Contention amongst them who should be the greatest Mark 9. And when the other Apostles had Indignation against the two Brethren James and John because they would sit at his right hand and his left In all these things he pacified and agreed them An Argument of true Concord with God is the Testimony of our Conscience that we are not involved in grievous Sins Such a Testimony the Apostle had saying I am conscious to my self of nothing 1 Cor. 4. And Job chap. 27. Neither does my Heart reprehend me in my whole Life Also a fervent Desire of making Progress our whole Life in all good according to the Ordination of God He has an Argument of true Concord with his Neighbour who behaves himself so holily towards all that no Body complains of him nor can any one speak an ill Word of him The Parents of St. John Baptist had both the Arguments Luke 1. They were both just before God observing all the Commandments and Justifications of the Lord as to the first and without blame as to the second Judith also had them both concerning whom it is written Judith 8. She was in all things much renowned for she feared God greatly nor was there any one who did speak an ill Word of her An Argument of false Peace betwixt God and Man is when one does not solicitously examine his Conscience and so through an erroneous Conscience he believes that he pleases God when in all things he does indeed displease him Another Argument of Disagreement betwixt God and Man is when the Divine Disposition about his Creatures is displeasing to Man and the Divine Manners and Examples and most holy Works of Jesus Christ Whence it is written He displeases God whom God displeases He has an Argument of false Concord with his Neighbour to whom the good Works and holy Manners of others are displeasing in his Heart which notwithstanding sometimes with his Mouth he commends And he has an Argument of Discord who prefers his own Judgment before others and always endeavours to draw the Sentiment of others to his own but never to conform his to others CHAP. XVI Of Constancy COnstancy is true and perfect when a Man can be drawn from Perfection neither by Prosperity nor Adversity as Job saying Vntil I dye I will not depart from my Innocency my Justification which I have begun to maintain I will not forego Nor can he be drawn to transgress the Divine Precepts or Vows by Threats or Flatterys So the seven Bretheren in the Book of Machabees who their Tongues being cut out and the Skin of
their Heads plucked off and the tops of their Hands and Feet cut off were tormented alive in Brazen Pots 2 Machab. 7. And Eleazarus would not dissemble to eat unlawful flesh but said he would rather go down to the grave 2 Machab. 6. He has true Constancy who never ceases from the Divine Praises According to that Psal 33. I will bless the Lord at all times his Praise shall be ever in my mouth c. Nor does he cease from a fervent Desire of profiting For S. Leo Pope testifieth None of us is so perfect and holy but he may be still more perfect and more holy And also Then we begin to be in danger of growing worse when we cease to desire to grow better We ought to be incited to true Constancy by the Constancy of Martyrs and especially of Virgins who in their frail Sex by their Constancy deserved eternal Glory But we ought much more to be moved to Constancy by the Pertinacy of Jews Hereticks and other perverse men in their Wickednesses who for their Perfidiousness and Pertinacy in their Iniquities are grievously tormented in their Consciences here and expect more grievous Torments both in Soul and Body hereafter An Argument of true Constancy is when one neither for loss of Life nor Goods ceases from those things which are pleasing to God So Tobias ceased not to bury the Dead for which thing King Sennacherib had taken away all his Goods and moreover had commanded him to be killed Tob. 1.2 So Daniel did not cease to pray Dan. 6. So the Apostles after the Resurrection of Christ our Lord ceased not from the Manifestation of his Name neither for whipping nor for the Fear of Death Peter and John saying to their Adversaries If it be just in the sight of God to hear You rather than God judge Ye Act. 4. Peter also and the Apostles said unto them Act. 5. We must obey God rather than Man It is an Argument of Inconstancy when any one departs from the way of Justice to obtain the Favour of Men or some temporal Gain as Balaam did who for the Gifts and Friendship of Balack would curse the People of Israel against the Commandment of the Lord Numb 22. Or for fear of parting with temporal Goods as that rich man who went sad away from our Lord Jesus when he counsell'd him Perfection for he had many Possessions and Riches which he loved Matth. 19. Or for fear of corporal Sufferings as the Apostles all fled away from their beloved Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 26. But Mattathias contemning the Honour which was shewn him by the Messengers of King Antiochus and the Gifts that were promised him forsaking all fled into the Mountains that he might keep the Law of his Lord. Also neither the Desire of Favour nor the fear of Temporal Losses withdrew him from the way of Justice 1 Mach. 2. In like manner neither did the fear of corporal Sufferings withdraw St. Stephen from the just way but looking up to Heaven amidst Showers of Stones he remained fixed in Christ Acts 7. In like manner also Paul who said Acts 21. I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XVII Of Liberality TRUE and perfect Liberality is when any one cheerfully administers temporal Relief to all that are in Need according to his Power yea also being required he willingly communicates spiritual Goods to all those who want them in confessing and preaching in giving Counsel and Instruction nor is he ready only to assist those who desire such things but also even to those who do not desire and care not for his Instruction and Preaching according to the Apostle Opportunely and Importunely 2 Tim. 4. Yea to the unwilling and to those who know nothing of it he communicates Prayers Sighs and Tears before God Nor is the truly Liberal satisfied with this unless he moreover wholly spend himself in Study Meditation and in other holy Works continually for the Salvation of his Neighbours To this Liberality we ought to be induced by a desire of Conformity to God who does so continually impart his gifts temporal and spiritual to all even to those who do not ask them and above all these things communicates the Flesh and Blood of his most beloved Son Jesus Christ Nor does it satisfie him simply to give his Gifts unless also he give himself without Measure in every Gift He commends his Liberality that denies his Gift to none though never so much his Enemy yea very often by Night and by Day he imparts his Gifts to every one tho' he be never so much offended by any one In this he approves his Liberality that whensoever he finds any Opportunity in a Receiver he can by no means contain himself from permitting an immediate Efflux of spiritual gifts from him although by his infinite Wisdom he foreknows that he who receives those Gifts will shortly lose them or immediately defile them or fight against him with those very Gifts It ought to move us hereunto that what we give is not our own but anothers and the Proverb tells us we may cut large Thongs out of another's Hide Whence S. Chrysostom Thou oughtest not to be so sparing even of thine own but when thy Lord's Goods are committed to thee why so tenacious why so close fisted An Argument of true Liberality is when any one cheerfully gives what he has to those who are in Need without any Desert of theirs freely and without hope of Recompence or Return so our Lord Jesus gave both himself and all he had and this is the top of Perfection Nor does it satisfie the truly Liberal to give his Goods in time of Necessity he offers himself even unto Death for the Salvation of his Neighbours as S. John teaches us saying 1 John 3. By this we have known Gods Love because he has laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our Lives for our Brethren To this Superiours are more especially obliged This Liberality the Apostle had saying 2 Cor. 12. I will most willingly spend my self and be spent for your Souls The same says also 1 Cor. 15. Brethren I die daily for your Glory That is I suffer Dangers of Death The truly Liberal without hopes of Recompence or Return gives whatsoever he is whatsoever he has and whatsoever he can do to God to the eternal Encrease of his Divine Praise to all Angels and Saints to their perpetual Joy and Exultation to all Sinners to their Conversion to all the Just and Perfect to the Conservation and Confirmation of their Perfection to all in Purgatory to the Mitigation and Abbreviation of their Pains An Argument of false Liberality is when any one gives that he may be praised by others or least he should be worse esteemed others giving or that he may be freed from the Clamors of the Poor and then he loses both his Gift and Merit He also is falsly liberal
Who gives by Compulsion or for Favor or for hope of Grace in this Life and Glory in the other or for fear of the Judge who has commanded to give and who will not permit the Transgression of this his Precept to pass unpunished CHAP. XVIII Of Truth TRUTH is right and just when the Mind Tongue and Works truly agree so that what one thinks in his Heart he utters with his Mouth and performs by his Deeds after the Example of the Apostle inviting us Phil. 3. Brethren be ye Imitators of me and observe those that is imitate those who walk so as ye have our pattern That is says the Gloss As I believe teach and live He is true who inviolably observes all his Vows to God or men and by Deed fulfills all his words once spoken unless he somtimes change them upon better consideration According to that of Isidore In ill promises rescind thy faith and in an a sinful Vow change thy purpose so God Almighty somtimes has changed his Sentence as is manifest in Ezechias and the Ninevites For he told Ezechias by Esaias that he should dy and yet after his tears he added fifteen years to his life Esai 38. and he told the Ninevites by the preaching of Jonas that within forty days their City should be destroyed which notwithstanding upon the humiliation of King and People he permitted to stand Jona 3. It ought to induce us to the love of the Truth that Christ is the Truth Joh. 14. And because Truth is ever amiable in it self And although Truth be sometimes grievous and intolerable to some this is not from Truth but from their own perverse Will which they would gladly fulfill if the Truth were not contrary unto them To the chaste and humble Truth is amiable which commends Chastity and Humility and detests Impurity and Pride because she is very contrary to the Impure and Proud who have strengthened themselves in her opposites Also because Truth overcomes all things 3 Esdras 3. And because Truth is immutable as our Lord Jesus saies Luke 16. Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away than one title fall from the Law And in S. Math. Ch. 5. Verily I say unto you until Heaven and Earth pass away one Iota or one title shall not fall from the Law until all things be done An Argument of Truth is when a man neither for the Favour of any one nor for his own Advantage nor for loss of Goods or Life leaves the Truth Nor Dissembles nor Conceals it in others Nor ever on purpose sayes or designs to say any thing that is false Nor goes from his word once spoken unless for a just Cause After the example of Balaam saying Num. 22. If Balack would give me a house full of Gold and Silver I cannot change the word of my Lord to speak more or less And also after the Example of Jeremy Micheas Daniel and other Prophets who could by no means be overcome to deviate never so little from the Truth by word or deed An Argument of Falsity is to have one thing in the Mouth and another in the Heart and easily to go from his word without any profitable or necessary reason For not only he is a betrayer of the Truth as says St. Chrysostom who transgressing the Truth manifestly speaks a Lye in place of Truth but also he who does not freely speak the Truth which he ought freely to speak or does not freely defend the Truth which he ought freely to defend For as a Priest is obliged freely to preach the Truth which he has heard from God so a Lay-man is obliged faithfully to defend the Truth which he has heard from the Priests and is proved in the Scriptures which if he do not do he is a Betrayer of the Truth CHAP. XIX Of Meekness TRUE Meekness or Gentleness is when for Injuries and Affronts the Mind is not exasperated nor is any bitterness of Heart manifested exteriourly but he who is injured is as a man not hearing and not having Reproofs in his Mouth Psal 37. After the Example of Jesus Christ concerning whom Esaias chap. 53. And he shall not open his mouth he shall be led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as a Lamb before the Shearer he shall be dumb and not open his mouth Whence the Gloss upon St. Matthew says He is meek whom Sowerness or Bitterness of Mind does not affect but the simplicity of Faith instructs to endure all Injustice He is meek whom neither Rancor nor Anger affects but he suffers all contentedly Of this great Virtue our Lord made himself as it were the Master which he would not have done if it had not been of highest Perfection Learn says he Mat. 11. of me because I am meek and humble of Heart The meek does not provoke nor is he provoked he does not hurt nor does he contrive to hurt he is meek who over-rules bad manners Hitherto the Gloss The Beatitude promised by Christ our Lord ought to induce us to the Love of Meekness Mat. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall possess the Earth St. Augustin That Earth I believe of which it is said in Psal 141. Thou art my Hope my Portion in the Land of the Living And a little after Blessed are the Meek because they shall possess the Earth out of which they cannot be driven Of this Earth Psal 36. But the meek shall inherit the Earth and shall be delighted in much Peace Also S. Peter 1 Ep. 5. He will give Glory to the Meek to wit God Further Let the Meek hear and be glad Psal 33. An Argument of true Meekness is when the Mind does not murmur in Affliction nor does the reviled return biting Words nor shew any bitterness in his Countenance but always reserves his Mind quiet for the Inhabitation of God An Argument of false Meekness is when a man utters soft and mild Words and shews a meek Countenance and yet bears a grievous Bitterness in his Mind CHAP. XX. Of Faith TRUE Faith is to believe the Father and Son and Holy Ghost to be one true God and that in these three Persons there is one indivisible Deity equal Glory co-eternal Majesty Every one of them is uncreated immense eternal supremely Good Wise Omnipotent God and Lord nor are there three uncreated immense eternal good wise omnipotent or three Gods or three Lords but there is one uncreated immense eternal good wise omnipotent only God and Lord. And amongst these three Persons none is before or after because they are co-eternal nor is any one lesser or greater because they are as to all things and in all things equal yet they differ in their Properties because the Father is unbegotten having his Origine from none but the Son is begotten by the Father Light of Light True God of True God the Holy Ghost is neither created nor begotten but equally proceeding from both Also true Faith commands us to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is true
God and true Man eternally born of his Father according to his Deity but temporally born of his Mother according to his Humanity and in all things equal to his Father according to his Divinity who assumed a Soul out of nothing and Flesh of the most pure Blood of the B. Virgin Mary Impassible and immortal according to his Divinity passible and mortal according to his Humanity Moreover he who has true Faith believes all the Articles of Faith firmly and without doubting seven belonging to the Divinity and seven to the Humanity of Jesus Christ The Faith of the ancient Faithful to wit of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and such like ought to induce us to true Faith Also of Infidels and Gentiles to wit Job Rahab the Harlot and such like By this all the Ancients pleased God And without Faith it is impossible to please God as the Apostle says Heb. 11. There is a double benefit of Faith which also ought to induce us unto it For true Faith can do all things and obtaines all things Witness our Lord Jesus Christ who saies Mark. 9. All things are possible to him that believes And Chap. 11. All things whatsoever ye ask in Prayer believe that ye shall receive them and they shall happen unto you And in the same chapter Verily I say unto you That whosoever shall say to this Mountain Be taken away and be cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart that whatsoever he shall say may be done it shall be done As the Caspian mountains at the Prayer of Alexander were united S. Antoninus An Argument of true Faith is a frequent Exercise of good Works For as the Body is dead without the Spirit so Faith without Works is dead As says S. James Chap. 2. An Argument of false Faith is not to believe the Scripture in all things but to think that all things happen by Destiny or by the course of Nature and not from the Providence of God Also S. Chrysostom says He does not believe God to be who does those things secretly God being present which he is afraid to do publickly men being present Also S. Hierom He is no true Christian who dares not die in the state in which he dares live Alas there were many hereticks of old of which S. Hierom writes We so confess free Will as we say that we always want the help of God And that they do as well err who with Manichaeus say a man cannot avoid Sin as those who with Jovinian say a man cannot Sin because both take away the Liberty of the Soul But we say Man has always both Power to sin and also Power not to sin CHAP. XXI Of Hope TRUE and perfect Hope is a certain Expectation of future Beatitude proceeding from the Grace of God and antecedent Merits these two are necessary to Hope For the Grace of God is not preserved but by Merits and no Body is saved by Merits without Grace Hope therefore without Merits is not Hope but Presumption He has true Hope who though he often exercise himself in good Works yet he never confides in his own Merits but only in the superabundant Goodness and Bounty of God knowing not whether his good Works please God or no seeing all our Righteousness is as the Cloth of a menstruous Woman Isa 64. He has true Hope who offers to God a just Sacrifice according to that Sacrifice a Sacrifice of Justice and hope in the Lord Psal 4. A just Sacrifice is our Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God who upon the Altar of the Cross offered himself to God for the Sins of the whole World a more ample Satisfaction than the whole World did owe. For as St. Ambrose says one drop of so precious Blood had sufficed to redeem all Mankind but he poured it out abundantly that he might shew the abundance of his Love In this Sacrifice is all our Hope and Health according to that of St. Bernard I have sinned a great Sin my Conscience is troubled but not to despair because I remember the Wounds of my Lord for he was wounded for our Iniquities What is so to Death which may not be cured by the Death of Christ If then so powerful and so effectual a Medicine come into my Mind I can no longer be terrified with the malignity of my Disease And therefore it is manifest he mistook who said my Iniquity is greater than that I may deserve Pardon Gen. 4. And a little after I what is wanting to me in my self confidently usurp to me out of the Bowels of my Lord because they flow with Mercy nor are Holes wanting through which they may flow forth They have pierced his Hands and his Feet Psal 21. and opened his Side with a Lance that through these Chincks I might suck Honey out of the Rock and Oyl out of a hard Stone Deut. 32. That is Might taste and see how sweet the Lord is Psal 33. And a little after The piercing Nail is made to me an Opening Key that I may see the Will of my Lord. And why should I not see through the hole The Nail cryes the Wound crys that God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself Again a little after The Secrets of his Heart is manifest through the Holes of his Body The great Sacrament of Piety is manifest The Bowels of the Mercies of our Lord are manifest with which from on high he has visited us Luke 1. For why should not Bowels be seen through Wounds For in what O Lord could it be seen more clearely than in thy Wounds that thou art sweet and mild and of great Mercy For greater Mercy than this has none than that one should lay down his Life for those that are appointed and condemned to dye Wherefore my merit is the Mercy of my Lord. Hitherto S. Bernard The Mercy of our Lord manifestly appeared in many things for he Fasted Watched Prayed Sweat was Weary Wept was Whipt Suffered was Crucified that in him we might have a Supply of all our Wants We ought to be induced to the Hope of Beatitude by the exceeding great Love of our Lord Jesus which constrained him to purchase our Salvation with so sharp Dolors And that we might not miss of the Salvation he has merited for us he has given us his Angels for our Protection his Scriptures for our instruction and his own and his Saints Examples to point out our way and his Body and Blood for our Comfort and Strength He has an Argument of true Hope who valiantly resists Evils and is courageous in doing Good who manfully attempts hard things and stoutly perseveres in them according to that Psalm 30. Behave yourselves like men and let your Heart be strengthened all ye that Hope in the Lord. He has an Argument of false Hope who transgresses the Divine Precepts and his Vows neglecting to correct his Life according to the Scripture and presuming over-much upon the Goodness of God
the testimony of the Apostles by the Pledge of the Holy Ghost in Baptism which is a Pledg of our Inheritance by an Earnest that is a fore-taste of the Sweetness of God in Devotion by an Hostage who is Christ the only begotten Son of God To this double Joy the Apostle exhorts us saying Phil. 4. Rejoyce ye in our Lord alwaies to wit for the Divine Union Again I say Rejoyce to wit for the Certitude of Eternal Beatitude He has ground and matter of true Joy who is by inward inspiration assured of the remission of all his Sins by which he grievously offended God and every Creature and lost all the Grace he had received and deserved never to have any more bestowed on him This assurance had S. Mary Magdalen to whom our Lord said Luke 7. Her many sins are forgiven her because she loved much And S. Francis of whom it is said that it was revealed to him that even the last farthing of his Sins was remitted him Another Argument and Matter of Joy is an Assurance of Mind that one is the Son of God and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven This Assurance the Holy Ghost gives as the Apostle saies Rom. 8. For the Spirit it self bears witness to our Spirit that we are the Sons of God But if Sons also Heirs Heirs indeed of God but co-Heirs with Christ This Assurance the Apostle had when he said in the same Chap. I am sure that neither Death nor Life nor any Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God An Argument of false Joy is to be delighted in transitory things whether they be temporal Riches or carnal Friendships or some corporal Commodity or temporal Joy This Joy is the Trap of Sadness For when these things pass away Joy passes and Sadness follows And unless such Sadness depart out of the Heart true Joy shall never enter into it because they cannot be together no more than Fire and Water which mutually expell one another There is also somtimes a natural Joy when a man thinks or speaks or hears another speak or reads of the Perfection of God there is also a natural Joy in the desire of the Kingdom of Heaven For all naturally desire Beatitude This Joy in like manner is Vain and it is hard to discern when it is a free gift of Grace and from God and when natural Happy were he who could say with Esaias Chap. 61. Rejoycing I will Rejoyce in the Lord to wit my Creator and my Soul shall Joy in my God to wit my Redeemer Because he has clothed me with the Garment of Salvation c. CHAP. XXIV Of Sadness TRUE Sadness is a grief of Heart for all the Injuries which the patient God has causelesly endured from his Creatures from the beginning of the World and which he shall endure until the end of it as well from Spiritual as from Worldly men This Grief ought to draw innumerable tears of Blood from the Eyes of all that love God Another part of true Sadness is that a man is oftentimes overcome in Temptations without making any resistance For when he sees or hears any thing in Birds or Beasts which belongs to Impurity instantly the mind is defiled with impure Thoughts or Delights or Affections And when the Soul by any of the five Senses perceives any thing which may move it to Vain-glory Envy Anger Rancor Detraction Avarice Levity Carnal Friendship or any Sin whatsoever forthwith without fighting it falls into some of the fore-mentioned faults doubtful whether ever it shall rise again out of such a Sin or no. And if by the help of God it do rise again it is uncertain if it ever recover the Grace which it had and so great Grace as it had before For man can fall of himself but he cannot of himself rise again Because they are Flesh a Spirit going away and not returning Psal 77. Another part of true Sadness is that manifold Graces flowing out of the Fountain of the Divine goodness come to nothing because they do not return to the Principal from whence they flowed with a manifold increase according to the Design of God This all Creatures can never sufficiently bewail We ought to be induced to true Sadness by the most holy Example of our Lord Jesus whose Soul was Sad from the very beginning of his Life to his very Death Who also acknowledged the Sad to be happy saying Mat. 5. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Because Joys cannot be found but by Sadness as a certain Gloss sayes upon the Canonical Epistle of St. James The profit also which proceeds from Sadness ought to induce us hereunto For true Sadness is more profitable than true Joy according to that Eccles 7. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting For oftentimes one is humbled by Sadness but is lifted up by Joy And which is more lamentable sometimes a Spiritual man after Joy and Devotion of Mind becomes more free that day and less vigilant over his Actions than he would have been if he should have had no Joy Another profit of Sadness is Whereas Prayers and other Good Works anoint and cherish God Tears which are an effect of Sadness compell or prick him according to S. Bernard An Argument of true Sadness is when the Mind is not depressed by Grief but elevated Nor would it be freed from Sadness but still desires more But Sadness by which the mind is deprest and from which it desires instantly to be freed is not Good Such is the Sadness of which it is written Pro. 17. Sadness of Heart dryes up the bones to wit of Virtues and S. James Chap. 1. The Anger of man which proceeds from Sadness does not Work the Justice of God He has an Argument of true Sadness who restrains his Senses from whatsoever delicacies He does not See nor Hear nor Taste nor Smell nor Touch any thing by which his grief may be mitigated He flyes also all Places and all Companies by whose Conversation the grief of his Heart may be diminished For he is certain the most Secure way is to end his Life in true Sadness according to that Eccles. 7. The Heart of the Wise is where there is Sadness The Heart of Fools where there is Joy He has an Argument of false Sadness who considering not the most wise ordination of God is tormented for the loss of temporal Goods or for the affliction or Death of Friends or for the infirmity of his own Body or for his own Correction Such a Sadness confers no Grace but tears the mind in pieces according to that Pro. 25. As a Moth in a garment and a worm in wood so the Sadness of a man hurts his Heart and Chap. 15. By the Sadness of the Heart the Spirit is dejected CHAP. XXV Of Gratitude TRUE and Perfect Gratitude is to magnifie the Exellency of the gifts of God in the Soul with
good of himself as says the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of our selves as of our selves but our Sufficiency is of God This takes away Presumption and that he can do all things through Christ more fully and perfectly than by himself the Apostle being witness I can do all things in him who strengthens me This takes away Despair which two things to wit Presumption and Despair are very noxious to spiritual Persons and often impugne them also ever before God to acknowledge not only how vile he is but also how vile he may be and might have been if God had not prevented and this takes away all swelling Pride And that God will exact an Acconut of all Evil committed and all Good omitted and all Graces neglected both for himself and for the Community this gives just Fear Also to receive all Good as from God giving it and this excludes false Love and infers Gratitude And to receive all Evil as from God graciously permitting it for our Profit and this infers Patience The more any one profits in these the more he tends to a spiritual Life and grows and is confirmed in it He has an Argument of true Spiritual Life whose Spirit absolutely over-rules the Flesh who is as sensible of any spiritual Damage as corporal and as much shuns the Place Time and Persons where and by whom he may be hurt in Spirit as where he may be hurt and incommodated in Body and as speedily takes care to cure his Spirit as his Flesh yea has so much more care of his Spirit as his Spirit is more worthy than his Body He also has an Argument of true spiritual Life who is as much delighted in spiritual Food as in corporal and does as unwillingly neglect at any time his spiritual Food as his corporal and does as orderly take it as his corporal and does as much compel himself to it when he has no Appetite as sick Persons are compelled to corporal Food when they loath it Another Argument of spiritual Life is if a man be as diligent about his Spirit as about his Flesh if he be as ready to obey in all things his spiritual Physician for the health of his Spirit and Soul as the corporal Physician for the Health of his Body if he be as solicitous to get the Grace which he wants in Prosperity and Adversity which he wants towards Friends and towards Enemies which he wants when he is praised and when he is dispraised which he wants alone before God and which he wants amongst Men as he is sollicitous about Flesh and Fish or about Summer and Winter Garments if he labour as much to get multiply conserve and profitably to expend spiritual gifts as a secular Person does concerning temporal goods and is so much more diligent about his Spirit than his Body by how much his Spirit is more worthy than his Body Concerning all these things the Apostle says Rom. 8. They who walk according to the Flesh savour the things of the Flesh But they who walk according to the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit An Argument of a carnal Life is to live according to the Rule of the Flesh St. Augustin He lives according to the Flesh who lives according to himself that is goes whither he will sleeps when he will and as long as he will speaks what he will and to whom he will and when he will eats and drinks when he will and as much as he will laughs and takes filthy Pleasure amongst whom he will and when he will In fine whatsoever is sweet to his Smell he seeks it whatsoever is soft to his sense of touching whatsoever is delightful to his Eyes whatsoever is pleasing to his Body he exercises and follows it as he will and when he will because he carnally wills all things lawful and unlawful He is delighted in fine Cloaths Horses and Arms as he will and when he will And so he lives and is delighted not according to God but carnally and fulfills all the desires of the Flesh as he will and when he will Another Argument of a carnal Life is Liberty of Tongue whence follows a Distraction of Heart according to that James 1. If any man think himself to be religious not bridling his Tongue but seducing his own Heart this mans Religion is vain Therefore it is written Prov 21. He who keeps his Mouth and his Tongue keeps his Soul from Straits chap. 18. Death and Life are in the Power of the Tongue CHAP. XXIX Of Maturity TRUE Maturity is when all the Affections and Forces of the Soul are unanimously gathered up into God Hereby the Mind is restrained from Vanity and the five Senses from their Allurements but when the Soul recedes from that blessed Union forthwith it is entangled with diverse Vanities for all things under Heaven are Vanity as says Ecclesiastes ch 1. The most holy Example of our Lord Jesus ought to induce us to true Maturity concerning whose Seriousness St. Augustin writes thus We read that our Lord Jesus was sad wept was weary from travelling suffered Reproaches and Injuries Spittle Whips the Cross but we never read that he laughed or enjoyed the Prosperity of this Life Hence all the Elect rejoyce in themselves when they begin to be wearied with the Adversities of the World and not to be vainly deceived with any of it's Prosperities knowing that there is another Life to follow Also because the Holy Scripture much dispraises Dissolution and Laughter according to that Eccles 2. I looked upon Laughter as an Error and to Joy I said why art thou in vain deceived And Prov. 14. Laughter shall be mingled with Grief and Joy ends in mourning And the Psalmist speaks thus to the Lord Psal 30. Thou hast hated those who occupy themselves in deceitful Vanities without Profit And especially the Commination of our Lord Jesus Luke 6. Woe unto you who now laugh because ye shall lament and weep Also because it much withdraws any one from the Familiarity of God and obstructs the Perception of Divine Graces He has an Argument of true Maturity who neither by idle Words nor by Deeds nor Signs nor dissolute Gate nor by any other Behaviour provokes others to Levity but always in himself and others from his Heart detests Dissoluteness He avoids all places where are occasions of Levity and all dissolute Company that he may conserve Maturity knowing That he who will touch Pitch shall be defiled thereby Eccles 13. And he who converses with dissolute Persons will not avoid Dissoluteness Such an one was B. Job who was so mature and sober that dissolute Persons avoided his Presence as he himself says chap. 29. The Young men saw me and hid themselves And he had such a custom of Maturity that if the contrary were seen in him no body would believe it whence he says in the same Chapter If at any time I laughed at them they did not believe me and
the light of my Countenance did not fall upon the Ground He has an Argument of Levity who is prone to laugh who is jesting in his Words dissolute in his Manners a frequenter of dissolute Places and Company and willingly dwells with such who shuns grave and mature Persons the sight of them is offensive to him and he believes the Infirmity of his Body proceeds from Sobriety Such an one is described in Ecclesiastes ch 11. Rejoyce O Young man in thy tender Age and let thy Heart be joyful in the days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thy Eyes and know that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment CHAP. XXX Of Simplicity TRUE and perfect Simplicity is to hurt no Body and to do Good to every one as says the Gloss upon the Parables This is the first Vertue for which Job is commended chap. 1. There was a man in the Land of Hus whose name was Job and he was a simple and an upright Man as excelling in that above other Vertues This our Lord commanded when he sent his Apostles into the whole World to gather Unbelievers to the Unity of the Catholick Faith saying Math. 10. Be ye prudent as Serpents and simple as Doves Where Prudence is joyned to Simplicity for Prudence without Simplicity is Craft and Simplicity without Prudence is Folly The Dove neither hurts with her Beak nor with her Talons so the truly simple hurts neither with word nor Deed. He truly loves Simplicity who is not busied about many things as Martha was Luke 10. For where there are many things there are Doubles or Folds But only seeks one thing of which our Lord but one thing is necessary for which Mary Magdalen is commended Who chose the best part which shall not be taken away from her This is that one Good in which are all Goods eternal and immense The Profit coming from Simplicity ought to induce us therunto For it is written Pro. 3. And with the Simple is his Converse that is the Lords For the Lord is familiar with the simple to whom he does not disdain to reveal his Secrets Whence our Lord Math. 10. said to his Apostles prohibiting little Children to come into his presence Permit little Children and do not hinder them from coming to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven This is a Virtue without which there is no Salvation For our Lord Jesus says Math. 18. Vnless ye be made like little Childeren ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven He does not say unless ye be made little Children but like little Children that is Simple and Innocent Another Profit of Simplcity is that which is mentioned Pro. 10. He who walks simply walks confidently For the way of Simplicity is the most secure way to the Kingdom of Heaven For it is written He will protect those who walk simply Pro. 2. He has an Argument of true Simplicity who perverts no bodies doings but presumes well of all who neither depraves nor diminishes any ones Good who desires the Salvation of all and wishes ill to none who does good things and does them well And who has good thoughts of the Lord and seeks him in the simplicity of his heart Wisdom 1. Who submits himself to his will and keeps his Commandments He has an Argument of Duplicity who has one thing in his Mouth and another in his Heart and works As Joab holding Amaza by the Chin said Brother God save you and in the mean time secretly drawing out a Sword slew him 2 Sam 20. Against this our Lord Jesus says Let your Speech be Yea yea Nay Nay Math. 5. That is what you have in your Heart speak with your Mouth and exhibit with your Deeds And S. James Chap. 1. The double minded man is inconstant in all his ways And God curses double Dealers to wit who will together serve him and the Devil that is exercise themselves in Sins and in good Works For these our Lord says Math. 6. No body can serve two Masters to wit that are contrary to one another For Vertue and Vice Good and Evil are wholly opposite Against those who seek to please God and the World S. James sayes Chap. 4. Whosoever will be a friend of this World is made an enemy of God He has an Argument of false Simplicity who makes a shew of Simplicity in his outward Conversation and yet carries Deceit in his Heart Of such an one the Prophet Jeremy says Chap. 9. Let every one keep himself from his Neighbour and let him not have confidence in every Brother because every Brother supplanting will supplant and every Friend will walk deceitfully CHAP. XXXI Of Silence TRUE and perfect Silence is not only to restrain the Tongue from unlawfull Words as are Detractions Lyes Perjuries Unchaste light angry hurtful reproachful Words and such like but also from profitable and lawfull according to that Psal 38. I held my Peace and was humbled I was silent from good things that is from declaiming them The Gloss says He does no fall into unlawfull things who warily rastrains himself from those that are lawfull Spiritual Grace is poured out not only by unprofitable and hurtfull Words but by profitable Words when a mean is not observed in speaking This moderation of the Tongue is a rare Virtue Witness S. James Chap. 3. All Beasts and Fowls and Serpents and other living Creatures are tamed and have been tamed by man but the Tongue no man can tame it is a restless Evil full of deadly Poyson The Gloss the Tongue of wicked men surpasses the Beasts in Cruelty the Birds in Levity the Serpents in Virulency For they are Beasts who have sharpened their Tongues like a sword Psal 63. They are Birds who have put their mouth in Heaven and whose Mouth has spoken Vanity Psal 143. They are Serpents of whom it is said The Poyson of Asps is under their Lips Psal 13. The most holy example of our Lord Jesus Christ ought to induce us to the love of Silence who so recommended Silence when he was asked concerning Crimes falsly laid to his Charge would not excuse himself nor by any Answer defer his death The example also of a certain Eremite ought to move us hereunto concerning whom we read that he carried a Stone in his Mouth three years that he might learn to keep Silence for one may sooner learn to speak than to be Silent according to that of a Wise man He who knows how to speak let him learn also to hold his peace The Profit coming from it ought to induce us to it For Silence composes the distracted Heart induces quiet of Conscience and makes the mind apt to receive the Divine Grace But where there is not Silence there a man is easily overcome by the Adversary according to that Pro. 25. As an open City and without Walls so is the man who cannot restrain his Spirit in speaking For where
if thou doest true Penance whilst thou art in Health and thy last Day shall come run to be reconciled if thou doest so thou art secure Why art thou secure Because thou hast done Penance at that time when thou couldest also have sinned But if thou wilt then do Penance when thou canst no longer sin thy Sins have left thee not thou them But thou sayest how do I know if perhaps God may not pardon thee Thou sayest very true How do I know I know not That I know this I know not For therefore I give thee Penance because I know not For if I knew that it would profit thee nothing I would not give it thee Also if I knew that it would profit thee I would not admonish thee I would not fright thee There are two things either thou shalt be pardoned or thou shalt not he pardoned which of these two shall be thy Lot I know not therefore lay hold on the certain and let go the uncertain They who desire to obtain true Confidence it behoves them to convert their Strength to spiritual Works according to that of Esaias chap. 40. They who hope in the Lord shall change their Strength they shall take Wings as an Eagle they shall run and not labour they shall walk and not faint That they who were before strong to corporeal Labours may afterwards be strong to spiritual Labours He has an Argument of Diffidence who not esteeming the grace of Redemption knowingly goes on in his Sins whence in the Gospel Jo. 9. We know that God does not hear Sinners but if any one be a Worshipper of God and do his Will him he hears And Psal 65. If I have regarded Iniquity in my Heart the Lord will not hear me And Esaias 59. Your Iniquities have divided betwixt you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he should not hear you He has an Argument of false Confidence who thinks the most just God will be so far overcome by Mercy and Pity that in the day of Judgment he will save all both good and bad because he has died for all against this our Lord says Matth. 25. These shall go into eternal Punishment but the Just into eternal Life He also has an Argument of false Confidence who thinks a Sinner can deserve the first Grace when he pleases Also if any one believe that he who abounds here in temporal Goods shall abound hereafter in everlasting Joy against this it is said The Just shall see to wit the wicked Man in Hell and shall fear and shall laugh over him and shall say Behold the Man who made not God his Helper but hoped in the Multitude of his Riches and prevailed in his Vanity CHAP. XXXVII Of the Contempt of the World A True Contempt of the World is to renounce the temporal things of this Life the Pomps of the World all Dignities and Superiorities Spiritual and Secular and to withdraw ones self from all his carnal Friends and secular Manners for the hope of eternal Happiness To this S. John exhorts us 1. Epistle 2. Do not love the World nor those things that are in the World This Contempt S. Augustin had when whatsoever was done in the World displeased him And when he discoursed with his Mother very sweetly and amidst that Discourse the World with all its Delights was vile and disgustful unto him In like manner St. Agnes St. Catharine St. Cecily and other Virgins contemned the World and all its Glory for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ The Worlds great unfaithfulness to it's Lovers at last ought to induce us to the Contempt and hatred of it For this was done even to the Creator himself by the wicked Worldlings whom upon Palm-sunday they gloriously received going out to meet him and singing Math. 21. Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest But afterwards on Good-Friday they went forth crying to Pilate Crucifie him Crucifie him if he had not been a Malefactor we had not delivered him unto thee Jo. 18. And when he hung upon the Cross they mocked him saying save thy self if thou art the Son of God Math. 27. And him whom they received with Palmes Flowers and green leaves they crowned with pricking thorns and beat with Rods and Whips and for him whom they strowed their own garments in the way him they stript and spoiled of all his garments before the Cross and changed the Glory they gave him into Reproach The danger which comes from the love of the World ought to induce us to the Contempt and Hatred of it For St. James testifies Chap. 4. Know ye not that the friendship of this World is Enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this World becomes an Enemy of God And because the World hated our Lord Jesus and all his Friends as he told his Apostles for their Comfort Jo. 15. If the World hate you know that it hated me before it hated you He has an Argument of Contempt of the World who cares not for Nobility of Parentage nor seeks the Pleasures of the Flesh nor desires Riches nor Honours Such was Moses concerning whom the Apostle Heb. 11. By Faith Moses denied himself to be the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter against Nobility chusing rather to be afflicted with the People of God than to enjoy the delight of Sin for a time against Pleasure esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than all the Treasures of Egypt against Riches for he had an Eye to the Recompence of Reward He has another Argument of true Contempt of the World who is neither effeminared with the flatteries of the World nor terrified with its Threats nor is moved either with the Praise or Dispraise of men In this Contempt of the World was the Apostle when he said Phil. 3. I havè made all things as loss and I estèem them as Dung that I may gain Christ He has an Argument of false Contempt of the World who then first abstains from the love of it and its Allurements when by reason of old Age and Poverty he cannot enjoy it For then he does not leave the World but is left by the World As alas how many are there who then begin to leave off to sin when they can sin no longer CHAP. XXXVIII Of Mortification TRUE Mortification of the Flesh is when one voluntarily chastizes his Body with Fastings Watchings Prayers Hair-shirts Disciplines and Abstinence from delightful Meat and Drink that in all things the Flesh may be subject to the Spirit This the Apostle did when he said 1 Cor. 9. I chastize my Body and bring it into servitude lest perhaps when I shall have preached to others I my self may be a Reprobate And Judith who was fair and young a Widow and rich after she had dwelt with her husband three years and six Months from her Virginity she had a Hair-shirt upon her loyns and
Satisfaction then our bountiful Lord accepts of any other amends Then for unjust things Fasting suffices If he cannot fast Prayer suffices and if for weakness he cannot pray God is satisfied with a good will Innocent gives an Argument of false Repentance It is a false Repentance when the Penitent leaves not an Office or Employment which he can by no means exercise without Sin or if he bear hatred in his Heart or if he do not satisfie every one whom he has offended or if he do not pardon him who has offended him or if he bear Arms against Justice It is also a false Repentance when one Sin is amended and no care taken of another CHAP. XLII Of Perseverance TRUE Perseverance is a frequent exercise of Good Works a continual study of Perfection a diligent conservation of Spiritual Graces and Vertues unto Death To this our Lord invites us in the Apocalypse 2. Be faithful unto Death and I will give thee a crown of Life This Job had when he said Job 27. Vntil I dye I will not depart from my innocency And Tobias who hid the Bodies of the dead in his house and buried them in the night although the King for this commanded him to be spoiled of his Goods and kill'd Tob. 1. The exceeding great profit of Perseverance ought to induce us thereunto For by this every good Work and every Vertue shall be crowned and our Salvation wholly depends on it according to that of our Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 10. He who shall persevere to the end shall be saved Without this no Vertue or good Work is remunerable Without this all Perfection comes to nothing For what did it profit the Apostle and Traytor Judas that our Lord chose him out of the World what did profit him his long familiarity with Jesus Christ what the holy Sermons which he often heard from him what the Examples Virtues and Miracles which he saw done by him what the Society of the Apostles what the Grace bestowed on him to preach and work Miracles For to him together with the other Apostles he said Math. 10. Go preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Cure the sick raise the dead cure the leprous cast out Devils He has an Argument of true Perseverance who neither for the love of Life nor fear of Death nor for threats nor promises departs from Virtue As Susanna fearing not Death said Dan. 13. If I do this that is sin I must dye And Mattathias 1 Macchab. 2. Although all the Nations obey King Antiochus and every one depart from the service of the Law of his Fathers and consent to his commands I and my Sons and my brethren will obey the Law of our Fathers God be propitious unâ—â— us He has an argument of false Perseverance who falsly presumes of his own Sanctity that he cannot fall Hence arises a freedom of Mind hence he has no Watch over himself and so it is impossible for any Man persevere in Sanctity Even the very Apostles if they were in the world and not a watch over 〈◊〉 selves they might fall 〈…〉 Example in David 〈…〉 Murder and Adulteâ—◠〈…〉 was negligent in 〈…〉 Eyes 2 Sam. 1 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 shall one day have all these Virtues more perfectly than Humane Understanding can comprehend I confess to thee O Lord that he is happy at present and shall be more happy hereafter who has these Virtues in that perfection as they are here written although perhaps less may suffice to Salvation I beseech the also O Lord with all the desire of thy Son and Holy Spirit 〈…〉 Creatures that thou wouldest 〈…〉 Discretion betwixt the Virtues 〈…〉 of Nature and Semâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 And whosoever shall 〈…〉 shall hear of it or 〈…〉 â—â—mnipotent God 〈…〉 one true and 〈…〉 â—ertain he who 〈…〉 has 〈…〉 one 〈…〉 deâ—â—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 be