Hierarâ—hy for they are imployed therein â—y Councells by Popes by a world â—f Prelates yea and by the greatest â—art of Pastors themselues excepâ—ing onely some few who of late â—aue made noyse enough The Kings of France themselues haue commaunded this to bee obserued in their Dominions in such sort as that Saint Lewis layd a perpetuall sentence of banishment out of his Kingdome vpon that Doctor Gulielmus de Sancto Amore who alreadie had been condemned at Rome in full Consistory and whose booke was mis-liked and torne and yet worse vsed that booke which he had composed against the Cordeliers and the Iacobins and wherein he serued himselfe of the same Arguments in effect in the strength whereof men make such a hoo-bub in thesâ— dayes 13. But you will say perhaps thaâ— Pope Anicetus and others and thâ— Councells also and the Canons doâ— take that for the Hierarchy whicâ— Christ our Lord did first send namely his Apostles and then his Disciples by two and two whom thâ— Prelates and Pastors doe succeedâ— But it is one thing when they say that these latter succeede those former and another thing it is to affirme that none but they are in the Hierarchy of the Church For what will you say if other great Saintâ— make it good that you must ratherâ— take the Hierarchy by the Parable oâ— the Vine-yard which is the Churchâ— There indeede the first are my Lords the most reuerend Bishops and they who follow after are the venerable Pastors and Parsons and Curates but that they who are sent at the ninth â—d eleuenth houres are those Reâ—lars who are designed to Preach â—d receiue confessions c. as being â—me but towards the euening but â—ho yet neuerthelesse shall at the end 〈◊〉 the day bee passed for true labouâ—rs and shall also be well payd and â—ith the same coyne of those others â—hose eminent men to whom God â—ue his spirit for the assistance of â—oses and Aaron in their gouerneâ—ent of the people of Israel did â—ey trouble the Hierarchy Congrega Num. 11. â—ihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israâ— c. Et auferam de spiritu tuo traâ—mque eis vt sustentent tecum onus poâ—li 14. Let us yet come closer and â—y that since it belongeth to the â—icar of Christ our Lord to goâ—erne this Hierarchy and that hee 〈◊〉 the head thereof as that learned â—octor of the Sorbonne doth excellently De Monarchia prooue let vs see the motiuâ— which they aleadge when they senâ— the Regulars to know whether theâ— haue troubled the Hierarchy or elsâ— on the other side whether they hauâ— done it good and most faithfull seâ—uice I might cite a hundred Bullâ— but I will only choose three or fouâ— but yet such as shal be cleere strongâ— and which shall presse home and wiâ— haue great power vppon all theâ— mindes vpon whom truth and reâ—son will haue power as they are sure my Lords to haue vpon yours Pope Gregory the ninth in the Bulâ— Cum messis whereby hee giueth diuerse Priuiledges to the Minorite Fâ—ers and namely in the administraâ— of Sacraments hath three motiueâ— The first Cum messis multa sit operâ— rij verò pauci c. The second Quoâ— Ministerium vestrum diligentèr iâ—plentes vos operarios inconfusibileâ— exhibetis The third Vt qui spiritâ— â—uitis spiritu ambuletis de doctriâ— vestra conuersatione flores â—uctus proueniant gratiores Paul the third in the Bull Cum â—ter whereby hee granterh many â—riuiledges to the society of Iesus â—oth mention two motiues of that â—rant The first Ne gregi Dominico â—imarum cura de sit illum antiâ—us serpens indefensum inpraeparaâ—m inuadat The second attendentes â—d fructus vberes quos in domo Domiâ—i hactenus produxistis producere â—on de sinitis vestrae Religione integriâ—ate scientia doctrina moribus exâ—erientia c. Pius Quintus in the Bull Et si Menâ—icantium whereby hee confirmes all â—riuiledges of the Mendicant Fryers â—ayth Attendentes plerosque exveâ—erabilibus fratribus nostris Archiepisâ—opis Episcopis qui Ordines Menâ—icantium praecipuê tanquam fructiseâ—os in agro domini palmites colere adjuvare deberent non solumâ— exequi negligere vecumetiam Conâ— Tridentini decretis in pravum sensâ— retoris vos eorum quemlibit 〈◊〉 rijs afficere incommodis perturâ—tionibus eorumque Privilegijs 〈◊〉 modicum afferre gravamen conantâ— whereof hee recounteth diueâ— proptereá volentes praemissis acâ— similibus excessibus gravaminiâ— ex nostri Pastoralis Officij debito proâ—dere Attendentes etiam illos qui oâ—diei aestus tam in praedicatioâ—bus quam in caeteris spiritualibâ— muneribus quotidiè sustinent nisâ—tiam aliquantum piè subleventur facâ—fore ut oprressi à suis officijs omniâ— desistant ne in posterum â—is aliquoâ— inferatur gravamen c. omni sâ—gula Privilegia c. quomodo-libâ— concessa c. authoritate Apostoluâ— tenore praesentium perpetuò approbâ—mus confirmamus Alexander the fourth a long timâ— before this had the same motiue for â—he Cordeliers in the Bull of Nimis â—hereby hee protected them against â—he persecution of certaine Clarkes â—nd sayth thus Nimis iniqua vicisâ—itudine largitori bonorum omnium respondetur dum ij qui de patrimonio Christi impinguati luxuriant damnaâ—iliter in eodem Christum patenter â—nfamulis suis non verentur acsi faâ—tus sit impotens Dominum vltionum c. Cumquè non desint plerique tam Ecclesiarum Prelati quam alij qui â—aeca cupiditate traducti propriae aviâ—itati subtrahi reputantes quicquid vobis fidelium pietas elargitur quieâ—em vestram multipliciter inquietant contra vos molestiarum varias occasiones exquirentes Volunt namque c. where he recounteth al those wrongs which the sayd Cordeliers had received of the sayd Clarkes Nè hujus modi gravamina vobis ab eisdem Preâ—latis vel eorum subditis vlterius inferantur authoritate praesentiâ— districtius inhibemus c. Gregorie the 14th in his Bul Ecclesiâ— Catholicae had also the same motiuâ— for many Priviledges which he gavâ— or confirmed to the Society of Iesuâ— 15. If men desire to see generall Councells for making an end of this proofe they may be easily brought but you know them better then I and therefore it would bee a superfluous discourse for you know as I say what the Councels of Viena of Lateran and of Trent affirme If therefore to haue shed so mucâ— blood for the maintayning of thâ— Christian Faith and of the Churcâ— over the whole World if to hauâ— sweate blood and water If 〈◊〉 haue fought against Heresie and Errors and Schisme if to hauâ— couragiously defended the Catholique Church even to the last breath of life if to haue Preached writteâ— so many bookes laboured night and day both in Cities and Countries â—hrough whole ages to haue served â—he whole World to haue obliged â—en millions of soules to haue sacrifiâ—ed their
may be by that which the Diuine Prouidence hath judged and chosen for the best For as Gerson sayth to beleeue that nothing is well done but that which thou doest or that which thou causest to be done alas this is a poynt of great hazard If this be to seeke God there are indeede very many who are much deceiued for men are wont to call this a seeking of ones selfe and not a seeking of God or if it be a seeking of God it is for the finding of himselfe in that search and to build as a man may say at the cost of God a Temple or Trophy â—or a mans owne glory and reputation Si adhuc hominibus placerem Christi seruus non essem sayd that man of Heauen that instructer of Bishops But now wee must consider the reasons that men alleadge against vs in this argument and what those windes are which make such a tempest in the sea of the Church as that a man would say all were lost So full haue men their mindes of zeale and so inflamed vpon this businesse and so much noyse doe they make As for me I aske for such mindes of men as may be coole and quiet and wise and by no meanes troubled and boyling vp And I demaund no grace nor fauour but onely a sober and setled judgement without any other interest then of Gods seruice and which may not be pre-occupated by certaine inueterate opinions which haue no soliditie in them In fine my Lords I desire no other kinde of mindes in men but such as are made like yours that is to say such as are solid firme dis-interessed and which desire but to meet with thâ— true meanes of saving the soules of your Diocesses and to comfort the sheepe of your Flockes and I am well inclined to beleeue that of you which Saint Paul sayd of himselfe in Rom. 9. relation to others Optabam n. ego ipse Paulus anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis Let vs therefore see the reasons which some alleadge to prooue that there is no necessity of Religious men but rather that they are of prejudice to the Hierarchy of the Church THE FIRST REASON â—t Charles did not serue himselfe of â—eligious men for the establishment of the Hierarchy of his Diocesse which yet was the honour of Diocesses THe first the most specious and peraduenture the most strong reason is this which heere wee finde alleadged namely that the great and incomparable Saint Charles did not serue himselfe of Religious men for the establishment of his Diocesse which is neuerthelesse the most flourishing or at least one of the most flourishing in Italy and perhaps euen in the whole World Can any man doe better then Saint Charles Can a man fayle by imitating Saint Charles Can it be disliked if a man doe that which was done by S. Charles who is Canonized both in Heauen and in earth My Lords I cannot counsell you to make Saint Charles the judge of this question for if you doe you will infallibly loose your cause I say you will infallibly loose it Before I prooue this truth I will tell you by way of surplussage that supposing Saint Charles had proceeded so as hath beene sayd which yet is not so it cannot be inferred thereupon that all the World eyther must do or hath done the like There may bee reasons which are good at Milan which are not gusted elsewhere and some things are good in some season which are not so in others If hee were now liuing and in France hee must be faine to hold another stile and to goe in another ayre then this But yet they say still that Saint Charles was of that opinion Let it bee so But Saint Bonauenture was of an opinion directly â—ontrary to this who was a Cardinall as Saint Charles a Pastor like him at least as learned as hee and a Saint as hee was and yet neuerthelesse hee taught and practised the direct contrary and found himselfe very well therewith But let us heare him speake by his owne mouth or rather take the paines to reade a Treatise which hee made altogether vpon this subject vnder this faire Title Quarè fratres minores praedicent confessiones audiant And you shall see whether Saint Bonauenture be of the opinion of Saint Charles or at least whether hee be of that which is imputed to him See but his Apologie for those poore Religious men and my turne is serued You will tell me perhaps that it is so indeede but then you will say that Saint Bonauenture must goe for a suspected man It is certainly as easie for me to say that Saint Charles maâ— also bee suspected though inâ—eede hâ— ought not to be so But then yoâ— say that Saint Bonauenture was 〈◊〉 Religious man and Saint Charles was hee not so too And if not theâ— I demaund justice of you my Lords for why will you haue Religious meâ— beleeue St. Charles in this busines anâ— yet you will noâ— that such as are noâ— Religious should beleeue St. Bonâ—uenture Either beleeue them both oâ— relinquish them both or else you will ordaine men to bee both judges and parties which is contrarie to all forme of justice in France Saint Thomas also was of a contrary opinion to St. Charles But you will say that hee was no Archbishop any more then Saint Bernard who was also none but yet of the same opinion with him Hee was not indeede but it was long of no bodie but St. Bernard that hee was not Arch-bishop of Millan as well as St. Charles nor of any but Saint Thomas that he was not Archbishop of Naples Now whom my Lords doe you esteeme more in the sight of God eyther him who refuseth to be an Arch-bishop being prest to bee so by the Pope and by the whole World or him who presseth that he may be so as they say Saint Charles did whilst yet he was yong and before his conuersion Or do you thinke perhaps that St. Bernard or St. Thomas would say any thing against their conscience in a matter of such moment But let vs yet say more let vs leaue the Character a part doe you not beleeue that the testimonies of these two Seraphins bee as weightie and as important in the way of conscience as that of the great St. Charles who esteemed these two great Doctors and great seruants of God so much that hee esteemed nothing of himselfe in comparison of them You say this was the opinion of St. Charles and I will shew you by good account nine and forty Popes of a contrary opinion I wll shew you 500. Cardinalls Arch-bishops Bishops most illustrious most reuerend most holy most wise And which importeth most dis-interested both in France and elsewhere who were of a contrary opinion I will shew you Emperours Kings Monarchs and euen Oracles amongst men who are also of a contrarie opinion I doe highly esteeme Saint Charles and God forbid but I should But yet if I
that there is more worke cut out then we shall be able to sow and that the heart of a Bishop which ought to be a heart paternall and Apostolicall ought to imbrace all them who may serue to cultiuate the faire field of the Church of God 22. There is escaping from my hand and I know not how to keepe it backe a passage which seemeth pardonable to a man who defendeth so good a cause Aristotle saith that Ex quibus constamus ex ijs nutrimur conseruamur in esse This being so my Lords it is still to be considered that Regulars haue not lost their time nor done any great wrong to them who haue done them the honour to imploy them and that indeed they are not yet to be cast out of the way Certainly it hath pleased the infinite goodnesse of God to serue himselfe of them either for plantation of our faith or else of pitty in an eminent degree and that in a manner ouer the whole world Is it not true that it was Saint Bernard who made Campayne flourish St. Columbanus Burgundy St. Martin Tourayne Saint Anselme Normandy Saint Dominicke Languedoc and Guyenne Saint Vincent Britany Saint Thomas and Saint Bonauenture the King Saint Lewes and Fraunce Saint Augustine the Monke all England And now in our dayes is it not they who haue planted the Crosse of Iesus Christ in all those new worlds and who are planting it now whilest I am speaking in the heart of Aethiopia in Persia in the East and throughout the foure Winds of the world May they not well be thought to helpe towards the entertaining of the Church since they haue sweate bloud and water to plant it and are bedewing it with their teares and with their blood and sealing it with their heads and liues For a little I know not what must the occasion alas be lost of drawing so many exemplar seruices out of their labours vnder colour of some little indiscretion of any single man who may be transported by his zeale That amendment which might be desired can it not possibly be procured without such a deale of businesse and confused noise O my God there are so many abhominations in the world vpon which we daily looke and yet men open not their mouthes and hardly thinke that it concernes them at all and now it seemes that all consisteth in dragging Religious men after them as if that being once done we were instantly to see vertue ride in Tryumph I would to Christ there were no impediment but that and 〈◊〉 would to Christ that all this did â—urne vpon no other thing but that â—f the pure zeale of the seruice of God If euery one might make his owne complaints good God what a terrible discourse would grow vpon it but let not the Diuine Maiesty be pleased that so great a misfortune should ariue It is better to hold ones peace and to labour in silence and humility Bona facere mala pati Apostolicum est sayd the great Saint Bernard 23. That my Lords which is to bee much weighed is that by this course they are not the Regulars whom men assault but the Priviledges themselues and the Popes who gaue them and the authority of the See Apostolicke for all this is but a leuell at the same aime and Generall Councells and Canonized Saints and the doctrine of the Church received by the whole world and practised through so many ages and iudged by so many sentences And all this must be done for 〈…〉 point of honour or of power and in a businesse which so many great Cardinals full of wisedome and so many holy and venerable old men who were growne gray in the Gouernement of the Church would neuer alter I find that my most illustrious and most reuerend Lord the Cardinall of Rochfaucault who is of so delicate a conscience so graue in his iudgements and of so exemplar a life did say very well when he sayd I care not what habit men weare but I euer take the best As long as Religious men serue to good purpose I do willingly serue my selfe of them when they forget themselues I will also forget them When Doctors and Seculars and Pastors do well I will loue them and shall be glad to employ them In fine when a man is to make his choyce he must euer take the best whatsoeuer habite he weare Behold this is a saying worthy of him 24. I would to God that he with any other who resembled him were arbitrator of this cause in difference to calme this Tempest and to appease all things with the spirite of 〈◊〉 For there is good meanes for it when that which may be sayd on both sides may bee heard allowing to my Lords the Prelates more honour then euer themselues desire as also to the Pastors of particular Churches and leauing also Religious men in liberty to enioy their right in repose and with respect and honor These words of Abraham cast themselues into my mouth Facta est rixa inter pastores Gen. 3. gregum Abraham Lot c. Dixit ergo Abraham ad Lot rè quaeso sit iurgum inter me te inter pastores meos pastores tuos fratres enim sumus Ecce vniuersia terra coâ—am te est recede à me obscero si ad sinistram ieris ego dexteram tenebo si tu dexteram elegeris ego ad sinistram pergam c. Elegitque sib Lot regionem circa Iordanem recessit ab Oriente Make you the choyce my Lords and take you the faire Easterne Sunne to your selues those first beames of the day of honour are due to you the most liuely Orientall spring of light was made for you You are they whom the world must honour as euery one looketh towards the rising Sunne The sweet dewes of Indulgences the Easterne winds of Missions and the powers of commanding and sending hither and thether ought to issue out of your mouthes all the sweetenesses of heauen passe by your hands iust as the fauours of nature beginne from the East Be you therefore the Orients of the world according to the stile of Origen Estote filij Orientis ecce vir oriens nomen eius dabo Zachar. 6. vobis sernum meum Orientem eius Zachar. 3. 1. Reg. 9. erunt optima quaeque c. All this is done to you 25. Religious men whom you honour with the name of Brothers but who yet are in effect your sonnes and your seruants will place themselues towards the West and will lodge all their ambition in the setting Sunne of Mortification They will not at all mislike that the beames of honour be ecclipsed from them so that the beames of their charity may be able to shine brightly in the darknesse of sinfull soules and that they may cause the zeale of sauing those soules rise vp from the descent of humility They will bee well content to see themselues in this setting quarter where the day of honour
should beleeue him alone against a sacred torrent of so many others hee would giue mee little thankes for it and truely I haue no minde to offend him Would hee disagree from St. Bonauenture hee who in effect did nothing but by the aduice of Panigarola a man of the same Order and farre inferiour to Saint Bonauenture Pardon mee my Lords if I tell you that the Historie of St. Charles his life doth carry other manner of reasons with it then that which you alleadge how hee came to make his Diocesse so flourishing for that story tels us that the thing which made him victorious ouer so many impediments and inabled him to doe what hee listed was this which followeth 1. That hee led a holy and irreprehensible life L. 1. c. 8. 2. Hee did ordinarily fast and L. 8. c. 21. that oftentimes with bread and water yea and euen when hee was present at Feasts and he fasted for deuotion and not for thrift 3. Hee gaue ouer in one morning L. 2. c. 2. the reuenew of threescore thousand Crownes by the yeare and who would not beleeue a man who should at once alleadge threescore thousand reasons which weigh at the least a Crowne a peece 4. Hee alwayes euerie day recited L. c. 2. 8. his Breuiarie with his knees bent and his head bare and he euen blotted it all out with teares which his deuotion shed in so great aboundance 5. Hee did neuer in effect goe out L. 2. c. 2. of his Diocesse 6. Hee gaue almes euen almost L. 4. c. 3. l. 8. c. 28. beyond the meanes he had 7. He serued with his owne hands L. 4. c. 3. such persons as had plague soares vppon them 8. He made the visitation of his Diocesse on foote and hee performed his Pilgrimages after the same manner 9. He daily celebrated masse with an L. 8. c. 2. incredible deuotion and with a Majesty which was more then humane 10. Hee was peraduenture the L. 8. c. 16. most humble man of all his Diocesse and did in his very soule beleeue more meanely of himselfe then of any seruant hee had 11. He was indefatigable in the L. 8. c. 31. execution of his Office 12. Vnder his Scarlet hee wore a L. 8. c. 31. hard and rough haire-cloath 13. Hee tooke his rest eyther vppon L. 8. c. 3. the bare ground or else vppon straw which was as hard 14. He would read the holy Bible vppon his knees and with his head bare and the while hee would shed aboundance of teares 15. Hee carried a tender loue towards the seraunts of God 16. Euery yeare he made the spirituall L. 8. c. 5. exercises twice sometimes in the Nouiciate at Nouellara which my Lady his sister had founded vnder father Anthonio Valentino a Iesuite of whom I haue vnderstood thus much and sometimes at Arona in the Nouilitate which hee had founded himselfe and then hee did euer make his generall Confession 17. He would neuer do any thing L. 1. c. 4. without taking verie wise counsell and hee did exceedingly distrust his owne iudgement 18. Hee was euer the first at good workes at the Office of the Church at Sermons at the visiting of Hospitals and seruing the sicke 19. Hee was greatly exact and L. 8. c. 3. carefull not to giue holy Orders nor Benifices but to persons very capable and of good life 20. He would doe nothing of importance L. 8. c. 3. without communicating it first to the Pope and his Councell whom hee honoured as the Oracle of Heauen This in effect is that my Lords which gaue him so great power to make a reformation through his whole Diocesse and not eyther seculers or Regulers or such other aydes as those in fine in the midst of all impediments and when the whole seculer power would oppose it selfe to his designes the Gouernours of Millan sent worde to King Phillip the second that they were not able to resist him and the King would ordinarily make this answere Puesâ—el Arcobispo es vn sancto Let this Arch-bishop alone for hee is a uery Saint The Arch-bishop Visconte his successour a most wise man and whom I haue heard Preach would sometimes bee making the same offers but the same King answered concerning him Luego este no es saincto No sayth he the case is not the same For this man is not yet a Saint when hee shal be so wee will speake with him againe So that the beleefe which was had of the sanctity of Saint Charles was that which made him so omnipotent doe but giue me some Saint Charles like him and there shal be no Barbarisme which shall not be tamed and euen made holy in a short time but without that there will be much to do whosoeuer he be that goes about it and Charles Baromeus would not haue wrought those wonders if hee had not beene St. Charles All this say you goes well but in fine Saint Charles did not serue himselfe of Religious men in making that Reformation Though that were so yet the Pope his Vncle serued himselfe of them and so did the greatest Cardinalls of his time who found that they had no cause to repent it Farnesse at Rome Paleotta at Bolonia Valerio at Verona Priuli at Venice Medici at Florence and Este at Ferara that I may say nothing of my Lords the Cardinals of France whose memory is both in benediction and admiration hee of Bourbon of Vendosme of Lorayne of Tornon and so many others And these two last being men of very great judgement and reputation resolued when they dyed to breath out their soules in the hands of Religious men and to leaue their heartes depositated amongst them in testimony of an euerlasting loue And I will also forbeare to say any thing of such as liue and of an innumerable number of most eminent Prelates of France yea and of Europe who haue found themselues well at case by not hauing beene of that opinion which heere is attributed to Saint Charles I could here say much of those great Cardinalls of Ioyuse of Condy of Retz of Peron of Ciury and of so many others but I will forbeare and passe no further vpon this poynt But we will yet say better to you and I am content that Saint Charles be made the Iudge of al this questions for either the story of his life deceiues vs or certainely my Lords you will loose your cause So true it is that Saint Charles did the just contrary of all that which some men would make the World beleeue See how he did it and what his life relates When hee was conuerted in good earnest to God and to that eminent manner L. 1. c. 5. of life which he grew to lead he took for his guide Father Iohn Baptista L. 1. c. 5. Ribera a Iesuite When hee resolued to make his entry into Millan and to dispose of that people hee chose Father
life to the glory of God â—nder the authority and by the â—ommandement of so many Popes and holy Prelates even of this Kingdome of France If this I say be to trouble the Hierarchy if this bee a mortall sinne if this be a Schisme wee cannot indeede deny but that by the space of so many Ages the Regulars haue committed these disorders and that so many holy and wise Prelates at whose feete they dyed in labour under them and for them throughout their Dioceses that these great Prelates I say haue committed a very grieuous fault But so also on the other-side if these proceedings doe merit any returne of friendship if any kinde of sweetenesse it seemes that it were more honourable for men to shewe some little good will to them who desirâ— to imploy their liues and their labours under the authority of my Lords the Prelates to liue and dyâ— at their feete for the glory of Godâ— and the good of soules which arâ— very glad to finde themselues assistedâ— and comforted by them and doe accept of the little services which they can doe 16. O how highly do I commendâ— that good and gallant Pastor in Paris who did so holily and so ingeniously say as followeth Let us doe better then the Regulars and let us not busie our selues with crying out Hierarchy Hierarchy for infallibly if wee doe better then they wee shall conserue our Hierarchy and wee shall neede to be in no feare least it diminish or that wee shal bee entred into by a breach or that it shall grow to bee dissipated But till such time as wee see our selues in that condition why shall wee not serue our selues of the holy labours of so many good servants of God who are withall of our owne flesh and bone and of our owne blood and our brethren and who might perhaps haue beene that which wee are and perhaps better then wee But for the loue of God they would not accept it If all the World heere had a heart and a tongue like that of this worthy personage the Gallican Church would be a Heauen upon earth but as soone as men permit the infernall Dragon to whisle there and that he promise certaine divinities and sublime greatnesses a thousand divisions and a thousand sorts of miseries enter in which God of his great goodnesse shall remooue if it pleaseth him as I beseech him with all the powers of my soule to doe As for that which one of the chiefe men of Paris sayd concerning proper interest the offerings the respects the honour the power and such other things as these I wil bee farre from objecting it and so doubtlesse these things would not be good for the Hierarchy and sure there is no such matter amongst them Besides that this is without the compasse of my designe and I haue somewhat else to doe then to touch those strings which sound not well and it would never become me well to doe it since it was so ill taken at the hands of that great person a Doctor of the Genebrard de Hierarchia facultie of Paris an Arch-bishop and a man of so great reputation I had rather make Saint Paul say this word which issued out of an Apostolicall and Seraphicall heart Noli frater cibo tuo perdere eum pro quo Christus mortuus est As if hee would say alas doe not amuse your selues about your owne commodities nor about your owne greatnesse doe not hinder the good â—nd comfort and perhaps the salvaâ—ion of those soules which are bathed â—n the blood of Christ our Lord. Though this should cost you somewhat it will never cost you so much as it cost him who imployed even to the last droppe of his blood upon it If the Regulars doe good to your flocke will you bee offended with them for that if they doe them no good the World indeed is much deceived which beleeues and daily sees the contrary Salus populi suprema lex esto The Law of Lawes is the safety of the people and the assistance of soules and it is evidently seene that both the people and God himselfe haue blessed and as it were canonized a million of innocent actions of good Religious men who haue assisted a World of persons If I durst descend deeply into this matter and shewe you the necessity which the Church conceiues it selfe to haue of this succor so faâ— of would it be from tearing this Hierarchy in peeces that you would evidently see that perhaps it would haue prooved a meere Anarchy aâ— was sayd by a great Arch-bishop of France if the goodnesse of God had not sent this helpe But I will not enter upon this Discourse nor giue any manner of offence to any it sufficeth for me to plead the cause of God and of his servants shewing the innocency of their proceeding and the purity of their intention THE THIRD REASON That Religious and Priviledged men do abase the authority of my Lords the Bishops and become as it were insolent by reason of that power which is imparted to them by their Priviledges THis is the source of all our great and most important difference There is nothing so insupportable as contempt â—specially when it growes upon any â—an from his inferiour contempt â—hether it be truely offered or but â—magined produceth most prejudiâ—iall effects If Regulars haue indeede â—oÌ„mitted this sin it is certainly worthy â—f blame and intolerable but so if it â—e not true without doubt they who â—ould needs suggest this to our Lords â—he Prelates and perswade them to beleeue it hath beene a little in thâ— wrong and to omit the speaking 〈◊〉 any thing which may offend them 〈◊〉 will onely say that their zeale haâ— had a little more of the smoake theâ— of the fire At the worst hand theâ— is no mischiefe without a remedyâ— and when the objection were truâ— men should rather apply a plaistâ— with some lenity then teare off thâ— arme which hath some little hurt 〈◊〉 it and which afterward might do good seruice being cured and restâ—red to former health 2. But I maintaine that this is 〈◊〉 meere and most ougly slander anâ— I hope that by the helpe of God I shall make the matter so cleare thâ— no man of a good minde wil bee â—ble to refuse me his beleefe nor euâ— contradict me with reason There hath not beene any timâ— when the Diuell hath not endeauorâ— to put jealousie into the mindes 〈◊〉 the greatest and to make Religious â—en who are his capitall and irreâ—onciliable enemies to be suspected Who would euer haue beleeved that â—n France there could haue bin found â—ny Prelate whom Saint Bernard â—ight put into jealousie and paine And yet the while Iosilinus the Biâ—hop of Soissons wrote backe to him Ep. 213. 〈◊〉 terrible letter whereof the title â—was this Bernardo Abbati salutem â—n Domino non spiritum blaspheâ—iae The poore Abbot being stroâ—en with this word as if it had beene 〈◊〉 pointed stone or
facit per alium per seipsum facere potest 16. Blasphemiae vicinum est dicere quod Episcopus non potest vsum clauium exercere in quemlibet suae Diaecesis sicut Christus posset 17. Potest institui Religio ad subveniendum pauperibus in necessitatibus corporis ergo multo magis potest institui ad subueniendum animabus per Praedicationes Confessiones 18. Quod potest inferior potest etiam Superior quod ergo potest Curatus potest Episcopus potest Papa Cui vt ait Cyrillus omnes iure diuino caput inclinant 19. Alij gubernationes alij opitulationes inquit Apost 1. Cor. 12. Opitulationes Opusc 14. c. 23. sunt ij qui ferunt opem maioribus vt Titus Apostolo Archidiaconi Episcopo c. Hoc autem non destruit Hierarchiam 20. Alter alterius membra vnum corpus in Christo Rom. 12. Manifestum Opusc 15. c. 3. est quod Ecclesiasticae vnitati derogat quicunque Religiosis impedit ne docere possint c. 21. Qui Romanae Ecclesiae Privilegium ab ipso summo omnium Ecclesiarum capite traditum auferre conatur Ibid. c. 3. hic proculdubio in haeresim labitur vt dicitur in Decretis Dist 22. Cap. Omnes à Sancto Ambrosio qui ait se in omnibus sequi Magistram sanctam L. 3. de sacram c. 1. Romanam Ecclesiam It is Pope Nicholas the second who speaketh against them of the Church of Millan for entring into competition with Rome and would needes march hand in hand with the Romane Church which Saint Thomas applieth also to the point in question 22. Ab Apostolis 7. Diaconi instituti fuerunt qui erant in statu perfectionis Opusc 14. c. 23. nam relictis omnibus secuti erant Christum Ab horum exemplo omnes Religiones deriuatae sunt Quemadmodum ergo Apostolu Episcopi discipulis Parochi sic Diaconis Religiosi successerunt 23. Behold here is a part of the Propositions which Saint Thomas defended at Paris in publike manner and with such amazement of all the Vniuersity that there was not found a man so bold as to dare once stirre this stone The Preface of his Booke carrieth these very wordes in the front Praedictus Doctor post diuinitùs obtentam victoriam Pariseos rediens omnes dicti operis Articulos public◠solemnitèr repetens disputauit firmavitque That which goeth immediatly before these words and the sentence of the Pope is a thing which I will not cite here but let him see it who will I will say nothing here which may offend or which may sauour of recrimination or which by any ill odour of strong passion may poyson this discourse which is dedicated to pure and free but yet strong truth I coniure you my Lords to weigh well these foure words Publice Solemniter disputauit Firmauit So that all Paris had the contentment to see this great person sustaine all the assaults of the whole world and hee was so happy and so puissant that he made truth tryumph and did with a little stone beate downe that huge Colossus which men had erected to the ende that falling vpon him it might driue both himselfe and all his Order into dust 30. That which Gulielmus de sancto Amore had enterprised at Paris with so ill successe a certaine Richardus Armaeanus the Primate of Ireland after he had played rex in England did also enterprise in Auignon in the yeare 1356. vnder Innocent the sixth before the Pope himselfe and the Cardinals and presented them with a booke made aduantageously in the behalfe of Parsons and Vicars yea and also of Bishops against Regulars wherein he deliuered the same things which had beene offered before by Gulielmus de sancto Amore for in this businesse there is neuer any thing but repetitions and noyse enough without any fruite at all and ordinarily the matter ends in some disastrous death I will not tell you here how this poore 〈◊〉 died but I will only put you in mind that the book was held worthy to dye with him and that many who haue banded themselues against the seruants of God haue either sooner or later had regret and sorrow in their hearts or else some other thing which was worse The face of death makes the face of businesse chaunge very much 31. The wisest men haue euer iudged that they haue no good bargaine who make themselues opposites to the seruants of God especially in those things which are established by his diuine Maiesty or his Grand Vicar and there bee a thousand and a thousand Histories to shew this as lamentable and feareful as they are authenticall Men vse sometimes to dispute in Diuinity whether the Pope may erre in the Canonization of Saints as also about the approbation of Religious Orders For my part I will not enter at this time into that question but I will not feare to say that when God hath any such desire and that he sendeth some to this effect if any man then make opposition God doth certainly find himselfe offended therby and is wont to resent it and therfore Saint Paule saith aloud Itaquè qui haec spernit non hominem spernit 1. Thes 4. sed Deum c. Now after points of faith and some others of the most important of the Church I knowe fewe thinges whereof there is more formall cleere and authenticall proofe then of the point which here I defend For twenty Popes three Generall Councels so many Prouinciall Synodes in France so many Cardinals Primates Arch-bishops Bishops Canons expresse Texts fifty Buls Sentences of Parliaments Iudgement of eminent Doctors in great number consent of some Parsons and Vicars euen of Paris doctors of the Sorbonne Saints Miracles Reasons Arguments possession beyond the memory of man Texts of the Gospell particular vocations of God who hath expresly sent vs more then sixe Religious Orders all entire the authority of so many Emperours Kings Potentates soueraigne Courts of Iustice heauen and earth such a number of ages and the voice of the world Is not I say all this sufficient to fortifie this truth against those poore reasons which they alledge and which in very deede in the sight of God and of disinteressed men are not of such moment as to warrant that account and noyse which some make thereof There was a time when a sentence was giuen against Saint Bernard and that from the highest Tribunall in the Church of God The Saint seeing himselfe ouer loaden by so mighty an authority here on earth had recourse to heauen and sayd Tuum Domine Iesu Tribunall appello tuo me iudicio servo tibi committo causam Epist 1. meam Tu vides qui tua video qui quaerunt sua It que arbiter meus esto Domine Iesu de valtu tuo tudicium meum prodeat oculi tui videant aequitatem O Iesu bone quam multa facta sunt prounius animulae perditione c.