constantly with most feruour followed this course of life Palladius relateth of Apollo who was a famous man among the ancient Heremits that hauing fiue hundred disciples he was wont to bid them to be alwayes chearful and merrie And a man should not meete vpon earth such mirth and exultation as was continually among them For he sayd it was an vnseemlie thing for anie of them to be sad and heauie that had such assured hopes of eternal happines The Infidels and Iewes and wicked Christians might with reason be truly sorrowful but the seruants of God should alwayes reioyce For if people that traffick in earthlie things reioyce in them why should not Religious people that are in present possession of so manie good things and doe so certainly hope for the happines of the life to come be in perpetual gladnes This was the saying of that ancient Father and he sayd true 3. For first in this state people haue the comfort of a good Conscience which if things goe wel with vs doth much encrease our ioy if they happen crosse as sometimes perhaps they wil it is a great solace vnto vs and in fine giueth life to al the howres a Religious man doth liue For a good Conscience is as it were a Maister or Tutour that staÌ„deth at our elbow both in regard of the light belonging vnto it which without much adâ—e easily discerneth good from euil iust from that which is vniust and in regard of the propension which it giues to our wil to loue that which is good and to shunne that which appeares to be euil so that whosoeuer resisteth this light and this inclination or propension must needs be in continual torment and vexation whosoeuer goeth with it obeyeth it liues in ioy and comfort This we haue out of S. Iohn Chrysostom who speaketh thus Though there be some paynes to be taken in the practise of vertue yet it sils a man's conscience with a great deale of pleasure and brings so much inward delight with it that it cannot be expressed in words For what is delightful in things present a board wel furnished health of bodie riches But al the sweetnes that is in anie of these is bitter compared with that delight For nothing is more pleasant then a good Conscience and good hope 4. And this contentment of a good Conscience which according to S. Iohn Chrysostom is so ful of sweetnes is not alone in Religion but bringeth manie other pleasures with it which S. Macarius speaking of this verie abundance of spiritual comforts in one of his Homilies setteth forth in liuelie coulours and sayth thus It fareth with the seruants of God sometimes as with them that sit at a Prince's table royally set-forth with al kindes of choice meates and there they exult with a gladnes which no man can come neare to expresse in words and with admirable satietie and contentment Sometimes they are like a bride melting with vncoÌ„ceauable heauenlie delight in the armes of God their Spouse Sometimes they are like Angels that haue no bodies arriue to such a lightnes and freedome that the weight of their bodie troubleth them no more then if they had none at al. Sometimes they are so ful of pleasure as if they had drunk largely of the best wine that is and are euen drunk with a holie drunkennes of Diuine mysteries are not sensible of anie thing that passeth in this life Sometimes they are like mourners lamenting the miseries of mankind powring forth their prayers to God for the saluation therof readie to lay downe their owne life and soule at stake for the good of others Sometimes they do so burne with this spiritual loue of their Neighbour that if it were possible they would hide al men good and bad within their bowels Againe at other times they cast themselues so farre vnder al mens feet through humilitie of spirit that they make account they are the least and the lowest and the worst of al men in the world Contrariwise sometimes they resemble a stout warrier that gathering his weapons to him goeth of his owne accord into the field and valiantly encountreth his enemies Oftimes their soule reposeth in profound silence enioying most sweet and quiet peace and taking vnspeakable delight in it Finally oftimes their mind is so cleared by the guift of the Holie-Ghost which we cal Vnderstanding and Wisedome that in an instant it conceaueth things which no tongue can expresse Al this is out of S. Macarius 5. How rare and admirable therefore must that course of life needs be which swimmeth in al these delights and is serued with ioy after ioy and contentment after contentment as a sumptuous bancket with dish after dish Which the Prophet Dauid deseruedly admireth in these words How great is the multitude of thy sweetnes ô Lord which thou hast hidden for these that sent thee It is great but hidden and knowne to them only that truly feare God And they are in a great errour that think that they that vow themselues to God prouide wel for the good and safetie of their Soules but buy this safetie at a high rate of excessiue toyle For it is not so this spiritual iourney hath also pleasure with it and greater pleasure then flesh and bloud is capable of and conformably thervnto nothing is more often repeated in holie Writ or more seriously inculcated Light sayth Dauid arose to the lust and gladnes to the vpright of hart as who should say That is true gladnes which riseth of the light of our mind and the vprightnes of our hart And againe How sweet are thy speeches to my tawes aboue honie to my mouth And A 〈◊〉 of exultation and health in the tabernacles of the Iust. Let the iust make feasts and exult in the sight of God My soule that exult in our Lord and delight in the Sauiour therof al my bones shal say Lord who is like to thee But he comes most neare vnto vs and speaketh in a manner particularly to vs that dwel in the House of God when he sayth They shal be drunk of the plentie of thy House and thou wilt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure He calles it a Torrent in regard of the plentie and because the source of it is not in the earth but in heauen and raynes downe abundantly from about He likeneth it to drunkennes because they that are silled with these comforts like people that are drunk haue not only perfectly drowned and quenched their thirst but see not the things which are vpon earth or at leastwise take no heed to that which is before their eyes and inwardly burne with a spiritual fire and feruour putting them vpon manie actions which others perhaps may think foolish or impertinent The Prophet Esay speaketh to the same effect in diuers places and particularly when he sayth I wil put the desert therof as delight and the solitude as a
passe the test in silence cast the price of his manie possessions into the sea saying Away into the deep you euil thoughts I wil drowne you that I may not be drowned by you This Philosopher ambitious of glorie and a base slaue to popular rumours cast away al his burden at once and canst thou think that thou hast attayned the height of vertue offering part of thine God wil haue thyself a liuing hoast pleasing God thy self I say and not that which is thine If thou giue thy self to God and perfect in Apostolical vertue begin to follow our Sauiour then thou wilt vnderstand where thou wert and how in the Armie of Christ thou hast hitherto held the lowest place I wil not haue thee offer that only to God which a theef may take from thee which thy enemie may inuade which banishment may depriue thee off which may come and goe and which like waues of the sea is possessed by euerie maister that is next at hand and which in a word whether thou wilt or no at thy death thou must forsake Offer that which no enemie can take from thee no tyrant bereaue thee off that which wil follow thee to thy graue yea to the Kingdome of Heauen and to the delights of Paradise Thou buildest Monasteries and a great number of Saints are maintayned by thee but thou shalt doe better thy self to liue a Saint among the Saints Thus writeth S. Hierome to Iulian. 11. And the like he writeth to Pammachius applying fitly to his purpose that which we reade of the low stature of Zacchaus My aduise is that thou offer not only thy money but thyself to Christ skin for skin and al that a man possesseth he may giue for his soule Our ancient Enemie knoweth that the combat of Continencie is greater then that of money that which sticketh on the outside is easily â—ast â—â—f a ciuil warre is more dangerous We may easily vnglue that which is but 〈◊〉 togeather vnsow that wâ—ich is but sowed Zacchaus was rich the Apostles 〈…〉 red foure times the value of that which he had taken and diuided among the poore the one half of his substance that remayned our Sauiour admit 〈…〉 entertaynement and yet because he was low and could not reach the 〈◊〉 of the Apostles he was not reckoned among the Twelue The Apostles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 their wealth left nothing if their wil they forsooke al the world at once If we offer our wealth and our soule togeather he wil willingly accept of it 12. Let vs rehearse an other testimonie out of the same S. Hierome exhorting his friend Iaciuius to an absolute renunciation of al things in these words It is the part of beginners and not â—f perfect people to cast away their money Crates the Thebean did it and so did 〈◊〉 To offer ones self to God is proper to Christians and to the Apostles The wants of manie haue been supplyed by thy abundance to the end that their riches may rebound againe into the hands of them that want them Thou hast made to thy self friends of the Mammon of iniquitie that they may receaue thee into the eternal tabernacles A thing worthie commendation to be paralelled with he vertues of the Apostolical times But our Lâ—rd seeketh rather the soules of the Faithful then their riches We reade that a man 's owne riches are the redemption of his soule By a man 's owne riches we may vnderstand such as are not gotten by pillage or by the wrong of an other man but yet in a better sense our owne riches are the hidden treasure which neither the night-theef can vndermine nor the open robber take from vs by violence 13. Seing therefore we haue the verdict of S. Hierome in so manie places so clearly deliuering his mind on our side and so manie other ancient Fathers besides of the same opinion the single authoritie of Aristotle cannot in reason stumble anie man though he were against vs. But indeed he is not For in that which was obiected out of the first of his Morals he speaketh consequently to that which there he handled for he discourseth there of the happines belonging to the Actiue life towards which Riches are vndoubtedly a fit meanes and instrument for had it not riches it should not haue wherewithal to relieue others and supply their necessities wheras great part of the felicitie of that life is placed in that kind of action But towards Contemplation wherin according to Aristotle's iudgement also is the farre truer felicitie riches conduce nothing at al but rather hinder it for they disturbe the quiet of a man's mind which is one of the necessariest things of al for Contemplation Insomuch that Aristotle himself in his tenth booke of Morals where he treateth of the happines which is in Contemplation sayth that Action hath need of manie things but Speculation hath not need of anie thing and that multiplicitie of things is rather a hinderance vnto it It is therefore confessedly much more beneficial and a much more noble act to forsake al that a man hath at once and to consecrate his life to God in Euangelical Pouertie then to remayne with some thing though it be with intention to spend it vpon the poore Which we may finally strengthen with a notable sentence of that great S. Hilarion of whom S. Hierome relateth that hauing deliuered a maruelous rich man called Orion from a legion of Diuels not long after the same man returned to the Monasterie with very rich presents and vrged S. Hilarion very earnestly and with teares to accept of them if not for himself yet at least to bestow vpon the poore but the aduised old man answered him in these words The name of the poore hath been an occasion of auarice to manie but mercie hath no tricks with it No man doth spend better then he that reserueth nothing for himself An answer to them that choose to remayne in the world to do good vpon their Neighbour CHAP. XXI OThers are withdrawen from Religious courses by a perswasion which they haue that they may benefit their Neighbour more in spirit remayning in the world An errour much like to the former which we haue confuted but that the former taketh occasion of our earthlie substance this latter of a good which is meerly spiritual and consequently as it hath the fayrer pretext it is the more apt to deceaue For thus they discourse and argue as it were against a Religious State that in Religion we in a manner burie the Talent which God hath giuen vs and the zeale and good wil of aduancing others in vertue because they that liue vnder Obedience are not so free to make their excursions hither and thither and sometimes when they haue begun a good work they are called away from it set about something els or sent to another place On the other side they that remayne at their owne
him glad and ioyful in the Temple when he was but three yeares old And God did not suffer himself to be ouercome by her in liberalitie but for one sonne gaue her manie as it were the interest-money of that one which she had lent him 10. Paula that famous Roman Matron was in the light of the Ghospel not inferiour vnto her S Hierome doth highâ—y extol her because the desire which she had to see her country was only to the end the might see her sonne her daughter in law her grandchild that had renounced the world to serue Christ which in part the obtayned Such also was as we read the mother of S. Bonauenture for she vowed him to â—hâ— Order of S. Franâ—â—s when he was yet but an infant and he fulfilling that vow oâ— hers became so great a man as we know he was The lâ—ke hapned to S. Andrew Bishop of Fieâ—ols a very holie man for his parents hauing no câ—â—ldren had made a vow that if God would send them a sonne they would offer him to the Order of the Carmâ—lit-Friars and they had this Andrew but when he came to yeares misled by the libertie and licentiousnes of this world he hâ—d quite other thoughts in his head but that his mother beyond her sex and the affections of a mother wonne him by her counsel and earnest exhortations to dedicate himself to God in the flowre oâ— his youth 11. I muâ—t confesse there be but â—ew examples of this nature men are so weake in this point â—et those that are are sufficient to moue anie man liuing and particularly that which we read of S. Bernards mother which also in reason ought to weigh the more with vs because the was dead and in heauen and could not be deceaued in her iudgement It is recorded therefore that when he began to think of leauing the world and laboured withal to draw as manie of his breâ—hren and kinsfolk as he could to the same resolution a yonger brother of his called Andrew of a fierie spirit as yong soâ—ldiâ—rs vse to be shewed himself wonderful backward 〈…〉 altered vpon a heauenlie Vision he cryed out I see my mother For 〈…〉 mother with a pleasing and cheerful countenance giuing her children the ioâ— vpon so wholesome a delâ—beration and he was not alone that saw her 〈◊〉 S. Bernard also And if she had been aliue at that time she would haue done no 〈◊〉 for they write of her that she was so deuout a woman that she did alwayes presently offer her children to God in the Church so soone as they were borne and brought them vp euer after as if she had not bred them for the world but for Religion And yet parents may learne by her of what opinion they shal be in this matter after death when they shal see playnly before their eâ—es the eternitie of the life to come and how quickly al things passe away in this world How wil they then lament and bewayle themselues if they haue been the cause that a sonne of daughter of theirs hath fallen from so great a good into so great in seriâ—◠〈◊〉 them therefore do that now while they are heeâ— which they would certainly do if they were suffered as fine was to returne from that life to giue aduise to their children since they must as certainly beleeue the things of the other life as 〈◊〉 they had seen them with their eyes 12. Finally if they desire that we apply some kind of cure to themselues to strengthen them on this opposition of the flesh against the spirit they may consider these â—ew things following First that when they offer one or two or more of their children to God in truth they giue him nothing of their owne but make restitution vnto him of that which was his before For as we aduised children before to the end to ouercome the natural loue to their parents to think with themselues how final a thing it is which they receaue from them so to the end that parents also be not ouercome with too much affection towards their children and that they may with more ease and more cheerfully offer them to God it behooueth them to remember that they are not theirs but God's in a maÌ„ner almost as an image of stone or wood is not the grauing-iron's nor a picture the penâ—â—â—s but both the artificer's So that when God redemandeth them he vseth his owne right and challengeth but his owne and whosoeuer wil retayne them retayneth an other's goods which is a kind of theft or rather Sacriledge because that which he takes is from God For that which S. Gregorie sayth he takes â—s true While vnaduisedly we hold them back that are making hast to the seruice of Almightie God we are found to denie him something who grants vs al things 13. This is that which the mother of the Macchabees whom we spake of not long since had before her eâ—es and made open profession of when she encouraged herself and her children in these words I did not giue you spirit and soule and life nor did I knit togeâ—ther the limmes of euerie one of you but the Creatour of the world who framed man's natiuitie and found the beginning of al and wil restore vnto you againe spirit with mercie and life as now you neglect your sâ—lues for his lawes And the same account al parents must make in the like occasion For so they wil find that they wil leese nothing by leâ—sing their children for the seruice of God For thus they must reason with themselues What should I do if this child of mine should be taken from me by sicknes or in the warres or by some other accident of manie which the life of man is dayly subiect vnto Should I then also storme against God by whose appointment al things hapâ—pen How much better is it for him and me that he liue in the house of God in seruice of so great a Prince 14. If it be the absence of their children that troubles them so much that they enioy not â—he companie of them whom they loue so deerly first this is too effeminate and too womanish a kind of loue not to be able to endure their absence when it is so beneficial vnto them Secondly how manie be â—â— ere that vpon diuers occasions neuer see their children in manie yeares either because they are marcâ—ant-venturers or serue some where in the waâ—â—es or beare office in the Common-weaâ—â—h and their parents are content they should be from thâ—m preferring the benefit and commoditie of their children before their priuate comfort 14. Finally the admonitions which S. Iohn Chrysostom giues vpon this subiect are worthier to be consiâ—ered that seing people do and suffer so manie diuers things to 〈◊〉 great estates â—or their children and to leaue them rich they cannot leaue them better prouided nor more wealthie then if they bring them vp to Religion and true
and suffered much in his temporal estate by inrodes which the enemie made into the countrey S. Hierome maketh vse of al this and telleth him that they are warnings from God who as it is written of the children of Israel instructeth him with stripes and sorrow And S. Macarius also in one of his Homilies obserueth that it doth often happen that God handles a man roughly with miseries and afflictions that being otherwâ—se too much wedded to the loue of earthlie things and seing al things fâ—â— crosse vnto him he may beginne a discourse thus within himself Since I cannot haue my wil in the world behold I quit the world and betake myself to God wholy to serue him and at last he thanks his il fortune because by that occasion he was drawne to the sweet yoak of our Lord. 18. And Cassian reckoning three kinds of vocations placeth this in the last place when by losse of goods or by death of friends or by other such accidents they that refused to follow God in prosperitie are compelled to follow him by aduersitie against their wils as the Hebrewes of whom it is written in the Psalme When â—e killed them they sought him and returned vnto him and early in the morning that is speedily without delay they came vnto him And addeth that though this kind of vocation seeme to be the meanest and of least esteeme yet men of great perfection and great feruour of spirit haue been called by it and haue been nothing inferiour to others that entring vpon the seruice of God vpon nobler principles haue brought their life to an end with great commendation Climaâ—us sayth excellently wel that it is the fashion of God sometimes to catch men by an honest kind of craft and draw them in by a wile to saue their soules His words are these Let vs not contemme some that renounce the world without anie great consideration because the spirit doth sometimes piously deceaue soules For oftimes such a renunciation hath better successe then another which came vpon more aduise as the seed which fals from the hand of the husbandman where he doth not desire it should groweth sometimes better then where it was sowed of purpose I haue seen some that haue gone into a Monasterie with no holie intention but driuen by necessitie who afterwards were taken with the great wisedome of the Abbot and the milde conuersation of the Monks and God giuing them the light of grace they arriued to an eminent state Thus saith Clâ—maâ—uâ— 19. The last rule which we haue to set downe is about the comparing of Religious Orders among themselues so to make a right iudgement of them for this also is necessarie and requires an vnderstanding that is iudicious For though in embracing a Religious course in general we cannot erre as I haue shewed yet in choosing this or the other particular Religion we may erre the Diuel may put manie mists in our way For oftimes when he sees a man desirous of perfection he puts a course in his phancie where perfection is not followed as it should be that the good desires which he had may come to nothing oftimes with preposterous feruour he egs him on to take more vpoÌ„ him then the strength of his bâ—die is able to beare and finally al his deuises tend to bring a man to doe either too much or too litle Wherefore that in the choice of a particular Institute we be not drawne into errour two things are to be discreetly weighed First wheâ—her the Institute itself be perfect and secondly whether it be perfectly and carefully obserued For though a Religious Familie haue neuer so holie Rules and orders in it if they be not kept or if few doe keepe them the holines of their Rule is to litle purpose and no man ought to be so confident of himself as to hope to beare himself vp against the multitude and to keepe the right way where the rest goe wrong And consequently a man must not so much consider which Order is most renowned for antiquitie or for memorable acts in times past or for the members of holie men that haue been in it but which now at this present is more holie more obseruant of Religious discipline and more ful of that first spirit wherewith the Order was begun and founded 20. And if we be desirous of some signes to direct our iudgement in this kind we may consider these things following First if there be an exact order obserued that no bodie haue anie thing in priuate to himself neither money nor anie thing els but al things be kept and serued out in common Secondly if there be charitie no contention no hanging off from one another Thirdly if ambition be wholy excluded and al pretences and proiects for preferment and honour and rather such employments declined as carrie a shew of greatnes and authâ—ritiâ— Fourthly if obedience to Superiours be kept entire inuiolable without exemptions Fiftly if the Religious be seldome permitted to deale with their carnal friends and kindred and not but vpon some spiritual occasion And finally if they be zealous of the good of soules and for that end spare no labour or paines that is requisite These are the chiefest and most important things which are to be looked into Other things though of lesse moment are not also to be neglected as the greatnes of the Order if it abound in good subiects if it be spred farre and neere if it haue people in it of diuers nations For so it must needs abound likewise in learning and wisedome and haue greater helps to effect that which it doth vndertake and more store of good works by the communication wherof euerie particular man of the Order hath the greater benefit As a fire is the greater the more store of wood is layd vpon it and the wood itself takes the easier and burnes the faster and makes the more lightsome fire when there are manie sticks togeather then when they are layd one by one Though al this is but extrinsecal that which I sayd before of the perfection of euerie Institute belongs to the essence and substance of it And because in Perfection there be manie degrees if we wil know how to compare them one with another we must take S. Thomas in our way who answereth the question in these words The greatest perfection of a thing consisteth in attayning to the end which it hath 21. Wherefore to value the perfection of euerie particular Iustitute we must weigh two things First whether it haue a nobler end and secondly whether it haue meanes accordingly more proportionable for the attayning of that end because the more perfect the work is to which a course of life is ordained the more worthily we must esteeme of that course and likewise the more effectual and abundant meanes it hath for the effecting of those works the better is the Institute and the more to be preferred But
Eternal Word of God and Image of his Father is properly ours giuen granted and deliuered to al men in general and seuerally to â—uery one At which Esay the Prophet reioycing in spirit sayth A little one is borne vnto vs and S. Paul He spared not his owne Sonne but deliured him vp for vs al and in an other place who gaue himself for vs. And our Lord and Sauiour sayth of himself God hath so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne Wherfore if God may iustly challenge vs al wholy for his owne in regard he hath created vs because he doth but demand that soule and that body of vs which he bestowed on vs. Certainly with much greater reason he may now challenge vs by title of purchase since Christ himself hath payed downe for vs no lesse price then his own life and soule so incomparabily worthy and pretious and withal his body and his diuine person Worthyly therfore doth S. Chryâ—ostâ—me say in one of his homilies seeing we liue by the death of Christ we must certaynly liue to him by whom we liue Where we may thinke that this holy man repeateth twice one and the self same thing in diuers words but if we weigh them well we shal find that he means two seueral things first that we liue by Christ. Secondly that he died for our sakes either of them seuerally considered is sufficient to obligevs wholy vnto him But put them both togeather and euery one may â—asyly se how the reckoning is inflamed S. Bernard in his sermon of the fouâ—efold debt teckoneth this obligation to be the first First thou arâ— debâ—our to God of thy whole life because he hath giuen his life for thyne and indured most bitter torments that thou mighâ—st not indure the eternall And â—â—uing spoken many things to the same effect he concludeth thus when therfore I shal haue giuen him al that I am and al that I can do is not al this like a little sâ—arre in comparison of the Sun like a droppe of water in comparison of a mayne riuer as a pibble stone to a huge montaine as one grayne to a heape of corne And in an other place speaking of the same thing he sayth To omit al other things for this reason alone he may iustly lay clayme to our life because he gaue his owne life for it let not man therfore liue to himself but to him who died for him for to whose vse should I with greater reason liue then to his without whose death I had not liued And for whom can I liue with greater commoditie to my self then for him who hath promised euerlasting life For whom had I more need to liue then for him that threatneth eternal fire Finally we may easily discouer how fully this Saint was perswaded of this truth how deeply he had it printed in him by an other discourse of his more large to the same effect where he sayth most excellently If I be debtour of my self wholy in regard he hath made me what shal I giue him for repayring me and repayring me after so strange a manner For I was not so easily mended as I was easily made For he that made me with one only word once spoken in repayring me againe spake many things and wrought wonderous things and indured most paynful things and not only painfull things but things most vnworthy By his first work he gaue me my self In his second worke he bestowed himself vpon me and bestowing himself he restored me to my self Being giuen therefore and restored I ow my self for myself and am twice debtour of my self What shal I render vnto God now for himself For though I could a thousand times lay downe my self what am I to God 8. The sixt Cause and none of the least is the infinit reward which is prepared for vs to wit the eternall and immortall glory of Heauen In which as S. Augustin speaketh God will possesse vs and be possessed by vs and all for vs. Seing therefore he is there to possesse vs and this is one part of our eternal happines let vs now begin to inioy this happines and suffer our selues to be possessed by him yea seeing we are there to possesse him let it not seeme heauy vnto vs to purchase the possession of so great a good and so inestimable at so smale and so easy a rate as is the guift of our selues for this in effect is the price which God hath sot vpon that glory and felicitie and vpon those eternal ioyes that we giue our selues in purchase of them Which argument is expresly handled by S. Augustine in these words How much doth a man striue when death aproacheth flying hiding himself giuing al that he hath to redeeme himself taking thought enduring torment and trouble puting himself vnder the hands of physitians and doing al that is in the power of man to do If therfore we indeauour with so great paynes so great labour cost diligence watchfulnes and care that we may liue but a litle longer how great should our endeauours be that we may liue eternally And if we esteeme them wise who labour by al possible meanes to differre their death to liue a few dayes that they may not loose a few dayes what fooles are they that liue so that they loose the euerlasting day giue me therfore a man that liues in perfect health and hath nothing to suffer if any body should assure him that he might be alwayes so and that this happy state might neuer decay how would he reioyce and brissle vp himself and be as it were out of himself for ioy to be without payne without griefe without end of liuing And if God should promise vs this only which I haue now sayd and which I haue expressed in such words as I am able what would we not giue for it if it were to be sold What would we not giue that it were to be bought Would it be enough to giue all that thou hast if thou hadst the world in possession Yet it is put to sale buy it if thou wilt trouble not thy self ouer much to find some greate matter to giue for it in regard of that at which it is valued it is valued at what thou hast be not sollicitous what thou hast but what thou arte The thing is worth as much as thou art giue thy self and thou shalt haue it But thou wilt say I am naught he will not take me By giuing thy self to him thou becomest good This is to be good to put thy self vpon his assurance and promise Thus farre S. Augustine And by it we may conclude that the heauenly kingdome is not to be purchased but by giuing our selues wholy sincerly to our Lord God and what soeuer we are or can do And it stands with great reason because infinite reward deserueth infinite labour and paynes which is not in our powre
to come 6. The fift vtilitie which Pouertie doth bring vnto vs is that as itself is greatly in the loue and fauour of God so it causeth al those that espouse themselues vnto it to be highly loued and fauoured by him by reason wherof he bestoweth vpon them daily great benefits and spiritual graces We need no other testimonie that God doth loue Pouertie then to see that his Infinit Maiestie comin downe from heauen was pleased to associate himself so neare vnto it takin flesh of parents that were poore though of a Royal stock and making choice of the poorest place on earth for his birth not so much as a litle house or cottage or shepheard 's cabin but a stable of beasts belonging to others in the cold of winter and the night-season what should we stand to speake of the rest of his life seing he had no place where to put his head and waâ— relieued by the almes of other folke That Eternal Word I say was relieued in whom are al treasures and by whom al things are made And can anie man dâ—ubt but that he wil loue in others that which he loued in himself made choice of and powre-out abundaÌ„ce of very special blessings vpon those in whom he shal find it We shal not need to stand coniecturing about the matâ—er for we see what he at done already so long as he liued and coÌ„uersed on earth those with whom he liued most and were his most familiar acquaintaÌ„ce were not rich wealthie people but the poorer vulgar sort for foure of them were fisher men one was a gatherer of Toule Custome and the rest were much of the like stamp No man can bei noraÌ„t how at the self-same instant when he was borne he made himself presently knowne to poore people with great demonstration of loue and honour towards them sending from heauen a companie of blessed Angels to tel them that he was come into the world inuiting them to himself by word by an extraordinarie light and a most sweet consort of musick as if he had loÌ„ged for their presence acquaintance How manie noble persons according to the flesh sayth S. Bernard how manie great men how manie wise men of this world were taking their rest at that houre in their soft beds none of them was esteemed worthie to behold that light to taste of that great ioy to heare the Angels singing From whence the Saint draweth this argument If our Lord and Sauiour did beare so great loue to those poore people that were poore by necessitie certainly he wil beare farre greater loue to those that are voluntarily poore and haue forsaken al that they had meerly for his loue This is a benefit of al benefits because they whoÌ„ God doth loue can want no kind of thing that is good no grace no light no benefit nothing at al can be desired by man which he wil not most liberally bestow vpon them 7. The sixth commoditie of Religious Pouertie is very great and worthie to be considered For as among the euils which are bred by riches we declared before that the excesse of delight and pleasure arising of them is very poyson and death to our soules so contrariwise in pouertie the spare diet and meane fashion of liuing is very profitable for saluation For as we season dead flesh with salt to dry-vp the abundance of moysture and preserue it from corruption so our liuing flesh vnlesse it be dryed and preserued by abstinence and austeritie wil certainly perish with delicacie and wanton lust and no wonder because the affinitie and nearnes of our soule and bodie is so great that they must needs infect one an other with their vicious inclinations and as S. Basil speaketh while our flesh is lustie and fresh our spirit becomes dul and carnal And S. Iohn Chrysostome sayth that sobrietie is as it were the wings of our soule wherewith it beareth itself aboue the earth and is enabled to soare on-high by Contemplation 8. Finally to comprehend in one word al the commodities of Religious Pouertie what can be spoken more ful and effectual then that which our Sauiour sayth of it Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen in few words expressing the present and future happines of it And it is not without special cause that for the most part he promiseth a reward for other vertues after this life but for Pouertie he appointeth presently the Kingdome of heauen either because the hope therof is so assured and so free from hazard as if it were in our owne present power and command or because it is so free from al worldlie care that in this verie life it giueth a taste and earnest of the felicitie which we shal heerafter enioy Wherefore Religious people may worthily make account that in this one vertue of Pouertie they haue a very great and rich treasure to which the infinit reward of that Infinit Good is due which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the hart of man And euerie one may esteeme it as a thing proper to himself which S. Augustin sayth of al that the happines of Christians is exceeding great in regard they may make Pouertie the price of the kingdome of heauen let not thy Pouertie be distastful to thee there can be nothing found more rich wilt thou know how rich it is it buyeth Heauen What masse of treasure can be compared with the worth which we see granted to Pouertie A rich man cannot finde meanes to come to heauen by enioying lands and possessions but by contemning them he finds meanes to compasse it And much more he speaketh in commendation of Pouertie but that is remarkable that he sayth that God did vs a very great good turn when he comprized the summe and total of al felicitie in Hauing nothing For if he had placed it in riches few men could haue had the meanes and abilitie to attayne vnto it and not without great labour and trauail but hauing placed it in the contempt of riches euerie man that wil hath power and meanes to get it 8. For these and the like reasons the Saints of God ful of heauenlie light haue been as affectionately addicted to Pouertie as anie worldlie man can be to riches and laboured as hotly to preserue themselues in poore estate as others to encrease their wealth Among whome S. Francis is most eminent of whom S. Bonauenture an Authour renowned for sanctitie and learning doth write that he was so deare a friend of Pouertie loued it so intirely that a man would think he searched al the corners of the world for it to espouse it to himself with perpetual loue and for the loue of it he forsook father and mother and al things which he might haue enioyed And 〈◊〉 brethren often asking him what vertue makes a man most acceptable to
by his meanes This is the effect of S. Thomas his discourse 5. Wherefore we shal do wel to weigh and ponder and with al hartie affection to embrace this most delightful and happie quiet and vacation from al things which Religion bringeth in regard of the particular kind of force and efficacie it hath to rayse our thoughts to the contemplation and knowledge of heauenlie things For as no man can attentiuely think of anie thing in the midst of a great hurrie and noise but in the dead of the night or in a solitarie place that verie silence and solitude doth inuite a man to contemplation so it is very hard to recollect one's self in the world where there be such endles distractions but the quiet of a Religious life doth of its owne nature cal vs and hold vs without difficultie in the studie of heauenlie knowledge free from al kind of trouble Wherof S. Bernard is witnesse saying in a certain Epistle that Long silence and continual freedome from worldlie noise doth compel vs to meditate heauenlie things He sayth it doth compel vs in regard of the strange force it hath to hold the powers of our soule from wandring after idle fancies to reclayme them when they chance to stray and wholy to fixe them vpon God and things Diuine This difference between a Religious life and a Secular is excellently wel expressed by S. Gregorie expounding as he is wont in a Moral sense that which in the Booke of Iob is spoken of wisdome And the sea pronounceth it is not with me What other things is signifyed by the Sea then the bitter vnquietnes of secular minds which while they are at variance with themselues resemble the beating of contrarie waues one vpon another A secular life therefore is rightly called a Sea because being tossed with the tempestuous motions of outward actions it is depriued of the quiet and stabilitie of inward wisdome Whervpon on the contrarie side the Prophet sayth wel Vpon whom shal my spirit rest but vpon the humble and quiet and fearing my words But from earthlie minds the spirit doth fly the farther the lesse quiet it doth find in them For he that doth diuide himself into endles thoughts of earthlie desires cannot retire himself to the consideration of himself And so holie Iob vnderstanding that wisdome cannot dwel amidst these waues of vnquietnes sayth And the Sea pronounceth it is not with me For no man doth fully receaue it but he that endeauoureth to withdraw himself from the billowes of carnal cogitations as it is sayd in another place Write wisdome in the time of quiet and he that hath litle busines shal attaine vnto it Thus farre S. Gregorie 6. But some bodie perhaps wil obiect that Religious people also do manie things and are cumbred with manie toylsome businesses about necessarie occasions of their owne or for the good of their neighbour The answer is at hand that the busines which they vndertake for the help of their neighbour is spiritual and not worldlie or temporal and consequently draweth them nâ—t from God but rather knitteth them faster vnto him because they help God and God helpeth them in so great a busines And though that which they do for their owne domestical occasions and necessaries be in some kind temporal yet their end is not temporal and secular as be the ends of secular people but in al things they ayme at Spirit and Eternitie and besides there is an other mayne and important difference to wit that Secular people in following their teÌ„poral businesses haue alwayes their eye vpon their owne priuate interest seeking how they may purchase wealth or honour to themselues But when Religious people handle the self-same businesses they seeke not greatnes but that which is necessarie they intend not anie priuate commoditie to themselues but their thoughts are for the common their labours are for the Common as S. Hierome speaketh in the life of Malchus the Monk which is so farre from couetise or priuate interest that it is a great act of Charitie yea these verie employments do giue a double value and benefit to a Religious life conioyning the holie and holesome labours of Martha with the quiet of Marie and calling vs so to spiritual rest and vacancie from toylsome care and work that if notwithstanding anie such work do come in our way directing it to a spiritual end and giuing it a spiritual forme and essence it turnes to our greater benefit as we cannot say but worldlie seruants do their Maisters seruice not only when they wayte in their presence attending their pleasure but when they go to and fro about their Maisters businesses yea then oftimes they serue them better and more to their owne and their Maisters benefit The sixt fruit Religious people alwayes do the wil of God CHAP. XVIII IF men were truly wise and vnderstood indeed what is good for them they should ayme at nothing more then perfectly to conforme their wils with the wil of God in great and litle and absolutly in al businesses concerning themselues and others Manie reasons might be giuen of this truth but one shal suffice for al to wit that among creatures themselues the inferiour are euer subiect to those that are more excellent and higher in nature which must needs be of more force in God he being sole Soueraigne ouer al King of Kings Lord of Lords to whom al mankind is by right and equitie subiect for those seauen causes which I declared in the beginning But in God there is yet an other consideration of more weight and importance For the Diuine Nature being Goodnes itself and equitie and the cause of al things his Wil also is the rule and leuel of al that is iust and vpright so that as a written coppie or a house or anie other work is sayd to be right and perfect if it be according to rule and agree with the platforme or sampler after which it was drawne and how much it swarueth from the model and coppie so manie faults and errours there be in it So the wil of God being the onlie rule whereby our wil is to be ruled our wil is good and honest or contrariwise faultie vitious as it agreeth or disagreeth with his wil. Wherefore Climacus sayâ—h that the seruants of God should alwayes as ardently desire to know and performe the wil of God as a Deere that is euen dead with thirst thirsteth after a fountaine of running water S. Bernard in a Sermon which he wrote of this subiect hauing spoken something of Humilitie sayth The substance of al Humilitie doth seeme to be this that our wil be subiect as it ought to the wil of God as the Prophet speaketh Shal not my soule be subiect to God I know that euerie creature is subiect to God whether it wil or no but voluÌ„tarie subiection is required of creatures that are reasonable that they sacrifice voluntarily vnto God
cattle fruits of the earth vpon another that the one transporting that which another hath not and the other returning that which the former brought not the countries themselues might be ioyned togeather by communication of the fruits therof As therefore the climats of the earth so the minds of Saints conferring mutually one vpon another that which they haue receaued doe as it were transport their fruits from countrie to countrie that they may be al vnited togeather in charitie And this which S. Gregorie expresseth by example of seueral countries the Apostle long before taught vs by the knowne example of a man's bodie which S. Gregorie againe expounding in his Morals sayth thus What is holie Church but the bodie of her Soueraigne Head wherin one is the eye discouering profound mysteries another is the hand working good things another the foot going about that which is commanded another the eare vnderstanding the voice of the precepts another the nose distinguishing the il sauour of the bad from the sweet odour of the good who while they assist one another by the seueral functions they haue receaued as the members of man's bodie doe make one bodie among themselues and performing in charitie seueral offices the bodie in which they are can by no meanes be seuered 7. And S Gregorie in manie places doth take it for a special point of God's prouidence that euerie one is not endued with al kind of graces to the end that he that might perhaps haue been proude by the grace he hath receaued shâ—uld be kept in humilitie by the vertue which he wanted and againe by charitie euerie one haue al possessing in another that which he hath not in himself and reciprocally bestowing that which he hath vpon another Wherefore as S. Gregorie discourseth further one is endued with the word of wisdome and is not seconded with the speech of knowledge that is of teaching another is conspicuous for teaching and yet is not strong in the word of wisdome being able enough to deliuer whatsoeuer he hath learned but not arriuing to discerne anie profound thing of himself This man by discretion of spirit doth subtily diue into other mens minds but hath not the skil of seueral languages Another in that one tongue which he knoweth doth by prudent interpretation examin the weight of euerie sentence and word and patiently wanteth other good things which he hath not 8. This being granted and auerred that which followeth is euident to wit that no one man can be of himself so pregnant or wel prouided in this life as to be able by himself alone without help of others to do anie great matter but of necessitie he must ioyne himself with others and supply from others what is wanting in himself Wherefore a Secular state must needs come farre short of a Religious state in this point in regard that Secular people stand alone and follow their owne priuate dictamens ayming at that which is most profitable or commodious or honourable or glorious for themselues or if they attempt anie thing of a higher strayne for aduancement of the seruice of God or of his Church they haue not abilitie enough of themselues to go through with it so that euen the strength which they haue serues at last to litle purpose as if one man alone should set his shoulder to remoue a huge stone to what purpose were it but if he set hard to it with manie others they may doe something whatsoeuer is done his labour hath a part in it Moreouer we may be bold to say that which is very true that oftimes Secular people ouer-value their owne abilities and trusting too much vpon themselues vndertake things beyond their force specially the desire of fame and excellencie which possesseth al mankind egging them forward to great matters chiefly where honour applause may be gotten and so leauing that which they were able to doe they leese their time and labour in things which they wil neuer be able to compasse Which S. Gregorie expresseth very neatly and elegantly a litle after that which before I cited out of him Our Creatour Gouernour sayth he by wonderful prouidence hauing bestowed some things vpon one denyed them to an other and againe denyed one that which he hath giuen an other whosoeuer attempteth to doe more then he hath receaued endeauoureth to goe beyoÌ„d the bounds or measures which are set him now he that marketh not the limits which are measured-out vnto him sets his foot in a downefal boldly making hast to catch that which he cannot reach doth most coÌ„monly leese that which he might haue reached We vse the help of our members best when we keepe them to their seueral functions beholding light with our eyes and hearing sounds with our eares But if a man change this order and wil heare with his eyes and so with his eares he holds them both open in vayne If a bodie wil smel with his mouth and taste with his nose he takes from himself the vse of both these senses for not being put to their proper vses they forgoe their owne functions and reach not to doe anothers 9. This errour therefore and confusion and disorder of which the world if we marke it is very ful hath no place in Religious congregations euerie one betakes himself to the station place and office which is appointed him by his Superiours as by the General of an armie and followes not his owne fancie therin and his Superiours appoint him that which God hath decreed and determined for we haue sufficiently proued before that God doth gouerne and dispose al Religious people by the hand of their Superiours Wherefore being gouerned and directed by God who framed euerie one's nature and knoweth euerie â—ne's capacitie and abilitie no man need to feare least he be not placed where it is fittest for him And neerer to our purpose seing in Religion al haue the same end and direct their actions and endeauours to one common intention and purpose they are as readie and quick to help one another and doe it as cheerfully as the hand is readie to help the eye or the eye the hand or the feete the head or rather as the hand or the eye or anie other part is readie to help itself because that which is a benefit to the common profits euerie particular man and that which euerie particular man doth for anie of the rest he doth it certainly for himself by which meanes that which one wanteth is most easily and perfectly supplyed with an other's plentie a thing so beneficial in itself and so much desired of euerie bodie For wheras some haue learning and haue not wisdome to dispatch businesses others haue wisdome and not much learning some conceaue a thing wel but cannot vtter that which is in their mind and in al kind of knowledge one is mâ—â—e skilful then another because no man can be perfect in al things these perfections and talents
they that out of ambition or couetise follow the Court or trot from market to market and from one Fayre to another Yet if we set them in comparison with Religion they are so farre beneath it that they are not worthy the speaking of For first they want al the commodities which wayte vpon a life in common as through this whole booke I haue shewed and they are subiect to the same inconueniences which a solitarie life is and finally they are so much worse then the Eremites of old in regard that they of old betaking themselues into their dennes and caues forsooke the world quite and cleane and bad Adieu to al riches and kinsfolk These men retayne al these things and so do not perfectly renounce that which they haue but rather liuing with it liue in the midst of so manie deadly enemies For it is the saying of Truth it self The enemies of man are his domesticals And are in coÌ„tinual daÌ„ger to be ouercome by the occasions they are in and so to forsake the seruice of God and the way of vertue vpon which they had entred and retourned to the broad and spatious wayes of the world vpon the confines wherof they dwel And though they do personer where is the vertue of obedience a vertue so rare and excellent and of so great merit and consequence where is the denial of their owne wil where is the exercise of true humilitie where is the Hundredfold and the rest of the rewards and honours promised to the followers of a Religious life Wherfore if a man be of the mind to ouercome the world in his owne house and home certainly if he desire it indeed he should be better aduised to betake himself to the house of God that is into Religion and rank himself with the hoast of God where he shal more easily and more constantly ouercome and find more plentie of grace and glorie For why should he not do that which he intendeth with perfection and the seruice which he is minded to offer to God offer it in the manner that may be most pleasing to him and most profitable for himself And he may do wel to cal to mind the law which declared that the beasts which had little wings and yet did creepe on the ground were al of them vncleane and not to be eaten of which was not without great mysterie and figureth those that hauing receaued a good wil of God whereby they may list themselues vp from the ground as it were with little wings wil notwithstanding stil cleaue to the earth and thinking they may do both and haue one foote in the world and the other in the seruice of God are reiected from the seruice of God as beasts that are vncleane Of the benefit of a Religious vocation CHAP. XL. BY this which hath been sayd of the benefit of a Religious vocation in generalie ther coÌ„sidered in it self or as coÌ„pared with other States it is manifest that it is the most compendious and safest way of anie oâ— her to bring vs to heauen and that al other States of life in comparison therof may be sayd to sayle as it were at the mercie of the wind and wâ—aes and dangerous rocks in open sea and that this only course of life is now euen in the harbour secure from danger within sight of eternal saluation which is the land for which our whole sleete as I may cal it is bound And consequentlâ— we must acknowledge with thanks giuing and it is great reason we should do soâ— and professe with excessiâ—e ioy and pleasure that of al benefits which God can beâ—tow vpon a soule in this world this is the greatest and for as much as concerneth a course and order of liuing he hath not anie thing to adde therunto in this our banishment and pilgrimage that can be more worthie or more beneficial S. Bernard discourseth liâ—ely of this subiect in one of his sermons earnestly exhorting his Brethren to be grateful to the diuine goodnes for so great a benefit and among other passages hath these words Great and very great is the mercie of our God ouer vs hauing by the strength of his spirit so vnspeakable and by some â—timable a guift of his grace drawne vs froÌ„ the vaine conuersation of this world in which we were sometimes without God or which is more detestable against God not ignorant of him but contemn 〈◊〉 him And I would â—o God the vgly Image of the lâ—se or rather of that death for the soule that sinneth is dead were alwayes before our eyes beholding how great blindnes â—ow great wickednes that was that continually weighing in our thoughts the poâ—â—e of his mercies we might esteeme of the greatnes of his commiseration by which he haâ—â— deliuered vs if not to the ful value therof yet at leastwise in some competent measure 〈◊〉 if anie one of vs be careful to consider diligently not only from whence he is deliuered but where he is placed not only what he hath escaped but what he hath receaâ—ed not only from whence he hath been reclaymed but whether he is called doubtle he wil find that the heap of this mercie doth farre exceed the greatnes of the former 2. Two things therefore according to S. Bernard are to be considered in this bench The Extremitie from which we are deliuered and the tearme in which we stand For certainly the benefit is the greater by how much the euil which we escape is more greeuous As if a man be set free out of prison he is the more obliged to 〈◊〉 that setteth him free the more â—ideous and nastie the 〈◊〉 was wherin he was held And what was our Prison The world ful of mischeef and miserie ful of sinnes which is the greatest miserie of al others ful of ambition and loosenes and infinit dangers The world where we find no order but a perpetual confusion of al things darknes blindnes inconstancie The world the lawes and Maximes wherof are extreame pernicious the examples deadlie men and Diuels innumerable prouoking vs to sinne let vs therfore giue care to S. Leo who as he often treateth of this subiect so in one of his sermons particularly he sayth in this manner It is very hard and difficult to sâ—ay the vnsettlednes of our hart from al manner of sinne and where innumerable allurements of vanitie on euerie side do speake vs faire to yeald to no kind of corruption Who toucheth pitch and is not defiled by it Who doth not yeald to weakenes in the flesh Who is of so eminent puritie as to receaue no stayne from the manie things without which we cannot liue And thus much concerning the euils from which we are deliuered 3. Of the blessednes of the life to which we are translated S. Bernard speaketh in breef manie things and these are his words Which I beseech you is this so preâ—ious a Margarite for which we must giue al that is ourselues
and the same Father one and the same Mother al receaue the spiritual life which they lead from one God by the seed of the Holie Ghost sowen in their harts and are conceaued in one and the same wombe of their Mother Religion begot not by vertue thereof but by the vertue of God as I sayd and Religion feeds them al with one milke nurturing them and bringing them to perfection 〈…〉 true and natural Children Though to the Prophets mind the name of Brethren did not sufficiently declare the vnion which is betwixt them that are linked togeather by so â—â—reight a bond and therfore he added that they dwel in one that is are al one togeather which is so true of Religious people that it is in a manner proper to them alone For as the same S. Augustine obserueth they liue â—o togeather that they are al as it were but one man and that which is written in the Acts is verified of them One soule and one hart Many bodies but not many harts Which vnity is the more to be esteemed because it is not grounded vpon neernes of place but vpon spirit and consequently distance of place doth not diuide it because as Cassian speaketh the Cohabitation of manners and not of places ioyneth the Brethren togeather in the eyes of God And as the dwelling in one house auayleth little where there is not agreement of minds and conditions so the distance of place hindereth not where minds and affections consort togeather Wherfore with great reason the sweetnes and profitablenes of this life is compared to an Oyntment and to dew And to no ordinarie Oyntment but to the oyntment which was vsed vpon Priests an oyntment most fragrant and odoriferous and consecrating them to God vpon whom it was wont to bee powred To giue vs to vnderstand that they who enter vpon a Religious course and meete togeather in this brotherly society are consecrated to God and consecrated as Priests themselues being a daily Sacrifice and offering to the Diuine Maiesty euery day many Sacrifices and oblations of themselues No wonder therfore it from so great perfection of vertue such aboundance of sweet odours doe issue as to replenish the whole house of God which is the Church and to make Religious people themselues both amiable and admirable to al and as the Apostle speaketh and odour of life to life to many others inflaming them with loue of the like vertue and perfection 3. Moreouer as the Priestly oyntment was so perfectly good and fragrant because it was compounded of many odoriferous ingredients so as I haue sayd more at large elswhere the beauty and benefit of Religious people is the greater because the vertue and sanctity of many doth meete togeather In which respect S. Basil comparing a solitary life with a life lead in company of others preferreth this because as he speaketh that Good and Pleasant thing to wit the cohabitation of Brethren in the same house which the holy Ghost compareth to the fragrant oyntment running downe from the head of the high Priest can haue no place in the single habitation of one man alone The sweetnes of which oyntment doth not remayne in the head only but descendeth to the very skirt of the garment which S. Augustin doth learnedly as al other things interpret to be either the latter tymes in regard that so great excellency of vertue was reserued to the fulnes of the Ghospel or perfection itself because as the garment ends in the skirt so sayth he they are perfect who know how to dwel togeather they are perfect who fulfil the law 4. Now as the Odoriferous sent of that oyntment expresseth the pleasantnes of this course so the similitude of the dew declareth the profit of it For as dew is engendred in the ayre by the heat of the Sâ—nne and cooleth the selfsame heat and giueth contentment by the freshnes which it hath so this heauenly spirit wherof we speak comming only from heauen falleth vpon them that forsaking earthly things are inflamed which the sole loue of God and cooleth in them al loue of things inferiour and extinguisheth the vnquiâ—t heat of concupiscence And it falleth not as a suddaine shewre of rayne with great noyse and violence but like dew so smal as no man perceaues it but he that hath it and he that hath it doth not only find pleasure in the temper of the inferiour heates which possesse vs but profit by the fruitfulnes and plenty of good workes bestowed vpon him 5. And this dew is not promised indifferently to al but to the high and craggy hils of Hermon and Sion which signifie Religious soules raised aboue al earthly thinges and contemning the world as inferiour and base and no riuer can ouerflow them that is they are not taken with delight of any of the transitory things which they haue forsaken These hils stand in need of the freshnes of this heauenly dew and if it may be said to be due to any it is due to them to the end that hauing before hand in this life a tast of that future happines which we al expect they may be the more inflamed with the loue and desire therof Wherefore in this state thus improued and mended by the dew distilling from aboue thus sweetned and softned with the fragrancy of diuine oyntments with great reason hath God commaunded blessing and life for euer that is not any temporal or short life or blessing but a blessing and life eternal and neuer fading For here is great measure of the true knowledg of God which as our Sauiour telleth vs is our true life Heere the word of God soundes continually in our eares which word is spirit and life Heere we loue our brethren by which we know as S. Iohn speaketh that wee are translated from death to life 6. But al are not lead by profit many rather set little by the poynt of profit and ayme at honour and preferment that which S. Bernard saith prouing very true Al of vs are desirous to ascend al couet to be exalted we are noble creatures and carry a high mind and therefore naturally desire highnes Wherefore seeing God hath made so great account of a Religious state as to enrich it so many other wayes he cannot be thought to haue left it bare of honour and suffered it to be in glorious and contemptible rather it is certaine that eyther there is no worth at al in the spiritual workes of God which were madnes to think or if there be any in his other workes most of al in a Religious state as in one of the chiefest and rarest of al his workes For where as the Maiesty of vertue is so great that though there were nothing els to commend it this maiesty alone would make it shine like a light in the midst of darknes Religion being the proper seat and kingdome of vertue must needes partake of the same splendour and
themselues into a perfect kind of nakednesse of al things They part not with few things onely or with many which yet were very commendable and much to be admired but they forsake al they bereaue themselues of euery kind of thing and that for euer 4. A man would think this were enough and that no more could be added because he that saith al excludeth nothing and yet in Religious Pouertie there is somthing which is yet more to be admired viz. that not only they haue nothing but haue put vpoÌ„ theÌ„selues vpon such tearmes as absolutly they can haue nothing haue cut off froÌ„ themselues both al dominion and the very power of euer returning to haue any dominion ouer any thing Diuines are wont to declare this point by a familiar example of a labouring beast which expresseth it very naturally For as a horse for example vseth the stable and hay and litter and cloath's and such like and cannot be sayd to possesse any of them becausâ— he hath not vnderstanding reason which is the ground of dominion but is himself possessed by man So Religious people vse the cloathes and the meate and other necessaries which be in the howse but they vse them not as their owne they haue but the bare vse of them and cannot say they are maisters of any thing because by the vow of Pouertie which they make they are altogeather as vncapable of true and lawful Dominion ouer any thing as the horse I spake of And that which Cassiâ—s commended in the Monks of his time is common to all They durst not say any thing was theirs and it was a great fault to heare a Monk say my booke my paper my garment What more perfect Pouertie can there be or to what higher straine can it rise 5. The difficultie which doth accompanie it doth not a litle commend the Excellencie and dignitie of it The difficultie I say which both the nature of the thing it self doth at the very first sight offer to our eyes and which may be gathered moreouer by the scarcitie of this kind of pearle for so I may iustly tearme it Blessed is the man saith Ecclesiasticus who is sound without spot and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in treasure of money who is he and we wil praise him for he hath done wonders in his life He asketh who is he as if none were to be found and giueth this high commendation to a man that desireth not wealth nor laboureth for increase of his riches and is not continually hoarding but Religious people go higher for they cast away that which they haue and bring themselues to the perfect nakednes which I spake of and consequently that which they do in their life is a farre greater wonder 6. But let vs consider a little how many wayes the desire of hauing is subiect to be inflamed in this world for when we shal find that Euangelical Pouertie doth barre all those wayes and subdue so many fieâ—y Enemies we shal see more plaâ—nely the Excellencie of it First therfore there is a kind of poise or inclination and desire to haue many things naturally ingrafted in vs which Saint Augustin deriueth from the likenes which we haue with God so deeply imprinted in vs that eueâ— when we sinne we retaine a resemblance of him for as God hath all things so man desireth to resemble him by hauing as many as he can The beautie of the things of this world much whetteth our desire of them as the shining colour of gold the sparkling of gemmes and pretious stones the glorie of gay and costly apparrel the state of large buyldings and the like Besides the many commodities which riches bring with them releeuing vs in al or in most of the miseries of this life and yeilding plentiful meanes of pleasure and pastimes dayntie face pleasant gard us abundance of furniture and whatsoeuer is choyce and sumptuous Pouertie on the other side bereaues vs of al thiâ— which nature cannot choose but feele it sinks the deeper because it is to last all our life time and puts vs in a manner in feare of our liues because it takes away the helpes by which life is maintayned So that naturally we hate and shunne Pouertie almost as much as we tender our owne life the loue whereof commandeth all other loues as euery body feeleth in himselfe 7. If we adde the point of honour which men are so naturally taken with what is more in reputation then riches what more disgraceful then Pouertie This is the general persuasion of al men euer from their Cildhood with this we grow and in this the vogue and fashion of the times doth settle vs the familiar discourses of euery body at home and abroad tend to nothing else but to perswade vs that there is not a happier thing in this world then to haue large possessions great reuenewes gold and syluer at wil and plenty of all kind of wealth How noble a spirit therefore and how resolute a mind must in needes bee that spurneth and treadeth vnder foot at once all that which nature so much desireth and is taken with and coÌ„trariewise doth so louingly embrace that which men by nature do so much abhorr To which purpose Blessed Nilus as auncient Father hath a diuine saying commending the excellency both of Pouerty and Chastity in regard as he speaketh beautye and riches are much alike desireful and it must be a resolute minde that is not takeÌ„ with either of them But they that haue vndertaken to possesse nothing are worthyly much more to be admited because the esteeme in which riches are held could take no hould of them nor bring them to intangle their minde in such idle cares For though there be many thinges in this world pleasing to sense which easily entice a man vnto them yet riches are much more forcible in this kinde because they are so vsefull both for attayning of honour and pleasure and because long custome hath taught fooles to account them happy that are rich in regard of the glory and pleasure they liue in They therfore are worthyly to be esteemed rare men that striuing with themselues haue ouercome the thoughts of their minde mouing them to yeild to the opinion which the vulgar hath of riches as if they were truly good and which in the iudgment of all men are thought to be of high esteeme These are the very wordes of Nilus 7. It cannot therfore be denyed but that to be voluntarily poore is a token of a noble spirit and of a high mind soaring aboue whatsoeuer is in the world and contemning it as base and abiect And yet it is the more to be admired and valued in regard it freeth vs from all that base vnworthines which they are necessarily subiect vnto who seeke after wordly wealth S. Iohn Chrysostome in his last homily vpon Saint Matthew doth lay it before our eyes in this excellent comparison A
wordes That which we shal be hereafter you haue now begunne to be Now in this world you haue attained the glory of the resurrection you passe through the world without thought of the world and perseuering chast in virginity are equal with the Angels of God Which wordes of S. Cyprian concerning the equality of virgins with the Angels giue vs occasion to reflect vpon a farther dignity of this vertue to wit that it teacheth vs to liue in mortal flesh as if we were as Angels not in flesh For to be in flesh is of it self no vn worthy thing but to do the commaunds of the flesh and obey the lust thereof that is vnworthy Wherefore they that liue spiritually and performe not the desires of the flesh but constantly mortify the workes thereof they liue as the blessed Spirits that haue no flesh Whereupon S. Ambrose discoursing of a single life speaketh thus It is not contained within the boundes of nature who then is able to comprehend it or who can expresse with wordes of nature that which is aboue the straine of nature It brought from heauen that which it imitateth vpon earth neither without reason doth it seeke in heauen a forme of liuing hauing found itself a spouse in heauen surmounting the cloudes the aire the starres the Angels it found the Word of God in the bosome of his Father and entertained it with open breast And who would haue let passe so great a Good hauing once found it Finally it is not my saying only they that do not mâ—rry nor are giuen in marriage shal be like the Angels of God in heauen Let no man therefore wonder if they be compared to Angels seing they are coupled to the Lord of Angels Cassian hath the like discourse in no lesse eloquent tearmes To dwel in flesh saith he to be compassed round a bout with brickle flesh and not to feele the motions of flesh is as it were to go out of flesh and passe the boundes of nature And therefore it is impossible for a man to raise himself with his owne wings as I may say to so lofty and so heauenly a reward vnlesse the grace of God by the guift of Chastity pul him out of thâ— earthly slough For by no vertue are men of flesh so properly equalized with the spiritual Angels by imitation of their conuersation as by the grace and merit of Chastiâ—y by which liuing as yet vpon earth they are according to the Apostle Denizens of heauen possessing heere now in mortal flesh that which hereafter is promised that the Saints shal haue when they haue shaken off this fleshly corruption Let vs heare S. Gregory Nazâ—anzen also so great a Diuine speaking to the same purpose He saith thus You see the excellency and sublimenesse of this vertue is such as can hardly be conceaued or apprehended For is it not a thing surpassing the frayltie of flesh that that which is borne of flesh should not breed of flesh Is it not euidently an Angelical kind of life to be confined in flesh and not to liue according to flesh but to crow ouer nature Flesh blindes vs to the world reason rayseth vs to God Flesh holdes vs downe Reason lifts vs and in a manner giues vs wings Flesh imprisoneth vs but Loue settes vs free 5. Wherefore vnlesse we wil wilfully shut our eyes and not giue way to Reason we must needes admire the great splendour of Chastity which ranketh vs not with Kings and Princes an honour so much hunted after by men but with the celestiâ—al Powers and Principalities And yet S. Bernard steppeth a degree further beâ—ng bold to say that he that liueth chast is to be commended aboue the Angels And his reason is cleare What is more beautifull sayth he then Chastity which cleanseth him that is conceaued by vncleane generation and maketh a familiar friend of an enemie a man an Angleâ— A man that is chaste dissereth somewhat from an Angel but in happinesse not in veâ—tue â—f the Angel's chastity be more happy man's is more heroical Chastity is the onlie vertue which representeth vâ—to vs the state of immortal glory in this time and place of mortality Chastity alone amidst the solemnities of marriage challengeth as a glorious thing the life of that happy countrey where they sâ—al neither marry nor be marryed giuing vs in earth a taste of that heauenly conuersation Chastity preserueth the frayle vessel which we beare about vs which of en is in hazard of breaking and preserueth it as the Apostle speaâ—eth to sanctification and serues vs as a most odoriferous balsame to keepe our bodies incorrupted It refraineth our senses it bindeth our members from loosse idlenesse from corrupt desires from the rotten pleasures of flesh that it be not with vs as we read of some that they were as rotten as beastes in their dung Saint Chrysostome iumpeth with S. Bernard in the commendation of this vertue and expresseth himself in these words In what did Elias Elizeus Iohn true louers of integrity differ from the Angels Truly in nothing but that they were by nature mortal as for the rest if a man looke narrowly into it he shal find them no otherwise affected then those blessed Spirits and that their nature was of an inferiour mould turnes rather to their greater commendation For to the end that earth-dwelling and mortal men should by the strength of their endeauour arriue to so great a vertue with what fortitude must they be endewed What rare course of life must they necessarily hold We may adde S. Basil who in the booke aboue moÌ„tioned of Virginity discourseth after this manner They that preserue themselues continent are certainly Angels in corruptible flesh and do excessiuely honour the mortal life which they leade They are Angels of no meane ranke but most glorious and most noble they that are in heauen free from the encumbers of flesh preserue their integrity because both by nature and by their place they are impregnable seated neare to the soueraigne King of al our God But the others vpon earth striue many yeares with the pleasures and allurements of flesh and by their continual endeauours ouercoming the temptations of the Diuel with rare courage and constancy liue in the sight of their Creatour in incorruption equal in purity with the Angels 7. Thus you see how these holy Fathers extol Continency and Chastity to the dignity of Angels Others lift it yet higher and place it in the next degree to the Diuine purity Climacus amongst the rest aduentureth to say that Chastity is the nearest similitude which man can possibly haue with God who as he is neyther corporal nor corruptible delighteth much in integrity and incorruption Contrary-wise the Diuels delight in dishonesty and there want not wise men that say they reioyce in no vice so much as in that But S. Basil goeth more profoundly to work Virginity sayth he is a rare and excellent thing
had the first fruits of Spirit so abundantly as the day of Pentecost doth witnes Wherupon S. Bernard in a certain Sermon speaketh thus to his Brethren What is it thanks be to him by whose grace al this is donne what is it that your life doth resemble the life of the Apostles they forsook al and assembled togeather in the Schoole of Christ in his presence drew waters in ioy of the fountaine of our Sauiour drinking of the fountaine of life at the fountaine itself Blessed are their eyes that beheld it Haue not you also done somewhat the like not in his presence but in his absence not at the word of his mouth but vpon the word of his messengers Maintayne this your prerogatiue which they vpon sight and word of mouth you by hearing and by message haue belieued Behold how he compareth a Religious State with that worthie act of the Apostles and in a manner doth preferre it before them in regard that as our Sauiour sayd they are more blessed that haue not seene and haue beleeued 9. In an other place he doth yet more fully and more playnly compare this kind of life not only with the Apostles but with the Prophets and the verie Angels These are his words You see my Bretheren what spirit you haue receaued the spirit which is of God that you may know the things which God hath giuen you We haue heard the degree of excellencie wherein the Apostles and the Prophets and the Angels are seated and I make account we cannot ayme at anie higher thing Verily me thinks I find something of each of them in you and something that is excellent For who wil not be bold to say that this single life of yours is a life celestial and Angelical or that in the Resurrection al the Elect shal be as you now are as the Angels of God in heauen wholy forbearing marriage Preserue my Brethren this precious Iewel preserue that sanctitie of life which resembleth you to the Saints and maketh you of the house-hold of God holie Scripture saying that Incorruption maketh a man neare to God You are that which you are not by your owne desert but by the grace of God in regard of your chastitie and sanctimonie Angels vpon earth or rather Cittizens of Heauen but yet a while vpon earth pilgrims What shal we say of the guift of Prophecie Truly it is a rare kind of prophecying that which I see you giuen vnto and an excellent studie to which I see you applied What is that that which the Apostle speaketh of not to consider the things which are seene but which are not seene This certainly is to prophecie To walk in spirit to liue according to faith to seeke the things which are about not which are vpon earth to forget the things which are behind to stretch to those which are before vs is a great part of Prophecie For how is our conuersation in heauen but by the spirit of Prophecie For so the Prophets of-old were as if they were not among the men of their time but by spirit and Prophetical commotion transcending the dayes they liued in they did reioyce to see the day of our Lord they saw it and were glad in it Let vs heare what profession the Apostles were of Behold we haue left al and haue followed thee If it be lawful to glorie we haue glorie but if we be wise we wil haue care that we haue it with God For not our mightie hand but our Lord hath done al these things He that is powerful hath done great things to vs so that our soule may worthily magnify our Lord. For it is by his great guift that in so great measure we follow that great course and purpose in which those great Apostles did glorie Thus doth S. Bernard discourse in commendation of a Religious state paralelling it in manie things with those three degrees of Perfection Let vs see how in some things he doth preferre it which is a farre greater commendation Perhaps saith he if I wil glorie also in this I shal not be vnwise for I shal speak the truth There be some here that haue left more then a boat and nets And what is it that the Apostles left al indeed but to follow our Sauiour who was present with them It is not for me to say what it is we shal with more safetie heare our Sauiour himself saying Because thou hast seene me Thomas thou hast belieued blessed are they that haue not seene and haue belieued Perhaps also it is a more excellent kind of Prophecie not to attend to anie temporal thing nor to things that with time doe perish but to those that are spiritual and Eternal And the treasure of Chastitie is more illustrious in a vessel of earth and vertue in some sort more laudable in flesh that is fraile and weake When therefore we find in this bodie of ours an Angelical conuersation in our hart a Prophetical expectation in both an Apostolical perfection what a masse of grace is there Thus spake S. Bernard and I know not what can be said more to the honour and commendation of a Religious Institute 10. But what do we stand heaping togeather the praises of men when we haue the verdict of Truth it self from God's owne mouth For of this State our Sauiour spake those words If thou wilt be perfect go and sel al that thou hast and come follow me Where it is to be considered what our Sauiour said and to whome He spake to a man that was not wicked and debauched but honest and orderlie for he had kept the commandments of God al his life-time he had done no man no wrong and our Sauiour beholding him did loue him Who would not haue thought that this man was perfect seing he had been so careful and diligent in fulfilling the law of God and yet our Sauiour tels him Thou wantest yet one thing a thing so great and of so high a straine that the man though inuited by our Sauiour had a horrour to climbe vp this one degree and step Let vs see therefore in what this Perfection doth consist which the man did want If thou wilt be perfect go and sel al. He therefore that selleth al that is he that forsaketh al and followeth the doctrine of Christ is in a perfect state he that hath not done this though he haue done al other things wanteth yet one thing Wherefore a Religious life is the highest Perfection by confession not only of learned and holie men but of our Sauiour himself and for as much as concerneth the perfection of our owne soules there is not a higher or more eminent State 11. If we consider the nature itself of Religion we shal discouer more plainly the same Prerogatiue For first Religion is ranked among the Euangelical Counsels and is one of the chief of them or rather the chiefest and greatest among them Which we may gather by
to loue riches by example of the ancient Patriarcks among the Iewes seing our Sauiour hath sanctifyed the pouertie of his house Faith therefore grounded in the example which we haue before our eyes in our Sauiour ought in reason to moue vs to this esteeme of it specially seing the same example of our Sauiour not yet acted but foreseen only afarre-of by the light of Prophecie was so powerful with Moyses that when he might haue been thought to haue been of the bloud-Royal of Aegypt he chose rather as the Apostle speaketh to be afflicted with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the Aegyptian treasures If I say the knowledge of Christ was so forcible when he was as yet to come ought not his example in reason be now much more powerful after his coming when we behold him as it were painted and hanging before our eyes and hauing filled the world with so manie so cleare and so pregnant examples of al kind of Humilitie For as S. Leo sayth very wel rich men ought not to contemne the humilitie of Christ nor noble men be ashamed of it for no earthlie felicitie can rise to that greatnes as to think scorne of that which God in the shape of a slaue did not think vnworthie of himself 5. Thus doth the similitude with Christ our Sauiour grace and honour a Religious State But if descending to our Nothing he could so exalt and ennoble vs what shal we thinke he doth when he rayseth vs to the likenes of that which he is in himself For therefore did the louer of mankinde stoop to the likenes of our weake state that he might exalt vs to the similitude of of his Diuinitie Therefore we wil consider further how this course of life doth not only make vs like to his humiliation but to his Maiestie which if we can proue what higher dignitie can there be for a Religious state to stretch itself vnto For certainly the greatest excellencie that can be thought on in heauen or vpon earth is to be like to God which the Prince of Pride vnderstanding and being ambitious of it sayd I wil get-vp aboue the starres and be lâ—ke the Highest and was not condemned for desiring it but for desiring it disorderly that is not in that measure and way which he ought And so S. Leo sayth We find man created to the image of God to the end he may imitate his Creatour and we are then in the dignitie which doth naturally belong vnto vs when the face of the Diuine goodnes doth as it were in a looking-glasse appeare in vs. And S. Gregorie discoursing of those wordes of S. Paul we are of the progenie of God sayth thus We are sayd to be of the progenie of God not that we are borne of his nature but because by his spirit he hath voluntarily begot vs and as it were created vs againe by adoption and consequently the more a man is renewed to the likenes of God by imitation and more liuelie expression of the image which he hath receaued the nearer doth he come to his natiue nobilitie 6. Therefore to be like to God is without exception the greatest dignitie which man can attaine vnto let vs then see how manie and how efficacious meanes Religion hath to aduance vs to this likenes First it rooteth al vice out of our minde and al turbulent passion which two are the chiefest hindrances of the similitude we speake of S. Basil doth reckon this a chief benefit of a Religious State and in one of his Sermons discourseth thus of it Man being created to the image of God stayned this his dignitie most miserably when he suffered his minde to stoop to sinne and sinneful desires But wheras it is natural to God alwaies to enioy perfect peace and tranquillitie of minde neuer troubled with anie sinister affection whosoeuer bringeth himself to this quiet doth doubtlesse restore the Image of God defaced in him to the beautie which he formerly had and maketh himself like to God And consequently a Religious course of life must needs be wonderfully effectual for this purpose in regard of the Chastitie and Abstinence which it doth professe not only cleansing vs thereby from al filthie pleasure but reforming our whole life also and restrayning our whole behauiour within certain limits without which the integritie of a single life cannot be preserued 7. To which purpose also S. Gregorie bringeth that saying of the Wise-man Thou o Lord iudgest with tranquillitie and sayth thus We must specially note that as often as we restraine the turbulent motions of our mind by the vertue of meeknes we endeauour to returne to the likenes of our Creatour It being therefore al the employment in a manner which Religion hath to alay these passions and to teach vs how to compose them it doth necessarily follow that it leades vs withal to the perfect similitude with God of which we are speaking 8. And yet Religion worketh a man to a higher and more excellent degree of this similitude with God directing him wholy to cut-of his owne wil that the sole wil of God comes to haue absolute preheminence in him in al things great and little in so much that he desireth nothing but what God wil nor refuseth anie thing but what God disliketh and stands moreouer so deeply obliged to God that it is not lawful for him to desire anie thing but what God wil haue which is the most absolute similitude which man can possibly haue with God vpon earth And of it S. Bernard speaketh in this manner The vnitie of spirit which a man that hath his hart seated on high hath with God is the perfecton of a wil that profiteth to God-ward when a man doth not only desire what God wil haue but is both so affected in minde and so perfect in his affection that he cannot desire anie thing els but that which God wil haue For to desire that which God wil haue is to be like to God but moreouer not to be able to desire but that which God wil haue is to be that which God is whose wil and being are the same 9. This great perfection which S. Bernard speaketh of either cannot be gotten in this life or if there be any meanes to get it it is by the Vowes of Religion which doe not only subiect our wil to God but bind it vnto him in bonds that cannot be broken From which firmnes of our Vowes we may gather another similitude betwixt vs and God For as nothing is more natural to God then to be immutable and subiect to no kind of change or alteration so the Vowes of Religion giue a man the like propertie as much as man is capable of it Which S. Bernard also doth insinuate when he saith There is yet a nearer similitude with God by meanes of our wil consisting in Vertue when a
others also that haue no life God therefore holding this course in things so farre inferiour to man ordained to ends farre vnequal in dignitie worth shal we think he swarueth from it in a nature that is the noblest of them al ordained to the highest End that can be S. Basil speaking of Charitie proueth by this verie argument that it is easie and very natural for Man to loue God and what he sayth of Charitie may be applyed to al other Vertues Charitie sayth he towards God doth not depend vpon precepts of learning For as we doe not learne to looke vpon the light and take pleasure in it or to loue our owne life or our parents and those that haue giuen vs our breeding much lesse doth anie outward learning teach vs to loue God but at the instant that man entreth vpon his Being he hath withal a natural instinct of reason ingrafted in him contayning the beginning of a kind of necessitie of louing him And proueth this his Tenet at large because God hauing giuen Man diuers other natural abilities proportionable to the performance of whatsoeuer he hath commanded to the end he might not complaine that his Commandments are grieuous it was farre more necessâ—rie he should do the like in the Commandment of the Loue of God it being the greatest of al and consequently most necessarie we should from our cradle haue an impulsion towards it which might carrie vs vnto it This and much more to the same effect is the discourse of S. Basil which though it were of force only in Charitie yet it were a great help in nature to al goodnes in regard of the command which Charitie hath ouer al other vertues but indeed that which he sayth of Charitie holds in others also for the reason which he giueth takes place in al to wit it was necessarie that in Nature itself there should be some beginnings of vertue which might help it not to resist but the more readily to runne with the Commandments of God to the end we might the more easily obey them 4. That which we hâ—ue hither to sayd is grounded vpon the facilitie of doing good which God hath planted in our verie nature which is nothing to that which the force of Grace doth put into vs. That which is in Nature is but a beginning and a kind of seed which of itself alone can doe nothing Grace giueth the true forme and soule as I may say out of which vertuous actions doe proceed and in a word it maketh man a new man as the Apostle speaketh Celestial and Diuine and giueth vs a new hart and reneweth an vpright spirit in our bowels S. Macarius in one of his Homilies setteth forth the effect of this Grace very liuely telling vs that our Sauiour Christ came downe from heauen to change to transforme to renew our nature and to new-molde this soule of ours by sinne intangled in manie euil affections and dispositions tempering it with his Diuine spirit He came sayth he to giue vs a new mind a new soule new eyes new hands a new spiritual tongue and to be short to make those that beleeue in him new men For he that encreased multiplyed the substance of fiue Loaues and gaue speach to the Asse which by nature was absolutly dumb made the Fire like a wind of dew blowing notwithstanding that naturally it burneth and tamed the rage of the Lyons for Daniel's sake he can also turne a soule into his goodnes and peace fil it with a good spirit though of itself it be like a desert growne wild with sinne â— This S. Macarius speaketh of the Grace which God offereth to al but besides this the peculiar Grace of a Religious vocation doth put so much new life and strength into them that are endewed with it that they performe with a great deale of facilitie and in a manner with no labour at al that which others cannot away-with that haue not that grace and that which indeed themselues could not do before For as a beast that hath no reason cannot performe anie thing that properly belongs to reason as to inferre a Conclusion to iudge of a thing to giue aduice to foresee that which is to come but Man being endewed with reason doth these things as easily as vse his hands feet so if a man haue not the vocation and spirit of God which includeth Pouertie Obedience and other vertues it is wonderful hard for him to be content to haue nothing and to yeald himself ouer to an other's wil but if he haue this vocation he taketh great comfort in it 5. Finally besides Nature and Grace dailie practise breeds a custome and habit of doing wel which is another Nature altogeather as forcible and efficacious as Nature itself and when it is once gotten and grounded in the mind al vertuous actions are easie and pleasant To which purpose S. Leo sayth very wel The affection which excludeth earthlie loue is strengthned by custome of doing wel because a man's conscience must necessarily take delight in good works and willingly do that which it is glad it hath done Religion therefore being nothing els but a continual practise and trading in al kind of vertue the exercise of vertue must needs grow euerie day easier then other and in time as so manie goodlie trees bring forth abundant fruit and furnish a Religious soule with plentie and profit and heauenlie pleasure This is the habit which Cassian describeth in a certain place in these words to wit When a soule is transformed into a habit of vertue that is when a man hath so accustomed himself vnto it and gotten so much loue of it that he thinks it the pretiousest thing in the world and takes the transgression of vertue or the poyson of sinne to be the grieuousest torment that can be when a man is come to this he must needs take more contentment in his sober and continent life then others doe in their incontinencie and riot the flower of chastitie must needs be sweeter to him then the filth of sensual pleasure to them that are sensual finally he cannot but reioyce more when he is humbled and hapneth vpon an occasion of suffering for Christ then worldlie ambitious people in the applause and glorie and preferments which they so eagerly hunt after 6. Vpon these and the like grounds we constantly auerre as in the beginning that a Religious life is so farre from being harsh and difficult that it is rather wonderful sweet and pleasant And we may adde the testimonie of Reginaldus a Dominican-Friar one of the first and principal companions of S. Dominick He was a rich wealthie man in the world and liued daintily at ease after he had vndertaken that rigorous and paineful kind of life they that knew him before often asked him not without some astonishment whether he were not mightily troubled with it and he alwaies answered with a
violence what thou wouldst doe seing of necessitie thou must then abstaine from that pleasure and haue no reward for abstayning Giue thanks therefore to God because thou shalt haue a great reward and a glorious Crowne if thou liue as they doe without anie reward nay farre more easily more safely more pleasantly both because the hope of restibution doth strengthen thee and the knowledge that it is an act of vertue doth comfort thee And truly considered what effect may we iustly think the hope of a reward in heauen which S. Iohn Chrysostome speaketh of wil worke in a Religious soule seing the greedines of an earthlie recompence or the serious application to studie or to anie other worldlie busines is forcible enough easily to diuert a man's thoughts from al obscenitie Insomuch that Plato himself which a man may with reason wonder at exhorting yong men to liue chaste bringeth an example of a certaine man of â—arentum and diuers others besides whome there he names that abstayned from al pleasure of that nature to the end to preserue their bodilie strength intire and in the ful vigour which it ouâ—ht to be for the Olympical Exercises They therefore sayth he abstayned from that pleasure which vulgarly is esteemed happie that they might ouercome others in Wrastling in the Race such other exercises and shal not our youth be able to doe the like for a farre more noble victorie what victorie to wit that subduing pleasure they may liue happily moreouer shal not feare of coÌ„mitting a grieuous offence be able to make theÌ„ ouercome that which others that are farre worse then they are reported to haue ouercome What would Plato haue sayd if he could haue had experience of the force of the loue of God seing he thought the loue of earthlie things to be so effectual wheras the loue of God doth so wholy possesse a soule that it taketh no delight but in things Diuine and Celestial and abhorreth more then death itself anie thing that sauours of vncleannes Which S. Macarius proueth in this manner If the loue of carnal marriage separate a man so farre from father and mother and brethren that esteeming them al strangers he loues his wife only and cleaues to her and hers as to his owne if I say the loue of flesh doth so breake with al other loue how much more shal they contemne al loue and delight in other things that haue so neerly linked themselues to God and drunk so plentifully of his loue 3. These are the reasons why the abstayning from al pleasure in this kind is so easie and pleasant and the ground whervpon S. Hierome deliuereth these words in commendation of this vertue How great happines is it not to be a slaue to a wife but to Christ not to serue the flesh but the spirit For he that cleaueth to God is one spirit And S. Bernard accordingly speaking both of Chastitie and other vertues accompanying it applyeth to this purpose that saying of the Prophet short in words but large in sense Delight in our Lord auerring that al Religious people are so plentifully made partakers of this delight in our Lord that none of them al can denye but that they feele it My Brethren sayth he Secular people may say so you cannot say so For who is there of you that hath not often experienced the delight of a good Conscience tasted the sweetnes of Chastitie Humilitie and Charitie This is not like the delight in meate or drink or such like yet it is a delight and a greater delight then al these For it is not carnal delight but Diuine 4. S. Ephrem also as it were astonished with the pleasures of Chastitie discourseth in this manner O Chastitie mother of loue resemblance of an Angelical life O Chastitie cleane of hart sweet in tast chearful in countenance O Chastitie which maketh men like to Angels O Chastitie reioycing the hart of him that possesseth thee and giuing wings to a Soule to fly vp to heauen O Chastitie which bringest a spiritual ioy and takest away sorrow O Chastitie which dost diminish the passions of the mind and free it from perturbation O Chastitie a spiritual Chariot lifting him on high that possesseth thee O Chastitite that buddest like a rose in the midst betwixt the soule and bodie and fillest the whole house with a fragrant smel This and much more sayth this holie ancient Father And certainly if we grant that filthie obscenesse hath naturally so much force to allure vs and to set vs so much on fire notwithstanding the vnseemelines of it we cannot think but that honestie and puritie and the beautie of so rare a vertue must needs be much more forcible For what comparison is there betwixt light and darknes or betwixt dirt and mire where hogs doe tumble and those lillies among which the Spouse doth so willingly feed that he refuseth al food without them And thus much of Chastitie 5 The delights of Obedience are somewhat more apparent because Obedience hath none of the incommodities of Pouertie nor yet so fel an enemie as Chastitie our owne bodie making warre against Chastitie and being both vncapable of feeling anie delight in puritie of life and carrying vs rather headlong to al kind of sensualitie Obedience dependeth of the mind only which being capable to conceaue the beautie of so great a vertue may easily also perswade itself to loue it and being so perswaded there remayneth litle or no contradiction from abroad Besides other things which encrease the sweetnes of it first that if freeth vs from the troubles and anxieties which are wont often to occurre in setling or gouerning our estate in vndertaking or leauing this or that busines indeed in al occasions and howres of our life secondly because it putteth vs into the hands of God and placeth vs in his armes to be carried and ruled and cherished by him then which what can be more delightful or more to be desired For if we ayme at honour which doubtles in itself is pleasing nothing can be more honourable then to be so tenderly loued and so louingly dealt-with by so great a Maiestie if it be profit that taketh vs which also is ful of pleasure nothing can be more profitable then to relye our whole life and al that we doe vpon such a guide Finally al manner of comforts delights are contayned in this one to see ourselues so inwardly linked to him who is the onlie Father of mercies as the Apostle stileth him and the God of al comfort which as al other spiritual things no man can rightly value but he that hath tryed it and they that haue tryed it doe so louingly and so passionatly affect Obedience that libertie is a crosse vnto them as we reade of B. Aegidius a Franciscan-Friar For when S. Francis by reason of his eminent sanctitie had giuen him freedome to go whither he would and dwel where
in the veynes of the earth which by labour and industrie is to be digged out For what peece of ground is there be it neuer so fat fruitful which wil bring forth fruit vnlesse a man tii it and sow it and bestow labour vpon it So these treasures and commodities of a Religious life are great yet they require a man that knowes them wel and makes great account of them and which is consequent makes the best vse of them he can labours dayly to encrease them The other thing which is to be considered is the easines of the busines and the commoditie which a man hath of getting perfection euerie thing being taken away that may anie way hinder him and on the other side al helps concurring to further him plentie of inward grace and so manie influences assistances from heauen that nothing can be sayd to be wanting but ourselues if we be not holie and perfect Wherefore we must make account that the Apostle speakes to vs when he sayth The earth drinking-in the vaine often coming vpoâ— it for where doth the heauenlie deaw raine fal oftener then in Religion bringing forth grasâ—e commediâ—us for them that 〈◊〉 receaueth blessing of God but bringing forth briars and thornes it is reprobaâ—â— and a verie curse whose end is to be burnt Where both our happines if we doe wel and our extreame miserie if we doe not wel is set before our eyes But God forbid such a curse should fal vpon vs rather he wil giue vs abundance of his holie grace that as the same Apostle exhorteth els-where because we were sometimes darknes but now light in our Lord let vs walke like sonnes of light and bring forth fruits of light in al goodnes and iustice and truth 7. The third effect which we spake of was care and diligence and earnest endeauour to preserue so great a good And we need not stand prouing that it is fitting for euerie bodie to haue this care the knowledge of the greatnes of the benefit doth naturally put it into vs for he that doth throughly know it wil rather dye a thousand deaths then let it goe out of his hands or suffer anie bodie to take it from him And certainly nothing is more terrible more lamentable more horrible more detestable to Religious people then to fal from such an estate to be shut out from so great a happines to be as Adam cast out of Paradise For it were as S. Bernard discourseth to be drawen againe into the wrack at sea from whence they crept out naked to fal againe where they had been half-burned and hardly escaped to light againe among the theeues by whom they were left but half aliue and by the mercie of God were now recouered and for the souldier of Christ almost in the sight of heauen triumphing from the gates of that glorie to returne as a dog to his vomit as a sow washed to her wallowing in the mire Wherefore the same S. Bernard doth fitly apply to this purpose that which is spoken in the Canticles to the Spouse in a threatning manner Get you forth and goe and sayth that God cannot speake to a Religious soule a harsher word then this nor anie thing that can strike more terrour into it Which thou also sayth he mayst perceaue if thou consider wel from wheÌ„ce and whither thou art bid to goe From whence and whither dost thou think but from spirit to flesh from the goods of the mind to the desires of the world from the inward quiet of the mind to the noyse of the world and vnquietnes of outward cares in al which there is nothing but labour and affliction of spirit For a soule that hath once learned and receaued of our Lord to enter into itself and within itself to sigh after the presence of God such a soule I say I know not whether it would think it more paineful or more horrible to suffer the verie paines of hel for a time then after hauing once tasted the sweetnes of this spiritual studie exercise to goe out againe to the allurements or rather to the troubles of the flesh and seeke after the vnsatiable curiositie of sense Thus sayth S. Bernard and al spiritual authours with one consent agree in the same 8. For as he that falles headlong from anie place the higher the place is from which he falles the more he bruseth himself so he that casts himself out of a Religious state which doubtles is an eminent high estate must needs breake himself al in peeces and crush and disioynt and put out of order al the powers of his soule For this is that Salt which hauing lost the vertue and sauour which it hath receaued for the seasoning of itself and others is now good for nothing anie more and therefore nothing remaineth but that it be cast forth and trodden vnder foot by men A iust and worthie punishment that whom the dignitie of this state before had placed aboue other men and made him venerable vnto al hauing lost this ornament should first become as other men and then baser then they by how much greater his offense is and therefore be contemned by euerie bodie and made a laughing-stock and a verie foot-bal to mens tongues 9. And what doe they that enueigled with the loosse and fickle pleasures of this world turne their backs to so great a benefit which God had bestowed vpon them but that which that wicked reprobate Esau did when he sold his birth-right moreouer went his wayes contemning that he had sold it And for what did he sel it for one dish of pulse O blindnes of a reachlesse man that could entertayne such a thought in his mind as for togeather with so base so ordinarie a dish of meate to consume deuoure in a moment so rich an inheritance to cast away his father's blessing al the right of his primogeniture in an instant But he that at that time made so slight of it afterwards lamented his losse roaring out with a great voice but when it was too late in vaine to repent In like manner if we compare secular people with Religious they are indeed both sonnes of God but Religious are the first begotten and haue receaued already greater spiritual blessings in the state itself if they liue according to their state they shal receaue a larger portion of the heauenlie inheritance What madnes therefore is it for a disordered desire of one vnfortunate and base bit of pleasure to slight vtterly to cast away such hopes such present and future entertainements such commodities such delights so manie so rare blessings as if another would goe about to take them from vs they were worthie to be defended with the losse of our liues What teares what lamentations euen in this life wil this short momentarie delight bought with eternal torment bring vpon vs 10.