men But if thou wilt be perfect or obserue the same commandements more perfectly and more securely if thou wilt not onely haue life but haue it more aboundantly goe and sell all that thou hast c. And it is a free counsell That is commanded vnder paine of eternall damnation this counselled vnder hope of an hundred-fold in this life and life euerlasting in the next That is extended by way of commaÌ„de to all this is proposed and counselled to such generous soules as by Gods grace and their own free cooperation vnder and in vertue of the same grace render themselues capable of it which yet certainly would neuer haue bene counselled by wisdome it selfe had it neuer bene to be followed by man nor would Truth it selfe haué said there are some that geld themselues for the kingdome of heauen if neuer any such were to haue beâ—â— Or he that can take it let him take it if none could euer take none vndertake it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capable of it in fine if it were impossible as diuers sectaries would perswade vs THE III. PARAGRAPHE IT is not then Madame as you see a will worshippe or a humaine inuention taken vp vpon fancie to which noe great credit were due but a dictamen of the holy Ghost a counsell of heauenly wisdome deliuered from the mouth of truth it selfe And was that seede of heauen to meete with noe good earth within all the lardge extent of Christs possessions Was this word of God fruitlessely to fall to the ground to passe ouer without any effect of which it is said heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe So would it appeare indeede by those bablers who as they hate our Catholike Mother so they blaspheame her pious practises none of them giueing obedience to the Words of her Spouse none leauing all to follow Christ in pouertie none pretending a virginall state of life none euen endeuouring to proue eunukes for the kingdome of Heauen none presseing to emulate these better giftes none among them disputing vs these titles of pietie but willingly leaueing them branded with as much infamie as malice can inuent to the children of the Catholike Virgine Mother alone confirming that ancient truth that none but a Virgine Mother is the Mother of Virgines None but the Catholike Church euer ayming at a virginall state As though our Sauiour had dropped downe an vnprofitable counsell which could neuer be performed by any And thence S. Athanasius who hued in the fourth Age putts this practise of a virginall life for a proofe of the truth of our religion when speaking of virginitie he saith this is a great argument that true religion is with vs In his Apologie to Constantius THE IV. PARAGRAPHE BVT farre be it from Christian harts to thinke that the words of wisdome mett with none but deafe eares or that his sacred counsells found noe heroïcall hartes in earth who were readie to imbrace them Noe noe we may heare S. Peter presently giue the lye to such vnworthy thoughtes Behold saith he we he speakes for all the Apostles haue left all and followed thee We who we Apostles haue left all Who saith all excludes nothing we haue left all All we possesse all our hopes of possessing All yes all I say their poore fortunes such as they were their aymes inclinations wayes their wills yea their wiues as saith S. Hierome And that too vnder vowe as they had learnt by our B. Ladyes leading practise S. Augustine confirmes it of them both Of our Blessed Lady speaking of that passage of S. Luke Because i know not man which certainly saith he she had not said had she not formerly vowed to remayne a Virgine And of the Apostles saying for those mightie ones had said behold we haue left all and followed thee this vowe had those Mighties vowed but whence had they this vowe but from him who giueth vowes vnto those that vowe for none can vow any setled thinge to God but he must haue it from God And by their holy example all the young Christian Church at Hierusalem which was yet as it were in her cradle conspired into one great congregation to witt the multitude of Beleeuers had but one hart and one soule neither did any say that ought was his owne of those thinges which he possessed but all thinges were common vnto them c. neither was there any needie amongst them Whence S. Augustine inferres saying therfor they to witt the Apostles c. first heard that of the Psalmist Loe how good and pleasant a thing it is for brothers to liue togeither They were the first indeede but they were not alone For this loue and brotherly vnion descended not onely downe vpon them but that exultation of Charitie and vow to God came downe to posteritie c. Yes these younge vine-branches which newly sprouted out of the true vine whose wine begetts Virgines fruitfully branched and spredd themselues out all the world ouer beginning first at Hierusalem thence to Alexandria in Egipte where those fuitfull Desertes were turned into Paradises and were peopled with humane Angells or Angelicall men thence into greece wittnesse S. Denys of Arcopage who makes the description of them as you shall heare in the next reflection finally all the habitable world ouer as Phylo one of the most learned of the Iewes tearming them Therapeutarum genus worshipers or Physitions of soules And this is so well and solidly auerred by ancient Authours that there lyes no way open to any specious contradiction In the first place let the said Philo be heard who speaking of those worshippers or Physitians of soules saith this kind of people is spredd all the world ouer to witt Greece and euen barbarous nations too were to pertake in this perfect Good but the greatest multitudes of them are in Egipt especially about Alexandria as may be further seene by what S. Hierome relates out of the same Authour Adde to him S. Hierome who speaking of S. Marke saith Marke went into Alexandria taking with him the Gospell which he himselfe had written and established a Church there with so much doctrine and continencie of life that he euen compelled all Christs followers to imitate his example c. And then speaking of Philo the Iewe he adds I therfore place Philo the Iew natiue of Alexandria among the Ecclesiesticall writers because he writing a booke of the first Church established by Marke the Euangelist at Alexandria speakes in the commendations of our men not mentioning those that were there onely but euen many other places also tearming their habitations Monasteries whence it appeares that their Church who first beleeued in Christ was such as Monkes now endeuour and desire to be so as that none hath any thinge of his owne proper none among them is riche none poore their patrimonies are diuided among the poore their imployment is praying and singing Psalmes learning and continence such as Luke represents the first Beleeuers of Hierusalem
all honest men will take notice that you cannot because you cannot you are calūniatours In what part of the world was this infamous trading driuen In what market was this vile marchandise exposed to sale who were the sellers and who the chapmen and vpon what price did they agree and for what quantitie of this corrupted stuffe dealt they Were the buyers and sellers and market place and all inuisible then happly you may say they lay inuisibly skulking in the bosome of our Church as yours was said sometymes to haue done and so were inuisible indeede but yet were as well as your Church truly was when none could find it by looking behind Luther Credat Iudeus Apella But for my part beleeue me though we Catholikes passe for the most credulous yet haue not I weaknes of credulitie enough to fall into such a fancie as to beleeue that you though you haue an impotent power of seeing what none els can see that yet you I say haue eyes to see what is inuisible that is to see what cannot be seene that is to see what is not If you haue any eyes you will see the truth of what I say if you haue any shame left you le hold your peace THE IV. CALVMNIE As for whores they permitt them to liue loosely without punishment and allot them streetes and houses to increase sinne THE XV REFLECTION HERE Madame comes in a medlie of mixt marchandise paucheto de l'vn paucetto de lautro some sound some corrupt so vnhappily iumbled togeither that there needed noe more to spoyle the whole and to make the assertion a calumnie As for whores they permitt or tolerate them to liue loosely thus farre as for me it should haue past for granted because I haue often heard it reported howeuer at the first blush it seemes to haue noe good face But when they add without punishment I smell a ratt and crye corruption They allot them streetes or a streete at least to increase sinne This againe I am forced to crye against as the naughtie leauen which spoyles the whole lumpe or batch Here Madame they may seeme to leaue the body and ayme at the head knowing well that their malice will be deriued vpon them both They strike at my father hoping to wound both father and mother and children with the same blow We haue heard of a dume child restored to speech vpon an apprehended danger toward his father And should I be struck dumme contrarily vpon this assacinate where both fathers Mothers and myne owne destruction are equally aymed at I confesse a womans words especially so inconsiderable as I am are but a poore defence yet where I was not able to speake a perfect defence in a matter of fact which I knew not perfectly I found I was able enough to crye for ayde The truth is I had recourse to a friend verie intelligent and honest beyond all exception who had diuers tymes bene an eye and eare witnesse of that fact c. and he had the goodnes presently to take his pen and putt downe what I found full satisfaction and I hope such will your honour and all louers of truth find it And certainly it will afford light enough to lead you out of that mist wherin many haue stumbled at a molehill and strayed and discouer how ill you haue bene dealt withall herein Please then Madame to heare my noble friend who hauing bene three seuerall tymes for a good space togeither at Rome deliuers the fact as followeth THE I. PARAGRAPHE MISTRESSE I cannot but smyle all alone in my countrie chamber at this sodden surprise where while I inioye the delightes of a high peace you call me to warrs in the defence of our common father where an equall dutie oblidgesme to an equall readinesse You seeme to be in some litle disorder But feare not woman it is but a false Alarme there will be noe hurt done Rome stands at a great distance farre enough beyond their Canon shott what need we to feare their squibbes and slinges then It s a strong towne and well guarded The Pope is a good man and frequent reports giue him to be a Saint be consident his holinesse and innocēcie of life will be found proofe against their malice the reportes of the whores if they be rightly reported will be able to fasten noe staynes vpon him or vpon the chaire which he doth illustrate But le ts laugh a while in our sleeue togeither before we begin What Is our aduersaries furie run out to so low an ebbe that it can beare nothinge of waight or bulke Haue they spent all their shott vpon our impregnable Fortresses and now fall they to smale play rather then sitt out by fireing on our out workes with flashes of powder onely which giues crakes but hurtes not serues to terrifie children but makes men laugh to obserue that their pride and splenne is great indeede but their hornes short Et vana sine viribus ira So that hauing in vane spent their powder and shot they fall to childs play They lay downe their swords and muskets pikes and fall a throwing the durt of other mens vices vpon vs that at least they may besmeere their clothes whose bodyes they are not able to wound Well let them vanely went the rest of their coller while we deliuer the truth of the fact to such noble soules as would hold it a cryme to detayne Truth prisoner in mistakes And so lets to the great busines vpon which you would say the fortunes of Greece depends THE II. PARAGRAPHE MISTRESSE The Protestants or who els they may be who will needs stumble at something which their imagination giues them lyes in the way are mistaken in the fact for it is most certaine that the Pope takes neither fine nor taxe nor rent nor yearely tribute to permitt or tolerate sinne much lesse to authorise or increase it for a somme which is falsely reported So that while they affirme and yet proue nothinge one short Nego is all that is due to them for an answere He giues no leaue I confidently auerre it nor approbation nor countenance to that filthie commerce of the whores But contrarily discountenanceth dehorts punisheth them and hinders their increase with great care watchfullnesse and cost All that know Rome know this to be most true if they be owners of any braynes to haue made obseruation and honour to speake the truth I appeale to their ingenuitie whether those naughtie women be not discountenanced curbd and kept short by what care ciuile gouerment can suggest For. First they are prohibited to come to any publike meetings or assemblies where women of honour meete as at the Course and other places 2. They are prohibited to goe in coaches or stirre out of dores on the night 3. They are prohibited to liue in common one with another least they might encourage one another in their wickednesse and are forced to liue separate and alone left
to repulse their barbarous attempts against his flocke for wheras speaking of Eunukes he had said I will giue them a peculiar place in my house and in my walls much better then that of the sonns and daughtes least any should haue conceiued that some temporall thinge was to be hoped for he immediately added I will giue them an eternall name nor shall it euer fayle as though he had said why dost thou wrangle impious blindnesse why dost thou wrangle vvhy dost thou obscure the light of truth with the clouds of peruersitie why dost thou in the midst of the great light of the Scriptures seeke darknesse wherin to deceiue why dost thou promesse a temporall reward ard onely to continent Saintes I will giue them an eternall name Let that diuine Denys of Areopage S. Paules Scholler speake for the first Age after Christ and deliuer as well the truth as the manner and excellencie of the thinge according as he is made speake by Gualterus the 1. Age and 8. Truth The preist after some prayers turnes towards him who is readie to forsake the world askes whether he renounce all terreane and transitorie thinges declares to him the perfection of that kinde of life and hauing heard his promesse of renouncing the world e signes him with the signe of the Crosse and cutts of his haire inuokes the holy Trinitie turnes of his old and putts on a new habit salutes him with a kisse as the assistantes also doe and makes him partaker of the diuine mysteries A little before he saith The highest order of those that are to be perfected is that of Monkes which is adorned with all vertue puritie holy conuersation and heauenly contemplation Let S. Ignatius who liued in the same age succeede him O Virgines possesse Iesus Christ in incorruption not so as to esteeme mariage ill but to imbrace a better thinge not to blame a maried life but to meditate the law of God And in another place Honour Virgines as being consecrated to Iesus Christ Conserue them as pretious levels of Iesus Christ Heare Tertulian What agreat prerogatiue saith he doth she merite farre aboue her condition who being a Virgine resolues to consecrate her body to God Therfore hath she permission to receiue the vayle that she may be illustrious and renowned in the Church and shew the honour of her sanctitie or puritie by her veyled and priuiledged heade Againe adde the examples of our sisters whose names are in the booke of life who preferre puritie before husbands to witt they chuse rather to be maried to God being neither induced to it by want of beantie nor otherwise by their age They are beautifull to God they are handmayes to God They liue with him they have conference with him he is the subiect of their discourse both daye and night They consigne their prayers to their Lord and Spouse as their dowries and in conterchange they obteyne fauours of him as presentes from a Spouse whensoeuer they desire them S. Cyprian writing to certaine Nunes of his Age giues them these prerogatiues Now let me speake to virgines of whom my care is greater as their glorie is higher They are the flowre of the Church her flowishing branches the honour and ornament of Spirituall grace they are sincerely cheerefull a perfect and vncorrupted worke of honour and prayse the image of God representing the puritie of our Lord the most glorious and illustrious portion of the flocke of Christ By them it is that she reioyceth in them it is that the glorious fecunditie of our Mother the Church doth plentifully flourish and still as fruitfull virginitie increaseth in number so doth the ioy of our Mother Church receiue greater and greater increase Make good O Virgines make good what you haue begun to be and haue an eye to what you are about to be Great is the reward which attends you great is the recompence of your vertue great the gift of chastitie c. You are equall to the Angells as being the children of the Resurrection you passe through the world without being infected with the worlds contagion while you perseuere in chastitie and virginitie you are equall to the Angells Eusebius in Constantines life The Emperour saith he to witt Constantine did great honour to those that had dedicated their liues to heauenly Philosophie so was monasticall life first called and ther vpon he did constantly reuerence the most holy compaignie of perpetuall virgines because he beleeued that God to whom they were consecrated did dwell in their harts Great is the vertue of continencie great is the glorie of puritie great is the Virgines prayse O Virginitie draynelesse riches O Virginitie thou crowne which fadest not O Virginitie thou temple of God and Mansion of the holy Ghost O Virginitie which art a pretious pearle which vulgare eyes discouers not and are found but by few O continencie loued by God and preached by the Saintes O continencie odious to many but respected by such as are worthy of it O continencie which conquers death and Hell and art possessed by immortal tie O continencie ioy of the Prophetes and glorie of the Apostles O continencie life of the Angells and crowne of the Saintes Happie is he that keepes thee happie he that hardens himselfe to the sufferance of thy labour because after a shorte labour he shall receiue great content by thee The same Age Saincte Basile in a sermon which he made to his monkes vpon these words of the Gospell come vnto me all you that labour and are loaden c. saith these words are the words of God which whether they be vnderstoode of the refection of this life or they signifie the refection of the next it is manifest that we are exhorted therby to imbrace monasticall life and to carie the Crosse hauing first on the oneside forsaken and distributed the loade of superfluous riches to the poore and one the other side caste of the almost innumerable multitude of our sinnes by almes deedes and Confession which the desire we haue to heape vp riches drawes vpon vs S. Basile I terme that Communion of life most perfect from which all priuate possession of anie thing is excluded and banished as also all dissension all perturbation all contention and brawles Nay contrarily where all thinges are common hartes soules bodies and all the things which are in anie wise requisite or belonging to our liuelyhood One common God one common commerce of pietie common saluation common conflicts common labours common rewards and crownes of gained victories where manie are one and where one is not alone but with manie What I praye is found comparable to this profession of life what can be expressed more blessed what can be deuised more agreeable then this coniunction vnitie and dearenesse What can be imagined more delightfull then this mutuall temper of hartes and manners That people coming out of so manie nations and regions should haue melted as it were
the Ministers of God and their stupendious and magnificent profusion in building adorning and inriching Churches They count vpon about 30. kinges and Queenes within the space of two hundred yeares who casting of the the pompe and splendourof an earthly kingdome to take the kingdome of heauen by a holy violence betooke themselues to a religious solitude to witt 15. kinges or more became Monkes or pilgrimes to Rome 14. Queenes Nunns and twelue kinges suffered Martyrdome by infidells and ten more canonised for their wonderfull sanctitie So that one saith It was a wonder in those dayes to see a kinge who was not a Sainte and another in his Cronicle affirmes that he found more kinges Saintes in Ingland then in any other Prouince of the whole world how populous soeuer I passe ouer the greate multitude of the Royall issue to speake of kinges alone Yet what he passes ouer who was tyed to the lawes of an Epistle others make it their busines to prosecute at large and to putt downe their names number their professions liues and sanctitie numbering vp 25. besides 14. or 15. more of the bloud royall who of sonns and daughters of Kinges became humble Monks and Nunns the most of them famous Saintes Adding withall to his number of Religious Queenes seauen more to make vp 21. Might not then Baronius affirme of the Church of England in those dayes that it was a Paradice of our Lord abounding with the lilies of holy Virgines and the violets of the multitudes of holy Monkes Thus to complie with the breuitie you prescribe me haue I rather heaped together then exposed the glories of our Nation sprung from our English Monasteries those blessed and and fruictfull nurseries of Gods Church I haue reduced I saie great things were they sett out to shew into a little Mappe which as it brings the aduantage of making many vast obiects obuious to be discouered with one cast of an eye so brings it this disaduantage that they appeare not in their true light luster and bulke but incomparablie lesse then nature lesse then what indeed they are whereas particulars had they not been too long for this designe were fitter to strike the senses more liuely and to feede the eyes and hart with farr more delight and satis faction For the rest my knowing friend if the little I haue said fall short of your expectation I assure you you may well pardon me since I euen starued my selfe to please you out of a friendly feare I conceiued that the too much I might haue said should haue passed your desire and oppressed you with plentie Otherwise what glorious particulars might not haue been easily produced what prodigies might not haue been said of that Land of God that first Land of Saintes in England that beginning and fountaine of all Religion in England that tombe of Saintes that mother of Saintes whereby England is rightly stiled the parent or Mother Monasterie of all Europe As the Theater of greater Britaine stilesâ—â— Thus farre goes my friend Madame in the behalfe of the singular fruits of Monasticall life where your honour will obserue his greatest paine was rather to crude vp a most plentifull haruest into a little space then to expose it to a full and satisfactorie view And yet happily taken euen at that disaduantage it appeares more then anie equall proportion of all the Christian world besides is able to paralelle And now Madame laying by as it were the aduantages which Monasticall life iustly drawes from Antiquitie Authoritie of fathers and the ripe fruites it brings forth le ts trye whether reason alone may not proue preualent enough to make it appeare superlatiuely laudable and free it from the preiudices it is made lye vnder THE V. REFLECTION The excellencie of Monasticall life made good by Reason MADAME If in what state of lif soeuer we liue this transitori life is only lent vs by following the waie of truth to attaine to essentiall and per manent life or life euerlasting by follow ing the waies of truth which is the end c mans creation and euerie thing is perfected by attayning to its last end which none can attaine to but by the guidance of Truth and walking in the waies which it chiefly points out Certainely it seemes consequent enough to me to giue preheminence of excellencie to that course of life be it which it will which of its owne nature stickes closest to the waies which Truth markes out or which is the same thing that makes best vse of life to arriue at the end for which it was giuen Now whereas all the Rules that Truth euer deliuered euen all the lawe and the Prophets are by that truth reduced to one according to that of the Apostle the fullnesse of the law is loue it followes euidently that that kind of life is most excellent which most conduceth to loue and putts loue and charitie into a most absolute and soueraigne raigne since that alone comprises all the Rules or waies which Truth euer taught And indeed Charities blessed and sweete raigne would be alwaies peaceable setled and soueraigne did not cupiditie her corriuall to mans hart disturbe her peace and take off from her soueraigntie That life then which of its owne nature and by her holy practises most curbes and takes off from cupiditie adds most to Charitie and consequently is the best and most excellent kind of life as being most happily imployed by aduancing the raigne of Charitie to arriue at the end for which life was lent But whereas it is not by one single Cupiditie that Charities raigne is laid at but by innumerable multitudes which make their assaults vnder three colours concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life that kind of life must needes be most excellent which makes it its whole businesse to studie and endeauour the totall ruine of Cupiditie which Were it once entirely subdued Charitie would soe soueraignly raigne in mans hart that he would be restored to a neere resemblance of that happie state wherein man was created Now what life is it if not monasticall life which of its owne nature most absolutely followes the waies deliuered by truth wholy to adheare to God which is done by Charitie but Monasticall life What life doth most remoue the impediments by which the groth and raigne of Charitie is hindred and disturbed but Monasticall life what life doth so totaly sacrifice itselfe vp to God as Monasticall life Le ts examine the truth of each particular What were the waies which Truth marked out by his owne example but abiection humiliation pouertie chastitie and obedience To which also he continually exhorted by his word saying He that hateth not his Father and Mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters yea and his owne life besides he cannot be my disciple c. Againe he that doth not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my Disciple And what life doth so formallie and absolutely