that we can no more doubt of it then if we saw it with our corporal eyes so we see Vertue in the acts therof as if it were really before vs. We see Charitie extend itself to the seruice and tendance of our Brethren we see Humilitie stooping to seruile offices and often humbling itself vnto them in Religion we see Patience in enduring hardnes and embracing the Crosse finally we see al other Vertues of the mind and haue them in our eyes when they walke out before vs about the careful performance of their seueral duties 5. And besides this comelines of Vertue and Sanctitie there be manie other things in most Religious people for which we ought in reason highly to esteeme and desire their conuersation For some are eminently learned others profoundly wise others wel-spoken a guift which the Apostle reckons among the rest And as for the pleasure which men take in these things I appeale to secular people themselues who by their often repayre to Religious houses doe sufficiently testifye the contentment they take in their presence and conuersation though otherwise their palate be distempered with the disordered pleasures of this world and yet thither they come for comfort in aduersitie for light and counsel in their doubtful questions for aduise and holesome admonitions vpon al occasions and they think the world goes wel with them if they can enioy this comfort for an hower or two but with Religious people it is an ordinarie thing and continual and they haue it at command as their owne and cannot but imparte these comforts to those that liue in house with them and are their Brethren farre more abundantly and more confidently then they can with strangers 6. Whence we may deduce another branch of pleasure growing from Religious conuersation to wit that by liuing togeather they haue often yea continual occasion and entercourse of such friendlie offices as must needs entertayne and encrease the brotherlie loue which is betwixt them as fire is nourished with wood and coale For first they liue togeather like bosome-friends they meete often they speake often courteously one to another secondly they are alwaies doing and receauing good turnes from one another they prosser their seruice not as worldlie people doe idly and for the most part for their owne ends but are really desirous to serue them in spiritual things and ayme at nothing else in it but to benefit their neighbours and brethren and aduance the glorie of God For we must nâ—t think that Vertue and Sanctitie is so rigid and inflexible as if it were of iron or that it is alwayes mute dreaming of nothing but of doing pennance Rather in al occasions but specially in conuersation with others it is pliable and affable the sweetnes of charitie inclining thervnto and making people to condescend and accommodate and enlarge themselues to their neighbours What therefore can be more delightful then to be thus continually endeauouring â—o requiâ—e one another's courtesies and striuing to ouercome their companions in charitable offices specially where a man cannot wel â—el whether it be better to ouercome or to suffer himself to be ouercome in Charitie So that that which Aristotle affirmeth of Friendship in general is much more verifyed in this holie league of friendship that though the ground of friendship be farre more noble and honourable then the pleasure of profit which comes of it because it is grounded in vertue and honestie yet hauing so noble an ofspring neither pleasure not profit is wanting but rather it is very profitable in regard of the manie good offices which passe betwixt friends and much more delightful then anie thing grounded vpon a meaner motiue because the vertuous actions and behauiours of our friend is no lesse pleasant vnto vs then our owne 7. We may adde for a complement and as it were a delightful fawce to the meate which is heer serued in that ordinarie friendship is subiect to manie branglings by reason either of the difference of mens minds or of their fashion and behauiour or of their state and calling or by age growing vpon them or by desire of something which both parties cannot enioy and manie such like accidents which oftimes are cause of great fallings-out and much hatred and make an vtter breach of friendship when they happen and before they happen breed manie suspitions and iealousies insomuch that there can be no solid comfort almost in anie worldlie friendship specially the world being so generally infected with the poyson of self-loue euerie one drawing to his owne ends which is the absolute bane of al true league and friendship The league which is betwixt Reliâ—ious people on the other side is ful of solid pleasure because being grounded in charitie and free from al priuate interest it is not subiect to those dangers and casualties which I spake of but as Abbot Ioseph in Cassian sayth very wel wheras al secular friendship wherof there he recites seueral kinds is fickle and vnconstant that only is permanent and indissoluble which is grounded in the likenes of vertue This is not subiect to be broken by anie casualtie distance of place or length of time cannot shake it nor death itself dissolue it 8. And this pleasure which I speake of occurres vnto vs by conuersation with anie particular man among vs what then shal I say of the whole familie or Colledge or house-hold of the ioy which is to liue in such companie For who is there that hath not experienced in himself that as often as he hath beheld so manie of his Brethren in that decent graue and deuout manner of habit and carriage which is vsual among them either singing in the Quire or going in Procession or set at a sermon or Exhortation or working at their manual exercises or sitting at board in their dining-roome who is there I say that hath not found himself ouerioyed at such a sight and sayd in his mind These are the hoast of God armies not of souldiers but of sonnes of the Highest This made S. Leo say that it did exceedingly reioyce him whensoeuer it was his good hap to behold a companie of seruants of God that in so manie Saints he felt the Angels present made no question but God did visit them al with more plentie of his graces when they were al togeather as so manie glorious tabernacles of God so manie excellent members of the bodie of Christ shining with one light A saying worthie to be noted in regard he stileth them that are consecrated to God tabernacles of God and excellent members of Christ hauing euerie one of them their particular light in themselues but yet giuing a greater light much more contentment by it when that which is seueral in them meetes with al the rest togeather and diffuseth itself farre neere by that coniunction that next vnto the blisseful ioyes which we shal haue in the loue and contemplation of
deuotion hauing their mind fixed not vpon earthly but vpon heauenly things with a kind of Indiuisible diuision of those heauenly riches among theÌ„selues al euerie one are partakers of them Moreouer resembling the forme fashion of a heauenly life state through the commendable maÌ„ner of liuing which they lead in coÌ„moÌ„ they foretast the future happinesse of the kingdome which is prouided for vs. They obserue Pouertie most strictly accounting nothing their owne but al things coÌ„moÌ„ to al. They giue vs playnly to vnderstaÌ„d how many how great benefits our Sauiour Christ hath obtayned for vs through the flesh which he tooke vpon him in that they recoÌ„cile to God restore to the former integritie as much as lieth in them humane nature mangled by sinne torne into a thousand pieces For the chiefe businesse which our Sauiour did in flesh was to renew the nature of man bring it home to God and to the state it had at first curing the wounds therof to make it sound perfect as it was before as a most skilful phisitian to knit vp againe with wholesome plasters other remedies the body dismeÌ„bred broken 19. I do not speake these things to the end to amplifie in words the vertues priuiledges of those that haue imbraced this manner of liuing in common or to make them greater then they are for my Eloquence is not so rare as to ad lustre to things which of themselues are noble excellent But rather I may iustly feare least the brightnesse which they haue be obscured by my slender style my Intention is only to shew the worth of this noble trade of life and the esteeme which we ought to haue of it for what is there in comparison of this which ought not iustly seeme farre inferiour vnto it They haue one father amoÌ„g them imitating the heaueÌ„ly father And they are many sonnes striuing to surpasse one another in al kind of louing dutie towards their Maister and Teacher They are many sonnes liuing peaceably together and by their honest and vertuous behauiour they giue their father great contentment neither do they ground this loue and frendship vpon any band of Nature but Reason a tye more strong then nature is the beginner and fosterer of this Coniunction and the band of the holy Ghost doth hold theÌ„ togeather What liknesse can there be found vpon earth sufficient to expresse the greatnesse of this noble Institution Vpon earth there is none We must mount vp to heauen The Heauenly Father is impassible not moued with any perturbation of mind This father resembling that vnmoueablenes doth winne al vnto him by the strength of Reason The birth of that Heauenly Sonne is void of al corruption Heere also the study of Incorruption hath bred these adoptiue â—hildren al things in heauen are linked togeather by Charitie Charitie also hath coupled these togeather Certainly the diuell dares neuer come against this fowr-square Armie knowing that he shall neuer be able to make his partie good against so many Champions in regard they are al so wel prouided against him and fight so close fencing themselues round with abundance of spirit fighting so thick vnder their Targatts of mutual Charitie that they easily resist al his atteÌ„pâ— Of these Dauid doth sing in his Psalmes Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Bâ—â—thren to dwel togeather Where by the word Good he expresseth the vprightnesse of their life by the word Pleasant he declareth the ioye and gladnesse which the concord and vnion of their minds doth breed wherfore they that follow this kind of life do seeme to me to expresse in themselues al heauenly and perfect vertue Thus farre S. Basile with whom I wil conclude the sayings of the Ancient Fathers concerning a Religious life in general For in the Course of this treatise I shal haue occasion to bring many other sentences of theirs in commendation of euery part and fruit of Religion in their proper places What Religion is and how many kinds of Happinesse it doth contayne CHAP. II. IN the examining and discussing of any thing by way of argument and dispute it is vsual and necessarie first of al to define and determine what the thing is about which we are to reason Which I wil also obserue in this treatise of Religion to the end we may not mistake the matter And because this very thing wil turne to the Commendation of this holy course of life Many therfore not vnfitly are wont to declare the nature of Religion by the name which it beareth And some deriue it from the Latin word Relego which signifieth to read or to gather againe Meaning that those were first called Religions who did often and carefully handle the things which pertaine to the seruice of God and as it were gather them vp together and often repeate and read them Others and among them cheefly S. Austin deriue it from the word Religo which signifieth to tye againe or to bind fast which S. Thomas declaring more at large in the beginning of the booke which he writ against the Opposers of ReligioÌ„ discourseth in this manner We are sayd to hind a thing when we tye it to an other so that it hath not libertie to budge a way from it but when we bind it againe and againe to the same thing to which it was bound before and from which it began to shrinke then we say we haue bound it fast againe Now euery Creature was first in God before it was any thing in it selfe and when it proceeded from God by Creation it was in a manner set a looffe from him Wherefore they that are able and haue capacitie thereunto must returne and conioyne themselues to God againe And the first bond wherwith man is ioyned and fastned to God iâ— Faith which faith expresseth the dutie it owes to God by externall Action Whence it is that the prime and head-signification of this word Religion betokneth al seruice Ceremonie by which in the true worship of God we outwardly testifie our faith But because God is not worshiped by Faith alone nor by the external Acts of Faith only but by other vertues as by Hope and Charitie therfore the Actions of these vertues also are sometimes termed Acts of Religion as to visit the â—atherlesse and widdowes in tribulation as S. Iames speaketh The first signification therfore of Religion is common to all Christians for al of them in that profession which they make at the very first in baptisme doe bind themselues to God and vow to performe their dutie towards him The later signification expressing a tye or obligation to some particular works of Charitie is proper and peculiar to certaine people obliged to some certaine actions of vertue belonging to the Contemplatiue or to the Actiue life And looke how many seuerall kinds there be of these vertuous works so many seueral Religions there may be
iniquitie malice auarice murmurers detractours inuentours of euil such men neuer think of vertue but let vs take a man that is vertuous and vpright that cometh often to the Sacraments that is as Iob sayd of himself a father to the poore an eye to the blind a fâ—ot to the lame and in a word keepeth exactly al the Commandements of God yet liues at his owne wil and the good works which he doth he doth them as he thinks good himself what and how much and how long he pleaseth this man is no il man yea he is highly to be commended yet if we talke of perfection he is farre inferiour to a Religious man For his owne wil may beaâ—e great sway in al the good deeds he doth vndertaking them or continuing them because he finds a sweetnes in them and the exercise of them is pleasing to his wil which oftimes while we think not or reflect not on it seeketh itself and when it falles-out to be so our owne wil is to be taken for the source and fountaine of al those actions howsoeuer they may carrie a faiâ—e shew and be he what he wil he is not farre from that deceit which S. Gregorie attributes to vayne-glorie that whether it be taken in earthlie things or in heauenlie vertues the vice is the same but that it puts-on an other hue that it may not be discouered So it hapneth oftimes in good works we think we serue God and we serue ourselues for it may be that though the works be good and in others to be commended yet God who is Soueraigne ouer al doth not perhaps desire that kind of work at thy hands but some other or if he would haue thee bestow thy time in that which thou doest yet it was a chance that thou dilst fal vpon it not weighing so much what might be pleasing to God as suffering thyself to be driuen vpon it by thine owne inclination and desire 6. Now if things which of themselues are good and spiritual do lye open to so much deceit what shal we think of other things which are indifferent and may be made good or euil according to the circumstances with which we do them such as are most part of humane actions as to go to stay to bargain to do this or that or not to do it these things are to be done according to the wil and pleasure of God as I sayd before And how shal our soules haue light concerning them vnlesse we haue meanes to deriue it into vs and a rule to instruct and enlighten vs in these particulars Therefore no doubt but as the staâ—e and course of life wherin we retayne our owne wil and suffer ourselues to be carryed by the inclinations thereof is subiect to al the inconueniences that grow from our owne wil as I haue heertofore declared On the other side Religious people who giue away their owne wils and by daylie purpose and endeauour and moreouer by Vow depriue themselues wholy of it are free from these dangers and daÌ„mages And thus Religion hauing once digged-vp the foundation of self-wil it doth easily ouercome and put to flight al the other opponents of the Diuine wil which 〈◊〉 rehearsed before out of S. Bernard It ouercometh Mâ—lice instilling Pietie and vnfayned Charitie It strengthneth our Infirmitie by holesome counsel practise of Fortitude and Patience With the sithe of Mortification it cutteth downe aâ— manner of Concupiscence engrafting in lieu therof an earnest desire and thirst of the true and Soueraigne Good Finally it instructeth our Ignorance with that fulnes that no man can doubt what God requireth at our hands For in Religion there be mâ—nie most certain wayes to know the wil of God of which wayes because it is to our purpose we wil heer say something 7 〈◊〉 in the place aboue alleaged hauing spoken of the necessitie and 〈…〉 of this busines setteth downe the meanes by which we may ouercome it Whosoeuer sayth he wil know the wil of God must lay aside their owne fancies and opinions and first put themselues in an indifferencie inclining to neither side but be prompt and readie at euerie signe which God shal giue them of his wil Secondly with sincere confidence they must beseech their Fathers and spiritual Brethren to tel them what they are to doe and receaue the aduice which they shal giue them without anie doubt or demurre as if it came from the mouth of God though they whom they aske be not themselues very perfect or spiritual For God is not vniust that he wil decâ—auâ— those soules which with confidence and humilitie submit themselues to an other's directiâ—n For if God at the sound of a Cythern did declare to the Propâ—et Elizeus what he desired to know much more wil he doe it by the voyce of a reasonable man as being an Instrument more apt to receaue influence from him Thus sayth Climacuâ— whose argument if it hold in anie priuate man in regard of the humilitie wherewith we subiect ourselues to an other man much more must it hold in one that is our lawful Superiour and God's Vice-gerâ—nt ouer vs and we may be very confident that when we obey such a Ruler of our life and actions in anie thing that is not expresly contrarie to the Law of God we do the wil of God himself saying He that heareth you heareth me 8. This is the great happines which a Religious man hath a happines then which there can not in this life be a greater resembling the happines which the Angels in heauen enioy of whom as noble and blessed as they are the Prophet Dauid could not giue a greater commendation then to stile them as he doth in a certain Psalme powerful in vertue doing his word to heare the voyce of his speech â—l you his minâ—stâ—rs who doe his wâ—l And our Lord and Sauiour himself did not think we could aske of God a better or more holesome thing then that which he taught vs in that Diuine forme of prayer Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen And if there be a place on earth where the wil of God is alwayes fulfilled though not equally as it is in heauen yet in a manner very neere vnto it Religion is it where euerie one is most readie and free to obey God at euerie little signe of his wâ—l and God doth gouerne and direct euerie one in what manner and in what things he is best pleased by the hand and conduct of the Rectours and Superiours 9. The Iewes of old had recourse to the Arke and in presence therof consulted God when anie matter of difficultie did arise and we read that Dauid specially among the rest by answer receaued from thence was deliuered from manie dangers and foretold manie things which he was to acte as touching the assault which he made vpon Cela and the treacherie of the men of that towne that he should go
THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS STATE Diuided into three Bookes Written in Latin by FA. HIEROME PLATVS of the Societie of IESVS AND now translated into English PERMISSV SVPERIORVM ANNO DOMINI M. DC XXXII THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HAPPINES OF A RELIGIOVS STATE THE PREFACE Of the beautie of a Religious State and how it hath been euer opposed by the Diuel IF the nature of man had alwaies remained vpright and intire as it was created by God the course towards immortal life and glorie for which he was created would haue been vnto him both easie and pleasant without anie other help then the grace of God which in his first beginning he should haue receaued and al his life-time after abundantly encreased through his owne deserts But now since it hath been so much enfeebled stayned and broken first by original sinne which from one hath passed through al mankinde then by the sinnes which are proper to euerie man and seing moreouer he is in a perpetual combat and strife with the world in which he liues and with the Princes and powers of this darknes by whom he is most fiercely and maliciously opposed nothing can be more hard vnto him or more laborious then to raise his lumpish thoughts and decayed nature to that happie State for which he was ordained nothing more easie and readie then to fayle thereof and to runne headlong downe to euerlasting ruine both of bodie and soule The Creatour therefore and gouernour of mankinde whose nature is goodnesse whose work is mercie as S. Leo speaketh hath euer been carefull and doth neuer cease to support and fortifie this weakenes of ours with most conuenient remedies and 〈◊〉 offer vnto al of his Diuine help whereby they may securely if they wil and also with facilitie compasse the great work of their soule 's saluation Out of which heauenlie fountaine do issue al spiritual counsels aduises and reasons and al that varietie of holie Inuentions as I may tearme theÌ„ which we see in the Catholick Church proposed by our sweet Lord and Sauiour IESVS partly to vphold man that he fal not being of himself so weake prone to euil partly to raise him if he haue chanced to fal partly againe to strengthen and confirme him in the continual pursuite of al Christian dutie and perfection Among which Diuine Inuentions and helps a Religious State is worthily to be reckoned yea it is the chiefest and the greatest of them al and the benefit and spiritual commodities thereof are euerie way so rare and excellent that without al doubt among al the heauenlie addresses and remedies and rules of wel liuing which before I mentioned nothing can be I doe not say of greater but of equal esteeme and value with this For it doth not direct vs in one thing alone at one time or in one busines and exercise as do most of other spiritual graces and guifts but it stretcheth itself to our whole life and embraceth euerie part and parcel thereof leading vs by the hand to the performance of al perfect vertue with that sasenes and dexteritie as that remouing al lets and impediments â— affordeth as much help succour and defence as can be wished and doth in verie deed bring it so to passe that freed from the hand of our enemies we serue him who is our onlie true Lord and God in sanctitie and iustice in his sight al the dayes of our life First therefore it taketh away and keepeth from vs al occasions and allurements of sinne remouing vs out of the world and wordlie traffick into a most calme and quiet hauen or rather into a strong fortifyed Castle where we may easily withstand the Diuel and purchase a glorious conquest ouer him though to his strength no power vpon earth can be compared And hauing layd this ground and cleared the earth of our soules of the thornes and thistles which choake the corne it soweth in them the good seed of al spiritual vertues of which though manie may and ought to be practised by al Christians yet we find by experience that few men endeauour in them But the verie trade of life which the Religious do professe doth put them in a way of gayning them in a more assured more plentiful and more permanent manner For it ministreth frequent and daylie occasion of the exercise of al vertue and by continual practise it engrafteth by little and little good habits in the mind and good customes in our outward actions In brief it teacheth no other thing then to bend al our care thoughts and desires towards the seruice and feare of God and the obtayning of a most inward coniunction with that infinit Sanctitie But besides the vertues which as I sayd may be practised by al there be others so proper to a Religious State that they are not to be found in anie other Course such is the Pouertie and absolute Renunciation of al things which they professe their Obedience and entire denyal of their owne wils their despising and setting at naught al things which are in this world and of which the world doth vsually vant itself and glorie which Religion doth so absolutly and of seâ— purpose neglect and tread vnder foot that among other most excellent dispositions of the mind it doth worke and settle this contempt of al inferiour things most of al in them then which there can not be a more profitable or more noble a resolution And ouer and aboue the beneâ—it which euerie one by himself and by his priuat endeauour doth reap there is yet a farre greater arising out of that bond and conuexion which passeth more straightly betwixt so manie soules liuing togeather by which the whole multitude of them is so inwardly linked and knit al vnder one that of manie members they become one bodie For among those that serue God one by one though they serue him with al care and diligence euerie one is put to trie his strength by himself and to wâ—astle against his enemies with his owne single forces But in a Religious companie the abilitie of one is so mingled and tempered with the abilitie of al the rest and the good deeds of al are so common to euerie one and particular that they are rich and enabled not onely by their owne but with each others wealth and substance and certainly innumerable commodities do accrue vnto euerie one from this common link and affinitie Now in the framing of al natural things we see that God hath had particular regard to couple beautie and sightlines with vseful commoditie as in Man the frame of whose bodie and the fashion of euerie part thereof is not onely fitted for conuenient motion and seruice but made comelie and goodlie to see to which is easily discouered by the il sauourdnesse which appeareth if anie one of his members be wrested aside or set awry Seing therefore the Al-creating Wisedome hath so carefully obserued this course in the inferiour
erected for the performance of them Thus sayth S. Thomas in that place But you wil better conceaue his meaning if first you vnderstand that the word Religion signifieth two things Sometimes it is taken for one particular kind of vertue which wee cal Religion and is a braÌ„ch of Iustice sometimes it is taken for a state of life grounded in this vertue Wherfore if we once know the nature and qualitie of the vertue it self we shal the easier come to vnderstand what the state of Religion is 2. It is therfore a general doctrine among Diuines that the peculier office of Religion as a particular vertue is to worship God duly and as his infinite Maiestie doth deserue in regard of his Excellencie and preheminency aboue all things and for the great benefits which we haue receaued and dayly receaue at his hands Which worship being partly inward in the mind and partly consisting of outward duties as Ceremonies Rites Sacrifices and the like The vertue of Religion comprehends them both and performeth both the inward and the outward Actions And they that imploy themselues in these kinds of seruices towards God bestow themselues wholy in them are called Religious But to the End that a Man may be sayd to be in a Religious Estate it is moreouer necessarie that he giue himself so wholy to the workes of diuine worship that he rid himself of al things that may hinder him in the performance of them For as S. Thomas sayth wel in the same place as in baptisme we die to sinne so by taking vpon vs a Religious state we die moreouer to the world as much as concerneth that particular worke which euery one doth professe And as the life of the soule is taken from it by sinne so the seruice of God is hindred by worldly businesse Which the Apostle doth giue to vnderstand when he sayth No man being a souldiar to God intangleth himself in secular businesse 3. Now if we rightly consider three things especially in this world hinder vs in the seruice of God Riches Bodily pleasures not only those which are vnlawful and forbidden by the Commaundements of God for they are sinfull but those pleasures also which are bounded with wedlock and lastly our Owne Wil which if we giue it the reyns growe's vnruly and carrie's vs to al ambitious pretences of superioritie and commaund Wherfore they that wil truly and wholy dedicate themselues to God must barre themselues of these three things to wit of Riches by Pouertie of Wedlock by Chastitie and curbe the vnrulynesse of their wil by Obedience And thus we come to haue the description of Religion which we sought for al this while For Religion is a state which endeauoureth to Christian perfection by the three vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience The Christian perfection of which heere we speake without al doubt consisteth in the loue of God casting aside the loue of our selues and of all Creatures It is sayd therfore that this state endeauoureth to this perfection and not that it hath already got it or that it is already perfect because it is not required that a Religious man should be already perfect or haue attained absolute perfection neither doth he make profession of that but he satisfieth his obligation if he aspire and endeauour to it Finally it is called a State because it is necessarie that this kind of life be constant firme perpetuall immoueable For it is one thing to be peâ—fect and another thing to be in State of perfection Al may be perfect through vertue Innocencie holynesse of life To be in a State something els is required As if one man serue an other man and doe it of his owne good wil how much and how long he pleaseth as one friend is wont to wayte vpon an other this doth not alter his state and condition But if a man giue himself wholy ouer for euer and bind himself vnto another this alter's his estate because of a freeman he mak's himself a bond-man so the workes of pietie and Religion of themselues do not make a Religious man but it is moreouer required first that by promise and expresse vow he oblige himself to those workes so that from thence forth he is not free to leaue them nor so much as to haue a mind to leaue them when he wil. Secondly this obligation must be vndertaken not for some certaine determinate time but for ones whole life time and when these two things meete togeather it is called a State by reason of the firmenesse and stabilitie of it Which firmenesse and stabilitie is made much more strong and of greater weight by the Auctoritie and Approbation of the Pope who as in al other things so in confirming and establishing Religious Institutions beareth that sway which beseemeth the person of him who is Christ's-vicar vpon earth with power to bind in heauen whatsoeuer he shal bind on earth His approbation therfore is so necessarie that without it the very vowes which we make haue not that force and strength which otherwise they haue and the Religion it self is not truly a ReligioÌ„ not that the Popes Approbation doth pertayne to the intrinsecal nature of Religion For that is grounded vpon the Institution of our Sauiour Christ and the Euangelicall doctrine but because as in seueral manners of liuing which are â—â—uerily brought in as men are seuerally disposed there may be many errours and 〈…〉 and auoid these errours it hath beene profitably prouided that no man should fouÌ„d a Religious order without coÌ„sent Approbation of the Sea Apostolick And for any thing we find recorded S. Dominick S. Francis each of them seuerally for their owne order were the first that presented a draught of their Institute to Pope Innocent the third to be approued by him this they did rather volontarily of their owne accord then coÌ„pelled by law or CaÌ„non And it happening about the time of the Councell of Lateran it was decreed in that Councel that euer after it should be generally practised which decree not many yeares after was reuiued by Gregorie the tenth in the Councel of Lions so brought in vse in the whole Church 4. By this therfore which hath been sayd we may discouer somewhat not only what a Religious life is but the beautie excelleÌ„cie thereof it being the prime of so great a vertue as is Religion For Religion though it be reckned amoÌ„g those which we cal Moral vertues yet of Moral vertues it is the greatest and though the immediate obiect of it be not God but the inward or outward actions of man which it vndertaketh to direct fashion and traine vp in the seruice of God it hath notwithstaÌ„ding so neere relation to that infinite Maiestie that it is the very next of al others to the three Theological vertues which by beleeuing hoping and louing do as it were plunge and steepe themselues
he slayeth himself with the sword of his commandment Wherby we may see how farre a Religious life doth surpasse not only a secular life that is vitious and debaushed but an honest and commendable life For the best that can be sayd of a secular man is that he giueth himself to good works which is not to be compared with the perfect and intire oblation of ourselues by perpetual Obedience And this excellencie of Obedience is that which makes it to be so meritorious as it is for they that order the good which they do according to their owne wil and pleasure doe merit no more then the price and worth of the action itself can giue them but Obedience addeth a great deale more for it doth not only make those actions better which are good in themselues but ennobleth those that otherwise of themselues are nothing worth and maketh them exceeding grateful in the sight of God For what is in itself more ordinarie and meane then to eate and drink to haue care of bodilie health to walke for recreation sake and such like natural or necessarie actions which notwithstanding are highly esteemed of God if they be performed vpon intent of doing that which we are bid to doe by those that haue lawful command ouer vs. Wherefore they are in the right who compare Obedience to a wand that hath vertue to turne that which it toucheth into gold for such a wand would not only make siluer and such pretious mettals more pretious then they are in themselues but put an incomparable value vpon wood stones and verie earth which of themselues are little or nothing worth 2. And if we wil know what fruit comes of Obedience S. Gregorie hath comprized an inestimable prayse therof in few words saying Obedience is the onlie Vertue which planteth al other vertues in the mind and preserueth them after they are once planted It planteth them two seueral wayes First because the liberal offer of himself which man makes to God prouoketh God to be bountiful and liberal againe towards him for God is of that disposition and goodnes that he wil neuer suffer himself to be ouercome in bountie and loue and seruices done vnto him and consequently whosoeuer shal giue himself and al that he hath freely vnto him shal be sure to receaue from him againe al spiritual graces and finally God himself Secondly it planteth other vertues in the mind because in the practise of Obedience we must necessarily practise them al for when we subiect ourselues to an other man for God we practise Humilitie in a high degree putting ourselues vnder one to whome in nature we are equal and in other things perhaps better then he we practise Patience vndergoing things that are hard contrarie to our wil and inclination we practise Fayth reuerencing God whom we see not in man whom we doe behold and acknowledging that the care prouidence of Almightie God doth watch ouer vs in him we practise Hope contemning things presâ—nt but charitie most of al and in an action which of itself is very difficult to wit preferring the wil of God before our owne wil and pleasure so that we see that the exercise of al the rarest Vertues of Christian life is contayned in this one vertue of Obedience and consequently that as S. Gregorie teacheth it doth plant al other vertues in the mind and while it prospereth al the rest doe prosper and encrease It also conserueth them which is an other benefit and glorie of this vertue for al other vertues in a manner are subiect to be wronged and shaken and stolen from vs by the Diuels who lye like theeues in wayte for such pretious iewels and the more they are worth the more those hellish Fiends doe whet their teeth against them yea the vertues themselues may in some sort be sayd to destroy themselues not that there is anie fault in them but through the pride and arrogance of those that possesse them as it hapned to Lucifer who as Esay the prophet sayth was adorned with al kind of pretious stones but those verie ornaments threw him downe headlong from the heauenlie habitation But Obedience preserueth itself the other vertues which it bringeth with it because it trusteth not to itself nor attributeth anie thing to itself nor indeed reserueth anie thing for itself but taking no thought of itself it casts itself wholy into the hands of God out of whose hands no bodie can take vs as our Sauiour sayth For either the Enemie dares not approach or if he attempt vpon vs it doth now belong to God in whose hands we are to sight for vs or to giue vs so much strength that we shal easily withstand his furie And so S. Gregorie sayth in another place The exercises of those that doe obey are Sacrifices for while we are obedient to men for God we ouercome the proude Spirit With other vertues we fight against the Diuels by Obedience we vanquish them Wherefore they that are obedient are conquerours because while of their owne accord they subiect their wil to others by Obedience they command ouer the Angels that are fallen These are the fruits of Obedience alone for so S. Gregorie speaketh Obedience is the onlie vertue which planteth al other vertues in the mind Whereby it appeareth how great a good is wanting to al Secular people and on the other side how strayte and solid and short a way Religious people walke to Perfection their life being nothing else but Obedience and so finding meanes by the practise of one onlie Vertue to compasse al the rest with great ease and expedition Wherefore Climacus sayth that Obedience is a perfect abnegation of our soule and bodie a voluntarie death a life voyde of care a iourney by water without dammage the burial of our wil a life of humilitie and as if a man should trauel sleeping that to liue in Obedience is to lay our burthen vpon an other's shoulders to swimme vpon an other's arme to be held-vp by the chin that we sink not but passe the huge gulf of this life without daÌ„ger at a short cut What could be spoken more pithily in commendation of this Vertue But where he sayth We trauel sleeping me thinks is specially to be noted and pondered for the giueth vs to vndertand that by Obedience we are carried like litle children in an other's armes so that al the care trouble belongs to them that carrie vs and where this spiritual iourney is toylesome laborious to some and dangerous to others and ful of hazard Religious people haue so easie a time of it by means of this Vertue that they do not so much as feele their iourney 3. There is an other commoditie of Obedience in which we may truly say al other commodities are contayned to wit that it doth subiect vs and al our actions to the wil pleasure of God so perfectly that they are wholy
to account in Iudgement bearing their bundles Hence the Psalmist sayth againe of euerie one of the Elect Who hath not receaued his soule in vayne For he receaueth his soule in vayne who thinking only of things present mindes not those that follow for euer He receaueth his soule in vayne who neglecting the life therof doth preferre the care of the bodie before it But the Iust receaue not their soules in vayne who with continual attention referre al that they doe in their bodies to the profit of their soule that when the work is past the cause of the work may not passe away which purchaseth the rewards of life after this life 3. Among these iust men whom S. Gregorie commendeth Religious people are chiefly to be reckoned but we are to shew that the State itself doth giue them great aduantage aboue others in it Two things therefore are required to merit the thing which we doe and the end for which we doe it This S. Bernard calleth the two cheekes of the Spouse he that wanteth either of them must needs be exceedingly deformed much more if he want them both He that handles temporal things for temporal respects wanteth both he that doth a spiritual thing for a temporal end is deformed in one of them Now that in which Religious people bestow themselues is God's owne busines wherin it is vnspeakable and in a manner vncredible what aduantage they haue of secular people For there be vsually two things in secular people which doe lessen their merit or depriue them wholy of it First that they must of necessitie busie themselues in earthlie and temporal things as to maintaine their children and familie to place their daughters to furnish al other charges of house-keeping Secondly that whatsoeuer they doe it is for themselues and for their owne priuate commoditie their thoughts runne vpon nothing els but how they and theirs may liue in plentie and ease Now he that taketh paynes only for himself and for his owne benefit serueth himself and no bodie els and therefore cannot without impudencie and iniustice demand reward or hire of an other Hence it cometh that the workes of most men when they come to be weighed in the balance of equitie of God himself are found faultie and noâ— current the truth wherof was on a time shewed in a strange Vision to the great Arsenius a famous Heremit First he thought he saw a man very busie in cutting downe wood and when he had bound it vp in a bundle he was taking it vpon his shoulders and could not it was so big heauie to help himself he stil cut downe more wood made his burthen bigger and bigger Againe he saw another labouring al day to draw water and when he had it he powred it into a vessel without a bottome it ranne al away This Vision an Angel interpreted vnto him sayd that the first were they that heape sinne vpon sinne the second are they that doe their works for humane ends by which meanes the works presently perish and auayle them nothing towards life euerlasting And if there be anie as certainly there be some few in the world so wise and warie as to direct their actions carefully to God yet the actions themselues being of their owne nature earthlie they must be continually labouring and toyling to rayse them and keepe them vp from the earth which endeauour of theirâ— being somewhat violent cannot last long and so they quickly shrinck downewards to the earth againe as their nature drawes them It hapneth quite otherwise with Religious people for first forsaking their owne house and goods they are taken into the house of God and his Familie and consequently whatsoeuer busines they haue there it is properly God's and so long as they are employed in it they labour for God and not for themselues so that if we compare the state of a Secular man that liues wel and vpright with the state of a man that liues in Religion there is this difference betwixt them that the one serueth as a friend the other as a seruant a friend by entreatie or of his owne accord may do his friend some seruice but yet he is to liue of himself and must prouide for his owne occasions a seruant that dwelleth with his maister al that he doth must be for his Maister 's seruice so when a Religious man hath left al that he had and put himself into the seruice of God he must of force and in a manner whether he wil or no attend God Almightie's busines and day and night wayte vpon him and he can doe no other because he hath withdrawne himself from his owne priuate affayres not only in wil and purpose but by distance of place and absence from the things themselues 4. Moreouer that which we handle in Religion is not properly earthlie but for the most part Spiritual or mingled with some Spiritual thing For al that a Religious man doth may be reduced to three heads First are the actions which are immediatly directed to God as Prayer Contemplation the vse of the Sacraments the practice of the vertues of Humilitie Charitie Pennance internal by contrition of hart and external by punishing the bodie in which actions a Religious man spends the greater part of his life and no bodie can make anie doubt but they tend directly of their owne nature without anie labour of ours to God and deserue a reward at his hands There be other works that are external yet proceede from the verie bowels of Religion as to preach to heare Confessions to encourage others to deuotion to giue good aduice to those that aske it and oftimes to those that doe not aske it as the Apostle wisheth opportunity and importunely finally whatsoeuer is done for the spiritual help of our Neighbour to which we may adde the employments which are as it were preparatiâ—ns to the former to wit to studie priuately or in publick Schoole to dispute to write that thereby they may benefit themselues or others and such like These things though they be not so immediatly set vpon God as the former yet of their owne nature they tend to the same end and consequently vnlesse they be wrested and corrupted by a different end and intention from without they are of themselues good and grateful to God so that there is great difference betwixt the employments of a Secular and a Religious man because these be of their owne nature Spiritual and meritorious vnlesse they be marred by some extrinsecal accident Secular peoples busines is of itself earthlie and temporal and alwayes cleaues to the earth and dyes with it vnlesse it be raysed by some other meanes And who is so strong and able amidst so much weaknes as is in a Secular life as to stand perpetual Sentinel watching ouer his works and alwayes to keep his bow at that ful bent that his arrowes his actions I meane may flye aloft
betooke himselfe to Religion and al the rest soone after tooke in at the same port of saluation 7. And certaynly if we cast vp the particulars of al the great commodities wherof I haue at large discoursed we shal find that in this one benefit of Religion al in a manner is contayned that we can possibly desire a consideration which we should alwayes haue before our eyes haue deeply imprinted in our harts For heere we haue perfect remission of al our former offences as in a second Baptisme our flesh is tamed by holy sobrietie we are at leasure to think of heauenly things and seuered from al that may any way hurt our soule The wil of God is the rule of our actions and al kind of vertue in continual and vigorous practise Heere we receaue direction from Superiours light from particular Rules abundance of inward grace increase of meriâ— comfort in fraternal charitie mutual assistance and part of al the good works that are done among vs. Al which are in themselues wonderful beneficial but withal greatly innobled and imbellished by the golden linke of our vowes and crowned at last at the howre of our death with that securitie which a state so remote from the world and so neere bordering vpon heauen and heauenly things doth vsually bring vnto vs. To the accomplishment and preseruation wherof do concurre the particular loue fauour and protection of God and our B. Ladie a thing wonderfully to be esteemed both for the profit and pleasure which accompanie it 8. Seeing therefore we find so much wealth and riches in a Religious State what can we reckon it to be other then the Treasure hidden in the field which when the man had found for ioye he went and sold al that he had and bought that field For certainly Religion may most truly be called a Treasure or rather it contayneth an infinite Treasure seeing it hath within it so infinite riches and such abundance of wealth not of one kind only but al manner of wealth heaped in a masse togeather Now he that findeth a Treasure hath great aduantage ouer another man that is rich by trading or otherwise for he that trades for exaÌ„ple cometh to his wealth by much paynes and labour and runneth many hazards in the purchasing therof and it is long before he get it togeaâ—her but he that finds a treasure lights vpon al togeather without labour or danger and in a moment is raysed to excessiue wealth and happines But it is not euery body that sighâ—s vpon it but rather very fewe So secular people increase their stock of vertue by much and long striuing for it and oftimes they suffer shipwrack and in one houre leese al that they had laied vp togeather in many yeares by falling but into one mortal synne which alas how easy yea how daâ—ly a thing is it in a sea so ful of shelues and tempests A Religious man findeth a Treasure and consequently is farre more happie because al at once is heaped and thronged vpon him The state it selfe and vocation breatheth as it were into his hart the spirit of Pouertie and a particular affection to Chastitie and Obedience as things contayned in the very spirit of Religion and withal it giueth him al other vertues as necessarie attendants partly flowing from those three and partly needful for the vpholding of them A treasure where not golden Iaspars or orient Pearles but more pretious and truer Gemmes of great esteeme and vse not only in earth but in heauen are heaped togeather But yet a hidden treasure because few do know the value of it few do find it for that which our Sauiour sayd of Eunuches is very true not al take this word but to whom it is giuen and where is it hidden In the field a place voyd of companie free from the noyse of Ambition from toylesome trafick from the Courts of Princes and yet not in a wood or vpon a hil but in a field wher people vse to plough and sowe and bestow labour in manuring the ground al which agreeth fitly to Religion for it is seuered from the turmoyles of the world and cultiuateth the mind with al spiritual industrie sparing no labour precaution mortification and it can no sooner be layd fayre open before our eyes by the light which God doth giue vs but presently our mind is so violently taken and inflamed with desire of it that no strength no bonds can withhold vs from running to possesse ourselues of it and that with ioye as out Sauiour speaketh not weeping and lamenting as if a man were to vndergo some great trouble or crosse but as to a ioyful and gladsome and fortunate busines in fine as to a Treasure But the more pretious the thing is the more ought we to consider by what meanes we may come to the possession of this happie field wherin so great a treasure is hidden for we cannot haue it for nothing but must buy it and buy it at the rate at which our Sauiour who hath it to sel hath set it that is by selling al that we haue and buying it therwith To purchase this field we must forgo al possessions Moneyes preferments friends parents kinsfolke ourselues which is boâ—h most exactly performed by entring into Religion and is not easy to say how it can be done otherwise Where by the way we may consider the goodnes of God in noâ— determining any certaine summe of money or wealth least he that could not make so much might be excluded from the purchase of so worthy a thing and haâ—h withal out of his infinit wisdome ordayned that the price should be not so much to giue what we had as to forsake it to the end that whether we haue much or whether we haue little or nothing at al we may be al admitted to the purchase so we leaue al and retayne nothing to ourselues not so much as the hope or possibilitie of hauing any thing By which means in very deed we do not wholy relinquish that which we leaue but we make an exchange therof for that which is farre better and better worth purchasing so incomparable a treasure at so easie a rate a treasure wherin we shal haue the price we gaue returned vpon vs agayne and infinitly more added vnto it Which S. Hierome telleth vs in these words We receaue more them we gaâ—â— we forsooke a smal thing and haue entred vpon great possessions the promises of Christ are performed with returne of hundred fold which being wel considered and prouing so true and certaine as doubtlesse it is what hart can be so cold as not to burne with desire and loue of so pretious a Margariâ—e so inestimable a Iewel and Treasure or who is there that hath already bought it but wil esteeme so highly of it as certainly to preferre it before kingdomes and seates of honour and make account of al gold and syluer as a little sand or durt in
Now that he did value Obedience at a very high rate is euident because whatsoeuer he did or sayd or proiected in his life-time though al other vertues had a part in it is notwithstanding in a manner wholy ascribed to Obedience For of himself he sayth that he came downe from heauen not to do his owne wil but the wil of his Father that sent him And S. Paul ascribeth his whole life and death and the particular manner of his death wholy to Obedience He was made obedient to death yea the death of the Crosse. Finally S. Bernard affirmeth that he preferred Obedience before his life choosing rather to die then not to obey Obedience therfore must needs be a great vertue or rather there is something diuine and more then vertue in it seing the Sonne of God the sampler of perfection he that came of purpose to put vs into the way of perfection did himself so seriously practice it and commended it to vs to be no lesse seriously obserued by vs. S. Thomas doth giue this manifest reason of the importance and excellencie of it for as sayth he in natural things it was necessarie that the things which are higher should moue the inferiour by the abundance of natural vertues instilled by God into them so in humane gouernment good order did require that one should direct another by force of authoritie and power communicated by God which direction depending of reason and wil is not executed but by precept and command Wherein as the same Saint affirmeth as the rule of our actions is no humane thing but the first rule of al is the Diuine Wil gouerning and ruling al other wils whereof one is more neere vnto him then another according to the order which God himself hath instituted Which discourse of S. Thomas doth clearly discouer vnto vs the noblenesse of Obedience because it conioyneth our wil and iudgement intirely with God in which coniunction al perfection of men and Angels doth consist For neither almes-deeds nor preaching of the word of God nor whatsoeuer austeritie and why should I stand to reckon vp al particulars Martyrdome itself is of no esteeme nor merit vnlesse it haue relation to the performance of the Wil of God Wherefore as Charitie is vsually called the Queene of Vertues Obedience certainly is the next vnto it and resembleth it very much in al things for both of them conioyne vs with God both of them make vs to accept or refuse that which God desireth or refuseth The difference is that Charitie worketh in nature of a friend Obedience in nature of a subiect so that though the manner be different the thing is the same and the profit no lesse of the one then of the other and in it we see the excellencie of Obedience whereof we speake in regard that going through al our actions it directeth them by a rule Diuine to wit by the self-same rule wherewith the actions of God himself are directed And what dignitie can be greater in anie creature Vpon which ground Diuines do stile Obedience the forme or sampler of other vertues because the actions of al other vertues do ayme at nothing els but to performe the commands of God 3. Whereunto we may adde another excellencie to wit that though it be a peculiar vertue by itself yet it hath a general extent to al things comprehending whatsoeuer may happen in the life of man For whosoeuer giueth himself wholy ouer and subiected himself wholy to another man reserueth nothing at al neither place nor worke nor any employment neither outward nor inward busines So that whether he be in action or out of action whether he remayne stil in a place or be vpon going whether he vndertake or leaue or alter from this busines or the other whether the matter be great or smal he is absolutely obliged in al things true Obedience taketh hold seasoneth and perfecteth al. And moreouer al vertues concurre in it and as it were attend vpon it to the perfecting of a most admirable peece of worke compounded of many gemmes and pretious stones For no man can euer subiect himself wholy to another man vnlesse he be first greatly inflamed with the loue of God and haue placed his whole trust and confidence vpon him he must also haue great and profound humilitie patience fortitude constancie and al other vertues for if Obedience want anie of them it wil quickly beginne to halte and suddainly fayle and fal to the ground 4. But nothing doth shew the excellencie of this Vertue more then the consideration of the matter to which it doth extend itself which al Maisters of Spirit assigne to be threefold First al outward things commanded by Superiours the execution whereof belongeth to Obedience which is the lowest and least part of Obedience and of itself very imperfect and if nothing els concurre with it it is but such as slaues and brute beasts haue which are ruled by outward force but their wil doth not concurre therunto The second degree therefore is a step higher and comprehendeth the wil which as S. Gregorie speaketh is killed and sacrificed by Obedience For the wil of the subiect conspiring with the wil of his Superiour they are both perfectly conioyned togeather or rather the subiect wholy casting off and rooting out his owne wil hath the wil of the Superiour fully ingrafted in him and is moued and wealded by it euery way as if it were his owne The third and highest degree of this Vertue is to subiect also our reason and iudgement to the iudgement of our Superiours and not only to wil but to think the self same thing with them and esteeme it right reasonable and profitable whatsoeuer they shal ordaine in a word that their onlie beck beare such an authoritie in our minde that vnlesse it be apparently contrarie to the knowne commandment of God their iudgement and opinion do wholy swey ours and lead it captiue after it 5. This is as it were the feature and beautiful countenance of Obedience which if men could behold with their corporal eyes they would be greatly inflamed with the comelie sight and noble aspect therof Obedience also is a guift presented to the Diuine Maiestie wherefore looke how much the thing which is presented is iustly to be valued so much is Obedience to be prized Now what hath man more worthie or more deare vnto him then reason and wil For to be a man he must haue them both and consequently loue them as much as he loues himself For if naturally we loue our flesh and bone and the least parcel of them so dearely that to preserue them we wil take any paines what affection must we needes haue to those higher parts parts more noble and more essential to the nature of man and so we find that nothing is more natural to vs then to preserue not only the powers of our wil and vnderstanding but the verie vse
his promise What therefore can be more welcome to a Religious man then to behold the forme of this assignement and promise Amen I say vnto you that you that haue forsaken al things and followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shalsâ— you also shal sit vpon twelve Seates iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel Where naming the twelue Tribes of Israel he doth not vnderstand only the people of the Iewes but in a phrase in which the Scripture is wont to speake he â— mâ—râ—hendeth al the Kingdome of God and al the Faithful And by the word you shal sit first he giueth vs to vnderstand the office of a Iudge secondly the securitie and eminencie of dignitie aboue the rest and lastly a place of sitting neare vnto Christ our Iudge 4. And it must not stumble anie man that he maketh mention only of twelue Seates For as S. Augustin answering this verie obiection wel obserueth there is a mysterie in those words and by that certain number of Twelue whatsoeuer other greater number is to be vnderstood For if there must be precisely but twelue Seates and no more S. Paul who is the thirteenth Apostle shal not haue where to sit and consequently shal not be able to iudge and yet he saith of himself that he shal iudge not only men but Angels Not only therefore saith S. Augustin the twelue Apostles and S. Paul but as manie as shal iudge shal haue place in the twelue Seates by reason of the Vniuersalitie which the word doth signifie And this which S. Augustin saith is grounded vpon good reason For as the tenure of the promise of our Sauiour doth found the onlie cause why this power and glorie was conserred vpon the Apostles was because they had forsaken al and followed him wherefore al they that haue done the like and forsaken al worldlie wealth forgoing the hopes and desires therof haue put themselues into the schoole of Christ shal haue riâ—ht to the like reward promotion For that the Apostles followed Christ when he was present with them and Religious people follow him now he is not present doth not diminish the value of their faith and seruice but doth rather encrease it For they had manie motiues therunto which we haue not as miracles wrought before their eyes the sweetnes of his dillie conuersation and of his doctrine whereof S. Peter speaking in the name of the rest sayd Lord to whome shal we go thou hast words of life euerlasting 6. Neither is the merit euer a whit the lesse by reason that they were immediatly subiect to our Sauiour we subiect ourselues to another man that beareth his place For now also they that subiect themselues in this maÌ„ner subiect themselues to Christ whome they acknowledge and reuerence in the person of that man and if we value this busines by the fayth and fidelitie which is practised in it perhaps it is the greater act not only to obey a Prince when he deliuereth his owne commands himself but also to obey his meanest officers and ministers commanding in the Prince his name Wherefore though doubtles this action was performed by the Apostles with greater vertue and charitie as hauing the first fruits of the Spirit bestowed vpon them yet if we regard the fact itself we doe the same thing that they did and for the same end and vpon the like motiues as they did Insomuch that S. Bernard doth not stick to glorie both for himself vs that we al haue made prosession of an Apostolical life al of vs are inrolled in the same Apostolical course Which is not to be thouâ—ht to be spoken of the eminent sanctities which they descrued to recâ—â—ne for themselues and for the whole world as the Psalmist doth intimate in these words Let the â—â—â—s receaue peace for the people and the â—â—llâ—ks iustice but of the profession which S. Peter made in behalf of them al saying Behold we haue forsaken al and followed thee Whereunto we may adde that as the Redemption of Man-kind was the proper worke of our Sauiour CHRIST in which respect he is called the Father of the world to come so it was a prerogatiue properly belonging to himself to be Iudge of the world because the Father iudgeth no man but hath giuen al Iudicature to his Sonne And consequently the same our Lord hauing been pleased to associate the Apostles to himself in so great an Office as was the Redemption of Man and not howsoeuer but by meanes of the same pouertie and humilitie and sufferings as himself did vndergoe in this life it belonged to the same his goodnes and also in a kind of equitie it was reason that he should communicate his honour with them that did share in his labours 6. Now certainly Religious people haue their share in labouring with Christ and haue alwayes had for as we shal shew more at large hereafter there haue been at al times some Religious men that haue assisted the Church of God very much euen among the Orders of Monks and much more in later Ages since by special instinct of God Religious Professions haue been directed as wel to the help of others as for their owne saluation And though there be in the Church abundance of other Work-men also who instruct the people and assist them with no smal paines and labours for which they are highly to be commended yet set Religious people aside and where shal we find that Euangelical Pouertie which is so perspicuous by possessing nothing as they may worthily say Behold we haue forsaken al things S. Thomas deliuereth that the Order of Bishops how soeuer it was most certainly instituted by our Sauiour Christ yet it was not instituted with that circumstance of possessions and wealth and external splendour but rather he gaue them instructions how they should be poore when he prescribed that rule Carrie not a satchel nor a scrip and the like but riches were afterward admitted-of by the indulgence and dispensation of the Church times so requiring And this which S. Thomas sayth of Bishops is true of al the rest of the Clergie that minister in the Church Whereby it is apparent that this rare vertue to which our Lord hath promised so great a preheminence in the latter day of Iudgement is not only truly found in Religious men but in a manner is only in them because they alone haue forsaken al things 7. But because this honour is so great and this promise so honourable that the streightnes of our hart can hardly conceaue it should be so let vs settle this distrust by the authoritie of holie Fathers who vnderstanding this saying of our Sauiour in the right sense haue vpon this title taken occasion to enlarge themselues much in commendation of Religion S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his Oration against Iulian the Apostat among other praises of a Monastical life reckoneth also that they are to sit vpon Thrones
glorie of this action of which I haue discoursed in the precedent Chapter be so great that al Princelie power and glorie layd togeather is no wayâ—s to be compared with it yet the glorie which Religious people shal enioy in heauen iâ— farre aboue it For their Iudiciarie power is but temporal their glorie in heauen is eternal the first is but an honour done outwardly vnto them this second is inwardly fixed in their soule which we shal the better vnderstand if we consider that as Fayth doth teach vs though the blisse euerlasting of the Saints be one thing in al of them consisting in the clear sight of that Good in which al good is comprehended to wit the vnchangeable Essence of our GOD yet there be diuers very different degrees of seing it wherof S. Gregorie speaketh in these words Because in this life ther is difference in our works doubtles in the other ther wil be distinctioÌ„ of honours as one is aboue another in merit so one shal surpasse another in the reward Wherefore seing the inequalitie there proceedeth meerly out of the inequalitie heer of merit in this life if we shew that the course of a Religious life in this world doth furnish them with farre more commoditie and plentie of merit heer it wil be easily granted that their reward there must needs be farre more plentiful also in the world to come 2. First therefore this State doth afford farre more abundant occasion of exercising vertue then a Secular life and of vertues more singular and more heroical For in the world a bodie seldome hapneth vpon occasion of doing good vnlesse he be careful in seeking it Religious people haue daylie occasions at home for both their Institute and their Rules and their Suâ—eriours and their Companions al and euerie thing that is in house with them ministreth them occasions of vertuous actions and indeed thrusteth them vpon them and requireth them at their hands And as the work of a carpenter or a smith is wholy in wood or iron because his art is in handling those materials so the works of Religious people is Vertue and they are al day employed in the inward and outward exercises therof Wherin not only our owne desire and deuout endeauour doth help vs but a kind of necessitie of doing wel hauing tyed ourselues to certain Rules orders which compel vs in a manner sâ—metimes to pray sometimes to reade sometimes to employ ourselues in humble offices sometimes in charitable actions towards our neighbour so that though we would not we cannot but doe wel And euerie day and euerie hower being ful of these vertuous practises it is easie to see to what a summe the reckoning wil at last amount To which purpose it is recorded that Aegidâ—us S. Francis his Companion was wont to say If the riuer of Tyber should haue stood and the water been stopt which was wont to haue his course how would it haue been swollen by this time Not only so manie yeares as it hath already had his course but a few dayes would be enough to make it of a Riuer a great Sea The like we may say of Religious people continuing dayly and howerly in vertuous actions and day and night labouring to multiplie them what an â—ncrease of glorie heape of crownes must they needs gather togeather at last 3. Pouertie moreouer is of itself a liuing fountaine of merit by reason of the daylie troubles and incommodities which it bringeth the suffering wherof doth infinitly enrich a Soule And Obedience is no lesse the least and meanest kind of works being by meanes therof oftimes more pleasing to God then faire greater works vndertaken of our owne accord and fancie A Religious life therefore consisting wholy vpon Obedience and al kind of actions great little being ruled by it our verie diet and sleepe and recâ—â—ation and such like who wil be able to say to what an infinit treasure it wil come at length Palladius a Monk and Register of the actions of ancient Monks which himself had seen writeth of himself that being troubled in mind as thinking with himself that he lead but an idle and vnprofitable life in his chamber he went to that famous Macarius of Alexandria who as he was ful of the spirit of God vnderstanding his grief sayd vnto him Answer thy thoughts that for our Sauiour Christ thou keepest the foure walles of thy Cel giuing vs to vnderstaÌ„d how meritorious the works of a Religious man are when vacancie from al work for the loue of God and for the performance of his wil is not to be accounted idle or vnfruitful 4 What shal we say of the humilitie of a Religious course which doubtles is a great glorie vnto it For the saying and promise of our Sauiour must necessarily be fulfilled Euerie one that humbleth himself shal be exalted Which if it be to be vnderstood also of them that inwardly in their mind are humble and think meanly of themselues much more doth it agree to them that are not only humble in mind but haue chosen an humble manner of liuing farre from al pride and oftentation perseuering moreouer in perpetual pouertie which in mens opinon is the basest and most disdaigneful state of al. It is reason therefore they should be exalted in heauen seing they haue so much abased themselues heer on earth 5. Our Sauiour doth also put Religious people in good hope by this other saying He that ministreth to me let him follow me where I am there let him be that is my minister Now among the seruants of Christ there be manie differences For as Kings and Princes haue manie subiects and al of them owe some dutie to him but the name of the King's seruant doth properly follow them that liue in household with the King and are readie at a cal and at a beck and haue no other busines but the King 's So al Christians may be called and are the seruants of Christ but they that haue left their owne houses and possessions and betaken themselues into the house of God to attend wholy and only to his affaires may most truly and most properly challenge this Prerogatiue 6. Wherof Religious people reape another commoditie which I haue spoken of more at large before to wit that seing the busines which they handle is God's and not their owne by occasion of the state itself in which they are they may farre more easily and the more effectually direct al their actions to God and good ends in which the greatest part of our merit doth consist For vnlesse a man wil be wilfully euil and defraud his maister of his seruice as a naughtie seruant doth him of his money and employ it in other vses most of the works which a Religious man doth of themselues doe tend to God others may be easily guided to the same end with smal industrie and labour which works God accepteth
the ladder as he was getting vp and endeuouring the third time to step vp a third Matron asked him what he went about to doe wherefore And hauing told her she willed him rather to beg the assistance of a fourth Ladie which was the Mother of God and Queene of Heauen and told him that herself and the rest would stand his friends He did as he was aduised and our B. Ladie gaue him friendlie audience but asked him in what Science he would choose to be eminent in Philosophie or Diuinitie He like a yong man that had not tasted of higher matters sayth he had rather be eminent in Philosophie And our B. Ladie replyed it shal be as thou desirest but because thou hast preferred this knowledge before the knowledge of my Sonne in thy â—atter dayes thou shalt leese al thy knowledge and fal into thy former dulnes which now shal be taken from thee The Vision vanishing he presently felt an alteration in himself and euer after was easily maister of whatsoeuer he heard or read or if he met with anie difficult question he turned himself to our B. Ladie claimed her promise and instantly he was at the end of it By this meanes he came to that greatnes which we reade of him and he taught manie yeares and wrote very manie things And three yeares before he dyed whilst he was giuing the explication of some passage or other in a publick assemblie he felt at the instant that his memorie failed him insomuch that he could not remember anie thing at al. Then he told his Audience what had hapned vnto him in his youth and making protestation that whatsoeuer might befal him he belieued the articles of the Catholick Faith and desired to die in the profession of them he came downe out of his Chaire his Schollers following him wiâ—h teares and embracing him and in the rest of his life he waxed as it were a child againe and passed his time in great simplicitie yet so as he omitted not anie thing belonging to the dutie of a Religious man for his memorie serued him for such things and for nothing els This strange accident which befel Alâ—ertus God taking from him al the knowledge which he had lent him to shew that it was his guift giueth vs to vnderstand that other Religious men that are or haue been excellent in Learning haue had it also by the special help and grace of God Of three degrees of Beautie and Dignitie which are in Religion CHAP. XXXIV LET vs now consider the dignitie of Religion as it is grounded in the distinction which Diuines doe giue of three kinds of Religious Orders for some giue themselues to Action others to Contemplation others couple Action and Contemplation both togeather 2. The first degree therefore confineth itself to outward actions which though they be done to men haue relation to God which S. Thomas discoursing of proueth because a Religious State is directed to Charitie and Charitie resteth not in God only but stretcheth itself to our Neighbour and yet in regard we loue not our Neighbour but for God whatsoeuer seruice we doe to our Neighbour we doe it to God in which respect al such outward actions belong to the vertue of Religion And so we find that whatsoeuer beneuolence is bestowed vpon man is called by S. Paul a Sacrifice and an Hoste and consequently as the same S. Thomas iâ—ferreth Religious Orders may be erected for the performance of anie work that is behoofful for our Neighbour as for the exercises of Learning or of Warre so iâ— be intended for the honour of God for the Church or for the common good and the like we may say of other works done for God's sake as to ransome prisoners to gather almes for releef of the poore or for the placing of yong women in marriage to serue in Hospitals and the like 3. Which kind of Religious Orders is no new inuention for they haue been anciently in vse as we may vnderstand by that which we reade in Cassian where he bringeth Abbot Nesteroâ— discoursing to this effect This manner of practical life for so he stileth it is vsed in diuers sorts Some employ themselues in entertayning of guests in which kind he commendeth Macarius for his meeknes and patience others take charge of sick people others beg releef for them that are in miserie some againe bestow their labour in teaching and instructing their neighbour others in other businesses and as he speaketh haue been accounted great men for their good wil and deuotion And what can be sayd more in commendation of these kind of courses then that they that follow them haue made themselues voluntarie seruants not of God only but of men for the loue of God and of men infirme and needie What charitie what humilitie what true and solid patience must needs belong to such a course of life Finally out Lord himself highly commendeth them in these words What you haue done to the least of mine you haue done to me In testimonie wherof himself in person King of Kings hath vouchsafed to honour these kinds of seruice with euident miracles as when he was entertayned by S. Gregorie and receaued an almes from S. Martin and the charitie of Iohn Columbinus to whome he appeared in the shape of a sick leaper lying in the streets and when S. Iohn tooke him vp vpon his shoulders and carried him home and had washed him and layd him in bed he vanished away 4. The second degree of Religious Orders betaketh itself to the exercises of the mind in Contemplation which kind of life hath been alwayes held so worthie that Aristotle and al the Philosophers that came any thing neer the truth placed the felicitie of man in it Neither is this kind of quiet and retirement to be accounted idle or vnfruitful for as Aristotle also did obserue it cannot be called idle because though it cease from outward action it hath the inward and speculation itself is a kind of action And we see that outward actions are oftimes attributed to them that haue not outwardly laboured in them but inwardly only in thought and forecast as a victorie is attributed to the General though he fight not with his sword but by his counsel Which if a Heathen Philosopher could arriue to know what opinion ought we to haue of such a kind of employment who know how great the busines is which we handle in Contemplation what communication is to be had with God what light what acts of loue So that if we cannot but think the studie and occupation of knowing God to be the prime and most excellent work we can employ ourselues in we must needs also conceaue that the Religious who giue themselues wholy to this studie are equal noble and excellent Let vs heare how S. Augustin doth set them forth with his eloquence I say nothing of them that wholy retired from the sight of men
contenting themselues with bread and water which is brought vnto them at certain times dwâ—l in the desert places enioying familiaritie with God to whom with a puâ—â— minde they cleaue and by contemplation of whose beautie they are most happie which happines cannot be conceaued but by them that are Saints I wil say nothing of them Some are of opinion that they retire themselues out of the world more then they ought not vnderstanding how much benefit we reape by their soules eleuated in prayer and by the example of their life though we be not suffered to see their bodies It were long and needles to dispute this question For if a man conceaue not of himself how venerable and admirable this eminent height of sanctitie is how shal my words make him conceaue it Thus sayth S. Augustin Now if we compare these two degrees togeather no doubt but this latter is more noble then the former consisting as I sayd in outward action For as S. Gregorie speaketh great are the deserts of the Actiue life but the Contemplatiue is to be preferred and this was figured as he discourseth in the sisters Rachel and Lia Martha and Marie Iacob beating more loue to Rachel then to Lia and our Sauiour commending Marie aboue Martha because she was not sollicitous about manie things and had chosen the better part which should not be taken from her 5. But because the vulgar sort who measure euerie thing by that which they doe and are capable of no more are wont to hold that the Religious courses which are in Action are more difficult then others which giue themselues to Contemplation making account that these latter liue but an easie life the authoritie of S. Gregorie and the reason also which he giueth doth euidently confute their errour He sayth thus The mind fastneth vpon the Actiue life wiâ—hout fainting but in the Contemplatiue it is soone wearied by the weight of our weaknes The Actiue lasteth more constantly by reason it dilateth itself in things that are obuious for the behoof of our neighbour The Contemplatiue shrinketh away the sooner because strayning itself beyond the bounds of flesh it labours to rayse itself aboue itself The Actiue taketh the playne beaten way and consequently treadeth stronger in the works it goeth about the Contemplatiue ayming at things higher then itself falleth the sooner through wearines to itself 6. But now finding that these two liues are both of them excellent though one of them be more excellent then the other we may easily conceaue how farre the third degree which comprehendeth them both is more eminent and more noble then either of them seuerally For if we take them apart notwithstanding their excellencie there is something wanting in both of them For to goe no further then the authoritie of S. Gregorie aboue-mentioned Rachel as he sayth signifyes the Beginning seen and Lia signifyes payneful betokening that in Contemplation we seeke a Beginning which is God in Action we labour vnder the heauie burden of necessitie Againe Rachel is sayd to be beautiful but vnfruitful Lia bleare-eyed but yet fruitful because the mind taking rest in Contemplation seeth more and begets fewer children to God but where it is directed to the labour of preaching it seeth lesse and bringeth-forth more children These are S. Gregorie's words And by that which he sayth we may see that if there were a course of life that without the incommodities of each of these States could enioy the commodities of them both there could not be a more perfect or more excellent course For wheras the greatest thing we can ayme at is God who is the Soueraigne Good and from whome we receaue al things and next are men of the same nature with vs which is the greatest propinquitie or kindred in the world no action in this life can be more noble then that which is directed to the glorie of God and good of our Neighbour And moreouer God himself Prince and Gouuernour of this world bending his thoughts and actions in a manner to nothing els but to rayse mens minds to Heauen from earthlie things to which they haue so basely stooped there is no question but to imitate this care of his and co-operate with him in it is one of the most noble and most acceptable businesses we can emâ—loy ourselues in 7. Wherefore S. Thomas doth rightly distinguish the functions of the Actiue life into two sorts For sayth he some haue their ful perfection in the bare outward action as to entertaine pilgrims to serue the sick to goe to warre and these certainely are farre inferiour to Contemplation others flow from the abundance of Contemplation as when our mind inflamed with the loue of God breaketh-forth into the outward actions of Preaching Teaching Catechising and the like And these are not only more noble then Action by itself but also greater then Contemplation alone when it reflect no further then itself and reaches not to the benefiting of others And yet this kind of life shal not need to stand in feare least it fal into that which our Sauiour reprehendeth in Martha to wit sollicitude and trouble about manie things For when Contemplation is coupled with outward Action they agree so wel togeather that Contemplation is a help to the outward work which we haue in hand and the outward work doth not hinder Contemplation For as S. Augustin sayth very wel There is a kind of securitie and solid contentment of mind which man doth sometimes fal vpon so great as al worldlie ioy is not to be compared to the least parcel of it and it hapneth to him so much the oftner the more inwardly in the secret closet of his mind he adoreth God and the selfsame tranquillitie remaynes not only while a man is solitarie and retired but when he is in action if his action proceede from that inward retirement 8. For mine owne particular I am of opinion that they that resolue to communicate their vertue with others are so farre from leesing anie thing by it as they rather get in no smal measure For they put God to a kind of necessitie of giuing them that which is his wil they should bestow vpon others To which purpose we may apply that which our Sauiour sayd Giue and it shal be giuen you and the Holie-Ghost in the Prouerbs insinuateth The soule which blesseth shal be famed and he that maketh another drunk shal be made drunk So that it is with them much as it is with the Prince's Almner whome the Prince alwayes furnisheth with store of money though if the Almner be trustie there remayne nothing to his share nor is he euer a whit the richer Wherefore we may rather liken them to one of the Prince's Nurses that is fed from the Prince's table and giues the infant part of that whereof herself hath plentie 9. Now how farre this kind of life goeth beyond al other Institutes
telles vs that they signifie foure Vertues wherewith while our hart is watered the heate of al carnal desires is alayed 4. Let vs see how that agreeth to Religion which God sayd of Man It is not good for man to be alone let vs make him a help like to himself What doth this signify but the help which euerie one findes in the companie of his Brethren for the benefit of his owne soule and for the more profitable assistance of his Neighbour Certainly it is not good for a man that desiâ—eth vertue to be alone rather it is dangerous and hurtful both because it is more easie for the Diuel to supplant him and himself is more apt to be wearied with the labour 〈◊〉 vertuous course of life a man cannot but want sometimes good counsel and good example Great therefore is the help which Conuersation with our Brethren doth yeald vs and is more like ourselues then the help which was made for Adam because that was only like in nature heer the Sexe is the same and our habit and orders and al things els are alâ—ke 5. If we looke also into the inward disposition of mind in which our first Father was at the time of his creation we shal find no smal resemblance of it in Religion S. Ioâ—n Chrysostome discoursing of the happines of Monks and comparing them with Adam while he liued in Paradise expresseth it in these words Wâ—y should these be in worse case then he when before his disobedience he was busied in working in Paradise He was troubled with no worldlie care no more are these He conuersed with God with an vpright conscience and so doe these and so much the more freely by how much they haue greater grace bestowed vpon them by the guift of the Holie-Ghost 6. Finally S. Bernard discoursing of the delights of this Paradise sheweth withal the way and meanes which we must take to come vnto it and it is reason we should learne of him Do not think sayth he that this Paradise of inward pleasure is anie corporal place We must not walk with our feete into this garden but with our affections It is not commended for store of earthlie trees but for the pleasant and comelie plants of spiritual vertues It is a Garden enclosed where a sealed fountaine is deriued into foure branches and one veyne of wisdome spreads itself into foure seueral vertues There beautiful lillies spring forth and when the flowers appeare the voice of the Turtle-doue is heard There the Spikenard yealdeth the Spouse a most fragrant smel and al other spices abound while the South-wind bloweth the North-wind is shut out In the midst is the Tree of Life the Apple-tree mentioned in the Canticles more precious then al the trees of the woods the shade wherof cooleth the Spouse and the fruit is sweet in her throat There the brightnes of Continencie and the knowledge of sincere truth enlightneth the eyes of our hart the melodious voice of the inward CoÌ„forter giueth ioy and gladnes to our hearing There the pleasant Sent of a fruitful field which God hath blessed doth as it were beate into the nostrels of our Hâ—pe There we haue a tast of the incomparable daynties of Charitie and eate greedily of them and the thornes and brambles wherewith it was pricked before being now cut downe and our soule annoynted with the oyle of Mercie it reposeth happily in a good Conscience And al these things are not reckoned among the rewards of the life to come but are part of our hire in this temporal warfare and belâ—ng not to the future but rather to the promise of the Church which now is For this is the Hundred-fold which euen in this world is bestowed vpon those that contemne the world These are the words of S. Bernard the bare rehearsal wherof whom should is not in reason moue to labour for so great blessings and to resolue for euer to liue where there is such plentie of happines 7. And yet we haue no great cause to wonder that Religion should be so like the terrestrial Paradise seing it is like to Heauen itself which is in farre greater honour For indeed if we looke wel into the nature of a Religious life it is a liuelie patterne of that happie and blisseful habitation and resembleth it in al points as neer as possibly the liuing in this world can come neere vnto it And because I wil not haue anie man think that I speake this of my owne head S. LaureÌ„ce Iustinian shal speake for me who hath a long eloquent discourse to this purpose in the booke which he wrote of Monastical perfection and among other things he sayth thus in expresse words In al human things and in this pilgrimage of ours there is no such liuelie picture of our heauenlie Countrey as is Monastical conuersation and a Congregation dedicated to the seruice of God And then confirmeth this his 〈◊〉 with manie solid euident proofes which whosoeuer wil may reade in him And â— Basil was directly of the same opinion for hauing made a long discâ—â—â—se of the excellencie of a Religious life in the end he concludes that vpon earth there is not anie thing so great or so beautiful as to deserue to be compared with it and that therefore we must seeke to heauen to haue a likenes of it because as in heauen al things are incorruptible so also among Religious people and as the Cittizens of heauen loue intirely togeather so doe Religious people 8. The first reason therefore of similitude between Heauen and Religion if we follow S. Basil is Incorruption that is Chastitie because as in heauen they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage according to the saying of our Sauiour so neither in Religion The second reason is Charitie and that perfect loue and vnion which is betwixt those happie Saints of heauen grounded not in nature or anie natural inclination or motiue but in God alone and his onlie loue And what is there vpon earth that doth more perfectly resemble this loue then Religion where people do so absolutely concurre in the self-same mind and opinions and haue al manner of things so common among them and loue so entirely togeather that as I haue often sayd must often repeate it they seeme not to be manie soules but one soule in manie bodies knit and vnited togeather not for natural reasons or human respects and ends as marchants soldiers and the like but meerely vpon Charitie meerely for the loue of God This Charitie as the Apostle speaketh neuer sayling shal last with vs in heauen and be the self-same there which is heer vpon earth and consequently while we are on earth it liuely representeth the state which we shal inioy in heauen S. Iohn Chrysostom speaking in commendation of Religious people doth not stick to say that they haue made choyce of a heauenlie kind of life and are not
worse disposed then the Angels for so are his words because as in the Angels there is no distemper neither do some grieue while others reioyce but are al of them ioyful with one and the self-same gladnes and quiet so it hapneth for al the world in Monasteries And S. Basil deliuering his mind yet more plainly compareth the life which Religious people leade in common with the life of the Angels and giueth this reason for it because al enioy the self-same spiritual riches and treasures which because they are spiritual may without diminution be equally possessed by al and therefore sayth he Religion is a liuelie representation of heauen and giueth vs a tast in this life of the happines which is to come 9. What shal we say of the similitude which Religion hath with that perfect subiection in which al that are in heauen liue vnder God al their wils being wholy and most admirably absorpt in his wil and holding it for the onlie rule of al their actions and motions For in like manner Religion cutteth off and rooteth out by the vow of Obedience al wil of our owne and by vertue of that vow the wil of God by the ministerie of man swayeth and ruleth in al things 10. Pouertie also hath a hand in this resemblance for as they that are in heauen take no thought for gold nor siluer but mind only the spiritual treasures which they enioy so Religious people shake off al earthlie things and glorie most of al that they are maisters of nothing 11 Moreouer in that heauenlie Palace al haue one kind of employment and one busines to wit to loue God and continually to prayse him This is that which Religionâ— people also ayme at and labour for to this end they forsake the world to attend see that God is sweet to this they wholy apply themselues and this is the reason as S. Denys writeth why from the beginning they were called Monks to the end their name deriued from vnitie might signifie the vnitie of the Soule with God which Religious discipline worketh in vs. Wherefore as S. Augustin sayth that they that are in heauen are blessed because they doe nothing but prayse God they doe not plough nor sowe the ground nor go to mil because they are works of necessiâ—â—â— and there is no necessitie nor they do not robbe nor steale nor commit adulterie because they be works of iniquitie and there is no iniquitie So we may say of Religion For first Iniquitie hath no place in Religion and as for Necessitie it is for the most part shut out by abandoning al desire of earthlie things and for the rest which remayneth it is directed wholy to the glorie of God which of itself is to prayse God and consequently they neuer cease praysing him For as the same S. Augustin deliuereth Thou praysest God when thou goest about busines thou praysest God when thou eatest and when thou drinkest thou praysest God when thou dost rest in thy bed and when thou sleepest 12. Finally it is no smal resemblance of a heauenlie life that a Religious Soule imitateth the conuersation of those that are in heauen as S Bernard discourseth in a certain place as when it worshippeth and adoreth God alone as the Angels it is chast as the Angels and that in flâ—sh of sinne and this frayle bodie as the Angels are not finally when it seeketh and mindeth the things which are with them and not that which is vpon earth And the same S. Bernard not without great reason applying those words of the Apocalyps to our Sauiour I saw the holie Cittie Hierusalem new descending from heauen sayth that when he came downe from heauen to teach vs vpon earth the conuersation which is in heauen he brought in himself a perfect patterne and visible pourtraicture of that heauenlie Hierusalem giueth the reason why he sayth so in these words The Heauenlie Man did not appeare in vaine seing of earthlie people he made so manie heauenlie ones like himself Because from that time we liue heer on earth after the manner of them that are in heauen while to the likenes of that heauenlie and blisful Creature this also which came from the vtmost bounds of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon cleaueth to her heauenlie husband with chast loue 13. The last resemblance which Religion hath with Heauen is in Ioy and felicitie For though there must of necessitie be great difference in the quantitie excesse of this ioy because in heauen we shal see God face to face and heer we see him by a glasse in a dark 〈◊〉 Yet the ioy heer is not only very great but of the self-same nature with that which is in heauen for they both proceed from one fountaine and haue the self-same obiects to wit not flesh and bloud or anie thing created but God only who is infinit and the Soueraigne Good of al. 14 And heer we might spinne out a long discourse concerning the abundance and multiplicitie and assurednes and soliditie and perpetuitie of the Ioyes which are in Religion but that we haue spâ—ken sufficiently of them in al that which goâ—â— before Yet vpon that which hath been hitherto sayd we may iustly conclude that no State can be fuller of al kind of happines then a Religious life specially seing it so liuely resembleth the ioyes life of heauen that we may truly say we are continually tasting of them yea plentifully feeding vpon the excessiue felicities which there we shal enioy fitly apply to this purpose that verse of the Royal Prophet Blesse our Lord al yâ—e seruants of our Lord who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Where inuiting the seruants of God to the prayses of him he distinguisheth them into two ranks Some he placeth in the house of God others in the outward courts The first are they that dwel in Heauen which is the proper Mansion-house of God Religious people are the second that stand as I may say in the court-yard of the heauenlie Palace They are not yet in the house but next doore to it and in a manner in the porch or entrie where they haue two great commodities First that vnlesse they wil needs giue back they may both easily quickly get into the house when their turn comes and secondly bordering so neer vpon that Heauenlie habitation they cannot choose but haue part very often of the manie commodities and daynties which that house affordeth as so manie crummes falling from a table richly furnished An answer to certain Obiections which are wont to be made against Religion and first That few enioy these Comforts CHAP. XV. IF the World could speake for itself or had Counsel that were not blind and deafe with too much loue of the World I make no doubt but it would yeald to Religion al that which I haue
giue special aduise to roote out this common errour which raignes so much among men who because they make account that libertie consisteth in doing what they list wil haue euerie bodie liue as he pleaseth and doe what he thinks good and sayth It is a most false supposition because to liue according to law is not slauerie but safetie 3. Plutarch an excellent Moralist writeth to the same effect that they that of children come to man's estate if they be wel aduised ought to make account that they haue not shaken off but changed their Tutour For in steed of a man whom they hired before with wages or bought with their money they haue now a Diuine gouernour of their life to wit Reason and to obey it is to obey God and they that obey him are the onlie free-men For they only liue as they list who haue learned to desire what they ought Vnreasonable thoughts and fancies are but a shaddow of false libertie and bring much repentance 4 Seing therefore Heathen Philosophers could discouer thus much we haue much more reason to perswade ourselues the same in regard that the properties of our nature which they could not so wel diue into doe leade vs vnto it For if Man by nature had no Superiour he might lawfully liue as he list himself and it were natural for him to doe so and doing so he should liue a pleasant life and without it be miserable But seing we haue God aboue vs who created vs and to whom consequently by the lawes of Nature we are subiect our owne natural inclination leades vs to subiection to so Soueraigne a Deitie to serue him and to humble ourselues and al our actions vnder him S. Augustin teacheth this expresly and to proue it groundeth himself in the commandment which God layd vpon our first father Adam to abstayne from the forbiddē fruit In which precept sayth S. Augustin Obedience is commended vnto vs which vertue in a reasonable creature is as it were the Mother of Vertues and preseruer of them seing the nature of it is to make it beneficial to be subiect to God and pernicious to doe a man 's owne wil and not the wil of him that created him 5. But some bodie wil say What freedome hath Man if he be tyed alwayes and in al things to doe the wil and commandment of God This is our freedome not to gouerne ourselues after our owne fancie but voluntarily to embrace the wil of God voluntarily to performe it Stocks and Stones and brute Beasts and al things are gouerned by God's direction but because they haue no knowledge of it they cannot voluntarily apply themselues to follow it which makes also that they are neither capable of merit nor reward 6. This perswasion therefore and desire of being Maisters of ourselues and Lords at our owne pleasure being taken away the matter is not so great whether God gouerne is immediatly by himself or by Substitutes specially seing he alwayes gouernes vs so by others as himself also assisteth and directeth both them and vs in his wil and pleasure So we see in Citties and Kingdomes al the labour is to bring them to acknowledge the King their Soueraigne When they haue once acknowledged him it is alone to them whether he deliuer his commands in person or by his Officer And consequently it is euident that as natural as it is for Man to be subject to God and to Reason which is as it were a raye of light proceeding from God so natural is it for him to be subiect to another man in place of God and if it be natural it cannot be payneful or troublesome but must necessarily be both easie and pleasant 7. And if we wil yet more particularly reflect what it is that casts this mist before the eyes of some we shal find that it is because they cōfound seruile obedience or subiection with this which is honourable and free drawne into errour by an outward kind of resemblance which is betwixt them and therefore attribute the difficulties and the odiousnes of the one to the other We must therefore informe ourselues of the mayne distance which is betwixt them in regard both of pleasure and dignitie And we may take our information from Aristotle who telleth vs that there be two kinds of gouernment one of a domineering fashion the nature of it is that a Lord of this humour aymes chiefly directly at his owne benefit regards the benefit of the subiect but accidentally as the benefit of the subiect redounds to him also the other is Oeconomical as a father gouernes his children a man his wife in which contrariwise the Superiour attends directly to the benefit of the subiect to his owne accidentally because it falleth out so that the self-same is beneficial to himself as the Maister of a ship or Pilot as such doth first chiefly take care for the safetie of the passengers and of his owne accidentally because he is also a passenger These are Aristotle's owne words And Plato hath the like discourse of a Common-weale As a shepheard sayth he in as much as he is a shepheard attendeth to the benefit of his flock and not to his owne for his busines is to see that that which is in his custodie be rightly ordered So he that hath the gouerning of men aymeth at nothing but the good of them that are vnder him By which we may easily see vnder which of these kinds a Religious State is to be ranked 8. And it is the more apparent because not only the power which is in force among Religious people but al the power which Christ our Sauiour hath left in his Church tends to the benefit not of him that hath it but of the subiect Which our Sauiour himself who is Authour of this power gaue vs to vnderstand in these words The Kings of the Gentils ouer-rule them and they that haue power vpon them are called Beneficial but you not so but he that is greater among you let him become as the yonger and he that is the leader as the wayter Vpon which words S. Bernard writeth thus to Pope Eugenius This is the forme giuen to the Apostles domineering is forbidden they are bidden to minister and it is commended vnto them by the example of the Law-maker who presently addeth I am in the midst of you as he that ministreth And the same S. Bernard in an other place likeneth this kind of authoritie to the power of a Steward or a Tutour For the farme sayth he is vnder the Steward and the Yong-maister vnder his Tutour and yet neither is the Steward Lord of the farme nor the Tutour Maister of his Maister And addeth Be thou therefore ouer others so as to prouide to aduise to take care to preserue be ouer others to benefit others Be ouer others as a faithful Seruant whom the Maister hath appointed ouer his familie
that as they are gotten by vse and often acts so if we cease from these acts by litle and litle the habits themselues vanish away and perish As for example if a man be skilful in musick or in picture-drawing or if he write a faire hand or haue anie other art or science as he got it by vse and practise and often endeauour so if he neuer exercise it or which is more if he practise it but seldome and carelesly it decayes of itself and at last he quite looseth it And no doubt but we shal find the like in al euil dispositions of the mind also as if a man be cholerick or intemperate in his diet or other pleasures and cease from the acts of these vices as before they grew waxed stronger and stronger by being fed with daylie offences so if we take away their former allowance they must needs grow weak lessen in vs. 4. Besides that as those euil dispositions were bred by euil actiōs so the practise of vertue breeds cōtrarie habits of vertue as when a Religious man doth not only cease from acts of pride and vanitie but practiseth humilitie embraceth al occasions of contempt of himself from his verie hart when in steed of the loue of worldlie wealth his wonted pleasures he begins to loue the hardnes of pouertie and the like in al which a Religious state doth incōparably help him ministring daylie occasions of these other vertues in a manner forcing them vpon him 5. And what need I be long Not only the endeauour application of a man's mind is thus effectual but the verie sight of so manie good men as are in Religion the daylie conuersing with them is able of itself to alter a man be he neuer so rude and vnciuil and by litle and litle to instil goodnes into him If we take a beast out of the woods or forrests and bring him vp at hand he leeseth after a while his wildnes and becomes as tame and gentle as a whelp And this we see effected not only in deere and wild goates which are naturally timorous but in lions and beares which are otherwise of themselues fierce and cruel and yet these beasts can adde nothing inwardly of themselues nor vse anie endeauour to ouercome their nature but the bare custome of being among men doth silently worke vpon them and by degrees giue them another nature and fashion and make them tame What effect therefore must the self-same needs haue in men who haue iudgement moreouer and vnderstanding can inwardly apply themselues and labour their owne reformation and polishing 6. And if nature and industrie and application be thus forcible what shal we say of the Grace of God It must certainly needs be much more powerful and more effectual and in a short time worke a perfect cure vpon whatsoeuer in vs. For as the Wise-man sayth It is easie in the eyes of God suddenly to make a poore man rich And by his holie Prophets he often promiseth that he wil help assist vs forcibly in this kind as when in Esay he saith Feare not because I am with ther decline no◠because I am thy God I haue strengthned thee and holpen thee and receaued thee in the hand of my lust And then giuing vs to vnderstand that we haue no cause to doubt of the victorie he addeth Behold they shal be confounded and ashamed al that sight against thee they shal be as if they were not and the men shal perish that contradict thee Thou shalt seeke them and thou shalt not find them men that are rebellious against thee and they shal be as if they were not Who be these that are rebellious against vs but euil customes and sinful motions of the mind which wil not hearken to Reason and obey it such as we cannot haue at that command but that sometimes they wil be stirring against our wil. These habits therefore inclinations remaine in vs as if they were not that is they remaine in vs not to our destruction but for exercise to put life into vs not to take away our life from vs finally as occasions of a greater crowne not as snares to our ruine Which is the reason why S. Paul tearmeth the contradiction of his flesh not a sword or a lance but a prick because a prick cannot runne through a man to wound him but only prick him and serues meerly to awake vs and stirre vs vp to runne be more quick and careful in the performance of vertuous actions This is the effect which the Grace of God works in vs It reformeth our vnderstāding our wil our sensual appetite and al the powers of our soule and putteth it in a miraculous manner in another kind of hue which is that New creature of which the Apostle so often speaketh 7. And we should hardly beleeue that it were possible there should be such a sudden alteration in the seruants of God but that we find it by experience in ourselues and see it with our verie eyes in others and haue for it the testimonie of al such men that haue written of spiritual things and Religious courses Cassian applieth those words of the Psalme Wonderful are thy works and my soule shal know them exceedingly principally to the works which God as he saith ordereth by his Saints of his daylie operation For who sayth he wil not wonder at the works of God in himself when he seeth the admirable rauening of his bellie and the costlie and pernicious lauishnes of gluttonie suppressed and brought to take a litle coorse fare seldome and against his wil Who can but be astonished at the works of God when he feeles the fire of lust so cooled that he finds scarce the least motion in his bodie wheras before he esteemed it altogeather natural in a manner vnquenchable How can he but tremble at the power of God when he sees people of a rough and firie disposition that were apt to be put into raging choler by the friendliest seruice a man could doe them to arriue to such mildnes that they are not only not moued at al with iniuries but reioyce in them with a noble courage when they are offered Who certainly can choose but admire the works of God and with great affection cry out Because I haue knowne that great is our Lord seing himself or another from being extremely couetous become liberal from being prodigal become sparing from prowde humble from being nice and effeminate austere and carelesse and voluntarily to embrace and reioyce in pouertie and want and periurie of things present These are certainly wonderous works of God which particularly the soule of the Prophet of such as are like to him acknowledgeth with admiration by the light of extraordinarie contemplation These are wonders which he placeth vpon the earth which the same Prophet considering calleth al people to admire them saying Come
Pouertie which Religious men professe excludeth al these commodities bringeth manie incoÌ„modities with it consequently excludeth al enuie and ambition 10. And so much for the head If we compare the members one with another two things concurre to the beautie and dignitie of Religious Common-wealths First a great equalitie of vnequal members secondly as perfect communication of althings among them as can be For as a Cittie which hath not seueral States and Degrees of the Nobilitie and meaner and middle sort of trades-men and others is but poorly prouided and neuer able to subsist and yet if this varietie be not bound and linked togeather by participation in diuers things it would be in great confusion because it could not be anie wayes One but as Aristotle speaketh ful of manie enemies of the Common-wealth In Religious communities the selfsame is ful as necessarie and they enioy both these perfections without the incommodities opposite vnto them 11. For fiâ—st there is an inequalitie and difference among them in their natural dispositions and inclinations in their studies and knowledge in their wit capacitie and other abilities of their mind and vnderstanding as in al other things that are rightly ordered there is euer some difference and distinction In the heauens some starres are bigger or lesser then other some in this inferiour world al the beastes of the earth are not of like bignes or strength or quicknes the members of the selfsame bodie haue a difference in the honour and beneficialnes of them and that great Householder hath not diuided his Talents equally among al men but to some he hath giuen one to some two to some fiue which kind of disparitie in Religion as it is altogeather necessarie and very vseful so doubtles if we consider it wel it cannot choose but be a great ornament vnto it 12. And to the end it may be no occasion of breach of vnitie and concord it is tempered with such admirable equalitie among them that there cannot be anie thing more like and equal one with another then people that liue in Religion They goe cloathed alike and al weare one kind of Habit their lodging and diet is alike and euerie thing els that is outward to the eye but much more that which is inward agreing in loue participation of good works among them of which I haue spoken at large before and hauing benefit by what soeuer good is in the particular Religion of which they are and in al other Religiâ—us Orders besides These are the solid comforts of a Religious life wherin there is no difference betwixt the learned and the vnlearned betwixt the wisest and the ignorantest man among them 13. Why therefore may we not say of them s S. Augustin sayd of a Cittie wel gouerned that they are al like a consort of Musick where diuers Notes combined togeather make a melodious harmonie For what Cittie can challenge this propertie with more right then Religion where there is such varietie of persons lincked togeather with such concord and discord proportionable disproportion For if the connexion of natural things is beautiful and admirable by reason of the dependencie which they haue of one another in their motions from the first to the last finding the like connexion in things that are gouerned with reason it must needs be the more beautiful and decent the more perfect and noble the nature of them is and consequently if the disposition and order of those inferiour things breed delight in whosoeuer doth behold them these must needs breed much more in practising the like order and connexion So that wheras the Pythagorians imagined a kind of Harmonie in the Celestial Orbes by reason that their motions so wel ordered so constantly obseruing the selfsame course and distance doth expresse a kind of Musical coÌ„cent equally various Religious Orders do so liuely represent the same that if we lend the cares of our mind vnto them we cannot but perceaue a most heauenlie coÌ„sort 14. Finally the perfect communication of al inward and outward things which I mentioned before no bodie drawing anie thing from the rest to his owne particular is an exceeding grace and ornament to this Religious Common-wealth Plato that great Philosopher did so highly esteeme this one point that it was the mayne thing which he required in the Common-wealth which he went about to frame as I sayd before but it neuer could be brought to passe in anie Communitie but in Religion S. Iohn Chrysostome doth highly commend Religious people for it because their houses are free from Mine and Thine which two words sayth he haue been the vndoing of mankind And it is in itself of great coÌ„sequence not only because it is an euident signe of Vnion and charitie but moreouer preserueth and nourisheth it and cutteth-of al matter of dissention which the desire of particular things which euerie bodie cannot enioy is apt to breed And besides this communication there be so manie other meanes and wayes to breed and establish perfect concord and vnion among them that as I sayd els-where out of S. Augustin they are one soule and one hart manie bodies but not manie harts They that wayte those that are wayted on sayth S. Iohn Chrysostome sit at one board and are serued alike they are cloathed lodged alike leade the same kind of life There is not pouertie and riches honour contemptiblenes There be litle great among them according to the measure of euerie one's vertue but no man sees that He that is litle is not grieued as if he were slighted nor is there anie man that slights him 15. Deseruedly therefore doth the Prophet Dauid reckon this among the wonderful works of God that he maketh people of one fashion to dwel in a house that is so louing and vnited togeather as if manie were but one And our Lord himself speaketh of it by the Prophet Sophonias as of a promise of great account I wil restore to the people a chosen lip â—â—at al may cal in the name of our Lord serue him with one shoulder Where the nature of a Religious state is described vnto vs coÌ„sisting in two things to wit in worshipping and praying calling vpon God expressed by the word Lip and a châ—sen lâ—p and in brotherlike loue and vnion al concurriâ—â— with 〈◊〉 strength and making as it were one shoulder by which meanes if there be anie burthen in this seruice of God it is the lighter to euerie particular and felt the lesse by them How much honour Religious Orders haue done to the Church of God CHAP. XXXVI A Cittie placed vpon a hil cannot be hâ—dden and they light not a candle and put it vnder a bushel but vpon a candlestick that it may giue light to al that be in the housâ— Vertue hath this propertie that it bewrayeth itself by the light which it hath no lesse then anie other light and the more
perfect it is the mâ—re it doth shine abroad Which if it be true in euerie particular man that is vertuous how much more true is it when manie vertuous men ioyne togeather and make one Corporation and cittie We may iustly therefore say that Religion is a Cittie placed vpon a hil both because it is compounded of seueral persons as a Citâ—ie is wherof we haue spoken alreadie at large in the precedent Chapter and it is seated in an eminent and loftie situation to wit in in the top of Euangelical Perfection which al that haue not arriued to so high a pitch but remaine in an inferiour estate must needs admire and lift-vp their eyes as to people that are aboue them And consequently the Cittie itself being so noble and seated moreouer vpon a hil so that it cannot be hidden but must needs be in the eye of euerie bodie al the glorie and commendation and worth which it hath must also redounde to the glorie and commendation of the whole Church wherof it is a part For which consideration S. Gregorie Nazianzen calleth Religious people the first fruits of our Sauiour's â—lock pillars and crownes of Faith and preâ—ious margarits And S. Hierome Certainly the Order of Monks and Virgins is the slâ—wer and as it were a pretious stone among the ornaments of the Church He sayth a Religious course is both a Flower and a Pretious stone declaring in the one the beautie of that state and in the other the great esteeme and value which is moreouer to be made of it and the holie Church partaketh of them both For the dignitie and beautie of this life doth both exceedingly comfort and delight and encourage the Faithful and confound the Aduersaries therof Insomuch that that great Champion of the Catholick Faith S. Augustin in the booke which he wrote of the Manners of the Church among other arguments which he brings to disproue the errours of the Manichees against whom he penned that Treatise he insisteth mainly vpon this that in the Church there shal be such multitudes both of Heremits leading a solitarie life and Monks liuing in common togeather and describing their manner of conuersation at large at last he concludeth as it were brauing the Manichees in these words Oppose yourselues if you can you Manichees against these behold them wel and name them if you dare without lying and with shame enough Compare their fasting with your fasting chastitie with chastitie cloathing with cloathing sare with fare modestie with modestie charitie with charitie and that which in poâ—teth most orders with orders 2. S. Laurence Iustinian a man renowned for learning and sanctitie handleth this selfsame subiect yet more copiously and deserueth to haue his whole discourse set downe at large He sayth thus Among other things which aduance the glorie of God and make Infidels haue a good esteeme of the Catholick Faith is the liuing of the Faithful in common togeather and specially the life of them that contemning the vanities of this transitorie world and abandoning the pleasures of the flesh and promises of wealth and honour dedicate themselues to God in the Cloisters of Monasteries by perpetual vow of a voluntarie seruitude For who can doe otherwise but prayse and extol the Diuine goodnes and wisdome vnspeakable beholding innumerable people of both sexes in the flower of their youth in perfect health and proportion of their bodie swimming in abundance of earthlie substance happie in the possession of lands and vinyards and houses and seruants and honoured with manie noble friends and kinsfolk willingly to renounce the world and spurne at the pride therof to forsake al their kindred and to put themselues into the seruice of our Sauiour Christ by exercise of obedience vnder the conduct of a man that in a maÌ„ner is a stranger vnto them For this certainly is beyond that which men ordinarily doe and beyond the common fashion of liuing For the natural affection which we haue as children doth not suffer vs to contemne them that begot vs brought vs into the visible light of this world The law I say which is naturally inbred in the harts of men doth not perswade vs to leaue our owne cittie al our kindred al our play-fellowes al our friends and acquaintance and to goe dwel with strangers to trauel into farre countries citties and villages not for a yeare or two or three but al our life-time of our owne free choice to suffer hunger and thirst cold and nakednes to punish our bodies also with watching and fasting and other labours to bring it vnder with daylie abstinences and that which is greater then al this to fight against the inclinations of ouâ— owne wil. For nature itself inticeth custome teacheth humane frayltie vrgeth loue of good companie draweth common curtesie perswadeth and the sweâ—â— conuersation of people at home and specially of our kindred doth compeleâ—â—rie bodie that hath anie spark of reason to keep where he was borne to enioy the companie of his kindrâ—d to take care of his owne possessions and take his pleasure in them and to follow the inclinations of his owne wil. But when we see the quite contrarie acted it proceedeth either out of feare of death or certain knowledge of the ficklenes and falshood of the world or out of an assured and strong hope of future happines which hope we cannot taste of but by the light of Faith which is giuen vs before And we come not to the possession of this Faith of which we speake by our owne free wil but by the guift of God who hath mercie on vs and draweth vs and preserueth vs. The glorious Martyrs enlightned with the splendour of this Faith haue with most ardent charitie endured for Christ fire imprisonment chaynes stripes torments reproaches exile losse of goods and death The holie Anchorets endued with the cleernes of this Faith haue filled the deserts walked the wildernesses builded Monasteries therin to attend to the glorifying of God to giue themselues to often prayer to labour with their hands at conuenient times and to assemble togeather the children of God dispersed euerie where abroad and to ouercome the secret attempts of their inuisible enemies Inspired certainly by God they vnderstood that this world is ful of concupiscence of the flesh allurements of the eyes and other pleasures and of pride of life They saw that men did dayly cast themselues headlong vpon vice neglect the Law of God contemne his commandments follow the pleasures of present delight and giue themselues wholy to earthlie lucre transitorie honour hurtful dishonestie and secular cares which make the louers of them strangers to God to themselues and breed an auersion from al vertue For light and darcknes vanitie and truth vertue and vice the loue of God and of the world the works of the flesh and of the spirit the ioyes of this life and of the life to come cannot meete in one nor stand togeather Wherefore to the