bestowing of benefits then seuere in exacting obligations and debts 3. Neither is there cause that the greatnes of my Maiesty should put into thee any feare or confusion so thou be not wanting on thy part in louing and seruing me not so much as my worthines requireth but as thine owne forces be of ability to beare sith I haue neuer exacted more of a man then he can well do That person hath indeed iust cause to feare who when he is able doth not what he ought and is required of him to do 4. There is but one thing for thee greatly to be afraid of and that is that thou offend not me thy benefactour by some greiuous sinne who of my singular grace haue raised thee vp to so high an estate of holy life and am ready to raise thee higher if thou be not a let therunto thy selfe That religious man offendeth me most of all who thinketh that he may liue a more holy life in the world then in religion that is the cause he maketh so light esteeme of the benefit of his vocation For he who affoardeth me little honour respect and seruice in myne owne house will not doubtles yeald me greater where my enemies haue to do This is a manifest and notable abuse and deceit and the very origen of all perturbation For if a man could serue me more perfectly in the world I would neuer haue inuited him to religion All good proceedeth from me I wish and counsaile true and solid perfection to all and I know best what most profiteth and is necessary for euery one towards the attayning of his saluation 5. A religious man must not cast his eyes vpon that which best pleaseth him and highly preferre it before another thing as more excellent but what shall please me Those also offend me sorely who when in religion they obtaine not all things as they list or haue their part in some discommodities do easily murmure and as it were sorrowing and greiued that they haue forsaken the world do thinke a religious life hard and painefull So were some of the children of Israel affected when they were out of Aegipt For so soone as they began to want their former commodities and to endure the troublesome labours of trauayling they murmured reflecting vpon the flesh-pots of Aegipt they wished themselues againe in their former bondage I did not call them out to rest but to take paines neither did I appoint them recreations and great commodities of life but from the very beginning diligently inculcated that many things were to be endured for Christ that the flesh is to be mortified togeather with the desires therof and this condition they accepted and vndertooke to performe What cause then haue they to complaine And though none of all this had happened yet if their Lord suffered so great matters for them what great thing shall they do if they also being seruants shall suffer somewhat for their Lord 6. A religious man who is afraid to suffer any thing looseth his reward and because a man must needs suffer many things if the labour and affliction be doubled it maketh the burden the more intollerable Others make light esteeme of Religion their Mother for that they thinke themselues not bound to their religion but their religion to them But they are deceyued For if they examine the matter well they shal find that they haue receyued very many benefits of religion and religion none at all by them For to be religious and Gods feruant is so noble a gift of God and of Religion as it ought worthily to be preferred before all the good works that are done for religion For there is not any earthly dignity in the world that may enter into comparison with the dignity of religious life It is an argument of a base and vnthankeful mind if a religious person busy himselfe rather in thinking vpon the commodityes that he hath brought to religion then those that he hath receyued from it 7. Againe that religious man displeaseth me not a little who careth not how he imployeth the talent he hath receyued of me for by that he manifesteth what small reckoning he maketh of it and hath no will to satisfy his office when he may is able How many be there who being able to my great pleasure do vndergoe some exercise for the good and helping of soules but because they see they be not able to do them with so great applause as some others can they giue them cleane ouer Is not this an ambitious prid Is not this to hide the talent vnder ground which I gaue him to make his gaine therwith I cannot be ignorant what is good and healthfull for euery one and therfore I giue fiue talents to some two to others but one to another And though to negotiate with one talent doth not cary so great applause and credit amongst men as to negotiate and trafficke with fiue yet it is not so with me For I consider not how much euery one negotiateth but how well and carefully And if to negotiate with the help of many talents should redound to the soules good of many and to the greater glory of my name it would be a worke worthy of commendation 8. But this is that which I find fault withall that many haue a desire to haue many talents and much negotiation that they may be the more admired at and the better esteemed of men whiles to me the authour of all good they leaue either no place at al or very litle My beloued seruants did not so at other times who ascribed the imperfections and lapses to themselues and the fruit of their good works to me that they might transfer the praise and glory of all their labours to me they would be said to be vnprofitable seruants for the commendation of an excellent worke returneth not to the instrument that wrought it but to the craftesman himselfe 9. Sonne of the contempt of thy vocation or religious profession there groweth another euill and that is a negligence or carelesnes of attayning the end of thy vocation and a neglect of obseruing the rules of thy proper Institute And this vice offendeth me so highly as I am forced euen to punish such persons in this present life I abundantly affoard them health and strength of body witt and all helps both naturall spirituall that they may cheerfully hold on in the course of vertue which they haue begon and at length come to their prefixed end And if they by neglecting and contemning all this reape no fruit of their good works at all what meruayle though like vnto the accursed fig-tree that did indeed beare leaues but yet no fruit at al they somtimes decay and wither away The trees that I haue planted in a religious garden ought continually to yeald the fruite of good workes els as vnprofitable they are to be accursed and being once withered are to be throwne into hell fire For whosoeuer
a great detriment who when he may with his commodity by carelesnes neglecteth the abundant gaine of spirituall things And therfore no meruaile though some religious persons â—â—uer come to those inestimable treasures that I haue prepared for them in the Land of the liuing And more then this it is no wonder that some do leaue their vocation and returne to the flesh pots of Aegipt that is vnto the world sith I do most iustly permit it for their negligence carelesnes ingratitude vnto me For he is worthily spoiled of his goods who either knoweth them not or vseth them not according as he should do 5. If I had freed you but from the worlds calamities miseries and deceits I had done you a great good turne but I haue besids this called you to Religion haue admitted you as it were into myne owne family and bestowed all manner of commodities vpon you that you might the more perfectly serue me Go to tell me whosoeuer thou be that hast not a will to labour to come to that Perfection of louing and seruing me but thinkest it inough if thou offendest me not with a mortall sinne whose is the greater hurt myne or thine surely it is thine alone and that much greater then thou conceiuest Againe tell me if thou enioyedst al commodities in the world and wert freed from all daungers of life and wert further assured of thy saluation wouldst thou not hold it for a singular benefit to serue me thy Creatour Lord doubtlesse thou wouldst 6. Now then seeing I haue exempted thee from all miseries and troubles of the world and haue deliuered thee from the daungers both of body and soule that thou maist be able the more commodiously to serue me the King of Glory iudge thou thy self whether it be not fit requisite for thee to shake off al drowsines negligence Dost thou peraduenture thinke that I require of thee more pure and more perfect loue and seruice then of secular persons because any commodity may therby accrew vnto me It is not so for I need not thy seruice sith al the fruit therof redoundeth not to me but vnto thy selfe 7. Besids the state of thy profession requireth that thou serue me withall the perfection that possibly in thee lyeth sith Religion is nothing els but the Schoole of Perfection Neither is it any oâ—her thing to be religious then to enter into a course of life wherin a man may labour to the perfection of louing me and imbracing of vertues Wherfore vaine is the Religion of those who in the exercise of good works neglect this way of perfection For this is that which I require of all Religious Persons this is my will and for this very cause haue I drawn them out of the worlds snares and placed them in the paradise of religion The tree may not continue long standing in the orchard that shal not bring forth fruite for which it was there planted set or graffed Wherein consisteth the Perfection of the loue and seruing of God wherunto a Religious Person is bound and what God requireth at his hands CHAP. II. SOME religious persons do performe great matters If they do them not moued out of a pure loue to me they neither please me nor am I bound to any remuneration for them but if they do them for loue of me yet with a languishing and imperfect loue they do not satisfie their profession and vocation So when I called thee out of the world thou didest deliuer thy selfe wholy vnto me and didest promise to do all for my loue and I accepted this thy promise receiued thee into my house as one of myne gaue thee my Liuery prouided thee of all necessaries and intreated and vsed thee as one most deare vnto me And if thou now shalt haue a will to let some other enter into and possesse thy hart or to make this part common to another besides me thou shouldst not indeed discharge the office and part of a perfect louer sith thou must not giue that to another that thou hast giuen to me already For he who receyueth and taketh vnto himselfe the thing againe that he hath once giuen to another either for himselfe or to giue to another is a theefe and worthy to be punished 2. Hast thou a desire my Sonne to know what religious person loueth me perfectly Truly he doth it who in all things as well little as great seeketh to do what pleaseth me who delayeth no tyme of executing my will so soone as he shall vnderstand it who doeth not only willingly obey my commandmeÌ„ts but also manifesteth a promptitude and readines in himselfe at the very least signe or becke of my will A perfect louer hath one and the same hart and the same will with the beloued and therfore both hateth and loueth what the beloued hateth or loueth A perfect louer spareth no paynes nor trauaile all wearines is sweet vnto him that he may accomplish what is pleasing to the beloued The perfect louer is not only wary and vigilant not to displease the beloued in the very least thing but also is exceeding carefull to please him more and more He that laboureth not to affect and loue a thing as it deserueth either knoweth it not or is otherwise iniurious vnto it 3. That religious man is far from perfection who when he shall haue set his affection care ouer much vpon things of litle regard is much troubled and lamenteth if I at any time procure or cause the same to be remoued or taken away from him This is a signe of an imperfect louer who loueth me more in words then in deeds He doth indeed confesse in words that he hath giuen himselfe wholy vnto me but his hart intangled with dissembled loue holdeth him so fast tyed as if I would vse myne owne right in wholy enioying it thrust out of it the loue of the very least thing of all it would eftsoones bee in trouble and rise against me Many say and brag that they loue me but I only regard them who loue me in works verity The tongue maketh no true and sincere louers but the works that haue their sourse and spring from a pious and deuout mind 4. It remaineth now that I shew vnto thee what religious person serueth me perfectly He I say perfectly serueth me who serueth me of pure loue though he shew it not by so great works for what euer is done for loue of me I esteeme much and will abundantly requite it I make a greater reckoning of a good worke though very litle proceeding from a burning loue then of a great worke accompanied with a meane measure of loue Some weary themselues out with taking exceeding great paynes but with very little or no profit at all to themselues for that the actions though neuer so good which be not sealed vp with the seale of charity be not gratefull to me and therfore they receiue not their hire and if they be sealed vp
secure in his vocation This presumption ariseth of nothing but this that he doth not sufficiently examine and consider his owne imbecility and who he is For the more exactly a man looketh into himselfe the more he feareth and the lesse confident is he in his owne ability And this is an excellent remedy for the procuring of strength and courage against all tentations But he that is more confident in his owne industry then is meete easily turneth his backe in the very beginning of the encounter and abandoneth the Colours of his Religion The more a Religious man presumeth of himselfe the lesse he doth because presumption is the daughter of pride But he who feareth doth the more because holy feare is the daughter of Humility which euer moueth vs to worke well 9. Moreouer a Religious man is deceiued and is not far from daunger of leauing his vocation who thinketh that he may be able to do more good in the world then in Religion For who is not good amongst the good amongst so many examples of good persons and in an holy place how will he do good in a bad world amongst the bad where so many bad examples will be presented euery day vnto his eyes and where so many occasions be of liuing naughtily With these fraudes the diuell vseth to draw the vnwary Religious man into his net For when he shall once haue perswaded him that he may do more and more excellent works in the world he forth with suggesteth that no great reckoning is to be made of the state of Religion and so in conclusion dryueth him from his vocation It is the Diuels property to deceyue vnder pretence of good who neuer casteth out his hooke but that it is euer bayted to catch Religious persons 10. Neither be they in lesse daunger who by a certaine careles drowsines waxe by little and little cold in spirit and in my seruice and though they well find and perceiue this in themselues yet they neglect to put it away When a sick mans feet or hands become so cold that they cannot recouer heate it is a signe that he is in extremity and neere vnto his death So a cold Religious man if he take not paynes to recouer his heate and warmth of spirit is not far from dying spritually from daunger of loosing his religious life Who will not be holpen when he may and can how can he be secure of obtayning help at all times That it is not inough for a Religious man to be called of God to Religion but he muct earnestly labour to the perfection of his Vocation CHAP. VI. LORD I giue thee most harty thanks for this precious stone that thou hast vouchsafed to send me downe from heauen when as pittying me thou calledst me to holy Religion and I ascribe all the ioy and spirituall comfort which I receiue heerby in consecrating my selfe to a Religious state to thy goodnes and clemency 2. My Sonne if thou dost this and no more besids thou commest too short of thy duty For vnles besids these things thou endeauour by good and holy actions to arriue to the perfection of thy vocation insteed of being rewarded thou shalt be punished To be called to religiō to weare the habit increaseth the punishmēt vnles not by words but by works thou answere so many and so great benefits of myne bestowed vpon thee He that after benefits receiued of me neglecteth to profit in vertue doth not only incurre the note of ingratitude but doth further as it were bind my hands fast that I giue or bestow no more vpon him Men do ordinarily make a coniecture by the outward habit and cloathing whether one be Religious or not but I iudge by the inward 3. O how many do dwell in Monasteries and weare a religious habit and be not indeed religious as be al those who haue not wholy giuen themselues to the exercise of a religious life and of solid vertues but do partly serue God partly the world Contrariwise there be many in the world who weare a secular habit indeed but yet in affection be truly Religious and do exercise vertue in so much as it is not the habit nor the place that make a true Religious man but the inward hart and mind and the externall works which do manifest the same 4. What doth it profit a man to be notably well armed if at the time when by commaundement of his Captaine Generall he were to fight with his enemie he should not vse them The tree that yealdeth no fruit is to no purpose suffred to stand in an orchard sith it is for no other end planted there then for the bearing of fruite I haue taken vp all religious persons to serue me in my warre haue giuen them weapons and armes that they may vse them as I would haue them And therefore whosoeuer glorieth in the name of a Religious man and sheweth not by deed his loue towards me nor doth conformably to the spirit of his vocation yeald me spirituall fruite he doth not the office part of a Religious man 5. O how far are they deceiued who thinke themselues to haue discharged their duty well for that they haue entred into the state of religion and continued therin often reckoning the number of the yeares which they haue liued in it not examining how negligent they haue beene in the exercise of pious works and how little fruit and profit they haue reaped by their labours paynes The number of yeares maketh not a Religious man happy but his good works and the exercise of vertues To glory of the great continuance in religion and to be deuoid of vertue and the perfection therof is no commendation at all but a reproach and condemnation 6. The scholler that hath frequented the Schoole for many years is not to be therfore praised but he that hath profited in the schoole and is become excellent for his learning If thou wouldst consider that thou art to giue an accompt of all the tyme thou hast mispent in religion before my Tribunal thou wouldest not brag of thy selfe but lament rather for hauing like a fruitles tree occupied the place of another who might with greater profit haue yealded me much fruit 7. In like manner he also deceyueth himselfe who being entred into the gate of religion thinketh it inough if he transgresse not Gods commaundmends and is not offensiue or scandalous to any But he is wholy deceyued neither am I content therwith alone for he who thinketh he may make a stand heere doth not a little offend me He ceaseth to be a true religious man when he beginneth to haue a will not to be better 8. A good religious person neuer thinketh himselfe to haue ariued to perfection nor euer sayth Now it is inough For he knoweth that in the spirituall life not to go forwards is to go backwards It is my will that a religious man mortifie himselfe conformably to his Institute and
Vowes made groweth of this that the Religious man considereth how pleasing this his oblation was vnto me O how sorely should a Religious man offend me if he should be troubled and grieued for a thing very well done and most acceptable to me It is no lesse a sinne to be sorry for a good work then to be glad of a bad one 3. There be also other things that make this Religious oblation most pleasing to me and cause me to make an high estimation therof and that is because it hath the beginning of sincere loue towards me For first the Religious do by these three Vowes as with three nayles voluntarily nayle themselues to the Crosse for loue of me not for three dayes alone but for al their life They do not only crucify their body with the nayle of Pouerty and the senses with the naile of Chastity but their vnderstanding also and their owne iudgment with the naile of Obedience by obeying their Superiours will rather then their owne The theefe that confessed me on the Crosse whereon he did hang a very short time where he spake vnto his companion but one word in fauour of me tasted so abundantly of my best loue towards him as I made him that very day an inheritour of paradise And why should I not loue a Religious man hartily who in regard of his Vowes made for loue of me is bound to continue vpon the Crosse all his life long Why should not his oblation be most pleasing to me who for the amplificatiō of my glory exposeth himselfe to all dangers that he may preach my Ghospell not by word alone but which is more by example of life also 4. Another cause why I hold the oblation of a Religious person amongst the things that be most deare vnto me is because by these three Vows he doth wittingly and willingly giue me whatsoeuer he can giue For whereas he doth by Vow yeald himselfe wholy to my seruice he giueth me not only the workes but also the worker of them Certes a secular man neuer giueth me so much for by doing well he giueth me nothing but the fruite and not the tree whiles a Religious person giueth me the one and the other This further pleaseth me that the Religious in making their Vowes make protestation that they will not loue any other besides me nor serue any but me and this not for a certaine time but for all eternity Moreouer the Religious consecrate vnto me all their owne right power of doing anything contrary to their Vow once made and this pleaseth me very much A secular person for example who doth without making any Vow for loue of me renounce all his riches doth indeed well yet he reserueth to himselfe an interest and right of gathering riches togeather againe when he shall please But a Religious man by making the Vow of Pouerty depriueth himself not only of riches but also of power of heaping or gathering of riches for the time to come and of all propriety thereunto foreuer 5. The third thing that in the obligation of Vowes pleaseth me is that the Religious do by it not only giue all but do it after the best and most perfect manner that is that I should haue such a comaund power and right ouer them as I may vse their seruice in whatsoeuer thing where when and as much as shall please me And hence it is that the Religious ought not to vse himselfe as a thing of his owne but as mine and consecrated to me Neither must he vse his owne iudgment where when he listeth but at my pleasure because I am his Lord and not himselfe Wherefore know thou my Religious child that he shal commit a grieuous sacriledge who would either take from me that which had beene formerly consecrated deliuered vnto me by Vowes or vsurpe and vse it at his owne pleasure The lesse thou hast and the lesse thou dost after thine owne will the lesse will thy errour be and the lesse accompt thou shalt yield to God 6. The fourth and last cause is why I most of all approue and allow of the Vows of Religious persons is for whereas the world which is a decevuer of soules is hatefull to me I am very glad if the iuglings frauds and vanityes of it be discouered and laid open And seing the Vowes of the Religious be cleane opposite to the world for by vertue of them all the riches pleasures honors other the worlds vanities be contemned they cānot but be most acceptable But consider my Child that this contempt of the world is not to be manifested by an externall shew or by words alone but by facts and workes and therefore it is not inough to haue made Vowes but thou must further of necessity obserue and keep them It is good to proclayme a defiance to thine enemy but better it is to ouercome him While a Religious person performeth his Vowes he declareth himselfe an enemy to the world but when he dischargeth his promise made by Vow he ouercommeth and vanquisheth it quite How conuenient it is that Religious men bind themselues to God by three Vowes CHAP. IIII. SONNE it is very agreable that the Religious be furnished and prouided of the armes of three Vertues which he hath promised by Vowes to wit Pouerty Chastity and Obedience When the souldier desireth to imitate his Captaine and to arme himselfe with those weapons which he doth that he may manfully according to his Captaynes pleasure fight with his enemy he is worthy both of praise and reward I am the Captaine and Generall of all the religious warfare who haue marched in the vanguard with these three Vertues and haue shewed all my followers how they should fight with these armes I ouercame myne enemies triumphed ouer them therfore meet it is that the Religious who serue vnder my colours and be to fight with the same enemyes should vse and handle the same weapons which if they do as they ought they cannot but go out of the field victorious The souldier who endeauoureth to imitate his General though he arriue not to his great strength and courage is neuertheles worthy of his reward 2. It is further requisite that the Religious man cast of all things that may be of power to hinder his profit of spirit A scholler is to do three things that may make to his profit in humane literature First he must remoue all the obstacles and impediments of his studyes such as be the pleasures of the flesh Secondly such things as may hinder his true progresse in his studyes and those be the cares of temporall goods and helps Thirdly he must make choice of the most effectuall and best meanes for the taking of his maisters lessons and that is diligently to obey his maister and the law of the Schoole These three obstacles the Religious also remoue and take away by the benefit and help of their Vowes For by the Vow of Chastity they cut
ouerthrow Religious houses 5. When thou becamest Religious didst thou it not with a mind of suffering much for the sauing of thy soule and for the loue o me Didst thou not purpose to liue a poore life and to beare with all incommodityes that be incident to poore persons Whence then is it that now when thou shouldst haue greater light of mind and more charity thou dost not put those thy first cogitatiōs in effect by works O extreme bad iugling and deceite Religion is instituted for the mortifying of the body and for the enriching of the soule with spirituall riches and thou thinkest that a great care is to be vsed and had about the cherishing of the body with the neglect of the soules health Tell me I pray thee In the world hadst thou thy commodityes of body at will or not If not wherefore desirest thou them in Religion wherinto thou didst enter to suffer incommodityes for Christs sake And if thou hadst thy commodityes and didst therof voluntarily depriue thy selfe for the loue of me that thou mightst please me the more wherfore dost thou now in Religion seeke them by thee abandoned before with an offence to me and bad example to others Moreouer if thou hast renounced the cōmodityes of thy body for the loue of me and now returnest vnto them againe thou manifestly declarest that thou wilt not haue any thing to do with the loue of me And what an esteeme should I make of him who is so fickle and inconstant in louing me And if peraduenture thou thinke that thou mayst both loue me and seeke thy temporal commodityes withall and that against my wil thou art greatly deceiued for as much as he cannot loue truly who doth not conforme himselfe to the will of the beloued 6. Sonne if thou desirest to vnderstand how I handled myne owne body runne ouer my life from the day of my natiuity til my death and thou shalt easily see how few commodityes I vsed For so soone as I came into the world a stable was my bed-chamber and the manger my bed Within a while after Herod persecuting me I was forced to flye into Aegipt Consider thou heere what commodityes I found both in my way thither in a countrey so far off and barbarous when as I had a poore Mother who also was to take her iourney and to packe in all hast away in the night tyme so soone as she had newes of the matter After that being returned from Aegipt I passed ouer the remainder of my life in pouerty In the thirtith yeare of my age I retired my selfe into the desert where I punished my poore body with hungar thirst watching lying vpon the ground and the fast of fourty dayes and nights After my leauing the desert I trauailed on foote from one towne castle to another and preached the kingdome of heauen in all places where I came and liued continually by almes that others gaue me In time of my passion I did not only want all commodityes but also one affliction succeeded in place of another Finally when I came to dy a crosse was my bed to lye on and a crowne of thornes my pillow 7. Now iudge thou who art Religious whether it be conuenient for thee my seruant who hast made profession of imitating me to handle thy body so nicely delicately since I thy Lord haue dealt with myne owne so roughly and hardly And though my body were euer subiect to the soule and most obedient to reason yet I did neuer entreate it delicately nor euer yealded vnto it any commodityes or recreations at al. And wilt thou now affoard vnto thy body that hath so often in a most insolent manner insulted against the spirit and reason all kinds of contentements and pleasures I the Lord of maiesty euer contented my selfe with a poore and meane diet and as meane cloathing and other intertaynement and wilt thou in Religion not contented with the common affect desire superfluityes This is not to be or to lead the lyfe of a Religious person but rather to couer and conceale a secular life by the habit of Religion 8. An ouer great sollicitude of temporall commodityes is a thorne that pricketh ouer sore and greatly hurteth a Religious man For first it maketh him a procuratour for the body yea and a bondslaue vnto it And who seeth not how great an indignity it is for a Religious man of a punisher of his body to become a Purueyour for it and insteed of whipping it to yeald it all manner of contentements Againe it holdeth and keepeth him so distracted in mind as he taketh no gust or pleasure at all in matters of spirit And what other thing is this then to make him sensuall that he may neither tast nor mind those thinges that be of God Moreouer it maketh him churlish and harsh to those with whome he liueth for as much as he euer will in all things haue what is best and most commodious for himselfe neglecting the commodityes of others yea he preferreth his priuate commodityes before the common not regarding what hurt may redound to the Religion thereby so he may haue what he desireth himselfe And what is this but to spoile a Religious man of charity discretion and all 9. Neither is there heer an end of this importune preposterous care of the body but it further maketh the Religious querulous idle froward surly a murmurer and of a peruerse and bad example He would haue all moued to commiserate and pitty his case all to shew beneuolence good will vnto him and therfore he attributeth euery least distemper of body and indisposition of his health to the sore trauailes and paynes he hath taken in Religion And how can it be possible that there should be either spirit or Religious discipline in such mē O vnhappy subiects and as vnhappy Superiours who permit such things in Religion wherein they are pastours and haue a charge seeing this is nothing els then to bring a certaine infection into it to shew a way vnto yong men for the quite ruining and ouerthrowing therof That it is not inough for a Religious man to mortify his body vnles the mind be restrained also CHAP. III. SONNE that the Religious mā so mortify his body the senses thereof as it become not proud rise against the soule it is good and healthful but yet Religious perfection consisteth not therein but rather in the inward vertues of the mind of which followeth the reformation of the passions and senses Neither can the body be directed by the soule vnles the soule it selfe togeather with all it own facultyes and powers be first of all drawn out and fashioned to the right and straight rule A croked rule is not for the making of a thing straight The soule is then ruled straight when it is conformed to the diuine will which is the first and an infallible rule Let a man mortify his flesh as much as he will and
whereof by reason of an inueterate custome he smelleth not but he shall feele it alas in his death when he shall also haue a feeling of the hurt For he must of necessity go depriued and destitute of good workes to another life where the fewer good workes a man shall bring the lesse he shall haue of happynes and he that might haue brought more shall be greatly sory â—hat he brought theÌ„ not O how true is that which the Wiseman sayth That a liuing dog is better then a dead lyon There be some Religious men excellently learned generous of nature enriched with many â—alents by God but so giuen ouer to ease idlenes as where they are able wonderfully to promote the Christian cause by their paynes and trauaile yet they do nothing and what be they els then dead lyons Certes a liuing dog that is that Religious man doth much more who though but meanly and slenderly prouided of learning doth yet what he can and is able for the loue of me And indeed he thâ—â— doth little when he can no more pleaseth me more then doth he who is of ability to performe much and yet doth it not 3. I was euer a capitall enemy of idlenes and therefore meete is it that thou who makest a profession of imitating me shouldst also be auerted from idlenes Thou knowest well that I began to take payne from my very childhood in helping onâ— while my poore mother another while my foster-father Ioseph in his trade and wilâ— not thou who art come out of the worlâ— to Religion to trauaile and take paynes help the Religion thy mother in her lâ—bours and thy Superiours who intertainâ— and gouerne thee Remember what my Apostle sayth That an idle man is noâ— worthy of his meate To desire to eate not to haue a will to labour is nothing elâ— but to haue a will to consume and spenâ— what is got by others a thing vnworthyman not to say a Religious man Neitheâ— doth it satisfy that thou sayst I am readâ— to take great paynes but my Superiouâ— will not put me to those labours wheruntâ— I haue an inclination and which I am ablâ— to do with commodity and ease This iâ— no iust excuse sith it is not for thee to choose the office or thing that is to be exercised or done The seruant in seruing must not follow his owne inclination but his Maisters and thereâ—ore the Superiour supplyeth my place to appoint vnto his subiects what is to be done to my greater glory Moreouer whence art thou sure that thou canst performe that charge and office well whereunto thou hast an inclination Thou canst not in this matter be an vpright and indifferent iudge by reason of the passion that deceiueth thee Euery one pleaseth himselfe in his owne but the paine and difficulty is that the same may also be pleasing to others and though thou shouldst content all and yet should displease me what good would it do thee And therefore thou shalt neuer free thy selfe from the fault of idlenes vnles thy trauayles be conforme to my will declared vnto thee by thy Superiour 4. O how pernicious a thing is idlenes to a Religious person For where idlenes raigneth there is no charity which cannot be idle as my Apostle sayth very well If therefore thou be idle it followeth that thou wantest charity And what will it profit thee poore and miserable man if thou hast receiued the gifts and talents of all creatures be without charity What merits canst thou heap vp for thy selfe if thou labourest not according to charity Idlenes is no more repugnant to paines taking and Charity then it is pleasing to the Diuell to whose tentations assaults he giueth place oportunity and occasion Where idlenes is there the Diuell euer findeth ready entrance for as much as idlenes is to him like a citty vnprouided of the defence of walls Hence it is that those ancient holy Fathers who made the desert famous did euer and anone admoniâ—â— their schollers for freeing themselues from the impugnations assaults of the Diuell to haue a care to be euer in some imployment or busines sith by so doing an occasioÌ„ is taken from the Diuell of working hiâ— bad designes 5. Idlenes further worketh anotheâ— mischief and hurt to a Religious man that is that he falleth into many defects for as much as it maketh him curious a breaker of silence detractour it causeth him to disturbe and hinder others in theiâ— good exercises to go often abroad and tâ— wander vp and downe the Citty and to seeke sundry recreations and pastimes foâ— the contenting of himselfe This is not â—he way of purchasing vertue nor of laâ—ouring to perfection wherunto thy foreâ—â—thers ariued and now do in a most pleaâ—ant and contenting manner enioy the â—ruit of their good works and labours 6. Finally idlenes is cause of another â—urt that it spoileth the Religious man of â—wo most precious thinges namely tyme â—nd life and is not this a most manifest madnes I haue giuen thee life and do still â—onserue it that thou mayst enrich it by meriting and hast thou no regard of thyne owne good and commodity What proâ—itor help can thy neighbour expect from â—hee if thou hast not any consideration of â—hyne owne weale I haue granted thee â—yme and oportunity of manuring and cultiuating thyne owne vineyard that is â—hy soule and thou sufferest it through â—hyne idlenes to grow wilde What good wilt thou do to thy Religion who hast â—o little care of thyne owne soule That a Religious man ought to be practised in hearing and talking of God and of spirituall matters CHAP. VII SONNE many be by Sermons drawn to the faith to a better course of life and many by spirituall talke and discourse be stirred vp in the loue of God and of vertues whence it is that to heare or to speak of matters of spirit helpeth very much to the attayning of perfection for that the one and the other findeth entrance into the innermost receipts of the hart Spirituall talke whiles eare is giuen vnto it iâ— receyued into the hearers hart as a good holy seed that cannot but bring forth good and answerable fruit And because the same commeth from out of the hart of the deliuerer of spiritual matters it must needâ— also set his hart on fire from whose mouth such speach commeth Conference therefore of pious matters profiteth both the hearer and the speaker 2. All this is true but yet if there want loue in the hart neither the tongue not the eares will busy themselues much in spirituall matters Whence thinkest thou doth it come that some speake so seldome â—â—d so coldly of spirituall matters but of a â—efect and want of feruent loue Whence â—inkest thou groweth the loathing and â—isgust when speach is had of pious things â—â—d heauenly but of a defect of the same â—â—ue If the fire of the loue of God and of â—ertues should burne within
Secondly because the person to whome it is made is diuine that is God himselfe Now let a Religious man consider and see how much he ought to loue it with what regard to keep it and with what deuotion and care to obserue it in all things that he is able because it is made to him who penetrateth and entreth into the most inward secret of the hart and well knoweth who hath iust cause to obserue it and who not 5. But now I would desire to know of those to whome it causeth some trouble and difficulty that they be tyed in so noble and holy a band what the cause is that secular men haue them in so great regard and veneration They will say perhaps because they be religious and my seruants And what made them religious and my seruants but these three Vowes Many secular persons liue at this day in the world far more learned more holy and more perfect then many Religious and yet be they nothing so much honored as religious men be and the cause is because they be not tyed to me by these holy bands of Vowes Secular men when they behold Religious persons doe consider them as wholy mine by three Vowes consecrated to me what honour they do them they thinke they giue to me But this they do not to men of the world though otherwise eminent for their vertue and therfore to be tyed in these bands is no contemptible matter but most honorable and most noble euen to the world sith the Religious be in so great veneration with the great men of the world 6. These three Vowes againe be of very great regard for that they cause the Religious to triumph victoriously and to go away with victory ouer their three deadly enemies For whils they exercise Pouerty against the vanity of the world Chastity against the tentation of the flesh and Obedience against the frauds of the crafty diuell they go easily away with victory But those Religious who vse not these kind of armes are oftentimes shamefully ouercome Let not him be a souldier who will not take a weapon in hand neither let him go to the battaile who refuseth to fight 7. And now tell me my Sonne what those Religious men deserue who make but light esteeme of so holy and godly an obligation and what they also deserue who keep it not when they may ought to keep it What punishment attendeth them who do not only breake it but further contemne it also O how straite an accompt are they to make not only of their owne transgressions but also of those of others that is of those who by their bad example were induced to violate and breake their Vowes they had before made vnto me For promise by Vowe is not made to men but to the diuine maiesty it is not made vnwillingly but voluntarily Neither is the obligation therof concerning any light or temporall matter but touching a great and spirituall matter that is the saluation of the Soule He that lightly regardeth what he hath once promised to God shall againe be as little regarded of God Of the vtility and profit that Vowes bring and cause to Religious persons CHAP. II. LORD our Nature is so sore depressed surcharged with the weight of our owne miseries as I know not whether it were good and profitable for a man to bind himselfe by Vowes sith to me it seemeth nothing els but to adde one burden to another and consequently much to be feared least in conclusion seeing it is very weake it fall vnder the burden And more then this there be so many obligations and bands of precepts imposed partly by thee partly by thy Church layd vpon vs as it is almost impossible for vs to satisfy them therefore it seemeth not good to surcharge our selues with new bands of Vowes Neither doth there appeare so great vtility likely to redound vnto vs by the benefit of Vowes but that there is presented a greater daunger by transgressing and breaking them I add further Lord that fre and voluntary offices of deuotion are more accepted off by thee then be the forced But whosoeuer shall make a Vow is forced to stand to his promise and therfore I see not how great a vtility there is of Vowes 2. Thou art deceiued my Sonne For Vowes be burdens that load not but rather ease help nature it selfe to the exercising of all more noble works The feathers and wings of byrdes carry a shevv of a burden and yet they help to raise them aloft and without which they cannot fly Besids experience teacheth that they be religious who do most promptly most exactly obserue the commaundments of God whence it appeareth that by the benefit of Vowes they are holpen to obserue the precepts of God and of the Church after a more exact and perfect manner 3. Thou art wide if thou thinkest that any profit returneth to me by thy Vowes It is not so There is no sowing nor mowing for me heere Promises made to men redound to the profit of them to whome they be made but the merit of the Vowes that are made to me remaineth to the vtility of him who voweth yea the honour glory that of Vowes arise to me and my seruice appertaineth also to the good of them that vow For I do abundantly reward them as I do seuerely chastise the bad workes that be dishonorable to piety and to the seruice of God 4. And where thou sayst that by Vows all liberty is taken away in so much as the Religious do all things of necessity therfore haue no merit of their works at all thou art deceiued For there be two necessities one naturall and this taketh away all liberty merit commendation of all good works such as is the falling of a stone downwards The other is voluntary or proceeding of the will or of a promise voluntarily made and this doth not only not take away the merit of the good worke but also much increaseth it for that both the worke and the promise be voluntary and free And this is the necessity so highly commended of the blessed in heauen because it did driue them to the exercising of the more noble and more excellent workes Happy is that necessity which compelleth to what is better 5. Moreouer thou must know my Son that the grief difficulty which we otherwhiles find and feele in executing our promise of Vowes doth not take away nor diminish in the Religious their merit but rather increase it for in fullfilling our Vows there is not only done a good worke but that heauines repugnance and difficulty is further ouercome which indeed is a matter of no little consequence Howbeit to fullfill a good worke promised by Vow though there occurre no difficulty in doing it is more meritorious then to fulfill it without any precedent Vow For as I will declare after the Vow it selfe is meritorious which merit he hath not who doth a good worke
which he before promised to do without making a Vow 6. There be other vtilityes which vowes do bring to the Religious For first vndoubted it is that the tree the deceper roote it shall take within the earth bringeth forth the better fruite Euen so mans will the more stable it shal be in good produceth the more noble works And among the effects of Vowes one is that it maketh the will more firme in good works Who knoweth not how various and mutable mans will is now it is willing within a while it is vnwilling and what pleaseth to day displeaseth to morrow And doubtles it would be better if the will were constant and stable in imbracing good and that it may be stable and immutable is effected by the benefit of Vowes For so soone as a man shall hâ—ue made a Vow he must performe it neither may he reuoke it without sinne that he may not go backe is both profitable and good and deriued from the very nature of a Vow And of this it followeth that a good worke proceeding from a will grounded in good is better then other good workes and deserueth a more ample reward As contrariwise a bad and hurtfull worke comming from a peruerse and obdurate will is more detestable then other ill works and meriteth a more sore punishment Would you haue a Lunatike person to do no hurt Then bind him fast vpon the first occasion 7. Another vtility nothing inferiour to the former is this Euery man will confesse that it most profiteth a man if he be most inwardly vnited to God Almighty And this is effected by Vowes for whiles a man by Vowes bindeth himselfe to me I am in like maner tyed againe fast vnto him and therfore if the Religious do by these sacred bands bind themselues fast vnto me so become mine how is it possible that I should not deliuer my selfe vnto them also That I should not help them not defend them not conserue keep them as a thing most deare vnto me I should not be what I am if my creature should go beyond me in liberality Wherfore it is very agreable to reason that seeing they haue most firmely conioyned themselues to me the fountaine of Grace I should also communicate vnto them the flowing streames of my grace and my heauenly gifts and take so great care of them as neither the Diuell nor any other creature may do them harme The Religious liue so much the more secure the more potent and powerfull is their Lord and Maister to whome they haue conioyned themselues 8. There is yet another vtility that al good workes done by Vow do merit more with God then those that are not done by Vow He that keepeth chastity for loue of me doth well and meriteth but he that for loue of me maketh a Vow of chastity keepeth it doth better and meriteth more For the former exerciseth but one vertue that is Continency but the later exerciseth two namely Continency and Religion the noblest of all morall vertues Moreouer to promise a good worke is a good thing and to performe a promise is also good and therfore for them both a man is held worthy of commendations and thanks Let him then be more deare vnto thee who bestoweth more spirituall good vpon thee 9. Seing so many benefits redound vnto vs by Vowes as the stability of the will the coniunction with God and the merit of workes I would be now glad to vnderstand why some when they should most of all reioice be sory that they haue tyed themselues by Vowes What cause of grief should they haue For if these sacred bands should depriue them of some great commodity they might haue iust cause of sorrowing But indeed they loose none by it For as a vine fastned to a tree or to a post and therefore lesse obnoxious and exposed to the iniury of the winds bringeth forth better and more abundant fruite then if it were loose and vntyed Euen so be Religious persons by the benefit of these Vowes are more strong and stable and more free from tentations and do yeld greater increase of good works therefore why should they afflict themselues with grief 10. Euill must needs please him who is sorry for good or complaineth therof When good meate is hurtfull to a man it is a signe that his stomake is infected and surcharged with bad humours and therfore it is to be purged with some antitode if he meane to preuent the hazard of his life In like manner if the making of Vowes which is good and holy be to some Religious person troublesome it is a signe that his mind is infected with some bad disposition which must be taken away and remoued by the spirituall Phisitian that the hazard of his spirituall death may be auoyded How acceptable and pleasing to God the three Vowes of Religious persons be CHAP. III. SONNE how should not the Vowes of the Religious be accepted by me when as they be made for my honour and glory How is it that they should not be deare to me when as they be the meanes of attaining perfection which I do so earnestly desire at their hands O how much should some earthly Lord glory if his seruants should make him any such promise he would no doubt exult for ioy though he should not be assured whether they had done it in earnest from their hart for the loue of him their Lord or in regard of their owne commodity And should not I who am assured that the Religious do from their hart make these Vowes and only for loue of me bind themselues to the performing of good and holy workes reioyce and be glad Should not I make a demonstration how much they please me 2. For there be three things that do in particular please me in Vowes First the deuotion wherewith the Vowes be made Secondly the diligence wherewith they are obserued Thirdly the ioy that the Religious conceiue by occasion of the making of their Vowes Deuotion groweth of the consideration of the excellency of the oblation that is made in the Vowes For the Religious man by a benefit of his three Vowes offereth himselfe wholy in sacrifice without reseruation of any part to himselfe And if the sacrifices of the old law which were of bulles and calues were so pleasing vnto me how much shall these content me which Religious men do voluntarily offer vnto me And if I made so high esteeme of Abrahams only will when he was ready to sacrifice his only Sonne vnto me what a reckoning should I make of the sacrifice that a Religious man maketh of himselfe by offering me his will soule body and all Againe Diligence ariseth of the loue they carry towards me He that loueth cannot expect or of slouth put of till another time or prolonge that which he knoweth to be very pleasing to the beloued And in Religious life nothing pleaseth me more then the obseruation of Vowes Finally ioy for the
one then by the talke of many why wilt thou depriue me of such an help Sonne to conuerse as it is meet with them who may be able to promote thee in spirit cannot be offensiue to the community for this helpe thou mayst haue all ouermuch familiarity being set aside of which we heere speake But if the community be offended it is a signe that thy conuersation goeth beyond the appointed bouÌ„ds neither is it so diuine and spirituall as thou bearest thy selfe in hand And though thou sometymes receiuest some spirituall fruit and good by that priuate familiarity and conuersation yet this thyne owne commodity should not be preferred before the coÌ„mon offence of thy Religion but perfect charity requireth that thou wouldst vse another way in procuring that spirituall fruit to thy selfe without the offending of others 5. And if ouer much familiarity among the Religious and my seruants offendeth others and therefore is worthy of reprehension how much would it offend if a Religious man should vse so often conuersation with a secular man whereby an occasion might be giuen of bad suspitions The conuersation of a Religious man with one of the world ought not only to giue edification to them with whome he keepeth company but to them also who see it for as much as he is bound to be a good example to all And if the wise spirituall men censure so frequent conuersatioÌ„ with particuler persons not to be good they ought to forbeare it Neither is it inough if he say That he treateth of good pious matters that he laboureth about the mans conuersion and that they do ill who censure him otherwise I do not deny but that thy neighbour should be holpen but I affirme that it must be done by due and fit meanes but ouermuch conuersation with some one is no due meanes neither ordred â—y Charity The Religious man who in â—â—lping others hath no care of his owne â—ood name doth ill but he that giueth an â—ccasion vnto others of thinking il of him â—oth worse for so much as not only an euil 〈◊〉 selfe but also the very shew of euill is 〈◊〉 be taken heed of 6. Neither doth he satisfy who anâ—wereth That he hath a good intention in â—t sith all our workes must of necessity be â—oth good and remoued of all suspition Others do not iudge by thy good intention which they see not but by thy conuersatiâ—n which they behold And though they â—hould see thyne intention yet they would â—ot excuse it for that by thy ouermuch â—â—miliarity thou bringest it in danger also O how many conferences haue amongst Religious persons begon with the spirit â—nd ended afterwards with the flesh and â—loud The ouermuch confidence of our â—â—lus hath caused many to fal If many haue â—eene caught but with one casting of the â—ye how many will be caught with long â—onuersation and often talking togeaâ—her Our sensuality is very crafty and â—east her iugling should be found out and discouered otherwhils she concealeth her self vnder pretence of helping some person it beginneth indeed with spiritual talke but afterwards the speach full of affection doth easily manifest whereto it aymed Sonne beware of the Diuell and that mosâ— of all when he transfigureth himselfe into an Angell of light and as death fly his coÌ„pany to whome thou findest thy selfe sensually affected A little fire vnles it be remoued far from straw breaketh first into a smoke and afterwards into a flame 7. There be other Religious who coÌ„trary to their Superiours will do seeke the familiarity of great persons in the world not so much to promote and further theiâ— soules good as to gaine vnto themselueâ— their good will and fauour And is noâ— this a thing most sorely to be lamented Can it be possible that a Religious man who hath renounced the world should seeke after the patronage of a Lord of thâ— world Tell me I pray thee for whaâ— cause dost thou seeke their fauour and help Is it to satisfy Religious discipline or is iâ— to mortify thy selfe as thou shouldst do oâ— also the more easily to come to perfection But certes for this thou needest not the fauour or assistance of men of the world buâ— if thou seekest help thou hast many in Religion that can do it Yet others be not sâ— simple but that they easily smell out that â—hou doest for none other cause seeke their good will and protection then that thou mayst withdraw thy selfe from Religious â—iscipline and that thy Superiour may not â—â—mmaund thee at his pleasure that which â—â—ndeth not with thyne owne good liâ—ing And what other thing is this then â—o put a Religious habit vpon secular liâ—erty What is it but vnder hand to liue â—n the world and to entertaine friendship â—herwith in the cleare light to be at deâ—iance with it But I see as well and as clearely by night as by day and I expect them at a tyme when they shall be abandoned of all fauour and help of others Then an accoumpt shall be taken of their â—ernicious wylinesse they shall know how much it hurteth from my defence and protection to degenerate and fall to the patronage of earthly Lords and shall to their hurt cry aloud Accursed is the man who trusteth in man That a Religious man must flye Ease and Idlenes CHAP. VI. SONNE Idlenes hath beene condemned euen from the tyme of the worlds creation as the origen of very many euilâ— and that was in such sort done as noâ— receiued it Wherefore thy first Fathâ—â— Adam was placed in the terrestriall paradisâ— in a place of pleasure not to liue at ease anâ— to be idle therin or to tryfle the tyme in râ—creating himself but as the Scripture speâ—keth to worke in it And being thruâ—â— out of Paradise that he might not be idle the earth was deliuered him to manure anâ— husband that he might eate his bread iâ— the sweat of his browes And dost thou who art made the heire of this thy first parents labours thinke to eate thy breaâ— without sweating Thy Father Adam had also laboured in the terrestriall paradise iâ— he had continued therein and wilt thou bâ— ydle in thyne exile that is a place of paynes taking Wilt thou attend to thy pleasureâ— in the vale of teares Consider my sonne that thou art not yet come to thy country but art still a stranger and pilgrime as all thy forefathers were And if a pilgrimâ— haue a desire to arriue at last home to his countrey he must not giue himselfe to ydlenes or stay vpon the way but go continually forwards least the darknes of the night come vpon him 2. My seruant Iob sayth That man is borne to labour and therfore he that loâ—eth his ease and taketh not paynes accorâ—ing to his state seemeth not to answere â—he condition of man And therefore some haue not without cause called Idlenes the buryall of a liuing man O vnhappy Religious whose buryall is in his pleasures the â—ench