THE I. CHAPTER. In which there are laid two princi­cipall foundations.

NOn sicut ego volo, sed sicut ut, Matt. 26.39. not as I will, but as thou wilt, O Lord. The Holy Fathers as­signe two reasons, why the sonne of God would descend downe from heauen, and become perfect man by vesting himselfe with our humanity: the one was, to redeeme vs with his pre­tious blood; the other, to shew vs by his example, and teach vs by his doctrine the right way to heauen. For as it would haue auailed vs nothing to haue knowne the way, if we had been still detained [Page 2]in prison; Ber. ser. 2. in Cir­cumcis. Dom. so likewise (saith S. Bernard) it would haue little profited vs, to haue been deliuered out of prison, if we had not knowne the way: and seeing God was inuisible, it was necessary (vnto the end we might see him, and by seeing imi­tate him) that he should become visible and cloath himselfe in our humanity, as shepheards goe apparelled in the skins of sheep, that their flocke may be allured to follow them, by seeing in them their owne resemblance. And so that holy Pope. S. Leo sais; Nisi enim esset verus Deus, Leo Pa­pa 1. ser. 1. de Na­tiui. Do.nō adferret remedium; & nisi esset verus homo, non praeberet exemplum. Vnles he had been true God, he could not haue brought vs remedy; and vnles he had been true man he could not haue afforded vs an exāple. But he hath done both the one and the other most aboun­dantly, out of that excesse of loue which he bare to man, and therfore as our re­demption hath been most amply great, & copiosa apud eum redemptio, Psal. 129 7. so also hath his doctrine been, since he hath not deliuered it vnto vs alone in words, but much more by the example of his works, caepit Iesus facere & docere, saith the [Page 3]Euangelist S. Luke, Act. 1. [...]Iesus first begun with the practise and execution (and that for the most part of his Blessed life) and afterwards began to preach in the last three yeares, or two yeares and a halfe, before dyed.

Now among many other things which our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs, one of the principall is, an entire conformity with the will of God, in all occurrences and occasions: the which he teacheth vs not only in words, when setting downe vnto vs a forme of prayer, he tells vs, that one of those things which we are to be­seech, and begge of our heauenly Fa­ther, is: Mat. 6.10. fiat voluntas tuasicut in coelo & in terra, thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen: but he much more confirmes this doctrine by his blessed exāple, seeing he professeth to haue descended from heauen vnto no other end, descendi de coelo non vt faciam voluntat [...] meam, sed voluntatem eius qui misit me. I haue descended from heauen not to do mine owne will, but the will of him who sent me. And on that sacred day, when ha­uing instituted his holy supper, and al­most ended the worke of our redemp­tion, [Page 4]in that prayer of his in the Garden, although his flesh and blood, and sensitiue powers had a naturall horrour, and auer­sion from death, by which he witnessed that he was perfect man, Mat. 26.39. saying; Pater mi [...]si possibile est transeat à me calix iste, Father if it be possible let this chalice passe from me: notwithstanding his will was alwaies prompt & desirous, to drinke of that chalice, which his Father sent him; and therefore he presently adds, neuer­thelesse, be it not as I will, but as thou wilt ô Lord.

But vnto the end that we may de­scend vnto the very depth, to ground our selues very well in this conformely, we must first lay two briefe, but substantiall foundations; vpon which as vpon two hinges our whole matter must be sustai­ned. The first is, that all our profit in vertue and perfection consists in this con­formity with the will of God, which ac­cording as this shall be more full and per­fect, shall likewise be more excellent and great. This foundation is easy to compre­hend, since it must be graunted, that per­fection essentially consists in the charity and the loue of God, and that the more [Page 5]perfect we shall be, the greater shall our loue be to Almighty God: the holy Euan­gell is full of this doctrine, as also the Epi­stles of S Paul, and the liues of Saints. Hoc est maximum & primum mādatum &c. Mat. 22.38. & Colos. 3.14. 1. Corin. 13.13. This is the greatest and the first co­maundment, Charity is the band of per­fection and the greatest of all these is cha­rity, the loue of God is of all things the most high and perfect, and the most ex­cellent and dearest part thereof, and (as it were the abstract and quintessence of this charity) is an intire conformity with the will of God, in desiring nothing but what may be most pleasing vnto his Diuine Maiestie. Eadem velle, Hier ep. ad De­metriad lib. de a­micit.& eadem nolle ea demum firma amicitia est, saith S. Hierom borrowing the sentence from an other Philosopher: so that the more one is conformable and vnited with the will of God, the better and more perfect he shall be, it being moreouer most certaine, that the will of God, is the most excel­lent and perfect thing, which may be ima­gined, and so by consequence he is better and more perfect, who comes the neerest to the will of God. And it was the Argu­ment of an other Philosopher; if God be [Page 6]the most exquisit and perfect thing of all, the nearer on comes for to resemble him, the more exquisit and perfect he shall be.

The second foundation is; that there can chaunce and happen nothing in the world, but by the will and ordinance of God, sinne ōly excepted, of which God is neither Author, nor cā possibly be. For as cold is naturally opposit to heat, warmth to water, and darkenesse to the sunne, so much and infinitly more, is it repug­nant to the eternall goodnes of Almighty God, to haue any friendship or commerce with wickednes, Abacu. 2.3. as the Prophet Abacuc testifies: Mundisunt oculi tui, nevideas malum, & respicere ad iniquitatem non poteris, thy eyes are pure that thou maist not see sinne, & thou maist not looke vpō iniquity. Affirming that he can not, nor may not looke vpon it in that sence as we vsually say a man who hath a horrour frō a thing cannot abid its sight, whereby he giues vs to vnderstand, the great auersion and detestation which God Almighty hath from wickednes, Psal. 55. that he cannot en­dure the sight of it. Quoniam non Deus volens iniquitatem tu es. Seeing thou art not a God (saith Dauid) who hast any [Page 7]will that iniquity should be: and againe, Psal. 44.8. dilexisti iustitiam & odisti iniquitatem, thou hast loued iustice & hated iniquity. In briefe the holy scripture doth euery where abound, with testimonies of Gods mighty hatred and detestation of sinne; and therfore he can no waies be Author of it. But excepting sinne I say, all other things, all miseries and all calamities, in­flicted on vs for our punishments, proceed from the ordination and the will of God: which foundation is most infallible; there being no such thing as chaunce or for­tunate in the world, as the Heathens er­roniously did faine▪ neither are those goods, which the idle world abusiuely cal goods of Fortune the donatiues of any such thing, as Fortun, or of chaunce; since there is no such thing as they are said to be, but they are gifts bestowed by the hand of God; As the Holy Ghost tea­cheth vs, by the wiseman, bona & mala, Eccl. 11.14.vita & mors, paupertas & honestas à Deo sunt, both good and euell, life and death, pouerty and riches are all procee­ding from Almighty God.

And although these things are often by other secondary causes brought to [Page 8]passe; notwithstanding it is most certaine, that there happens nothing in this great Republique of the world, without order from this souueraigne Emperour who hath all dominion in it, there is nothing by chaunce or accidence to God, but all which happēs to vs, first passeth through his hands, and his disposure of it. He hath numbred all the bones of your body, and keep a iust account of euery haire of your head, of the which there doth not moult or perish one, without his par­ticular prouidence▪ but what do I speake of men? seing our Sauiour himselfe affir­mes in the Euangell, that not a sparrow falls into the Fowlers nette, without his ordinance and permission. Mat. 10.29. Nonne duo passeres asse veneunt, & vnus ex eis non cadet super terram sine patre vestro? Neither is there any leafe shaken with the wind, but by his good pleasure: and also the wiseman says speaking of lots, sortes mittuntur in sinu, Pro. 16.35.sed à Domino tempe­rentur. Howsoeuer the lots are cast into the Lapp, yet according to the pleasure of God they are mingled there, & by his appointment drawne out and distributed, Act. 1.26. cecidit sors s [...]per Matthiam the lot fell [Page 9]vpon Matthias but not by chaunce, it being the pleasure of God by that means, to elect him for his Apostle; This verity, the better and more morall Philosophers, haue by the only helpe of naturall light found out, and so they say, that diuers things, in respect of their secondary cau­ses, are fortuit and casuall, wheras if you regard their primitiue cause, they are no waies casuall, but done with mature de­liberation and designe: which they de­clare by the example of one sending a seruant vpon some occasion to a certaine place, and dispatching another vnto the same place, by an other way; now they meeting both together there, & one not knowing of the others sēding do straight imagine that they are met by chaunce, whereas vnto him who sent them it is no casuall thing, but done with purpose & deliberation. In like manner although oftentimes som things for as much as men can perceaue fal out as it were by chaūce, because they are vnexpected vnto them, neuertheles vnto God Almighty they are no waies so, he hauing so ordained them, for ends secret and hidden to the eyes of men, and only knowne vnto his pro­uidence. [Page 10]That which we are to gather from these two foundations, which we haue laid, is the conclusion of what we haue proposed: which is, that seeing all thinges which happen to vs, are procee­ding from the hand of God; and that all perfection consists in the conforming of our selues vnto his will; we are therfore to roceaue all thinges as coming from his hand, and conforme our selues in them, vnto his diuine and holy will, we are not to esteeme any accident to come by chaunce, or that any man hath had his hand in it; for this only serues to vexe and disquiet vs: neither are we to thinke that this or that is happened vnto vs, by any one procurement, and that other­wise it would not haue chaunced, for such and such reasons as may occure vnto vs. But letting passe all such imaginations, we are to receaue all things, as being sent vs from the hand of God, by what way soeuer they arriue vnto vs. For it is he who doth direct them so. One of those renowned Fathers of the desert, was wont to say, that a man should neuer attaine true quietnes and content, vntil he could perswade himselfe, that there was no [Page 11]body els in the world but God and he; Doroth. doct. 7. And S. Dorotheus says, that those aūtient Fathers were very conuersant in recea­uing all things as coming from the hand of almighty God, how sleight so euer they were in themselues, and in what manner so euer they chaunced to them, and that by this meanes, they attained vnto a great quietnes and peace, leading euen in their mortall bodies heauenly liues.

THE II. CHAPTER. Wherein the second foundation is more amply declared.

IT is a verity so confirmed by holy scripture, that all afflictions, and euills which happen vnto vs for punishment of our sinnes, are procecding from the om­nipotent hand of God, that it were need­les for vs to spend more time in proofe therof, did not the diuell seeke to obscure it with his malicious craft, seeing from an other verity which we affirmed to be infallibly true, to wit that God is neither Author nor cause of sinne, he infers a false and lying conclusion, in perswading some [Page 12]that, how euer those harmes which a [...] incident vnto vs by naturall causes, and by creatures deuoid of reason, as sickness [...] famine, sterility and the like, are all pro­ceeding from the hand of God, seing that they commit no sinne, in what they do neither is it possible they should, in tha [...] they are incapable of sinning: neuerthele [...] those harmes and domages which arriu [...] vnto vs through the faults of others, a when any one doth strike and wound or robbe and iniure me, are not procee­ding from the hand of God, neither hap­ning through his appointment and pro­uidence, but through the malice and per­uersity of the others will; which errour and such who receaue not euery thing as coming from the Almighty hand of God, Doroth. doct. 7. S. Dorotheus doth excellently re­prehend where he sais. We when we heare any word spoken against vs, or chaunce ‘to be iniured of any one, do imitate dogs, who when any one throwes a stone at them, not regarding him who threw it, do runne and bite the stone; so we con­sider not God Almighty to be him, who procured vs this affliction, to clense vs from our sinnes, but straight runne vnto [Page 13]the stone, which is to wreake our anger on our neighbour.’

To free vs from this errour, as also to ground vs surely in the Catholicke truth, the Diuins consider in the sinnes which man comits two thinges which do con­cure; the one is the motion and exte­riour acte; the other the disorder of the will, whereby we come to transgresse the comaund of God. Of the first God is the Author; and of the second man. Let vs put the case; on entring into quarell with an other kille him: vnto the killing of him, there is required, that he lay hand to his sword, that he lift it vp, that he let fall his arme, and giue the blow; with di­uers other naturall motions, which may be a part considered by themselues, with­out the disorder and commotion of that mans will, by whose interuention that other man is kild: and of all these mo­tions by themselues and considered apart, God is the Author, and produceth them as he doth all other effects in creatures deuoid of reason; seing that as nothing of it selfe, without the helpe of God can put it selfe in acte, or motion; so also (without him) this man could not haue [Page 14]stired his arme, nor handled his sword, and more ouer these naturall actes in thē ­selues are not bad, seeing that if a man should make vse of them in his defence, in a lawfull warre, or as executioner of Iustice, and so kill an other, he should cōmit no sinne; but of that fault, which is in the disorder of the will, by which this wicked wretch cōmits that outrage, and of the disaray of reason, God is not the cause, how euer he permit it, in that he could haue hindered it, and yet out of his iust iudgments, doth not. They vse to declare this by a comparison, a man hath a wound in his foot, and by reason therof he haults, the cause why he doth go vpon his foot, is the vertue and mo­tiue power of the soule, but the occasion of his lamenes in his wound, and not the vertue of his soule: so likewise, in those actiōs by which men come to sinne, God is the cause of the action; but the defect and sinne, proceeds meerly from the mans free will.

So that although God neither is nor can be the Author of any sinne, yet we are assuredly to hold, that all the euill in­flicted on vs for punishment of our sins, [Page 15]whether they arriue by intermission of causes naturall, or els by vnreasonable creatures, by what way, or in what man­ner so euer they are directed, are all pro­ceeding from the hand of God, and so ordained by his high prouidence, it is God alone, who lifts vp that hand which strikes you, & moues that tongue which reuiles and iniurs you si erit malum in ci­uitate quod Deus non fecerit says the Prophet Amos, Amos. 3 6. is there any euill in the Citty that God hath not done? the holy scripture is full of this verity, attributing all the euill which one man doth to an other, vnto God, & saying that God alone is Author of it.

In the second booke of the Kings God tooke the inflicting of that punishmēt vpō himselfe, where with he punished Dauid by meanes of his sonne Absalon, for that adultery and murther which he had com­mitted, saying: Behould I will raise vp against thee, 2. Reg. 12.11.a plague from thine owne house, and bereaue thee of thy wiues be­fore thine eyes, & giue them to thy neigh­bour: thou hast committed this (thy wic­kednes) in priuat, but I will bring to passe that, which I haue said, in the sight of all [Page 16]Israell, and in the face of the sunne, whence also it is, that those impious Kings, who with great pride & cruelty did execute most cruell vengeance on the people of God, were called by the holy Scripture, instruments of the diuine Iu­stice, Isai 10.5 wo vnto Assur the rod of my fury, and of Cyrus King of Persia, by whom God purposed to punish the Chaldeans, he sais, Isa. 45.1. cuius apprehendi dexteram whose right hand I haue laid hold of. S. Au­gustin herupon discourseth excellent well: Aug. su. psal. 73. their impiety (saith he) ‘is become as the axe of God, they are made the instrumēt of the angry, but not the kingdome of the well pleased. God vsually doth, as we see men to do. a man sometimes when he is angry, will snatch vp some rod which lies next at hand, perhaps some twig or o­ther, with which he beats his sonne, and afterwards casting his rod into the fier, he doth reserue the inheritance for his sonne: in the like manner God sometimes by the euill, teacheth & amends the good: by vsing them as instruments and scour­ges of his wrath.’

We read in the Ecclesiasticall History, Hist. ecc. p. 1. lib. 3▪ c. 11▪ that Tit [...] Generall of the Romaine [Page 17]army, fetching once a circuit about the walles of Hierusalem, which he then held besieged, and seeing the ditches all filled with the dead corses and carkasses of men, and all the neighbouring country, infected with the horrible stench of thē, lifting vp his sorrowfull eyes to heauen, to direct thither his lamentable voice he cald God to witnesse for him, that he was no waies the cause of so great a slaughter and butchery of men. And also when Alaricus was in his expedition to sacke and ruine Rome, p. 2. li. 9. c. 2. hist. lest. it is recorded that a venerable auncient Monke, went to meet him on his way, beseeching him that he would not be the cause of such great euills, as were imminent that day, ouer that wretched Citty: vnto whom he answered, that he went towards Rome out of no proper inclination of his owne; but there is, said he, a certaine person, which importuns me daily & euen seems to holl [...]w in mine eares, go to Rome, and distroy that Citty; And thus we see all things are proceeding from the hand of God, and disposed according to his will & ordinance. And so the Royal Prophet Dauid whē Semei, reuiled and curst him, [Page 18]throwing downe sand and stones against him, said vnto those who counsailed him for to reuenge himselfe; 2. Reg. 16.10. The Lord hath commaunded him, to curse and reuile Dauid, and who shall dare to say, why hath he done so? as much as to say, the Lord doth vse him as his instrument to punish and chastise me with all.

But what marueile ist, to acknowledge men, the instruments of Gods Iustice and diuine prouidence, since euen the Diuels are so, how euer otherwise obstinat and enhardned in their malice, and seeking nothing more then our perdition, S. Gre­gory notes it excellently well, Greg. li. 18, mo­ral. c. 3.1. Reg. 16.23. vpon that place of the first booke of Kings, Spiritus Domini malus arripiebat Saul the euill Spirit of the Lord did ceaze on Saul, the same spirit being called the spirit of the Lord, and also an euill spirit; euill (to wit) because of the desire of its mischieuous will; and of the Lord, for that he was sent by God, to afflict Saul with that plague and torment, which God by its meanes did execute vpon him, and so it is decla­red in the same text saying, exagitabat eum spiritus nequam à Domino the wic­ked spirit from the Lord, 1. Reg. 16.14. did torment and [Page 19]vexe him, and for this reason sais the saint, Greg. li. 14. mor. c. 16. Iob. 19.12. do [...]h the holy scripture call those diuells which torment and persecute the iust, the Thieues of God, Thieues because of the malicious will they haue, to hurt and damage vs, and of the Lord, to giue vs to vnderstand, that all the power they haue for to do any mischiefe, is de­riued vnto them from almighty God. And so S. Augustin obserues very well, that Iob did not say, Dominus dedit, Aug. in psal. 31. Iob. 1.21Dia­bolus abstulit, the Lord hath giuen, and the Diuell hath taken away; but he attri­buts it all to almighty God, saying the Lord hath giuen me, the Lord hath takē away: knowing right well, that the Diuell could proceed no farther in hurting vs, then God permitted him. And this Saint prosecutes his discourse saying; Aug. in psal. 31. ‘acknow­ledge God the Authour of thy scourge and punishment, seeing the Diuel can do thee no harme vnles he first permit it, who hath all superiour power.’ Let no mā say this mischiefe is happened to me by the Diuells meanes, but attribut all your punishmēt & affliction to Almighty God: since the Diuell can do nothing of him­selfe, not so much as touch the least haire [Page 20]which lies vpon our garments, without the permission of God; neither could he enter into the heard of swine as the E­uangell testifies, Math. 8.31. without hauing first ob­teined leaue of our Sauiour Christ, to do it. how then shall he be able to tempt or indomage vs, without the permission of Almighty God? He who had no power to touch the swine, how shall he come to annoy the children?

THE III. CHAPTER. Of the great good and profit, which is in­cluded in this Conformity with the will of God.

SAint Basil says that the height of all the sanctity and perfection of a Chri­stian life, consists in attributing the causes of all things to God, how little or great so euer in themselues they be, and to con­forme our selues in them vnto his holy will. But to the end that we may the bet­ter comprehend the importance and per­fection thereof, and be incited by our af­fection towards it, to seeke and procure it with greater diligence; we will more par­ticularly [Page 21]declare the great good and pro­fit, which is contained in this confor­mity with the will of God. The first is that intire and perfect resignation, which the Saints and all Masters of spirituall life do extoll so much, pronouncing it the root and ofspring of all our tranquility and peace, as being that whereby a man is wholly submitted and resigned into the hands of God, as a peece of clay into the Potters hands, to be fashioned and moul­ded as he pleases, without desiring to haue any interest longer in himselfe, neither to liue, to eate, to sleepe, or labour for him­selfe, but wholly and intirely for Almigh­ty God: and this is effected by this con­formity, seeing that man thereby resignes himselfe wholly vnto the will of God in such manner, as not to desire any thing; but only that the diuine will may be most perfectly accomplished in him; as well in point of what he is to do, as in all acci­dents which may happen to him, aswell in prosperity and consolation, as in an­xiety and aduersity. Which is a thing so gratefull and pleasing to Almighty God, as for this only reason, he stiled Dauid a man according to his owne harte. Inueni [Page 22]virum secundum cor meum,1. Reg. 13.14. Actuum 13.22.qui faciat omnes voluntates meas, he hauing prepa­red his hart so plyable and obedient to the hart of God, so readily wrought to a delicate aptnes to receaue each forme which he should please to impresse in him, either of ioy and contentment or of paine and griefe, as softned waxe was not more supple to receaue the figure which a man should imprint in it: and therefore he said, Psal 56.8. & Psa. 107.1. and repeated it againe, Paratum cor meum Deus, paratum cor meum, my hart is prepared, [...] God, my hart is pre­pared. Secondly he who hath this intire and perfect conformity with the will of God, must with all haue attained to an intire and perfect mortification, of all his passions, and vitious inclinations; We are not ignorant how highly necessary this mortification is, how much it is com­mended and extolled in the sacred scrip­ture and by the B. Saints. Now this mor­tification is a meanes which of necessity must precede the attaining of this con­formity with the will of God, this being the end, and mortification the meanes to arriue vnto it; and we know the princi­pall end of any thing, is vsually more sub­lime [Page 23]and perfect then the meanes. That mortification is a necessary meanes to at­taine vnto this vnion, and intire and per­fect conformity with the will of God, we may vnderstand by this, that there is no­thing which lets and hinders this vnion and conformity, but only our proper wil, and disordinate appetits, and so conse­quently the more they shall be mortified and ouercome, the more deare and strait wilt this vnion be, and this conformity with the wil of God. For to ioyne a rough hewen planch, and make it ly euen with an other which is wel smoothed and plai­ned, we must first passe it ouer with the plainer and make it euen; and so in like manner mortification goes perfecting & polishing vs, vntill it make vs fit to be ioy­ned to God, and applied in all things to his holy will, and therefore the farther we shall proceed in mortifying our selues, the nigher we shall come to vnite & con­ioyne our selues vnto the will of God, and when we shall once come to be perfectly mortified, we shal then haue attained vnto this perfect vnion and conformity.

From hence proceeds an other good and profit, which we may reckon for the [Page 24]third; and that is, that this resignation and enrire conformity with the will of God, is on of the greatest, and most ac­ceptable sacrifices, which any man of him selfe can offer to Almighty God. For as much as in other sacrifices, he offers only his goods; but in this, himselfe is offred vp: in other sacrifices and mortifications, he only mortifies himselfe in part, in tem­perance, modesty, silence or patience, he offers but a part and portion of himselfe; but in this a perfect holocaust, whereby he offers himselfe entirely and altogether to his Diuine Maiestie to be disposed of, in all things as he pleaseth, and when, and how he pleaseth, without any exceptiō, or any reseruation to himselfe; and ther­fore there is as much difference betwixt this sacrifice, and all other sacrifices and mortifications, as betwixt a man, and those goods which belong vnto him, or the whole of any thing, and any part thereof.

And this God esteems so highly of, that he seems to require nothing els of vs, Prou 23.26. Praebe fili mi cor tuum mihi, my sonne giue me thy harte; as the Royall Eagle seekes no other pray then harts, so [Page 25]the most gratefull and acceptable thing to God, is this hart of ours, and if you giue him not this, it is labour lost to pre­sent him with any thing besides, for he regards it not. Neither if we consider it well, is it so great a thing which he de­maunds of vs, when he requires our harts; seeing that if we who are only dust and ashes, cannot be satiat or content, with all those thinges which God hath euer created, and that our caytiue nar­row harts cannot be filled with any thing which is lesse then God, how can we thinke to giue God any satisfaction and content, in affording him but halfe our harts, reseruing the other halfe vnto ou [...] selues? wee are most grosly abused, if we thinke our harts can admit of any such diuision coangust atum est enim stratum, Esay 28.20.ita vt alter decidat, & pallium breue vtrumque operire non potest, the hart is a little and strait bed saith the Prophet Esay, and is capable of God alone, wher­fore the spouse in the Canticles doth call it her little bed; In lectulo meo, quaesini per nocles quem diligit anima mea, Gilbert. Abbas ser. [...], in Cāt. ap. in my little bed I haue sought in the night him whom my soule dearly loues, and [Page 26]because shee kept her harte so straitned that no other could lodge in it, Bernar­in. Cant. 3.1. besides her be loued Bridgroom: and who soeuer should seeke to extend his hart so farre, as to make roome for any on besides, would chase God out of it. And it is of that, which his Diuine Maiestie makes complaint by the Prophet Esay, Esay. 57. [...].quia iuxta me discooperuisti, & suscepisti A­dulterum, dilatasti cubile tuum, & pepe­gisti cum eis faedus, you haue commit­ted Adultery by receauing into the bed of your hart, any other besides your spouse, and to cloke this your wickednes, you betray and driue God from you. If we had a thousand harts, we were bound to make tender of them all to God, and yet we were to conceit we had done too little, in regard of what we owe of duty vnto so great a Lord.

The fourth is, that whosoeuer shall haue brought himselfe to this confor­mity, will be possessed with the perfect charity and loue of God; and the far­ther progresse he makes in it, the greater and dearer will be his loue of God, and consequently his perfection, which con­sists in this perfect loue and charity, and [Page 27]besides that which we haue already said, may be farther gathered from that which we are to cōclude with all; seing the loue of God cōsists not in words, Greg hō in Euāg. but in effects and workes: Probatio dilectionis (saith S. Gregory) exhibitio est operis, the proofe of our loue, is the tender of our workes; & the more hard and painfull to accom­plish those workes shall be, the more do they declare our loue and affection: and so the Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn, going about to declare the great loue which God did beare vnto the world, as also the greatnes of our B. Sauiours loue vnto his eternall Father: Ioan. 3.16. of the first he says: God so loued the world, as he gaue his only begotten sonne to suffer and die for vs; and for the second our B. Sauiour himselfe speaking saith: Ioan. 14 3. that the world may know how I loue my Father, and that I doe according as my Father hath com­maunded me, rise and let vs goe hence, & the place to which he went, was to the crosse, to suffer shame, torments & death for vs. In which he made it sufficiently appeare vnto the world, that he loued his Father, in so much as he was obedient to him in a commaund so hard and rigo­rous. [Page 28]Wherefore we conclude that our loue appeares best in our Actions, and most, when they shall be most great and laborious. Moreouer this entire confor­mity with the will of God, is (as we haue said) the greatest sacrifice which of our selues we can offer vp vnto him; & that, because it supposes a most perfect morti­fication and resignation, whereby a man offers vp himselfe to God, and wholly re­signes himselfe into his hands, to dispose of him, in what manner so euer he shall please, then the which there is nothing in which he can more shew his loue vnto him, seeing he freely giues and offers vp vnto his Diuine Maiestie what so euer he hath, as also what so euer he can haue or may desire, and that with a mind so li­berally disposed, as could he, or had he more, with the same willingnes he would depart with it.

THE IV. CHAPTER. That this perfect conformity with the wil of God, is a blessednes and a kind of heauen in earth.

WHosoeuer shall be arriued to this entire conformity with the will of God receauing euery thing which may happen to him, as proceeding from the hand of God, and conforming himselfe in all, vnto his most diuine and holy will, shall haue obteined here on earth a rare felicity and beatitude, and enioy a won­drous great tranquility and peace, with a perpetuall ioy and iubily of mind. Which is that blessednes and felicity which God Almighties great and faithfull seruāts en­ioy in this mortall life, for (as the Apo­stle says) the Kingdom of God (and the beatitude of this life) is not meate and drinke (nor any other sensuall delight and pleasure) but Iustice peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost, Ad Rō. 17.14. this is the kingdom of heauen on earth, and that Paradice of all delights which we may enioy in this life, and which with good reason is called a [Page 30]beatitude, since it resembles vs in a cer­taine proportion, vnto the blessed in hea­uen: for as in heauen aboue, there is no change nor alteration, but the blessed perseuer alwaies in one being, in the eter­nall fruition of Almighty God; so also they who are once arriued to this intire and perfect conformity to that, place all their contentment, in the contentment and the will of God, are neuer troubled nor disquieted with any mutation or con­trary accident of this present life; in that their harts and wils are so sweetly vnited and conformed vnto the will of God, that the consideration how all is proceeding from him, and how his good will and pleasure is fulfilled in all, makes that pleasing and delightfull to them, which otherwise would be grieuous and sor­rowfull. and that, because they desire and loue more the will of their beloued then their owne. Whēce it comes that nothing is able to disturbe their peace: for they re­ioyce and are particularly glad, when they are afflicted, grieued, and despised, as knowing it proceeding from the hand of God, and there is nothing els, which can disquiet them, or bereaue them of [Page 31]the peace and tranquility of their minds.

And this was the cause of that perpe­tuall cheerfulnes and peace, which those holy Saints, (whom we admire in story) S. Anthony, Dominicke, Francis, Lib. 5. c. 5. vitae. P. N [...]g­natij. and others enioyed, as also of that which we read of our B. Father Ignatius, and or­dinarily see in other great seruants of Al­mighty God. For do we thinke that these holy Saints had no aduersity? that they had not tentations, and infirmities like vs? that they were neuer crossed with the successe of thinges? without doubt they were, and that farre more then we: for as much as God vses most frequently to try his Saintes, and exercise them in the like accidents▪ whence therefore comes it, that they remained euer in one state of mind, without any chaunge of counte­nance, but with a ioy and serenity both in the interior and exterior, so great, as if they had kept perpetuall feast and iubily? The cause was no other then that which we haue already declared, because they were arriued to that degree of perfection, to haue intire conformity with the will of God, and had placed all their delight in the accomplishment thereof, and so the [Page 32]successe of euery thing, was their felicity; Diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum, Ad Rō. 8.28. Mach. 12 21.non contristabit iustum quic­quid ei acciderit, all labours, tentations & mortifications were conuerted into a de­light to them, since they acknowledged in them the blessed will of God which was all there ioy and contentment. They had already attained vnto the greatest height of felicity & beatitude, which any on could arriue to in this mortall life, and so proceeded in all their actions as if they had been in possessiō of the glory of hea­uen. Sancta Cathari. de Sien. en ses dialogos Herupon S. Catherine of Siena said excellently wel, that the iust in this world are like our Sauiour Christ, who neuer wanted the beatitude of his soule, how euer great his paines and afflictions were. So likewise the iust doe neuer loose that their felicity, which consists in the confor­mity with the will of God, with how many aduersities so euer they be opprest. Seing that there remaines with them still that ioy & contentment which they take in the will of God which is accomplisht in them.

This is a perfection so sublime and of so high prerogatiue, as the Apostle auouches [Page 33]it to passe all vnderstanding; Ad Phi­lip. 4.7. Et pax Dei quae exsap [...]rat omnem s [...]nsum, custodiat corda vestra, & intelligentias vestras in Christo Iesu, he calls it a peace surpassing all vnderstanding, for as much as it is a gift of God so high and supernaturall, that no humaine vnderstanding by it selfe, can comprehend how it is possible for a hart of flesh and blood, to remaine quiet, at peace, and comforted, in the middle of those stormes and tempests raised by the miseries and tentations of this life; This was notwithstanding to be be found in that wondrous bushe which Moyses saw, all burning in a flame, Exod. 3 [...] 2. and yet not consumed, as also in that Mira­cle of the Children, who at Babylon throwne into the fiery furnace, remained vntoucht in the midst of such a mighty fier, singing praises vnto God. This is that which holy Iob mentioned in speaking vnto God, mirabiliter me crucies. Iob. 1 [...] ▪ 16. O Lord thou dost torment me after a won­derous manner, signifying the great paine and torment which on the one side he suffred, and on the other the vnspeakable contentment and ioy, which he receaued in the sustaining them, seing that such [Page 34]was the good will and pleasure of his Di­uine Maiesty.

Cassian writs of a certaine venerable man, who at Alexandria, was incompast and hemd in by a sort of lewd Infidells, who reuiled him with all the iniurious speeches as they could deuise; in the meane time he remained in the middle of them, like a silly lambe, sustaining all, and answering not a word: they all made their sport with him, striking and sho­uing him; & doing him a thousand other iniuries; among the rest one demaunded of him in mockery, what miracles his Christ had done? vnto whom he answe­red the miracles which he hath done are, that I in suffering all these iniuries, and as many more as you can all inuent, do take all patiently, and am neither moued to anger against you, nor stired vp to passion in my selfe. This doubtles was a great mi­racle and wonder, and in him a most high, and gainfull perfection.

The Antients do recount, Aug. lib. de Gen. ad lit in opere imper fect. c. 13 contra Mani­cheos▪ cap. 15. Lucam▪ l. 2. pha [...] ­saica. and S. Au­gustin makes mention of it in diuers trea­tises, how that mountaine of Macedonia called Olympus is of such ā eminēt height that to the top of it the wind and raine [Page 35]and clouds haue no accesse; Nubes exce­dit Olympus; neither can it be reached by the flight of any bird, it being so high that it transcends the first and extends it selfe vnto the middle region of the aire; wher­fore the aire is there so pure and rarified as the clouds can neither be formed nor sustained there, they requiring vnto their being, a thicker and grosser aire: and for the same reason neither the birds nor men can be maintained there in life, because the aire is so subtill and rarified, as it is not fit to take breath or respire with all; And thus much we haue from the rela­tion of those, who went euery yeare vp to the top to offer certaine sacrifices, ca­rying with them wett sponges, vnto the end that applying them vnto their noses, they might condense the aire, and make it fit for respiration: where if they chaun­ced at any time to write in the ashes of the sacrifice, they should find the next yeare the Character as entire and perfect, as when they drew it first, which was a signe that neither the wind nor raine had any power there. Behold here that height of perfection liuely disciphered, vnto which those are arriued, who haue ac­quired [Page 36]this entire conformity with the will of God. Nubes excedit Olympus, & pac [...]m summa tenent, vnto such a glo­rious height haue they attained, vnto such a happy peace are they arriued aboue all annoiance either of cloud, swind, or raine, where no fowle of rapin can come, to bercaue them of their peace and pleasure of hart.

S. Augustin on these words; Aug. li. 1. de ser. Dom. in monte cap. 8. Mat. 5 9. Beati pa­cifici quoniam filij Dei vocabuntur, says that our Sauiour Christ hath therefore pronounced the peaceable blessed and children of God, because there is nothing in them which resists and contradicts the will of God, but they conforme them­selues vnto it in euery thing, like vnto good children, who procure in euery thing to imitate their Father, in both wil­ling and not willing the same with him in euery thing.

And this is a point the most spirituall and of greatest importance of all others in spirituall life. And whosoeuer shall be arriued to this to receaue all that comes, how euer small or great, as proceeding from the holy hand of God, and con­forme himselfe in all vnto his soueraigne [Page 37]will, so as to haue no other contentment but the good pleasure of God, and the performance of his holy will, this man hath found a Paradice here on earth, fa­ctus est in pace locus eius,Psal. 75.3. Be [...]n. in sentē. tijs [...]ccl. 24.11.& habitatio eius in Sion, and as S. Bernard says, may sing which all assurance and confidence this Canticle of the wiseman, I haue fought in all these rest and shall make my aboad in the inheritance of the Lord: seing that there he hath incountred with that true solace, & full and perfect plea­sures, which no liuing creature can be­reaue him of, Ioan. 16.22. & 24. vt gaudium vestrum sit plenum, & gaudium vestrum nemo tollat à vobis. O that we could but once attaine to this, that all delight might be in the accomplishment of the will of God, in such manner as our will might be his and his contentment ours! O Lord that I had no other will, then what your blessed will is, nor any lesse desire of any thing, but what I knew would be vngratfull to you, and that your good pleasure, might be my ioy and comfort in euery thing. Psal. 71.28. Mihi autem adhaerere Deo bonum est, ponere in Domino meo spem meam, it is good, (it is best) for me to adhere to God, [Page 38]and to place my hope in the Lord. Oh how happy should my soule be, to be conioyned to God in such a louing manner! Oh how blessed should wee be to be alwaies vnited with him, to make no account of ought we do or suffer, but so fare forth as we are therein perfor­ming the will of God; and from thence receauing al our satisfaction and content! he (says that all-holy man) vnto whom all things are one, Thomas de Kem­pis li. 1. de con­templ. mundi. c. 3.who draweth all things to one, and seeth all things in one, may en­ioy a quiet mind, and remaine peaceable in God.

THE V. CHAPTER. That contentment is only in God, and whosoeuer seeketh in it any thing els, shall neuer find it.

THose who place their contentment in God and in his diuine will, do enioy a perpetuall quiet and repose, in that being fastned to that firme pillar of the will of God, they partake of its im­mutability, and abide allwaies in one state, immobile and firm: wheras those [Page 39]who haue any tye or obligation to the world, and haue placed their harts and contentments thereupon, can neuer enioy any true or lasting peace, since they are subiect to the chaunges of those things vpon which they do rely, and together with them are tost and whirled about. Aug. in in psal. 7.15. S. Augustin doth declare this admirably well, vpon that verse of the Prophet, concepit dolorem & peperit iniquitatem. They haue conceiued dolor and brought forth iniquity, saying; non enim poterit la­bor finiri, nisi hoc quisque diligat quod inuito non poterit auferri, there would be no end of griefe and affliction, vntill we came to place our affection vpon that, which against our wils could not be takē from vs. For be assured that you shall be alwaies in trouble and disquieted, as long as you affect those things, which are in others powers to bereaue you of.

We read of our B. Father Francis Borgia how he hauing conducted the herse of the dead Empresse to Granada, Lib 1 c. 7 gitae P. N de Borgia. where before shee could be interred, he was inforc't for the securing of his con­science and oath, to disclose the coffin to be able to affirme whether it were she or [Page 40]no▪ that he vnueyling her face, & seeing it so vgly and horribly deformed▪ as was inough to stricke affrightment into those who saw it, was so liuely moued therwith God at the same instant visiting his hart and storing it with light to see the deceits and vanity of the world, that it conceiued a firme purpose which in these words he exprest, I vow vnto thee, ô my God, I will neuer serue any prince who can dye againe. Let vs likewise put on the same resolution & oblige our selues to God, to bestow our harts herafter vpon no mortall thing; nor ought which may haue end, or which others can bereaue vs of against our wills: which vnles we do, we shall neue [...] be at rest nor quietnes▪ for when those things are loued (saith S. Au­gustin) which we may loose, Aug. tra. 24. super Ioan. whether we will or no, we must necessarily remaine miserably troubled, & afflicted for them it is naturall vnto vs, not to depart with that without griefe, which we loued whilst we enioyed, and the greater our loue was vnto it, whilst we po [...]est it, the greater is our griefe when we are berea­ued of it, and in confirmation of this in an other place he saith, Qui vult gandere de [Page 41]se, tristis erit. If you place your content­ment, in such an office or such an imploi­ment, or are too much affected to any place, or the like, it lies in your superiours power at pleasure to depriue you of this content; and so you will neuer liue a con­tented life: if you take delight in exteriour things, or in the satisfying of your owne desire, all things of this kind are subiect vnto chaunge; and although they should remaine in the same state they are, yet you your selfe would be altered, and be displeased with that to morrow, which but to day you passionatly affected; Of this the Children of Israell afford vs an exāple, who when they fed vpon Manna, were cloyed with it, and demaunded other meat, when they saw themselues at liberty, began presently to loue and de­sire their former bondage, their wishes euen in sighes, did carry them backe to Egypt againe, they longed for their fare of onions and garlicke to which they had been accustomed, and their supplication to re [...]urne did euen proceed to impor­tunity▪ you will neuer find content, if you place it in any of these exteriour things, qui autem de Deo vult gaudere [Page 42]semper gaudebit, quia Deus sempiternus est; but he who will reioyce in God, and in the performance of his holy will, shall haue perpetuall cause for to reioyce, since God is eternall and aboue all chaunge and mutation, vis habere gaudium sempiter­num (saith this Saint) adhaere illi qui sem­piternus est, would you haue a ioy and contentment which should alwaies last, adheare vnto God and set your hart on him, who neuer hath an end.

The holy Ghost, doth put this diffe­rence betwixt a foolish man, and one who is wise and holy, Eccles. 27.12. stultus sicut Luna mu­tatur, homo sanctus in sapientia manet sicut Sol. The ignorant chaunges like the Moone, which to day is in increase, to morrow in the wain, to day you shall see him iocant and merry, to morrow sad and melācholy, now in one humour presently in an other, and this because he hath fast­ned his hart and placed his contentment in the things of the world, which are still fading, and euer mutable; wherefore (like as they say) he daunceth after the musicke which they make, and his chaunges are according to their inconstancy. In a word he is lunaticke and like the sea depen­dent [Page 43]on the alteration of the moone; but a iust and holy man, remaines alwaies in one state and being like the Sunne, hath no increase nor wain. The true seruant of Almighty God, in all his proceedings is cheerfull and content, he hath placed all his felicity in God, and in the accom­plishment of his holy will, which can ne­uer faile him, nor any creature euer be­reaue him of it.

It is reported of that holy Abbot called Deicola, Abbas Deicol. that his countenāce was alwaies composed to smile, and being demaun­ded the reason, he answered; Christum à me tollere nemo potest: happen what may, come whatsoeuer will, there is no man can depriue me of Christ. This holy man had found out perfect and true con­tentment, since he sought it in him, who could not be wanting to him, nor taken away from him by any one; whom if we will be happy we must imitate. Ps 12.1. Basilius. Exultate iusti in Domino reioyce ye iust in the Lord. S. Basil writing vpon these words obserues, that the Prophet says not, that you should reioyce in the abundance of your temporall goods, neither in any abi­lity, learning, or talent which you haue; [Page 44]not in your health or ablenes of body; not in the praise and the esteeme of men; but that al your delight should be in God, in the fulfilling of his blessed will, for this is it alone which is sufficient to satiat and content vs, all other things hauing no perfect nor true contentment in them.

S. Bernard in one of his sermons vpon these words of S. Peter, Bernar. Mat. 19.27.ecce nos reliqui­mus omnia &c. goes declaring of it rarely well saying anima rationalis caeteris om­nibus occuparipotest, repleri non potest all other things, besides God, may possesse the hart and soule of man, but satiat them they cannot, they may prouoke, and set their appetits on edge, but cannot satisfy nor take them downe, Auarus non im­plebitur pecunia. Like as the auaricious (says the wisman) hath a great thirst of gold; but all which he possesseth can ne­uer allay nor quench it: so fares it with the things of this world, which can neuer satiat our soules and appetits. And S. Ber­nard giues vs the reason, do you know (saith he) why all the things and riches of the world can neuer satisfy you? Ber. tra. de dilig. Deo c. 5. in fine. Quta non sunt naturales cibi animae since they are not the naturall food of our soules; [Page 45]no more then aire and wind, the suste­nance of our bodies: and as we should laugh, and hold him for a foole who being ready to die for hunger would by yawning to receaue the ayre, and Came­leon-like thinke to nourish himselfe with it: so (says this Saint) is it no lesse a folly, to thinke of the reasonable soule of man, which is a spirit, can be satiat with these temporall and sensuall things. Instari po­test, satiari non potest, it may be puffed vp, like that other with ayre, but it is impossible it should be satiat with it; since it is a food which hath no proportion to it, giue to each on its requisit sustenance corporall food to the body, and spirituall to the soule; Panis namque animae, iusti­tia est; & soli beati qui esuriunt illam,Bern su. illa ver­ba. Ecce nos reli­quimus omnia.quoniam illi saturabuntur, the bread and naturall nourishment of the soule, is Iu­stice and vertue, and they are only happy who hunger and thirst after this Iustice, because they shall be satisfied.

S. Augustin in his Soliloquies decla­ring this reason more amply, Aug. c. cap 30. soliloq. speaking of the reasonable soule saith. Facta est capax maiestatis tuae vt à te solo, & nullo alio possit impleri, you haue made our soules, [Page 46]ô Lord, capable of your diuine Maiesty, in such manner as nothing can satisfy or fill them but your selfe. When the chace or goldworke of a Iewell is made pecu­liarly for any pretious stone, there is no­thing els which can compleatly fill it, be­sides that stone for which it was prepa­red: as for example the gold indented in a triangular forme, any Iewel which were round would neuer sit it: in like manner our soule is created to the Image & like­nes of the blessed Trinity, and proportio­ned and made to receiue nothing els but God, and therefore it is impossible that any thing besides God can suffice ro fill it. Al whatsoeuer is contained in this roūd vniuerse, is not able to doe it; Fecisti nos Domine ad te, Aug. l. 1, conse. c. 1.& inquietum est cor no­strum donec requiescat in te, you haue made vs, ô Lord, for your selfe, and our hart enioys no quiet vntill it rest in you.

That common cōparison of the needle of a dyall, doth aptly serue for to declare this better: the nature of this needle (being once toucht with the loadstone) is, by a naturall instinct from God Almighty to point still towards the North, and you shall see it alwaies in an vnquiet motion, [Page 47]and neuer resting vntill the point of it hath reacht the North, when in­stantly it stands quiet and immoueable. In this manner hath God created man; with such a naturall reference and incli­nation vnto him, as to his North & finall end, that vntill we haue placed our harts on God, we shall like this needle, be ne­uer at rest nor quiet; This needle, as long as it regards any point of the heauens which is in motion, neuer finds rest, but when it lights vpon the North pole, which remaines euer fixt and immouea­ble, is straight at quiet, and stands still: so, as long as we fixe our eyes and harts on these worldly things which decay and perish, we shall neuer find contentment or repose; if we place them on God, we are instantly at rest.

And this ought to be a great motiue vnto vs to seeke Almighty God, euen for our owne sakes and interest, since there is no man, who desires not to liue con­tent. S. Augustin says scimus fratres quod omnis homo, gaudere desiderat; Aug. ser. 30. de Sanctis.sed non omnes ibi quaerūt gaudium, vbi opor­tet inquiri. We know, my deare brothers, that all men do naturally desire comfort [Page 48]and content, and seeke after it with all their harts diligence, by reason they can­not liue without it; but all men do not seeke it there, where they ought to do, & all the felicity or infelicity of man consists in the placing his hart and eyes vpon a true content, or vpon a false and deceit­full on; The Auaricious, the Luxurious, the Proud▪ the Ambitious, and the Glut­tonous man, seeke their contentment and satisfaction all; but the on seekes it in hording vp riches, the other in pursuit of honour and dignity, the on in feasting the other in luxuriousnes, and all in taking their marks amisse, and seeking it where it is not to be found, goe on the way neuer to arriue vnto it: seeing that all these things, and as many more as are in the world, are not sufficient to satisfy a soule, and put it in a state of true felicity. And therfore says this glorious Saint. Aug. de spirit. & anima. cap. 54. Quid ergo per multa vagaris homuncio quae­rendo bona animae tuae, & corporis tut? Ama vnum bonum, in quo sunt omnia bona; & suffic [...]t: de sidera simplex bonum, quod est omne bonum; & satis est, ‘why dost thou raūge abroad silly man, seeking good for thy soule and body out of this [Page 49]variety of (worldly) things? loue (God) that only good, in whom all other goods are comprehended; and it suffices: desire that good without all mixture good, which is all and folly good; & it is inough.’ It is he alone who can satiat and fulfil the desires of our harts. Benedic anima mea Dominum, Psal. 102, 5.qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum; may he be praysed blest and glori­fied for all eternity. Amen.

THE VI. CHAPTER. Wherin is in an other manner declared, how the only way to arriue to true con­tentment, is to conforme our selues with the will of God.

THe glorious S. Augustin, Aug. tra. 73. sup. vcan. Ioan. 1.15. writing vpon these words of our B. Sa­uiour (Quodcumque petieritis patrem in nomine meo, hoc faciam; whatsoeuer you demaund of my Father in my name, I will graunt it you) says that no man is to seeke for rest and peace, by way of doing his owne will, and obteining that which he desires; seing it is neither good nor conuenient for him, and may fall out perhaps vnto his hurt and ruine: but that [Page 50]he is to be resigned, to imbrace willingly whatsoeuer good or better thing God shall allot vnto him; and for this only he is to beseech and petition Almighty God. Quādo enim nos delectāt mala, & non de­lectāt bona, rogare debemus potius Deum, vt delectent bona, quam vt concedantur mala, when we find our selues no waies affected, to the performance of the will of God, which is the only good, but are strōgly carried away with the desire that our owne wills be done; we ought to make it our petition vnto God, not to graunt vs that which we desire; but to giue vs a tast and sweetnes, in the perfor­mance of his will which is our good, and most conuenient for vs. and he alleadges for this purpose that which is recorded of the children of Israel, in the booke of Numbers, Num. 11 4. who becoming weary & euen loathed with the Manna which God showred them downe from heauen, desi­red and begged of God to send thē flesh to eate, vnto whose desires he condescen­ded, though much vnto their cost: for, Adhuc es [...]ae eorum in ore ipsorum,Psal. 77.30.& ira Dei ascendit super cos, & occidit pingues eorum, & eleclos Israel impediuit, as yet [Page 51]the meat was in their mouths & the wrath of God ascended vpon them, the best pampered of them were slaine, and the elect of Israell, were (mightily) hindered, God punished them with a grieuous mas­saker; It is most certaine that that hea­uenly Māna, which God sent vnto them, was farre better, thē that flesh which they desired, and those onions and Garlicke of Egypt, after which they lōged so much; and therfore they ought not to haue de­maunded it of God, but rather that he would haue rectified their pallat, that they might haue found gust and sauour in that heauenly foode; and then there had been no necessity for them, to wish for other food, Sap. 16.20. since euery one might haue sound in Manna that tast which he liked best. And euen so, when you lye vnder the arrest of any passion or tenta­tion, and haue your tast so much depra­ued, as to find no sweetnes in vertue, no sauour in any good, but doe lye wishing, like a sicke and diseased man, for that which may be hurtfull and preiudiciall to you, you are not then to gouerne your selfe according to your owne desire, nei­ther to desire to haue your will accom­plisht, [Page 52]since this were no way to giue you any cōfort, but to sow the seeds of a grea­ter trouble & disquietnes: but that which in such a circumstance you are to desire of God, is that he would salue and heale your pallat, and giue you tast and sweet­nes in the accomplishing of this blessed will, which is our good, and most con­nenient for vs; and so we shall come to obtaine a true peace and content of mind.

S. Dorotheus directs vs to it by an o­ther way, Doroth. doctrina 9. or rather declares this in an o­ther manner: he says, that he who in euery thing conformes himselfe vnto the will of God, in such manner, as to make all his owne inclinations readily serue vn­to it, is come vnto such a passe as to doe his owne will in euery thing, and to en­ioy a perpetuall gladnes and quietnes of mind. To declare that which we would procure to say, we will giue an example of this in point of obedience, and make but one labour in dispatch of two affaires. We say commonly to those who desire to enter into Religion, and to make their liues iourny by the way of obedience; you must make account when you are entred into Religion, neuer more to doe your [Page 53]owne will againe: and S. Dorotheus says on the cōtrary neuer feare it you may do your owne will, & that not only lawfully but also holily, & with much perfection. How is this to be done? Qui propriam nō habet voluntatē, suam ipsias s [...]mper facit voluntatem: that Religious man who is truly obedient, and hath no selfe will of his owne, doth alwaies his owne will; be­cause he makes the will of an other his. Et sic nolentes propriam explere volun­tatem, inuenimur illam semper exple­uisse, do but procure, that your owne will be the same with the Superiours, and you will be doing your owne wil continually, and that with much merit & perfection. And so in conformity to this, I sleepe as much as I will, because I desire not to sleepe longer then obedience appoints; I cate as much as I desire, seeing I require no more, then that which is allotted vn­to me; I pray, I read, I labour as much as I please, and take vpon me as much pen­nance as I thinke is necessary for me, since I do all these, and in like manner all the rest, according to the prescript and will of holy obedience. And in this manner a good Religious man, without hauing [Page 54]any inclination of his owne, comes to do his owne will continually. And this is it which makes those Religious, who are good indeed, appeare so cheerfull & ioy­fully disposed; for that which rēders them alwaies content and glad, is the making the will of obedience their owne.

In this point of obedience consists all the facility, and difficulty of Religious life, and on this depends the ioy and con­tent of a Religious man. If you put but on a resolution, to renounce your owne will, and receaue the will of your Supe­riour in the place of it, the Religion will be easy and sweet vnto you, and you will liue in it with much content and ioy; but if you nourish a will contrary to the will of your Superiour, there is no liuing in Religion for you. two different wills in one person are incompatible; We see by experience although our will be but one, yet when our sensuall appetit is repug­nant vnto reason and to it, how little as­surance, and how little rest we haue; and yet this appetit is but an inferiour & sub­ordinate to our will: but what shall we thinke when two equall wils▪ Mat. 6.2 [...]. are striuing in vs for superiority? Nemo potest duobus [Page 55]Dominis seruire, no man can serue two Masters. Now for as much as the diffi­culty which occurs in Religious life, doth not consiste in the exercises and labours themselues, but in the repugnance of our will, and in the apprehension which our imagination frames of them; thence it is, that we sometimes find its obseruances more difficill and insupportable. This we may easily apprehend from the differēce, which we experience in our selues, when we are in tentation, and when we are free from it: for when we are without tenta­tion, all things seeme light and easy to vs; but when we are assaulted with ten­tation, or subiected to any griefe or me­lancholy, that which was wont for to be easy to vs, is straight conuerted into dif­ficulty, and we thinke we shall neuer be able to go through it, but that heauen & earth are come together againe, all as it were cōspiring to bring vs difficulty. The difficulty is not in the thing it selfe, since it is no other then what it was before; but in our ill disposition of mind. As when a sickman hath an auersion from his meat, the fault is not in the meat, which is good and sauourly; but in the pe [...]cant humour [Page 56]of the sicke, which makes his food seeme vnsauoury and disgustfull to him: and it is the like in that which we indeauour to say.

And this is the grace and fauour which God doth to those whom he calls vnto Religion, to make it sweet vnto them to follow an others will. This is the grace of our vocation, with which our God hath preuented vs, with a happines by farre transcending theirs, whom we haue left behind vs in the world. For what is it, that affords and giues you this facility, in leauing your owne, and following of an others? who hath plac't in your bosom that new hart, where with you haue in horrour all worldly things, and find so much sweetnes in recollection, prayer, & mortifying your selfe? you brought it not out of the world with you no cer­tainly; but rather a contrary one, sen­sus enim,Gen. 8. [...].& cogitatio humani cordis, in malum pronae sunt ab adolescentia sua. It is a gift and fauour of the holy Ghost, who like a deare Mother of ours, hath rubbed with aloes and wormwood the treacherous nipples of the world, to wean vs from them, and make them seeme bit­ter, [Page 57]which nnce wee delicious to vs; Ambro. psal. 118 o [...]ton 4. super il­lud. A­uerte o­culos m [...]os [...]e videat van [...]atē [...] S. Agath and honyed the exercises of vertue and Reli­gion, that they might become sweet and sauoury vnto vs, which before seemed bitter, and vnsauoury. Domine qui me custodisti ab infantia, quia abstulisti à me amorem s [...]culi. O blested Lord (said holy S. Agatha) I render infinite thanks vnto that deare goodnes of thine which hath elected, and def [...]nded me euen from mine infancy, and taken away from me all loue of this wretched world. We are not to thinke it so great a matter to be Religious, but it is much, and a great be­nefit of Almighty God, together with our vocation to Religiō to giue vs a right tast and relish of this heauenly Manna, whilst others pallats are longing after the base sustenance of the garlicke & onions of Egypt.

I cōsider somtimes with my selfe, how worldly people, euen from the Lords and Noblemen in Court, vnto the Grooms and Footboys of the stable depart with the freedome of their owne wils for their particular profit and interest, and put on the seru [...] liuery of an other mans; they eat (as is commonly said) according to [Page 58]the rate of an others hunger, their sleepe is measured by an others watchfulnes, and they so aptly cloathe and fit themselues with others wills, as it comes to be in only fashion with them, and they desire no other life then it. 1. Cor. 9.25. Et illi quidem vt cor­ruptibilem coronam accipiant; nos autem incorruptam. What marueile is it, if we can be delighted and content, with that manner of regular liuing, which is prescri­bed vs in Religion, and resigne our selues vnto that better wil of our Superior; since they for a little honour and temporall in­terest, so accommodate themselues vnto the wills of others, as it is euen their de­light and pleasure for to follow them, whilst they make night of day, and day of night. What great wonder is it, I say, if we performe as much for the loue of God, and for the purchassing of an eter­nall life? Let vs therfore put on a resolu­tion to make the will of the Superiour our owne; and in this manner we shall do our owne wils in euery thing, & lead a life in Religion full of all sweetnes and cheerfulnes, with a ioy and contentment most perfect and spirituall.

But now to returne vnto our argu­ment, [Page 59]and apply all this vnto our present subiect; We are to procure to make the will of Almighty God our owne, & con­forme our selues vnto it in euery thing, and to wil or not will the same with him in euery thing; and so you will come, to do your owne will continually, and lead a life full of all content and satisfaction; For it is most euident, that if you desire nothing els, but what God Almighty would, your owne will shall alwaies be fulfilled: for his will shall be done, and consequently that which you desire. This verity euen Seneca was not ignorant of; Seneca in prefa­tione li. 3. nat. quaest. who saith, that man hath nothing more high or perfect, thē the knowledge how to suffer with alacrity all paine and mi­sery, and sustaine all, as if they were pro­cured by his owne choice and election: and euen this much man is obliged to do, since he knowes it to be the will of God, that it should be so. Oh how happy should we liue, were we but arriued to that perfection, to make the will of God our owne, and to bound our desires with in the limits thereof! and this not only because by this meanes our will should be fulfilled; but most of all, because we [Page 60]should see the will of God accomplisht in euery thing whom we do loue so deare and tenderly. For although we ought to helpe our selues with that which hath been hitherto said; yet we are not to set vp our rest, vntill we are arriued to place all our comfort in delighting Almighty God and in the fulfilling of his holy wil; Omnia quaecunque voluit Dominus fecit, Psal. 34.6.in caelo, & in terra, in mari, & in omni­bus abyssis, God hath done whatsoeuer he pleased▪ in heauen and in earth, in the sea▪ and in all the deeps; he both can, and wil do all that he pleases as the Wiseman says, Sap. 12.18 Ester. 13 9 Ad Rō. 9.19. subest enim tibi cum voluer is posse, & there is nothing which can let or hin­der him. In ditione enim tua, cuucta sunt posita, & nō est qui possit resistere euae vo­luntati. Voluntati eius quis resistet?

THE VII. CHAPTER. Of diuers other felicities & profits which are to be found in this conformity with the will of God.

AN other great good and profit in this exercise is, that this intire con­formity with the will of God, is one of [Page 61]the best and principall dispositions, which on our parts we can be prepared with al to the receauing and in a manner inui­ting our blessed Lord to bestow his plen­tious graces and benefits vpon vs. And so when God had resolued to make S. Paul of a persecutour, an Apostle and Prea­cher of his sauing truth, he preuented and disposed him by this resignation, ayming at him a great light from heauen, which strucke him from his horse and opened the eyes of his soule in the fall, inforcing him to cry out: Actu 9.6 Domine quid me vis fa­cere? Lord what would you haue me doe? behould me heer as a little piece of clay betwixt your hands, mould me and fashiō me to what shape you please, wher­upon God made him a vessel of election, which might carry and diffuse his name through all the world; Act. 9.15 Vas electionis est mihi, vt portet nomen meum coram gen­tibus & regibus & filus Israel. We read of S. Gertrude that God said vnto her: Whosoeuer desires that I should make free repaire vnto them, S. Gertr. refert. Blo cap. 11. mo­nit, spir. must deliuer o­uer vnto me the key of their owne will, without euer requiring it againe: & ther­fore our B. Father comends this resigna­tion [Page 62]and indifference vnto vs, P. N. Ig­natius li­ex 5. spi. as one of the best dispositions which we can haue to the receauing of Gods most exquisit fauours: and he requires that we should enter with it into the spirituall exercise, and he lais vs this foundation euen from the begining of them, that we should be indifferēt, seuered frō all worldly things, with affection no more inclining to one thing then an other, but only desiring that Gods blessed will should be accom­plisht and done in euery thing; and in those rules or annotatiōs which he giues, aswell for the directiō of him who giues, as him who takes the exercise, he says in the fifth of them. ‘It will be of incredible helpe vnto him who takes these exerci­ses, if coming with a great and liberall mind he offer vp himselfe wholly vnto his Creator to dispose of him,’ and euery thing of his, according to his best plea­sure, and in such manner as he may be best serued by him. And the reason why this same disposition, is of so great force to obteine any fauour & grace of Almighty God, is because on the one side we rid our selues of all the lets and hinderances of our depraued affections and desires; [Page 63]and on the other the more confidence we haue in God, and the more freely and intirely we resigne our selues into his hands, in desiring nothing but what may be best pleasing to him, the more we oblige him, to take vpon him the care of vs, and to be present with vs in all our necessities.

On the other side this Conformity with the will of God, is a most effica­cious meanes to attaine vnto all vertue, seeing that vertues are not acquired but by the actes of them. This is the naturall meanes to attaine the habits of things; and by this way God Almighty intends to be­stow vertue one vs, whose pleasure it is to produce the workes of grace, in a man­ner conformable vnto those of nature. Exercise your selfe then in this resigna­tion and conformity with the will of God, and so you shall be continually in the occasion of exercising all other ver­tues, which is the only meanes to attaine vnto them. Now you shall haue the oc­casion of exercising humility, now obe­dience; at other times Pouerty, Patience, and so likewise all other vertues. And in the meane time, the more you exercise [Page 64]yourselfe in this resignation and confor­mity with the will of God▪ the more you shall goe increasing and perfecting your selfe therin; as also the greater shall your profit and perfection in all other vertues be; Ecc. 2.3. Coniunge te D [...]o▪ & sustine vt [...]res­cat in nouissimo vita [...]ua, says the Wise man, vnite yourselfe to God, conforme your selfe in all, vnto his holy will; an other version hath conglutinare Deo, be as it were glued vnto him, and made one with him, and so you will exceedingly increase and profit in vertue. For this reason the Masters of spirituall life doe counsaile vs, Trac. c. 6 14. & 15. (and it is a most good and profitabla aduic [...]) to single out some one eminent & Master vertue, in which may be comprized all the rest, and to bestow our selues particularly to prayer, and the whole scope of our examen and other ex­ercises, in the pursuit of it; and that, be­cause att [...]ding only vnto it we may more easely attaine vnto it, and hauing attai­ned it, we may be Masters of all the rest. Now one of the principall things vpon which we are to cast our eyes, for this effect, is this resignation and intire con­formity with the will of God; and in this [Page 65]both our prayer, and examen will be pro­fitably bestowed, although it were for di­uers yeares, yea our whole life long; seeing that in attaining vnto this, we should to­gether attaine vnto all other vertues.

On those words of the Apostle S. Paul. Domine quid me vis facere? Act. 9.6. Ber. ser. 1, de cō ­uersione S. Pauli. Lord what would you haue me to do? S. Ber­nard says, O verbum breue, sed plenū, sed efficax, sed dignum omni acceptione! O word short, but full, comprehending all, excepting nothing. Lord what is your pleasure that I should do? O short word, but wonderous pithy, but exprest to the life, but efficacious, and worthy of all praise; If you desire therfore a short in­struction, and an abridgment of the art of acquiring perfection, behold it here, say alwaies with the Apostle, Psal. 36.8 & psal. 107.1. Lord what would you haue me do? and with the Prophet my hart is prepared, for to do all whatsoeuer you shall require of me, haue this alwaies in your mouth & hart; and your progresse in perfection will be answerable, to the profit which you make in this.

There is yet an other good and profit in this exercise, from whence we may [Page 66]furnish our selues with an excellent re­medy, against a certaine sort of tentation, which familiarly vses to offer it selfe vn­to vs; The diuell doth labour somtimes to disquiet vs, with certaine tentations and conditionall thoughts, by way of inter­rogation demaunding of vs; what if one should say this or this vnto you, how would you answere him? and in such and such an circumstance, how would you be­haue your selfe? if such a thing should happen what would you do? & the ene­my crafty as he is, will present things vn­to vs in such a manner, that on which side soeuer we turne vs, we shall remaine per­plext and not dare to venture out, ima­gining that on either side we shall fall into the snares: and seeing it is all one vnto the enemy, whether those things by which he doth deceaue vs, be true or only ap­parant, and counterfait, so as he may but play his prize, and wrest from vs some ill consent or other, he hath his end, and takes no further care. To such tenta­tions they say commonly, that there is no necessity to answere I or no, yea they affirme that it is better to giue no answere at all, especially for those persons who are [Page 67]scrupulous, since it is that which the di­uell seekes to hold party with them, and bring them to defend and proue: for he is not to seeeke in his replies; and how brauely resolued so euer they enter the skirmish with him, they are not like to come of without a brokē head. But there occurs to me an excellent and profita­ble answere to put of these tētations with all, which I esteeme to be a farre better remedy, then the not answering them, and it is that which wee are going to de­clare; to wit to euery one of these de­maunds (deuoutly shutting of our eyes) to answere if that be the will of God, it is also mine; if God desire to haue it so, I desire it likewise; that which pleaseth God in it, shal also please me; I referre my selfe in euery thing vnto his will; I will as farre as I may performe my duty in it; God I hope will giue me his grace, that I may not offend him in it, but do all ac­cording to his holy will. Behold here a generall answere, to giue satisfaction vnto all such demaunds, and in its gene­rality it imploys no difficulty, but is ra­ther the more easy and familiar. For if it be the will of God, it is best and most [Page 68]conuenient for me, I may with all assu­rance, cast my selfe, in vttering that which hath been said, into the armes of God Almighties will and hereby the diuell wil be frustrated of his purposes, and depart ashamed, and we shall become ioyfull and couragious with the victory. And as in tentations against our faith they coun­saile (especially those who are scrupulous) to answere nothing in particular, but in generall to say; I beleeue and hold all which our holy Mother the Church beleeues and holds; so also in this tentation whereof we speake, the best remedy is to giue no answere in particu­lar, but to haue recourse vnto the will of God, which is both good and perfect in a most high degree.

THE VIII. CHAPTER. Wherin is confirmed by some examples, how gratefull vnto God, this exercise is, of the conformity of our wills with his, and of the great perfection which is conteined in it.

CAesarius relates how there was a Monke in a certaine Monastery, Cęsarius lib. 10. [Page 69]vnto whom God had communicated a singular grace of working Miracles; dialog. cap. 6. in so much as he cured diseased persons, euen with the only touch of his garments or of the girdle with which he girded himself: his Abbot considering this attentiuely on the one side and on the other obseruing in this Religious no particular notes of any sāctity, called him vnto him one day in priuat, and earnestly coniured him▪ to declare vnto him the reason, why God did worke so many Miracles by him? the holy man ingeniously confest that hee knew none; for said he, I fast no more then any of the rest, my disciplines and penances are not exceeding theirs, I spend no more time in prayer, and allow no lesse time to sleepe then any of the rest. All that I can affirme of my selfe is onely this, that neither prosperity doth elate my mind, nor aduersity depresse it, there being nothing in chaunce which can di­sturbe the quiet of my hart; my soule in all occasions enioyes one tenour of tran­quillity and peace, how euer straunge or vncoth they may be vnto my selfe or o­thers. His Abbot wondering ask't him; were you then nothing troubled the o­ther [Page 70]day, when that same knight our e­nemy set fier on our granary, and burnt our wholl prouision for the yeare? No truly, answered the holy man; the con­tent of my soule was no waies touched with it: for I had long before, committed all vnto the hands of God: whence it comes, that I recea [...]e as well prosperity as aduersity, as well want as plenty, as equall benefits proceeding from those holy hands of his. Wherupon the Abbot acknowledged that to be the cause of the vertue of working so many Miracles.

Blosius recounts how a certaine poore begger, Blosius in appē ­dice ad institu­tionem spirit. ca. 1. in fine but otherwise leading a holy and exemplar life, being demaunded by a lear­ned diuine, how he was arriued to so great perfection, answered. I haue taken a resolution, to haue all my dependancy on the diuine will, to which I haue so wholly confotmed mine owne, that what soeuer God wils, I also would haue: when hunger paines me, or the could bites, I praise Almighty God: be the weather faire, or rainy or tempestuous, I praise God still; whatsoeuer he sends me, or whatsoeuer befalls me through his per­mission, be it sweet or bitter, be it vnlucky [Page 71]or fortunat, I am alwaies glad, and re­ceiue it coming from him, as the greatest fauour he could do vnto me; resigning my selfe with all humility entirely vnto him: My soule hath been able to find no rest in any thing, which is lesse then God, and now I haue found out my God in whom I haue eternall peace and rest.

We read also in the same Blosius of a holy Virgin who being demaunded how shee had attained vnto so high perfectiō, Blos. [...]b [...] sup. &c. 10. mo­nil. spit. answered: I haue receaued all troubles and aduersities, with a great equality of mind as comming from the hand of Al­mighty God, if any one chaūced to trou­ble or iniure me, I presently procured to require him with some speciall benefit, I haue neuer made my complaint of what I suffered vnto any one, but haue had mine only recourse to God Almighty, from whom I haue presently receaued redresse and comfort.

He writes also of an other Virgin of great sanctity, who being asked by the exercise of what vertue shee had obteined so great perfectiō, answered. With much humility, I was neuer so ouerwhelmed with griefs and oppressions of hart, as not [Page 72]euen to long to suffer farre more for the loue of God, esteeming my selfe vnwor­thy, of so great graces and fauours as they were.

Taulerus recounts of a certaine great seruat of Almighty God, Taule­rus ser. 1. de Cir­cumcis. who had whol­ly resigned her selfe into his blessed hands, vnto whose prayers many recommending the happy succe [...]e of their affaires and businesses: shee denying them vnto none, would oftentimes forget to pray for some; and yet notwithstanding, all things suc­ceeding according to their harts desire, who had commended themselues vnto her deuotions▪ many came to thanke her, & acknowledge the efficacy of her pray­ers, whō shee had not so much as thought vpon; when she blushing at their mistake, would bid them render all their thanks to God, for as for her, shee had in no­thing furthered their businesses. At last many coming to her in this māner whom shee had forgot, she began to make an amarous complaint to God for giuing such good successe and dispatch to all affaires, which were commended vnto her deuotions, in so much as they came vsually to giue her thanks for them, for [Page 73]whom shee neuer had petitioned▪ vnto whom her blessed Lord answered▪ you must know my dearest, that on that day when you resigned your wil to me I gaue you reciprocally mine; since when, al­though you should aske nothing in parti­cular, yet whatsoeuer I saw you inclined vnto, I should effect it according to your desire.

We read in the liues of the Fathers of a husbandman whose fields and vines, in vitis Patrum. were far more fruitfull, then any land of his neighbours there about; who demaū ­ding of him how it came to passe he an­swered them that it was no wonder▪ that his ground did bring forth so good in­crease since he had the times and seasons in his owne hands▪ wherupon they being far more astonished th [...] before, ask't him how that could be. Why said he, I neuer desire other time or season [...]h [...] what God pleaseth to send; and because I will, that which God wills, he giues, me that fruit which I desire.

Seuerus Sulpitius writing th [...] [...] Mar [...]n affirmes of him, Seuerus Sulpi­tius. that [...] long time which he conuers't with [...], he neuer saw him angry, nor melancholy, [Page 74]but alwaies cheerfull, and quietly com­posed; and he ascribes it to this vertue, which he was eminent in, of receauing all what euer hapned to him, as sent vnto him from the hand of God; & so he con­formed himselfe, vnto his blessed will in euery thing, with a great alacrity and re­signation.

THE IX. CHAPTER. Of some other considerations, which may rēder this exercise of conformity with the will of God, both easy and plea­sant to vs.

VNto the end that this exercise of the conformity with the will of God, may be both easy and delightfull to vs, Cap. 1. & 2. it is first necessary that we haue alwaies before our eyes, that foundation which we haue laid from the beginning; to wit that no affliction or aduersity can happen to vs, which hath not passed through the hands of God, being examined and regi­stred by his most blessed will, which verity our Sauiour Christ hath not only taught vs by word but by example. Whē he commaunded S. Peter the night of his Passion to sheath his sword, he added: [Page 75] Calicem, quem dedit Pater, non vis vt bibam illum? wouldst thou not haue me drinke the chalice which my Father hath sent me? he did not sa [...], Ioan. 18, 11. the chalice which Iudas, & the Scribes & Pharisees had filled out for him, since he knew well that they were only as seruants to administer that draught vnto him, which his Father had sēt, & that al which they out of their rāco­rous enuy & malice did, was so ordained by the infinit wisdome & goodnes of his heauenly Father, for the red [...]ption of the sinnefull world, and so he answered after­wards to Pilat, Ioan. 19.11 Ch [...]y. ho 8 [...]. in Ioan. Ciril. li. 12 c. 22. in Ioan. Irë. li. 4. contra hereses c. 34. when he boasted that he had power to crucify or to deliuer him; Non haberes potes [...]atem aduersum me vllam, nis [...]tibi datum esset desuper, thou shouldest haue no power ouer me, vnles it were giuen thee from aboue, which the holy Fathers explicat: nisi ex diuina dispositione & ordinatione id factū esset, declaring there by, that there is nothing happens but by the disposition and ordi­nance of God. S, Peter in the Actes of the Apostles hath meru [...]ilously explica­ted this, in his declaration of those words of the Prophet; Quare fremuerunt gentes, Aug. ser. [...]. sup.& populi meditati sunt inania? astire­runt [Page 76]Reges terrae,Ioānem. Act 4.26 Psal. 2.1.& Principes conuene­runt in vnum aduersus Dominum, & ad­uersus Christum eius where he says: Cō ­uenerunt enim verè in ciuitate ista, ad­uersus sanctum puerū tuum Iesum, quem vnxisti, Herodes & Pontius Pilatus cum gentibus & populis Israel, facere quae ma­nus tua, & consilium tuum decreu [...]runt fieri. The Princes and Potentats of the world assembled and were in league to­gether against our Sauiour Christ, to put that in execution and effect which had been concluded and decreed, in the con­sistory of the Blessed Trinity: and more then what had been there determined of, they could not do. And so we see that when God would not haue it so, all the power of King Herod was not sufficient to take away his life, when he was yet a child, and he who massacred so many Innocents, could not sind out the Infant whom he sought; and that, because it was not his pleasure then to d [...]e. How often did the Iewes and Pharisees seeke to lay hands vpon our Sauiour to put him to death? once they had him on the very edge of the mountaine on which their Citty was built, to throw him headlong [Page 77]downe and the holy Ghospells says: ipse autem transiĕs per medium illorum ibat; Lucae 4.30. he made his way securely through the midst [...]f them because it was not his plea­sure then to dye, that kind of death, and therfore they had no power to procure it him: an other time they would haue sto­ned him, and had euen lifted vp their hands to let them fall in showres of stones vpon him, & he did no more but mildely expostulat with them, saying; Ioan. 10.32. Multa bo­na ostendi vobis ex patre meo, propter quod eorum opus, me lapidatis? I haue shewed you many good workes, of my Fathers part, for which of them do you now stone me? he would not permit thē, nor giue them leaue to discharge their stones vpon him; Quia nondum venerat hora eius; Ioan. 7.30. because his houre was not yet come. But when the houre indeed in which he had resolued to dye was come, then they could execute what he had decreed to suffer, because then he would haue it so, and gaue them leaue to do it: haec est hora vestra & potestas tenebrarū, he told them when they came to appre­hēd him, Lucae 2 [...].53. I was daily with you teaching in your Tēple, and you haue not taken me, [Page 78]because as then my houre was not come, but now it is, and therfore come, behold, heere I am he; What did not Saul do? (who was a figure of this) what diligence vsed he not, what stratagems to get Da­uid into his hands? A King of Israell a­gainst a priuat man. Reg. 26.20. & ca. 24.15. Vt quaerat pulicem vnum, as Dauid said, in search of a silly flea, and yet with all the diligence he could vse, he could neuer intrap him, which the holy scripture notes, and giues the reason of. 1. Reg. 25.14. Non tradidit eum in ma­nus eius, because God would not deli­uer him ouer vnto his hands; & this is all.

S. Cyprian therefore on these words, & ne nos inducas in tentationem, Cypr. serm. de oration. Dominica. Mat. 6. doth well obserue, that in tentations and ad­uersities, all our feare, deuotion and at­tention, must only haue God Almighty for their obiect; seeing that neither the diuel nor any persō, can do vs any harme, vnles God first do giue them faculty.

Secondly although this verity, pon­dered attentiuely, Doroth. doctr. 13 Hil c. 29. de orat. idem di­xit Do­mino. S. Gert. re­fert Blo­sius. cap. 11 mo­nil. spiri. hath great force & ef­ficacy for to conforme vs in al things vn­to the will of God; notwithstanding we are not here to make a stay, but we must proceed forwards, to an other subsequēt [Page 79]point, which the holy Saints do generally note, & that is; that we ought to perswade ourselues, that al things proceeding from the hand of God, are also seruing to our good and profit. The torments of the damned are proceeding from the hand of God, but not for their profit and amend­ment, but for their punishment: but the paines and afflictions, which God in this life sends to any one, be he righteous or a sinner, we ought to haue that assurance and beliefe of his infinit mercy & good­nes, that they are al directed for our grea­ter good, and as the meanes and helpes most proper and necessary, vnto our sal­uation. And Iudith when shee saw her people in so great affliction and distresse, besieged and vexed by their enemies, said: ad emendationem & non perditionem no­stram euenisse credamus, Iudith▪ 8.27. beleeue assu­redly, that these miseries and afflictions are sent vnto vs by God for our amend­ment and not for our perdition, we may well assure our selues, of so good and louing a will as Gods, who tenders vs so dearly, that it inclines to resolue of no­thing concerning vs, which is not good, and the best, and most expedient for vs, [Page 80]like as herafter we shall more amply de­clare. Cap. [...]0 & 27.

Thirdly, that this verity may be to our greater pro [...]it▪ & be made vp to the com­pe [...]ency of [...]n efficacious meanes to helpe vs to a perfect c [...]nformity with the will of God, it is not inough that we vnder­stand in spec [...]e only that all things are proceeding from the hand of God, and that we belieue it in grosse and generall, because it is taught vs by faith, or els perhaps we haue read or heard so much; but it is necessary, that we put this be­liefe in practise, the better to arriue vnto an experimentall knowledge of it in such manner, as to receaue all things which happen to vs, as if with our owne senses and eyes we did perceaue our Sauiour Christ in this manner speaking to vs: Here my sonne I send thee this; it is my plea­sure that f [...]r the present, thou shouldst do or suffer this, or that other thing. For by this meanes it would be a thing most e [...] and pleasant to vs, to conforme our selues vnto the wil of God in euery thing, since it is most certaine, that should our Sauiour Christ personally appeare vnto vs and say; behold my sonne, see this is [Page 81]that which I desire of you; I would haue you to suffer this paine or sicknes at this time for my sake; it is my pleasure to make vse of you, in this or the other of­fice: it is most certaine I say, that we should vndertake it most willingly, euen our whole liues long, were it a thing of the greatest difficulty in the world, and esteem our selues highly honoured, and happy men, that God would vouchsaffe, to serue himselfe with vs, and we should gather only from his commaunding it, that it were the best and conuenientest thing of all others for our saluatiō, with­out doubting in the least kind therof.

Fourthly we ought to reduce this ex­ercise to practise, both in our prayers and other exercises, by deluing and sinking deepe into this rich mine of so fatherly and particular a prouidence as God hath of vs, to the end that we may the better know how to make due vse of such an inexhaustable treasure, as we shall goe de­claring in the following Chapters.

THE X. CHAPTER. Of Gods fatherly and particular proui­dence of vs, and of the filiall confi­dence which we ought to haue in him.

AMong other the great riches and and treasures which we enioy, who are in the Catholike Church, one of the greatest is Gods fatherly and particular prouidence of vs; it being most certaine that there is nothing can arriue vnto vs, which hath not first passed and been re­corded by the hand of God. And so the Prophet says. Psal. 5.13. Domine vt scuto bonae vo­luntatis tuae coronasti nos, thou hast en­uironed and defended vs, ô Lord, with that good will of thine, as with a sheeld of defence, we are round incompassed with this good will of God, in such man­ner as nothing can come vnto vs which passeth not first by it: and therfore there is nothing which we are to feare; for he willet nothing passe, but that which may be for our greater good. Psal. 20. 5 Quoniam ab­scondit me in tabernaculo suo, in die ma­lorum [Page 83]protexit me, in abscondito taber­naculi sui. The Prophet Dauid affirmes, that God hides and preserues vs, euen in the most secret of his Tabernacle, and shelters vn vnder his wings: and says yet more, Psal. 30.21. abscondes eos in abscondi [...]o faciei tuae, our Lord doth hide vs in the most hidden part of all his face, which are the eyes, in whose apples he hath lodged vs, and so an other version hath, in oculis fa­ciei tuae. God hath made vs the very ap­ples of his eyes, to verify that which is said in an other place; Ps. 16.8. Zach. 2.8. Custodi me vt pupil­lam oculi. qui tetigerit vos, tangit pupil­lam oculi mei. We are warrented vnder his defence and protection as the apples of his eyes, and they are the words of God: whosoeuer touches you, shall touch me in the sight of mine owne eyes. Can thereby imagined a thing more rich, more pretious, or more worthy of all esteeme then this?

O that we could but maturely appre­hend and penetrat this verity! how de­fenc't and fortified should we find our selues? how assured, how cōforted should we be, in all our labours and necessities? If here in this world one haue but a Fa­ther [Page 84]riche and mighty and one of the deerest fauourits of a King; what cōfidēce what assurance hath he in the successe of all his businesses, knowing that the fa­uour, authority and protection of his Fa­ther will not be wanting to him? how much more reason haue we to be confi­dent and assured▪ whilst we consider that we haue him for our Father, in whose hand is all the dominion of heauen and earth? and that nothing can arriue vnto vs, which passeth not first by his paternall hands? if a sonne can repose himself vpon the confidence and assurance of his Fa­thers fauour; how much more confi­dence ought we to haue in him, who is more our Father then all other Fathers besides, and in comparison with whom, there is none deserues the tender name of Father: for there are no bowells of loue which may be compared with the loue o [...] God to vs, which surpasses by infinite de­grees all the loues which euer earthly Fa­thers were sensible of, we may well as­sure our selues that whatsoeuer such [...] Father sends vs, is for our greater vtility & good; seeing that loue which he beares vs in his only sonne, permits him to do [...] [Page 85]nothing els then to procure the good of him, for whose loue onely he deliuered ouer his sonne vnto the torments of the crosse. Ad Rō. 8.32. Qui etiam proprio filio suo non pepercit, s [...]d pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum, quomodo non etiam cum illo om­nia nobis donauit? says the Apostle S. Paul. he who hath not spared his only sonne, but hath deliuered him ouer (vnto death) for all of vs▪ how can it be, but he hath giuen vs with him all other things? he hath giuen vs the most he could, and will he deny vs any little thing? Now if all men ought to haue such confidence in God Almighty; h [...]w much more Reli­gious men▪ whom he hath receaued par­ticularly for his owne▪ and giuen them both the spirit and hart of sonnes indeed, inuiting them to abandon & forsake the Fathers of their flesh and blood, and to make choice of him for their only true Father? with what hart, what fatherly tē ­dernes shall God loue such as these? what care, what prouidence shall he haue of them? Psal. 26.10. Quoniam pater meus & mater mea dereliquerunt me: Dominus autem assumpsit me, a happy choice you haue made of such a deare Father, in place of [Page 86]those parents, whom you haue departed with you may now with more reason and greater confidence say. Psal. 22.1. Dominus regit me, & nihil mihi deerit, God hath taken vpon him the charge of me, the care of me, and all that belongs to me, and I shall want for nothing. Psal▪ 39.18. Ego autem mendicus sum & pauper, Dominus solicitus est mei, I am (t'is true) a begger needy and poore, but God is solicitous and carefull for me, who would not be comforted with this? nay who would not euen melt away in the loue of such a God? Oh who▪ are you, ô Lord, who haue taken vpon you the charge of me, and haue so intense a care of me, as if in heauen and earth you had no other creature to gouerne but me alone! Oh that we could but delue and make passage deepe inough into this so viscerall, so paternal loue, prouidence and protection which God Almighty hath of vs!

From hence is begotten in the faithfull seruants of Almighty God, a most fami­liar and filiall confidence in him, which is so excessiue in some, that there is no child in t [...]e world who confids so much at all assays in the protection of his Fa­ther, [Page 87]as they in God, seeing they know right well that the bowells of his affectiō to them, is more then either of Father or Mother, which vses to be the renderest of all; and so the Prophet Esay says. Es [...] 49.15. Nun­quid obliuis [...]i potes [...] mulier infantē suum, vt non mis [...]reatur filio vteri sui? & si illa oblita fuerit, ego tamen non obliuiscar tui. ecce in manibus meis descripsi te. muri tui coram oculis meis semper: can a mother forget her owne child, so as not to haue pitty of the sonne of her wombe? and if she should forget, yet will not I for­get thee. for behold I beare you copp [...]ed out in my hands, and your walles are al­waies before mine eyes: as much as to say I do carry you euen in the palmes of my hands, which do present you alwaies be­fore mine eyes, for to defend and keepe you▪ and he declares as much by the same Prophet with an amorous comparison, Esa. 4 [...] 3. qui portamini à meo vtero, euen as a wo­man great with child, doth carry her in­fant in her wombe, and is all in all vnto it, both lodging, bearer, wall, and nurtri­ture; euen so saith God I beare you in my bowells. And with this consideration the seruants of God do liue in such assurance, [Page 88]and esteeme themselues so well prouided for, so safe against all chaunces, that they are neuer troubled or disquieted with any variety or accident of this life, & in tem­pore si [...]itatis non erit sollicitum, Ier. 17.8. the hart of the iust says the Prophet Hieremy is neuer subiect to commotion, or losse of the rest & quietnes for the diuers chaūces and successes of things seeing they are as­sured, that nothing can happen to them without the will and priuity of their Father; and of his excessiue loue and goodnes they are most secure; as hol­ding for certaine, that whatsoeuer arriues them is for their greater good, and all which on the one side he takes away frō them, he will restore on the other with aduantage and vsury.

From this confidence so familiar and filiall, which the iust haue in God, is be­gotten in their soules that so great peace tranquillity & security which they haue, conformable to that of Esay, Esa. 32.18.& sedebit populus meus in pulchritudine pacis, & in tabernaculis fiduciae, & in requie opu­lenta, & my people shall rest in the beauty of peace, and in the Tabernacles of con­fidence, and in a riche repose. Where the [Page 89]Prophet most [...]tly and aptly conioynes peace and confidence together, because the one is proceeding from the other, for he who hath his trust and confidence in God hath nothing to feare or to be trou­bled at, as hauing God to warrant and secure him. And this is that which the royall Prophet sings, Psal. 4.9. in pace in [...]dipsam dormiam & requi [...]scam, quontam tu Do­mine singulariter in she constituisti me, in pea [...]e in the selfe same will sleepe and rest because thou ô Lord hast singularly settled me in peace, and assured my life vnder the hope of thy deare mercy.

Neither doth this filiall confidence produce peace only, but it accompanies it with a great ioy and gladnes, Ad Rō. 15.13. Deus au­tem spei (says the Apostle S. Paul) re­pleat vos omn [...] gaudio, & pace i [...] cred [...]n­do, vt abundet is in spe & virtute Spiri­tus Sancti, the God of hope fill you all with ioy, and peace in your beliefe that you may abound in the hope and vertue of the holy Ghost. This firme beliefe of ours that God knowes what he doth, and doth all for our good, is cause that we feele not those tumults troubles & those anguishes, which they experience who [Page 90]only looke with eyes of flesh and blood, vpon the chaunce of things; but rather extraordinary gladnes and delight, in ex­traordinary chaunces: & the more a man shall haue of confidence, the more abun­dant shall his spiritual ioy and gladnes be: for the more he shall confide and loue, the greater shall his assurance be, that the issue of all things will be to his auaile: neither is it possible that he should other­wise perswade himselfe, or els hope lesse from the exceeding goodnes, and infinit loue of God.

This renders the Saints so vndaunted and assured, in the midst of all their affli­ctions, so as they h [...]e no dread of men, of diuells, beasts, or any thing; as know­ing assuredly that without the permission of the will of God, they cannot so much as touch them: Athana. and so S. Athanasius re­ports of B. S. Anthony that whē one time among the rest, the diuells presented thē ­selues in most fearfull shapes, and hideous formes vnto him, of wild and cruel beasts, as of Lyons, Tygers, Bulles, Serpents and Scorpions, all compassing him about, and terrifying him with their claws, teeth, horns, stings, roaring, and fearfull hissing, [Page 91]so as it seemed they would presently de­uour him: what did the Blessed Saint? but laugh't them all to scorne: and told them; if you had any vallour you would come but on at once, to fight against a single man as I am; but by reason that you are cowardly, and that God hath depriued you of your might, therefore you come such a rabble together of you, that your number at least may make me affeard, when your forces came not. If God hath giuen you any power ouer me, behold me here, deuour me; but if you haue no permission for to do it, why do you make all this stir for nothing? from whence we may [...]early perceaue, that the great peace and courage, which this holy person sound with in himselfe, in this occasion, Greg li. 3. [...]al. c. 16 refert aliud si­mile ex­emplū. Li. 5. vite P. N Ig­nat. c. 9. & lib. 2. cap. 5. was proceeding only from the well considering that they could do no­thing without the will of God, and the conforming himselfe vnto that blessed will. We haue diuers other examples of this kind, in the Ecclesiasticall hi [...]ory, and we read the like of our B. Father S. Ig­natius, in the fifth booke of his life: and in the second, it is recounted, how once as he sailed towards Rome, there rose [Page 92]such a fearfull tempest, that the Mast being split by the violence of the wind, and most of the Cables and tacklings, sheard and broke, all the Passengers being in a mighty feare, and almost dead with the expectation and the dread of death, only he in so great a feare and danger (as he confest himselfe) was scarcely moued to any thing, besides a tender feeling and sorrow, that he had not serued God, so truly and faithfully as he ought; and for any other thing▪ Math. 8.27. it neuer touch't the con­fidence of his mind; quia v [...]nti, & mare obediunt ei, for he knew that the winds and sea were obedient vnto God, and without his will and permission would not lift vp a waue to swallow any one. Let vs likewise study, (the grace of God supposed) to arriue vnto this familiar and filiall confidence in God, and to this as­surance and tranquillity of mind, by this exercise of the conformity with the will of God, deluing by the meanes of prayer and consideration, & sinking deeply into this most rich mine of Gods so fatherly prouidence of vs, I am most certaine that nothing can happē to me, & that nei­ther the diuels nor men, nor any creature, [Page 93]can do more vnto me thē God giues way to and permits: and in his holy name let that be done, I do not refuse it, neither desire any thing but purely the will of God.

We read of S. Gertrude that neither daungers, nor tribulation, Blos. c. 11. mon. spirit. neither tem­porall los [...]e nor any hinderāces, no not so much as her owne defects and faults could euer obscure that constant and se­cure confidence which shee had in the most gracious mercy of Almighty God, she belieuing most assuredly that all aswel prosperity as aduersity would by that di­uine prouidence be conuerted into good, and our Lord once said vnto this virgin: The assured cōfidence which a man hath in me, belieuing me vndoubtedly both to be able and willing to assist him faithfully in all occasions, doth euen pierce my hart, and offer such violence vnto my mercy, that I cannot be wanting vnto such a creature, for the increase of his merit, and mine owne delight to see him so intirely dependant on me: neither can I other­wise choose but fauour him, for hauing so free and cofident recourse to that which I am, and which I am able to do: and he [Page 94]vseth this forme of speaking, like to one who were transported & as it were with fond loue. It is recounted of S. Mech­tilda, [...] Blosius vbi sup. that our Sauiour said vnto her. It is most gratefull vnto me, that men do con­fide in my goodnes and presume of my fauours towards them▪ for whosoeuer doth humbly put his trust, and firmely belieue in me, I will both in this life be gratious to him, and after his death re­ward him aboue his merits. The more one belieues & piously presumes of my good­nes towards him, the more euen to an infinite proportion shall he obteine of me; seeing it is impossible for a man not to re­cei [...]e of me that, which he hath hoped for and holily confided to obteine: and ther­fore it is most profitable for a man, to promise the most vnto his hope, and to belieue my promises to him. And to the same Mechtilda, desirous to know what we were chiefly to belieue of his vn­speakable goodnes, our Lord answered, belieue with an assured faith, that I will receaue thee after thou art dead, as a Fa­ther would do his best bel [...]ued child; and that neuer any Father did so faithfully deuide his inheritāce with his only child, [Page 95]as I will communicat both my selfe and all I haue with thee, whosoeuer shall fir­mely belieue this of my goodnes, with an humble charity, shall be happy aboue all beliefe.

THE XI. CHAPTER. Of diuers passages and examples of the holy Scripture, which may helpe vs much to obteine this familiar and fi­liall confidence in God.

IT will be good for vs first of all, to put before our eyes the frequent custome of those ancient Fathers, to attribute vn­to God, all things which happened to them, by what meanes or way soeuer they arriued. In the two and fortieth Chapter of Genesis, the holy Scripture recounts, how Iosephs brethren, whilst they were returning towards their countrey with that prouision of corne which they had bought in Egypt, in opening their sacks (as they baited at an Inne to prouander their beasts) did find each one in the mouth of his sacke, the mony, which they had disbursed for their corne [Page 96](which Ioseph had cōmaunded his stew­ard to restore in that manner vnknowne to them) they percei [...]ing this and being much troubled cryed one vnto an other; Quidnam est hoc quod fecit nobis Deus? Gen. 42.28. what is this▪ which God hath done vnto vs? where we are to obserue, that they did not say, this is some plot laid for vs, there is some practise in it or the steward through his negligence hath left the mo­ney in our sacks; neither perhaps he ment to bestow it on vs in Al [...]es; but they as­cribed it vnto God saying, what is this which God hath done vnto vs? in it ac­knowledging that as the leafe of a tree could not be shaken but by the will of God, so also that could not happen but by the same prouidence. And when Ia­cob remoued with all his family into E­gypt, Ioseph with all his children went to visite him, who being demaunded by his Father what children those were? answe­red: Gen. 48.9. filij mei sunt, quos donauit mihi Deus in hoc loco, they are my children whom God hath bestowed vpō me in this place; & the like answer Iacob gaue when mee­ting with his brother Esau, and he de­maunding of him what children those [Page 97]were which he had brought with him, he answered, Gen. 33.5. paruuli sunt quos donauit mihi Deus, they are little ones whō God hath bestowed vpon me, and presenting him with certaine things he said. Suscipe benedistionem quam attuli tibi, Gen. 33.11.& quam donauit mihi Deus tribuens omnia, re­ceaue this present (which he calls a bene­diction of God, whose euery gift is a be­nefit) receaue it (said he) which I haue brought for you, and which God hath bestowed vpon me, who is the distribu­ter of euery thing. Also when Dauid all incens't with rage and passion was on his way to ruine the house of Nabal, and Abigail meeting him with her presents and prayers assuaged his fury, Dauid said; Reg. 23.32. Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, qui mi­sit hodie te in occursum meum, ne irem ad sanguinem. Blessed be the Lord God of Israell, who hath sent thee to day to meet me, that I might not go forwards vnto blood and to the slaughter of the house of Nabal. as if he had said, you are not come of your selfe, hut God hath sent you vnto the end that I might not sinne, I acknowledge the benefit from him, vnto him be praise and thanks ther­fore. [Page 98]This was the common stile among those aunciēt Fathers, which we ought to make ours by imitation.

But to come neerer to the matter; the History of Ioseph, [...]en. 37. which we haue touch't in passing, is no lesse straunge, then ser­uing to our purpose; whom his brothers out of enuy (that he might not come to raigne ouer them, and be their Lord ac­cording to his dreame,) sold into bon­dage vnto certaine marchants: and the same meanes, which they serued their turnes withall to prouide that he might not come to raigne ouer them, God made vse of to effect that which his diuine pro­uidence had designed; which was, both to make him Lord ouer them, and all the land of Egypt. And so the same Io­seph affirmed vnto his brothers, when dis­couering himselfe vnto them, they were euen lost in the feare and amazement of so wonderous an euent, Nolite pauere, nec vobis durum esse videatnr, Gen. 25.5.quod ven­didistis me in his regionibus: pro salute enim vestra masit me Deus ante vos in Aegyptum, premisitque me Deus vt reser­uemini super terram, & es [...]as ad viuen­dum habere possitis▪ be not affraid nei­ther [Page 99]let it seeme vnto you a hard case, that you did sell me into these coun­tries: for God for your (good and) safty hath sent me hither before you into E­gypt; God hath sent me before, that you might be maintained vpon the earth, and be prouided with victuals to sustaine your liues, together with all the people of Israel. It is God, said he▪ Gen. 50.19. who hath sent me, non vestro consilio, sed Dei volun­tate hu [...] missus sum; It was not your doing, but the prouidence of God; Num Dei possumus resistere voluntati? vos co­gitastis de me malum, sed Deus vertit il­lud in bonum, vt exaltaret me; sicut in praes [...]ntiarum cernitis, & saluos faceres populos multos, who can resist the will of God? you imagined euell against me, but God conuerted it all to good, that he might exalt me, like as you see at this pre­sent, and worke the safty of many peo­ple: And who is there who hereafter will not confide in God? who shall feare any more the malice of men, or the worlds aduersities? When they shall know that all is foreseen by God, & that he vses the same meanes, which they inuent to trou­ble and persecute vs, for our aduance­ment [Page 100]and our greater good? Consilium meum stabit, Esa. 46.10.& omnis voluntas mea fiet, says God by the Prophet Esay, go which way you will, you haue your choyce, but so, as at the end whither you will or no you must arriue thither where God would haue you go, who makes vse of your meanes vnto that end.

S. Chrysostome considers yet an other particular in this History, Chri. hō. 63. super Genes. Gen. 40.23. seruing for out present purpose, treating how Pharaos cupbearer, after he was restored vnto his office, for two whole yeares neuer had thought of Ioseph his Interpreter, al­though he had most earnestly cōmended himself vnto his memory, to beseech Pha­rao for his deliuery. Do you thinke, sait [...] this saint, that this his forgetfulnes was b [...] chaūce? No assure your selfe, but so reso [...] ­ued vpon & decreed by God, intēding t [...] await the conueniency of time, to deliue [...] Ioseph out of prisō vnto his greater glor [...] and aduancement, for if the Cupbeare had been mindfull of him, it had been an easy matter for him, considering his au­thority, to haue work't vnder hand hi [...] deliuery so, as none should euer haue see: or hard of him, but God intended not [...] [Page 101]haue him so deliuered, but in such man­ner as might gaine him honour and au­thority; permitting the other to be for­getfull of him for two yeares together, that the dreame of Pharao might chaūce in the interim, when at the instance of the King of himselfe, compelled by necessity he might be deliuered from prison with that glory and Maiesty, to be made ru­ler ouer the whole Land of Egypt. God knowes well saith S. Chrysostome like a cunning artizā, how long the gould must be trying in the fier, and when t'is sittest time to take it out.

In the first booke of Kings we read an other example in which the prouidence of God, euen in little & particular things is perceaued most clearly. God told the Prophet Samuel that he would shew vn­to him, that man who was to be King of Israel, vnto the end he might ānoint him, and said, hac ipsa horà quae nunc est, 1. Reg. 9.16.cras mittam virum ad te de terra Beniamin, & vnges eum Ducem super populum meū Israel, to morrow at this very hower I will send vnto thee the man whom thou art to annoint for King, & this was Saul; whose manner of sending was this; The [Page 102]a [...]es of his Father were gone astray, and his Father sent him for to seek them out: he tooke a boy with him, and sought all vp and downe, but could heare no newes of them; whereupon Saul was in mind to returne home againe, by reason it was late, and his Father might be fearfull what was become of them; but the boy was of opinion that they should by no meanes returne, vntill they had found them out: there is a man of God here hard by, said he (meaning the Prophet Samuel) let vs haue recourse to him, and without doubt he will tell vs newes of them. Hereupon they go to find Samuel out, and at their arriuall God said vnto him; Ecce vir, quem dixeram tibi; iste dominabitur populo meo, this is he whom I told you I would send; this is the man you must annoint for King. O strange and wonderfull iudgment of God Al­mighty! his Father sent him to seeke af­ter his strayed beasts, and God sent him to Samuel to be annointed King. What difference is there betwixt the designes and pretensions of men, and God? How farre was Saul and his Father from any such thought, that he was then going to [Page 103]be annointed and consecrated King? and so how farre are you and your Father & superiour oftentimes, from imagining that which God intends to do. From that which you thinke least of▪ God Almigh­ty drawes forth his owne ends. No, no, the beasts were not lost but by the will of God, neither was it by chaunce that Saul was sent by his Father to seeke thē out, neither that he could not find them, nor the counsaile of the boy to go to the Prophet Samuel to heare newes of them, but all was so ordained and designed by God, who vsed those meanes to send Saul vnto Samuel, that according as he had premonished him, he might annoint him King. Your Father, when he sends you to study at one of the Vniuersities, or beyond the seas, intends to bring you vp to learning, and thereby to make you a way vnto some dignity wherby you may honourably liue hereafter; and he de­ceaues himselfe, for God sends you thi­ther to incorporate you into his owne house, and make you Religious. S. Au­gustin when he went from Rome to Mil­lan, and also Symmachus the Gouernour of the Citty who sent him thither, did [Page 104]thinke the cause of his going was to teach Rhethorick there, but there was no such matter, for God sent him thither that S. Ambros [...] might conuert him and make him Catholike.

Let vs consider a little the sundry vo­cations of men, and the particular and ex­presse waies, and straunge passages, by which God leads seuerall men vnto Re­ligion; for doubtles it is a thing deser­uing all admiration to see, that had it not been for such a toy or trifling thing, which hapned to you, in such a circum­stance, you had neuer been Religious: and now that thing was expresly ordained & so ordered by God, to the end to bring you to Religion; which in passing ought to be reflected on by those, whose minds are oftentimes troubled and tempted to call in doubt whither their vocations were from God or no, since they haue been brought into Religion, by such in­tricat waies as we haue mentioned; which is no other then an illusion of the enemy, enuious of that state in which you are, since there is nothing more ordinary to God, then to serue himselfe of such vn­likely waies, vnto that end which he pre­tends [Page 105]of his greater glory, and your grea­ter vtility and good; and of this we haue many examples in the liues of Saints. God ordained not your iourney to seeke out the beasts. Nunquid de bobus cura est Deo? But he would lead you by that way vnto a kingdom, seruire Deo regnare est. 1. Cor. 9.9.

When the Prophet Samuel afterwards was sent from God, to checke Saul for his disobedience in not wholly ruining Amalec as God had commaunded him, the Prophet hauing sharply reprehended him, and turning his backe for to depart, Saul tooke him by his garment to stay him, and desire him to pray for him and reconcile him vnto God againe; and the text says, that the peece of Samuels gar­ment which Saul laid hold vpon, toar of, and remained in his hand. Who would not thinke it a very chaunce that the garment of the Prophet should be rent and torne? 1. Reg. 15.27. either because that Saul held fast and pulck't him hard, or that the Prophets garment was lightly rent, be­cause it was old and worne: who I say would not imagine this rather, then that it was so disposed of by the particular prouidence of God; to signify that Saul [Page 106]was deuided from his kingdom, and de­priued of his crowne for his offences, and yet this was it which Samuel said, to Saul, when he saw what was happened; scidit Dominus regnum Israel à te hodie, & tradidit illud proximo tuo meliori te, the Lord (by the diuision of my garmēt) giues thee to vnderstand, that to day the kingdom of Israel is rent from thee, and deliuered vnto thy neighbour a better man then thou.

In the same first booke of the Kings, 1. Reg. 23.26. 1. Reg. 29.6. & cap. 30. is recounted how Saul once held Dauid and his people so besieged, in modum co­ronae, that Dauid euen despaired of esca­ping his hands: being in this distresse, there arriues in al hast a Post in the Campe of Saul, bringing newes that the Phili­stims had made impression on his Coun­try, ransacking and spoyling all, wher­upon Saul to make head against that daunger which did most concerne him, was inforced to breake vp his siege, and lead his forces against the Philistims, and so Dauid escap't. This enterprize and in­uasion of the Philistims was no waies casuall, but a kind of stratagem of Al­mighty God, by that meanes to deliuer [Page 107] Dauid from his enemy.

An other time the Princes or Satrapae of the Philistims would needes expell Dauid out of their Army, and effected so much, as their King Achas commaunded him to his house, although otherwise he stood well affected towards him, and was delighted in his company. Sed Satrapis non places. this seems to haue been done only to please the Satrapae. & an vnlucky chaunce for him; but it happened other­wise, and that which they intended vnto his mischiefe, was directed by the parti­cular prouidence of God vnto an other end: for Dauid being returned vnto his house, found that the Amaleks had set fier of Siceleg a towne of his, and had led away into captiuity, all the woemen and children, à minimo vsque ad magnum, and among the rest the woemen of his owne houshold; whereupon he follow's them vpon the spure, ouertakes, defeats them, and recouers all the pray, and pri­soners againe, euen to a man. Which he could not haue done, had not the Satrapae expelled him their Army: and vnto this end did God direct their counsaile, how euer they had disposed of it for an other [Page 108]end. In the History of Esther this parti­cular prouidence of God is also cleerly to be seene, euen in very small and particu­lar accidents, in that his so miraculous de­liurance of the Iewish Nation, from the cruell sentence of King Assuerus: as that Vasti should be reiected & Esther chosen for Queen, a Iew by nat [...]n, the better and with more interest thereafter to in­tercede for them. It seemes that Mardo­cheus by meer chaunce came to haue no­tice, and to detect the Eunu [...]hes conspi­racy against the life of King Assuerus, and that the King on night should haue no list to sleepe, & to passe away the tediousnes of the night, should cause the Chronicles of the time to be fetch't and read, and that they should light iust vpō that place, where the seruices of Mardocheus were mentioned: but nothing of all this did happen by casualty, but all was so dispo­sed by the profoūd iudgmēt of Almighty God, and his particular prouidēce, which had chosen those meanes for the deliuery of his people; & so Mardocheus sent word to Esther when shee durst not aduenture to speake vnto the King, alledging for her excuse that he had not called for her. Quis [Page 109]nouit vtrum idcirco ad regnum veneris,Ester. 4 14.vt in tali tempore parareris? who knows but you haue been therfore chosen vnto the dignity of Queen, that you might be ready in such a time as this, to afford vs helpe and succour.

The holy Scripture and the holy Ec­clesiasticall Histories are full of the like accidents, the better to teach vs to ascribe all chaunces vnto God, and receaue them as proceeding from his diuine hand for our greater commodity and good. In the booke of S. Clements reueus, we read a most remarkable History seruing for our present purpose; Clemēt l. recognition [...] Whilst S. Pe­ter had Simon Magus hotly in pursuit at Rome, Saint Barnaby conuerted Saint Clement to the Christian faith, who ha­uing recourse vnto Saint Peter, decla­red vnto him the progresse of his con­uersion, and besought him to add his helpe, vnto the better instructing of him in the Misteries of his beliefe. Saint Peter told him, that he came most oportunely, for (said he) to mor­row is appointed for a publique dis­putation, betwixt Simon the Magi­tian and my selfe, where being pre­sent [Page 110]you may both see and be satisfied in that which you desire: whilst they were yet in speaking, in comes two of Symon Magus disciples, sent from him vnto S. Peter to desire that by reason of some vrgent affaires of his, the disputation might be for some two or three daies dif­ferd. S. Peter told them that he was con­tent. They departing. S. Peter perceaued S. Clement sensibly waxing sad, and me­lancholy; and demanded of him what the matter was? to whom S. Clement re­plyed; Father I must confesse that it is a cause of much affliction to me, to see this disputation respited, which I so much desired to haue been to morrow. here­upon hapned a thing worthy to be ob­serued in a thing of small importance: for S. Peter tooke him by the hand, and dis­cours't at large vnto him on this subiect, saying amongst many other things. Be­hold, my sonne, when any thing chaunces among the heathens, otherwise then they desire, they become straight waies trou­bled: but it becomes vs who know that God directs and gouernes all, to be in continuall quiet and repose: and vnder­stād, sonne, that this is so hapned for your [Page 111]greater good; for if the disputation had been to morrow, there had passed many things aboue your vnderstanding, which now in the meane time I will so informe as you shall receaue both much content and profit, when the day of disputation comes.

I will conclude with a domesticall ex­ample, Lib. 2. c. 16 vitae P N. Ig. & in vita P. Fran­cisci Xa­uerij. which is recorded in the life of our B. Father; in which appear's most appa­rently this diuine prouidence wherof we speake: and it is concerning the depar­ture of S. Xauerius towards the east In­dies. The meanes by which he came to be designed for that expedition are most worthy of consideration. Our B. F. S. Ignatius designed for that mission, F. Simon Rodriguez, & F. Nicholas Boba­dilla: F. Simon as that time was much crazed with a Quartane Ague, yet not­withstanding without delay he embark't himselfe for Portugall, F. Bobadilla was aduertised by letter that he should leaue Calabria and repare presently to Rome: he came, but so weakned with the Iour­ney and those extreeme wants which he had suffered vpon the way, and withall so ill disposed in one of his leggs, that it [Page 112]was necessary he should remaine some­time vnder cure after his arriuall to Rome, and Don Petro Mascaregna's hast calling away for Portugall, S. Ignatius of necessity was to take a new resolution, (the Embassadour still vrging for an o­ther Father) and substitute (by happy ad­uenture) S. Xauerius in Bobadilla's pla­ce; It might seem that by reason F. Boba­dilla was named for that Iourney and not S. Xauerius, and that he was only, because of the Embassadours necessity of departure, substituted into the others place, that his designement for that expe­ditiō was by meer hazard thought vpon, but there was no chaūce in it, but only the particular prouidence of God, which had determined to make him the glorious Apostle of those Easterne parts; & more­ouer when they were arriued in Portu­gaell, the Portugezi considering the great profit which they did, entred vpon a re­solution to detaine them both there; nei­ther could they be so wholly drawne from it, as not to keepe the one, whilst the other should be suffered to goe on his voyage to the Indies. Looke here how things seeme to goe by chaunce: neuer­theles [Page 113]vnto God there is nothing casuall: in the end, the expedition to the Indies fell vnto S. Xauerius lot, because the will of God had so disposed of it, as a thing the most conferring to his glory, and the saluation of so many soules. Let men proiect and designe things as they please, and take that way to effect them, as they fancy best; but God will make vse of those meanes which they inuent, to put his owne ends in execution, and order all as shall be most expedient, and to his greater glory.

Besides these examples and others the like which the holy scripture affords vs, and which we daily see and experience aswell in our selues as others, it is requi­sit that we proceed by the way of prayer, and consideration, to confirme and im­print in our hearts this happy cōfidence. Neither are we to impose an end vnto this exercise, vntill we sensibly perceaue in our hearts this familiar and filiall con­fidence in God; And be assured that the greater this your confidence shall be, wherby you cast your selfe (as it were) into the armes of God, the more and greater shal your security be, and on the [Page 114]contrary, you shall neuer arriue vnto true peace and quietnes of mind, vntill you haue attained this filiall cōfidence, seeing that without it, there is no thing so sligh [...] and little, which hath not force to dismay and trouble you. Let vs therfore resolue to cast and commit our selues with all speed into the hands of God, and to place our assurāce in him; following that coun­sell of the Apostle S. Peter. Omnem soli­citudinem vestram proijcientes in eum,1. Pet [...]i. 5.7. Psal. 54.23.quoniam ipsi eura est de vobis, casting all your solicitude in him, because he hath care of you, and the Prophet says. Iacta super Dommum curam tuam, & ipse te enutriet, cast all the care of your selfe vpon God and he will nourish you. O blesled Lord you haue tendred me so much as to deliuer ouer your selfe for my sake without any reseruation, into the hands of those cruell tormenters, for to do with thee whatsoeuer their strangly ingenious malice could inuēt, Iesum vero tradid [...] volunta [...] eorum, Lu [...] 23. [...]. what wonder is it then, if I do put and resigne my selfe intirely into those not cruell, but deare & charitable hand, of thine, for to do with me whatfoeuer thou shalt please, when I [Page 115]am most certaine that thou wilt do no­thing but what may be best, and most conuenient for me. Let vs become ioint­partners in that contract which our Bles­sed Sauiour made with S. Catherine of Siena. Our Lord at sundry times in­deared this Saint vnto him with most sweet priuacy, inriching her noble soule with many high graces and fauours, a­mong the rest one and a most particular one was, that one day appearing vnto her he said, filia cogita tu de me & ego cogitabo continenter de te, my daughter do thou thinke of me, and I will haue perpetuall thought of thee. O blessed accord! ô happy exchaunge!ô rich gaine of our soules. This bargaine God is ready to make with euery on of vs: do but lay aside the thought of your selfe and the solicitude of things; and the more you shall forget your selfe to thinke and con­fide in God, the greater charge and care shall God Almighty haue of you. Who is there who would not with all his soule accept a condition so delicious and auail­able, as the Spouse in the Canticles glo­ries to haue made with her beloued. Cāt. 7.10 Ego dilecto meo [...] ad me conuersio eius. I to [Page 116]my beloued and his regard is to me.

THE XII. CHAPTER. How great profit and perfection it is, to apply prayer vnto this exercise of the conformity with the will of God, and how we are so long to descend vnto par­ticulars vntil we arriue vnto the third degree of the said conformity.

IOhn Rusbrock a very learned & spi­rituall man, Rusbroc in [...]ne operum suorum writs of a certaine Virgin who in rendring an accoūt of her prayer vnto her Ghostly Father a great seruant of Almighty God, and a man of high contemplation with earnest desire to be instructed by him, told him, that her ex­ercise in her prayer, was on the life and passion of our Sauiour Christ, and the profit which she reaped from thence, was the knowledge of her selfe, and of her passions and defects, as also a sorrow and compassion for the paine and sufferance of our Sauiour Christ, her Confessor told her, that all this was good, but yet on without much vertue might be liuely toucht with tendernes and compassion [Page 117]of the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ, like as we see the naturall loue and affection which one beares an other, doth make him haue a deepe resentment of his friends misery and aduersity. The Vir­gin then demaunded of him, whether the daily deploring of our sinnes, were a true deuotion or no? he answered it was good, but not the perfectest, seeing that euill naturally brings with it a hatred of it, a­gaine she asked him, whether it were a true deuotion to thinke often on the paines of hell, and the glory of the Bles­sed? he answered t'was likewise good but as farre from being the best as the former was, seeing that nature its selfe by a cer­taine instinct doth commonly abhorre and fly from all paine and torment, and loues and seekes after that which may bring vs to content and glory; as when you see but the picture of some faire & plea­sant Citty, you desire presently to inha­bit it. This did exceedingly grieue the holy Vigin, and left her much disconso­late and sad in that shee knew not which way she might best apply her exercise of prayers, to be most pleasing to Almighty God. Not long after there appeared to [Page 118]her an Infant of exquisit beauty, to whom when shee had related the cause of her sadnes, adding withall it was so great that none could comfort her. The Child, did tell her she should forbeare to say so since he himselfe both could and would com­fort her; therfore go (said he) vnto your Ghostly Father and declare vnto him, that true and solid deuotion doth consist in the abnegation and contemning of ones selfe, as also in an intire resignation into the hands of God, aswell in aduer­sity as prosperity, in being straictly vni­ted by loue to God in euery thing. The Virgin with [...]oyfull cheer went presently vnto her Ghostly Father, to informe him of all this, who no sooner heard her but he answered▪ this this is that indeed, to which you are to apply your prayer, seing that heerein consists the true charity and loue of God, and consequently our profit and perfection. It is recounted of an o­ther Virgin, that our Lord tought her to insist long time together vpon these words, Refert Blo [...] ca. 11. mon spirit. O Lord your will be done one earth as it is in heauen, and we read of S. Gertrude that inspired by God Al­mighty shee repeated without any inter­mission, [Page 119]those words of our Sauiour. Lucae 22 42. Not my will (ô Lord) be done, but thyne, three hundred sixty fiue times together, and she vnderstood that it was a deuotion most gratfull to Almighty God. Let vs then imitate these examples, and dire­cting all our prayers vnto this end▪ go for­ward couragiously in this exercise. Now that we may the better, and with greater profit doe it, we are to presuppose two things. The first is, that this exercise is of greatest necessity in time of aduersity, and whē we haue any difficulty to ouercome, vnto the conquest whereof is required a conflict against flesh and blood: for in these occurrances there is greatest need of vertue, and in such times as those the loue which we beare vnto God Almighty doth more manifestly appeare. Euen as a King in time of peace by obliging his sol­diers by his liberality doth shew the affe­ction which he beares to them, and they in the time of warre in fighting & dying for him, do shew the loue and loyall res­pect which they haue to him. So in the time of spirituall ioy and consolation the King of heauen giues vs to vnderstand how dearly [...] tenders vs, and we in the [Page 120]time of desolation & aduersity, do more shew forth our affection vnto his seruice, then we are able to do whilst we are in comfort and prosperity. M. Auila to. 2. ep fol. 20. Master Auila says ex [...]ellent well, that to render thanke to God in time of consolation is com­mon vnto all, but to blesse and praise him when we are oppressed with tribu­lation and aduersity, is only proper to the good and perfect and a most harmo­nious musicke to the eares of God. And he adds that in the midst of aduersity only to say. I render you thanks ô Lord, blessed be God or the like, is of more worth & merit then thousands of thanks and benedictions in time of prosperity, and in this sense the holy Scripture com­pares the iust vnto the carbuncle; Eccl▪ 32.7 Gem­mula carbuncul [...] in ornamento auri, be­cause that this pretious stone giues grea­ter lustre by night then in the shining day; so in like manner the faithfull and true seruant of God Almighty shines and shewes forth more clearly what he is, in the cloudy night of tribulation, then in the bright sunne shine of prosperity. And therfore the holy Scripture praiseth holy Toby so much, Tob. 2.14. for that he although God [Page 121]permitted him to fall into sundry cala­mities, and lastly had depriued him of his sight, yet neuer proceeded in his sadnes against Almighty God, nor remitted any thing of his former fidelity and obediēce to his Diuine Maiestie, but he remai­ned alwaies immoueable rendring equall thanks to God his whole life long, as­well for his blindnes as for the faculty of sight, Iob 1.21 as holy Iob in his affections had done before. This saith S. Augustin is that which we are to indeauour to imi­tate, vt in cunctis idem sis, Aug ad fratres in Herē. ser. 4.tam in prospe­ris, quam in aduersis, that as well in pros­perity as aduersity we remaine alwaies the same. Si [...]ut manus quae eadem est, & cum in palmam extenditur, & cum in pugnum constringitur: Like as the hand is alwaies the same, as well when we span it out as when we clutch our fist; so like­wise the seruant of Almighty God ought alwaies to be at quiet in the interior of his soule, how euer he may seeme to the exterior shew, to be perplext and sorrow­full. And if it be true which is reported of Socrates, Socrates refert Cicero lib. 13. Tuscula. questio. that in the greatest diuersity of fortune, he was alwaies one, and that he was neuer obserued to exceed a mo­deration [Page 122]in his mirth or sorrow. Nec hi­lariorem quisquam nec tristem Socratem vidit, aequalis fuit in tanta inaequalitau fortunae vsque ad extremum vitae, what extraordinary thing were it in vs, who are both Christians and Religious men, to indeauour to aspire to a perfection vnto which a Heathen had arriued be­fore vs.

Secondly we are to know that it is not sufficient to haue this conformity with the will of God in Generall, seeing it will be no hard matter to attaine it so: for who is there that will not say, he desires that the Diuine will be performed in euery thing; and both the good and bad say in there Pater noster, euery day, your will be done on earth as it is in hea­uen, but it is necessary that we consider it in preciser manner, and descend vnto those particulars which might cost vs most paine and difficulty should they ar­riue vnto vs, and not to rest vntill we had facilitated euery one of them. We are not to remaine (as they say) carrying our launce at [...]andome without putting it in our rest; Trac. [...]5. cap. 16. and alwaies in daunger of being cast from our conformity with the will [Page 123]of God, as soone as any vnexpected dif­ficulty comes and bids vs battaile; but we are to make head against them of our owne accord.

Neither are we to content our selues with this, but we are to inforce our selues to passe onward still, vntill we come to find tast and cordiall delight, that the wil of God is accomplished in vs, although it be in matter of paine sorrow & disesteem, which is the third degree of this confor­mity; for this is like wise deuided into sun­dry degrees; the one more sublime and perfect then the other: although chiefly they may be reduc't to three, in the same manner as the Saints haue distributed the vertue of patience. The first is when a man doth neither accept of, nor desire those things which go aceompanied with paine, but rather shuns them, yet so as he had rather vndergoe them, then to com­mit any sinne to be deliuered from them; this is the lowest degree and of cōmaūd­ment, in so much as although a man in his mishaps be sensible of paine griefe and discontent, although he sigh and grone whilst he is sicke, and cries out through the vehemency of his griefe and bewailes [Page 124]the losse and death of friends, yet with all these he may still haue conformity with the will of God. The second degree is when a man (although he doe not de­sire that any harme should chaunce vnto him, neither makes choice of it) notwith­standing when it is once hapned to him, doth willingly imbrace and suffer it, be­cause it is the good pleasure and will of God: and this second degree, surpasseth the first, in that a man in some sort hath a liking and affection to suffer discom­modity and paine for the loue of God, and proceeds so farre, as to desire it, be­cause it is Gods pleasure it should be so. The first degree supports these things with patience, the second implies besides, the suffering them promptly and with willingnes; The third is when the seruant of Almighty God, out of the great loue he beares our B. Lord, doth not only ac­cept of, and suffer most willingly what­soeuer paine and affliction which he shall send him, but also is longing for them, and reioyceth in them because he knows them to be the will of God. And so S. Luke writs of the Apostles. Act. 5.41 I [...]ant gau­dentes a conspectu concily, quoniam digni [Page 125]habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu, contume­liam pati, aftet they were most ignomi­niously whipt, they went reioycing out of the presence of the councell, for ha­uing been esteemed worthy to suffer cō ­tumely for the name of Christ, and the Apostle S. Paul says. Ad Co [...]. 7.4. Repletus sum con­solatione, superabundo gaudio, in omni tribulatione nostrâ, I am filled full with consolation, and do abound with ioy, in alour tribulation, chaynes and aduersity. and for this reason he prayseth the He­brews writing vnto them. Ad H [...]be 20.34. Et rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepi­stis, cognoscentes vos habere meliorem & manentem substantiam, you haue re­ceaued ioyfully the losse of your (tem­porall) goods as knowing your selues to haue better and more lasting riches. Vnto this must we indeauour with the grace of God to arriue, to beare with ioy and gladnes all tribulations and aduersities which may happen to vs as, S. Iames counsels vs in his Canonicall Epistle; Omne gaudium existimate fratres mei, Iaco. 1.1.cum in tentationes varias incideritis, esteem it deare brothers for the complet­est ioy of all, when you shall fall into [Page 126]sundry tentations; The will and content­ment of God ought to be vnto vs a thing so pretious and sweet, that it should be sufficient to conserue and sugar all bitter chaunces which may happen to vs; all the miseries and disgusts of the world, should become swee [...] and delicious vnto vs; only because it is the good pleasure, the will of God; Greg. li. 7. mor. c. 7. and this is it which S. Gre­gory says, si mens in Deum forti inten­tione dirigatur, quidquid tibi in hac vità amarum sit, dulce aestimat▪ omne quod af­fl [...]git, requiem putat, transire & per mor­tem apetit, vt obtin [...]re plenius vuam pos­sit, if our mind were once directed to God with a strong intention, it would esteeme all that were bitter in this life, for sweet, all that were afflicting vs it would account for rest, yea it would euen long to passe by death it selfe, for to ob­teine a more full and perfect life.

S. Catherine of Siena in a certaine Dialogue which shee hath left written of the consummat perfection of a Chri­stian, S. Catha. de Sena. says that among other things which her deare spouse our Blessed Lord had tought her, one was, that shee should build vp her selfe a chamber of repose, [Page 127]which should be round about vaulted with the will of God, and that there she should inclose herselfe and make perpe­tuall abode, neuer going out, or stiring foot or hand, or casting a looke out from thence, but alwaies remaine recollected in herselfe, as the bee in the hiue, or the pearle in its shell, and although that in the beginning perhaps this habitation might seeme too narrow and retired, not­withstanding shee should soone find it of a wonderfull extent; in so much as with­out going out of it, shee might recreate her selfe among the eternall mansions of the Blessed, and make greater profit in a few daies there, then shee could do with­out in a long space of time. Let vs like­wise doe the same, and make this our continuall exercise, Dilectus meus mihi, & ego illi, my beloued to me, Cant. 1.16. and I to him, in these two words we haue inough to entertaine our selues for our whole li­ues, and therfore we ought to haue them alwaies in our mouths and hearts.

THE XIII. CHAPTER. Of the indifferency and conformity with the will of God, which Religious men ought to haue, in going and remai­ning in any part of the world, where they may be disposed of by Obedience.

TO the end that we may make more profit out of this exercise of the cō ­formity with the will of God, and put in practise that which we haue said, we will go declaring in particular some prin­cipall points in which we ought to exer­cise our selues; and afterwards descend to certaine other Generall heads, which appertaine to all. And now we will begin with those particular things which are conteined in our constitutions, since it is most consonant to reason that a Reli­gious man, should chiefly in their obser­uance shew forth the vertue and Reli­gion which he hath, and afterwards each on may apply this doctrine vnto other things of the same kind, either in his Re­ligion or his state of life.

In the seauenth part of the constitu­tions [Page 129]our B. Father treating of Missions which is on of the principall functions of our Institut, 7. p▪ Cōst. c. 1. §. 1. says that those of the Society are to be indifferent to go, and make their aboade in any part of the world where soeuer obedi [...]ce shall send thē, c. 1. exā. §. 5. & 5. p. const. c. 3. §. 3. & C & p. 6. c. 2. §. [...]3. & 1. & p. 7. c. 1. §. 3 & E. 7. p. const. c. 1. §. 1. & B. either amōg Christians or Infidels, either to the Indies, or among the Hereticks: and concerning this, those who are professed do solemnely make a fourth vow of particular obe­dience vnto the Popes Holines, to go rea­dily and willingly without alledging any excuse, vnto any part of the world where His holines shall send them, without de­manding any temporallities either by themselues or others, for their charges of their iourney on the way, or for their maintenāce when they are arriued there; but that they will go either by horse or foot, with money, or without it, begging and liuing on almes as it shall seeme best vnto his Holines. And our B. Father de­clares in the same place that the end and intention of making of this vow was to come more nearer to the will of God, for as much as the first Fathers of the Society being for the most part of diuers nations and prouinces, and not knowing in what [Page 130]part of the world to imploy their la­bours, so as they might be best pleasing to Almighty God, whether among the faithfull or Infidells, to arriue to a cer­taine knowledge of the will of God, they made this vow to his Vicar heare on earth, to the end that he might dispose of them throughout the world, accor­ding as he should iudge it to be most re­quisit for Gods greater glory. But those of the Society, saith he, ought in no wise to intermedle themselues, or procure to besent, and abide more in one place then an other, but they are to remaine wholly indifferent, leauing the free and intire disposition of themselues in the hands of their Superiors, who gouerne them in the place of God, as may be most for his seruice and greater glory.

And that we might perceaue what an absolute indifferency and readines to go vnto any country of the world, where holy obedience might dispose of vs, our B. Father requires; Lib. 5. c. 4 vitae P. N. Ignat. we read in his life, that F. Iames Laynes once said vnto him that he felt a great desire in himselfe, to go vnto the Indies to procure the saluation of those blind Infidels, who were lost for [Page 131]want of Euangelical labourers▪ to whom our B. Father answered that for his part he had no such desire, and being ask't the reason, he said, because that we in hauing made a vow of obedience to his Holines, to go vnto any part of the world where he shall send vs for the seruice of Almighty God, ought to be intirely in­different, and not to haue any inclination more to on place then to an other; and he added more ouer if I did perceaue my selfe as you inclined, to go vnto the In­dies, now, I should bestow all my indea­uours, to bend my inclination to the con­trary, that so I might arriue to that per­fect indifferency and equality, which is required to the obteining the perfection of obedience.

Notwithstanding we doe not say that the desires which we may haue of going to the Indies, be either ill, or imperfect, for they are so farre from that, as they are both good and holy, and as such, it is good to propose and present them to our Superiors whensoeuer our Lord shall please for to inspire them, and so our B. Father, 7, p. cōst. c. [...]. lit. 1. in the same place sayes that the Superiors with good reason may be much [Page 132]comforted when such desires are propo­sed vnto them, by any of their charge, seeing that they are most commonly the signes, that such are called vnto it by Al­mighty God, and so they come to be dis­posed of with greater sweetnes and more gentlenes: but we haue said it vnto the end that we might perceiue the readines and indifferency which our B. Father requires of vs, to go and remaine in what part of the world so euer; seeing that he would not so much as haue vs affected more then ordinary vnto a mission so labo­rious and so much importing the seruice of Almighty God, as that; and that vnto the end that our inclination to any parti­cular thing, might not set any barre bet­wixt vs and that promptitude and indif­ferency which we ought to haue to any other thing, or place, besides vnto which Obedience might thinke fit to send vs.

From hence there may be some con­sequences drawne forth, which may helpe vs better to comprehend this same. The first is, that if the desire of going for the Indies, should be occasion to him who doth conceiue it, of failing in any point of this redines and indifferency vnto any [Page 133]other thing, which obedience might ap­point him, that then it is not good, but an imperfection: if I were taken with so great desire, and weare so set vpon going to the Indies or els where, that it should disquiet me, and be the occasion that I should remaine with lesse contentment either heere or in any other place where obedience should dispose of me, and that I did not discharge with that willingnes those present functions in which I were imployed, neither performed them with due application, by reason my eyes and thoughts were fix't vpō that other thing; then it is most apparant, that such desires are neither good, nor proceeding from God Almighty, since they are impedi­ments vnto his will, and God cannot be contrary to himselfe: as also because the desires and inspiratiōs of the holy Ghost, do not vse to go accompanied with trou­ble and disquietnes but with a profound peace and tranquility. And this is one of the signes which the masters of spirituall life do giue, to know whether our inspi­rations and desires be proceeding from God or no.

Secondly it followes from hence that [Page 134]he who should haue an vniuersall dispo­sition, both prompt and indifferent to transport himselfe into any part of the world, or to performe any thing which obedience should prescribe, although he felt in himselfe no such particular incli­nation as others haue of going to the In­dies▪ or any other country remote or neer, hath no reason to trouble himselfe ther­fore seeing that he is no waies in the wor­ser state, but rather the better disposed, it being such a disposition as our B. Father requires of all the Society, to haue of our parts no affection or particular desire, more vnto one thing then an other; but he would haue vs in a disposition answerable to the tongue, of a ballance which inclines no more to on side then an other; and of this sort are many, or according to my opinion the greater part. Our B. Father had taken a deliberation once to send F. Natalis in a certaine mission, and to pro­ceed in it with the more sweetnes, he de­sired before to know his inclination. F. Natalis by letter answered him, that for his part he was inclined to nothing, but only to this, to haue no particular incli­nation of his owne, and this disposition [Page 135]our B. Father esteemed for the best of all, and the most perfect▪ and that with good reason, for that other seems only to be fastned to one thing alone, but this with his indifferency is imbracing all whatso­euer may be commaunded him, and is prepared & disposed with an equall mind vnto all alike; and for as much as God re­gards only the heart and will of a man, which before him, is as much as the worke it selfe, therfore this ready will for all, is as acceptable to him as the execution of all would be.

And to declare this more fully, if any one who were tepide, pusillanimous or vnmortified, should haue no desire of going to the Indies, by reason of his want of courage and resolution, to leaue those commodities which here he imagins him­selfe to haue, or to be in the way of ob­teining, or els because he hath no will, to expose himselfe to those many labours which there he must vndergoe, in this man I say such a disposition is selfe loue and imperfection, but one who forbears not to desire it, out of any fainthearted­nes, or lesse will and courage to vndertake those labours, and others yet more pain­full [Page 136]for the loue of God, and saluation of soules, but onely because he is vncer­taine whe [...]her it be the will of God to dispose of him that way, or in any other thing, and is in himselfe both ready and prepared to performe any thing which he shall know to be the will of God, and would go for the Indies or England or any other place if he should chaunce to be sent, with as prompt and good a will, and perhaps better then if himselfe had re­quested and desired it; and that because then he should haue more assurance that he did not his owne will in it, but purely the will of God. There is no doubt, but this mans disposition were better and more perfect, and such as these the Su­periors neuer doubt, to dispose of, either to the Indies, or any other place.

But to returne to the principallest point of all, our B. Father requires that we should all remaine with an equall indif­ferency & resignation to remaine as wil­lingly in on place as an other, to go as rea­dily to this country as to that, and that no respect of corporall health should be sufficient to take vs from this indiffe­rency. It is said in the third part of our Cōstitutions, that it belongs vnto our vo­cation [Page 137]and Institute, to go and remaine in any part of the world, where the grea­ter seruice of God and the greater good of soules may be hoped for; but yet if it should be found by experience that ones health were much impaired, and that the aire and Climat did not agree with him: that then the Superior might consider whether it were better that such an one, should be disposed of to an other place, which might be more agreable to his health, and where he might with more profit imploy himself vnto Gods seruice, and the good of soules; Neuertheles it is declared expresly, that the diseased per­son, is in no wise to demand to be remo­ued, or to shew himselfe to haue any in­clination therunto but to leaue all the care of it, to his Superiors. Non tamen erit ipsius infirmi, hui [...]smodi mutationem po­stulare, nec animi propensionem ad eam ostēdere, sed Superioris curae id relinqui­tur. It is no little thing, but a point of high consequence which our B. Father, re­quires of vs; seing that each one, is to be resigned and mortified, not only in not demanding to be remoued, but also in not shewing themselues to haue any in­clination therunto, although they should [Page 138]continue ill disposed and si [...]ckly all their liues. So that for as much as concernes our mission to the Indies, or among the Hereticks, each one, as we haue said, may freely propose his inclination and desire, so as it be with indifferency and resigna­tion: but in this point of health, there is not permitted any liberty, either to aske our remouall or to shew our selues incli­ned therunto, which is much more then the other; only it is permitted, that if any one finde himselfe sick or ill disposed, he may propose to the Superior, his sicknesse and indisposition, with his disability to discharge his functions, and thus much we are obliged to do by Rule; but hauing once proposed it, we are to do nothing more, it belonging only to the Superior to aduise, if supposing he be so ill dispo­sed, it were not fitter to send him to some other place, where by recouering his health he might be enabled to do more; or whether it were not to Gods greater glory, that he should still remaine in the same place, although he performed not so much or perhaps nothing at all, for this concernes him nothing. Euery one is to suffer himselfe to be guided by his Su­perior, [Page 139]who in the place of God hath the disposing of him, and to esteeme what so euer he shall ordaine, to be the best, and most confering to the seruice of Almighty God. How many are there who only to get their liuing do liue here and in other places which are most contrary to their health? how many are there who passe the seas to the Indies and Turky for a litle gaine, and put not only their health but also their liues in daunger? What great matter is it then if we (who are Religious) do so much for God, and for obedience, as those of the world do, to gather wealth together? And if it should occurre vnto your mind, that you could do somewhat in an other place, or perhaps very much, and that there where you are your health is impairing, and your labours nothing, do but remember that for all this, it is better for you to remaine there in doing nothing since it is the will of God, then to haue your owne will in being remoued to any other place, although you should doe neuer so much; and conforming your selfe with the will of God, who for the present requires so much of you, for causes which he knows best, and which it is not [Page 140]expedient you should know.

In the Chronicles of the Order of S. Francis we read how S. Francis gaue leaue to Brother Giles, to go where he would, and to liue in whatsoeuer Pro­uince or Couent he pleased, leauing him to his owne free election as being one whom he knew of great vertue and san­ctity, but the holy man, had not liued fower dayes in this manner & freedome, but he found the tranquility and peace of his soule sensibly diminished, and in lieu thereof a great lisquietnes and per­turbation in his mind; whereupon he went to S. Francis againe and desired him with much earnestnes, that he would appoint him to liue in some certaine place & Co­uent, and not leaue him any more vnto his owne free choyce, assuring him that he could find no rest nor comfort, in such a wild and vnlimited obedience; Good religious men ought to haue no peace and contentment in performing their owne wills, and so consequently to haue no desire to remaine and dwell in this Colledge or in that, in this or the other Prouince, but they are to expect vntill holy obedience do take them by the hād, [Page 141]and dispose of them, according as she pleases, as knowing that such is the will of God, in which they are only to take all pleasure and content.

THE XIV. CHAPTER. Of that indifferency and conformity with the will of God, which Religious men are to haue, concerning those offices & functions in which obedience shall im­ploy them.

WE ought likewise to haue this in­differency & resignation, wher­of we haue spoken, in all those functions and offices, in which we may be imployed by obedience: we perceaue well how many and diuers those offices and fun­ctions are in a Religious Order, and each one in particular is to go considering of them▪ vntil we haue brought ourselues vnto an indifferency for all, Our B. Fa­ther says in the constitutions, and we haue it likewise in our Rules, that in exercising abiect and humble offices, we are more readily to accept of those, from which [Page 142]we haue the greatest auersion, if it should be inioyned vs to exercise our selues in them, we haue most need of resignation an [...] indifferency▪ in point of these meaner and abiect offices, by reason of the natu­rall repugnan [...]e which we haue against them: and therefore he doth more, and shewes a greater vertue and perfection, who offers himselfe vnto God to per­forme these offices, then he who should make choyce to do more high and ho­nourable ones. If one wh [...] had a great desire to serue some noblemā, should pre­sent his seruice in such manner vnto him, as to remaine all his life his drudge or la­kie, if he should thinke it fit, it is most apparant that he should do more, and de­clare a greater will to serue that noble­man, then one who should make offer of himselfe, to be hi [...] Gentleman of the horse or steward of his house; since this is rather to demaund a benefit, then present his seruice: and more ouer, the others affection to his seruice would appeare the more▪ if offering himselfe vnto those humble of­fices, he had sufficient tallent to perf [...]rme more honourable ones. And it is euen so in Religion, if you should offer vp your [Page 143]self to God, saying ô Lord I desire to serue you in quality of Preacher, or Diuinity Master, the matter were not much, seing these high and honourable offices, vse for themselues to be sought after and desired, and therfore you declare in this no great desire of seruing God; but when you offer your selfe to serue all the daies of your life in the house of God, in cōtemp­tible & base offices, repugnant vnto sense, then you doe giue a testimony indeed of the great desire you had to serue almighty God, and this desire would be the more gratefull & meritorious, the more sit and able you were for the discharge of higher functions. And this were enough to stire you vp to the desire of humble and ab­iect offices and to seeke after them, espe­cially seing indeed that in the house of God there is no office which is vile and abiect: for (as they say commonly) if in the pallace of an earthly King there is no­thing accounted base, but his title enno­bleth all, and there is great account made of seruing him in the meanest quality, how much more ought we to esteeme of all things belonging to the seruice of God, to serue whom, is properly to raigne?

S. Basile to stire vs vp vnto the affe­ctionate loue of humble and abiect offi­ces, sets the example of our Sauiour be­fore our eyes, who as we read in the holy scripture, did imploy himselfe in the like offices, as in washing the feet of his Apo­stles, and not only in that, but also for a long time together in seruing his most holy Mother and S. Ioseph, being subiect and obedient vnto them in all whatso­euer they commaunded him; Et erat sub­ditus illis. From the twelfth yeare of his age vntill he was thirty yeare old, the holy scripture makes no other mētion of him, but only this, that he was subiect vnto them; which the holy Fathers conside­ring do excellent well infer, that in that time he serued and helped them in many lowly and humble offices, as considering their pouerty we may piously imagine. Ne dedignetur facere Christianus quod fecit Christus, let not a Christiā & much lesse a Religious mā, thinke much & disdaine to do those things which Christ hath done: since the sonne of God hath not refused to imploy himselfe in these contemptible offices for the loue of vs, let not vs make any difficulty to be exercised in them, for [Page 145]the loue of him although we should con­tinue in them all our liues.

But to come nearer yet vnto our pur­pose, one of the principall reasons, and powerfulst motiues which should incite vs to accept with great readines what­euer office obedience should impose vpon vs; is to consider that it is the will of God, because as we haue said heretofore, it ought to be all our comfort and conso­lation in all our imploiments, that we per­forme the will of God in doing them: this is that alone which ought to suffice and content a soule; it is the will of God that for the present I should do such a thing: behould now you know the plea­sure of God, and are not to seeke after any thing besides, seing there is nothing better or more sublime then the will of Almighty God; Whosoeuer should go on in this manner, would not esteeme it to import any thing, whether they enioyn­ed him this, or that to do, or imployed him in an eminent or abiect office, since there would be no difference vnto such an one.

S. Hierome relates an example very fitly seruing for this present subiect, he [Page 146]sayes that visiting those holy Mōks who liued in the desert, he saw one whom the Superior had commaunded (both for his owne aduancement in perfection, as also to giue an example of obedience vnto the younger sort of Religious) to carry twice a day, a mighty stone three miles, vnto no other end, and for no other pro­fit, but to obey and mortify his proper iudgment, and this had he already done for eight whole yeares together. This saith S. Hierom would appeare vnto those who do not know the true value of the vertue of obedience, and haue not attai­ned vnto this purity and simplicity, but are yet of proud and hauty minds, but a childish thing, or an idle action▪ and they would demaund of him, how he could indure to be so imployed by obedience, and euen I my selfe (saith this Saint) did question him and desire to know what motions he felt within his heart, whilst he was performing this; and the blessed man answered him, I am as content and glad when I haue executed this, as if I had done the most high and important thing as they could haue commaunded me: and S. Hierom sayes that this answere did so [Page 147]liuely touch him, that from that time for­wards he began to lead the life of a Reli­gious Monke. This is to be a Religious man indeed, and to lead an answerable life vnto their state, not to regard what the exterior action is, but to make the will of God our pleasure & delight, which we performe in doing of that acte: and such as they, are those who profit and go sen­sibly forwards in vertue and perfection, so as euen to make it their liues sustenāce to do the will of God, wherewith they are nourished as with the very fatnes of the corne. Et [...]dipe frumenti satiat te.

But some one perhaps will say, for my part I see well enough that it is a thing of great perfection, to doe the will of God in euery thing, and that in euery office in which they do imploy me, I may per­forme his holy will, but neuerthelesse I would willingly be applied & set to more important things, and be executing the will of God in such functions as those; and this is to be wanting euen in the first principall, seing that really it is nothing els, then to desire that God should do your will, and not to indeauour to accomplish [...]is▪ I am not to prescribe any law to God, [Page 148]neither to seeke to bring him to consent vnto that which seemes best to me, and is most to my desire, but I ought to fol­low that which God Almighty shall or­daine and thinke the best, and accom­modate my selfe to that which he de­sires concerning me. S. Augustin saith ex­cellent well: Optimus minister tuus est, qui non magis intuetur hoc à te audire quod ipse voluerit, sed potius hoc velle quod à te audurit, he is thy best seruant ô Lord, who doth not looke to haue thee commaund him that which he de­sires, but who rather desires that which thou shalt commaund; and the holy Ab­bot Nylus said: Non ores vt fiant quae fieri velis, sed potius or a sicut orare di­dic [...]sti, vt f [...]at voluntas Dei in me, do not pray; that that should be done which thou desirest, but rather desire as our B. Lord hath instructed thee to pray, that the will of God be (alwa [...]es) performed in thee.

Which point is worthy to be conside­red, as one very profitable, and vniuer­sally seruing for all chaunces and contrary accidents which may happen to vs. We ought no [...] to determine and choose in [Page 149]what, and how we will indure and suf­fer, but God alone, it belongs not vnto vs, to make choyce of those tentations, with which we are to be proued, or to say. Oh if it were any other tentation then this, I would not care, but this is such an one, as I can no waies indure. If that paine which we haue, were that which we did desire, it would be no paine vnto vs; If you desire indeed to be pleasing vn­to Almighty God, beg of him to conduct you by that way which he best knowes and pleaseth, and not by that which you yourselfe desire: and when our Lord doth send you that which you haue most auer­sion from, and should be most sorry to vndergo, then if you conforme your selfe vnto his will, you imitate most neere our Sauiour Christ, who said vnto his hea­uenly Father, not my will, but thine be done and this is to haue an intire confor­mity with the will of God, to make him an absolute oblation of our selues, that he may doe with vs whatsoeuer he shall please, when, and in such manner as he shall please, without any exception, con­tradiction, selfe iudgment, or rese [...]ing any thing. Blosius recoūts h [...]w the holy [Page 150]Virgin S. Gertrude did once out of her compassion pray for a certaine person, who (as shee heard) did with great im­patience complaine, that God had sent her certaine afflictions which were lesse conuenient for the good of her soule, vn­to whom our Sauiour answered: tell that party for whom thou prayest, that seing there is none can obteine the Kingdome of heauen, without suffering at least some crosses and afflictions, that shee had best choose, and declare what afflictions shee should thinke most profitable for her, and when God should send her those, receaue them patiently, by which words of our Lord, and the manner with which they were deliuered, S. Gertrud vnderstood that it was a most daungerous kind of impatience, for one to desire proudly and peruersly to make choyce themselues of that which they would suffer, saying forsooth that those afflictions which are sent them by God Almighty are lesse fit­ting for the good of their soules, and more then they can sustaine; seing euery one is to assure himselfe, that whatsoeuer God doth send him or permits to happen to him, is most conuenient for him, and for [Page 151]such he is to welcome it both with pa­tience and conformity with the will of God. And as you are not to make choice of those tentations and afflictions which you are to vndergoe but to receaue all which shall be sent you, as proceeding from the holy hand of God, vnderstan­ding them to be the most conuenient for you, so likewise are you to be as farre frō making your owne election of those of­fices and functions which you are to be employed in, but are to receaue all which obedience shall appoint as cōming from the hand of God, and perswade your selfe that it is the only thing which of all o­thers is most expedient for you.

There is added moreouer vnto this, a very spirituall point, which teacheth vs to be so resigned vnto the will of God, and to liue in such confidence and assu­rance of his paternall goodnes, as not so much as to desire to know in what man­ner God shall please to dispose of vs: Iust as there are some Noblemen in the world who trust their stewards so farre as not to know themselues what their owne reue­nues are, or what they haue in the house, which is a signe of their great confidence [Page 152]in them, and so the Patriarch Ioseph af­firmeth that his Master did with him, ecce Dominus meus, omnibus mihi tra­ditis, ignorat quid habeat in domo sua behould, my Master hauing deliuered ouer all into my hands, doth not know himselfe what he hath in his owne house; in like manner also that Religious man declares his confidence in God to be great indeed, when he desires not so much as to know, how God shall be pleased for to dispose of him, but saith, I am in a good hand, and that is enough for me; in ma­nibus tuis [...]or [...]es meae, in that I am most cō ­tented and assured, and more then that I haue no need to know.

Concerning those who aspire to higher degrees, places and functions perswading themselues that they should more profit their neighbours by them and aduance the seruice of Almighty God, let them assure thēselues that they are farre decea­ued if they thinke they doe it out of zeale of Gods greater seruice and the good of soules, for it is farre otherwise; they are caryed away only with the zeale and the desire of honour, of their owne esteeme, and p [...]iuat commodities and because such [Page 153]an office or function is most agreable to their owne desire and inclination, ther­fore they seeke after it with so much ear­nestnes, which may clearly be perceaued from hence: if you were a secular in the world, or a single man, it seemes it might become you for to say, this is better then that other, and affords more profit for the good of soules, and therfore I desire to imbrace this and to let that alone, seing that I suffice not to the discharge of both, but in Religion there is no leauing one thing for an other, but it is necessary that both be d [...]ne, here we are to Catechise as well as to preach; to teach Grammer as well as Diuinity and this is only the point: if you will keepe aloft, and do nothing but the most high and eminent things, an other of necessity must abase himselfe and do those meaner ones, and if you had but the least humility in you, you should ra­ther desire that those high & glorious fū ­ctiōs should be cōferred vpon some other man, & ought to perswade your selfe, that he would discharge them better then you could do, and with m [...]e fruit, and lesse danger of vanity.

For this cause and diuers other. Our B. [Page 154]Father S. Ignatius, hath left vs an excel­cellent lesson, which he hath set for the foundation of elections in those his three degrees of humility, where the third and the most perfect is, that when two things do present themselues vnto vs, both e­qually making for the seruice and glory of God, one should make choyce of that, in which he might haue a greater occa­sion of being contemned and scorned, therby to imitate more nearly the life of our Sauiour Christ, who for our sakes was content to be despised and had in no account. In which there is yet an other great good to be cōsidered; which is, that in these humble and abiect things, ou [...] proper interest is lesse by farre, and a man hath no reason for to seeke himselfe, or cause to feare his becoming vainly proud, which daunger goeth alwaies accompa­nied with those higher and more resplen­dant offices; In humble and abiect offices, we can alwaies iointly exercise humility and charity, and they afford humility its proper nouriture, with those slight acts which are exercised in them, but in more higher functions, cha [...]ity without daun­ger of humility cānot be exercised, which [Page 155]ought alone to be a sufficient reason why they were not only to be desired, but ra­ther with great feare to be auoided by vs.

THE XV. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God, touching the di­stribution of Tallents, and naturall guifts.

EVery one is to be well content, with those Tallents which God hath cō ­municated to him, of vnderstanding, wit, sufficiency, and other parts which God hath bestowed vpon him, and not to be troubled and afflicted if he haue not so much ability as an other, nor so many good parts, or be not so fit for great and high imployments, it is a thing of which we all stand in need, for let vs graunt that one makes greater shew, and seemes in some certaine things to excell and haue the preeminence of others, notwithstan­ding they haue some wants or other suf­ficient to abash and humble them, where in they haue need of this conformity. And therfore it is good for to go well prepa­red, [Page 156]for the Diuell most commonly as­saults vs in nothing more. In time of your studies when you see one of your Concur­rants grow excellent, that he disputes and argues learnedly and well, you shall be o­uertaken perhaps with a certaine kind of enuy, which although it arriue not to make you sorrow for your brothers good (for that were expresly the sinne of enuy) notwithstāding shall bring you at the last, vnto a certaine sadnes and melancholy, to see an other get the start of you, with his fine wit, and your selfe cast behind, not being able to keepe pace with him, or shew your head amongst the formest of them, this I say wil make you droope and conuerse with them confounded and ashamed, whence you will fall into lan­guor & weary somnes, and be moued with a tentation to giue ouer your studies, and perhaps sometimes to take leaue of your Religion if you be not well grounded in humility, as diuerse haue giuen a lamen­table experience. An other thinks to be­come eminent, and to surpasse all others of his course and to be famed for the best scholler throughout all the country: who when he sees all his dreames and hopes to be come to nothing, becometh so shamed, [Page 157]discouraged and mortified, as the Diuell who is neuer wanting to so faire occasiōs perhaps will put him in the head, that he shall neuer recouer the disgrace, nor be rid of his melācholy▪ as long as he tarryeth in Religion, and this tentation is no new but a very ancient one.

We read an exāple of this kind in the Chronicles of the Order of S. Dominicke, & it is of Albertus Magnus, who was the Master of S. Thomas of Aquin. The said Albertus when he was a little child, was very deuout vnto our B. Lady, and recited certaine prayers vnto her honour euery day, he afterwards by her fauour & inter­cession being but sixteē yeare old, was ad­mitted into the Order of S. Dominicke, whē (as it is said) in those his tender yeares being applyed to his studies his wit was but reasonable or rather indeed he was wholly dul and vnfit for learning, & being among others who had liuely & excellent wits, he was so discouraged with the small profit which he made, that this sorrow of his, being closly followed with a strōg tē ­tatiō, did put him in such dāger, as he was vpon the point of casting of his habit: he being in this distresse of toughts, was wō ­drously [Page 158]helped by a certaine visiō, for as he slept one night, he imagined that he had reared a Ladder against the Mona­stery walls, and was going out and leauing the order, when climing vp he saw fowre venerable Matrons standing on the top, of whom one seemed to be mistrise of the rest, and when he was come closse by thē, one of those Matrons shou'd him backe againe and would not permit him to go out of the Monastery; notwithstanding he aduentred once againe, and being euen at the top, the second serued him as the first had done, and when the third time, he assayed to get vp againe, a third of those Matrons demaunded of him, why he had such desire to leaue the Mona­stery, vnto whom he answered, with a face al blushing with shame, because Lady I see my companions of the same course with me, to profit in the study of Philo­sophy whilst I spend my time and labour all in vaine, which shame grieues me so much as it makes me resolue to leaue my Religion, vnto whom the Matron said, pointing him vnto the fourth of them, behould this is the Mother of God, and Queene of heauen, vpon whom we [Page 159]with reuerence do attend, comend your selfe to her, and we with our intreaties will second you, that she would intercede vnto her B. Sonne for you, vnto the end that he would bestow vpon you, a witt so docile as might render you fit to go for­wards in your studies; which Albertus hearing was wondrous glad, and being conducted vnto our B. Lady by this Ma­tron, she receaued him gratiously, and de­manded of him what he desired and wi­shed for with so much earnestnes? he an­swered, some degree of excellency in Phi­losophy, which was the study to which he then attended, although he compre­hended nothing of it. Whereupon the Glorious Virgin answered, be of good cheere and courage, and study well, and I will assure you, you will become an emi­nent and learned man in the science of Philosophy, but to the end that you may know, said shee, that it is a donatiue only of my fauour, and not attained by any na­turall parts, or industry of your owne, some time before you dy, you shall come to forget whilst you are in your publique lecture, all the learning which you had before. With this vision was he greatly [Page 160]comforted, and from that time he profi­ted so greatly in his studies, not only in Philosophy but also in Diuinity & know­ledge of the holy Scriptures, as nothing can better witnesse then those works which he hath left behind: & three yeares before his death, as he was actually tea­ching at Collen, he wholly lost all memo­ry of euery thing which belonged to lear­ning, remaining as ignorant, as if he had neuer in his life so much as knowne the first rudiments of any Science; & it may be also that it is so befalne him, in punish­ment of his want of indifferency, & con­formity with the will of God, in point, of that tallent and sufficiency which he had bestowed vpon him. Howeuer, he then remembring the vision which he had at that time when he was minded to haue forsaken his Religion, did publikely be­fore all his Auditors declare what had passed, and therupon taking his leaue of all, he retired himselfe to his couent and there spent the residue of his time in prayer and contemplation.

Now that we our selues may not fall into this danger, it is necessary that we go preparing our selues before; and there is [Page 161]no better preparatiue then a deepe humi­lity, for such a difficulty as this proceedeth only from the want of it, when you can­not indure to be accounted the worst and last of all your course. If one should come afterwards and let you vnderstand, that you were to study no more, and that you were to breake of your course, and all those proiects which you had fancied to your selfe; and in the meane time you should see your Companions go on with their Diuinity, and become learned and famous preachers: here now without doubt were need of profound humility, and a great resignation to the will of God. And this tentation comes to be renewed againe after your studies are done, when you will not want such thoughts as these to be working vpon you againe: why am not I so learned, and in as high place as he? why am not I an excellent Preacher? why haue not I such a grace in setting my self forth, and in discoursing as this or the o­ther hath? wherfore am not I imployed in important businesses, and why do they make so little account of me? and the like is to be said of those who are not schol­lers, for you shall haue them busied with [Page 162]such thoughts and tentations as these. Oh that I were a scholler? that I were a Priest and had but learning to be profitably im­played in the helpe of soules, and some­times it may fall out that such a tentation as this may bring you to such straits as to in danger the losse of your vocation, and perhaps your saluation too, as the lamen­table falls of others do testify.

This is a generall doctrine, and euery on may apply it to his owne state of life, and therfore it is necessary for euery one to conforme himselfe vnto the will of God in being content with that Tallent which he hath receaued from God, and that state of life which he hath placed him in, without desiring to be more, then what God Almighty hath ordeined him for to be. S. Augustine vpon these words of the psalme. Inclina [...]or meum in testi­monia tua & nō in auaritiam, incline my hart vnto thy testimonies & not to aua­rice, says that this was the begining & root of all our euil since our first Parents in ha­uing a desire to be more then God had made thē, & to haue more thē he had be­stowed vpon thē, came therby to fall from that state in which they were, & to loose [Page 163]all that which God had imparted to thē. The Diuell laid before their proud de­sires this baite; Eritis sicut Dij scientes bonum & malum, you shall be like Gods hauing knowledge of good and euill▪ and therby deceaued them, and wrought their destruction; and this vice we inherit of them by succession, being egged on with a desire of diuinity, and a kind of folly and madnes to be greater then we are; and for as much as the Diuell had so good suc­cesse in tempting our first parents with it, therfore hath he been so busy euer since to enkindle vs with the same, and set our desires on fire, of becoming greater thē it is Gods pleasure we should be, without suffring vs to be content with those Tal­lents which we haue, and that condi­tion to which we were borne and bred. And therfore saith S. Augustin doth the Prophet desire of God, that he would giue him a heart free from all proper in­terest and faithfully inclined vnto his will and pleasure, and not to his owne profit and commodity: he sayes that by auarice is to be vnderstood all sort of particular end, or gaine, and not only the couitious­nes of wealth, and it is this which S. Paul [Page 164]affirmes to be the root of all euill, 1. ad Ti. 6, 10. radix omnium malorum cupiditas.

Now that we may attaine to this indif­ferency, & disposition of confor [...]ing our selues vnto the will of God, and conten­ting vs with those talents which he hath bestowed vpon vs, as also with that state and degree in which he hath placed vs, it is sufficient to know that it is the will of God; Hac autem omnia operatur vnus atque idem Spiritus diuidēs singulis prout vult. 1. Cor. 12.10. Saith S. Paul vnto the Corinthians, all those things are the worke of one and the same spirit, who giues euery one his share according as he please [...]h; The Apo­stle doth vse this Metaphor, which vpon an other occasion we haue borrowed, Tract. 4. c. 4. and it is deriued from a humaine body, he sayes that euen as God hath disposed and apted the members of a body, euery on according as he liked best, where the foot complains not, that it was not made the head, neither the hand, because it was not made an eye, so is it likewise in the body of the Church, frō which the body of a Religion differs not. God hath dispo­sed of euery one, in that place and office which is [...] pleasing to him, neither are [Page 165]they so ordained only by chance, but by his singular wisedome and proui­dence. If God therefore be pleased to haue you a foot, it is no reason you should seeke to be a head; if God haue or­dained you only for a hand, you do not wel in aspiring to be an eye. O how deepe and high are the iudgments of Almighty God! and who is there who is able to comprehend them? Sap. 9.13. quis enim hominum poterit s [...]re consilium Dei? O Lord all things what so euer are proceeding from you, and you are to be praised in euery thing; you know what is requisit to be­stow on euery one, and it belongs not to vs to iudge, and be inquisitiue to know the cause why one hath lesse conferred vpon him then an other, how know you what would become of you, if you had a wit, and great abilities? how know you if you had an excellent talent in preaching, and your Sermons were followed with a great applause whether it would not be the cause of your vtter ouerthrow as it hath been of diuers others, who therby haue become proud and exorbitantly vaine? Thō. de Kempis. the learned (saith that holy man) take delight to be seene, and to be estee­med [Page 166]for such: if you with that pēny worth of vnderstanding which you haue, and halfe pennyworth of learning which you haue scraped together, with that me­diocrity or lesse then mediocrity of yours, can be so vainly glorious to esteeme so highly of your selfe as to compare and perhaps prefer your selfe to others, and to take it heinously that you are not im­ployed in this or the other thing, and are not promoted aboue such & such an one: what would you do were you excellent indeed, and had extraordinary partes a­boue the rest? The ant gets wings & flies vnto its cost, and so perhaps should that honour you desire, proue to your greater losse; Assuredly had we but eyes to see, & were not deceaued by looking through those false lights, we should render infinite thankes to God, for hauing disposed of vs in a state so vile and abiect, and not bestowed vpon vs those excellent parts and great abilities: and we should say with that holy seruant of his: O Lord I esteeme it for a singular benefit, not to haue those many qualities, which might make me honoured and praised by men. The Saints were not ignorant of that great danger [Page 167]which goes accompanied with preemi­nency and excellency, and therfore they haue not only not sought after them▪ but also shūned and stood in feare of them, by reason of the great perill there was in them of lifting men vp to pride, & throw­ing them headlong into ruine and per­dition. Ab altitudine dieitimebo, & this rendred them so acceptable to God, who more dearly affects his seruants which are humble, then the great; O if we could but once throughly perswade our selues, and truly vnderstand that all besides the doing of the will of God, is but deceit and folly! that we could but place all our contentmēt in pleasing of God Almighty! If you in hauing lesse learning, and per­haps none at all neither capacity for any, are more pleasing vnto God, wherfore are you so desirous to be learned? why doe you wish for more knowledge and better partes? if there were any motiue to make you couet it, it should only be to serue God more faithfully and to content him in a more absolute manner: now if God can be better serued by you, vnlear­ned, and without this great sufficiency, wanting those tallents and extraordinary [Page 168]parts, as it is most certaine he can, since it is he alone who hath ordained it so, why are you afflicted with it? wherfore desire you to be that, which God is not pleased to haue you, & which is no waies fit or conuenient for you? Those riche & sumptuous sacrifices of Saul were nothing pleasing to Almighty God, 1. Reg. 13, 10 &c. 15.21. because they were not conformable to his will and he is as little pleased, with your haughty and high desires. Our being famous preachers and learned men, confers nothing to our good, nor helpes to our progresse in ver­tue and perfection, neither our being en­dowed with rare partes, and hauing deepe insight in obscure and lofty things; but only in performance of the will of God, and in the discharging well those things which we haue to doe, and profitably imploying that tallent which we haue re­ceaued; and therfore we ought not to ayme at any higher thing, since this is that only which God requires of vs.

To explicate this the better, the com­parison which they bring of players, is not impertinent, where a man receaueth not his share according to the dignity of that part which he doth acte, but according [Page 169]to the goodnes of his action, whence it is, that if he who played but the drudge haue performed it better then he who acted the part of the Emperour, he shall haue more applause of the spectators, and be thought worthy of a greater share by all equall Iudges; Eu [...] ̄ so▪ that which God esteems meriting reward & praise in this mortall life of ours (which is but as a Co­medy quickly past, and would to God it were not a Tragedy so metimes) is not the part which we play, the one a Preacher, the other Superior, this Sacristan or Por­ter; but the well performing of their parts: and therfore if the lay brother act his part better vnto the life, then the Prea­cher or Superior, he shal be more esteemed by God, & merit more applause, honour, & recompence. And as it is ordinary with the players, that he who acts in Comicke excellent well, as the Esquire errant or Country clowne hath no grace, or person for to acte a King, and yet notwithstan­ding he is held an excellent actor: so you perhaps are no waies fit to make a Supe­rior or a Preacher of, and should performe with good satisfaction the office of a Ghostly Father or Coadiutor. God [Page 170]knowes well how to fit euery actor with his part, and appoint each one that office which he can do the best. Vnicuique se­cundum propriam virtutem, our Lord, says the holy Euangel, distributs his gifts and tallents respectiuely to the ability of euery one, and therfore one man is not to desire the part, or tallent of an other man, but all are to indeauour to performe that part well which is a appointed them, and imploy to best aduantage that tallent which they haue receaued, and keepe a cleere account, and so they shall come to please God Almighty the best, and be re­warded with greater recompence.

THE XVI. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God in time of sicknes.

SIcknesse is as well a guift of God as health, and sent vs, by him for our tryall, correction, and amendment, as also for diuers other commodities and pro­fits which are proceeding from it; as the knowledge of our infirmity, the discouery of our presumption, our riddance of the [Page 171]loue of worldly things, and of the con­cupiscences of sensuality, the deading and diminishing in vs, the forces of the flesh our Capitall enemy, and giuing vs to vn­derstand that the place where we liue is not our owne country, but like an Inne which we haue taken vp in manner of passengers and wretched bannish't men, and diuers other commodities besides; & for this reason the wiseman hath said, in­firmitas grauis sobriam facit animam, grieuous infirmity makes an vnderstan­ding soule, and therfore we are to con­forme our selues as well vnto the will of God in sicknesse as in health, and receaue it when soeuer God shall please to send it vs, as proceeding from his holy hand. One of those ancient Fathers said vnto his Dis­ciple who was sicke; my sōne be not grie­ued at your infirmity, but on the con­trary, render hearty thanks to God Al­mighty for it; for if you be iron, this is a fire for to take of your ruste, if you be gould, this is a fire to try you: to render thanks to God when we are sicke, is an acte of great vertue, and worthily besee­ming a true Religious soule.

Surius relats in the life of S. Clare, how [Page 172]that for eight and twenty yeares together shee was afflicted with grieuous infirmi­ties, in all which time her patience was so inuincible, as she was neuer heard, to vtter any complaint, or vse any murmuring speeches in those her violent fitts but shee continued alwa [...]es thanking and praising God: and in her last sicknesse w [...]en shee was so tormented, as for seauenteen daies together she could not eate one bit, Fryer Reginald her Ghostly Father, comforting her and exhorting her to patience in so long and dolorous a martyrdome as shee suffered in so much sicknesse and infir­mity; shee answered, neuer since I haue been acquainted with the grace of my Lord Iesus Christ, through the interces­sion of S. Francis his humble seruant, hath any sicknesse, seemed hard vnto me, any paine grieuous, or any penance sore and troublesome. In this kind also is the life of Saint Liduuine admirable and of great example, as also giuing great courage and comfort vnto those who are sicke; who for eight and thirty yeares toge­ther, was oppressed with most grieuous and extraordinary diseases and paines, and for thirty yeares could neuer rise from [Page 173]that poore couch on which she lay, or su­steine her selfe on her feet, in all which time, our Sauiour visited her with high and singular fauours.

But for as much as diuers particular reasons, do vse to present themselues▪ vn­der the colour and shew of greater good, vnto the hinderance of this indifferency and conformity, it is requisite that we solue and answere them. And first, some one may say, for my part it is all one to me whether I be sicke or well, only that which troubles me is that I feare I am a burthen to those of the house, & a charge vnto the Religiō: vnto this I answere, that this is nothing els then to cōd [...] ̄ne the Su­perior & those of the house, of wāt of cha­rity & litle resignation to the will of God; the Superiors are vnderstood to be arri­ued to that perfection, to receaue all as cō ­ming from the hand of God, and to con­forme thēselues in all vnto his blessed will, and so if God be pleased that you should be sicke, & that one should be imployed in nothing els then in tēding to the recouery and the care of you; they are likewise well content, & as you beare that crosse which God hath sent you, so do they likewise su­staine, [Page 174]that which God would haue them beare with great conformity.

But you will reply, I suffici [...] ̄tly see in this point, the great charity of the Society, and nothing troubles me, but to thinke how much profit I could make in studying, preaching & hearing confessions, & how I cannot imploy my selfe in any of these, by reason of my sicknesse. Vnto which S. Augustin answeres excellent well, saying that we know not whether it were bet­ter to do that which we pretend or no, and therfore are to propose nothing vnto our selues aboue our capacity, and if after­wards we can execute that which we de­signed, we are not to reioyce because that which we intended & desired is brought to passe, but because in it, the will of God is done: and if that which we ordeined be not effected, we are not therfore to be troubled and loose our peace of mind, seing that aequius est vt nos e [...]us, quam vt ille nostram s [...]quatur voluntatem, it is more reasonable that we should followe Gods will, then he ours. And glorious S. Augustin cōcluds with an admirable sen­tence. Nemo melius ordinat quid agat, nisi qui paratior est, non agere, quod di­uina [Page 175]posestate prohibitur, quam cupidior agere quod humana cogitatione medita­tur, there is no man doth better dispose of what he would do, then he who is readier to do nothing that the diuine au­thority may forbid, then desirous to do that which in his owne thoughts he in­tends. We are then to determine and dis­pose of things with such indifferency, as to be alwaies prepared to conforme our selues vnto the will of God, if by any chance our pretensions might be crossed; and so we should neuer be grieued or troubled, if through sicknes or any other casualty, we could not bring that to passe which we had purposed, although the thing in it selfe were of neuer so great consequence for the good of soules, Ma­ster Auila writing vnto a Priest visited with sicknesse saith wondrous well: doe not consider so much what you could do if you were well, as how pleasing you should be to God, in being well content for to be sicke, and if you seeke purely the will of God (as I suppose you do) what matter is it, whether you be sicke or well seing that his will alone is all our good?

S. Chrisostom saith that holy Iob did [Page 176]merit more and did please God more in this. Iob. 1.21 Sicut Domino placuit, ita factum est, sit nomen Domini benedictum, it is so falne out, as it hath pleased God, be his name (euer) blest, and in conforming him­selfe in all his miseries, sufferings and that lothsome Leprosy which God sent him, vnto his holy will, then in all the Almes and good workes which he did whilst he was in health and full prosperity: and so in like manner you shall please God more by following his will whilst you are sicke, then in all which you could do if you were well. S. Bonauenture says the same; Iob 1.21 Bonau. de grad virt. c. 24. & lib. de perfect. Relig. c 37. hoc refert ex Diuo Gregor. Perfectius est aduersa tolerare pa­tienter, quam bonis operibus insudare, it is more perfection to suffer aduersity pa­tiently, then to performe good works ne­uer so earnestly, God can well be with­out both you & me for any profit which he intends vnto his Church, ego dixi Deus meus es tu, quoniam bonorum meorum non eges, he is pleased for the present to preach vnto you, in sicknesse, and re­quires that you should learne patience & humility out of it, psal. 15.2. commit all to God, he knowes best what is most expedient for you, and you are wholly ignorant of [Page 177]it your selfe, if we were to desire health and corporall forces for any cause, we ought to desire it the better to imploy our selues in the seruice of God, and to be more pleasing to him; If then our Lord is pleased more, and had rather haue me exercised with sicknesse, and in suffering patiently the paine of my disease, his will be done, it is the best for me, and most conuenient. Act. 2 [...] ▪ 30. S. Paul the Apostle and Prea­cher of the Gentils was by the permission of God deteined two yeares in prison, in a time when the primitiue Church had so much need of him, it is not much then for you, if God doe keepe you two mo­neths, or two yeares, or all your life if so he pleases inthrald vnto some sicknesse, who are farre from being so necessary in the Church of God, as was that glorious Apostle S. Paul.

Others there are, who when they are disabled by sicknesse, or long and conti­nuall infirmity, to liue according to the community, but are inforced to accept of particularities are much troubled and disquieted, scarcely esteeming them selues Religious men, and thinking euery one disedified with them, in seing their ex­traordinary [Page 178]fare and manner of life, and especially if their disease be such as ex­tendeth not to the exterior shew, when their sicknesse is only knowne to God & themselues, and their particularities and exemptions knowne to all; to these I an­swere that it is a good and laudible consi­deration, and you haue iust cause to haue resentment of it, but so, as not to cease in point of your sicknesse to conforme your selfe vnto the will of God, and to make your benefit of a double merit, by conforming your selfe on the one side en­tirely with the will of God, in all those indispositions and infirmities which he is pleased to visit you withall, and on the o­ther by a great desire, as farre as shall be possible vnto you, to performe and exer­cise your selfe▪ in all the functions of your Order, in being heartily sorry, that you cannot be imployed in that which others do, and in this manner besides the merit, of induring sicknesse, patiently and wil­lingly, there is place in this second point of incriting as much as those who are well and lustly, and actually imployed in all those exercises.

S. Augusti [...] in his 62, S. Augu. sermon de tem­pore, [Page 179]treating of the obligation which each one had vnder mortall sinne to fast time of lent, coming to speake of those who were infirme, and vnable to fast, says that it is sufficient for such as those, to eate at least with interior griefe and sor­row, sighing and lamenting that whilst others fast, they are not able to beare thē company, like as a valiant souldier, who hauing been wounded in fight, hath more affliction and griefe that he cannot go to field, to do some acte worthy the seruice of his King, then paine and anguish to be vnder the Chirurgions launce. Euen so it is with good Religious men, when they are sicke, who are more troubled & grie­ued that they cannot performe the exer­cises of the Religion with the rest, then at the torment of their owne disease. But in fine neither that, nor any other thing, is to be a hinderance to our conformity with the will of God in our infirmities, but we are to receaue them as presents di­rected vnto vs from his owne hands vnto his greater glory, & for our greater good and benefit, Hieron. in vit. Patrum.

S. Hierom recounts how a certaine Monke beseeched holy Abbot Ioannes [Page 180]an Egyptian by nation, to cure him of a violent feuer which much tormēted him, vnto whom the blessed Saint answered: rem t [...]b necessariam cupis abij [...]ere, vt en [...]m corpor [...] nitro, vel al [...]s huiusmodi line am [...]ntis abluuntur à sordibus, it a ani­mae lang oribus alijsque huinsmodi casti­gationibus purificantur, you desire to be rid of a thing which is very needfull for you, for euen as we clense the filth of our bodies, with sope and lie, so by infirmi­ties & the like chastisements are our soules made cleane and purified.

THE XVII. CHAPTER. How we are not to repose our trust in Phi­sitians and Medecins, but only in Al­mighty God, and are to conforme our selues vnto his will, not only in sicknesse but also in all other things which doe accompany it.

THat which hath been said of sick­nesse, is likewise to be vnderstood, in matter of all other things which du­ring our sicknesse are accidentall to vs, S. Basil touching this matter hath left vs an [Page 181]excellent document, Basil. in reg. Fu­sias dis­putat. 55 saying that we so ought to make vse of Phisicke and Phi­sitians, as in the meane time to place no trust in them, as King Asa did, whom the holy scripture therfore reprehends: 2. p. 16.12. Nec in infirmitate sua quaesiuit Dominum, sed magis in medi [...]orum arte confisas est, he hath not sought after God so much as in his infirmity, but hath rather trusted to the skill of the Phisitians, we are not to attribute to them, either our recouery or remaining still infirme, but ought to fixe our hope only on God, who sometimes, is pleased to restore vs so our health by Phi­sicall meanes and sometimes suffers vs to receaue no good by it, and therfore saith S. Basil although we haue neither com­modity of Phisitian nor his drogs, yet are we not to dispaire of recouering our health, seeing that our Sauiour Christ as the holy Scripture testifies, sometimes cured diseases by his only will, as that Leaper who said vnto him, Domine si vis potes me mundare, Lord if you will you can make me cleane, and our Sa­uiour answered, volo, mundare; I will, be cleane, at other times he did apply cer­taine things, as when he made clay with [Page 182]his spittle, and annointed the eyes of the blind with it, commanding him to go wash himselfe in the poole Siloe: at other times againe he would leaue the sicke in their infirmities, and not suffer them to be cured although they euen wasted their whole substance in procuring helpe at the Phisitians hands: so in like manner God sometimes restores vs to our health againe, without helpe of Phisicke, by only wil­ling it; at other times he sends it vs by the meanes of Phisitians, and sometimes not­withstanding the consult of Doctors and applying of many soueraine remedies, God will not recouer you, to teach vs to confide our whole trust on him, and to lodge no hope in any humaine helpe. As King Ezechias did not attribute his cure vnto that lump [...] of figs which Esay ap­plyed to his impostume, 4. Reg. 20.7. but only to Al­mighty God, so must not we acknow­ledge the recouery of our health, to any medecine or Phisitians, but to God who cures all our infirmities. S [...]p. 16.12. Etenim neque herba, neque malagma sanauit [...]os, sed tuus Domine sermo qui sanauit omnia, for neither hearbs nor plasters haue hea­led them, but thy word ô Lord the gene­rall [Page 183]cure of all, neither when we are not cured, are we to lay the fault on the Phi­sitians, but acknowledge God in it, whose will is, to leaue vs in our sicknesse, and afford vs no redresse: so likewise, when the Phisition is ignorant of your disease, or is mistaken in his iudgment of it (which is an ordinary thing euen with those who are best skil'd and practised, and in the behalfe of honourable persons) you are to accept of this mistake of theirs, as also any negligence or fault of the Infirma­rian, as a thing expresly so ordeined by God, and therfore by no meanes ought to say, your feauer is returned vnto you againe, through an others fault or want of taking heed, but you must receaue all as sent vnto you from the hand of God, and say it hath pleased God that my fea­uer should increase and that such an acci­dent should happen to me, for it is most certaine that how euer in regard of those who are to tend you and looke vnto your health a fault may be cōmitted, yet not­withstanding vnto God it is a premedita­ted thing, vnto whom nothing is by chā ­ce or casuall. Do you imagine it an acci­dentall thing, that the Swallous flying [Page 184]ouer Tobies head, should dunge into his eyes, and depriue him of his sight? assu­redly it was not, but done with deepe re­solution, and by the particular will of Al­mighty God, to giue vs therby an exāple of patience in him, equall to that of holy Iob, and so the sacred Scripture testifies: hanc autem tētationem ideo permisit Do­minus eue [...]ire illi,Tob. 2.12.vt poster is daretur ex­emplum patientae [...]ius sicut & Sancti Iob, and the Angell said vnto him afterwards. Quia acceptus eras Deo necesse f [...] vt tē ­tatio probaret te, Iob. 12.13. God hath permitted this tentation for your proofe and tryall.

We read in the liues of the Fathers how Abbot Stephen being sicke, Abbas Stepha­nus re­fert e­tiā Do­rot. do­ctri. 7. his cō ­panion would needes make him a cake, and thinking to bake it with good oyle, he mistoke & made it with lintsead oyle, which is exceeding better, and so gaue it him to eate, Stephen hauing tasted of it, eate a litle and put away the rest, with­out saying any thing. An other time he baked him an other in the same fashion, and hauing brought it him, when he saw he would not eate he tooke a peece of it himselfe, to prouoke him vnto an appe­tite, and tasting of it said, pray Father [Page 185]eate, the cake is very good, but finding the bitternes of it, and his mistake with great affliction of mind he cryed out and said: I am a butcher and murtherer of men, wherupon the good Father answe­red: sonne doe not trouble, nor disquiet your selfe, if God had not been pleased that you should mistake the one oyle for the other, it had neuer happened. We like­wise read of diuers other Saints, who suf­fred with great patience and equality of mind, the cures which others prescribed them for their sicknesses, although they knew them wholly contrary to the na­ture of their disease and in this manner are we to beare the faults and negligen­ces▪ aswell of the Phisitian as Infirmarian, and neither complaine of the one, nor lay the blame vpon the other.

It is a circūstance in which a mans ver­tue is discouered and seene the best, and therfore a whole house is edified, by seing a sicke Religious man, take all that comes with an equall countenance, and with the same cheerfulnes, as cōming all from the blessed hand of God, and suffering himselfe to be ruled by his Superiors and the Infirmarian, as if the remembrance [Page 186]and care of his owne selfe concearned him nothing, S. Basil saith, you haue trusted your Superior with your soule, why ther­fore do you not trust your body to him? you haue put your eternall wellfare into his hands, why do you not aswell commit vnto him your temporall health, & seing our rule doth exempt vs at that time, frō the solicitude of our body and cōmaunds it also, why do we not make vse & great account of a priuilege so much to our ad­uantage and behofe? On the contrary, the sicke Religious man who is too scru­pulous of his health, who is to exact and precise in euery thing which is admini­stered to him, and in the manner of ta­king it, and the time, and who if all things be not done as he would haue them, can lightly complaine of it, and murmure at it too, disedifies very much all who con­uerse with him.

Cassian says excellent well that the infirmity of the body, Cassian, li. de in­stitut▪ re­nūt. c 7. is no waies hinde­ring the purity of the mind, but much conferring to it, if men but make their vse of it as they ought: but take heed saith he, that the infirmity of the body, doth not passe vnto the soule, if any one so be­haue [Page 187]himselfe as to make vse of the occa­sion of his sicknesse, to do what he thinks best, and is not tractable nor obedient; this mans corporall sicknesse hath ex­tended it selfe vnto his soule, and the Su­perior will haue more to doe, to prouide remedies for this spirituall disease then for his corporall. A man for being sicke, is not to cease and neglect to appeare and to be Religious, neither to imagine, that he is not obliged as then by any rule, and that he is to make it his only care, to looke vnto the recouery and cherishing of him­selfe, without once minding his spirituall progresse, or looking after it. Reg. 50. Sūmarij He who is sicke (saith our B. Father in the Constitu­tions) is to indeauour no lesse in time of his sicknesse, to edify others by shewing his humility and patience then whilst he was in health. S. Chrisostome on these words of the Prophet: Chriso [...]. Psa. 5.13. Domine vt s [...]uto bo [...]e volunt at is tuae coronastinos, [...] Lord you haue crowned vs as with a sheeld of your good will, discoursing how during the course of this life, there is a continuall fight, says that therfore we are alwaies to haue our weap [...]ns in hand, as well those who are sicke, as those who are in health. [Page 188] Et aegroti & sani: morbi enim tempore, huius maximè pugnae tempus est, quando dolores vndique conturbant animam, quando tristiti [...] obsidĕt, quando adest dia­bolus incitans, vt acerbum aliquod ver­bum dicamus, but this fight (saith he) is hottest in time of sicknesse, when tor­ments on all sides do molest the soule, when we are incōpas't with sadnes, & the Diuell is ready at hand, to incite vs to vt­ter some impatient word, or to be immo­derate in making of our moane, which Seneca likewise confirmes saying, Seneca. epist. 78. that a valiant and couragious man hath as faire an oportunity to exercise his forces well in bed, in suffring sicknes, as in the field in battaile against his enemies; And ther­fore the wiseman says that a patient man is better then a strong: melior est patiens viro forti, Prou. 16.32. and he who hath the mastery of himselfe, then a Conquerour of Citties: & qui dominatur animo suo, expugna­natore vrbium,

THE XVIII. CHAPTER. Wherin that which hath been said is con­firmed by some examples.

WE read of the holy Virgin S. Ger­trud, Blo. c. 11 monilis. spir. how that one day our Sa­uiour Christ appeared vnto her, bringing in his right hand, health, and his left sick­nesse, and bid her choose whether of thē shee would, vnto whom shee answered, inclining vnto neither of his hands) that which out of my whole hart I desire Lord is, that you would haue no regard vnto my will, but that your good pleasure in all may be fulfilled.

It is recounted of a certaine person, much deuoted to S. Thomas of Canter­bury, how he (being afflicted with a grie­uous sicknes) had recourse vnto his Pa­trons shrine, where begging with great feruour his holy intercession for the re­couery of his health, the B. Saint heard his petition, and obtained it him, wher­vpon he returning, began to consider at­tentiuely with himselfe, whether it were not more for his soules good, that he [Page 190]should still be sicke, and not being able to resolue himselfe, he returned againe vnto the sacred shrine, and there renewing his prayers againe, he beseeched the Saint, to obteine for him of God that which should be most expedient for his saluation, when presently his sicknes returned vnto him againe and so he passed the rest of his dayes, taking great comfort and content therin, as in a thing the most conuenient for him.

Surius in the life of S. Vedastus Bishop, Surius. doth bring an other example of the like nature, of a blind man, who vpon the day of the translation of this holy Prelats body, had a great desire to behould his holy reliques and consequently to reco­uer his sight againe: when on the instant he obtained of God that which he wished with so much earnestnes, and saw that which he desired so much, and casting his eyes vpon himselfe, he made it his pe­tition vnto God againe that if the sight of his eyes might be preiudiciall to the good of his soule, that it might please him, to leaue him blind as he was before, and ha­uing made this prayer, his former blind­nes closed vp his eyes againe.

S. Hierom writs now S. Anthony being inuited by S. Anastasius Bishop of Alexan­dria to confer his helpe vnto the resisting and confuting of the Hereticks, Hier. e [...]. ad Castr. cęcum. had con­ference with one Dydimus who came to visit him, an excellent scholler, but wan­ting his corporall sight, this Didymus discoursing rarely well of the holy Scrip­ture in so much as S. Anthony euer pray­sed to admiration the excellency & sharp­nes of his wit, was demanded by the Saint whether he were not agrieued, that he wanted his corporall eyes, Dydimus was ashamed to answer, at the first, vntill being vrged by him a second and third time, at last he brought him to cōfesse ingeniously the sorrow of his mind: when S. Anthony said vnto him. I wonder much that a wise man as you are, should grieue the want of that which flies pismires and ants en­ioy, and not rather reioyce in the posses­sion of that, which only vses to be impar­ted to Saints and Apostolical men. Where out we may learne saith S. Hierom that it is farre better to see with the eyes of the soule then of the flesh. Cro. or. Praed. 1. p. li. 1. c. 49.

Fryer Ferdinand de Castile in his Chro­nicle of the Order of S. Dominicke re­counts [Page 192]how S. Dominicke during his a­boad at Rome went often to visita cer­taine holy seruant of Almighty God, Croni. ord. Pre. 1. p. l. 1. c. 49. wh [...] liued in closed betwixt fower walles, in a Tower of S. Iohn Laterans port. whe­ther shee had retired herselfe, which holy woman was afflicted with a most horrible infirmity, she was called Bona, and her name was very significant to expresse her life, vnto whō God had tought the great perfection in goodnes & sanctity, to take pleasure in aduersity, and to find repose euen in death it selfe; shee suffred grie­uous paine and torment in her breasts, which were almost eaten vp with the Cā ­cer and the flesh conuerted into crawling worms, and yet this life of hers which would haue been to any other the grea­test of all torments, was vnto her the occa­sion of thanking God the more, and ex­ercising admirable patiēce; S. Dominicke who vsually heard her confession and ad­ministred her the B. Sacrament, seeing her on the one side so afflicted and infirme, and on the other so eminently vertuous, did beare her singular affection, and on day after he had confest and communica­ted her, he had a great desire, to see her so [Page 193]horrible and loathsome soare whose only sight was enough to affright and startle any heart, which not without some diffi­culty, he obteined but when shee opened her breast, and the Saint saw on the one side foule matter, the festred canker and the crawling worms, and on the other her wondrous patience and cheerfulnes, he could not choose but haue great com­passion of her, but notwithstāding being more desirous of that soare of hers, then of all the treasors of the world, he desi­red her with great instance to bestow one of those wormes vpon him, which he might keepe as a pretious relike of hers, the holy Saint would not graunt him his request, vnles he first promised to restore it backe againe, for shee tooke such plea­sure in seing herselfe in that manner eaten vp aliue, that if any of those worms chā ­ced to fall from her breast vnto the ground, shee would take it vp, and lay it in its place againe, on this condition shee did giue him one with a foule blacke head, and of a mighty sise, S. Dominicke had scarsly receaued it in his hand, when it changed into a riche and orient peale his cōpa [...]ons wondring at it would haue [Page 194]perswaded the Saint to haue kept it still, but the holy soule asked it earnestly a­gaine, and shee no sooner had it restored vnto her, but it turned into a worme, as it was before, and shee reposed it in her breast againe, where it had been bred, and nourished before; thereupon S. Domi­nicke praying for her, and blessing her with the signe of the holy Crosle, left her, and went his wayes, but he was not gone downe the stairs of that Tower wherin shee liued, when those cancorous and wormy breasts of hers, fell from her, and sound flesh by litle and litle swelling in their place, within short time she was en­tirely cured, and remained; declaring vnto all that wōdrous miracle, which God had wrought in her by means of his holy ser­uant S. Dominicke.

In the same Chronicle is likewise re­counted, how Fryer Reginald whilst he was suing to S. Dominicke, to take the habit of his order and his entrance into the Religiō was concluded of, was forced to keepe his bed, through the violence of a continuall feauer, which the Phisitians iudged to be mortall. S. Dominicke toke his sicknes much to hart, and prayed vnto [Page 195]God continually for his health, the sick­man likewise no lesse solicitous for his owne health, did with great feeling and deuotion inuocate the helpe of the glo­rious Queene of heauen: whilst both of them, were iointly directing all their prayers vnto this end, the B. Virgin en­tred the chamber of the sicke encompas­sed with a most resplendent light, accom­panied with two blessed Virgins which seemed to be S. Cecily and S. Catherine Martyas, who attended on the glorious Virgin vnto the bed where the sicke Re­ligious lay, whom as a Queen, and soue­raigne Mother, and Mother of pitty shee comforted and said: what doe you desire that I should doe for you? I am come on purpose to heare your petition, present it to me, and I will graunt it you. Wher­vpon Reginald much troubled and aba­shed, transported with so diuine a vision; was in great perplexity what he should do, or say, when one of those holy Vir­gins of her traine, to free him from his anxiety said vnto him, commit your selfe entirely into her hands, for shee knowes better what to bestow vpon you, then you to aske, the sickman tooke this coun­sell, [Page 196]which was giuen him with so much prudence and discretion, and answered in this manner to the B. Virgin; Gloriou [...] Lady I require nothing of you, but like as one who hath no other will, then what is yours, doe remit my selfe entirely vnto you and resigne me ouer into your bles­sed hands. Hereupon the B. Virgin ex­tending of them forth, and taking from her Virgins an oyle which they had brought for that effect; annointed him with it, in the same manner as they vse to those who are annealed, and the touch of her sacred hands, had such excel­lent force, that he was presently deliue­red from his feauer, and restored to as per­fect health, as if he neuer had been sicke▪ and what is yet more strange; besides this so great benefit of his corporall forces, he receaued in his soule a farre more singu­lar one, in that he was neuer from that howre forwards in any place, time or oc­casion touched in his person whilst he liued on earth, with any sensuall or dis­honest motion.

We read in the Ecclesiasticall History, Hist. Ecc. p. 2. l. 6. c. 2. how among other men who flourished in that age, one Bentamin was of great re­noune [Page 197]and fame vpon whom God had bestowed the gift, of healing all diseases, with no other medicines, then the bare touch of his hand, or with chaffing them only with a little oyle, and praying ouer them. This holy man, together with this great grace and priuiledge of restoring health to others, was so miserably vexed with the dropsy himselfe, as he came to be so mightily swolne, that he could not go out of his cell, without vnhinging the dore to make him larger passage, and in this manner continued he in his cell for eight months together vntill he dyed; sit­ting on a wide settle, and curing many di­seases of other men, with out so much as once complaining or being troubled, that he could not apply a remedy to his owne, and those who pittied him, he comforted, and said pray vnto God for my soule, and take no thought for my bodies infirmity, which euen when I was well, did serue me to no vse.

In, Pra. Spi­rit▪ c. 10. Pratum spirituale there is made mention of a certaine Religious Monke, who was named Barnaby, this hauing a great splinter of wood, as he went vpon the way, runne vp into h [...] foot, would not [Page 198]draw it out, nor suffer it to be cured for many dayes, that he might haue more oc­casion to suffer for the loue of God, and he said vnto those who came to visit him, the more the exterior mā suffers & is mor­tified, the more the interior mā is strēgth­ned and enabled.

Surius in the life of S. Pachomius wri­teth of a certaine Monke called Zacheus; Surius in vita S. Pa­chomij. who although he had the falling sick­nesse, did notwithstanding neuer remit any thing of his accustomed abstinence of feeding only with bread and shalt, nei­ther did he omit any of those ordinary prayers which the others Religious who were in health did vse to make, but was still present and assisting at mattins and all the other howers. All the time which he had vacāt from his prayer he imployed in making matts, baskets and cords, and he had so galed his hands, with drawing bulrushes and the stalks of hempe, that they were alwaies rawe and full of chaps, at night before he gaue himselfe to sleepe, he vsed to meditate vpon some point of the holy Scripture, and afterwards ma­king the signe of the holy Crosse, ouer his whole body, he would repose himselfe, [Page 199]vntill the hower of Mattins, vnto which he would rise with the first, and be pre­sent at all the other howers, as hath been said, and this was the distribution of time, & the ordinary exercise of this holy sicke Religious man; It chanced that a cer­taine Monke came once to visit him▪ and seing his hands so sore and full of chaps, he told him that if he annointed them with oyle, he should allay the paine and smart of them, Zacheus was swayed by his counsell and anointed them with oyle, but the paine did not only not asswage, but it increased excessiuely more, in so much as he was inforced to go to S. Pa­chomius to declare his griefe vnto whom the Saint answered: do you imagine sonne, that God doth not see all our infirmities and thar he cannot cure vs if he please? Wherfore then do you conceiue that God doth it not, but suffers vs to be afflicted as much as seemes good to him, but only to induce vs to leaue all care of our selues to him, and in him to repose all our confi­dence? besides it makes for the good and profit of our soules, he augmenting after­wards our reward and e [...]ernall recom­pence in an infinit proportion to these [Page 200]short and petty sufferings, which he sends vs here: which Zacheus hearing his soule was stroken with a liuely sorrow and he said Father forgiue me, and pray to God for pardon of this sinne of mine, of ha­uing so litle confidence and conformity with his holy will, and hauing a desire so immoderate to be cured: and being de­parted from S. Pachomius he entred vpō a rigorous course of penance for so light a fault, fasting a whole yeare together, without receauing any sustenance, but only euery second day, and that in litle quātity, accompanied with many teares. This so remarkable an example S. Pacho­mius vsed afterwards to recount to his Religious, to incourage them vnto per­seuerance in paine and labour, as also to stire them vp to confidence in God, and to correct in themselues the smallest faults.

THE XIX. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God, as well in death as life.

WE ought moreouer to symbolise with the will of God, aswell to dy, as to liue, although this point of death is of it selfe the hardest of all, according to the saying of the Philosopher: Arist. 3. Ethico­rum c. 6. omnium rerum nihil morte terribilius, nihil acer­bius, death is the most terrible and bitte­rest thing of all: neuertheles vnto Reli­gious men this dissiculty is either for the most part none at all, or much facilitated; they hauing already passed ouer the one halfe of the way, and almost all, seing that one of the first & principall causes which renders seculars so loth to die, and so ap­paleth them when that hower doth ap­proach, is because they are to leaue their riches, the honours pleasures recreations and delights, which here they did enioy, together with their parents, friends wife and children, which vseth not a litle to afflict them at that hower, especially [Page 202]when they haue not been well prouided for; Now Religious men haue long since freed themselues of all these things, and therfore they cannot be grieued nor trou­bled for thē. When a tooth is well cleared and separated from the gummes, you may plucke it easely out, but if you go about to draw it out, without first loosing it from the flesh, it will cost you excessiue paine; In like manner a Religious man, who is seuered from his friends of flesh & blood, and free from all worldly things, is not agrieued at the article of death to leaue them all, since he had freely and with merit before giuen ouer all part in them, at his first entrance into Religion; not expecting to depart with them at the hower of death, as worldlings do, who then must leaue them whither they will or no, neuer without great sorrow and griefe; and oftentimes without all merit: they rather leauing their possessors, then they who did possesse them, leauing thē. And this is one of the fruites which they do reape who leaue the world to enter in to Religion. And S. Chrisostom excellent well obserueth, that vnto those who liue in the world, and are as it were inchained [Page 203]to the riches, pastimes, delights and plea­sures of this life death is excessiue bitter and greeuous; conformable to this sen­tence of the wiseman: Eccl. 41.1. O mors quàm a­mara est memoria tua, homini pacem ha­benti in substantijs suis. O death how bit­ter is thy memory, vnto a man who hath set vp his rest in his owne possessions; and if the memory only of death, be so bitter vnto them, what will it be when they come to tast of it? But death is no whit bitter to a Religious man, who hath al­ready acquitted himselfe of all, but ra­ther on the contrary pleasant and delight­full, as being an end and conclusion of all his paines and labours, and as a passage only to receaue the premium and reward for all that which here he left and aban­doned for God Almighties sake.

An other principall thing, which vseth in this article of time, exceedingly to af­flict worldly people, Ambro. de bono mortis c. 8. and render death terrible and fearfull to them, is, saith S, Ambrose, an ill assured conscience and want of disposition, which hath, or ought to haue no place in a Religious man, seing that his whole life is nothing els then a continuall preparation vnto death; [Page 204]It is recounted of a holy Religious man that when the Phisition aduised him to prepare himselfe for death, he answered, euer since I haue taken the Religious ha­bit, my whole exercise hath been nothing els; an exercise befitting euery Religious man. A Religious state of life doth of it selfe put vs in that disposition which our Sauiour requires of vs against his com­ming. Luc. 22.35. Sint lumbi vestri praecincti & lu­cernaeardētes in manibus vestris, let your loynes be girded and your lights burning in your hands. Greg. hō 13. in E­uang. S. Gregory say that by the girding of the loynes, chastity is denoted, & by the burning lights which they were to haue in their hāds, the exercise of good works, both which do shine forth most particularly and bright in a Religious state, and therfore he who is a good Re­ligious man hath no reason to be affraid of death.

Where we are to note one thing ser­uing much vnto our purpose, which we haue touched in passing once before, Tract. 2. c. 5. and it is that one of the most certaine pre­sumptions which we haue of a good and pure conscience standing right with God, is to be wholly conformable to the Di­uine [Page 205]will, in that which concerneth the hower of death, expecting it with ioy and cheerfulnes, like one who awaited his spouse for the celebration of his hea­uenly nuptialls: Luc. 12.15. Et vos similes hominibus expectantibus Dominum suum quando re­uertatur à nuptys. And on the contrary, it is no good signe when death doth bring anxiety to any; and when in pointe of it, a man is not well resigned vnto the will of God. They vse to bring certaine similitudes to declare it the better, to vs: do you not obserue with what peace, and how quietly the sheepe goes to the But­chery without bleating, or making any the least resistance; this example the holy Scripture vseth in speaking of our Sa­uiour: Tanquā ouis ad occisionē ductus est, Isa. 53.7. & Act. 8.32. he was led like a sheepe vnto the slaugh­ter: but vncleane beasts do nothing els but cry, and keepe a struggling when they are to be killed. And this is the difference betwixt the good, who are signified by the sheepe, and the bad and carnall men, represēted by those other beasts. The pri­soner who is condemned to dy, is stroke to the heart, at euery opening of the pri­son dore, as fearing the officers are then [Page 206]comming to take him from the prison to execu-ion, but he who is innocent, and expects to be acquitted by the Iudge, is glad euery time he heares the turning of the key, as hoping that they come to set him at liberty. In like manner the wicked when he heares the noise and stirring of the bolt of death, when sicknesse oppres­seth him, when his fits redouble, is in great dread and feare, seing he hath a cauteri­zed conscience, which makes him stand in dread that euery thing is messenger of death, and comes to carry him downe to the eternall fire of hell; But he who is not pricked with these stings of conscience, receaueth comfort from it, as knowing his liberty to be intended by it, and that he is to depart vnto eternall rest, and to a pleasure that neuer shall haue an end. Let vs do then as becomes good Religious, and we shall not only find no difficulty in conforming our selues vnto the will of God, concerning the hower of death, but also reioyce in it, and beseech God with the Prophet, to deliuer vs from this pri­son. Psal. 141.8. Educ de custodia animam meam, lead my soule out of this prison, S. Gre­gory on these words of holy Iob: Et be­stias [Page 207]terrae non formidabis,Greg. li. 6. moral. c. 6.iust is namque initium retribution is est ipsa plerumque in obitu securitas mentis, saith that to haue this cheerfulnes, this rest, Iob. 5.21 this security of conscience in the hower of death, is a be­ginning of the recompence of the Iust, and that they begin as then to tast a drop of that delicious peace, which shall after­wards like a mighty riuer ouerflow their soules, and therby already relish their hap­pines: wheras on the contrary the wicked in that article begin to haue an essay of their hell and torment, through those pangs and remorses which they feele as then.

So as it is a happy signe to desire death and to reioyce in it. Climac. c. 6. S. Iohn Climachus and S. Ambrose esteeme him worthy of great praise, who euery day expects to dy, and him to be no lesse then blessed and a Saint, who euery hower wisheth for death, and so we see that those holy Pa­triarchs of the old Testament had the same desire, accompting themselues no other then Pilgrimes and strangers on the earth, and to haue here no setled bi­ding place: Ad hębr. 11.14. Confitientes quia peregrini & hospites sunt super terram, as S. Paul hath [Page 208]hath admirably well obserued. Qui hac dicunt, significant se patriam inquirere, and therby they gaue sufficiently to vn­derstand, how much they desired to be free from this banishment▪ and this was the reason why the Royall Prophet sighed. Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolonga­tus. Psal. 119.5. Woe is me that my soiourning is pro­longed, and if those antients Fathers ex­pressed themselues to be all of this desire, in such a time when the gates of heauen were shut, and when they could not haue present accesse vnto it; how much more are we to wish for it now heauen is ope­ned, and the soule pure from sinne goes directly to enioy Almighty God?

THE XX. CHAPTER. Of some reasons and motiues which may iuduce vs holily to desire a lawfull death.

VNto the end, that we may better and with more perfection conforme our selues vnto the will of God, as well in life as death, we will set downe some mo­tiues and reasons which may induce vs to [Page 209]desire to dy, as our better choyce: the first reason which we may haue to wish for death, is to decline the labours which are incident to this life; seing that the wise­man saith. Eccl. 30▪ 17. Melior est mors quàm vita amara, death is better then a bitter life. We see worldly people for this cause of­ten to desire to dy▪ and beseech it of God, and they may do it and not sinne in it; seing that in fine the calamities of this life are so numerous and great, that to auoid them, it is lawfull to desire to dy; One of the reasons which the Saints giue why God sends so many afflictions to man, is because there should not be to straight an affiance betwixt the world and him; that he might not so passionatly affect this life, but that we should bestow our whole heart and loue vpon the other; & sighing after it, Vbi non erit luctus, Apoc. 21 4.neque dolor erit vlira, when there shall be no plaints, nor any griefe no more. S. Augustin saith that our Lord hath pleased out of his infi­nit goodnes & mercy, Aug. ser. 37. de sā ­ctis qui est 1. in festo ō ­niū SS. that this life should be but short, & quickly at an ēd, since it is so troublesom; & that the other which we hope for should be eternall, to the end that the paine should endure but a while, [Page 210]and the ioy and contentment for euer more. S. Ambrose saith, tantis malis haec vita repleta est, Ambr. ser super c. 7. Iob. 10.2.vt comparatione eius, mors remedium putetur esse, non paena, this life is replenished with so many euills, as in regard therof, death is accompted a remedy and not a paine, as seruing to bring to end, so many miseries and cala­mities. It is true notwithstanding that worldly people do often sinne herein through their impatience, with which they do receiue aducersities, and in their manner of demaunding of God to dy, with plaints and discontents; but should they require it, peaceably and with due submission saying: O Lord if you shall please to take one out of these miseries, that time which I haue liued sufficeth me; I haue no desire for to prolonge my dayes; they should commit no sinne in doing it.

Secondly one may desire to dy, and this with more perfection, that he might not see the troubles and persecutions of the Church, and the continuall offences which are committed against Almighty God, as we see the Prophet Elias to haue done; who behoulding the persecution [Page 211]of Achab & Iezabel, how they distroyed the Altars, and murthered all the Pro­phets of the true God, and for the same cause were in pursuite of him, enkindled with a zeale of the honour of God, and considering himselfe not able any waies to remedy it, he retired himselfe into the desert, and sitting downe vnder a tree: Pe­tiuit animae suae, vt moreretur & ait,3. Reg. 19.4.suf­ficit mihi Domine, tolle animam meam, neque enim melior sum quàm patres mei, he desired for his soule to dy, and said, it sufficeth me ô Lord, take my soule, for I am not better then my Fathers (were) I haue liued long enough ô Lord, take me out of this life, that I may not see so many euills and offences, as are committed a­gainst thee. And that valiant Captaine of the people of God, Iudas Machabeus said: Melius est nos mori in bel [...]o,1. Mach. 3.39.quàm videre mala gentis nostrae & Sanctorum, it is better for vs to dy in warre, then to see the euills of our people & the Saincts, and he vsed this motiue to exhort and en­courage them to fight. We read in the life of S, Augustin, August. that the Vandals pas­sing out of Spaine into Africke, and wa­sting all, sparing not man nor woman, [Page 212]Clergy or secular, neither children nor old age, a came at last to lay downe their siege before Hippo where he was Bishop, with a mighty Army beleagering it about. S. Augustin seing so great affliction, the Churches without Clergy, Citties vnin­habited priuate houses destitute, wept bit­terly in that old age of his, and assem­bling the Clergy he said vnto them: I haue prayed vnto God to deliuer y [...] from these dangers, or to giue you patience, or lastly to take me out of this life, that I may not liue to see so many calamities; the last of these three God hath granted me, and presently he fell sicke in the third month of the siege, of that disease wher­of afterwards he dyed. And we read in the life of our B. F. S. Ignatius an other example almost like to this. Lib. 4. c. 16. vit. S. P. Ignatij This is a per­fection proper vnto the Saints so to resent the calamities of the Church, and the sin­nes which are cōmitted against the Ma­iesty of Almighty God, as rather to de­sire to dy, then indure the sight therof.

There is yet an other reason, both ex­cellent good, and of great perfection to desire to dy, and begge it at the hands of God, which is that we may be free and [Page 213]no more subiect to offend him, for it is most certaine, that so long as we are in this life, we can haue no assurance from falling into mortall sinne; as being not ig­norant that others who haue receaued more fauours and graces from God Al­mighty then we, who were truly Saints, and great Saints, to haue come to fall; and this is one reason which makes the ser­uants of God, both liue in greater feare, and most earnestly desire to dy. If it be lawfull for one to wish that he had neuer been borne, or neuer had being, on the conditiō he had neuer sinned; how much more reason hath one to wish to dy, seing that sinne is a farre greater euill, then to haue no being, and it is better neuer to haue been, then to haue sinned; Math. 26 14. Bonum erat ei, si natus non fuisset homo ille, it had been better (saith our Sauiour, spea­king of him who sold him and betrayed him, that he had neuer been borne; and S. Ambrose explicating this of Eccle­siastes, Et laudaui,Ambr. s. 18. in ps. 118. Eccl. 4.2. & 3.magis mortuos quàm viuentes, & feliciorem vtroque iudicaui qui necdum natus est, saith. Mortuus praefertur viuenti, quia peccar [...] d [...]finit, mortuo praefertur qui natus non est, quia [Page 214]peccare nesciuit, he who is dead, is pre­ferred to him who liueth, because he cea­seth to sinne any more, and he who was neuer borne, is preferred vnto the dead, because he neuer knew what it was to sinne, wherfore it were an excellent ex­ercise to actuate our selues whilst we are in prayer in this deuotion: Domine ne per­mittas me seperari à te, Lord do not per­mit me to be seperated from thee, ô Lord, if there is no remedy but I must offend thee, take me away presently, rather then leaue me in the occasion of offending thee, for my part, I desire not life, but only to serue thee with it, and if I may not vse it to thy seruice, I care not for it; this were an exercise most pleasing vnto God, and most profitable to our selues, since herein we exercise both an act of griefe, an acte of detestation of sinne, an acte of humility, and of the loue of God, and it is a request of the most gratfull thing which we can require of Almighty God. It is recounted of S. Lewis King of Frăce, S. Ludo, Rex Gal. liae. that his Mother Blanch would say som­times vnto him, I had rather (my sonne) see the dead before mine eyes, then euer in mortall sinne, and this her wish and de­sire [Page 215]was so acceptable vnto God, and so much force had this her blessing of him, that it is reported of him; how in all his life, he neuer committed any mortall sinne, and who knoweth but the same petition and desire should worke & pro­duce the like effect in vs.

And which is yet more, we may wel wish for death, not only to free ourselues from mortall sinnes, but also to eschew veniall, which we so abound with in this misera­ble life, and that because it becometh a seruant of Almighty God, not only to stand resolued, rather to dy, then commit a mortall sinne; but euen to loose his life, rather then to tell an vntruth which is but a veniall sinne. And whosoeuer should giue his life for such a cause as this, S. Tho. 2.2 q. 124 a. 5. ad 2. should dy a Martyr. Now it is most certaine, that we cānot liue without committing many veniall sinnes, septies enim cadet Iustus, Prou. 24.16. the Iust doth fall seauen times, that is to say, very often, and the longer you liue the oftner shall you fall. Neither do the seruants of Almighty God, desire to dy to be deliuered only from veniall sinne, but euen to see themselues exempt and free, from their many faults and imperfections, [Page 216]and so numerous tentations and calami­ties as they experiēce daily, wherfore that holy man said well; [...] de [...]pis. O Lord what do I suffer when being in my prayer thinking on heauenly things, a wholl band of car­nall things present themselues before me? Alas what a kind of life is this, where tri­bulations and miseries are neuer wanting; where all is set with snares, and compas­sed with enimies; for when one tribula­tion or tentation goeth away, another cometh; yea and during the first conflict also, many others come one after an other vnlooked for, how can a life be l [...]ed that hath so many afflictions, and is subiect to so many calamities and miseries? how is it called a life, that begetteth so many deaths and plagues? We read of a great Saint, that she was vsed to say, that if she might haue her choice of any thing, shee should choose nothing but death; because by means of it, her soule should be freed from feare of euer doing any thing, which might bring hinderance vnto pure loue? And in this manner, there seemes to be more perfection to desire to be out of this life, for to decline veniall sinnes, faults, and imperfections; then to shune the fal­ling [Page 217]into mortall ones, and that, because one may be moued to desire to be out of the occasion of committing mortall sinne, more for feare of hell, and out of selfe loue and interest, then for the honour of God, but to be so inflamed with the loue of God, as to wish rather to dy then commit a veniall sinne or fall into faults and imperfections, supposes a great pu­rity of intention and is a point of high perfection.

But some one will say, I desire to liue vnto the end to make satisfaction for the faults and offences, which I haue com­mitted; vnto which I answere, that if in prolonging our life, we did go still cancel­ling our passed faults, without adding to them new; It were a good desire, but you do not only, not discharge the old, but continue still heaping vp new debts as long as you remaine in life, wherby the account which you are to make growes euery day more heauy on your soule, and so your obiection hath no force at all; S. Bernard sayes excellent well: Bernar. c. 2. med. Cur ergo tantopore vitam istam desideramus, in qua quanto amplius viuimus, tanto plus peccamus, quanto est vita longior, tanto [Page 218]culpa numerosior. Why do we desire this life so much in which the longer we liue, the more we sinne; & the longer our life is, the more numerous are our faults. And S. Hierom writeth, Hier. ep. ad He. liod. what is the dif­ference do you thinke (saith he) betwixt him who dies yong and old? no more but only this, that the more aged of them, doth beare the burthen of more sinnes out of the world with him then he who dyeth yong, and hath more to answer and giue accompt to God? Bern. de interiori domo c. 25. And so S. Ber­nard in this point doth take a better re­solution and hath a saying of himselfe which in him was humility, in vs would be but truth: V [...]uere erubesco, quia parum proficio, mori timeo, quia non sum para­tus; malo tamen mori, & mis ricordi [...] Deime committere & commendare, quià benignus & misericors est, quàm de malà mea conuersatione alicui s [...]andalum fa­cere, I am ashamed to liue (saith he) be­cause I make so litle profit; I feare to dy, because I am not prepared, not with stan­ding I had rather dy, and commit and commend my selfe vnto the mercy of God, seing he is gratious and mercifull, then be the cause of scandalizing others [Page 219]through my euil conuersation; and this is an excellent resolution. M. Auila Master Auila said that whosoeuer should find himselfe but reasonably prepared, ought more to wish for death, then longer life, by reason of the great danger in which we liue, which wholly ceaseth when we come to dy; Quid est mors, nisi sepultura vitiorum, Ambro. de bono mortis▪ c. 4.& virtutum suscitatio? What is death (saith S. Ambrose) but a sepulcher of [...]ices, and a resurrection of vertues.

All these reasons and motiues to wish for death are passing good, but that which is the most eminent in perfection of all, is that which S. Paul the Apostle had, to see himselfe with Christ, whom he loued so tēderly; Ad Phi­lip. 1.23. Desiderium habens dissolui & esse cum Christo, ô blessed Saint what de­fire is this of yours? why do you wish so much to be loosed from the bōds of flesh & blood, perhaps to auoid labour? no assu­redly, but on the contrary; Ad Rō. 5.3. Gloriamur in tribulationibus, your glory consists ther­in: wherfore then, to decline sinne? nei­ther is this the cause; Certus sum enim quia neque mors, Ad Rō. 8.38. & 39.neque vita poterit nos sepa­rare à charitate Dei, he was confirmed already in grace, and knew he could not [Page 220]loose it, and therfore in that perticular he had no cause to feare; In fine what is it that makes you so much desire to dy? that I may see my selfe with Iesus Christ, and this purely out of loue to him. Quia a­more langueo, Cāt. 2.5. he languished with loue, he sighed after his beloued, and all delay seemed long; vntill he might enioy his wished presence.

S. Bonauenture of three degrees which he makes of the loue of God placeth this the last and highest. Bonau. tra. 6. re­lig. c. 11.11. & 13. The first is to loue God aboue all other things, and so to loue the things of the world, as not to commit any mortall sinne for them, or transgresse any of the Commandements▪ of God, & this is that which our Sauiour said to that young man of the Ghospell Si vis ad vitam ingredi, Math. 19 17.serua manda [...] if you desire to enter into eternall life, keepe the Commandements, and this is necessary for all. The second degree of loue and Charity is, not only to content our selues with keeping the Comman­dements of God, but to adde vnto them the counsells, which is proper vnto Reli­gious men, who procure to do not only that which is good, but also that which [Page 221]is better and of more perfection, confor­mable to this passage of S. P [...]l, vt pro­betis quae sit voluntas Dei bona,Ad Rō ▪ c. 2.& bene­placens, & perfecta, that you may proue what is the good, and acceptable, & per­fect wil of God. The third degree of Cha­rity saith S. Sonauenture is, tan [...]o affectu ad Deum aestuare: quod sine ipso quasi vi­uere non possis, to burne with such an ar­dent affection and loue to God, as in a nanner not to be able to liue without him. And hence it is, that a soule desireth so [...]uch to be free and loosed from the pri­son of its body, to be with Iesus Christ; wishing its banishmēt at an end, & the wal of its body which seperats it from the fight of God, to be dis [...]olued and crum­bled into dust. Such as these, saith he had n [...]ed of patience for to liue, life being so distast full to them, and death the obiect of their inflamed desire.

We read in the life of our B. F. S. Ig­natius, Lib. 5. c. 1 vitę S. P. Ignati [...] that he desired most ardently to be deliuered from the Iaile and prison of his body, and that his soule had so great a longing to see Almighty God, as he ne­uer thought of death, but his eyes were ouerflowne with teares out of pure glad­nes [Page 222]and delicious ioy; But it was more­ouer obserued that he was not thus infla­med with the desire of that soueraigne good, for his owne sake, that he might go to rest, and the ioy of that all beatifying vision, but much more that he might be­hould that most blessed glory, of the most sacred humanity of our Lord, whom he did loue so desire and tenderly. Like as men here on earth do vsually reioyce to see some friend whom they deerly esteem & loue most cordially▪ aduanced to some eminent dignity: so did our B. Father de­sire to see himselfe with Iesus Christ, pu­rely for loue of him, without once thin­king on his owne interest and felicity, which is the highest and the most perfect act of Charity, which we can exercise.

In this manner the memory of death will not only not be bitter to vs, but it will bring vs great content and delight; do but ouerpasse it with your thought, & consider how within few dayes you shall be in heauen, enioying that, which nei­ther eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor which could euer sinke into the thought of man, and so all shall be con­uerted into ioy and gladnes. Who would [Page 223]not reioyce when the terme of banish­ment were out, and all his paine and la­bour at an end? who would not reioyce to arriue vnto that finall end for which he was created? who would not reioyce in going to take possession of his inheritance and such an inheritance, and to the frui­tion of all this happines the clew of death doth lead vs? Psal. 126.3. Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum ecee haerediras Domini, we can­not come to the possession of our eternall good, but through the port of death; and therfore the wiseman says that the Iust man hopes in his death; Prou. 14.32. Sperat Iustus in morte sua, it being the scale and ladder by which he climes to heauen; and it is also the comfort of our banishment; Psa. 100.2. Psallam & intelligam in via immaculata quando venies ad me, Aug. tra. 9 super epist. 10. which words S. Augustin doth thus explicate, my thought and my desire ô Lord is to conserue my selfe vn­blemished all my life, and to make this care my song; of which the burthen shall be, Lord when shall this banishment haue end, when shall I be recalled out of this exile into my loued Country, Lord, when will you come to me? when shall I go to you? Psa▪ 41. [...]. Quando veniam & apparebo ante [Page 224]faciem Dei? O Lord when shall I haue my fill of seing you? O how that houre lingers? Oh whatioy, what rauishing ioy shall then ouerflow my heart, when they shall tell me, that this houre is come; Lae­tatus sum in his quae dista sunt mihi,Psal. 121.1, & 2. [...]in domum Domini [...]bimus: Stantes erant pedes nostri in atrij tuis Hierusalem, I al­ready imagine my selfe, to be standing a­mong the Quiers of Angels and blessed soules, enioying you ô Lord for euer more, Amen.

THE XXI. CHAPTER. Wher [...]n that which hath been said is cō ­firmed with some examples.

SImon Metaphrastes in the life of S. Iohn the Almner▪ Simon Meta­phrastes Archbishop of Ale­xandria doth recount, how a certaine rich man, had a sonne whom he loued dearly; who to obteine of God, for to conserue him in life and health, besee­ched this holy Saint to pray for him, and withall gaue in a great summe of gold to bestow in Almes vpon the poore for that intention: the Saint did as he desired, and [Page 225]at the end of thirty dayes, the sonne of the rich man dyed; hereupon the Father afflicted himselfe aboue measure, firmely beleeuing that the prayers of the Saint, and the Almes which he had giuen, had nothing auailed him. The holy Patriarch vnderstanding of his griefe, prayed for him, and desired of God, that he would comfort him: God heard his prayer, and one night sent an Angell in a humane shape vnto the said rich man, who told him, that he must know how Almighty God heard the prayer which was made for his sonnes life, and that through the efficacy therof, his sōne was now liuing & a Saint in heauen, & that it was necessary for his saluation to leaue the world so timely as he did; since if he had liued, he would haue proued a wicked man, and haue lost all partage in the ioyes of hea­uen; he added moreouer, that he must belieue, that there is nothing which hap­pens in this life, which is not so ordained by the particular prouidence of God, al­though the causes of his iudgments are vnknowne to men, & that therfore men were not to suffer themselues to be trans­ported with inordinat griefe, but receaue [Page 226]all that comes, and is sent vnto them by God, with a peaceable heart, and with an equall mind: with this heauenly instru­ction, the Father of the diseased youth, remained much comforted, and encou­raged in the seruice of God.

In the Theban History is recorded a singular fauour which S. Maurice Cap­taine of the Theban band, His. The. bea li. 2. c. 10. did to a certaine Lady much deuoted to him. This Lady hauing but one sonne, vnto the end that together with his yeares, he might grow vp in good and vertuous manners, did when his childhood had scarcely resig­ned to youth, dedicate his riper yeares vnto the Monastery of S. Maurice, vn­der the care and discipline of those Reli­gious men, (as it was the custome of those holy times) the Fathers of S. Maurus, Placidus and other Romane gentlemen, in the age of S. Benedict hauing done the like, as also in later times Theodora mo­ther of S. Thomas of Aquin, and the Counts of Aquin his brothers, disposed in like manner of him in the Monastery of Mont Cassinus.) This Ladies sonne was brought vp in the said Monastery, both in learnig, vertue and monasticall discipline: [Page 227]In all which he profited wonderously; & was already well forward in musicke, in so much as he sung in the Quire with the other Religious, for sweenes of voice inferior vnto none, when a light feauer tooke him out of this life. The wofull Mother, at the first newes growne but to sadly acquainted with griefe came to the Church, and accompanied her sonnes fu­nerall to the graue sheding infinite teares, although they all sufficed not to wash a­way the sorrow of his losse which shee freshly euery day renewed with lamen­ting ouer his Tombe, in most pittious mā ­ner, and much more was her griefe in­creased; when in the time of the diuine office shee heard the rest of the Religious sing, and misled her sonnes voyce among them, which vsed to be the gratefullest of them all. This Lady perseuering thus in her sad obsequies not only by day in the Church, but in her owne house by night, without admitting or taking any rest at all; once ouercome by wearines fell a sleep when the holy Captaine S. Maurice ap­peared vnto her, and said: woman why dost thou weepe so incessantly the death of thy sonne, admitting no measure in thy [Page 228]teares, no cōfort to thy heart. Vnto whom shee answered all the dayes of my life will not suffice vnto my boundlesse sorrow, & therfore whilst I liue I will neuer cease to lament my only sonne, neither shall these eyes of mine▪ vphold from weeping till death doth close them vp, and my desolate soule doth leaue to dwell in a body so dolorous; the Saint answered her, woeman I say vnto you, do not mourne, nor deplore your departed sonne as dead, for dead he is not, but liuing, and liuing with vs in heauen, enioying eternall life; and that thou mayest know the truth of all I say, rise presently, and go to Mat­tins, and there thou shalt heare the voyce of thy deceased sonne, singing the diuine office among the other Religious men; neither shalt thou only enioy the content­ment of it this day at Mattins, but at all other times, when thou shalt be present there, at the Diuine office; leaue of weep­ing then, and impose an end vnto thy teares, for thou hast more cause of glad­nes then of griefe. The Lady awaking, expected with much longing the houre of Mattins to be assured of the truth of her vision, which yet but faintly▪ she gaue [Page 229]credit to: the houre at last being come, and she no sooner entred into the Church, but shee plainly distinguished the most sweet voyce of her happy sonne, whilst the Antiphon was intoned, and therewith being rendred assured of his glory in hea­uen, shee banished all sorrow from her, & made no end of giuing thanks to God, for comforting her with hearing euery day his Angelicall voyce, in the harmo­nious musicke, and diuine seruice of those Religious men, and enriching her, with a fauour and grace so extraordinary and great.

A certaine Author writeth, how a knight once going a hunting, roused a wild beast, in the pursuit wherof, he was cast behind with only one seruant with him, al the other being eager in following of the chase, notwithstanding he spurred on a pace, and hauing lost the cry of the hounds strayed from the rest so farre, as he came (out of all way) vnto a certaine groue, where he heard the voyce of a man singing wōdrous sweetly: the knight mer­uailing to heare any such voyce in those desert places, knowing that it could be none of his followers, and no lesse cer­taine [Page 230]that it was none of that Country people. Hauing a great desire to know whose voyce it was, entred in farther into the thicket, & discouered on the sodaine, a leporous person, of a horrible aspect, whose flesh was so rottē, as it easely drop­ed of, from euery limme of him. The knight much amazed at such a spectacle, confirmed his startled heart and drew nigh, and being come vnto him, in salu­ting him courtiously he demanded of him, whether it were he who had sung so sweetly or no, the lazer answered, sir it was my selfe, and that voyce which seemed so sweet vnto you was mine, how is it possible answered the knight, for you to be so cheerfull, in such horrible tor­ments, the poore men replyed, sir you must vnderstand that betwixt God and me there is no other partition, then this mud-wall of my body which you see, and this being once away, I shall enioy the cleere vision of his diuine Maiesty. Seing this therfore euery day falling so fast a­way, it maketh me reioyce and sing with a wonderfull gladnes of heart, awaiting still an entire disolution of it, vntill when I cannot depart to enioy Almighty God, [Page 231]the true spring and fountaine of life; from whence flow forth those streames which neuer dry yp nor faile.

S. Cyprian writes of a certaine Bishop, S. Cypr. lib. de mortal. who being in the extremity of his sicknes, and much fearing death which he saw be­fore his eyes, humbly beseeched our Sa­uiour to prolong his life, when presently there appeared vnto him an Angell in the shape of a beautifull young man, of comly feature, excellent personage, a shining as­pect, and goodly stature, who with a voyce mixed with grauity and security said vnto him: pati timetis, exire non vul­tis, quid faciam vobis? you feare tu suf­fer, you are loath for to depart, what shall I do with you? giuing him to vnderstand that his repugnance do depart this life was no waies gratefull vnto God; and S. Cyprian adds, that the Angell spake these words vnto him vnto the end, that he should recount them againe, and teach them vnto others, when he should be in the agony of death.

Simon Metaephrastes relates, Surius to. 1. fol. 237. and Su­rius frō him, how the holy Abbot Theo­dosius, knowing how profitable the me­mory of death was vnto man, and desi­rous [Page 232]through the consideration therof to giue his disciples occasion of farther pro­gresse in deuotion, caused a sepulcher to be opened▪ and standing about it with his disciples, he said, behould the graue open, but who is [...]here of you, who wil haue the honour to be first buryed in it? and haue his funerall celebrated by vs? One of his disciples, named [...]asilius, a Priest, and a very vertuous man, being well prepared to dy, did readily offer himselfe, and fal­ling on his knees said with great cheer­fulnesse: Father giue me your benedictiō, for I (if it may please you) will be the first man for whom you shall sing the office of Requiem: it was his desire, and the Saint did grant it him. Then the holy Abbot Theodosius commanded that they should vse all the ceremonies which vse to be a [...] the funeralls of the dead, whilst he was yet aliue, the first, the third, and ninth dayes office, as also an other seruice for the Q [...]arantain, when (behould the won­der) at the end of these offices and the ser­uice of fourty dayes, basilius being whole and sound, without feauer, head ake, or any other paine, as if he had falne into a sweet and pleasant sleep, passed out of [Page 233]this life, vnto Almighty God to re [...]eaue of him the reward of his vertue, and that promptitude & cheerfulnesse, with which he had wished to see himselfe with our Sauiour Iesus Christ. And that we might see how gratfull vnto God, the readines and cheerfulnes was of this religious man, for to depart this life, this his death was seconded by an other Miracle; For accor­ding to Simij Metaphrastes, for the space of fourty dayes more after his death, the Abbot Theodosius beheld him cōming vn­to vespera's, & singing in the Quire with the rest of his disciples, howbeit that none els saw him, or heard him sing, excepting one Aetius, a man of eminent vertue a­boue the rest, who heard him sing, but could not see him; This Aetius went to Theodosius and demanded of him whi­ther he did not heare their brother Basi­lius sing in the Quire among the rest? yes answered the Abbot, I both heare and see him, and if you please, will likewise procure that you may see him too, and so the next day being both together in the Quire with the other Religious, during the diuine office Theodosius saw Basilius as he vsed to do in the Quire singing with [Page 234]the rest, and he pointed him out with his finger, to shew him Aetius both making their prayer together, and beseeching of God to open the others eyes, that he might see him to, and Aetius hauing perceaued him, and knowing him to be the same, ranne with great feruour to im­brace him, but he could not, for the other disappeared, saying as he went, so as to be heard of euery one. Farwell my deare Fa­thers and brothers farwell, for heare after you shall see me (in this world) no more. In the Chronicles of the Order of S. Au­gustin, Chron. ord S. Aug. cē. infra 3. it is related how S. Colomban the Younger, Nephew and disciple of S. Co­lomban the Abbot, being afflicted with a violent feauer, and drawing towards his end, desiring out of the assurance of his hope to dy; There appeared vnto him, a yong mā shining with glorious light, who said vnto him, vnderstand that the prayers and teares which thy Abbot sheds for the recouery of thy health, doth hinder thy deliuery out of this mortall prison, wher­vpon the Saint sweetly made his moane and complaint vnto his Abbot saying in woefull manner. Why do you constraine me to liue in such a miserable life as this? [Page 235]and hinder me from passing to an eternall one? after which time the Abbot for­bare to weape, and prayed no more for him, and so the Religious being assem­bled all together, the B. Saint prouided of all the requisit Sacraments, after he had tenderly embraced them all, went sweetly to our Lord.

S. Ambrose saith how the Inhabitants of Thrace, Amb. de fide re­sur. do vse to lament when Chil­dren are borne into the world, and make great feast and ioy, when as they dy; and they deplore their births and solemnize their funeralls for this reason saith S. Am­brose (and it is an excellent one) because their case deserueth to be pittyed & la­mented, who come into this miserable world; so full of woe and camality; and on the contrary, they haue good reason to reioyce for them, when they were freed from this banishment, and deliuered from so many miseries and afflictions. Now if they who were Heathens, and were ig­uorant of that glory which we hope for, could do thus much; with how much more reason ought we to be glad to dy; we I say who haue the light of faith, and knowledge of those felicities, which they [Page 236]go to enioy who dy in our Lord? & ther­fore the wiseman said with farre more reason, that the day of death, is better then the day of our Natiuity, Ecel. 7.1. Melior est dies mortis, die Natiuitatis.

S. Hierom saith that our Sauiour when he would depart out of this world vnto his heauenly Father, Hier. ep. ad Ther. said to his disciples, who were sorrowfull for it; Ioan. 11.35. Si diligeritis me, gauderetis vtique, quia vado ad pa­trem, you know not what you do, for if you loued me, you would certainly re­ioyce, because I am going to my Father, and on the contrary, when he was about to raise Lazarus from death againe, he wept; he wept not, saith S. Hierom, be­cause he was dead, seing he was presently to be reuiued againe, but he wept, because he was to returne againe vnto this disaste­rous life, he wept because one whom he so dearely loued, was to haue his part a­gaine, of the woes of this miserable ba­nishment.

THE XXII. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God, in all afflictions and calamities in generall which he sends vnto vs.

WE are not only to conforme our selues with the will of God, in those afflictions and particular accidents, which do happē vnto vs, but also in those generall calamities and desolations, which are occasioned by famine, warre, sicknes, death, plagues, and other the like which God sends vnto his Church. To compre­hēd this the better, we must suppose that, although on the one side, we resent the miseries and afflictions, and sorrow for our neighbours misfortunes, and harmes, as it is reasonable we should: neuertheles on the other side considering them as they are the will of God, and so ordained by his iust iudgments, to be the seeds of that good and profit, which he knoweth re­sulting to his greater glory, in these I say, we may cōforme our selues vnto his holy will, in like manner as we see a Iudge cō ­demne [Page 238]a malefactor vnto death, who al­though on the one side, he is not without feeling and sorrow, that the man must dy, out of that naturall compassion which he beareth him, or perhaps because he is acquainted with him: neuertheles he o­mits not to pronounce sentence of death against him, and comaunds that it be exe­cuted, because it is so necessary and con­uenient for the good and welfare of the Commonwealth; and although it be true that God doth not oblige vs to conforme our selues in all these things vnto his will, in such manner as positiuely to desire and loue them, neither requireth any more of vs, then to suffer them with patience, without contradicting or resisting his di­uine Iustice, S. Bona. sent. d. 48. q. 2. & alij. or murmuring against the de­crees therof; notwithstanding the diuines and holy Saints do say, that it should be a worke of farre more merit & perfection, and a resignation more entire and com­pleate, for a man not only to accept and endure these things patiently, but also to loue and desire them, for as much as they are effects of the good pleasure, and will of God, so ordeined by his diuine Iustice, and conferring vnto his greater glory; I­mitating [Page 239]therin the blessed Saints in hea­uen, who conforme themselues in all ac­cidents vnto the will of God, as S. Tho­mas and S. Anselmus declare by this com­parison, S. Tho. 2.2. q. 19. ar. 10. ad 1. Ansel. 1. similitu. c. [...]3. learning vs that in heauen our will and the will of God, shall in as per­fect manner agree, as the two eyes of a body, one of which cannot looke on any thing, but the other likewise fixeth its fight vpon it; whence it is, that although the eyes which see the thing, be two; notwithstanding the thing which is seene doth seem no more then one. Euen so the Saints in heauen accommodat thē ­selues vnto the will of God in euery thing, as seing cleerly in all things the decrees of his Iustice and the end of his greaterglory to which they are all directed, so also would it be a great perfection in vs, to imitate in this particular the B. Saints in heauen, by desiring that the will of God be done on earth, as it is in heauen. To will that which God Almighty wills, for the same end and reason for which he wills it, cannot choose but be precisely good.

Possidonius reports of S. Augus [...].Augustin in his life, that he during the siege of the [Page 240]Citty of Bonna where he made his resi­dence being besieged, seing so great de­solation & slaughter which the Vandals made, comforted himselfe, with this sen­tence of the wiseman: Non erit magnus magnum putans, quod cadunt ligna & la­pides, & moriuntur mortales, he shall ne­uer be great, who accounts it a great won­der, to see wood and stones fall, and mor­talls dy; Now we with greater reason may comfort our selues, in considering all these things proceeding from the hand of God, and how euer the cause, why he sends these miseries and calamities be vn­knowne vnto vs, yet it is not possible but they should be iust. The Iudgmēts of God are profound, and a bottomles abisle, as the Prophet saith: Psal. 3.57 iudicia tua abyssus multa, neither are we with our shallow and scanty vnderstandings to vndertake to sound or diue into them, which would be great presumption in vs quis enim cog­nouit s [...]nsum Domini?Ad Rō. 11.34. & Isa. 40.30,aut quis consilia­rius eius fuit? who hath known the mea­ning of God▪ or who hath been his coun­sailer? It belongs only to vs, to receaue them with humility, and to belieue, that nothing either can or doth proceed, from [Page 241]a knowledge so infinit, which is not wise­ly and holily designed, and so designed, as to haue for its end our greater good and profit. On this foundation we are to ground our selues surely confiding in that infinit goodnes and mercy of God, that he would send vs nothing, neither permit the like calamities and aduersides, vnles they were tending to a greater good. God takes this way for to lead many to hea­uen, who otherwise would go astray and vttedy be lost. How many are there who by means of these afflictions conuert thē ­selues with their whole hearts to God, and dying with true repentance for their sin­nes are saued, who otherwise had been damned perpetually? and so that which appeares a scourge and punishmēt, is a sin­gular benefit, and inestimable mercy.

In the second booke of the Macha­bees, the Author after he had recounted that horrible and cruell persecution, of impious King Antiochus, the abundance of blood he shed, which both old men and children; Matrons and young Vir­gins vaines contributed, the pillage and profaning of the Temple, with the abo­minations committed there by his com­mandement, [Page 242]concludeth in these words: Obsecro autem eos qui hŭc librum lecturi sunt, 2. Mach. 22.ne abhorrescant propter aduersos ca­sus, fed reputent ea quae, acciderunt non ad interitum, fed ad correptionem esse ge­neris nostri, but I beseech those who are to read this booke, that they abhorre not for the aduersities but that they account those things which haue happened, not to be for the destruction but for the cha­stising of our stocke, by the permission and disposure of Almighty God.

S. Gregory saith vnto this purpose ex­cellent well, Greg. li. 2. mor. c. 32. the horseleech draweth out and sucketh the bloud of the sicke, and that which it pretends it to glut it selfe with it, and if it could, to draw the vaines of the sicke person dry; but the intention of the Phisitian is, to haue them sucke out all the corrupted blood, and to restore the sicke vnto his health againe: the like intention hath Almighty God, in sending vs aduersities and tribulations, and as he should do indiscreetly, who would not suffer his corrupted blood, to be drawne out of him, for hauing more regard, vnto that which the Horsleech pretends, then to the intētion of the Phisitian, so in what [Page 243]so euer aduersity, whether it come vnto vs by the procurement of men, or els by means of any other creature, we are not so much to haue regard to it, as vnto God our soueraigne Phisitian, seing they all serue him in the nature of Horsleeches, to draw out our corrupted blood from vs, and to restore vs vnto perfect health. And consequently we are to belieue and know that he sends them all vnto vs, for our greater vtility and good, and although he had no other end in them, but only as childrē to correct vs in this life, that there might remaine no punishment in the o­ther for vs to vndergoe, it were no small fauour which he should do vs in it.

It is reported of S. Katherine of Sienna; In vita S. Catha [...]. Senen. p. 2. c. 4. that as shee once was much troubled, be­cause an other had giuen false testimony against her, in a matter which concerned her honour, our Sauiour Christ appeared vnto her, houlding in his right hand a golden crowne adorned with pretious stones, and in hisleft, a crowne of thornes and said: my beloued daughter, know that thou must be crowned with either of these crownes, at seuerall times, therfore choose for the present, that which you like the [Page 244]best, either in this life to be crowned with this thorny crowne, and haue this other pretious one reserued vntill the other life for you, which neuer shall haue end, or now to haue this riche and gorgious crowne, and haue the wreath of thornes kept for you till you dy? Vnto whom the holy Virgin answered, deere Lord I haue long time since forsaken mine owne will, to embrace yours, and therfore now it becomes not me to choose, but neuer­theles if you would haue me to resolue I am minded as long as I shall remaine in life, to conforme my selfe vnto your sa­cred passion, and will embrace all tribu­lations, for your deere loue and my con­solation, and hauing said this shee tooke the crowne of thornes with her owne hands, out of his, and with all her might crushe [...] it vpon her head, so forcibly, that the thornes pearced her in euery part therof, in such manner, as for a long time after, the violent paine of her head, wit­nessed the force with which they were driuen in.

THE XXIII. CHAPTER. Of a certaine means which will helpe vs much to receaue and support with great resignation, all those aduersities which our Lord shall send vs, as well in particular as in generall, which is the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes.

IT is a common doctrine of the holy Fathers, that God for the most part, doth send vs afflictions and chastisements in generall, for the sinnes which we haue committed; & it is the frequent language of the holy scripture: Dan. [...].28. & se­quentib. Induxistiomnia haec propter peecata nostra, peccauimus enim & inique egimus, & praecepta tua non au­diuimus, omnia ergo quae induxisti super nos, & vniuersa quae fecisti nobis, in vero iudicio fecisti, thou hast brought in all these things for our sinnes, for we haue sinned and done vniustly, and thy pre­cepts we haue not heard; all things ther­fore that thou hast brought in vpon vs, and all things that thou hast done to vs, thou hast done with true Iudgment. And so we see that God punished his people [Page 246]and deliuered them ouer vnto the hands of heir enemies, when they had offen­ded him & deliuered them againe, when the▪ did pennance and repented them of their sinnes, returning vnto him againe and for this cause Achior Captaine and Prince of the sonnes of Amon, Iudith. [...].5. hauing declared to Holofernes what a particu­lar care God had of the children of Israel, & how he sheltred them vnder the wings of his protection, as also how he chasti­zed them, when they departed from his obedience, counsailed him before he en­terprized any thing against them, to in­forme himselfe, whither for the present they had offended God, seing then he might assure himselfe of the victory, els he had better leaue of his enterprize, for he could not preuaile against them, nor come of with lesse then shame and con­fusion, seing that God did fight for his people, whom no man was so mighty to withstand. And the holy Doctors do par­ticularly gather this same, from those words of our Sauiour in the Euāgell vnto him who had laine eight & thirty yeares by the Probaticke Poole to be cured of his infirmity; Ioan. 5.14. Ecce sanus factus es, iam [Page 247]noli peccare, ne deterius tibi aliquid con­tingat; Behould (said our Sauiour after he had cured him) thou art made whole, herafter sinne no more, least some worse thing happen vnto thee, and in confor­mity to this, it will be a good means▪ and much helping vs in all calamities and af­flictions aswell generall as particular vnto the resigning our selues vnto the will of God; as also to support them all with pa­tience, to enter presently into our selues, and consider our sinnes, and with all how iustly we haue merited this chastisement, because in this manner we shall receaue in good part, and iudge it les [...]e then we deserue in regard of the enormity of our sinnes, what affliction so euer shall arriue vnto vs.

S. Bernard and S. Gregory handle this point excellent well S. Bernard saith: Ber ser. de alti & Bass. cor­dis. Culpa vero ipsa si intus s [...]ntitur perfectè, vtique exterior paena, parum aut nihil sen­titur, if the fault it selfe, be but so felt within as it ought to be, we shall haue but little or no feeling of the paine without; 2 Reg. 16.1. Sicut Sanctus Dauid non s [...]nsit miuriam serui conuiciant is, memor fily p [...]rsequen­tis, like as the royall Prophet Dauid, did [Page 248]not feele the iniury of his seruant reuiling him, whilst he remembred that his owne sonne was in Armes against him. 2. Reg. 16.1. Ecce fi­lius meus qui egressus est de vtero meo quaerit animam meam, quanto magis nunc filius Iemini? behould my sonne who came out of my wombe seeketh my life, how much more the sonne of Iemini? if mine owne sonne persecute me, what wonder is it if a straunger do the like. S. Gregory on these words of Iob, Greg. li. 1. mo 1. c. 8. Iob. 11.6& intel­ligens quod multo minora exigaris ab eo quàm mereretur iniquitas tua, and thou mightest vnderstand that thou art exa­cted much lesser things of him, then thine iniquity deserues, explicates it with an ex­quisit comparison, like as (saith he) the sick man who feeles his impostume infla­med and swolne and the flesh about it to be rotten and dead, is glad to put him­selfe into the surgeans hands, and lets him lance and cut him as he pleases, and the more grieuous and corrupted the sore is, the more couragiously he indures the launcing and searing yron: so when one hath a true feeling of the sore and sick­nesse which sinne causeth in his soule, he receaues with a good will the brand of [Page 249]tribulation, of mortification and his owne disesteeme which God applyeth vnto this sore to draw the filthy matter and cor­ruption out of it, dolor quippe flagelli tem­peratur, cum culpa cognoscitur, for the paine of the scourge is allayed, when the fault is acknowledged: and if you receaue not willingly that mortification and ad­uersity which God presents you with, it is a signe that you are ignorant of the sick­nes of your faults, you do not feele cor­ruption eating vpon you, and therfore you cannot endure the lance, nor searing yron.

The holy Saints and seruants of God Almighty, did not only willingly receaue these chastisements, but they desired them with great instance and begged them ar­dently at the hands of God; holy Iob said; Quis det vt veniat petitio mea, & qui coe­pit, ipse me conterat, soluat mauum suam, & suecidat me, & haec mihi sit consola­tio, vt affligens me dolore non parcat? who shall grant that my petition may come, & that he who hath begun, should consume me, and the same would loose his hand, & cut me of, and this might be my comfort, that afflicting me with sorrow he spare [Page 250]not, Psa. 25.2. Psal. 37.18. Psal. 118.71. and the Prophet Dauid. Proba me Domine & tenta me, and quoniam ego in flagella paratus sum, & bonum mihi quia humiliasti me, proue me ô Lord & tempt me, because I am ready for scourges, it is good for me that thou hast humbled me. The seruants of God Almighty (saith S. Gregory) did so much desire that his Di­uine Maiestie should chastise them, Greg. li. 1. mor. c. 7. & 8. and humble them in this life, as they euen pro­ceeded to sadnes, when on the one side they cast their eyes vpon their faults; and on the other, they saw that God did not throughly punish them, because they ima­gined and feared, least God should de­ferre their punishment vntill the other life, where with all rigour it should be exe­cuted, and this is that which Iob adds, & haec mihi sit cōsolatio vt affligēs me dolore non parcat, & this is my cōfort, that affli­cting me with sorrow he spares not which is as much as to say, God vseth to spare some in this life, that he may punish them for euer in the next; but I desire not to be spared in this life with them, vnto the end that in the next he may pardon me for euer; Let God chastise me here like a louing Father, that he may not punish [Page 251]me eternally afterward, like a rigorous Iudge, for my part I will not murmure or complaine of the lashes of his whipp, nec contradica [...] sermonibus Sancti, I [...]b. 6.10 but it shall comfort me the more, this is als [...] that which [...] Augustin saith, Augusti. hic vre hic seca, hîc [...] mihi parcas, vt in aeternum parcas, [...] burne me, here lance me here spare me in nothing, that thou maist spare me ô Lord eternally.

It is no other then our blindnes and ig­norance, which make corporall afflictiōs seem so heauy to vse and spiritual so light, we ought not to be so sensible of aduer­sity as of sinne: if we did but know or could consider the grieuousnes [...]e of our faults, we should esteeme all chastisements to little and say with holy Iob: pe [...]caui,Iob. [...]3.27.& verè deliqui, & v [...] eraem dignu [...] non re­cepi, words which we ought to carry im­printed in our hearts, and often to vtter with our mouthes, I haue sinned ô Lord and I haue truly done amisse, offending your diuine Maiesty & you haue not cha­stised me according to my deserts, all that we can possibly suffer in this life, is nothing in comparison of that punishmēt which one sinne deserueth. Iob. 11.6 Intelligeres [Page 252]quod multò mitiora exigaris ab eo, quàm meretur iniquitas tua, he who should cō ­sider that he hath offended the Maiestie of Almighty God, and deserued to burne eternally in the flames of hell, what paine would he refuse, what dishonour, what in­iury, what contempt should he not wil­lingly vndergoe? for recompence & satis­faction of those offences, which he hath committed against the Maiesty of Al­mighty God. 2. Reg. 16.12. Si fortè respiciat Dominus afflictionem meam, & reddat mihi Do­minus bonum pro maledictione hac ho­dierna, said Dauid when Semei curst and reuiled him, hinder him not from cursing me, let him load me with reproaches, and giue me my fill of iniuries and scorne, for it may be that God will take it for suffi­cient payment, and exact no more pu­nishment of me hereafter for my sinnes, but haue mercy on me, which is all I can desire, and all my happines. In the like manner are we to receaue willingly all confusion, shame and aduersities whatso­euer, saying. On Gods name let them come, for it may be that God will be so pleased to accept of them, for payment and satisfaction for our sinnes, and so they [Page 253]may turne to our felicity; if we would but employ that time, which we lauish in cō ­plaining and bemoaning our afflictions, in entring into our selues, we should please God more, and find more comfort and redresse.

The holy Saints made so profitable vse of this remedy in the like occasions, and were so frequent in it, that (as we read of some of them, as S. Katherin of Siena and some others) they attributed all the calamities and afflictions which God sent vnto his Church, vnto their sinnes and im­perfections, saying, this warre is hapned throug my procurement, my sinnes are the cause of ithis plague and affliction, which God doth send, they beeleeuing verely that their sinnes in particular did merit this and more. And we may adde in confirmation of this, that God often­times doth punish a whole nation for the sinne of one particular person; As when for the sinne of Dauid, 2. Reg. 24.25. he visited the whole people of Israel with pestilence, there dying (according to the holy Scrip­ture) seauēty thousand men in three daies space: But you will say perhaps, he was their King, and that their punishments, do [Page 254]passe on the people accounts with grea­te [...] [...]eason I will instance you an other for the [...] of Acan who then was but a p [...]i [...] man, Ios. 7.45. & 11. and tooke but only a trifle for himself out of the anathemade goods of I [...]rico, God punished all the people, in such sort as three thousand of the choy­sest souldiers in the ca [...]pe, not being able to withstand their enemy, were enforced to saue themselues by flight; God doth not only punish others for the offences of the principal [...] amongst them, but euen the fault of any priuat man, is enough to bring a generall plague vpon them, and in this sense the Saints explicate that passage which the holy Scripture doth repeat so often that God will punish the sinnes of the parents on their children, Exod. 20.5 &c. 34 7. num. 14.18. vnto the third and fourth generation, the fault of the Father (say they) passes not vnto his children, neither hath the childrens any reference to him. Ezec. 18. [...]0. Anima quae peccauerit ipsa morietur, filius non portabit iniqui­tatem patris, & pater non portabit ini­quitatem [...]ilij, but for as much as concer­neth the punishment, God vsually chasti­zeth the one for the others sinnes, and so perhaps for my finnes or yours, God may [Page 255]punish a whole house a whole Religion.

Now let vs set before our eyes on the one side this consideration, and on the other the good pleasure of Almighty God, and in this manner we shall with ease come to conforme our selues vnto his will, in all the afflictions, which he sends to vs, and say with Hely the Priest: Dominus est, quod bonum est, in oculis suis faciat, he is Master, he is Lord, 1. Reg. 3.18. and supreme gouernour of euery thing, let all be performed and done as he shall please, and as he shall ordeine. And with the Prophet Dauid: Psal. 3 [...].10.Obmutui & non a­perui os meum▪ quoniam tu fecisti, ô Lord I haue not cōplained, of those misfortunes which you haue sent me, but haue been silent, as if I could not speake, and borne all with great patience and conformity, seing ô Lord they are proceeding from you. This ought to be our consolation in euery thing, God wills it, God doth it, God commaunds it, God sends it, in Gods name let it come, whatsoeuer it be. We should need no other reason, to perswade vs to take all things in the best part. On these words of the eight and twentith psalme. Psal. [...]8.6. Et dileclus quemadmodum filius [Page 256]vnicornium, the holy Fathers, obserue that God cōpares himself vnto an vnicor­ne, because the vnicorne hath his horne belowe his eyes, & can see to take his aime to stricke, wheras the Bull hath his aboue his eyes & goares with them at randome, moreouer the vnicorne cures with the same horne, with which it did the hurt, & so God giues vs remedy with the same thing, by which he gaue the wound.

This conformity and humble submis­sion vnder the rodd of our punishment, is a thing so gratfull vnto God, that often­times it doth alone suffice, to appease his anger, and remit our fault without pu­nishment; In the Ecclesiasticall History we read how Attila King of the Hunnes, who wasted so many prouinces & stiled himselfe Metus orbis & stagellum Dei, Naucler. 2. volum. the terror of the world and scourge of God, drawing nigh to the Citty of Troyes in Campania, S. Lupus Bishop of the Citty, in his Ponti [...]icall habit accompa­nied with all his Clergy, went out to meet with him, and being come into his presence he said, who art thou, who rui­nest and disquietest all the world? Attila answered I am the scourge of God, then [Page 257]then said the Bishop, you are most wel­come to vs, and presently commaunded to open the holy gates, and his soldiers entred the Toure; but our Lord stroke them with such a blindnes, that they pas­sed cleane thorough without doing any harme: for although Attila was a scourge indeed, yet God would not permit him to be such to them, who receaued him as his scourge with so much submission.

THE XXIV. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God, in aridy and de­solation in our prayer, and what is vn­derstood by the name, of this aridity and desolation.

WE are not only to conforme our selues vnto the will of God, in things exterior, humane and naturall, but also in that which seemes to many euen sanctity when we desire it with grea­test earnestnes, to wit in spirituall and su­pernaturall graces, such as are diuine con­solations, vertues themselues, and the gift of prayer int [...]or quiet and tranquility of [Page 258]mind, and in fine all spirituall graces and fauours. But some one shall aske me, whi­ther in all these things there may be so much of our owne will, and immoderate loue vnto our selues as may need mode­ration euen in point of them. I answere yes, and that from hence the malice of selfe loue may be perceaued the better, since euen with things so good and holy as these, it forbeares not to mingle the poison of its infection. Spirituall ioy and consolation is very good, because by helpe of them, the soule doth easely ridd it selfe, and come to detest all feeling and delight in worldly things, which is the bait and nutriment of vices, and takes heart and breath, to go on cheerfully, in the seruice of God, according to that say­ing of the Prophet, Psal 118.31. viam mandatorum tuorum cucurricum dilatasti cor meum, I haue runne in the way of thy coman­dements then when thou hast dilated my heart, the heart dilateth and extends it selfe, with spirituall ioy and consolation, and on the contrary, becomes narrow and straight, with sadnes and desolation. The same Prophet likewise sayes, that when God sent him consolations, they were as [Page 259]wings vnto him, which made him runne and fly in the wayes of vertue and the cō ­mandements of God; Spirituall consola­tions do moreouer helpe very much, to the breaking of our owne will, to the o­uercoming our sensuall appetites, to the mortifying of the flesh, and to beare our crosse and all aduersities which may ar­riue with greater constancy; And ther­fore God vsually doth first send these spi­rituall ioyes and consolations vnto those, whom he intends afterwards to visit with afflictions & desolation, the better to pre­pare & dispose them by the one, to make their good and profit of the other.

As we see, our Sauiour would comfort his disciples with his glorious transfigu­ration on the mountaine, that they might afterwards be lesse troubled and deiected to see him suffer and dy vpon the crosse. We see likewise that God most com­monly bestows his cōsolations vpon new beginners, that they may throughly forsake the delights of the world for hea­uenly comforts, and afterwards when he hath surely obliged them vnto him in the bonds of loue, and he seeth them well rooted and confirmed in vertue, then he [Page 260]exerciseth them with aridity, that they may the better attaine the vertues of pa­tience and humility, and merit a more a­bundant increase of grace and glory, by seruing God purely, without the helpe of consolation. This is the cause why some in the begining when they are newly en­tred into Religiō, or perhaps before their entrance, when they haue but conceiued the desire, do feele greater consolation & spirituall delight, then euer after, for God then deals with them accordig to their age, giuing them the milke of Infants, to traine them out of the world, and bring all temporall things into contempt and hatred with them, but afterwards when they are well growne and fit for harder meats, he giues them such food as doth become their yeares. For these and other the like ends, God ordinarily doth send his consolations and spirituall gusts. And therfore the Saints commonly do coun­sell vs, in time of consolation, to prouide against the comming tentations; like as in time of peace, they vse to make the pre­paration for warre: for the day of conso­tions is commonly no other, then the Eue and vigill of tentation.

Spirituall comforts are therfore very good and profitable, if we know how to vse them, as we ought to do, wherfore when soeuer God bestows them on vs, we are to receaue them, with humble thank­fulnes, but if any one should wholly de­pend vpon them, and desire them only for his owne contentment, because of the gust and delectation which the soule re­ceaueth in them, it were imperfection in him, and disordinate loue vnto himselfe. For as in things necessary to sustaine our life, as eating, drinking, sleeping and the like, if a man should make the pleasure of them his end, it were a defect in him, so if one should pretend no other end in prayer, but these sensible feelings & con­solations, it were a spirituall gluttony in him; Those are things which are not to be accepted of, or desired, for any pro­per feeling or particular delight, but only as means helping vs to arriue vnto those ends which we haue mentioned. Like as one who is sicke and can indure no meat that is good for him, is glad when he come to find some tast and relish in it, not because it is pleasant to his pallat, but because it prouokes his appetite to eate, [Page 262]and conserues his life, so also a seruant of God is not to seeke spirituall consolation, as to insist vpon it, but because with the heauenly refreshment therof, his soule is strenghtned and encouraged to sustaine the paine and labour of the way of ver­tue, and to go on with constancy. And in this manner, comforts are not desired for comforts sake, but only for the greater glory of God, and so farre forth as they redound vnto his honour and glory.

But I say yet more, that one may de­sire these spirituall consolations in such manner, & for those ends which we haue said which are good and holy, and yet for all this there may be excesse in it, and dis­ordinate and selfe loue may haue shuffled in it selfe among those desires; as when we desire thē too importunatly, with too great solicitude, and greedines, so as to be lesse content if we obteine them not, and lesse pliable to the will of God; but to remaine troubled, grudging, and in a painfull disquietnes. This is no other then a disordinate affection, and spirituall couetousnesse; for we are not so to depend on these sensible feelings; and to seeke af­ter spirituall cōsolations with so great aui­dity, [Page 263]as to hinder our peace and quietnes of mind, and make vs lesse conformable with the will of God, if he should please not to bestow them on vs: seing the will of God alone, is better and more worth then all these things together, and it is more expediēt for vs, to content our selues therewith.

And that which I say of these feelings and spirituall consolations, is to be exten­ded likewise to the gift of prayer, and the feruour and facility which we desire ther­in, as also of the internall peace and quiet­nes of our mind, together with all other fauours, graces, and spirituall prerogatiues; seing that we may be transported with an affection too disordinate, in the desire of euery one of these, as when we couet them with such impatience and anxiety, as (if we obteine them not) to become troubled, malecontent, and lesse confor­mable to the will of God. Also by these feelings and spirituall consolations, we vnderstand here not only deuotion, sen­sible feelings, and spirituall sweetnesses, but also the substance it selfe and gift of prayer, and the facility of applying our selues vnto it, and perseuering at in it, with [Page 264]that tranquility and repose as we desire, yea it is this of which for the present we principally do treat, indeauouring to declare how we are to conforme our selues vnto the will of God therin, and not to seeke it with to great anxiety and ear­nestnes; for concerning consolations, fee­lings & sensible deuotions, there are none who would not endure the want of thē, so they might haue the substāce of prayer, and obteine the fruite therof: for they know that prayer consists not in these fee­lings, denotions, and in tendernes of mind, and therfore without any great vertue they may be had, but for one to go to prayer, and remaine there as if he were a stone with so great aridity and drinesse, as if to pray were the least of his businesse for which he came, it seeming to him that God hath wholly withdrawne himselfe from him, barring him from all accesse vnto him, & that that curse is falne vpon his head, which God long since did threa­ten to his people. Leui. 26.19. & Deut. 28. [...]5. Dabo queque vobis cae­lum desuper si [...]ut ferrum, & terram ae­neam, here there is need of great vertue and fortitude indeed, when euen the hea­uen seemes to them to be made of Iron, [Page 265]and the earth of brasse, seing that not a dropp of water raineth downe on them, to soften these hearts, and produce that fruite which should maintaine their spiri­tuall liues, but they remaine in a perpe­tuall sterility and drouth: neither is it this aridity which only tormenteth them, but there rusheth vpon them sometimes such variety of thoughts and wild distra­ctions, and they perhaps so filthy & vila­nous, as they seeme to haue come vnto prayer vnto no other end, then to be trou­bled vext and assaulted with all sorts of tentations; If you tell them, there best way is then, to haue their thoughts on death, or on our Sauiour crucifie [...], which is an excellent remedy indeed, they an­swere you, that they haue tryed it, but found no fruite in it: for could they do that? what should they desire for more? Sometimes one shall be so ill disposed and dry in his prayer, that he cannot so much as thinke vpon it, or if with much force & difficulty he hale his thoughts vnto it, it is in such a manner, as he is neuer mo­ued with it, nor rendred any whit the more recollected or attent, but they passe it ouer without leauing any impression [Page 266]in the soule, and this is that which we call properly spirituall desolation, aridity or drines, and defection of mind; and herein it is necessary that we conforme our selues vnto the will of God.

This is a point of greatest consequence it being on of the commonest complaints, and wherwith they are most contristated, who giue themselues to the exercise of prayer, for they sigh and weep when they find themselues in this manner, whilst on the one side they heare so much said in the praise of prayer, and of the good ther­of, and how according as that passes, so the daies and liues of spirituall men do passe, whilst they likewise vnderstād, that it is one of the principalst meanes as we haue, as well for our owne particular pro­fit, as that of our neighbour; and on the other side see themselues so farre (in their opinion) from making any good prayer: this, this grieueth, this afflicts them much, this maks thē thinke that God hath for­saken thē, & thinks no more vpon thē, this maks thē feare they haue wholly lost his fauour, and are falne into his displeasure and disgrace, seing it seemes to them, that he cuts them of from all refuge, all re­course [Page 267]vnto him. And this tentation is far­ther augmented when they see the great progresse which others make in prayer, in a few daies exercise almost without any paine at all; whilst they although they labour more then their force can beare, are nothing profitted. From whence are begotten other tentations, yet worse then these, as to make their complaint some­times of our Lord himselfe, for dealing with them in such a rigorous manner, and they begin to thinke of leauing of their exercise of prayer, imagining it a thing vnfit for them, seing it succeeds in no bet­ter manner with them. And all this is made farre more and worse, by the diuels vexing them with that vnquiet thought, that themselues alone are in the cause of all, & that for their owne fault God deales so harshly with them, and therfore some do liue in great discomfort, comming out of their praier as from some racke or tor­ment, sade melancholy, and both intolle­rable to themselues and to all those with whom they do conuerse, Wherfore we will now by the assistance of the grace of God, both answer and satisfy this ten­tation and complaint.

THE XXV. CHAPTER. An answer vnto the complaint of those who are troubled with aridity and desolation in prayer.

FIrst I do not say, that we are not to reioyce when we are visited and com­forted by God, for it is manifest, that there is none so stupid, but would be glad and delighted with the presence of his beloued; neither do I say, that we are to haue no recentment of his absence from vs, when he punisheth vs with aridity and tentations, for I see it is impossible to do otherwise. Our Sauiour Christ had fee­ling himselfe to be abandoned by his hea­uenly Father, when hanging on the crosse he vttered these mournefull words, Math. 27 46. Deus meus, Deus meus, vt quid dereliquisti me? my God, my God, why hast thou for­saken me? but that which is intended and desired is, that we should know how to make our profit of this distresse and ex­periment, by which God commonly doth try his elect, and with a vigour of mind put our selues vnder the protection [Page 269]of the will of God, in saying: Math. 26 39. Veruntamen non sicut ego volo, sed sicut tu, ô Lord be it not as I will, but as thou wilt, seing es­pecially that sanctity and perfection con­sists not in consolations, neither in hauing of high and excellent manner of prayer, and that our profit and perfection is not measured therby, but by a perfect loue of God, which is not comprised in any of these things, but in a conformity and en­tire vnion with the diuine will as well in bitternes, as in deliciousnes, aswell in ad­uersity, as prosperity, and therfore we ought with the same equality of mind to receaue from the hand of God, aswell the crosse and to be spiritually forsaken, as any ioy or cōsolation: giuing him thākes for the one, and the other alike.

If you will haue me in darknes be you blessed, if you will haue me in light be you also blessed, if you will comfort me be you blessed, if you will afflict me be you like­wise blessed. And so S. Paul doth coun­sell vs: In omnibus gratias agite, Thomas a Kēpis.hae [...] est enim voluntas Dei in Christo Iesu in om­nibus vobis, rēder thanks for euery thing, 1. ad Thes. 5.17. for such is the will of God in Christ Ie­sus in all of you. If then this be the will of [Page 270]God what can we desire more? my life is giuen me to no other end, then to please God with it if then he please to direct the whole course of it, by these darke, trou­blesome, and vneasy waies, why should I seeke & wish for paths more lightsome & pleasant? God would haue such an one, go forwards in that way which he seeth, which he receaues gust in and loues, and leads me through this gloomy wilder­nesse. I will not chaunge my barrennes, for his fertility, neither my frights, for his security, this is the language of those who haue their eyes open to see the truth, and with this they maintaine themselues in cōfort. M Auila audi filia c. 26. Master Auila saith excellent well. If God would but vnuaile our eyes, we should behould more cleerly thē the day, that all things in earth and heauen, are to little and base, to be desired or possessed by vs, if you but seperat them from the will of God; and that there is nothing, how little or bitter so euer it be, which would not be of great value, being once conioyned with the will of God. It is far better without comparison to liue in affli­ctions, discomforts, aridities, and tenta­tions, if he shall please to haue it so, then [Page 271]in all the delights, comforts and contem­plations which can possibly be, if you but take from them the will of God.

But some one shall say, if I knew that the will of God were such, and that he were more pleased and delighted with it, I should soone conforme my selfe, and re­maine well contented, although it were to passe my whole life ouer so, for I see sufficiently my obligatiō, to desire nothing so much, as the good pleasure of God, and that my life is ordained vnto no other end: but it seemes to me that God would be farre better pleased, could I make my prayers better, and had more attention and internall recollection, and came with better preparation; and moreouer that which not a little troubleth me, is that it is by reason of my fault and negligence, that I cannot entertaine my selfe in prayer: if I knew for certaine, that I had perfor­med my duty, and that it hapned vnto me through no fault of mine, it would not grieue nor trouble me halfe so much. This complaint is well set downe and there can be nothing added more vnto it seing ther­in is comprised and inuolued, all the obie­ctions of those who make the like com­plaints. [Page 272]And so if we can but well cleere this difficulty, much of our worke is done, since it is the ground of an ordinary and vniuers [...]ll griefe, there being no person, how holy and perfect so euer he be, who hath not his share somtimes, in this aridity and spirituall desolation. We read of S. Francis and S. Katharine of Siena, th [...]se great darlings and fauorites of God, that they haue not been exempted from it, and S. Anthony the Abbot although otherwise he was arriued to so transcendent a de­gree of contemplation, that whole nights seemed to passe away with him as a blast of wind; and when the morning came, he would complaine the sunne did rise to early this man notwithstanding (I say) was sometimes so haunted with the im­portunity of wicked thoughts, as he would cry out with a loud voice to God, my God I would faine be good, and my thoughts will not permit me, Ber. ser. 54. super cantica. and S. ber­nard hath the same complaint. Exaruit cor meum, coagulatum est sieut lac, fa­ctum sicut terra sine aqua, nec compungi ad lachrymas queo, tanta est duritia cor­dis, non sapit psalmus, non legere libet, non or are delectat, meditationes solitas [Page 273]non inuenio. Vbi [...]lla inebriatio Spiritus? vbi mentis serenitas? & pax & gaudium in Spiritu Sancto? O Lord my heart is dried vp, and coagulated like milke, it is become like earth without water, & can­not be compunct to teares, the hardnes of my heart is so great, I take no pleasure in singing, I haue no will to read, I receaue no delight in prayer, neither do I find my wonted meditations, where is that ine­briation of soule? where that serenity of mind? & peace and ioy in the holy Ghost? and therfore this doctrine is necessary for all, and I do hope by Gods assistance like­wise to satisfy euery one.

Let vs begin then from hence. I graunt you that your faults are cause of your di­straction, and aridity in prayer, and that you cannot settle yourself vnto it, & ther­fore it is expediēt that you know so much, and say, it is for your passed sinnes, and present negligences and defects for which God Almighty doth punish you, with the subtraction of all feruours, & all feeling in prayer, leauing you without all recolle­ction, attention, and rest, because you are not worthy or rather wholly vnworthy of it. Notwithstanding it followes not [Page 274]from hence, that you should complaine of it, but on the contrary, you ought en­tirely therin to conforme your selfe vnto the will of God. Shall I demonstrate this vnto you most cleerly? Luc. 19.22. de ore tuo te iu­dico? I will condemne you, by the words of your owne mouth do you not acknow­ledge and also confesse your selfe, that because of your sinnes past, and present negligences and defects, you deserue to be greeuously chastized by God? I do assuredly, I haue often merited hell and therfore no punishment can be to great for me, but all whatsoeuer besides, will be Gods mercy and my felicity, if it be com­pared with what I haue deserued, and I should esteeme it for a singular benefit, if God would send me some punishment in this life, because I should receaue it as a pledge and assurance, that he hath par­doned my sinnes, and reserues me not to be punished in the other life, since heere he chastiseth me. This is enough, there is required no more, I am satisfied, and pro­uided that they be not words only spoken in the ayre, let vs come vnto the issue and effect: behould the punishment which God for the present sends you for your [Page 275]sinnes, are these desolations, these distra­ctions, and aridities, this spirituall dereli­ction, therfore are the beauens become like yron vnto you, and the earth like brasse, therfore hath God retired and shut vp himselfe from you, so as you can find nothing to entertaine your selfe in prayer, God will for the present chastise you with this, and so remit, and expiat your sinne: do you not thinke that your passed sin­nes, and present imperfections, tepidities and negligences do well deserue this pu­nishment? yes vndoubtedly, and I professe that weighed with my sinnes they are but light, and that they are full of Iustice and mercy; of Iustice, because I hauing so often shut the gate of my heart against almighty God, and giuen no care vnto him when he knockt without with his holy inspira­tions, but haue sent them cōtēptibly away; wherfore I do iustly merit that he should stop his eares, and affoard me no answere now, whē I call vpō him, & that he should not open, his gate of fauour to me, but shut me out: this is a most iust punishment, but beareth no proportiō to my offences, and the frore is ful of mercy, because I merit in­finitly more. Conforme your selfe then [Page 276]with the will of God, in this your punish­ment, & receaue it with gratfull thanks, seing he is so mercifull in chastising you, & doth not punish you according to your deserts. Do you not say that you haue merited hell? How are you so audacious then to require of God, his fauours and consolatiōs in prayer? and to haue accesse and familiarity with him by their addresse enioying that peace and tranquillity of mind which he is not accustomed to be­stow on any but his children, whom he dearly loueth and tendreth? or how dare you complaine when you find the con­trary? do you not perceaue how great this presūption is? how intollerable this pride? hold your selfe content that God vouch­safeth to keepe you in his house, & suf­fereth you in his presence; and acknow­ledge and esteeme it for a high fauour, & singular benefit. If we had any humility in our hearts, we should neuer haue com­plaints in our mouthes in what māner so­euer God did deale with vs, and so this tē ­ [...]ation would casely cease.

THE XXVI. CHAPTER. How we may conuert aridity and desola­tion, into a good and profitable prayer.

WE are not ōly to suppresse in our selues this complaint, but to en­deauour to make our profit of this aridity and desolation, and conuert it into an ex­cellent prayer, vnto which first those things will confer much helpe of which we haue spoken in our treatise of prayer, Tract. 5. c. 19. to wit, to say, when we find our selues in this manner, ô Lord, in so much as this same is hapned through my fault, I am most sorry, and heartily grieued for the sinne and offence which I commit therin; but in that it is your will, and a paine and punishment which I (through my sinnes) haue iustly merited, I accept it ô Lord, & that with all willingnes, and not only for the present or for a little time, but for all the daies of my life, were they neuer so nu­merous I freely offer my selfe to beare this crosse, and am ready prest to bow vnder the weight therof, and this with all due acknowledgment and thankfulnes; This [Page 278]patience and humility, this resignation with the will of God, in this affliction, is more acceptable to God, then my many complaints and great anxiety that I can­not entertaine my selfe in prayer, and am so troubled with various thoughts and distractions whilst I am making it; If this be not so, do but resolue me, in your opi­niō, whither of these two children should please their Father more, he who is content with euery thing his Father be­stoweth vpon him, or he who is with no­thing satisfied, but goeth alwaies grud­ging and repining, thinking nothing suf­ficient which he hath, alwaies crauing more, and better things then are assigned for him? without all doubt you will say the first of them; and it is the like betwixt God Almighty and vs, that patient and quietnatured child of his, who is well cō ­tent, and conformeth himselfe in euery thing vnto the will of his celestiall Father, which he shall please to send him, al­though it be neuer so hard and trouble­some, although it were only a hard and naked bone, doth more content & please Almighty God, then on who is still repi­ [...]ing, and euer complaining and moaning [Page 279]with himself, that he hath nothing, & that nothing is bestowed vpō him. Moreouer I pray you resolue me, who taketh the bet­ter way & more moueth the compassions of men to giue almes, and him to pitty his necessity, that begger who com­plaineth if they do not satisfy him pre­sently, and draw their purses, at the first request; or he who lyeth expecting at the rich mans gate with silence and pa­tience, without complaining that he wai­teth to long, but hauing begged once, and implored his pitty, after he knoweth his mind is vnderstood, waiteth there in the raine and biting cold, without crying out, or vsing importunity, there is no doubt but the rich man by this mans pa­tience and humility, will be moued to giue him a large and liberall almes whilst the other rascals pride and sturdines, shall stir him to nothing but anger and offence; & so it is with God Almighty and vs.

And vnto the end that you may the better perceaue the value and fruite of this kind of prayer, and how gratfull it is to God, I would faine know of you, what better prayer there is and what greater fruite expected from any prayer, then the [Page 280]obteining an inuincible patience in aduer­sities, and a great conformity with the will of God, with an excellent loue of his diuine Maiestie? Wherfore do we pray at all, but to arriue to these? when God shall send you then these aridities and ten­tations in your prayer, do but conforme your selfe in this affliction, and spirituall desolation to his holy will, and you shall exercise an acte of patience and the loue of God, so high and eminent, as a more perfect cannot be imagined. It is said and with good reason, that loue declareth it selfe best, in suffering labour & affliction for it beloueds sake, and that the grea­ter the afflictions are, the more great shall that loue declare it selfe to be; Now the liueliest torments, and the heauiest crosse and mortification which God Almighties scruants can haue laid vpon them and which goe nearest the heart of any spi­rituall man, are these desolations, in re­gard of which all corporall afflictions, in point of riches, health, and temporall goods, are not in way of comparison to be accounted of. And therfore euery one is entirely to conforme himselfe vnto the will of God, in this barrennesse of com­fort, [Page 281]in imitation of our Sauiour Christ spiritually abandoned hanging vpon the crosse; accepting of this spirituall morti­fication for terme of his whole life, if God shall please for to dispose it so, with a pure intention, only to content Almighty God therwith. This is an acte of great patience and loue of God, and a most high and profitable prayer; yea and such an on, as there doe not want those who esteem them for glorious Martyrs, Lud. Blo in spec. spir c. 6. who are ex­ercised therin.

Moreouer I demaund of you, wher­fore you apply your selfe to prayer, vnles by meanes of it, to obteine humility and the knowledge of your selfe, how often haue you desired of God, to giue you a perfect knowledge of what you are, and now behould God hath heard your peti­tion, and by this meanes doth giue you to vnderstand it. Some are of opinion that they haue well discharged their duty in this point of seeking into the knowledge of themselues when they are stroken with liuely sorrow for their sinnes, and spend many teares in defaceing thē out of their soules; but they deceaue themselues, for it is the knowledge of God & not of them­selues, [Page 282]which then they do acquire: but to remaine dry, cold, and hard as any stone, this you haue of your selfe, and if God do not stricke this stone, neither hony nor water will issue out of it, and this is that knowledge of your selfe, from whence floweth forth a thousand benedictions vnto you, & of this you haue abundance, when your prayer in this māner succeeds with you and if you make your: profit of it so, your prayer will be of wonderous fruite vnto you.

THE XXVII. CHAPTER. Of diuers other reasons which may com­fort vs, and bring vs to conformity with the will of God, in aridity and desolation of prayer.

ALthough it is very profitable and good, to thinke for our greater cō ­fusion and humility that this affliction, is procured by our owne offences, neuer­theles it is also necessary for vs to know that this chastisement, is not alwaies affli­cted vpon vs for our faults, but sometimes so disposed of, out of the most profound [Page 283]prouidence of our Lord, who distribu­teth his gifts according as he pleaseth best, and as it is no waies conuenient that a whole body be composed, only of eyes, of feet, of hands, or heads, but that there should be different mēbers in his Churc [...] so is it as much vnfitting, that this parti­cular and excellent manner of prayer, which we haue mentioned in a trea [...]ise therof apart, Tr [...]ct. 5. c. 4. & 5. should be communicated to euery on, and it is as little necessary, seing they merit it not, or supposing that they do, yet may they merit more in other things, in the graunting of which vnto them. God may oblige them with a grea­ter fauour, then in bestowing vpon them this prerogatiue. There hath been diuers great and holy Saints, vnto whom we do not know whither our Lord hath in this kind been so fauourable; or if this grace were added to the aboundance of the rest, they haue said with S. Paul that they tooke no glory in it, nor had it in any singular esteeme, but all their glory was to beare the crosse of Christ: Ad Gala. 6.14. Mihi autem absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Do­mini nostri Iesu Christi.

M▪ Auila treating of this hath a say­ing [Page 284]of great consolation, M. Auila to 2▪ epis. fol. 22. God (saith he) leaueth some in desolation for many yea­res, and oftentimes for their whole liues, and for my part I beleeue that the lot and portion of these persons is best of all, if they haue but so much faith, as not to censure euill of it, and withall patience & courage to suffer so straunge an accident and long a banishment. If one could but perswade himselfe that this condition is the best for him, he would easily cōforme his owne will to that which God desires. The holy Saints, Tract. 5. c. 20. and Masters of spirituall life, do bring many reasons to the decla­ring and prouing that this part or portion is the better for them. Amōg the rest we will content our selues with one of the most important of them, confirmed by the authorities of S. Augustin, S. Hierom, and S. Gregory, as also of most of those who haue handled this argument, which is that all haue not sufficiēt ability to con­serue themselues in their humility, in such a height of contemplation, seing we can scarcely wring out a teare or two, but we presently perswade our selues we are be­come spirituall men and high contempla­tiues; whence we proceed to compare & [Page 285]perhaps prefer our selues to other men. And euen the Apostle S. Paul himselfe did seeme to stand in need, Aug. lib. de orād [...] Deū qu [...] est epist. 121. Hier. su. illud Thrē. [...] sed & cū clama­uero & rogaue­ro exclu­sit ora tionem meam. Greg. li. [...]0. mor. c. 21. & 24. 2. Cor. 12.7. of some such counterpoise, least otherwise he should haue been swaied to vanity: Etne magni­tudo reuelationū extollat me, datus est mi­hi stimulus carnis, angelus satanae qui me colaphizet, to the end that his being rapt to the third heauen, and the high intel­ligences which he had there receaued, might not stire him vp to pride, God per­mitted him to be still haunted with a tentation which might be sufficient to humble him, and make him know his owne infirmity. Therfore although this way do seeme more eminent and high, yet the other is more secure, and so God who is most wise, and who conducts vs vnto one end, which is himselfe, doth lead each one that way which is most conue­niēt for him. Perhaps if you enioyed that great familiarity with Almighty God, in prayer, in place of becoming humble and making your profit of it, you would be­come more proud and arrogant, wher­as now you are conserued in humility and confusion, and therfore this way is most proper for you, & most secure, how­euer [Page 286]you may be ignorant of it. Math. 20 22. Nesciti [...] quid petatis, you know not what you aske.

S. Gregory to this purpose doth teach vs an excellent doctrine on this verse of Iob: Greg. li. 9. mor. c. 7. Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum; si abierit, Iob. 9.11non i [...]eiligam, if he come vnto me, I will not see him, and if he depart from me, I will take no notice of it. Man, saith he is become so blind through sinne, that he doth not know, when he draweth nigh to God, or when he departeth from him, yea oftentimes that which he con­ceaus to be a great fauour of God, and wherby he imagineth himself to approach nigh vnto him, is that wherby he incur­reth the offence of God, and is the occa­sion of his farther separation from him, and on the contrary, that which he estee­meth to be the anger of God, and wher­by he gesses that God forsaketh him, and casts him vtterly into forgetfulnes, is Gods grace vnto him, and the only thing which doth withhold him from departing from him. And so who is there that doth not thinke▪ when he finds him­selfe plunged, in high praver and contem­plation, and on the receauing hand, of [Page 287]many graces and fauours from Almighty God, that he is well aduanced on the way of a straicter vnion with his diuine Ma­iestie, & so oftentimes he cometh to waxe proud of these priuacies and graces, and too secure, and to confide in himselfe too much; and the diuell by that way doth bring him to ouerthrow and ruine, which he imagined to lead directly to a greater eminence, and to approach nigher to Al­mighty God. On the other side oftētimes one shall find himselfe afflicted and deso­late, assaulted with greeuous and fierce tentatiōs, vexed with dishonest thoughts, with horrid blasphemies and doubts of faith, and thinke that God is mightily of­fended with him, and that he vtterly for­saketh and leaueth him, and then he is nigher vnto him, then euer he was before, seing by this meanes, he is rendred more humble, and more intelligent of his owne infirmity, and so wholly diffiding in him­selfe, he hath recourse to God with more liuely vigour and resolution, in placing all his confidence in him, and making it all his care that he depart not from him. So as that is not the best, which seemeth so to you, but it is conuenient you know, [Page 288]that the way which God doth lead you, is the best and most expedient for you.

Moreouer, this very bitternes, this griefe and trouble which you resent so much, because you make not your pray­ers (in your owne iudgment) so well as you ought to do, may be a new cause of consolation to you, seing it is a particular grace and fauour of God, and an infali­ble signe of your loue to him; for there is no griefe, where there is no loue: we can­not be sorrowfull that we serue not God enough without some will and purpose to serue him well; and therfore this paine & griefe is begotten from the loue of God and the desire of better seruing him, if you had no care how well or ill you ser­ued him, how your prayers did go, and how your works were done, it were an euill signe, but to be sorry and afflicted because it seemeth to you, you do nothing as you ought, hath a good signification; but this feeling will be asswadged, and sorrow made sweet vntovs, when on the one side considering them to be paine & affliction, on the other we do consider them the will of God: conforme your felfe then vnto it, and ren [...]er thanks to [Page 289]his high Maiestie, that he hath left you, so eager an apperit to do your best to please him, how ener you conceaue the worst as may be of your [...]tions, negli­gence and languor in performing them.

Moreouer, although you should do no­thing els in prayer, but only make your personall appearance there, before that diuine and soueraigne Maiestie yet were it not a little seruice which you should do to God, like as we see that it giueth a glo­rious lusture, to the greatnes and Maie­stie of an earthly Monarche, that the Princes and Nobles giue euery day atten­dance at his court, and are personally pre­sent there at all assaies. Prou. 8.34. Beatus homo qui auidit me, & qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, & obseruat ad postes osty mei. It befits the glory of the diuine Maiestie in regard of our sleight condition, and the greatnes of the affaire wherof we treat, that we should be stil waiting at the dores of his celestiall pallace, ready with thanks when he shall giue vs entry, and hum­bling our selues, when he shall shut vs out, acknowledging our selues no waies to merit it, and in this manner our prayer will be alwaies good and profitable; With [Page 290]these helps and other the like we are to serue our selues, in conforming vs vnto the will of God in this desolation, and spiritual defection, receauing it with grat­full thanks and saying: [...] Barth. de Matt. Archiep. Bracha­rensis in suo cō ­pē, c. 26. Salue amaritudo amarissima omnis plena gratiae: haile most bitter bitternes, full of all grace & good.

THE XXVIII. CHAPTER. That it is a great deceite and grieuous tentation, to leaue of our prayer, be­cause we find our selues in the said manner in it.

IT followeth from that which we haue said, that it is a great deceit and grie­uous tentation, for one when he feeleth himselfe so dry, and desolate in prayer, to giue it ouer, or not to perseuere in it, as thinking that he getteth no profit by it, but only for his paines hath losse of time. This is a tentation, wherwith the maligne spirit, hath made not only diuers seculars, but also many Religious, leaue of the ex­ercise of prayer, or (failing of so much) at least to go more rarely to it, and not to employ in it, so much time as otherwise [Page 291]they could conueniently. Diuers begin to apply themselues to prayer, and as long as they find sensible comfort and deuo­tion in it, do pr [...]secute it with great care and feruour, but when they chaunce to fall into distraction and aridity they pre­sently imagine, that it is no prayer which they make, but rather a new sinne, to be there in the presēce of God with so much distraction, and so little reuerence. And so by little and little they come to neglect their praier, in presuming that they should do God better seruice, in employing thē ­selues in some other exercise and occupa­tion, then in such manner to remaine in prayer. And as soone as the diuell hath any inkling of this their faint heartednes, he presently taketh hold of the occasion, and is so diligent, to helpe them with these distractions in their prayer, and to see they haue no want of tentations to se­cond them: he casts into their thoughts, that all the time they spend in prayer is as good as lost, and so by degrees brin­geth them to leaue it of, with losse of their vertue, and oftentimes with yet a wors effect. This we know hath been the begining of the ruines of many; Est [Page 292]amicus socius mensae,Eccles. 6.10.& non permanebit in die necessitatis, saith the wiseman, to be delighted with God, there is none but hath desire, but to indure and suffer for him, is an infalible signe of a true loue to him, when you sind comfort and de­uotiō in prayer it is no wonder if you per­seuere in it, & entertaine your felfe with it for diuers howers, for you may be mo­ued to it, only by the gust and content­ment which you find in it, as it is a signe you are, when you continue it no longer then whilst you haue such a baite as this to intice you on. When God doth visit one, with desolation distraction & ari­dity, then cometh the tryall of true frends indeed, and those faithfull seruants of his then manifest themselues, and shew that they seeke, no interest of their owne, but purely the good will and pleasure of Al­mighty God; and therfore particularly in such occasions we are to perseuer with all patience and humility▪ the wholl time allotted for our prayer, B Ignat. lib. exer. spirit. ānot. 13. and rather longer; as our B. Father counselleth vs, the better to ouercome the tentation, and shew our force and valour against the enemy.

Palladius recounteth of himselfe, Palad. in hist. Lau­siaca. how [Page 293]that ōce being shut into his cell, to bestow himselfe with more quietnes on the consi­deration of celestiall things, he was grie­uously assaulted with the tentation of aridity, and wondrously disquieted in his thoughts, in so much as he begā to thinke of leauing of his exercise begun, as a thing for which he was wholly then vnfit, her­upon he had recourse to S. Macharius of Alexandria, and declaring to him his whole tentation, he desired of him coun­sell and remedy. The Saint answered him, whē those thoughts are suggested to you againe, that you should be gone, & actuat your selfe in those pious considerations no more; Dic ipsis cogitationibus tuis▪ propter Christum parietes cellae istius custodio, say to those thoughts of yours, for Christs sake I keepe the walles of this cell of mine, as much as to say vnto him, that he should perseuer, & content himselfe to performe that holy action purely for the loue of Christ, although for his owne part, this were all the fruite which he should reape from it; and this is an excellent answere, to put of such tentations as these, for as much as the principall end, which we are to pretend in his holy exercise, and the [Page 294]intention with which we ought to apply our selues vnto it, and to be exercised in it, is not to haue our owne particular tast & cōfort in it; but to performe a good and holy action, which may be pleasing and gratefull vnto God, & withall to satisfy & defray, according to our small ability, the interest, of that great and principall debt, which we owe him for his being what he is, and for those innumerable benefits which we haue receaued from his omni­potent hand. And in fine seing that he wil­leth and pleaseth that I should be for the present so emplo [...]ed, although it seem to me that I do nothing at all, yet I ought to be most content therwith. We read of S. Katharin of Sienna, Blos. c. 4. monil. spirit. that she was for the space of many daies, destitute of all spiri­tuall consolation, and had no feeling left of the feruour of her wonted deuotion, being moreouer vexed with most wicked and filthy thoughts, from which by no meanes shee could deliuer herselfe, and yet notwithstanding shee neuer omitted her prayer, but perseuered in it, as well as shee could, and with as much circumspe­ction and care as was possible, speaking vnto her selfe in this manner. O thou most [Page 295]vile and wreched sinner, thou dost de­serue no consolation; for what? ought it not to suffice thee although thou wert to suffer these afflictions & spirituall nights, thy whole life long if finally thou migh­test not be damned as thou deseruest: as­suredly thou madest choice to serue God, on no such condition as to receaue con­solations from him here, but that thou might enioy him in heauen for all eter­nity. Arise therfore, and prosecute thy wonted exercises, and continue faithfull to so good a Lord.

Let vs then imitate these examples, & conforme our comfort vnto this saying of that holy man. Tho. de Kempis. O my Lord I esteeme this my consolation, to be well content to want all humāne comfort, and if com­fort from thee do fraile me, thy will and righteous probation of me, shall serue me for the best of all contentments. If we be but once arriued to this height of perfe­ction to esteeme the good will and plea­sure of God, to be all our ioy and delight, so as euen to take pleasure to be depri­ued of all comfort, in considering it to be his blessed will and pleasure, then we shall be in possession of true content in­deed, [Page 296]and such as nothing in the world can bereaue vs of,

THE XXIX. CHAPTER. Wherin that which hath been said is con­firmed by some examples.

IT is recounted in the Chronicles of the Order of S. Domini [...], B. Frācis. de Ca­stillo. 1. p. lib. 1. c. 6. hist. Ord. Pr [...]. how on of the Principall Religious of that Order, liued many yeares in that holy Order a singular patterne of exemplar life, and of an excellent purity of mind, without euer enioying any consolation, or finding any tast or delight, in the performance of his Religious exercises, neither in medita­ting▪ prayer or spirituall reading. This Re­ligious man▪ hearing on the otherside fre­quent mention made, of those great fa­uours high graces and spirituall feelings which God did vsually communicate to others, became halfe desperate, and one night in a deepe discontent he burst out in his prayer before a Crucifix into these much vnaduised words which were ac­companied with many a bitter [...]care. O Lord, I heare it commonly reported of [Page 297]you, that in goodnes and sweetnes you surpasse all your creatures: behold me here who haue serued you many yeares, and suffered for your sake, much tribulation, hauing made a willing sacrifice of my selfe, to your only seruice; had I serued any Tyrāt but a quarter of this time with­out doubt he would haue long since some waies declared, himselfe well pleased with me, either by a good word had I desired so much, or a gratefull looke, or some pleasant smile or other, but you ô God, you haue not done me the least good, or fauour, or shewed me any of those graces which you do to others, but you, you who are sweetnes it selfe, haue handled me more cruelly then a hundred tyrants, oh God what is the meaning of this? mise­rable as I am, why do you ordeine it so? he had no sooner vttred these fearfull words, but he heard so mighty and horri­ble a cracke, as if the whole Church had been shattering downe, and on the roufe was such a hideous noise, as if a thousand rauenous hounds had been tearing vp the planchers with their teeth, wherupon being astonished & all trembling through feare, he cast vp his head for to serch out [Page 298]the cause; he perceaued ouer his shoul­diers standing the most horrible and vglie sight as euer man had seen, a diuell weldeing a huge barre of yrō, with which he gaue him so mighty a blow vpon the body as he stroke him flat to ground, without being able to lift vp himselfe a­gaine; neuertheles he inforced himselfe so much as to crawle to the protection of an Altar not farre from him, where he found himselfe so pittifully bruzed, that he could not stire a limbe, all his body re­maining as if it had been broken and dis­ioynted with the force of blowes; In the morning when the Religious came into the Church to Prime, they found him all streched at length, lying vpon the ground without any motion, as if he had been dead, and without being able to gesse the cause of such a sodaine and dolefull acci­dent they caried him into the infirmary, where he remained for three weeks to­gether in most miserable torment, brea­thing from him a stench so filthy & hor­rible, that the Religious could not ap­proch vnto him, to bring him any reme­dy or reliefe, without first stopping their noses, and preparing themselues before [Page 299]with certaine preseruatiues at the end of this time he began a little to recouer strength, and as soone as he perceaued himselfe able to go vpon his legges, he (to cure his foolish presumption & pride, and seeke remedy at that place where through his fault he had receaued his wound) went into the Church, and with a profound humility seasoned in many teares, he made a prayer far different from the former, confessing his fault, and ack­nowledging himselfe vnworthy of any spirituall fauour, but on the contra­ry, meriting the greatest punishments. Wherupon our Lord did comfort him with a voice from heauen, saying vnto him, if thou desirest to enioy spirituall gust and consolation; thou must be hum­ble, and acknowledge thine owne base­nes and vility, knowing thy selfe to be more contemptible then durt, and of lesse value then the very wormes, which thou dost crush to earth vnder thy feet: & her­with he toke so faire a warning that ther­upon he became a perfect Religious man.

We read an other example far diffe­rent from this of our B. F. S. Ignatius, Lib. 5. c. 1. vitae S. P. Ignat. who (as it is recorded in his life) reflecting [Page 300]vpon his faults, and deeply sorrowing for them, was wont to say, that he desired in punishment of them that our Lord would sometimes depriue him of the de­liciousnesse of his consolations, vnto the ēd that feeling the curbe therof; he might be put in mind; to carry himselfe with more care and circumspection, in God Almighties seruice. But the mercy of out good God was so great towards him, and the multitude of his sweetnes, and suauity of his grace so aboundātly great that the oftener he fell, and the more earnestly he desired to feele the punishment in some such rigourous manner, the more gra­tious our Lord did shew himself vnto him, and in the greater aboundance did he shower downe vpon him the treasures of his infinit liberality. And so he vsed to say, that he did verely beleeue, there was not a man in the world, in whom was to be found, two things so passing opposit as was in him, first to fall so often into im­perfections, and continue so ingratfull to Almighty God; and on the other side to receaue so great and continuall fauours from his Almighty hand.

Blosius writeth of a certaine great ser­uant [Page 301]of God Almighty, Blos▪ c. 10. mon. spirit. vpon whom our blessed Lord had bestowed many graces & fauours, giuing him great illustrations, and communicating to him in praier high & admirable things, this holy soule out of his profound humility, did begge of God, if so it might stand with his better will and pleasure, to take from him that his aboū ­dant grace, and our Lord at his petition, for fiue yeares together left him without all consolation, in greeuous tentations, in great anxieties and afflictions, and when once, whilst he bitterly wept, two An­gells presented themselues to cōfort him, he told them, that he requested no conso­lation of them, but he should be aboun­dantly satisfied, if the most acceptable will of God might be effected in him.

The same Blosius relateth how our Sa­uiour once said vnto S. Brigit why my deare daughter are thou so troubled and solicitous; vnto whom shee answered, Ibid. c. 4. be­cause I am afflicted with diuers vaine and euill cogitations, of which I can by no meanes rid my selfe, and the feare of thy Iudgment doth much disturbe my soule: this is exact iustice answered our blessed Lord, that as thou hast been formerly de­lighted [Page 302]on the vanities of the world a­gainst my will, so now against thy will thou shouldest be troubled with as many various and wicked thoughts therof; Ne­uertheles feare my iudgment with mode­ration and discretion, firmely euer confi­ding in me who am thy God, for thou art to hold it for most certaine true; that such euill cogitations, which the mind striueth against and doth abhorre, both purify and crowne the afflicted soule: if thou canst not auoid them, beare them patiēt­ly and keepe thy will, resoluedly bent a­gainst them. And although thou dost not consent vnto them▪ notwithstanding feare least thou become proud therof, and so come to fall, for whosoeuer stands, is sup­ported with the only force of God.

Taulerus saith and Blosius recoūteth it in his Cōsolation of the Pusilanimous that there are diuers who whē they are vexed with any tribulation do vse to say vnto me, Tauler▪ Father I am much afflicted, all goeth very ill with me, for I am greatly pestered and perturbed with many afflictions and much griefe and sorrow; and I tell them that it goe [...] well with them: then they will reply, ô Sir but my fault is only the [Page 303]cause of it, to whō I answere againe whi­ther your fault be cause of it, or no, be­leeue neuertheles that it is a crosse of affli­ction imposed by God vpon you & ren­dring thanks vnto him, suffer it patiently, and resigne your selfe vnto him. Then will they tell me, oh but I euen internally pine away, with that great aridity, and spiri­tuall obscurity in which I liue; vnto whom I finally reply, beare it patiently my deare child, and it will be more for your soules good, then if you were in neuer so much and great sensible feeling of deuotion.

We read of a great seruant of God Al­mighty who said, it is fourty yeares since first I serued our Lord, and haue been conuersant in prayer, and yet I haue ne­uer knowne what sensible feeling or con­solation was, but only this I haue found; that daie when I haue duely made my prayer, I am much strēgthned, & enabled to go thorough with the exercises of ver­tue, wheras if I euer omit it or performe it tepidly, I am so infeebled, that I can­not raise my selfe on wing to do any thing which is good and vertuous.

THE XXX. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God, for as much as concerneth the distribution of others, vertues, and supernaturall gifts.

LIke as we conforme our selues vnto the will of God, in what manner so euer he shall dispose of vs in prayer, so also are we to do, in all other vertues & gifts of God, and in all spirituall fauours and prerogatiues, it is good to haue all vertues in desire, to aspire vnto them, and indea­uour to attaine them; but we are in such manner to desire to become better, and to go forwards and increase in vertue, as not to be disquieted if we obteine not that which we desire, and to conforme our selues vnto the will of God, and place our whole contentment and delight therin. If God be not pleased to bestow vpon you an Angelicall purity, but would haue you suffer in that kind violent tentations, it is farre better for you to haue patience in it, and to accommodate your selfe vnto the will of God, in this tentation and extre­mity, [Page 305]then to disquiet and trouble your selfe, with bootlesly lamenting of your case that you cannot attaine vnto that purity and candour of the blessed soules, in heauen, if God be not pleased to bestow vpon you so profound a humility as S. Francis had, neither a mildnes, answera­ble to that of Moyses or of Dauid, nor in fine so great a patience as that of holy Iob, but letteth you experience the con­trary motions & appetits, your best course were to humble your selfe and to embra­ce the shame, which may giue you occa­sion of hauing your selfe in a more vile esteeme; which will not be effected if you remaine troubled with it, and spend your selfe in silly complaints and lamen­tations, because God hath not indowed you, with an equall patience vnto holy Iob, or such a humility as S. Francis had. We must conforme our selues vnto the will of God euen in such things as these, or els we shall neuer enioy true quietnes. M. Auila saith excellent well: Auila c. 23. Audi filia. I do not belieue (saith he) that there hath euer been Saint in the world, who desired not to become better then he was, but that notwithstanding did not hinder quiet of [Page 306]mind since they desired it, not out of any cupidity of their owne (for that is insatia­ble & neuer cryeth enough) but only for God, with whose distribution they should haue been content, although he had gi­uen them lesser then they had, esteeming it the part of on who loueth loially and truly indeed, to content himselfe with that which is giuen him, rather then to desire more, how euer selfe loue may pre­tēd that it is to be able to serue Almighty God the better.

But some will say, that our speech see­meth to tend to this, that we should not be very forwards and feruent in desiring to be more perfect and vertuous then we are, but that we ought to remit ourselues wholly vnto God as well in matter of soule, as of our body, and from thence they may imagine that we may giue oc­casion to some, of becoming more tepide and negligent, and neuer to striue to be­come perfect, or make progresse in vertue. This point is well to be heeded, seing it is not of little importance; this obiection and reply, is so forcible that there is no­thing more in this treatise to be feared. There is no doctrine, how sound or good [Page 307]so euer it be, which may not be abused by those who know not how to apply it as they ought, & of this number are as well those things which appertaine to prayer, as those which concerne all other vertues, and spirituall gifts, and therfore it is need­full that this be well declared and vnder­stood. I do not say that we are not to de­sire euery day to be better & holyer then other, and to be alwaies imitating those who are more perfect, with the greatest diligence and feruour as we can, for we are come into Religion, only vnto this end, and if we do not this we are no good Religious men: but that which I say is, that we are to carry our selues in this point, as we do in exteriour things, where a man must be diligent to procure them, but not anxious, nor too couetous, as the holy Do­ctors say, and our Sauiour prohibiteth it in the Euangell; Dico vobis ne soliciti sit is animae vestrae, quid manducetis, Math. 6.25.nec corpori vestro quod induamini, where that which he reprehends is a care and anxiety too inordinate, and an appetit of those things too immoderate: but he for­bideth not a moderat care, and requisit di­ligence, but rather comaunds it, and hath [Page 308]by way of pennance imposed it on vs: Gen. 3.19. In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo. It is requisit that men should vse labour & di­ligence to liue, or els it were a tempting of Almighty God. In this manner we are to behaue our selues in spirituall things, and in the obteining of vertues and the gifts of God, wherin we haue need to be very diligent and vigilant, yet so, as not to be­reaue our selues of our minds peace, and conformity with the will of God; You are to do all which possibly you can, and if with all you do, you cannot arriue vnto that high perfectiō to which you do pte­tend, you are not to be transported with impatience▪ for that were worse then the faults which hinder you, yea although it should seeme to you, that it were occa­sioned through your owne lukewarm­nes (which [...]s a thing that vsually affli­cteth many [...] to procure to vse all diligence [...] to the compassing of it, when [...] your selfe defectiue, and sal [...]e into any faults you are not to be distraited, or to loose courage, for it is [...] common [...] vs all, you are a man and not an [...] and not yet [...] of ou [...] [Page 309]misery and infirmity, Psal. 102.14. quontam ipse cog­nouit figmentum nostrum, and would not haue vs discouraged therfore, 2. p. tra. 6. c. 3. but that we should repent and humble our selues, and presently rise againe & beg new forces of him, indeauouring both in the interiour and exteriour, to liue more contentedly, for it is farre better that you should pre­sently with cheerfulnes enterprise a new, which would redouble your courage to serue God better for the time to come, then in tormenting your selfe for you? offences, which whilst you thinke to do for the loue of God, you displease the same God in your ill seruing him, with a tepid heart, and a deiected mind and o­ther the like branches of imperfection, which vse to sprout from such a corrup­ted root. There is nothing els to be feared here then the daunger wherof we haue formerly spoken, which is least our tepi­dity do increase, and we omit of our parts to do what lieth in vs vnder the pretext of saying it is God who is to bestow this on me, all is to proceed from his hand, for my part I can do nothing more: and we are likewise to take the same heed in that which we haue said in matter o [...] [Page 310]prayer, c. 26 & seq. & least slouth also deceaue vs there vnder the same pretense. Hauing then stopt and made good this breach, and done truly on our parts that which we ought to do, God will be more pleased with our patience and humility in these weaknesses of ours, and spirituall wants, then with the melancholly and excessiue discontent of those, who thinke their pro­gresse in vertue and perfection no waies answerable to their desire, & their prayer not to succeed so well, as otherwise it might if they were not in fault. For this arte of prayer, and perfecting our selues, is not required, by being sad or lesse satisfied with our selues, or by violen­ce or force of armes, but it is God who doth instruct vs in it, and doth bestow it vpon whom he pleases, and also when he pleases; and it is most certaine that euen among those who are to be blessed in heauen, there is inequality of glory, and therfore we are not to be discouraged if we are not of the best, yea perhaps not of the middle sort, but we are in euery thing to conforme ourselues vnto the will of God, and render infinit thanks vnto our gratious Lord that he hath giuen vs [Page 311]hope by his great mercy to be saued at last, and if so be that we cannot hold our selues from falling into faults in this mortall life of ours; let vs thanke God at least for this, that he hath giuen vs the knowledge of those faults of ours. And if we cannot obteine heauen; by the subli­mity of our vertues as some others do, let vs be content, to make our selues a way thither, by the knowledge and sorrow of our sinnes, as do the greater part. Hier. in prolog galeat. S. Hie­rom saith that others offer in the Temple of God according to their ability, one gold, an other siluer, and pretious stones, others silke, purple, scarlat and cloth of gold, for me it suffices to make my offe­ring in his holy Temple with goats haire and the skines of beasts: and so, let others present their vertues to God, their excel­lent and heroicke actions, their high and eleuated contemplations; it is enough for me to sute my offering to my base con­dition, and to acknowledge and confesse my selfe before the face of God a sinner & imperfect, & present my selfe before his omnipotent Maiestie as a poore & needy wretch. And euen in this I am to reioyce, and to thanke and praise Almighty God [Page 312]that he hath not depriued vs of those gifts whatsoeuer they be which he hath be­stowed vpon vs considering our offences and vile ingratitude.

S. Bonauenture, Bonau opuse de profectu Relig li. 1. c 33 Gert, tra de mōte contēpl F. Barth de mart. Archiep Brachar. in suo cōpend p. 2. c. 15.Gerson & diuer others do add vnto this an other point, by which that which we haue said is better confir­med, which is, that diuers persons do serue God better without this great vertue and recollection▪ (so that on their parts their desire and industry be not wanting) then if it were graunted them, seing that by this meanes they are preserued in humi­lity, and they proc [...] with care and dili­gence, procuring withall earnestnes their farther progresse in spirit h [...]uing for that end frequent recourse to God: whereas if they should once become familiar with vertue perhaps they would be proud and negligent and goe slowly forwards in the seruice of God, imagining that they had already attained that heigth of perfection which was necessary for them, & would neuer put thēselues to the paines of endea­uouring to become more perfect thē they were. All this which we haue said ought to be an incitement vnto vs to do on our parts precisely all we can, and to proceed [Page 313]alwaies with all care and diligence to the purchasing of vertue and perfection, and then to hould our selues content with whatsoeuer our Lord shall please to be­stow vpon vs, and not to be deiected nor disquieted for that, vnto which we can­not attaine and which is aboue our reach, Auila to. 2 epist. fol. 32. for this (as M. Auila very well obserueth) were no other then to afflict our selues because we haue not wings to fly in the ayre.

THE XXXI. CHAPTER. Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God in that which con­cerneth felicity and glory.

WE are not to conforme ourselues ōly vnto the will of God, in those things which concerne grace, but also in point of heauenly glory, in which a true seruant of Almighty God ought to be so farre estranged from all interest of his owne, as he is no farther to reioyce in it then that he seeth the holy will of God accomplished, and not for any commo­dity [...] owne. It is a high perfection [Page 314](saith deuout Thomas a Kempis) not to seeke our owne ends neither in little nor much, neither in things temporall nor eternall, and giueth the reason of it, in these words because your will ô Lord and the loue of your honour ought to be trans­cendent vnto all, and it becomes vs to be more content and comforted therewith, then with all the benefits which either we haue or may possibly receaue.

This is the content and ioy of the Bles­sed in heauen, Tract. 3. c. 14. where the Saints esteeme their happines greater in the accomplish­ment of the will of God, then in the ex­cessiuenesse of their owne glory, they being so straictly vnited to his will, that they desire not so much the glory which they possesse, neither the beatitude which they enioy, for any profit resulting to thē from thence, neither for the content which they receaue therin, but only be­cause God is well pleased therwith, and it is his will for to bestow it on them. And hence it proceedeth that euery one is soe well content with that degree of beati­tude which he hath, as he affecteth no other, neither is displeased that any one is aduanced aboue himselfe; because who­soeuer [Page 315]enioyeth the vision of Almighty God, becomes so transformed into him, that he wholly leaueth of all proper will, and beginneth expresly to haue the same will with God, & he taketh all his cōtēt­ment and delight therin, in considering that it is the will & pleasure of God that it should be so. And we see how illustrous this vertue hath been in diuers great Saints, as in Moyses and S. Paul who for the saluation of soules, and the greater glory of God, seemed so wholly to haue forgot themselues, as they were not so much as mindfull of their owne glory. Exod. 32 32. Aut demitte eïs hanc noxam, aut si non facis, dele me de libro tuo quem scrip­sisti, either ô Lord forgiue these people (said Moyses) this fault of theirs, or if thou wilt not blott my name out of thy booke of life, and S. Paul, Ad Rō. 9.3.obtabam ego ipse anathema esse à Christo pro fratri­bus meis, I my selfe wished to be excom­municated from Christ for my brothers sakes. And S. Martin who together with many other Saints, did follow the do­ctrine of so excellent Masters, said in the article of dying: Si adhu [...] sum necessarius populo tuo, non recuso laborem. O my [Page 316]God if yet it be needfull for thy people that I liue, I do not refuse the labour. They neglected willingly their owne re­pose, and vnfainedly renounced all right which they had to glory, when they were euen vpon the point of enioying it, offe­ring themselues afresh to more paine and labour for Gods greater seruice. This is truly to do the will of God in earth, as it is in heauen, to cast wholly into forget­fulnes our owne commodity, and repose all our content in the accomplishing of the will of God, esteeming the content­ment of his diuine M [...]iestie more, then all our owne profit or the possession both of heauen and earth.

And from hence may be clearly per­c [...]aued how great perfection is requisit to the exercise of our conformity to the will of God: for if we must haue no re­gard of any interest of our owne, of any spirituall good, no not eternall, nor what is more, of blessednes its selfe, to k [...]pe our sight more obseruant of Gods good will and pleasure, how much lesse are we to care for humane, respects and all these temporall things? Whence also we may perceaue how far short they come of this [Page 317]perfection who find repugnance to con­forme themselues vnto the will of God, in such things as we haue treated of in the beginning, as in residing here or there, in liuing in this Colledge or in that, in being employed in one or the other office, in enioying perfect health or being infirme, in being much or little esteemed by o­thers, for as we now affirme, we are more to esteeme the good pleasure and will of God then all the prerogatiues which we may redound vnto vs, either from our spi­rituall or eternall good, wheras you are still insisting on these things which in [...] ­parison of the other are but drosse and b [...]senes itselfe, he who had but such at­ardent desire to please God, and to ac­complish his holy will, as to disdaine wil­lingly his owne glory, & to be contented with the meanest place, not out of any [...]esse desire, of doing heroicall acts to cō ­mend his seruices and labour to the hig­hest place, but only because he hath in chiefest esteemation the pleasure of Al­mighty God; he, I say shall find no diffi­culty in any other thing, seing he hath re­nounced for the loue of God the highest degree of excellency to which he could [Page 318]arriue, and this is the chiefest thing which we can depart with, and leaue for to con­forme our selues vnto the will of God. If it be Gods pleasure that I should die instāt­ly. and haue lesse glory, I had rather do so, then liue twenty or thirty yeares more, although I were to merit a higher degree of glory, and on the contrary, although I were assured of the glory of heauen, if I died at this present, yet if God should please to retaine me yet longer for diuers yeares, in this prison and banishment of mine in suffering many labours and mi­series, I should rather do it then go pre­sently to heauen, seing the good pleasure of God, and the fulfilling of his holy will, is my only content and glory, Psal. 3.4. tu es gloria mea, & exaltans caput meum.

There is recounted of our B. F. S. Ig­natius, Lib. 3. c. 2. vitae S. P. Ignat. a rare and remarkable example in this kind, he being on day with F. Laynes and others, vpon the occasion of a dis­course they had, said to F. Laynes: what would you do, in case our Lord should propose to your choice in this man­ner. If you will dy presently, I will re­lease you from the prison of your body, and bestow vpon you my eternall glory, [Page 319]but if you will liue longer, I giue you no certainty of what may happen to you, but vpon your perill be it, so as if you liue and perseuer in vertue I will reward you for it eternally: If you cease to be good, I will Iudge you according to your works. If, I say, our Sauiour should say thus vnto you, and you in remaining longer in life, could do some great and notable seruice to his diuine Maiestie what do you thinke should you choose, what would you an­swer him? vnto whom F. Laynes re­plyed. I confesse ingeniously to your Re­uerence, that I should choose to go in­stantly to enioy Almighty God, and put my saluation in security, leauing nothing to daunger in a thing of so high conse­quēce. Then said our B. Father to him, for my part I do assure you I should not do so, but if I imagined that with longer liuing I could do God any particular seruice, I should humbly beseech him, to giue me life so long vntill I had discharged it and should haue no regard vnto my selfe, but all to him, without careing either for mine owne daunger or security. And in this doing he was not of opiniō that he should put his saluation in ieopardy or daunger, [Page 320]but rather that he should the more secure it, seing that out of confidence in God, he had chosen for his greater seruice, to remaine here exposed still to daungers; For what King, or Prince is there in the world, said he, who after he had offered his seruant some extraordinary recom­pence for his seruice, and the seruant had respited the acceptance of it, the better to do some important thing for him, who would not hold himselfe in a man­ner obliged, not only to reserue it for him, but to giue it him afterwards with addition, seing that he had depriued him­selfe of the present possession of it only out of loue to him, and his affection to do him greater seruice. Now if men who are so forgetfull of benefits and ingratfull, will do so much, how much more are we to hope for, from such a Lord, who with his grace hath so preuented vs, and obli­ged vs with so many speciall fauours? how can we feare, that he will abandon vs and let vs fall, when we haue differd our bea­titude, and forborne the fruition of it for his sake alone? We cannot beleeue not feare so much, of such a Lord as he.

THE XXXII. CHAPTER. Of conformity, vnion, and perfect loue of God, and how we are to apply this exercise to practise.

THat we may the better perceaue the perfection and excellency which is comprized in this exercise, as also how farre we may arriue by means of it, we will (for end and conclusion to this trea­tise) speake somewhat of that sublime ex­ercise of the loue of God, as it is tought by the Saints and Masters of spirituall life; and it seemeth to come fitly for our purpose, seing that one of the principall effects of loue (according to S. Denis the Areopagit) is to make the will of the be­loued its owne, S. Dion. cap▪ 4. de diuin. nomin. so as to will and not will the same in euery thing: whence the more one hath of conformity with God Al­mighties will, the more he hath of the loue of God; and the more loue he hath, the more straitly is he vnited and confor­med vnto his will. To declare this the bet­ter it is necessary that we ascend into hea­uen with our consideration, and behold in what manner the blessed there are louing and conforming themselues vnto [Page 322]the likeing & the will of God, in hauing one will with him, since the nigher we shall cōforme our selues to that, the more perfect shall be our exercise. The glo­rious Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn saith that the vision of God, doth beget in the blessed a similitude vnto him; Quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus, quo­niam videbimus eum sicuti est, and that because in seing God they are in such mā ­ner vnited with him, [...]oan. 3.2. and transformed into him, that they haue in common but one will and liking; Now let vs see what is this will, liking, and loue of God, that we may withall arriue to know what the desire and will of the blessed is, and gather from thence what our will & per­fect loue ought to be. The will of God and his most soueraigne and perfect loue, is his owne glory, and his being so supremly perfect and glorious as he is; and this is the same loue which possesseth the blessed in heauen; so that the loue of the Saints and blessed is, a loue and desire, by which with all their forces they loue and desire that God should be what he is, and of himselfe so good, so glorious, so worthy of [...]ll honour, and so mighty as he [Page 323]is, and seing they behold in God all which they do desire; therfore is it that they reioyce in full fruition of that fruite of the holy Ghost, of which the Apostle speaketh, Ad Gala. 5.22. fructus autem spiritus est gau­dium, to wit, an vnspeakeable ioy to be­hold him whom they so dearly loue, so rich in himselfe with euery better thing. Frō that which we see ordinarily to hap­pen in this world we may giue an imper­fect gesse at the Diuine Ioy which the blessed in heauen receaue in this particu­lar. Do but marke how great the ioy and contentment is of a child here on earth, to see his Father whom he tenderly respe­cteth, beloued, honoured, and gratfull vnto all; or wise, rich, mighty and gra­tious with his King? assuredly there are children of so toward nature, and choyce education, as will not sticke to say, that there is no ioy in the world to be compa­red, to that which they receaue frō seeing their Fathers in so prosperous state. Now if this ioy here can be so great, where loue is so cold, and the things which occasion their ioy so slight and poore, what may the contentment of the blessed be, to see their rightfull [...]ord, and Creator, and [Page 324]their celestiall Father, into whom they are so transformed through loue, so good, so holy, so excellently faire, so infinitly powerfull and great; how all created things haue their being and beauty from his will alone, without which not a single leafe can shake vpon a tree: which saith the Apostle S. Paul is a ioy so great, 1. Cor. 2.9. as neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor any heart hath comprehended it. This is that deepe and mighty riuer which S. Iohn saw in his reuelations, Apoc 22.1. & Psal. 45.5. flow­ing forth from the Throne of God and from the Lambe, reioycing the Citty of Almighty God; of whose waters the bles­sed in heauen do drinke, and being inc­briat with this holy loue▪ chaunt out per­petually that Alleluia of which S. Iohn doth speake, together blessing and glori­fying God. Apo. 19.6. & 7. Alleluia, quoniam regnauit Dominus Deus noster omnipotens, gau­deamus & exultemus & demus glorian­e [...], there they reioyce and are delighted with the greatnes of God Almighties glory, congratulating with him, and ren­dring him a thousand benedictions for the same with an incredible ioy and iubi­lation▪ Apoc. 7. [...]. Bened [...]c [...]io, & claritas, & sapien­tia, [Page 325]& gratiarum actio, honor & virtus & fortitudo Deo nostro in saecula saecul [...] ­rum, Amen.

This is the loue which the Saints do beare to Almighty God in heauen, this is their vnity & conformity with his bles­sed will, speaking in proportion to our meane capacity, and this is that which ac­cording to our small ability, we are to in­deauour to imitate on earth, that the wil [...] of God may be done on earth; as it is in heauen. Exod. 25.40. Inspice & fac secundum exem­plar, quod tibi in monte monstratum est, marke well, and do according to that pat­terne which hath been shewed you in the mount, said our Lord vnto Moyses, when he commaunded him to erect him a Ta­bernacle: M. Au [...]a to. 1. cp. P. Fran. Arias p. 2. profect spir. tra. 5. c. 3. & 4. P Lud. de Puēt. 2. to. mc. dit. p. 6. and so ought we to do all things here, conformable to that modell and sampler which is proposed vnto vs to worke after, on that high mountaine of glory, and so are we to loue and desire that which the blessed in heauen loue & desire, as also that which God himselfe both willeth and liketh, which is his glory, and his being soueraignly perfect and glorious.

Now vnto the end that each one may [Page 326]the better bestow himselfe vpon this holy exercise, we will in briefe declare the pra­ctise of it. When you are in prayer, con­sider with your vnderstanding the infinit being of God, his eternity, his omnipo­tence, his infinit wisdome, beauty, glory, and blessednes; and then exercise the affe­ctions of ioy and pleasure with your will, making it your only delight and comfort that God is what he is, that he is God, that he hath his being and endles goodnes only depēdant on himselfe, without stan­ding in need of any one; wheras all be­sides do stand in need of him, in that he is omnipotent supreamly good exceeding glorious, and all with in himselfe. In the like manner are we to consider, all the other perfections and infinit good which is in Almighty God. [...]. Tho. 2 [...]. q. 28. art. 5 ad 3. & ar. 1 This as S. Thomas saieth and with him the diuins in generall, is the greatest and perfectest acte of the loue of God, and so likewise is it the most supreme and excellent exercise of confor­mity with the will of God, seing there is no greater nor perfecter loue of God, thē that which God doth beare vnto him­selfe, which is the loue of his owne glory and being, towit souerainly perfect and [Page 327]glorious, neither can any one haue a better will then this. Therfore the more excel­lent and perfect your loue shall be, the greater resemblance it shall haue vnto the loue which God doth beare himselfe, and the more great and perfect likewise shall be our vnion and conformity with his omnipotent will. Moreouer the Philo­sophers do teach, Aristo [...]. Rhet. l [...]. 2. c. 4. that amare est velle alicui bonum cius causa [...], & non sui ip­sius, to loue is to wish good vnto an other, not for his owne sake, but his only whom he loueth, whence it followeth that the more good we wish an other, the more loue we beare him. Now the greatest good which we can wish Almighty God, is that which he hath already, as his infi­nit being, his goodnes, wisdome, omni­potence, and endles glory▪ When we beare affection to any creature, we are not only delighted with the good which he is owner of, but haue also scope to wish him some good, beyond that which he hath already, seing the goodnes of all creatures may receaue addition: but we cannot wish any good to God which al­ready he is not possessed of, seing he [...] euery way infinit, and so can haue no [Page 328]more power, no more glory, no more wisedome, nor more goodnes then he hath. And for this cause the greatest good which we can wish to him, and consequently the greatest loue which we can beare him, is to be glad and re­ioyce, and to take all our pleasure & con­tentment that God hath so much good as he hath, that he is so good as he is, so rich, so powerfull, so infinit and glorious.

Hence it is that, as the Saints which are in heauen, and the most sacred humanity of Christ our Sauiour, together with his glorious virgin Mother & all the Quires of Angels, do reioyce to see God so beau­tiful & superabounding with euery good: which ioy and delight of theirs cannot conteine it selfe from bursting forth into loud praises of such an excellent Lord; neither can they be satisfied with blessing and praising of him without end. And as the holy Prophet singeth. Psal. 83.5. Beati qui ha­bitant in domo tua Domine, in saecula sae­culorum laudabunt te, euen so ought we to vnite our hearts, and raise our voyces to that high pitch of theirs, as we are taught by our holy Mother the Church, cum quibus, & nostras voces, vt admitti [Page 329]iubeas deprecamur supplici cōfessione di­centes, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Domi­nus Deus Sabaoth plenis [...]nt caeli & terra gloriatua. We ought perpetually (or with the greatest frequency as we can) to praise and glorify God, in reioycing and deligh­ting our selues with that glory and soue­ranity which he hath; blessing him, and congratulating with him for the same: wherby we shall resemble in our imper­fect manner the blessed in heauen, and Almighty God himselfe; exercising tho highest act of loue, and the most perfect conformity with the will of God, as can possibly be imagined.

THE XXXIII. CHAPTER. How much this exercise is commended vnto vs and inculcated in holy scripture.

WE may yet better comprehend the value and excellency of this exercise and conceiue how acceptable it is to God, in that it is so much recom­mended and often iterated in the holy scripture; whence also we may lay hold [Page 330]on the occasion to exercise it more, and insist vpon it longer. The Royall Pro­phet Dauid in his Psalmes doth almost in euery verse inuite vs to this holy exer­cise. Psal. 31.21. Psal. 32.1. Psal. 36.4. Laetamini in Domino & exultate iusti, & gloriamini omnes recti corde. Exultate iusti in Domino. Delectare in Domino & dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui. Reioyce in our Lord, and exult ô yea iust, and glory all you of a right heart. Yea righteous exult in our Lord. Re­ [...]oyce in him (and in his infinit goodnes) and he will graunt you the petitions of your owne heart, or rather, all which you shall desire and stand in necessity of. For this is a prayer, by which without, setting your selfe to pray, you pray, and God heareth the desires of your heart, to shew how much he is delighted with this prayer of yours. And the Apostle S. Paul writing to the Philippians saieth, Ad Phil. 4.4. reioyce alwaies in our Lord: Gaudete in Domino semper, and thinking it not sufficient to haue said it once, he adds, iterum dico gau­ [...]ete, I say againe to you, reioyce. And this was the ioy which informed the sacred Virgins purest heart, when in her Canti­cle shee said, [...] 1. [...]. Et exultauit spi [...]itus meus in [Page 331]Deo salutari meo, and my soule hath ex­ulted in God my saluation. And with this ioy likewise was our B. Sauiour Christ replenished when (as the sacred Euangell testifieth of him) exultauit Spiritu San­sto: he reioyced in the holy Ghost. Luc. 10.21. And the roy all Prophet said, that the ioy and contentment was so passing great which his soule receaued, from the considera­tion of the great felicity & glory of God, and so becoming it was for euery one, to reioyce in that infinit goodnes which is in him, as euen the soules ioy out of its aboundance had influence into his body, and set his flesh on fier with the same loue of God; Psal. 83.3. Cor meum & caro mea ex­ultauerum in Deum viuum, my heart & flesh haue exulted in the liuing God, and in an other place: Psal. 34.9. Anima mea exultabit in Domino, & delectabitur super salutari tuo; omnia ossa mea dicent, Domine quis similis tibi? my soule shall reioyce in God, and be delighted with the Author of it saluation, and all my bones shall say, ô my Lord who is like to thee? And be­cause this loue is a thing so celestiall and diuine, our Mother the Church dire­cted by the Holy Ghost, in the be­ginning [Page 332]of her Canonicall howers, inui­teth vs by this Inuitatorium, to loue out Lord in this manner, to reioyce, to triūph in his endles perfection and it is the begin­ning of the 94. Psalme: Psal. 94.1. & 2. Venite exulte­mus Domino, iubilemus Deo salutarino­stro, praeoccupemus faciem [...]ius in con­fessione, & in Psalmis iubilemus ei, come all and reioyce in our Lord▪ and sing can­ticles of iubilation to his eternall praise, who is our saluation▪ seing he is God and a mighty Lord and King aboue all Gods veing the sea is his and he made it, and his hands haue founded the dry Land: Quo­niam Deus magnus Dominus & Rex magnus super omn [...]s Deos &c. Quoniam ipsius est mare, & ips [...]fecit illud & ari­dam fundauerunt manus eius, for this reason and the same end the holy Church concludeth all it Psalmes with this versi­cle. Gloria Patri, & silio, & Spiritui San­cto. Sicut erat in principio & nunc & semper, & in saecula saeculorum, Amen, & this is that entrance into the ioy of our Lord which our Sauiour spoke of in the Ghospell. Mat. 25.21. Intra in gaudium Domini tui, where we are made partakers of the insi­nitioy of God▪ by reioycing & delighting [Page 333]our selues with him for his glory, beauty, and riches, all infinit.

Now to the end that we may take pleasure in this exercise, and endeauour to proceed alwaies therin with this cheer­fulnes and ioy, it will much helpe vs to consider how good God is, how faire, how glorious: in all which he is so passing infinit, that his only vision doth render those who do enioy it blessed; in so much as should but the damned in hell, once haue a glimps of him, all their paine and torments would be turned to ioy, & Hell would be changed to a Paradyse; Ioan. 17.3. H [...]e est autem vita aeterna, vs cognoscunt te solum Deum verum, saith our Sauiour Christ in the Euangell of Saint Iohn. This is eternall life, that they know thee the only true God; this is that which maketh them blessed, and that not only for a day, or yeare, but for eternity; in such manner as neuer to be satiat with seing God, but the delight therof shall be alwaies new vnto them, according to that of the Apocalyps: Apo. 14.3. Et cantabunt quasi canticum nouum, they shall alwaies sing as if their song were new. This seemeth to me suffici [...]tly to declare the infinit good­nes [Page 334]beauty and perfection of God, but notwithstanding there is alwaies some­what to adde, yea infinitly more. God is so faire, 3. Th. 1. p. q. 26. ar. 2. so glorious; that euen in seing himselfe he is made happy: so as the glory and felicity of God, is to see & loue himselfe. Imagin therfore, what reason we haue to be glad and to reioyce, in a goodnes, beauty and glory, so infinitly great, as to fill with delicious content the whole Citty of God, rendring all the Cit­sens blessed who inhabit it, & euen God himselfe happy in knowing and louing of himselfe.

THE XXXIV. CHAPTER. How we may ye [...] farther extend this holy exercise.

WE may yet farther dilate and en­large our selues vpon this subiect▪ in descending to the consideration of the most facred humanity of Christ our Lord, from the contemplation of his di­uinity; obseruing the great dignity and perfection therof, and from thence re­ceauing particular pleasure and delight, in [Page 335]that the sacred humanity of Christ is so highly exalted, and straitly vnited to his diuinity, that it is enriched with all aboū ­dance of grace and glory, that it is the in­strumēt of the diuinity, to exploit those highest mysteries of the sanctification and glorification of all the elect, and impart those supernaturall gifts and graces which God distributeth and bestoweth on men. And finally we are to reioyce & receaue exceediog pleasure from euery particular of the perfection and glory of the most blessed soule, and sacred body of our Re­deemer Iesus Christ; insisting therupon with a truly viscerall loue & delectation; In such manner as the Saints do contem­plate him, and the sacred virgin beheld him on the day of his glorious resurre­ction, rising from death so bright and triumphantly; in fine with such affection as the holy Patriarch Iacob did declare, Gen. 4 [...].38. when (as the scripture saieth) hearing that his soone was yet liuing, and Lord of all Egypt, he was surprized with so excessiue [...]oy that his decayed spirits being reuiued therby, he said, it is sufficient if my sonne Ioseph liueth, I desire no more, then only to go and see him, and then I shall be con­tent to dy.

And we may extend this exercise vnto the glory of the immaculate virgin and all the other Saints, and it would be a good and laudable deuotion, vpon their particular feasts, to spend some part of our prayer in this exercise, seing it is the most especiall seruice and honour which we can exhibit to them, as declaring the greatest loue that we can beare them, which is, to wish them all the good which they can possibly haue, and reioyce and congratulat their great & excellent glory. Which exercise the holy Church propo­seth to our deuotions on the feast of the euer glorious Virgin. Hodie Maria virgo caelos ascendit, gaudete, quia cum Christo regnat in aeternū, to day the virgin Mary ascendeth vp to heauen, reioyce therfore because shee raigneth eternally with God. And the office of the holy Masse, both in this solemnity and diuers others, doth in­uite vs to this holy exercise, and incite vs by the example of Angells in this office imployed. Gaudeamus omnes in Domino diem festum celebrantes, sub honore beatae Mariae Virginis, de cuius Assumptioue gaudent Augeli, & collaudāt filium Dei, let vs euery on reioyce in our Lord, in ce­lebrating [Page 337]this feast day, in honour of the B. Virgin Mary, for whose Assumption the Angells reioyce, and praise the sonne of God. There is moreouer an other great good and profit resulting from this deuo­tion vnto the Saints, and particularly vnto the sacred humanity of Christ our Lord; which is, that from hence we come by little and little to raise our selues, vnto a higher light of the diuinity, Ioan. 10.7. & Ioā. 14.6. seing as Christ our Sauiour saieth this is the way, & gate which leadeth vs vnto the eternall Fa­ther,

This exercise of considering God so far-forth as he is God, hath likewise its degrees; and we may render it more fa­miliar vnto vs by descending vnto the consideration of worldly things; for al­though it is most certaine, that God in himselfe can receaue no increase, seing he is euery waies infinit, and therfore there is no good falling within the compasse of our wish which he hath not already: ne­uertheles he may accidentally in his crea­tures become greater and increase, when he is better knowne, more loued & serued by them; and therfore there is place for vs to employ our selues in this act of loue, [Page 338]in wishing to God the addition of this ex­teriour good. And so the deuout soule by considering in prayer, how most worthy God Almighty is, to be loued, honoured and serued of his creatures, is to wish and earnestly desire that all the soules which are, or euer shall be, may know him, loue him, praise him, and glorify him in euery thing (and out of the depth of its deare affection say) ô Lord who shall conuert all the Infidells and sinners of the world, so as there may not be left any to offend you more, but that all may be obedient to you, and employ themselues wholly vnto your seruice, both now, and for euer more: Marc. 6.9. Psal. 65.4. Sanctificetur nomen tuum. Omnis terra adoret te & psallat tibi, psalmum dicat nomini tuo. And here we may insist and imagine with our selues a thousand waies wherby creatures may come to serue Almighty God, and wish them all particularly put in practise.

From hence is each on to descend vnto a desire of performing the will of God, & procuring his greater glory in euery thing which belongeth to them to do; euer en­deauouring to do whatsoeuer we may know to be the will of God & redound­ing [Page 339]to his greater glory. Conformable to that which our Sauiour saieth of him­selfe in the Euangell, Ioan. [...].29. quia ego quae placita sunt ei, facio semper, I do alwaies that which is pleasing to my Father. For as S. Iohn the Euangelist saieth, Ioan. 2.4. qui dicit se nosse Deum & mandata cius non custo­dit, mendax esi, & in hoc veritas non est, he who affirmeth that he knoweth God, and doth not keepe his cōmaundements, is a lyer, and there is no truth in him; Qui autem seruat verbum eius verè in hoc charitas Dei perfecta est, but he who obserueth his word hath the charity of God perfectly indeed within him.

So that to loue God, and to haue an entire conformity with his will, it is not sufficient that a man conceaueth a great ioy and delectation, for the felicity which God enioyeth, or desireth that all crea­tures may loue and glorify him, but it is requisit that he resigne himselfe wholly to the accomplishmēt of the will of God: for how can one say with any colour of truth that he desireth the greater glory of God, when euen in those things which lie in him to do, he procureth it not? And this is that loue which a soule actuateth, [Page 340]when in prayer it conceiueth good pur­poses and true desires of performing the will of God, in this or that, or any parti­cular thing which may present its selfe; with which exercise we commonly enter­taine our selues in praver.

Thus haue we laid open a large field, to exercise our selues for long time toge­ther in prayer, and declared the great profit, and rare perfection which is com­prehended in this exercise: wherfore there only remaineth that we set our hand to worke, and begin be times on earth to take essay, of that which we are euer af­ter to practise in so excellent a manner in heauen. Isai. 31.9. Cuius ignis est in Sion, & ca­minus eius, in Hierusalem, here we are to enkindle in our selues that fier of loue, but the flame therof must shine and spread it selfe, and its height and sublime perfection appeare in the celestiall Hieru­salem, which is our lasting glory.