An introduction to a deuoute life composed in Frenche by the R. Father in God Francis Sales, Bishop of Geneua. And translated into Englisg [sic], by I.Y.

Of Obedience. CHAPTER 11.

1. CHARITIE onelie placeth vs in the hight of perfection, but obedience, chastitie, and pouer∣tie are three excellent instruments to attaine vnto it. Obedience consecrateth our soule, chastitie dedicateth our bo∣die, pouertie applieth our goods & sub∣stance, to the loue, & seruice of almigh∣tie God. These be the three branches of the spirituall crosse, which euerie man must beare, all three grounded vpō the fourth vnderbraunche, which is humili∣tie. I will not say anie thing of these three virtues as they are vowed solem∣nelie,

for so they appertaine onelie to religious persons: nor as they are pro∣fessed by a simple vowe, for though al∣wayes a vowe giueth a peculiar valew and metit vnto all virtues, yet for the purpose which heere we pretend, it is not necessarie they should be vowed, so that they be well obserued. When they are vowed solemnelie, they place a man in state of perfection, but to come to perfection it self, it sufficeth that they be well obserued: for there is great diffe∣rence betwixt the state of perfection, & perfectiō it self; all bishops & religious are in the state of perfection, and yet all attaine not to perfection, as we see but too too often. Let vs endeuour then, Philotheus, to practise well these three virtues, euerie one of vs according to our vocation: for though they promo∣te vs not to the state of perfection, they will bring vs to perfection it self, and we all haue obligation to practise the∣se virtues, though not all after one fashion.

2. There are two sorts of obediēce the one necessarie: the other voluntarie. By necessarie obediēce, thou must obey thy

ecclesiasticall superiours, as the Pope, Archbishops, Bishops, Pastours, and such as are their deputies: thou must obey thy ciuil superiours, to wit, thy Prince, and his magistrats, which he hath established ouer thy countrie: and finally, thou must obey thy dome∣sticall superiours, father and mother, maister and mistresse. This obedience is called necessarie, because no man can exempt him selfe, from the debt and dutie of obeying the aforesayd supe∣riours, whome God hath placed in au∣thoritie, to command and gouerne, eache one according to the charge ap∣pointed vnto him ouer vs. Doe then that which they commaund, and that is necessarie obedience: but to doe this more perfectly, their counsailes also, must be followed & their inclinations and desires, so farre as charitie and pru∣dence will permitte thee. Obey them, when they command such things as are agreeable to thine owne will, as to eat, to recreate thy self: for though it seeme no great virtue to obey in these occa∣sions, yet would it be a great vice to disobey in them. Obey them when they

command things that are indifferent in them selues, or in thy iudgement, as to weare this, or that hab it, to goe this way, or that way, to sing, or to be silēt: and it wilbe verie commendable obe∣dience. Obey them when they com∣mand hard, displeasaunt, and vneasie things: and it wilbe perfect obedience.

3. Obey I say sweetly without replie, promptly without delaye, cheerfullie without repining, and aboue all, obey louingly, for loue of him, who for our loue made him self obedient, euen to the death of the crosse, and who (as S. Bernard sayth) chose rather to lose his life, then to lose obedience.

4. To learne to obey easilie thy su∣periours, accustome thy self to con∣descend and folow the will of thy equalls, giuing place to their opinions, when they are nor vicious, or naughtie, without all strife wrangling or conten∣tion, accommodate thy self willingly to the desires of thy inferiours, so farre as reason may permitte, and neuer exer∣cise any imperious commands ouer them, so long as they be good and virtuous.

5. It is a great deceit and errour in vs, to imagin that we would obey more easilie, if we were religious, when we find our selues rebellious to such as God hath placed ouer vs.

6. We call that obedience volunta∣rie, wher vnto we bind and oblige our selues by our owne choice, and electiō, and which is not imposed vpon vs by anie other. Men choose not ordinarilie their prince, their bishop, their father or mother, nor manie times men their wiues, nor woemen their husbands: but they choose their ghostlie father, and spirituall directour. Yf then thou choose by vow to obey, (as we sayd abo∣ue, that the holie mother Theresa, besi∣des her obedience solemnelie vowed to the superiour of her order, bound her self by a simple vowe to obey father Gratian) or if without a vowe thou de∣dicate thy self to the obedience of so∣me guide and gouernour, yet allways is this obedience termed voluntarie, be∣cause it is grounded, vpon our free will, and depends vpon our owne ele∣ction.

7. We must obey all our superiours,

but euerie one in that, in which he hath charge ouer vs: as in that which belon∣geth to ciuil policie, and publique af∣faires, we must obey our prince; our prelats in that which belongeth to ec∣clesiasticall matters; our father, our hus∣band, & our maister in domestical busi∣nesse; and our ghostlie father or spiri∣tuall directour, in the peculiar guidan∣ce of our conscience, and soule.

8. Cause thy ghostlie father, to order dispose, and impose, all the actions of pietie, which thou shouldest exerci∣se, for so they wilbe more excellent, clothed with a double beautie and me∣rit; the one taken from them selues, be∣cause they are good of their owne na∣ture and substance; the other taken frō thy obedience to thy directour, in vir∣tue wherof thou doest performe them. Happie are the obedient, for God will neuer suffer them to goe astraye.