The mirrour of religious perfection deuided into foure bookes. Written in Italian by the R. F. Lucas Pinelli, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by a Father of the same Society.

That a Religious person ought to make great reckoning of his vocation.

CHAP. III.

LORD, I should be euer foolish, willfull, and vntoward, if I should not esteeme of my vocation, which I doubt not, but is to be numbred amongst the heauenly gifts, proceeding from thine endles clemency. I should also be very vngratefull, if I should not continually render thy diuine maiesty thanks, for that without any desert of myne thou hast vouchafed to cast thy merciful eyes vpon me, and among so many millions of men, to receiue me into an holy family of Religious persons.

2. So it is, my Sonne indeed, thou art to make an high esteeme of thy vocation, not only because it is my gift, but also be∣cause thou art admitted vnto it, not deseruing

••t, but rather worthy of my wrath and indi∣••nation, procured by the peruerse conditions ••nd manners of thy forepassed life. And if ••hou make no reckoning of so great and sin∣••ular a benefit of loue, besids the punishmēt which is due to so extreme an ingratitude, ••hou makest thy selfe worthy to be spoiled ••f all the gifts, and graces bestowed vpon ••hee. For he is vnworthy of all benefit, who either acknowledgeth it not for such, ••r altogeather refuseth it.

3. Besides that, sith it is vndoubted & ••ertaine, that among all things which thou ••ast, nothing is more precious thē thy soule, ••nd that amongst thy greatest affaires, that is ••he most important, which concerneth the ••uer sauing therof; it manifestly followeth, ••hat, that vocation is especially to be estee∣med, wherby a man commeth to saue his ••oule. And he maketh a great accompt of his vocation, who loueth it, admireth it, and most inwardly affecteth it. Neither is this ••nough (for he may not escape the note of ••n vngratefull person, who though he ma∣keth a great reckoning of the benefit, doth neuertheles forget the benefactour) but to ••ake away, or preuent the blot of an vngrat∣••ul mind, there needs both an hart, a tongue ••nd deeds to requite the good turne, and be∣nefit

done thee.

4. It againe thou consider, whence I haue called thee, thou shouldst do thy selfe an iniury, if thou shouldst little regard so great a benefit: for by calling thee out of the world, I haue deliuered thee out of an intri∣cate and dangerous labyrinth, into the tur∣nings and windings whereof the further a man shall put himselfe, the harder maketh he his owne getting out. For we see the mi∣serable louers of this world being puffed vp but with a little smoke of ambition, and vayne glory, to hunt & range after honours and dignityes, as though they were put for∣wards, and driuen by the very furies of hell. And as often as this smoke driueth towards them, they please themselues, and become proud, but when it declineth them, their courage falls, they haue no hart at all, and giue themselues to sorrow & languishment. And yet all this smoke doth nothing, but fill the eyes of them who gape after it, with tears and weeping, and their mind vvith bitternes.

5. Others taking the way of carnall pleasures, do precipitate themselues into such a madnes and frenzy, as they make no reckoning at al of either foregoing life, soule yea their supreme and only good, which i••

God himselfe, so they may enioy their cōten∣ment of a most fliting and base pleasure. A carnall and sensual man hath neither know∣ledge, nor taste of matters appertaining to God, & therfore is ready and apt to exchang them for a short and little pleasure of the sen∣ses, in so much as no meruaile it is, though a blind man be deceiued. Others not finding a way how to forsake their honours and hu∣mane reputation, if they be once frustrated of their desires in that kind, transported with wrath and indignation, become more fierce and raging, then the very wild beasts, whils for reuenge of the very least iniury, they come to kill one another, and ouerthrow both families and cittyes.

6. VVhosoeuer is cruell towards his owne soule, is also cruell to others: for none hurteth his neighbour, who first hurteth not himself Others sore oppressed with the yoke of wedlocke, are so sore afflicted, as they wish rather to dye, then to lead a life among so many and dayly molestations, troubles, & cares of children and family. An vnfortu∣nate choice hath an vnfortunate conclusion. Others walke vp and down in a labyrinth, but yet fettered in a golden chaine, that is, with riches & wealth of this world, which torments them, as poore bond-slaues, both

night and day, without giuing them any true rest at all. To be fast bound with a cord is a very sore punishment, whether it be of silke, or gold. He is a foole, who casteth all his affection vpon things, that in his life time cause trouble and care, and at his death sorrow and griefe. Riches that are possessed with loue, be forgone and left with grief.

7. Vnderstand further, my Sonne, that the world, out of which I haue called thee, is a Schoole, wherin humane lawes made by men giuen to passions, are more regarded then be the laws diuine. For in it is taught, that the transitory and brittle goods, that passe away and perish vnto vs with death, are more to be esteemed, them be those, that accompany vs to the other life, and do neuer dye. In it the more fouly a man is deceaued and offendeth, the more prone is he to sinne still, and the lesse acknowledgeth he the greeuousnes therof. In this schoole the good and vertuous are laughed at, the wicked and reprobate be commended, and therfore it is worse then hell it selfe, where al the wicked are reproued, and tormented.

8. Now if thou consider, in what place I haue put thee, thou shalt find many causes of yealding me thanks for the benefit of thy vocation. I haue placed thee in a religious

state, that is, in myne owne house, the fōn∣dations wherof sith they be laid in Humili∣ty, all those that dwell in it, for the know∣ledge they haue of their owne weaknes and vtility, do reioyce in the contempt of them∣selues, and had rather liue in obscurity, then be knowne; rather to be reprehended then commended. They reueng not themselues of iniuries done to them, but they willingly forgiue them. There they liue in a most plea∣sing tranquillity, and peace: there, Myne and Thyne, that is the origen and fountaine of all dissentions, hath no place at all. All there do labour for the common good, al help one another: he that can do more, doth more: and all serue one another, & all againe serue God. There be many togeather without confusion, great variety of nations and of manners without difference of opinions & iudgments; functions and offices so distri∣buted, as one troubleth not another, and yet all ordayned for the glory of God, to the good of soules.

9. The keepers of this house be three sisters, most inwardly conioyned by fayth, fidelity, and the fast band of loue; whose of∣fice is to defend, and keep all those who dwell therin, from all calamityes of this pre∣sent life, and to secure them from the incur∣sions

of enemies, both visible and inuisible. For voluntary pouerty exempteth a religi∣ous man from all trouble of procuring, con∣seruing, & increasing worldly riches, which are wont so to molest, and paine the rich mens minds and harts, as they leaue not vn∣to them a moment of quiet and repose. A∣gaine Chastity deliuereth them from infinit desires of the flesh, whose tyranny oftentims groweth so great and outragious through the contentments of carnall pleasures, as it maketh the soule (Reason being brought in subiection to the lust of the flesh) a meere bond-slaue.

10. Finally Obedience exempteth a Re∣ligious man from daungers, whereinto they do cast themselues, who out of a certaine secret pride, desire to do all things by their owne will and iudgment, refusing to be ad∣uised or counsailed by others, and by so do∣ing cast themselues into the Diuels snares, who is the authour of all pride. He that hath vertue to guard him, hath security on earth, and is not without his reward in heauen.

11. Therfore vnderstand my Sonne, that the Schoole of religion is directly repugnant to the schoole of the world. For in that, is deliuered the manner and way of seruing

God, by the obseruation of his precepts and counsailes: in it is shewed vnto thee a most compendious and secure way of comming to the end whereunto thou art created. In it are discouered and laid open the frauds, and snares of Sathan, set by him for the intan∣gling of soules, and thrusting them downe into hell. Of this schoole I am the chiefe maister, and gouernour, who do by inward inspirations shew vnto all men the way of perfectiō. In the instruction of the schollers of this Schoole, I obserue no difference of persons: for I haue no more regard of a Gen∣tleman then of a Clowne, of a rich man then of a poore; though I loue and affect those more, who do practically by their works manifest, how well they haue learned their lessons of humility, meeknes, obedience, and the rest of the vertues, which I both de∣clared by example of my life, when I liued amongst you, and also dictated after my de∣parture to my Euangelists, who did faith∣fully write them for the vse of posterity. He is no good scholler, who endeauoureth not to imitate his maister.