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How conuenient it is, that Religious men bind themselues to God by three Vowes.
SONNE, it is very agreable, that the Re∣ligious be furnished and prouided of the armes of three Vertues, which he hath pro∣mised by Vowes, to wit, Pouerty, Chastity and Obedience. When the souldier desireth to imitate his Captaine, and to arme him∣selfe
with those weapons which he doth, that he may manfully, according to his Cap∣taynes pleasure, fight with his enemy, he is worthy both of praise and reward. I am the Captaine and Generall of all the religi∣ous warfare who haue marched in the van∣guard with these three Vertues, and haue shewed all my followers, how they should fight with these armes I ouercame myne enemies, & triumphed ouer them; & ther∣fore meet it is, that the Religious, who ser∣ue vnder my colours, and be to fight with the same enemyes, should vse and handle the same weapons, which if they do as they ought, they cannot but go out of the field victorious. The souldier, who endeauou∣reth to imitate his General, though he arriue not to his great strength and courage, is neuertheles worthy of his reward.
2. It is further requisite, that the Reli∣gious man cast of all things, that may be of power to hinder his profit of spirit. A schol∣ler is to do three things, that may make to his profit in humane literature. First, he must remoue all the obstacles and impedi∣ments of his studyes, such as be the pleasures of the flesh. Secondly such things, as may hinder his true progresse in his studyes, and those be the cares of temporall goods, and
helps. Thirdly, he must make choice of the most effectuall and best meanes for the ta∣king of his maisters lessons, and that is, dili∣gently to obey his maister, and the law of the Schoole. These three obstacles the Re∣ligious also remoue and take away by the benefit, and help of their Vowes. For by the Vow of Chastity they cut off all carnal delights: by that of Pouerty, the sollicitude of temporall things: and by that of Obedi∣ence they fulfill the laws of their institute and their Superiours precepts. To remoue the impediments of this spirituall way, is to walke on, and profit in spirit.
3. Sonne, sith thou art absolutly resolued to renounce the world, and all the vanities therof, meet it is, thou giue it ouer, and for∣sake it in the perfectest manner that is possi∣ble. Some leaue it in affection, as do those that haue no desire of vanities at all, and they do well. Some forsake it indeed, as do they who imbrace a Religious state, and these do better. Some againe leaue it both wayes, and they renounce it after a most perfect manner, and this do my Religious, when they vow Pouerty, Chastity, and Obedience. The further thyne enemy is from thee, the lesse can he hurt thee.
4. The world vseth three sorts of nets,
wherein many be caught. The first net is of gold and siluer, that is, of terrene riches, which because it delighteth the eye, is loued of them who are within it, and is desi∣red of them who are out of it. This net the Religious escape by Vow of Pouerty. For pouerty, the veyle of concupiscence being taken out of sight, causeth, that though the net be made of gold and siluer, it seeme no∣thing but a net, and a sore prison to be in.
5. Another net is knit of the birdlime of pleasures of the flesh, wherein those that be caught, the more they stirre, the more be they intangled and woone in it. From out of this net the Religious be deliuered by the Vow of Chastity, by the pure and milke white wings whereof they be raised aloft; and freed from the cleaning glew of carnall contentments, they become like vnto An∣gells.
6. The third net is rather an imaginary and phantasticke one, then a solide & true net, wherein they be caught who presume of themselues, and seeke after the vayne ho∣nours and estimation of this world. The Religious auoyd this net by the Vow of Obedience, who as they subiect themselues vnto others, so thinke they not of imbra∣cing any other thing, then humility and
contempt of themselues. To liue in the world, and to haue beene caught in one of these nets, is no great matter; but to liue in in Religion, and to haue fallen into the worlds snares and nets, is a case to be excee∣dingly lamented.
7. There is yet another cause of con∣gruity, that the Religious make the afore∣said three Vowes, because I haue chosen, and called them out of the world for the doing of some noble, great, and generous actions, & therfore they need a great, and stout cou∣rage, which they must declare and manifest by their worthy deeds: and the height & excellency of the Religious state, wherein I haue placed them, exacteth no lesse. For a man to be affected to these transitory and passing goods, argueth an abiect and base mind: in like manner to take a contentment in the pleasures of the flesh, is rather of beasts then of men. Therfore agreable it is, that Religious be most far from both, and this they effect by their Vows, whiles they giue demonstration of their generous mind, and by exercise of vertue auoyding that where∣unto both nature & al the senses do incline.
8. But Lord, I see not, what generosity is manifested by the Vow of Obedience, by which the Religious do wholy subiect
themselues vnto others. Neither do I well conceiue, how contemptible a matter it is to be affected to riches, and pleasures of this life, and is not a base thing also to obey, and serue another in the very least, and most ab∣iect things.
9. Sonne, thou easily discouerest thy self neither to vnderstand, nor indifferently to examine matters. For if thou thinke, that the Religious by the Vow of Obedience be subiect to others then to me, thou art greatly deceiued. And if thou thinke, that to serue in base things for loue of me, or to be subiect to others by ordination from me, is an abiect thing, thou art much more deceyued. There is a far different manner of liuing in my Court, from that of the World, where the dignity is taken of the office that is exerci∣sed, and not of the end or scope that is ay∣med at, and therfore all seeke rather to haue a power and commaund ouer others, then to be commaunded, and in subiection; and all aspi••e to dignityes and honours. And because these be of greatest regard with mē, therfore they also who be possessed of these honours, are in greatest estimation, and be held for great men.
10. But the case is far different. For if the end for which any thing is done, be vile
and abiect, the actions must needs also be abiect, and of the same nature. And where the louers of the world do all for an abiect end, as for the gaine of money, the estima∣tion and opinion of a good name, vaine glory, reuenge, and the like, it consequently followeth, that all their trauayles & actions must also be held most base. But in my court the eye and intention is especially bent to the end, which am I, and from me all hu∣mane actions receiue and borrow their worth, and dignity. And where I reward all the actions, that my Religious friends, and children do for loue of me with euer∣lasting glory, none of them ought to be re∣puted either little or abiect, but great and noble. And he who for loue of me subie∣cteth himselfe to another, giueth an euident signe of a generous and great mind, because he omitteth nothing, that may be pleasing to me his Lord.
11. Wherfore thou must not my child, accompt that base and vile, which is done for loue of me, and for my glory, because a consideratiō is to be had not so much of the thing, as of the affection, & end for which it is done. It is not vile and abiect, that maketh an entrance into heauen, and is re∣compensed with an heauenly reward: but
that is truly vile, which creepeth vpon the earth, cleaueth fast vnto it, and receiueth what is terrene & earthly, for a compensa∣tion and reward.