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.

••f Discretion required in a Religious man.

CHAP. VIII.

SONNE, he that vseth not an eauen payre of ballance, is easily deceaued in weighing: euen so he, who vseth not dis∣••retion and prudence in his actions, often∣••ymes committeth so great errour, as no re∣medy, or redresse is to be found, in either helping them, or taking them away. If thou ••xceed in chastening thy body, it will be weakned, lay down his burden, and refuse ••o discharge the seruice it oweth to the ••oule: againe if thou be ouer remisse in mor∣tifying it, it will eftsoons rebell, and turne the heels against thee and kicke. For this cause Discretiō is necessary, which teacheth how to vse the ballance, and how to keep them eauen, that the one rise not ouermuch nor the other be let downe too much. And this is the salt, that must season mans acti∣ons, that they may retaine the commenda∣tion of vertues, and may be pleasing vnto

me. They oftentimes come sooner to the a••¦pointed races end, who hold on with a moderate pace, then they who run in hast▪ For he that hasteth with a moderation▪ doth neither easily fall, nor is soone wea¦ryed, but he that maketh ouermuch hast▪ though he fall not, is yet soone wearied, & so either commeth not at all, or with much a do to the place, whither he intended.

2. O how great hurt, especially in Re∣ligion, worketh Indiscretion to the Reli∣gious, who vse neither direction, nor coū∣saile in doing of pennances, and in conti∣nuing a more seuere course of life. They thinke they please me, when they mortify their bodyes ouer much by fastings, disci∣plines, wearing of haire, and watchings: but they are deceiued. For the good that is done with Discretion, hath the commen∣dation of vertue, & pleaseth me: but what is done without Discretion, is a vice, and defectiue, and pleaseth me nothing at all. This their spirit meriteth not the name of feruour, but rather of indiscreet fury: for as much as within a while they become so weake in body, as they neither profit thē∣selues nor others. He that spurreth his horse ouer much vpon the way, is forced to stay in it, & this I iustly permit for a punishmēt

of their pride of indiscretion. For if they would submit themselues to the iudgment of their Ghostly Fathers, or Superiours, that they might go the more securely on in the way of spirit, they should neuer preci∣pitate thēselues into these inconueniences. Pennance and austerity ought to be such, as they may not ouerthrow, and destroy na∣ture, but the vices therof.

3. O how much better might they do, and more pleasingly vnto me, if their pen∣nances & mortification were euer accom∣panyed with two noble vertues: with Hu∣mility, I say, wherby they should submit themselues to the iudgment of their spiri∣tuall Fathers: and Obedience, wherby they might do, what they commaund them. For by the direction of these two vertues, they might the more securely enter into the rough and vneauen way of Pennance, and might merit much more before God. None hath euer been a good guide, and iudge for himselfe.

4. Many of them commit another er∣rour, who do in the spirituall way rely v∣pon their owne iudgment, and that is, that while they obserue not the meane in mor∣tification of their body, they ordinarily are not solicitous about the extirpating of

the vices of mind. And though they should not transgresse in any thingels, then that in the way of spirit they would not be di∣rected by them, whome I haue appointed to gouerne in my place, should not this de∣fect, arising of Pride, be a most dangerous vice and fault of the will? Tell me, what good will it do a Religious man to cha∣stize and punish his body, and in mynd to intertaine his owne will, and inordinate affections? I omit to say, that such be often∣tymes moued of vayne glory to do those outward mortifications, that others may see them, though the same be moderate, more then to the inward, that are not seen to men, which yet are not hidden from myne eyes, and which I greatly esteeme, because the austerity of life is not in so great a regard with me, as is the mortifica∣tion of the vices of the mind.

5. Moreouer the hurt, that the indis∣creet do vnto others, is not little; for as much as they who follow their example, do also imitate their indiscretion, which is vicious, and cause of many euills. Others againe, obseruing the inconueniences, and the infirmityes, that those men fall into, who were ouermuch giuen to their pen∣nances and mortifications of body, are

cleane and wholy auerted from those pious ••nd holy actions, fearing least themselues ••lso by exercising them, might preiudice ••nd hurt their owne health. Neither is it ••n all, certainly to iudge, that those incom∣modityes will not follow of pennances, out of the indiscretion, and pride of them, who haue refused to be aduised by others. He that seeketh not to auert the mischiefe and hurt, that is preiudiciall to himselfe & others, shall be punished both for himselfe and for others.

6. Lord, seeing our flesh is one of our three capitall enemyes, and so troublesome, as it molesteth vs, both night and day, wherefore is it, that thou wilt not haue it afflicted and punished? I haue heard it said, that he who maketh ouermuch of his flesh, doth nourish & intertaine an enemy with∣in his owne house, & giueth him occasion of raising warre against him. Were it not therefore a point of wisdome, and better to make warre vpon it, then that it should first of all assayle vs? Neither seemeth there any danger in punishing it ouermuch, or in v∣sing of excesse, sith the Scripture sayth, that none euer hated his owne flesh.

7. Sonne, my Scripture also sayth, that the seruice done to me, must be reasonable

and discreet, that may not exceed or go be∣yond the appointed bounds. It is indeed my will, that the flesh be mortified & pu∣nished, but yet with moderation. And though thy flesh be an enemy vnto thee, yet thou must remember with all, that it is the soules instrument, and therefore it must be in such sort handled, as it may not rebell a∣gainst her spirit, and yet may serue the soule in her owne functions. But if thou exceed in punishing it, it will languish, and pyne away, and so it will not be able not only not to serue thee, but it will stand in need of the seruice of others it selfe. He that is to walke well, must shun the extremes.

8. Some are openly tempted of the Diuel to multiply one sinne vpon another, and they be those, ouer whom he vsurpeth a full and absolute commaund. Others a∣gaine, because they be not yet caught in his snares, vnder pretence of good he induceth to sinne, as when he proposeth vnto them, that it is good for a Religious man, if he bring his flesh in subiection by long wat∣chings, and other asperityes of body, as did the holy Fathers in the wildernes, who be now Saints in heauen, and are honoured in this militant Church for lights of the world. But the crafty enemy proposeth

not, that those actions should be profita∣ble to the soule, or pleasing to God, or ex∣ercised by the rule of Discretion: neither doth he also declare, when the forces of men be not equall, that it is not conuenient for all to vse the same seuerity towards themselues: for what is mediocrity to one, is ouermuch to another. Neither doth he giue to vnderstand, that there needeth the coūsell of spiritual Fathers, without which none may with security walke on in the way of spirit. Sonne, seeing the Diuell de∣ceyueth thee by himselfe, if thou wilt not be deceiued by him in thy pennances and deuotions, follow not thine owne head, nor trust thy selfe.

9. Finally, that a Religious man may be discreet in all his actions, it is therefore also conuenient, because he is regular, and reason requireth, that he direct all his acti∣ons to a certaine square and rule, & this is to be discreet. And more then all this, a Religious mans actions must be addressed to my glory: but what glory of myne can it be, if the same be vicious and indiscreet? What pleaseth me not, procureth not either honour, or glory. Consider now, Sonne, if indiscretion in fasting, disciplines, and in other good workes of that kind displea∣seth

me so greatly, how much thinkest thou will it discontent me, if a Religious man be indiscreet in eating and drinking, in sleeping, and in the like actions, which be not of themselues holy, but indifferent? How much shal he displease me, if he ex∣ceed & be indiscreet in actions that be bad in themselues? If indiscretion be ill of it selfe, cōioyned to a bad thing it wil doubt∣les be worse, and will displease me more.

10. Discretion is necessary as well for Superiours, who gouerne others, as for sub∣iects, who are gouerned. Discretiō, which is the child of beneuolence, teacheth them to be louing, and benigne Fathers, to be compassionate to their subiects, nor to im∣pose heauyer burdens vpon them, then they are able to beare. And it teacheth the subiect to reuerence, honour, respect, & obey their Superiours. O how displeasing a thing is it to me to see a subiect indiscreet towards his Superiour. Indiscretion, because it is crueltyes daughter, and hardnes sister, cau∣seth the subiect to afflict his Superiour, by shewing himselfe froward in obeying, and dissolute in discipline. I know very well, how many sighes and deep groanes of the poore & afflicted Superiours for their sub∣iects hardnes of hart, ascend vp to heauen.

But woe to them, who shall haue giuen the occasion. The contempt that is done to Superiours, is done to me, and it appertai∣neth to me to examine and punish it.