CHAP: I. Of the excellency of the vertue of Humi­lity, and of the need we have thereof.

LEarn of me, saith Jesus Christ our Sa­viour, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls; Mat. 11.29. The whole life of Christ our Lord on earth, was led for our instruction, and he was the Master, and teacher of all the virtues, but especially of this of Humility, which he desired cheifly, that we should learn. And this consideration alone, may well serve to make us understand, both the great excellency of this vertue, and the great need also which we have thereof, since the Son [Page 2]of God himself came down from Heaven to earth, to teach us the practise, and to make himself our instructor therein; and that, not on­ly by word of mouth, but much more particu­larly, by his actions. For indeed his whole life was an example, and lively pattern of Humi­lity.

Saint Basil discoursing of the whole life of Christ our Lord even from his birth, observes and shews, how all his actions served to teach us this vertue in most particular manner. He would needs (saith he) be born of a mother who was poor in a poor open stable, and be layed in a manger, and be wrapped in miserable clouts; be would needs be circumcised like a sinner, and fly into Egypt like a poor weak creature, and be baptized amongst Publi­cans and sinners, like one of them. And afterward in the course of his life, when they had a mind to do him honour, and take him up for their King, he hid him­self: but when they put dishonour, and affronts upon him, he then presented himself to them: when he was honoured and admired by men, yea and even by per­sons who were possessed with the devill, he command­ed them to hold their peace; but when they thought fit to reproach and scorn him, he held his peace. And neer the end of his life, that he might leave us this vertue by his last Will and Testament, he confirmed it by that so admirable example of washing his Dis­ciples feet, as a so by undergoing that so ignominious death of the Crosse. Saint Bernard saith, The Son of God abased and diminished him elf, by taking our nature upon him, and he would have his whole life to [Page 3]be a pattern of Humility, so to teach us by actions, that which he would also teach us by words: A strange manner of instruction. But why Lord must so high a Majesty be abased so low? To the end that from henceforth there may not so much as one man be found, who shall once adventure to be proud, and to exalt himself upon the earth. It was ever a strange boldnes, or rather a kind of madnes, for a man to be proud, but now (saith he) when the Majesty of God hath humbled and abased it self, it is an intollerable shame, and an unspeakable kind of absurdity, that this little wretched worm man, should have a mind to be honoured and esteemed: That the Son of God, who is equall to the Father, should take the form of a servant upon him, and vouchsafe to be dishonoured, and abased, and that I who am but dust and ashes. should procure to be valued and admired.

With much reason, did the Saviour of the world declare that he is the master of this ver­tue of Humility, and that we were to learn it of him, for neither Plato, nor Socrates, nor Arisiotle, did ever teach men this vertue. For when those heathen Philosophers, were treating of those other vertues of fortitude, of temperance, of wisdom, and of Justice, they were so far off the while from being humble therein, that they pretended even by those very works, and by all their vertuous actions, to be esteemed, and re­commended to posterity. It is true, that thee was a Diogenes, and some others like him, who professed to contemn the world, and to des­pise themselves, by using mean cloaths, and [Page 4]certain other poverties and abstinencies, but even in this, they were extreamly proud, and procured even by that means, to be observed and esteemed, whilst others were despised by them: as was wisely noted by Plato in Diogenes. For one day, when Plato had invited certain Philosophers, and amongst them Diogenes to his house, he had his rooms well furnished, and his carpets laid, and such other preparations made, as might be fit for such guests. But as soon as Diogenes entred in, he began to foul those fair carpets with his durty feet, which Plato observing, asked him what he meant. Cal­co Platonis fastum, saith Diogenes; I am trampling saith he, upon Platos pride. But Plato made him this good answer, calcas sed alio fastu, thou tramp­lest indeed, but with another kind of pride, in­sinuating thereby, that the pride wherewith he trod upon Platos carpets, was greater then Pla­tos pride in possessing them.

The Philosophers did never reach to that contempt of themselves, wherein Christian hu­mility consists, nay they did not so much as know humility, even by name, for this is that vertue which was properly, and only taught by Christ our Lord. Saint Augustine observes, how that divine sermon made by our Saviour in the Mount, began with this vertue; Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. For both Saint Augustine, and others affirm, that by poor in spirit, such as be humble are un­derstood. So that the Redeemer of the world, be­gins [Page 5]his preaching with this, he continues it with this, and he ends it with this. This was he teaching us all his life, and this doth he desire that we should learn of him; He said not (as Saint Augustin observes.) Learn of me to create heaven and earth, learn of me to do wonderful things, and to work miracles, to cure the sick, to cast out di­vels, and to revive the dead, but learn of me to be meek and humble of heart. For better is the hum­ble man who serves God, than he who works miracles. That other way is plain and safe, but this is full of stumbling blocks and dangers.

The necessity which we have of this vertue of humility is so great, that without it, a man cannot make one step into spirituall life. Saint Augustine saith, it is necessary that all our actions be very well accompanied, and fenced by humility, both in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end there­of: for if we be negligent never so little, and suf­fer vain complacence, and self-pleasing to enter in, the wind of pride carries all away. And it wil help-us little, that the work it self be very good nay rather in good works, we have most cause to fear the vice of vain glory, and pride. For other vices have relation to sins, and wicked objects, as envy, luxuriousnes, and wrath, which carry a kind of ill superscription upon them, to the end, that we may take heed thereof; Whereas pride is ever treading as it were, upon the heels of good works, that so it may destroy them: A man goes prosperously sayling with his heart raised up towards heaven, because at [Page 6]the beginning of the action, he had addressed it to the glory of God, and behold, when suddenly there comes a wind of vanity, and casts him up­on a rock, by procuring to make him desire to please men, and to be honoured and esteemed by them, taking some vain contentment there­in, and therewith the whole businesse sinks: And so both Saint Gregory, and Saint Bernard say very wel. He who assembles any other vertues with­out humility, is like a man who carries a little dust or ashes against the wind, in which case the wind will be sure to scatter, and carry it all away.

CHAP. II. That Humility is the foundation of all vertue.

SAint Ciprian saith, Humility is the foundation of holinesse. Saint Hierom cals humility the firs [...] and principall grace of a Christian. Saint Bernard saith, Humility is the foundation and preserver of all other vertues, they all say that humility is the ground and foundation of all holinesse, vertue, and grace. Saint Gregory in one place, cals it the mistris, and mother of all vertue; and he saith also in another place, that it is the root, and very off­spring of vertue. This metaphor, and comparison of the root, is very proper, and doth very well declare the properties and conditions of humi­lity. [Page 7]For first he saith, that as the root sustains and supports the flouer, and when the root is pluckt up, the flouer doth instantly dry, and withe, so every vertue whatsoever is instantly lost, if it grows not up, and continues not in the root of humility. But as the root which lyes un­der ground, and is trampled and trodden upon, hath no beauty or odour in it, and yet the tree receives life from thence, just so the humble man is buried, and dis-esteemed, and disgraced, and seems to carry no lustre nor brightnes in himself, but is cast aside into a corner, and for­gotten; and yet this very thing is that, which conserves him, and makes him thrive. But withall, as to the end that the tree may be able to grow, and continue, and bear much fruit, it is necessary that the root lye deep, and how much the more deep it is, and more covered with earth, so much the more fruit will the tree yeeld, and so much the longer will it con­tinue, according to that of the Prophet I [...]y, It shall send the root downward, and make the fruit grow upward; so the fructifying of a soul in all vertue, & the conserving it self therein consists in laying a low root of humility. How much the more humble you are, so much the more will you profit & grow in vertue, and perfection. To conclude, as pride is the beginning & root of all sin, according to the wise man, so humility is the foundation and root of all vertue.

But some man will say perhaps, how can you affirm that humility is the foundation of all ver­tue, [Page 8]and of all spirituall building, when com­monly we are taught by spirituall men, that faith is the foundation, according to that of Saint Paul, Other foundation can no man lay, than that is layed, Jesus Christ the righteous, that is faith in Jesus Christ. To this Aquinas answers well. Two things are necessary for the well founding of a house, first it is necessary to open the ground well, and cast out all that which is loose, till at length you ar­rive to that which is firm, that so you may build af­terward upon it, and when this is done, you begin to lay the first stone, which with the rest then laid, is the principal foundation of the building After this manner saith Aquinas, do humility, and faith behave themselves one towards another, in the spirituall building of vertue. Humility is that which opens the soyle, and the Office thereof is to dig deep into the earth, to cast out all that which is loose, which signifies the weaknes of mans power. So that you must not lay your foundation upon your own strength; for all this is no better then sand; all this is to be cast out; distrusting your selves; and still you must be digging on, till you come to the firm stone, and the living rock, which is Christ our Lord. This in­deed is the principall foundation: but yet not­withstanding, because for the setling of this foundation, there is need also of that other, hu­mility is also called a foundation; And so he, who by means of humility, will open the soyl well, and dig deep into the knowledge of him­self, and cast out all the sand of his own estima­tion, and confidence in himself, will arrive to [Page 9]that true foundation, which is Christ our Lord, and this man will raise a good building, which will not be driven down, though the winds blow, and the waters beat, because it is founded upon the firm rock. But on the other side, if he build without humility, the building will in­stantly sink down, because it is founded upon sand.

They are not true vertues, but apparent on­ly and false, which are not founded upon humi­lity. And so Saint Augustine saith, 1 Cor: 13. That in those Romans, and antient Philosophers, there was no true vertue, not only because they wanted chari­ty, (which gives life, and being to all vertue, and without which, there is no true and perfect vertue,) but besides, because they wanted also the foundation of humility: and in their fortitude; temperance, wis­dom, and justice, they desired to be esteemed, and to be talked of when they were dead; and so their ver­tues were but certain empty things, and without sub­stance, and indeed they were but shadows, and shews of vertue. And so, as they were not perfect, and true, but only apparent, he saith, that God rewardeth the Romans for them with temporall blessings of this life, which are also blessings but of apparence. If ther­fore you meant to build up true vertue, in your souls, procure first to say a deep foundation of humility therein. If you desire (saith he) to be truly great, and to erect a high building of vertue in your hearts, you must open the ground very low. As much more high as a man means to raise this building, so much the lower must he lay his foundation. [Page 10]For there is no high without low; and after the proportion or rate, that you will dig deep, and lay the foundation of humility low; so much the higher will you be able to raise the Tower of Evangelicall perfection, which you have be­gun. Aquinas amongst other grave sentences, which are remembred to have been his, said thus of Humility. He who goes on with desire to be honoured, he who flies from being contemned, and if he be, is troubled at it, is far from perfection, though be should work wonders, for in fine his vertue hath no foundation.

CHAP. III. Wherein it is declared more partieularly how humility is the foundation of all vertues, and this is done by discoursing of the cheif of them.

TO the end, that it may the better be seen, how true this sentence of the Saints is. That humility is the foundation of all, the ver­tues, and how necessary this foundation is for them all, we will breifly discourse upon the cheif of them. And to begin with the Theolo­gicall vertues, Humility is necessary towards faith. For faith supposeth a submisse and hum­ble [Page 11]understanding, subduing, (as the Apostle Saint Paul saith,) our understanding to the obedi­ence of the faith of Christ our Lord. And so a proud understanding gives difficulty and im­pediment, against the receiving of the saith, and Christ our redeemer declared as much to the Pharises in this manner, How will you be able to believe, who receive glory [...]rom one another, and seek not for that glory, which is of God alone? Joh: 5.44. And not only is humility necessary for the first receiving of faith, but for the conservation also thereof. And it is generally the Doctrine of the Doctors and Saints, that pride is the be­ginning of all heresies, when a man esteems his opinion and judgment so much, that he prefers it before the common voice of the Saints, and of the Church, and so he comes to fall upon heresies. And so the Apostle saith, 2 Tim: 3. I give you to understand that in the latter dayes, there will be dangerous times, for men will be great l [...]vers of themselves, covetous, puffed up, and proud, and he imputes heresies to puffing up, and pride, as St: Augustine declares very well.

The vertue also of hope, is conserved, and maintained by humility, because the humble man finds, and feels his necessity, and knows that of himself he can do nothing, and so he re­sorts to God more earnestly, and places all his hope in him.

Charity also and the love of God, is quickened and kindled by humility, because the humble man knows, that whatsoever he hath, comes [Page 12]to him from the hand of God, and that himself is very far from deserving it; and by this consi­deration he is much inflamed towards the love of God. What is man (said the holy Job,) that thou shouldest remember him, and set thy heart upon him, and vouchsafe him so many benefits and favours? I to be so wicked towards thee, and thou to be so good towards me, I to be so carnest in offending thee day by day, and thou in doing me favours every hour. This is one of the most principall motives whereof the Saints have ever been wont to serve themselves, that so they might be much inflamed with the love of God. For when they most considered their own indignity and misery, they found them­selves most obliged to serve God, who was plea­sed to place his eyes upon so great basenes, (so said the blessed Virgin.) My soul doth magnifie our Lord, because he vouch safed to look upon the base­nes of his slave, or handmaid: As for the charity of men towards their neighbours, it is casily to be seen, how necessary humility is. For one of those things which is most wont to cool and lessen our love to our Neighbours, is to judge of their faults, and to hold them to be full of imperfe­ctions, and defects. But the humble man is very far from this, for his eyes are ever cast in upon his own errors, and he never considers any thing in others but their vertues; and so he holds all other men to be good, and himself only to be imperfect, and faulty, and unworthy to live amongst his brethren. And from hence is wont [Page 13]to grow a great estimation, respect, and love to them all. Besides, the humble man is not troub­led that all men should be preferred before him, and that much accompt is made of them, and so himself alone is forgotten, or that things of greater moment are recommended to the care of others, and the least and meanest to him.

No envy hath any place amongst humble men, for envy springs from pride, and therefore if there be humility, there will be no envy or contention, or any thing which may weaken a mans love to his neighbors.

From humility also grows patience, which is necessary to all men in this life. For the hum­ble man acknowledges his faults and sins, and considers himself to be worthy of any punish­ment, and no affliction comes to him, which he esteems to be lesse than it should have been, in respect of his faults, and so he holds his peace, and knows not how to complain, but rather saith with the Prophet Micha, I will suffer wil­lingly that punishment which God shall send me, be­cause I have sinned against him. And so, as the proud man is ever complaining, and still thinks that men do him wrong, though they do him right, and that they treat him not as he de­serves; so the man who is humble, though in­deed you do him wrong, perceives it not, and judges it not to be such, nor doth he imagine that you ever give him any offence, nay rather it seems to him, that you let him live at a great [Page 14]ease, and howsoever you proceed with him, he is very well satisfied, that you treat him better then he deserves.

Humility is also a mighty means towards pa­tience. And therefore the wise man advising him who means to serve Almighty God, to pre­pare himself to suffer temptations, and disgusts, and to arm himself with patience, assigns him for the means thereof, that he should be hum­ble. Carry thy heart abased, and then suffer. Receive all that in good part which comes up­on thee, though it be very contrary to thy sense and indure it though it put thee to pain. But how shall this be done? What kind of armour is that, which you mean to put upon me, to the end that I may not feel affliction; or if I feel it, that I may be able to support it? Possesse humi­lity, and so you shall have patience.

From humility doth also spring that kind of peace which is so much desired by all, and which is so necessary for such as are Religious. So saith Christ our Saviour. Be meek and humble, and you shall possesse great rest and peace, both with­in your selves, and with your brethren. And as amongst the proud there are ever contentions, and disputes, and brauls, (saith the wise man) so amongst such as are humble, there can be no contention or strife, except only that holy strife and contention, who may be the inseriour and may give all kind of honour and advantage to his Neighbour. These are good contentions, and strifes, which as they grow from true humi­lity, [Page 15]and fraternal charity, so they also strength­en and conserve the same.

That Humility is also necessary for the pre­serving of chastity, we have many examples, in the histories of the primitive times, where we read of ugly, and abominable fals of Men, who had already spent many of their years in a reli­gious solitary, & penitential life, all which pro­ceeded from want of humility, & from confiding and presuming on themselves; which God is wont to punish, by permitting men to fall into those other sins. Humility is also so great an or­nament to chastity, that Saint Bernard saith, I dare adventure to say, that even the virginity of the blessed Virgin Mary, would not have been pleasing to God, without humility. Finally for the vertue of obedience, it is a cleer truth, that both he cannot be truly obedient, who is not humble, and that he who is humble, must needs be obe­dient. The humble Man may be commanded to do any thing, but so may not he, who is not humble. The humble Man frames no contrary judgments, but conforms himself in all things to his superior, and not only in the work, but even in the will and understanding also; nor makes he any contradiction, or resistance.

If now we will come to speak of prayer, up­on which the very life of a religious, and spiri­tuall man relies, if it be not accompanied with humility, it is of no worth; Whereas prayer with humility pierces heaven. The prayer of him who humbles himself, doth penetrate heaven, saith the [Page 16]wise man; and he will not give over till he ob­tain all that which he desires at the hands of God. That holy and humble Judith, being shut up in her Oratory, clad with sackcloath, and covered with ashes, and prostrate upon the earth, cries out in these words. The prayer of the humble, and meek of heart was ever pleasing to thee O Lord. God beheld the prayer of the humble, and despised not their Petitions. Never think that the humble man shall be driven away, or depart out of countenance, he shal obtain what he asks, God will hear his prayer. Do but con­sider how highly that humble prayer of the Publican in the Gospel pleased God; he who presumed not so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven, but disposing himself far of, into a cor­ner of the Temple, and knocking his brest with humble acknowledgment of himself, said; O Lord have mercy upon me, for I am a greivous sin­ner. I tell you of a truth (saith Jesus Christ our redeemer) that this man went justified out of the Temple, and that proud Pharisee, who held him­self for a Saint, went condemned. In this very manner might we discourse of the rest of the vertues, and therefore if you desire to go the next way, for the getting of them all, and to learn a short and compendious document, for the speedy obtaining of perfection, this is it; Be humble.

CHAP: IIII. Of the particular necessity which they have of this vertue, who professe to procure the salvation of their neigh­bours souls.

BY how much thou art greater, see thou humble thy self (saith the wise man) so much the more, and thou shalt find grace in the sight of God. We who make profession to gain souls to God, may say (for our confusion) that God hath called us to a very high state; since our office is to serve the Church, in cer­tain ministeries, which are very eminent, and high, even the same, to which God chose the Apostles; namely, the preaching of the Gospel, the administration of the Sacraments, and the dispensation of his body and blood, so that we may say with Saint Paul, God hath given us the ministery of reconciliation. He cals the preaching of the Gospel, and the dispensation of the Sa­craments, by which grace is communicated, the ministery of reconciliation. God hath made us his servants, his Embassadors, (as his Apostles were the first) of that cheif Bishop Jesus Christ tongues & instruments of the holy Ghost. God exhorting, and perswading men by us. Our [Page 18] Lord is pleased to speak to souls by our tongues, by these tongues of flesh, will our Lord move the hearts of men, for this have we therefore more need than others, of the vertue of Humility, and that upon two reasons, first, be­cause by how much the more high our Office, and vocation is, so much more hazard shall we run, and so much the greater will be the com­bate of vanity and pride. The highest hils (as St: Hierome saith) are assaulted by the highest winds. We are imployed in very high Ministeries, and for this are we respected and esteemed over the world. We are held to be Saints, and even for other Apostles upon earth, and that all our conversation is sanctity, (so by all means it ought to be, and woe unto us if it be not) and that our study is to make them also Saints, with whom we converse? Here is need of a great foundation of Humility, that so high a building as this, may not be driven down to the ground. We had need have great strength of vertue, that we may be able to bear the weight of ho­nour, with all the circumstances thereof. A hard task it is, to walk in the midst of honours, and that yet no part thereof should fasten it self to the heart. It is not every bodies case, to have a head that can be safe so high. O how ma­ny have grown giddy, and fallen down from that high state wherein they were, for want of the foundation of Humility? how many who seemed Eagles, towring up in the exercise of severall vertues, have through pride, become as blind as Bats.

For this do we therefore stand in particular need to be very well grounded in this vertue, for if we be not, we shall run great hazzard of being giddy, and of falling into the sin of pride; yea and that the greatest of all others, spirituall pride. Bonaventure declaring this, saith; That there are two kinds of pride, one which concerns temporall things, and this is called carnall pride, and another which concerns things spirituall, and this is called spirituall pride, and so saith, that this second is a greater pride, and a greater sin than the former, The reason hereof is clear, for as he saith, the proud man is a theef, and commits robbery, [...]or he runs away with the goods of another, against the will of the owner; by having stollen the honour and glo­ry which is proper to God, and which he will not give away, but reserve to himself. My glory I will not give to another (saith he by the Pro­phet Isay) and this doth the proud man steal from God, and he runs away with it, and applies it to himself. Now when a man grows proud of any naturall advantage, as of nobility, of agility, and strength of body, of quicknes of under­standing, of learning, or the like, this man is a robber, but yet the theft is not so great. For though it be true, that all these blessings are of God, they are yet but as the chaffe of his house; but he who shall grow proud of his spirituall gifts, as namely of sanctity, or of the fruit which is gathered by gaining souls, this is a great theef, a robber of the honour of God, and who steals those jewels which he esteems the most [Page 20]rich, and of the greatest price, and value, and which indeed were set at so high a rate, that he thought his own blood and life, wel imployed upon the purchase thereof. For this reason, a certain holy Father being full of care, and fear lest he should fall into pride, was wont to say thus to God. O Lord if thou give me any thing, keep it for me; who dare not trust my self with it, for I am no better then a theef, and am still running away with thy goods. And now let us also walk on with the same fear, since we have much more reason to be afraid, and are far from being so humble as he was. Let us not fall into this so dangerous pride, let us not run away with those goods of God, which he hath put with so much confidence into our hands. Let no part thereof stick to us, let us artribute no­thing to our selves, but return the whole back to God. It was not without great mistery, that Christ our Saviour when he appeared to his Disciples upon the day of his glorious Ascensi­on, reprov'd them first for their incredulity, and hardnesse of heart, and commanded them afterward to go and preach the Gospel throughout the whole world, and gave them power to work many, and mighty miracles. For he gives us thereby to understand, that he who is to be exalted to the doing of great things, hath need to be humbled first, and to be abased in himself, and to have a true knowledge of his own faculties, and miseries, that so though af­terward he come to great perfection, he may [Page 21]yet remain still intire in the knowledge of him­self, and stick fast to the understanding of his own basenes, without attributing any other thing to himself then unworthinesse. Theodoret to this purpose notes, that God resolving to chuse Moses for their Captain, and conductor of his People, and to work by his means, such wondrous and admirable things, as he resolved to let the world see, thought fit for the cause aforesaid, that first, that very hand wherewith he was to divide the Red Sea, and effect other things so very strange, being first put into his bosome, should be then drawn forth, and seen by himself to be full of leprosie.

A second reason, for which we stand in more particular necessity of Humility, is to the end, that we may gather fruit in those very mini­steries wherein we are imployed, so that Humi­lity is necessary for us, not only in regard of our own improvement, lest otherwise we should grow vain and proud, and so cast away our selves; but besides, for the gaining of our neigh­hours, and the bringing forth fruit in their souls. One of the most principal means towards this end is Humility, and that we distrust our selves, and that we rely not upon our own indu­stry, or prudence, or other parts, but that we place all our confidence in God, and ascribe, and refer all to him, according to that of the wise man: Put your confidence in God with your whole heart, and rely not upon your own prudence. And the reason hereof is (as afterward I shall declare [Page 22]more at large) because when through distrust of our selves, we place all our confidence in God, we ascribe it all to him, and put the whole busines to his accompt, whereby we oblige him much, to take care thereof. O Lord dispatch thine own busines, the conversion of souls is thine, and not ours, alas what power can we have to save fouls? But now when we are confi­dent in the means we use, and in the discourses which we are able to make, we bring our selves to be parties to the busines, and attri­bute much to our selves, and all that we do, we take from Almighty God. They are like two balances, for look how much the one rises, so much the other will be sure to fall, as much as we attribute to our selves, so much we take from God, and run away with the glory, and honour which is only his, and thus he comes to permit, that no effect is wrought. And I pray God that this be not sometimes the cause, why we do our Neighbours no more good.

We read of many Preachers in former times, and remember some of our own time, who though they were not very learned men, no nor very eloquent, yet by their Preaching, Catechi­sing, and private communications in an hum­ble and low way, have converted, quickened, in­flamed, and strengthened many of their flock, not in the perswading words of humane wis­dom, but in the manifestation of spirit, and truth, as Saint Paul saith, They were distrustfull of themselves, and placed all their confidence in God, [Page 23]and so God gave strength, & spirit to their words which seemed even to d [...]rt burning slames into the hearts of their hearers. And now I know not whether the reason why we produce not at this day, so great fruit, be not because we stick much closer to the opinion of our own prudence, & be­cause we rest, and rely much upon our own means of perswasion, and our learning, and dis­course, and our polite, and elegant manner of declaring our minds, and we go gusting, and de­lighting our selves much with our selves. O well then saith God, when you conceive that you have said the best thing, and delivered the most convincing reasons, and remain content, and jolly, with conceit that you have done great matters, you shall then effect least of all. And that shall be fulfilled in you, which the Prophet Isay said, give them a barren womb, and dry breasts; I will take order that thou shalt be a barren Mother, and thou shalt have no more thereof but the name, I will give you dry breasts, such as no child shall hang upon, nor any thing stick by them which thou sayest, for this doth he deserve, who will needs usurp the goods of God, and attribute that to himself, which is proper, and only due to his divine Ma­jesty, I say not, but whatsoever Men shall preach, must be very well studied, and considered, but yet this is not all, for it must also be very well wept upon, and very well recommended to God, and when you shall have made your head ake with studying it, and ruminating upon it, [Page 24]you must say, We have but done what we ought, and we are unprofitable servants, what am I able to effect, I have made a little noise of words, like a peece which shoots powder without a bullet, but if the heart be wounded, it is thou O Lord who must do it. The Kings heart is in Gods hand, and he inclines it to whatsoever he will. It is thou O Lord who art to move, and wound the heart, alas what are we able to do to them? What proportion can our words, & all our hu­mane means carry, to an end so high, and so su­pernaturall, as it is to convert souls? No such matter. But how comes it then to passe, that we are so vain, and so well pleased with our selves, when we think some good is done, and that our busines succeeds well, as if we were the men who had done the deed, shall peradventure (saith the Prophet Isay to God) the Hatchet or the saw brag against him who uses it, and works with it, and say I am he who have cut, and who have sawed that wood: This were, as if a cudgell should look big, and admire it self, because a man lifts it up, whereas the thing in it self is but wood, which cannot once stir, if men stir it not. Now we are just thus, in respect of any spirituall, and supernaturall end of the conversion of souls. We are like so many wands, who cannot once stir, if God stirs not, and ther­fore we must ascribe all to him, as having no­thing to brag of in our selves.

God doth so much esteem, that we rely not upon our own strength, or humane diligence, [Page 25]and that we should take nothing to our selves, but ascribe all to him, and give him the glory of all, that St: Paul saith, that for this reason, Christ our Lord would not make choice of eloquent and learned men, for the conver­sion of the world, by the Preaching of the Gospel but of poor Fishermen, who were igno­rant and rude, God made choice of igno­rant and grosse People to confound the wise of the world, he chose the poor and weak to con­found the mighty and strong, he chose the mean and base, who seemed to be nothing in the eyes of flesh and blood, to subdue Kings and Empe­rors, and all the Grandes of the earth. But know you why, saith Saint Paul, to the end, that man may not, go bragging in the sight of God, nor take occasion of ascribing any thing to himself, but give all the glory of all to God. If the prea­chers of the Gospel were very rich and power­full, and went with great troops, and strong hand to preach Gods word over the world, they might perhaps impute mens conversion to the force of their arms. If God had chosen the great learned men, and the most excellent Or­rators of the world, who by their learning, and eloquence, might convince the Philosophers, a man might have attributed the conversion of mankind to curiosity of speech, and subtilty of arguments, in diminution of the credit, and re­putation of the vertue and power of Christ our Lord. But it must not be after this manner, saith St. Paul, God was not pleased, that this great [Page 26]busines should be carried by eloquence of speech, or humane wisdom, lest the estimation of the power, and efficacy of the crosse, and pas­sion of Christ our Lord should suffer pre judice thereby, St: Augustine saith, our Lord Jesus Christ resolving to humble the necks of the proud, did not by means of Orators gain Fishermen, but by means of Fishermen gained both Orators, and Emperors. Cyprian was a great Orator, but Saint Peter the Fisherman was before him, by means of whom was converted, not only the Orator, but even the Emperor.

The holy Scripture is full of examples, to shew that God is wont to chuse weak means, and instruments for the doing of mighty things, to teach us this truth, and to the end, it might remain deeply fixed in our hearts, that we have nothing whereof to glory, or to ascribe to our selves, but absolutely all to God. This are we also taught by that illustrious victory of Judith, which she being a weak woman, obtained a­gainst an Army of above a hundred and forty thousand men. This are we also taught, by that poor little shepheard David, who being but a boy, and with no other weapon but his sling, beat down that Giant Goliah, and triumphed o­ver the Philistines. To the end, that the whole world (saith he) may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all men may understand, that God hath no need either of sword, or launce for the obtaining of Victory, (for battels in fine are his, and victory is his) and that men may be [Page 27]sure of this, he gives it when he will, without arms.

This was also the mistery of Gideon, who had drawn two and thirty thousand men together against the Midianites, who were more the [...] a hundred and thirty thousand men, and God said thus to him, Gideon thou hast great store of People with thee, but Midian shall not be de­livered up into thy hands. Consider what a strange discourse of God this is, thou shalt not overcome, because thou hast much People with thee. If he had said thou caust not overcome them because they are so many, and thou hast so few, it seems that the discourse had been ratio­nall; but you are deceived, and understand not the busines, this had been a good reason for men to alledg, but that other was proper to God alone, you cannot overcome saith God, because you are many, but why so? To the end that Israel may not glorifie it self against me, and so steal the victory from me, and become vain and proud, as conceiving that it was conquered by the strength thereof. God carried the matter so, as that there only remained three hundred men with Gideon, and commanded that he should then present battel to the Enemy, and with them he gave Gideon the victory, yea, and they had not so much as need to put them­selves in arms, or to take their swords into their hands, but with the only sound of the Trum­pets which they carried in one of their hands, and with the noise of breaking certain pots, and [Page 28]with the brightnes of the flaming torches which they carried in the other, God struck the ene­my with such a terror, and amazement, that they overwhelmed and killed one another, and the rest put themselves to flight, as thinking that the whole world was coming upon them, then the others could not say that they had over­come by their own strength, and this was that which God desired, namely, that they might be forced to acknowledg him the only giver of vi­ctory. If then, even in temporall, and humane things, wherein our own diligences, and means, carry some kind of proportion towards the end as our arms, and forces do towards the obtaining of victory, God will not yet permit, that we at­tribute any thing to our selves, but that we must ascribe the victory of a battell, and indeed the good successe of all affairs to him, if even in na­turall things, neither he who plants, nor he who waters is any thing, and it is not the gard­ner who can make any plant grow, nor make a­ny tree give fruit, but only God, what shall we say of spirituall and supernaturall things, of the conversion of souls, of a mans own profit and increase in vertue, wherein our means, indea­vours, and diligences remain so short, and so far behind, as that they carry no proportion at all with so high an end? The Apostle Saint Paul saith, God only is he who can give increase, and spirituall fruit, God only is he who can strike the hearts of men with amazement, and migh­ty fear, God only is he who can make men ab­hor [Page 29]sin, and forsake wickednesse of life. And as for us, we can only make a little noise with the trumpet of the Gospel, and if we shall break these earthen pots of our bodies with mortifi­cation, and if men may be able to see the light of a very exemplar life shine in us, we shall in­deed have done our parts, but yet still it is only God who must give us the victory.

Let us gather, and draw two things from hence, that so we may exercise our functions with much comfort, and with the profit both of our selves, and our neighbors.

The first is that whereof we have already spoken, to distrust our selves, to place all our confidence in God, and to attribute the whole fruit and good successe of all things to him. St: Chrysostome saith, Let us not wax proud, but let us confesse our selves to be unprofitable, that so we may grow to be profitable, and usefull and Saint Ambrose saith, if you will produce much fruit amongst your neighbors, observe the rule which we are taught by the Apostle St. Peter, He who speaks, let him make account, that God put these words into his mouth, he who works, let him make account that it is God who works by him, and let him give the honour and glory of it all to him. Let us not ascribe any thing to our selves, nor run away with strange conceit, nor take any vain contentment in the act.

The second thing which we are to fetch from hence, is that we be not disanimated or deject­ed when we consider our own wretchednes, [Page 30]and misery. Of this we have also great need, for who observing himself to be called to so high an Office, and to so supernaturall an end, as it is to convert souls, to draw them out of sin, out of heresies, out of infidelity, who I say considering this, will not faint under the thought, and say, O Jesus how great a disproportion is this? Such an imployment fits not well with me, who am the most needy and miserable creature of all others. But yet in this you are deceived, for even for this very reason, this enterprize is fit for you, Moses could not beleeve that he was ever to perform so great a work, as to draw the people of Israel out of the captivity of Aegypt, and he excused himself thus to God who was desirous to send him: What am I that I should go treat with the King, and procure him to let the people of Israel depart out of Egypt? send him O Lord whom you are to send, for as for me I am a stammerer, and unfit for the imployment. This is that (saith God) which serves my turn, it is not thou shalt do it, I will be with thee, and I will teach thee what thou art to say. The same hapned also to the Prophet Jeremy, whom God sent to preach to the world, but he began to excuse himself thus. A. A. A. do you not see O Lord, that I can hardly pro­nounce my words, but am a very child, and how then will you have me undertake so great an enterprise as this? Even for this very reason, he will use thee, and thou art just the man he seeks and perhaps if thou wert indued with many parts, God would not have chosen thee to this [Page 31]end, but now thou shalt have no colour to ste [...] the praise, and attribute any thing to thy self, and by such weak instruments, is he desirous to do great things.

The holy Evangelists recount that the Apo­stles coming from preaching, and Christ our Lord observing the fruit which they had gathered, and the wonderfull things which they had wrought, did highly rejoyce in the Holy Ghost, and gave great thanks, and glorified his eternal Father. I give thee thanks O eternall Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, for that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent of the world, and hast revealed and communicated them to thy little ones, and by their means dost work so great wonders. Blessed and praised be thou O Lord for ever, be­cause thou hast been pleased to do thus. O hap­py little ones, happy humble souls, for these are they whom God exalts, and by whom he works wonders, and whom he takes for his instruments in doing great things, in working great conver­sions, and gathering great fruit of souls, there­fore let no man be discouraged or dismaid. Be not afraid little flock, be not disanimated, or put out of heart, because thou seest thy self ve­ry little, and least of all others, for it hath been pleasing to your heavenly Father, to give you power over the hearts and souls of men. I will be with you (said Christ our Saviour) I will assist you unto the end of the world, let us then hold for certain, that Jesus will ever be our succour, as himself promised to our Fathers the blessed-Apostles, [Page 32]and that we shall ever have him for our conductor, and Captain, and therefore let us not grow weary, or be discouraged in this so great affair of helping souls, to which God hath called us.

CHAP. V. Of the first degree of Humility, which is for a man to think meanly of himself.

LAurentius Justinianus saith, that no man knows well what humility is, but he who hath received the gift of being humble from God. It is really a ve­ry hard thing to be known. A man saith, he de­ceives himself in nothing more, then in think­ing that he knows what true Humility is. Do you think it consists in saying, I am a miserable sin­full creature, I am proud, &c. If it consisted in this, the thing were easie enough, and we should all be humble, for we all say of our selves, that we are this, and we are that, and I pray God that we may all speak as we think, and that we may not say it with the mouth alone, and by way of complement, do you think that Humi­lity consists in wearing poor, and mean cloaths, or in imploying our selves about object, and contemptible things? It consists not in this, for herein may be much pride, and as man may de­sire [Page 33]to be much esteemed, and valued even for this, and to hold himself to be better, and more humble then others, which is the height of pride. True it is, that these exterior things do help toward true humility, if they be used as they ought, (whereof I shall say more afterward,) but yet in fine Humility doth not consist in this. Saint Hierome saith, many follow the apparence, and shadow of Humility, few the truth. An easie thing it is, to carry the head bowed down, the eyes low, the speech submisse, and soft, to sigh often, and at every word to be calling themselves mi­serable and sinfull creatures, but yet if you touch these very men with any little word, though it be but very lightly, you shall instant­ly be able to see how far they are from true Hu­mility. Let all feigned words be laid aside, away with Hipocrisies, and exterior shews, for the true humble man (saith he) is shewed by his sufferance, and patience. This is that touch­stone, whereby true Humility is discerned.

Saint Bernard descends more particularly to declare, wherein this vertue consists, and gives us this definition thereof. Humility is a vertue, whereby a man most truly discerning, and observing his own defects, and miseries, holds himself in small account. Humility consists not in exterior things or words, but in the very root of the heart, in a mans thinking most basely of himself, and both in holding himself, and in desiring to be held by others, in very mean account, and so as that this must rise out of a most profound knowledg of himself.

To declare, and as it were anatomise this truth, the antient Fathers set down many de­grees of Humility. Aquinas assigneth twelve de­grees of this vertue. Saint Anselm speaks of se­ven. Bonaventure reduces them to three, and we will now follow this last, both for brevities sake, and to the end, that restraining this Doctrine to fewer points, we may the more easily keep them before our eyes, and so procure to put them in execution. The first degree therefore of Hu­mility (saith Bonaventure) is, that a man think meanly of himself, and have himself in small ac­count, and the necessary, and only means to this, is the knowledg of a mans self. These two things be they, which the definition of Humili­ty, assigned by Saint Bernard comprehends, and so it only reaches to the first degree. Name­ly that Humllity is a vertue, wherby a man holds himself in mean account.

This is then the first, and this saith St: Bernard, is wrought in man, by his having a true knowledg of himself, and of his miseries, and defects. For this cause, some are wont to put the knowledg of a mans self, for the first degree of Humility, and they do it with great reason. But yet, for as much as we reduce al the degrees to three, with Bonaventure, we put for the first degree, the hol­ding of a mans self in small account, and we put the knowledg of a mans self, for the necessary means whereby to attain this degree of Humili­ty, but yet in substance all is one. We all agree in this, that the knowledg of a mans self, is the [Page 35]beginning, and foundation, whereby Humility is to be obtained, and the thinking of our selves as we deserve. For how can we think of a man as he deserves, if we know him not. This cannot be, it is therefore necessary, first that we know what any man is, and then we may esteeme, or honour him more or lesse, according to what we know of him. So that still you must first know what you are, and afterward according to what you are, you may esteem your selves, and you shall have good leave to do so, for if you esteem your selves for what you are, you will be very humble, for you will esteem your selves very little, but if you esteem your selves more then you deserve, that will be pride. Saint Isi­dore saith, Superhus dictus est, quia super vult vide­re quam est. Therefore is a man called proud, be cause he holds himself, and desires to be held by others, for more then he is, and this is one of the reasons which some assigne, why God loves Humility so much, because he is a great lover of truth; and Humility is ttuth, and pride is a deceit, and a lye, for you are not that which you think of your selves, and which you desire that others should think you to be. If therefore you resolve to walk in truth, and in Humility, esteem your selves for what you are. Me thinks I ask no great matter of you, in desiring that you will esteem your selves for what you are, and not for what you are not. For it is a very unreasonable thing for any man to esteem him­self for more then he is, And it would not only [Page 36]be a great deceit, but a great danger withall, so any man to be deceived in himself, esteeming himself for other, then indeed he is.

CHAP. VI. Of the knowledg of a mans self, which is the root, and the necessary and only means for the obtaining of Hu­mility.

LEt us begin to sound, and dig deep into our selves, and into the knowledg of our weak­nes and misery, that so we may discover this most rich treasure, (saith St. Hierome.) In the very dung of your basenes, and of your infirmi­ties, and sins, you shall find that pretious pearl of Humility. Let us begin with our corporall be­ing, & let that be the first pressing of the spade, as St. Bernard saith. Set these things ever before thine eyes, what thou wert, what thou art, and what thou art to be. Have ever before thine eyes, what thou wast before thou wert ingendred, which was a cer­tain thing so stinking, and so filthy, as that we may not give it the true name. What art thou now? Thou art a vessell full of dung: what art thou to be shortly; but the food of worms? We have here matter enough to meditate upon, and to dig into. O [Page 37]base, and vile condition of humane nature. Look upon the trees, and plants, & thou shalt find that they produce beautifull leaves, and flowers, and fruits, but man proceeds out of himself nits, lice, and worms. The plants, and trees yeeld out of themselves Oyl, Balsamum, and wine, and odours also of much sweetnesse; and a man utters a thousand uncleanesses, of so abominable savour, as makes ones stomach turn to think of it, and much more to name it. But in fine, such as the tree is, such is the fruit like to be, for an ill tree can bear no good fruit.

Verily, the Fathers do with much reason, and with great propriety, compare the body of [...] to a dunghil overcast with snow, which on the outside appears beautifull, and fair, but within is full of uglines, and uncleanesse. The blessed St. Bernard said, If you put your selves to consider what you vent by your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your nostrils, and the other sinks of your body, there is not in the whole world, any other so filthy dunghill, nor which utters such abomination as this. O how well said the holy Job? What is man but rottennesse it self, and a very fountain of worms, I have said to rottennesse thou art my Father, and to the worms I have said you are my mother, and my brethren. Such a thing as this is man, a very running stream of rottenesse, and a wide sack full of worms, Wel then, of what shall we now be proud? Of what will dust, and ashes take [Page 38]occasion to brag? At least from hence, we shall be able to discover no colour for being proud, but enough for being humble, and to despise our selves. And therefore Saint Gregory saith, It will help us to conserve Humility, if we remember our own deformity, it will keep very safe under these ashes.

Let us pass yet a little further on, and dig yet deeper, and press the spade yet lower into the ground. Consider what you were before God created you, and you shall find that you were just nothing, and that you could never have been delivered out of that dark depth of being nothing, if God through his great mercy and goodnes, had not taken you out from thence, and placed you amongst his creatures, giving you that real, and true being, which you now enjoy. So that, for as much as is on our parts, we are nothing, and we are to hold our selves but equall to those things which are not, and we must ascribe to God, that advan­tage which now we have above them. This is that which Saint Paul saith, If any man think he is any thing, he is deceived, for of himself he is no­thing: We have here discovered a great deep mine, whereby to enrich our selves with Hu­mility. Yea, and there is yet more in this, for even now after we ate created, and have re­ceived our being, it is not we who hold it, and can contain it in our selves. It is not, as when the archirect hath built a house, which su­stains it self when he hath left it, without [Page 39]needing him any more who made it. It is not so in our case, but now after we are created, we have still as great need of God, in every moment of our lives, to the end that we may not loose the being which we have already, as we had, whilst we were nothing, that we might grow to be. He is ever sustaining, and holding us up, with his hand of power, that so we may not again fall down, into that pro­found pit of being nothing, out of which he took us before. And so saith David: Thou O Lord didst frame me, and thou didst place thy hand upon me; and this hand of thine O Lord, holds me still fast on foot, and conserves me, that so I may not again return to my former nothing. We are ever so de­pending, and so hanging upon this hand-fast of God, that if once this should fail us, and that he should take off that hand, but for any one moment of our lives, in the same very moment we were dispatched, and we should loose our being, and so return to our nothing, as when the Sun is once hidden, the earth is dark.

For this reason saith the holy Scripture. All Nations in the sight of God, are as if they were not, and as nothing, and they are meer emptines it self before him: This is that which we all are say­ing every minute, namely, that we are nothing but yet I doubt that we say it only with our mouths, for I know not whether we under­stand what we say. O that we understood and felt it, as the Prophet understood, and felt [Page 40]it, when he said thus to God, I O Lord am as no­thing in thy fight: Really, for my part I am no­thing, for I had no being, and the being which now. I have, was not had by me of my self, but thou O Lord didst give it me, and to thee must I ascribe it all, and I have nothing whereof to brag, or glory in my self, for I had nothing at all to do therein; and thou O Lord art ever conserving me in being, and holding me still fast on foot, and thou art still giving me strength wherewith to work, all being, all strength, all power to work, comes to us from thy hand, for on our part we can do nothing, and we are worth nothing, and in fine, are no­thing, so that now of what shall we be able to wax proud? Will it be perhaps of the nothing which we see, we have? We said a while ago, of what dost thou grow proud, O thou who art but dust and ashes, but now we may say of what dost thou grow proud, O thou who art nothing, which is less then dust and ashes? What occasion, or even colour can a thing of nothing take, for looking big, and growing proud, and holding it self in some account? In­falliby none at all.

CHAP: VII. Of a most principal means for a mans knowing himself, and obteining Humility, which is the con­sideration of his sins.

LEt us yet go farther on, and dig, and sound deeper in the knowledg of our selves. Let us use the spade once again. But what is there any thing yet deeper, doth any thing lye lower then nothing? yes there doth, and much lower. What, the sin which you have added to it, O what a deep pit is this? it is much deeper then nothing, for sin­ning is much worse then not being, and it were better for a man not to be, then to have sinned, and so said Christ our Lord of Judas, who meant to sell him, it had been better for him that he had not been born. There is not a place so low, so distant, and so despised in the eyes of God, amongst all those things which either are, or are not, as that man who lives in sin, without repentance, he is dis-inherited of Heaven, the enemy of God, and sentenced for all eternity to Hell-fire, and though now, through the goodnes of our Lord, your con­sciences [Page 42]are not charged with the allowance of any known sin; yet as for the knowledg of our nothing, ye called to mind that time, wherein we had no being, so for the knowing of our basenes, and misery, we are now to call that time to mind, when we were in sin. Con­sider in how wretched estate you were, when in the sight of God you were ungratious, ugly, his enemies, the children of wrath, obnoxi­ous to eternall torments, and then despise your selves throughly, and abase your selves into the lowest & profoundest place that pos­sibly you can, for you may safely beleeve, that how much soever you humble, and despise your selves, you will never be able to arrive to that depth of contempt, which he deserves, who hath offended that infinite goodnes, which is God. This busines hath no bottom at al, it is a most profound, and infinite depth, for till we shall be able to see in heaven, how good God is, we shall never be able to know perfectly, how great an il sin is, which is com­mitted against God, and how great a punish­ment he deserves who commits it.

O that we would continue in this medita­tion and dig on, and still sound deeper into this mine of our sins, and miseries, how hum­ble would we then be; in how small account would we hold our selves; and how easily would we admit to be dis-esteemed and con­temned by all. He who hath been a traytor to God, what contempt will he not endure for [Page 43]his love? He who gave God away for a fancy or toy, or for som pleasure of an instant: he who offended his Creator, and his Lord, and deserved to remain for ever in hel; what dis­honors, what affronts, or injuries wil not he be glad to receive, and accept them as gentle chastisements for those offences, which he hath committed against the majestie of God; as said the Prophet David. Before that scourge came wherewith God humbled and afflicted me, I had given him cause to inflict it; I had already sin­ned, and therefore now I am silent, nor dare I com­plain, for all is much less than my sins deserved. Thou hast not punished me O Lord, according to my offences, for whatsoever we are possibly able to suffer in this life, is meerly nothing in com­parison of that which any one of all our sins, hath deserved. Will you perhaps conceive, that he deserves not to be dishonored, and de­spised, who hath dishonored, and despised God? do you not think it to be reason, that he be lightly esteemed, who set light by God? Will you not confess, that that will, which durst offend the Creator of the world, should never from thence forward, do any one thing which it pretends, or desires, in punishment of so vast a presumption.

It serves also for a spur towards good works, and to keep a man from being negligent; and to make him walk on with fear and humilitie, in the sight of God; begging pardon and mer­cie of him, as we are advised to do by the wise [Page 44]man. Blessed is that man, who always fears. And be not without fear, even concerning those sins, of which you have repented. This consi­deration of our sins, is a very efficatious means to make us put little value upon our selves, and to be ever humble, and to live, as it were, even under ground; for there is much to be gotten and digged up from thence.]

If besides we would stay, and consider the defects and wounds, which original sin hath caused in us, how copious would that matter be which we might find therein, for our humi­liation? How is our nature perverted and cor­rupted by sin! For as a stone is inclined by the natural weight thereof, to fal downward; just so, by the corruption of original sin, we have a most active inclination to love honor, and profit, and satisfaction of our sence; and we are extreamly awake towards all those temporal things, which concern us; but stark dead, towards those others, which are spiri­tual and divine. That, commands in us, which in al reason, were to obey; and that obeys, which should command. And to conclude, under the out-side, and posture of men the appetites of beasts ly concealed; and we have hearts which grow groveling towards the ground; the heart of man is wicked, and in­scrutable, and who can arrive to the malice thereof? The deeper you dig into this wel, the greater abominations will you discover [Page 45]therein, as was shewed in that figure to Eze­kiel.

And if now we wil apply our selves, to con­sider our present defects, we shal find our selves very full of them; for these grow ever out of our own store. How slippery are our tongues, and how il guarded are our hearts? How inconstant are we in our good purposes, and how earnest for our own interest and con­tents? How desirous are we to fulfil our appe­tites? How ful are we of self love? How strong in the abetting of our own judgment and wil? How lively do we still find our passions? how intire our bad inclinations? and how easily do we permit our selves to be transported by them. St. Gregory saith very wel, upon those words of Job. Wilt thou break a leaf driven too and fro? Job 13.25. that a man is, with much reason, compared to the leaf of a tree. For as a leaf is turned, and tost with every wind, so is man by the wind both of his passions and temptations. Somtimes he is troubled with anger somtimes he is dissolved with vain mirth; somtimes he is transported by the ap­petite of avarice, somtimes of ambition, and somtimes of lust, somtimes he is hoysed up by pride, and somtimes cast down by inordinate fear. And so said the Prophet Isaiah. As the leaves of trees are shaken, and carried away by the wind, s [...] are we assaulted and subdued by tempta­tions. We have no hability, or strength in vir­tue, nor in executing our good purposes, but [Page 46]indeed we have enough, for which we may humble and confound our selves, and that not only by the consideration of our miseries, and sins, but by the weighing also of those works, which seem in our eyes to be very good. For if we will consider, and examine them wel, we shall find occasion and matter enough, for which to humble our selves, by reason of the faults and imperfections, which commonly we mingle with them; according to that of the same Prophet; We are becom as one unclean, and all our justice is like som filthy and polluted rag. But of this we have spoken els where, and so there wil be no need to inlarge our selves now herein.

CHAP: VIII. How we are to exercise our selves in the knowledge of what we are, that so we may not be dejected or dismaid.

OUr misery is so great, and we have so much reason to humble our selves, and we have so hourly experience thereof: that we seem to stand in more need of being ani­mated and incouraged, to the end that we be not dejected and dismayed, considering our selves to be so ful of imperfections and faults, [Page 47]then to be exhorted to the consideration thereof. And this is so very true, that holy writers, and instructors of men in the way of holines, teach us; that we must dig, and sound into the knowledg of our miseries, and frail­ties, in such sort, as we stop not there, for fear lest the soul should sink down by distrust in­to dispair, in regard we see so great misery in our selves, and so great inconstancy in our good purposes, but that we must then passe on, towards the knowledg of the goodnes of God, and place our whole confidence in him: that so the sorrow of having sinned, may not, as Saint Paul saith, be so great, as to cause de­jection, and despair, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, 2 Cor: 2.7. But it is to be a well tempered sor­row, and mingled with the hope of pardon casting our eyes upon the mercy of God in, Christ Jesus, and not fixing them wholly upon the only consideration of our sins, and the de­formity, and grievousnes thereof; and so they say, that we must not dwell upon the consi­deration of our own poverty, and weakness, lest so we be dismayed, but onely that we may thereby find reason to distrust our selves, observing that on our part, we have no lean­ing place on which to rest, and then instantly to look up to God, and trust in him, and thus we shall not only not remain discouraged, but we shal rather be animated, & revived there­by, because that which serves to make us di­strust [Page 48]when we behold our selves, will serve to strengthen our hope when we look up to God: and the more we know our own weak­nes, and the more we be distrustfull of our selves by looking up to God, and relying on him, and by placing all our confidence in him we shall find our selves the more strong, and full of courage in all things.

But the Fathers do here advertise us of a point which imports very much, namely, that as we must not dwel upon the know­ledge of our infirmities, and miseries, lest we fall upon distrust, and dispair, but pass on to the knowledge of the goodnes, the mercy, and liberality of God in Christ, and place our whole confidence in him: so also must we dwell as little here, but turn our eyes quickly in again upon our selves, and upon our own miseries, and frailties. For if we stick upon the knowledge of the good­nes, the mercy, and liberality of God, and forget what we are in our selves, we shall run much hazard of presumption, and pride, and we shall grow to be too secure of our selves, and to be over-bold, and not so humble, and carefull as were fit, which is a dangerous course, and hath been the foundation, and root of many fearfull, and great ruins, O how ma­ny men, who were very spiritual, and who seemed to be exalted, as high as Heaven in the exercise of prayer, and contemplation, have cast themselves down headlong by this [Page 49]precipice? O how many who seemed to be Saints, have come by this means, to have most wretched fals? Because they forgot themselves; because they made themselves too sure, through the favours which they had received from God? They grew to be ful of confidence, as if there had already been no more danger for them, and so they came miserably to de­struction.

We have books which are ful of such acci­dents. Saint Basil saith, that the cause of that miserable fal of King David, both into adulte­ry, and murther, was the presumption which once he had, when he was visited by the hand of God, with abundance of consolation, so far as that he presumed to say, I shall never be mo­ved, or altered from this state: Psal: 30. Wel, stay a while, God will a little take off his hand: these extraordinary favours, and graces shall cease, and you shall see what will happen. Thou turned away thy face from me, and I was troubled. God leaves you in your poverty, & then you wil be like your self; & you shal know to your cost, whou you are once fallen, that which you would not know whilst you were visited, and favoured by Almighty God: And Saint Basil also saith, that the cause of the fal, and denial of the Apostle Saint Peter, was the confiding, and presuming vainly in himself. Because he said with arrogancy, and presumption, that though all men should be scandalized yet would not he be scandalized, but would rather dye with Christ; [Page 50]For this did God permit, that he, should fall; that so he might be humbled, and know him­self. We must never give way that our eyes may wander from our selves, nor ever be se­cure in this life: but considering what we are, we must go ever on, with great care of our selves, and with great care, and fear, lest the enemy whom we carry still about us, put some trick upon us, and provide some snare, into which he may procure us to fall.

So that as we must not stay upon the know­ledge of our own misery, and weaknes, but passe instantly on to the knowledge of the goodnes of God, so neither must we stay up­on the knowledge of God, and his mercies, and favours, but return with speed again, to cast our eyes down upon our selves. This is that Jacobs ladder, whereof one end is fastened to the earth, in our knowledg of our selves, and the other reaches up to the very height of Heaven. By this ladder must you ascend, and descend, as the Angels ascended, and descen­ded by that other. Rise up by the knowledge of the goodnes of God, but stay not there, lest you grow into presumption, but descend to the knowledge of your selves: yet stay not al­so there, lest you fall into despair; but still re­turn again to the knowledge of God, that so you may have confidence in him. In fine, the busines consists, in that you be still ascending, and descending, by this ladder.

We read of a certain devout Woman that did use this exercise, to free her fell from se­verall temptations which the divel brought a­gainst her, as she her self related, when the de­vil would tempt her by way of confusion, de­siring to make her beleeve that her whole [...] was nothing but sin, error, and abuses then she would raise her self up, but yet sill with Humi­lity, by the consideration of the mercies of God: and she would be saying to this effect, I confesse O my creator, that my whole life hath been led in darknes, but yet I will hide my self in the wounds of Christ Jesus crucified, and I will bath my self in his blood: and so my wickednes shall be consumed, and I will re­joice in my Creator, & my Lord, Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter then snow. And so also, when the divel would offer to put her up to pride, by tentations of a contrary kind, seek­ing to make her think that she was perfect, and pleasing to God, and that there was no cause why she should any longer afflict her self, and lament her sins: then would she hum­ble her self, and make the devil this answer. O wretched creature that I am. Saint John Baptist was sanctified in his mothers womb, and yet notwithstanding all that was continually ex­ercised about repentance. And I have com­mitted so many defects, and have never la­mented them, no nor even considered them as they deserved. With this the devil not li­king to endure so great Humility on the one [Page 52]side, nor so great confidence in the other, (as we may imagine) said thus to her. Be thou ac­cursed, and he also who hath taught thee this, for I know not how to make enterance here, since if I abase thee by confusion, thou raisest thy self up as high as Heaven, by the conside­tation of the mercy of God: and if I raise thee up towards presumption, thou abasest thy self by the consideration of thy sins, as low as hel by way of Humility.

Now after this very manner, are we to use this exercise, and so shall we on the one side, be full of circumspection, and fear, and on the other, ful of courage, and joy. Fearful in re­gard of our selves, and joyfull through our hope in God. These are those two lessons, which God gives daily to his elect, the one to make them see their defects, and the other to make them see the goodnes of God, who takes them from us with so much love.

CHAP. IX. Of the great benefit, and profit, which grows by this exercise of a mans knowing himself.

TO the end ha [...] we may yet be more ani­mated to this exercise of the knowledge [Page 53]of our selves, we will go on declaring some great benefits, and advantages which are con­teined therein. One of the cheif thereof, hath been shewed already, namely, that this is the foundation, and root of Humility, and the necessary means both for the purchase, and preservation thereof One of those anti­ent Fathers being asked how a man might do to obtain true humility, made this answer. If he consider only his own sins, sounding, & dig­ging deep into the knowledge of himself, this man shall obtain true humility. This alone were sufficient to make us attend much to this exercise, since it imports us so very much towards the obtaining of this vertue. But yet we may pass further on, and say, that the hum­ble knowledge of our selves, is a more certain way towards the knowledge of God, then the profound study of all sciences. And the reason which Saint Bernard gives is, that this is the most high science of all others, and of the greatest benefit. For from hence a man comes to the knowledge of God, which is gi­ven us to be understood, as Bonaventure saith, by the mistery of that in the holy Gospel which Christ our Saviour wrought, upon the person of the man who was born blind. For by laying dust upon his eyes, he gave him both corporal sight wherewith to see himself, and spiritual sight also, wherewith to know, and adore God. So to us who are born blind through the ignorance both of God, and of [Page 54]our selves, God giveth sight by laying durt upon our eyes where of we were made, to the end, that considering our selves who are but as a little durt, we may receive that sight whereby first we may see, and know our selves, and from thence may arrive to know God. And the more any man knows his own basenes, he shall the more discern the great­nes, and majesty of God. For one contrary, and one extream put by the other, wil make that other appear the more. White layed up­on black, appears the more fresh and clear. And so since man is the most extreame base­nes, and God the most high excellency, they are two contrary extremes; and from hence it is, that the more a man knows himself, in whom he finds, that there is no goodnes at al, but onely nothing, and sin; the more he finds the goodnes, and mercy, & liberality of God, who vouchsafes to love us, and as it were, to converse with so great a basenes as ours is.

From hence grows the soul to be greatly kindled, and inflamed towards the love of God, for it never gives over marvelling, and giving thanks to God, for that man being so miserable, and so wicked, God indures him upon the earth, and daily also doth him ma­ny favours. For it happens often, that we can­not so much as endure our selves, and that yet the goodnes, and mercy of God towards us is such, as that not onely he endures us, [Page 55]but he is pleased to say of us: My delight is to be with the Sons of men. What didst thou find O Lord in the sons of men, that thou should­est say, my delights are to converse with them.

For this did the Saints so much frequent the exercise of the knowledge of themselves, that so they might acquire a greater know­ledge of God, and a greater love to his divine Majesty. This was that exercise, and prayer, which Saint Augustine used. O my God, which art ever the same, and never changest; let me know my self, and let me know thee. And this was the prayer of another, wherein he spent whole dayes, and nights; Who art thou O Lord, and who am I. By this way came the Saints to a very high knowledge of God, and this is a very plain and certain way: and the more you dig down into the knowledge of your selves, the higher shall you rise, and the more shall you grow in the knowledge of God, and of his infinite mercy, and goodnes. As also on the other side, the higher you rise, and the more you grow in the know­ledge of God, the lower you will descend, and the more you will profit in the know­ledge of your selves. For the light which comes to you from Heaven, will shew you such sluttish corners in your souls, as will make you ashamed of that which, in the eyes of the world, will seem very fair, and good. Bonaventure saith, that as when the sun [Page 56]beams enter into any room, every moat of the air will shew it self. So the soul being il­lustrated by the knowledge of God, and by the beams of that true sun of justice, the very least things will instantly be seen, and so the soul comes to hold that for faulty, which he who enjoyes not so great light, will esteem to be good.

This is the reason why all holy men are so humble, and hold themselves in so smal ac­count, and the more holy, and perfect they are, they are the more humble, and the ac­count wherein they hold themselves, is so much the lesse. For still, as they have more light, and greater knowledge of God, they know themselves better, and see that of their own stock, they cannot brag, but onely of nothing, and of sin. And how much soever they know themselves, and how many faults soever they see in their own souls, they stil beleeve, that there are many more which they see not, and conceive that the least part thereof, is that which they can come to know, and after this rate do they esteem themselves. For as they beleeve that God is more good then they are able to compre­hend so also do they beleeve, that themselves are more wicked then they can understand. And as, how much soever we conceive, or know of God, we cannot perfectly compre­hend him, but still there will be more, and much more to be conceived, and known; so [Page 57]how much soever we know our selves, and how much soever we humble, and despise our selves, we shall never be able to descend so low, as to arrive to the depth of our misery. And this is no aggraration, but a clear truth. For since man hath nothing of his own store, but nothing, and sin, who will ever be able to humble and abase himself so much, as those two titles deserve.

We read of a devout Woman who desired light of God to know her self, and she discer­ned so much deformity, and misery in her condition, that she was not able to endure it, and then she prayed thus to God. O Lord not so much, for I shall faint under the hurden. And of another, who begged of God many times that he would make him see, and know him­self, God opened his eyes a little, and it had like to have cost him dear. For he saw him­self so ugly, and so abominable, that he utte­red loud cries, and said: O Lord I beseech thee, even for thy mercies sake, to take this specta­cle from before mine eyes, for I can look no longer upon this figure.

From hence grows also, that holy kind of hate, and detestation of themselves, in the servants of God, whereof I spake before. For how much more they know the immense goodnes of God; and love him more, so much the more do they abhor themselves, as ha­ving been opposites, and enemies of God, ac­cording to that of Joh. Why hast thou set me as [Page 58]a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to my self. Job: 7.20. They see that in themselves they have the root of all mischief, which is the wicked, and perverse inclination of our flesh, and upon this knowledge, they raise themselves up against themselves, and ab­hor themselves. Do you not think it reason to abhor him, who made you forsake, and sell so great a good as God is, for a little vain contentment, or carnal delight? Do you not think it reason for you to hate him, who made you loose eternal glory, and deserve Hell for even, him who wrought you so much hurt, and still persists in doing it, do you not think that you have cause to detest? Well now, this person is your self, an opposite, and enemy of God, an opposite and enemy of your own salvation.

CHAP. X. That the knowledge of ones self, doth not canse dismay, but rather gives con­rage, and strength.

THere is another great benefit, which grows from the exercise of knowing a mans self; that not onely it causes no dismay, or base fear, as perhaps some might doubt, but rather a great heart, and courage, towards all those things which are good. And the reason [Page 59]of this is, that when a man knows himself, he sees that here is no colour why he should rely upon himself, but that distrusting him­self, he must put all his confidence in God, in whom he finds himself strong, and able for all things. Hence it is, that these are the men who are apt to attempt, and undertake great things, and these are they who go through with them. For in regard they ascribe all to God, and nothing to themselves, God takes the busines in hand, and makes it his, and holds it upon his own account; and then he is wont to do mighty things, and even wonders, by the means of weak instruments. To shew the riches, and treasures of his mercies, God will do wonder­full things, by instruments who are miserable and weak. He uses to put the treasures of his mercy into the poorest vessels, for thus doth his glory shine most. This is that which God said to St: Paul, when being even tired with temptations, he cryed out, and begged, that he might be delivered from them; and God made him this answer. My grace shall be suffici­ent for thee, how great soever thy temptations and miseries may be, and then doth the pow­er of God prove it self to be more strong, and perfect, when the weaknes, and infirmity is more apparent. For as the Physitian gains more honour, when the sicknes which he cures is more dangerous, so when there is more weaknes in us, our delivery brings [Page 60]more glory to Gods arm, and power; and so doth Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose, ex­pound this place. So that when a man knows and distrusts himself, and puts all his confi­dence in God, then doth his Majesty come and help; and when on the other side, a man puts considence in himself, and in his own diligences, and means, he is forsaken by Al­mighty God. This saith Saint Basil, is the cause why when we desire to make our pray­ers best, and to have most devotion in certain principal times, and occasions, it sals out ma­ny times, that we have lesse; because we put our considence in our own means, and in our own diligences, and preparations. And at other times, we are prevented with great be­nedictions, and sweetnes, when we look for them least, to the end, that we may know, that this is an effect of the grace, and mercy of our Lord, and of no diligence, or merit of ours. So that a mans knowing his misery, and frailty, causes no cowardise, or dismay, but ra­ther gives courage, and strength, in regard that it makes him distrust himself, and place all his confidence in God. And this is also that which [...]e Apostle saith, When I am weak then am I strong. 2 Cor. 12.10. That is, when I am humbled, then I am exalted. For thus do hoth Saint Augustine, and Saint Ambrose de­clare it. When I humble and abase my self, and know that I am good for nothing, then am I exalted and raised up. Whilst I know, [Page 61]and see my infirmity, and misery, fastning my self upon God, I find my self more strong, and more ful of courage, for he is all my confi­dence, and strength.

Hereby you may understand, that it is not Humility, nor any thing which springs from thence, when there com to us somtimes cer­tain dismays, and dejections, concerning our little progress in grace, and when we fear that we shal never obtain such or such a virtue, and never overcom such an il condition or inclination; or that we shal not be fit for this or that office, and ministery in which we are or may be imployed. This may seem to be humility, but many times it is not so, but ra­ther springs from pride. For such a one casts his eyes upon himself, as if by his own strength, and diligences, he were to go through with that business; wheras he ought to cast them upon God, in whom we are to be ful of confidence and courage; and say, The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom then shal I fear; the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shal I be afraid. If whole armies shal rise against me, my heart shal nor be afraid. If they shal bid me battel yet wil I hope in God. Psal. 27. Though I walk in the midst of the very sha­dow of death, and arrive even at the very gates of hel, yet my heart shal not fear, because thou O Lord art with me. Psal. 23. With what varietie of words, doth the holy Prophet express the self same thing, and indeed we have the [Page 62]Psalms ful of this, to signifie the abundance of pious affections, and of the confidence which he had, and which we ought to have in God. In my God, I wil pass over a wal, how high soever it may be. Nothing shal be able to put it self between me, and home. God can conquer giants, by grashoppers. In my God, I wil tread lions and dragons under my feet. By the grace and favour of our Lord, we shal be strong. He teacheth my hands to fight, and mine arms shal break even a bow of steel.

CHAP: XI. Of other great benefits and advantages, which grow, by the exercise of a mens knowledge of himself.

ONe of the principal means, which, for our parts, we are able to imploy, to the end that our Lord may shew us favour, and com­municate great graces and gifts to us is, that we humble our selves, and know our own frailty and misery. And so said the Apostle St. Paul, I wil gladly glory in my infirmities, and weaknesses, that so the power of Christ may dwel in me. And St. Ambrose upon those words, I am pleased in my infirmities, saith, If a Christian be to glory, it is to be in his own pover­tie, and miserie, whereby he may increase and pro­sper, in the sight of God, St. Augustine brings [Page 63]that of the Prophet, to this purpose. Thou O God, sentest a gracious rain upon thine inheritance: and refreshedst it when it was weary. When, think you, that God will give the voluntary and sweet rain of his gifts, and graces to his inheritance, which is the soul of man? When the same soul shal understand her own infir­mity, and misery, then wil he perfect it, and the voluntary and sweet shower of his gifts and graces, shal fal down upon it. And as here amongst us, the more our poor beggars dis­cover their wretchednes, and their sores, to rich and charitable men, the more they move them to pity, and the more aims they re­ceive at their hands, so the more a man knows, and humbles himself, and confesses his misery, the more doth he invite, and in­cline the mercy of God, to take pitty, and compassion on him, and to communicate the gifts of his grace with the more abundance. For he gives strength to the weak, and to to them who are, as if they were not, but he multiplies courage, and strength.

To declare in few words, the great bene­fits, and advantages of this exercise, I say that the true knowledge of a mans self, is the universal remedy of all inconveniences. And so in the questions which we use to ask in spi­ritual conferences, whence such or such a thing uses to grow, & what may be the reme­dy thereof, we may in effect answer in them all, that they proceed from want of a mans [Page 64]knowing himself, and that the remedy there­of would be to know, and humble himself as he ought. For if you ask whence it grows that I judge of my Brethren, I say from the want of knowing my self. For if I would diligently watch over my self, and duly examine mine own heart, I should find so much for me to do, and so many miseries to bewail, that I would not mark the faults of others. If you ask from whence it comes, that sometimes I speak sharp, and unmortified words to my Brethren, that also grows from the want of knowing my self. For if I knew my self well, and held my self for the worst of the compa­ny, and looked upon every other man as if he were my superior, I should not be so bold, as to use such language to them. If you ask from whence grow those excuses, and those com­plaints, and those murmurings, as why they do not give me this or that, or why they treat me in such a fashion; it is cleer that it rises from the same root. If you ask from whence it comes, that a man is so much troubled, and dejected, when he finds himself molested, by variety of temptations, or grows melancholy, and is discouraged, when he fals often into any defect; this also grows from want of a mans knowing himself. For if you were truly humble, & considered wel the malice of your hearts, you would not be troubled, or dis­maid at this, but you would rather be in won­der, that you commit no worse things, how [Page 65]you came not to have more dangerous faults and you would be giving great thanks, and prais to God, for holding you so fast in his hand, that so you fall not into those things, into which infallibly you would have fallen, if he had nor held you up. For from a very source, and sink of vice, what sin is that which would not flow? From such a filthy dunghill what should we expect, but an odi­ous and abominable stink, and from such a tree, such fruit, upon those words of the Pro­phet. He remembreth that we are but dust, Saint Anselme saith, what wonder is it, if dust be blown away by wind. If also you desire a means whereby you may come to shew much charity towards your Brethren, and that you may be obedient, and patient, and very penitent, you may here find the remedy of all.

CHAP. XII. How much it concerneth us to be exer­cised in the knowledge of our selves.

IT will appear by what is said, how much it concerns us to be exercised in the knowledge of our selves. Thales Male sius, one of the seven wise men of Greece, being asked which of all natural things, was the hardest [Page 66]to be known, made this answer, A mans self. Because the love which a man bears himself, is so great, that it distracts, and hinders this knowledge, and from hence grew that say­ing, which was so much celebrated amongst the antients. Nosce te ipsum, know thy self. And another said, Tecum habita, dwell with thy self. But let us leave these strangers, and come home to others of our own communi­on, who are bettter masters of this science. The blessed Saint Augustine, and Saint Ber­nard say, that the science of a mans knowing himself, is the most profitable, and most high that ever was invented, or found. Men, saith Saint Augustine, are wont to esteem much the knowledge of the Heavens, and of the earth by Astrology, and Cosmography, and to know the motions of the skie, and the course of the planets. With their proprieties, and influences; but yet the knowledge of a mans self, is the most high and profitable science of them all. Other sciences blow a man, and puffe him up, as Saint Paul saith; but we are humbled, and edified by this. And so the Fa­thers, end all spiritual conductors, do greatly charge us, to imploy our selves in prayer, up­on this exercise: and they reprove the error of some, who passe too lightly over the con­sideration of their own delects; and detain themselves in thinking upon other devout things, because they find consolation in them, but none in the consideration of their [Page 67]defects, and faults, because they take no plea­sure in looking into themselves; and in this they are like such as are deformed, who be­cause they are so, dare not look upon them­selves in a glasse.

Saint Bernard speaking to Man, in the per­son of God, saith thus. O man, if thou didst see and know thy self, thou wouldest be displea­sing to thy self, and thou wouldest be plea­sing to me: but now because thou doest not see, and know thy self, thou art pleasing to thy self, and art displeasing to me. Take heed that there come not once a time, when thou shalt neither be pleasing to God, nor to thy self; not to God, because thou hast sinned; nor to thy self, because thou art damned by thy self, through thine own fault.

Saint Gregory treating of this, saith, there are some, who as soon as they begin to serve God, and to take vertue a little into their consideration, think presently, that they are holy, and good; and do so place their eyes up­on the good they do, that they forget their miseries, and sins past, yea and sometimes, their present sins too; for they are so very bu­sie about gazing upon the good they do, that they attend not, nay and see not, the il which sometimes they commit. But such as indeed are good, and the elect of God, proceed al­ter a very different manner. For whereas in­deed they are full of vertue, and good works, they are yet ever looking upon the ill they [Page 68]do, and are considering, and ruminating up­on their in perfections, and defects And we shall quickly see what become of both these kinds of men. For they who are most consi­dering their sins, secure their good deeds, and conserve the great vertues which they pos­sesse, remaining ever in Humility; and on the contrary side, those others, who are looking so earnestly upon their good deeds, loose them, because they grow vain, and proud thereof. So that good men serve themselves of their very sins, and draw good, and spiri­tual profit from thence, whereas ill men draw hurt, and losse, even from their good deeds, because they make ill use thereof. As it happens in the case of corporal food, which though in it self it be healthfull and good, yet if a man eat of it without rule or measure, it will make him sick. And so on the other side, if the very poison of vipers be taken, with a certain composition, and proportion, it will become a treacle, and give him health. When therefore they shall bring the good things which you have done to your memory, to the end, that you may esteem, and value your self. Saint Gregory advises you, to oppose your ill deeds against them, and to call your former sins to mind. So did Saint Paul, to the end, that his great virtues might not blow him up, as also his having been rapt into the third Heaven, and made capable of those high revelations, which were imparted [Page 69]to him. Alas saith he, I have been a blasphemer, and a persecutor of the servants of God, and of the name of Christ; alas I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I have persecuted the Church of God. This is a very good counterpoise, and a very good countermine, against this temp­tation.

Upon those words, which the Archangel Gabriel spake to the prophet Daniel, O son of man observe, what I intend to say to thee. S. Je­rom saith, that those holy prophets, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zacharias, through the high and continual revelations, which they had, seem­ed already, as it were, to converse amongst the Quires of Angels; and to the end that they might not exalt themselves above themselves, and grow idle headed, & proud, upon that occasion, as conceiving that they were grown to be of a kind of Superior and Angelical nature, the Angel lets them know on the part of God, that they must remember their humane nature and frailty; and he cals them sons of men, that so they might under­stand themselves to be frail men, and misera­ble creatures like the rest; and that so they might be humble, and esteem themselves but as they were. And we have many examples in histories both ecclesiastical and prophane, both of Saints and other illustrious persons, Kings Emperors, and Prelates, who used this means, and ever kept som about them, who might bring them to remembrance from [Page 70]time to time, that they were but men; so to conserve them in humilitie, and to keep them from growing vain and proud.

It is recounted of Franciscui Borgia, that whilst he was yet Duke of Gandia, an holy man gave him this counsel, that if he had a mind to profit much in the service of God, no day might pass, wherein he would not think seriously of somwhat, which might put him to confusion, and a mean opinion of him­self. And he took this counsel so much to heart, that from the time that he used the exercise of mental prayer, he imployed every day, the two first hours thereof, upon this knowledge, and contempt of himself. And besides, whatsoever he heard, and read, and saw, it all served him towards this abasing, and confusion. Let us therefore observe this counsel, and practise it. Let no one day pass, wherein we spend not som time of prayer, and consider not somwhat which may tend to our confusion and contempt: and let us not grow weary, nor give over this exercise, til we find that our soul hath even drunk up, a profound and cordial desire to be disesteem­ed and despised: and til we may feel our selves to be greatly ashamed, to appear with so much baseness and misery as ours is, before the high presence and majesty of almighty God.

We have very much need of all this, for our pride, and inclination to be honored, [Page 71]and esteemed, is so great, that if we walk not continually in this exercise, we shall find our selves every hour to be listed up above our selves, as cork swimming upon the water, for no cork is so light and vain as we. We must ever be repressing, and beating down that swelling and pride which heaves us up, and we must look towards the feet of our defor­mity, and basenes, that so the wheel of our vanity, and pride may be broken in peeces. Let us remember the parable of the Fig­tree, which is mentioned in the holy Gospel, and which the owner thereof hath a mind to pluck up by the roots; because in three years it had born no fruit; but the gardener moved that it might be suffered to grow a year lon­ger, and said that he would dig about it, and that if then, it gave no fruit, it might after­wards be rooted up. Dig you in like manner, about the dry, and barrain Fig-tree of your souls, and let the dung, and miseries of your sins be cast round about it, since you have such store thereof, and so you shall be also fertile, and bear fruit.

To the end, that we may be the more ani­mated to use this exercise, and that no man take occasion to give it over through any vain apprehensions. We are to understand two things. The first, that no man must think this exercise belongs onely to beginners, be­cause it also concerns Proficients, and most perfect men; since we see that they, and even [Page 72]St. Paul himself did use it. In the second place it is fit for us to understand, that this exercise is no afflictive, or melancholy kind of thing, nor causes trouble or disquiet, but rather brings with it great peace, and rest, yea, and great contentment, and joy, for any man to consider, and know himself, how ma­ny defects or faults soever he commit, and how perfectly soever he understand; that be­cause he is so wicked, he deserves that al men should despise, and hate him. For when this knowledge of our selves grows from true Hu­mility, that pain comes accompanied with such a kind of swavity, and contentment, that a man would be sorry to be without it. Other pains and troubles which some feel, when they consider their faults and imperfe­ctions, are temptations of the divel, who on the one side, procures by this means, to make us think that we are truly humble; and on the other, would be content to make us di­strust the goodnes of God, and to be disheart­ned, and dismayed in his service. Indeed if we were still to pause upon the knowledge of our own misery, and weaknes, we should have occasion enough to be afflicted and sad, yea and to be discouraged, and dismayed, but we must not stay there, but passe on to the consideration of the goodnes, and mercy, and liberality of God, and how much he loves us, and what he suffered for us, and in this are we to place all our hope. And so, that which [Page 73]would be an occasion of dismay, and sorrow, by looking upon our selves, serves to animate and incourage us, and is an occasion of great­er comfort and joy, when we lift up our eyes towards God. A man beholds himself, and sees nothing but cause of grief, but looking up to God, he confides in his goodnes without fear of being forsaken, notwithstanding the many faults, and imperfections, and miseries which he discerns in himself. For the goodnes and mercy of God, upon which he hath placed his eyes, and his heart, doth infinitely ex­ceed, and out strip al that which can be ill in us. And with this consideration, being root­ed in the very strings of the heart, a man un­ties himself from himself, as from some bro­ken reed, and ever goes resting upon God, and confiding in him, according to that of the Prophet Daniel. Not confiding in our selves, nor in any merit, or good work of ours, do we presume to lift up our eyes to thee O Lord, and to beg favour at thy hands but by putting our confidence in thy great mercy.

CHAP: XIII. Of the second degree of Humility, and here it is declared, wherein this de­gree consists.

THe second degree of Humility, saith Bona­venture, is when a man desires to be held by others in smal account. Desires to be un­known, and dis-esteemed, and that no body may have you in account. If we were well grounded in the first degree of Humility, we should already have made most of our way towards the second. If really we esteemed our selves little, it would not seem very hard to us, that others should also esteem little of us; yea and we would be glad thereof. Wil you see that this is true, saith he? All men are na­turally glad, when others conform themselves to our opinion, and think the fame that we think. Well then, if this be so, why are we not glad, when others have us in smal account? Do you not know why? Because we esteem highly of our selves, and we are not of their opinion. Bonaventure upon these words of Job, (as they are read according to the vul­gar latine: I have sin [...]d, and transgressed truly: and I have not received as I was worthy; chap: 33.27. saith, many with their tongues speak ill of themselves and say that they are this, [Page 75]and that, but they beleeve not what they say, for when others say the same, yea, an lesse then that, they cannot indure it. And these men when they speak ill of themselves, say it nor with truth, nor do they feel it so in their hearts, as Job did when he said: I have sinned, and really transgressed, and of­fended God, and he hath not punished me, according to my great demerit. Job said this with truth of heart, but these men saith Saint Gregory do humble themselves only in appa­rence, and with the tongue. Whereas in their heart they have no Humility. They will needs seem to be humble, whereas they have no mind to be so indeed: for if in earnest they desired it, they would not be offended so much, when they were reprehended, and ad­monished of any fault by others, and they would not excuse themselves, nor be troubled so much as we see they are.

Cassianus recounts, that a certain religious man came once to visit the devout Father Se­rapion, who in habit, jesture, and words, seem­ed to be of great humility, and contempt of himself, and never made an end of speaking ill of himself, and of saying that he was so great a sinner, and so wicked a man, that he was not worthy to breath in the common air, nor to tread upon the earth, and much lesse would he consent that they should wash his feet, or do him any service. Wise Serapion, after he had dined, began to treat of some [Page 76]spiritual things, as he had been accustomed, and applied also some little thing to his guest, and gave him this good advice with great mildnes and love; Namely, that fince he was young and strong, he should be careful to keep at home, and labour with his hands for his food, according to the rule of Saint Paul, and not to go idly up and and down to the houses of others. The young man was so much troubled at this admonition, and ad­vise, that he could not possibly dissemble it, but shewed it evidently by his countenance, Then said Serapion, what is this my son, that till now you have been speaking so much ill of your self, and so many things of dishon our and affront to you; and that now, upon an admonition, so easie as this which contains no injury, or affront at all, but rather much love, and charity, you have been so much of­fended and altered, that you could not hide it? Did you hope perhaps, by means of that ill which you said of your self, to hear that sentence of the wiseman out of my mouth. This man is just and humble, since he speaks ill of himself? Did you pretend that we should praise you, and hold you for a Saint. Ah, saith Saint Gregory, how many times is this that very thing, to which we pretend by our hypocrisies, and counterfeit Humili­ties? but that which would fain seem humility is great pride. For we humble our selves ma­ny times, to the end that we may be praised [Page 77]by men, & beheld for humble and good. And if you will not grant me this, I must ask you why you say that of your self, which you will not have others to beleeve? If you speak it from your heart, and if you walk in the way of truth, you must desire that others may be­leeve it too, and may hold you for such as you said; and if you desire not this, you shew plainly that you pretend not thereby to be humbled, but to be valued and esteemed. This is that, which the wiseman saith: There are some who humble themselves after a counterfeit manner, and their heart is full of deceit, and pride. For what greater deceit can there be, then by means of humility, to be ho­nored, and esteemed by men; and what grea­ter pride, then to pretend to be held hum­ble? To pretend to the praise of humility, is not (saith Saint Bernard) the vertue of humi­lity, but the perversion, and subversion there­of. For what greater perversion can there be then this? What thing can be more unreaso­nable, then to desire to seem to be the better for that, for which you seem worse? What things more unworthy & absurd, then to de­sire to seem good, and to be held for such, even for the ill which you have said of your self, Saint Ambrose reprehending this, saith thus. Many have the apparence of Humility, but yet they have not the vertue of humility, ma­ny seem exteriorly to seek it, but interiorly they contradict it.

This pride, and inclination of ours, to b [...] esteemed, and valued, is so great, that we seek a thousand inventions, and wayes, how to compasse it. Sometimes we do it directly, and sometimes indirectly; but we are ever procu­ring to bring the water to this mil. Saint Gre­gory saith, that it is the property of proud men, when they conceive themselves to have said, or done any thing wel, to desire such as saw, or heard it, to tel them the faults there­of; their intention yet being to be praised. They seem indeed to humble themselves ex­teriorly, because they desire men to tell them their faults, but this is no humility, but pride, for their designe thereby is to be prai­sed. At other times you shal have a man speak il of somewhat, which he hath done, and de­clare that he is not pleased with it, that so he may come to know what the other thinks, and he would fain hear it excused, and that the other should say, no certainly it was very well said, or done; and you have no reason at all to be disquieted with your self, upon that occasion. This I say, is that which he sought. A certain grave Father, who was a very spiri­tual man, was wont to call this a pride, of by hook or by crook; because by this devise, or engine, one man fetches praise out of the mouth of another. A man makes an end of his Sermon, and is very wel content, and sa­tisfied with himself, and intreats another to tel him his faults: But to what end serve these [Page 79]hypocrisies, and fictions: for you beleeve not that there were any faults, nor pretend any other thing, but that he should praise your sermon, and that he should jump with your own opinion; and that is indeed the thing which you are glad to hear; For if by acci­dent, he tell you plainly of any fault, you are not pleased, but rather you will defend it, and somtimes it happens, that you wil judge him who told you of it; as not having so good an understanding, and note in things of that nature, because he held that for a fault, which you conceive to have been well said. All this is pride, and desire of praise, which you pre­tend to satisfie, by this counterfeit Humility. At other times, when we are not able to con­ceal the fault, we confesse it very clearly, to the end, that since we have lost a point? of honour by making the fault, we may recover it again by confessing it after an hum­ble manner. At other times, saith Bonaventure, we exaggerate our own faults, and say more then is true, to the end, that others seeing that it is neither possible, nor credible, to have been so much as was said, they may think that there was no fault committed at al, that so they may cast the accusation upon the account of our humility; So that by exag­gerating, and declaring more then is true, we would conceal the fault which in truth is that which we intend. By a thousand devi­ses, and tricks, do we procure to hide, and [Page 80]disguise our pride, under the cloak of Humi­lity.

And thus, by the way you shall see, as St: Bernard saith, how pretious a thing humility, and how base and hateful pride is. See how sublime and glorious a thing humility is, since even pride desires to serve it self thereof, and to be cloaked therewith, and see also how base, and shameful a thing pride is, since it dares not so much as appear with the face dis­covered; but overshadowed, and disguised by the veil of humility. For you would be ex­treamly ashamed, and hold your selves for greatly affronted, it the other should under­stand that you pretend, and desire to be esteemed, and praised: and therefore it is, that you procure to cover your pride, with the ap­parence of humility. But now, why will you indeed be that, which you are so ashamed to seem to be. If you would be so out of counte­nance, that others should know you desire to be esteemed, and praised, why are you not much more ashamed to desire it. For the de­fect and ill thereof, consists in the act it self, of your desiring it, and not in their knowing that you desire it. And if you be ashamed that men should know it; why are you not ashamed that it should be seen, and known by Almighty God. Thine eies O Lord see how imperfect I am. All this come upon us, for not being wel rooted in the first degree of humility, which keeps us so far from the se­cond. [Page 81]We must undertake this busines from, the first grounds thereof; for first it is necessa­ry for us to understand our own misery, and our nothing, and from this kind of profound knowledge of our selves, is to grow a base conceit in us, and a despising, and contem­ning of what we are, which is the first degree of humility, and from thence we must get up to the second. So that it suffices not that you speak ill of your self, yea even though you speak it sincerely, and from your heart, but you must procure to arrive so far, as that you may be glad, that others think that of you, which you think, and say of your self; and that they disesteem, and despise you. Saint John Climacus saith, he is no humble man who is content to abase, and speak ill of himself, (for what man is he, who cannot be content to bear with himself) but that man is humble, who can easily be glad to be ill intreated, and despised by others. It is well, that a man should ever be speaking ill of himself, and confessing that he is proud, and slothful, and impatient, and careless, & the like; but it were better that he kept his patience, til he were told as much by others. If you desire that others may think so of you, and hold you in no other estimation, or account then this, and that you are truly glad thereof, when the oc­casion is offered, this indeed is true Humi­lity.

CHAP. XIV. Of some degrees, and steps, whereby a man may rise to the perfection of this second degree of Humility.

IN regard that this second degree of humili­ty is the most practical, and difficult part of the exercise of this vertue, we will divide it as some have done before us: and we will set forth four degrees, or steps thereof, that so by little and little, and as it were by mea­sured paces, we may rise up to that perfecti­on of humility, which this second degree ex­acts. The first step is, not to desire to be ho­nored, nor esteemed by men, but rather to fly from all that, which hath any touch of ho­nor and estimation. Our books are ful of the examples of Saints, who were so very far from desi [...]ing to be esteemed or honored by the world, as that they fled from honors, and dignities, and from all those occasions which might bring estimation with them in the sight of men, as from the most capitall enemy which they could have. Christ our Redeemer, and our Master, gave us the first example of this, when he fled upon his notice, that they meant to chose him for their King; after that illustrious miracle of having fed five thou­sand [Page 83]men with five loaves, and two fishes; when yet himself ran no hazard in any state of life, how high soever it might be, but only to give us example And for the self same rea­son, when he was pleased to manifest the glo­ry of his most sacred body, to his three Disci­ples, in his admirable transfiguration, he com­manded them not to speak of it to any, til af­ter his death, and glorious resurrection, and giving sight to those blind men, and working of other miracles, he commanded them to be silent. And al this was done to give us an ex­ple of flying from honor, and the estimation of men, in regard of our great danger to grow vain, and so to perish therby.

Gerson brings that to this purpose, which the Poets sain of the Giant Antheus son of the earth: Who fighting with Hercules, recovered new strength, every time that he was cast down to the ground, and so he could not be overcome; but Hercules observing this, lifted him up on high, and so cut off his head. This saith Gerson, doth the devil pretend to do with us. He seeks to hoise us up with honor, estimation, and praise, that so he may cut our throats, and, then cast us down more low, then we rose high, And therefore the true humble man casts himself down to the earth, in the knowledge of himself, and fears, and flies from being puffed up, and praised.

The second degree, as Saint Anselmus saith, is this, to suffer with patience, whensoever [Page 84]any occasion is offered, whereby you may seem to be disparaged, or despised, and to b [...]a [...] it w [...]l. We do not say in this place, that you should desire inju [...]ies, and affronts; and that you should go in search thereof, and re­joice therein, when you find them. That point is more high, and perfect, and hereaf­ter we shal treat thereof, but that which now we say is, that when any thing shall pre­sent it self, which may seem to point at your disadvantage, you bear it at least with pati­ence, if you cannot do it with joy. According to that of the wiseman. All that which offers itself, contrary to your sensuality, and de­sire, receive it in good part, though it trouble, you, and suffer it with humility, and patience. This is a great means, both for the obtaining of Humility, and preserving it. For at honor, and the estimation of men, [...]s a means to make us proud, and vain, and therefore did the Sts. fly so far from it, so all that which tends to our disestimation, and contempt, is a very great means both for the getting of humility, and growing in it.

Laurentius Justinianus was wont to say, that Humility is like a stream, or brook, which in winter carries much water, and little in summer, and so humility grows lesse and lesse in prosperity, and greater in adversity.

Many are the occasions, and they are offered us daily, for the exercise of humility, if we would use attention, and care in profiting [Page 85]thereby. As thus, that which pleases others shal be effected, that which contents thee shal not be done, that which others say shal be esteemed, that which thou saist, shal stand for nothing. Others shal ask, and receive, thou shalt beg, and shalt not obtain; others shal be great in the mouths of men, and shal make no account of thee: and affairs shal be commu­nicated to others, and thou shalt be held un­fit for them. Let every man take account of himself, and go discoursing of those particu­lar occasions, which may or use to offer them­selves, and observe how he proceeds therein. Observe how you like it, when another com­mands you resolutely, and after an imperi­ous manner. Observe how you take it, when they admonish you, or reprove you for any fault Observe what you think, when you con­ceive that your superior deals not confident­ly, but looks upon you with a kind of wary, or jealous eye. Saint Dorotheus advises, that whensoever any of these occasions is offered us, to receive it as a remedy, and medicine, wherewith to cure, and heale our pride; and to pray God for him who ministers the occa­sion, as for the Phisitian of our souls, and to be fully perswaded, that whosoever abhors these things abhors humility.

The third step which we are to mount, is, that we rejoyce not, and take no c [...]nt­ment when men do esteem and praise us. This is more hard then the last step, as Saint Au­gustine [Page 86]saith. Though it be an easie thing to want praise when it is not given; yet for a man to be glad to be esteemed, and praised, and not to take contentment therein, when it is offered, is very hard. Saint Gregory han­dles this point very wel, upon those words of Job. If I saw the sun when it shined, and when the moon went brightly on, and if my heart rejoyced in secret, he saith that Job spake thus, because he did not joy, or take vain content­ment in the praises, and estimation of men. For this is to behold the sun when it shines, and the moon when it is bright, for a man to consider the praise, opinion, and fame, which he hath amongst men, and takes delight, and gust therein. He saith therefore, that there is this difference between the humble, and the proud, that the proud rejoyce when they are praised, though it be not true, which is said of them, and they rejoyce because they keep no account at all, concerning that which in­deed they are in themselves, and in the sight of God, but they only pretend to be valued, and esteemed by men: and so they joy, and and even look big with it, as men who have attained to the end which they aspire. But now the true humble man of heart, when he finds that they esteem, and praise, and speak wel of him, then shrinks he up, and is the more confounded in himself, according to that of the Prophet. When they exalted me, then did I humble my self the more, and walked on with [Page 87]the more confusion, and fear. And that with rea­son. For he fears lest he should be the more punished by Almighty God, for wanting that for which he was praised, or if perhaps he want it not, yet he fears lest these praises should prove to his whole reward; and that so they wil come and say to him; Thou hast al­ready received the reward of thy good works.

So that, whereas proud men take occasi­on to look big, and grow vain upon the prai­ses of men, from thence do such as are hum­ble, take occasion to abase and confound themselves so much the more. And this saith Saint Gregory, is that which the wiseman af­firms; As silver is tryed in the melter, & gold in the furnace, so is a man tryed by the mouth of him, by whom he is praised.

Gold and silver if it be not right, is consu­med by the fire, but if it be good, it is purifi­ed, and clarified thereby. Just so, saith the wiseman, is a man proved by praise. For when a man is esteemed, and praised, if he exalt himself, and grow vain through those praises, his gold and silver is not good, because the furnace of the tongue consumes it. But he, who hearing his praises, takes occasion from thence to be the more confounded, and hum­bled, is most perfect silver, and gold, because that fire of praise did not consume it: but ra­ther it remained more purified, and perfected thereby, since the man was more confounded and humbled.

Take you therefore this for a signe, whe­ther you profit in the vertue of humility, or no, since the Holy Ghost delivers it for such. Consider whether you be sorry when they esteem and praise you or rather whether you be not content, & glad. We read of Franciscus de Borgia, that no one thing troubled him so much, as when he found himself to be hono­ed for a Saint, and servant of God. And be­ing asked once, why he afflicted himself so much for this, (himself not desiring it, nor procuring it) he made answer, that he feared the account which he was to give to God When he found himself to be so far a­nother man, from that which he was con­ceived to be, which is that which we said before of Saint Gregory. After this manner are we to be very deeply grounded in the knowledge of our selves, that so the wind of praise, and estimation of men, may not blow us up, and draw us out of our nothing. But we must rather be the more ashamed thereof, and confounded thereby, considering how false those praises are, and that we have no such vertue in us, as may deserve them; and that we be not such as the world conceives, and publishes, and as indeed we ought to be.

CHAP. XV. Of the fourth step: which is to desire to be disesteemed, and despised, and to be glad thereof.

THe fourth step for arriving to the perfe­ction of humility, is for a man to desire to be despised, and disesteemed, and be glad of dishonors, injuries, and contempt. Saint Ber­nard saith, The man who is truly humble, de­sireth to be held by others, in smal account, and not to be accounted humble, but un­worthy, and mean, and to be glad thereof. This is the perfection of the second degree of humility. And for this reason, humility is com­pared to Nard, which is a smal and odorife­rous hearb, according to that of the Canti­cles. My spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof. Cant: 1.12. For then doth the Odour of this Nard of humility, extend, and impart itself to others, when not only you put little esteem upon your self, but when you also desire, and like wel, that you be despised and disesteem­ed by others. Saint Bernard notes that there are two kinds of humility. One is when a man considering himself and perceiving his misery and basenes, is convinced by the truth, and holds himself in no esteem, and resolves that he is worthy to be despised, and dishonored [Page 90]by all men. He saith, that the former humility, namely, that of the understanding, was not in Christ our Lord; for it was not possible for him to think that he deserved to be held in mean account, and much lesse to be dishono­red, and despised. Because he understood himself perfectly wel; and knew that he was true God, and equal to his Father: But the second kind of humility was in him, namely, that of the heart, and wil. For in regard of the great love which he bare us, he was plea­sed to abuse, and disauthorise himself, and to seem vile, and contemptible in the eyes of men. And he saith. Learn of me, for I am meek, and humble of heart. But as for us, we are to have both these humilities, because the first without the second, is deceitful and false. To desire to seem, and to be held for other then that which really you are, is falshood, and deceit. He who really is humble, and indeed thinks basely, and disesteems, and despises himself, is also to be glad, that others may despise, and disesteem him. This is that which we are to learn of Christ our Lord. Con­sider how cordially, and with how ardent de­sire and will, he embraced dishonor and con­tempt for love of us. For he was not satisfied with abasing, and emptying himself, by ma­king himself man, and taking the form of a servant upon him, he who was, & is the Lord of Heaven and earth; but he would needs as­sume the form, and habit of a sinner. As saith [Page 91]the Apostle, God sent his Son in the habit, and similitude of a sinful man. He took not sin, be­cause sin could not be in him, but he took the mark, and sign of sinners, for he would be circumcised as a sinner, and baptized amongst Publicans and sinners, as if he had been one of them, and would be lesse esteem­ed then Barrabas, and judged to be a worse man, and more unworthy of life then he. To conclude, the desire which he had to suffer affronts, and scorns, and reproach, for love of us, was so very great, that he thought the hour to stay very long, wherin al inebriated, and sick with love, he might remain naked like another Noah, to be scorned by men. With baptism (saith he) am I to be bapti­sed, (which was a baptism of blood) and how am I in pain, till I may be able to put it in execution, with desire have I desired that the hour may once arrive, wherein there shal be nothing for me but buffets, and spurns, as to any slave. For he knew that they would spit upon his face as a blasphemer; and cloath him with white as a fool, and with purple as a counterfeit King, and above all, that they would load him with scourges, which was the punishment of malefactors and murdering theeves; and finally with the torment of the Crosse, in the company of murderers; which then was the most ignominious; & reproach­ful manner of death, that could be found in the world. This is that which Christ our Re­deemer [Page 92]desired with so great desire. As saith the Prophet in his name; I was expecting re­proach, and affronts, as one would expect somewhat which were very pleasing to him, and were to give him much delight. And the Prophet Jeremy saith, he desired, and thirsted after this hour; that he might as a man may say, even have his belly ful of reproaches, and affronts, and scorns, as of things to which he carried an extreme appetite, and of which he was very greedy, and indeed they were most savory to him, for the love of us.

But now if the Son of God, desired disho­nor and contempt, with so great appetite, and received them with so much contentment, and gust for the love of us, he having no way deserved them; me thinks it should be no such strange matter for us, who have so wel deserved all kind of dishonor, and contempt, to desire for love of him, to be held for no other then what we are, and to rejoyce in suffering those disgraces, and affronts which we deserve: as Saint Paul did when he said; For which reason I rejoyce in my infirmi­ties, and injuries, and affronts, and necessi­ties, and persecutions, and all kind of diffi­culties for Christ our Lord. And writing to the Philippians, and treating of his impri­sonment, he desires them to bear him compa­ny in the joy he had, to see himself in chains for Christ our Lord. He had such an abun­dance of joy in the persecutions, and afflicti­ons [Page 93]which he suffered, that he had to spare for his friends, and therefore he invited them to partake thereof with him. This is that milk which the blessed Apostles sucked from the brest of Christ. And so we read thus of them; They were ful of joy, & rejoycing, when they were carried Prisoners before their Pre­sidents, and into their Synagogues, and esteemed it for a great favor, and honor at the hands of God; to be thought worthy to suffer affronts, and injuries for the name of Christ. Herein they were imitated by other Saints, as for example, by Saint Ignatius the Martyr, who when they were carrying him to be martyred at Rome, with many scorns, and reproaches, was ful of joy, and said. It is but now that I begin to be a Disciple of Christ.

CHAP. XVI. That the perfection of Humility, and of all other vertues, consists in performing the act, thereof, with delight, and chear­fulness, and how much this im­ports towards our perse­verance in vertue.

IT is the common Doctrine of the Philoso­phers, that the perfection of vertue consists [Page 94]in performing the acts thereof, with delight, and cheerfulnes. For treating of the signes, whereby it may be known, whether a man have obtained the habit of any vertue: they say they are these; when a man works accor­ding to that vertue, Prompte, Faciliter, & de­lectabiliter: with promptitude, with facility, and with delight. He who hath acquired the habit of any art, or science, performs the works thereof with extream promptitude, and facility; And we see, that he who is skil­ful upon any Instrument, and hath gotten the habit therof, playes with extream promp­titude, and facility: and hath no need to pro­vide himself, nor to think much of the mat­ter, for even though he think of other things he wil yet play wel. Now in the self same manner, he who hath acquired the habit of vertue, performs the acts therof. And there­fore if you wil know, whether you have ac­quired the vertue of humility, look first whe­her you perform the works thereof with promptitude, and facility, for if you feel dif­ficulty, or repugnance in the occasions which present themselves to you, it is a signe that you have not yet acquired the perfection of that vertue. And if, for the bearing them wel, you have need of preventions, and con­sideration, I confesse it is a good way for the obtaining the perfection of that vertue, but stil it is a signe that you have not obtained it yet. As he who is to play upon the Lute, must [Page 95]think where to place one finger, and where another, and calling to mind the rules which he was taught, doth wel towards his learning to play; but withal, it is a signe that as yet, he hath not gotten the habit of that Instru­ment; For he who hath got it, needs not cal this or that to mind, to the end that he may play wel. And so said Aristotle. He who hath perfectly acquired the habit of any art, finds it so easie to perform the acts thereof, that he hath no need of cogitation, or deliberation how to do them, for the doing them wel. And so the Philosophers come to say, that the vertue of a man is known by his sudden, and inconsiderate acts, a mans vertue is not known by the acts which he performeth, up­on great deliberation, but by such as do come from him at unawares.

Yea, and the Philosophers say yet more then this, Plutarch treating how it may be known, when a man hath obtained a vertue, gives two signes thereof; and one of them which the great Philosopher Zeno left in writing, is by his Dreams. If even when you are in your dreams, as you are sleeping, you have no ill impulses, or unclean imaginati­ons; or when, if you have them, you take no delight, or contentment in them, but the con­trary: and when you resist the temptation, and delight thereof, even in your Dreams, as if you were awake; this is a signe that the vertueis wel rooted in your souls, and that [Page 96]not only your wil is subject to reason, but even your sensual appetite, and imagination. Just so, as when Coach-horses are wel taught, though the Coachman lay the rains on their necks, and perhaps sleep himself, yet they go on their way without making any fault. So saith the Philosopher: They who have per­fectly obtained any vertue, and have totally subdued the effects, and brutal appetites which repugne to it, go on their right way, even when they sleep. Saint Augustine doth also teach us this Doctrine thus. Some ser­vants of God carry so great an affection to vertue, and to the keeping of Gods Comman dements, and so great detestation against vice, and are so accustomed, and injured to the resistance of temptations, when they are awake, as that they resist them also even when they sleep. In this sort do some declare that place of Saint Paul: Sive vigilemus, sive dormi­amus, simul cum illo vivamus: which imports not only that both living and dying, we must ever live with Christ, which is the common exposition: but moreover, that the zealous servants of God, must ever live with Christ, and that not only waking, but even sleeping also, and dreaming.

The Philosophers go yet further, and say, that the third condition or signe, whereby it may be known, if a man have perfectly ob­tained any vertue, is when he performs the the works thereof delelectabiliter, with de­light, [Page 97]and gust, for this is the principal signe wherein the perfection of vertue consists. If therefore you will see whether you have ob­tained the vertue of humility, examine your selves by that rule, which we delivered in the last Chapter; and see whether you be as glad of any dishonor, and affront, as worldly men use to be of honor, and estimation.

But besides, that all this is necessary for arriving to the perfection of any vertue, there is yet another thing of very great impor­tance, towards the continuing, and perseve­ring therein. For in fine, til we arrive to per­form the actions of vertue, with gust and joy, it wil be a thing of much difficulty, to conti­nue in vertue. Saint Dorotheus saith, that this was the common Doctrine of those antient Fathers. Those antient Fathers were wont to say, and they held it for a most certain truth, that whatsoever was not performed with gust and joy, could not last any long time. It may wel happen, that for some fit, you will keep silence, and live with modesty and re­collection, but yet, til this flow from the ve­ry interior of the heart, and till by the good custome which you use, you make it grow as it were to be connatural to you, and so you come to perform it with sweetnesse and de­light, you wil not continue long therein, but it will passe, as being affected, and forced. Et nullum violentum perpetuum. Nothing forc'd, or violent, can long continne. For this reason it [Page 98]imports so much, to exercise the acts of any vertue with such constancy, as thereby to root it in the soul, which must even drink it up in such sort, that it may fall, even as it were of it self, upon the vertue, and they may seem to be acts of our own nature, for so we shal perform them with joy and gust. By these means we may obtain a kind of securi­ty, that we shal continue, and persevere ther­in. This is that, which the Prophet saith, Bles­sed is that man, whose whole contentment, joy, & gladnes is in the law of the Lord, & who make it his delights, & entertainments; for that man wil yeeld the fruit of good works, like a tree which is planted by the River side.

CHAP. XVII. Of some means for the obtaining of this se­cond degree of Humility, and particu­larly of the example of Christ our Lord.

THey ordinarily use to assign two several wayes, or means, for the obtaining of mo­ral vertues. The one is of reasons, and consi­derations, which may convince, and animate us thereunto; and the other is exercise of the acts of that vertue, whereby we may acquire the habits thereof To begin with the first kind of means, one of the most principal, and [Page 99]efficatious considerations, whereof we may help our selves towards being humble, or ra­ther the most principal, and most efficatious of them all, is the example of Christ our Lord, our Master, and our Redeemer, whereof though we have already said somewhat, there will ever be enough to add. The whole life of Christ our Lord, was a most perfect Original of Humility, from the very time of his birth, to that other of his expiring upon the Crosse. But yet to this purpose, St: Augu­stine doth particularly ponder the example which he gave us, by washing the feet of his Disciples, upon that Thursday of the last supper, when he was even upon the very brim of his passion, and death, Christ our Lord saith Saint Augustine, was not content with having given us the examples of his whole life past, nor yet with them also, which he was shortly to give in his passion, the same being then so close at hand, and where­in he was to appear according to the Pro­phet Isaiah, the very last, or lowest of men: and as the royal Prophet David saith the very reproach, and scorn of men, yea the very outcast of the world: But our Lord Jesus knowing, that his hour was now at hand, wherein he was to passe out of this World, to his Father, he carried a great love to his Disciples, & was re­solved that he would expresse it now to­wards the end of his life. And supper being ended, he rises from the Table, he puts off [Page 100]his upper garment, he girds a towel to him­self, he puts water into a basen, he prostrates himself at the feet of his Disciples, yea and of Judas too: he washes them with those di­vine hands of his, and he wipes them with the towel wherewith he was girt. O unspea­kable mistery! What is this O Lord, which thou art doing? saith the Apostle Saint Pe­ter, Thou, O Lord, to wash my feet? The Disci­ples undestood not then what he did, saith our Lord, You understand not now what I am do­ing; but yet ere long, I will declare it to you. He returns to the Table, and declares the mistery thus at large. You cal me Master, and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If then I being your Master, and your Lord, have humbled my self, and have washed your feet, you are also to do the like to one another. I have given you an example, to the end, that you may learn of me, and do as I have done. This is the mistery, that you learn to hum­ble your selves, as I have humbled my self. The importance of this vertue of humility is on the one side so great, and so is the diffi­culty also on the other, that our Lord was not content with so many examples, as he had already given us, and ha [...] then so neer at hand to give; but that, as on [...] who wel knew our weaknes, and who perfectly understood the malignity of that peccant humor, wher­of our nature was sick, he would needs give us this strong Physick against it, and put it [Page 101]amongst the chief Legacies of his last Will, and Testament, that so it might remain the more deeply imprinted in all our hearts.

Upon those words of Christ our Lord; Learn of me, for I am meek, and humble of heart: Saint Augustine exclaims thus: O soveraign Doctrine, O Master, & Lord of all men, into whom death entred by means of pride, what is it O Lord which thou wilt have us come and learn of thee? That I am meek, and hum­ble of heart. This is that which you are to learn of me. In this are the treasures of the wisdom, and knowledge of the Father sum­med up, which have been hidden in thee, that thou tell us, for the highest point, that we must come and learn of thee that: Thou art meek, and humble of heart: it is so high, and great a thing, for a man to make himself little, that unlesse thou who art so great, hadst made thy self little, no man could have learnt it of thee? yea saith Saint Augustine, so great, and so hard a thing it is, for a man to humble himself, and make himself little, that if God himself had not humbled himself, and become little, men would never have been brought to humble themselves. For there is nothing so deeply conveyed into their very bowels, and so incorporated, as it were, into their hearts, as this desire of being honored, and esteemed, and therefore was all this ne­cessary, to the end, that we might grow to be humble; for such Physick did the infirmi­ty [Page 102]of our pride require; and such a wound, such a cure. But if such a receipt as this, for God to have made himself man, and to have humbled himself so much for our sakes, will not recover us, and cure our pride, I know not saith Saint Augustine what will ever be able to do it. If to see the Majesty of our Lord so abased, and humbled, will not suffice to make us ashamed of desiring to be honored and esteemed and that hereupon we yet will not grow to a thirst of being des­pised, and abased with him, and for the love of him, I know not what will ever serve the turn. Holy Guericus being amazed and con­vinced by the great example of our Lords humility, exclaims and expresses, that which it is reason that we should also say, and draw from hence. Thou hast overcome O Lord, thou hast overcome my pride, thine exam­ple hath bound me hand and foot: behold I render, and deliver up my self into thy hands for an everlasting slave.

It is also an admirable conceit which the glorious Saint Bernard brings to this pur­pose, The Son of God (saith he) saw two creatures, and both were generous, noble, and capable of that blessed state to which they had been created by Almighty God, and they both lost themselves, because they would needs be like him. God created the Angels, and instantly Lucifer had a mind to be like Almighty God. And then he carried [Page 103]others after him, and God cast them instant­ly down to Hell, and so of Angels, they be­came devils. God also created man, & instant­ly the devil struck him with his own leapro­sie, and poyson. They fell gluttonoully upon what he told them, namely that they should be as God, and then they broke the divine commandment, and so became like the devil. The Prophet Elisus said to his ser­vant Giezi after he took the presents of the leprous Naaman. Thou hast taken the goods of Naaman, and behold his leaprosie shall al­so stick to thee, and to all thy descendents for ever. This was the judgment of God against man, that since he would needs have the riches of Lucifer, which was his pride, he should also have his leaprosie, vvhich was the punishment thereof. You see therefore here, that man was also undone, and made like the devil, because he vvould needs be like God. And what might novv be fit for Son of God to do, finding his eternal Father to be so jealous, and careful to maintain his ovvn honor. I see saith he, that by my occa­sions my Father looseth his creatures. The Angels vvould needs be as I am, they over­threvv themselves, man vvould also be so, and he vvas also overthrovvn. They al have envy at me, and vvould fain be such as I am. Well then, behold saith the Son of God, I vvill go in such a form, that vvhosoever vvil from hencefoorth become like me, shall not [Page 104]lose but gain, and for this came the Son of God from Heaven, and made himself man. Otherefore let such a bounty and mercy be blessed, and praised, and glorified, which moved Almighty God to condescend to that so great desire which we had to be like him; for now we may be as God, not according to falshood, and with a lye, and according to what the devil said, but according to truth, and not now with pride, & malice, but with much sanctity, & humility. Upon those words, Ʋnto us a child is born. The same Saint saith, since God being so great, made himself little for us, let us procure to humble our selves, and make our selves also little, that so it may not be to no purpose for us, that the great God made himself so little as to become a child for us. Because if you become not like this little child, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

CHAP. XVIII. Of some humane considerations, and rea­sons whereby we are to help our selves for being humble.

FRom the very beginning of this Trea­tise, we have been declaring many con­siderations, and reasons, which may help and animate us much towards the get­ting [Page 105]of the vertue of humility: shewing that it is the root and foundation of all the ver­tues, the short way to acquire them, the means to conserve them, and that in fine, if we possesse this, we shall be masters of them all. But yet, that it may appear that we mean not to carry it all, by the only way of spirit, it will not be amisse, that we deliver some humane considerations; and reasons, which may be more proportionable, and connatural to our weaknes, to the end, that being so convinced not only by way of spirit, and of perfection, but even of natural reason also, we may have both more cou­rage, and more affection to the contempt of honour and estimation of the world, and to proceed in the way of humility, for all this will be needful, for the acquiring of a thing so hard as this, and so it will be well that we help our selves of it.

Let it therefore be the first, that we put our selves to consider, and examine at good leisure, and with attention what thing this honour and estimation of men is, which makes so continual War against us, and gives us all so much to do. Let us see what weight and bulk it hath, that so we may esteem it no better then it deserves, and may animate our selves to despise it, and not continue in so much error as now we find our selves subject to. Seneca said very well, that there are many things which [Page 106]we hold to be great, not because indeed they are great, but because our poornes, and wretchednes is such, that the smal seems great, & the little much to us, and he brings the example of that weight which is ordina­rily carried by Ants: which in respect of their Body is very great, being yet very smal in it self; and just so it is with the honor, and estimation of the World. If you deny it, I would ask whether you be indeed either the better or the worse, because they esteem you not? Infallibly you are not. Saint Augu­stine saith, Neither is the ill man made good by being esteemed & praised, nor the good man made il by being discommended and reproached. Think of Augustine what thou wilt, that which I de­sire, is that my conscience may not reproach me in the sight of God. This is that which imports, the rest is foolery, for it neither gives, nor takes away. This is that which another saith, What is a man the better for being praised by another. And as much as any man is in the sight of God, so much in­deed he is, and no more. As was said by the Apostle Saint Pau [...]. For not he that commen­deth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. 2 Cor: 10.18. Saint Augastine brings a good comparison to this purpose. Pride and estimation of the world, is not great­nes, but swelling, and wind. And as when any part is swelled, it seems, but is not truly great, so proud men, who are valued and [Page 107]esteemed by the world, seem as if they were great, but they are not so; because that is not greatnes, but swelling. There are cer­tain sickly men, who sometimes are thought to be upon recovery, because they seem to look fat, and wel, but that fatnes is not sound and good, but it is rather sickly and swel­ling. So saith Saint Augustine, is the applause and estimation of the World, it may puff you up, but it cannot make you great. If then it be so, that the opinion and estimati­on of the World is not any thing of great­nes in it self, but rather of sicknes, and swel­ling, why do we go up and down like Came­lions, sucking in wind with our mouths open, that so we may be the more swellen, and sick? It is better for a man to be in health, though he seem sick, then to be sick and seem sound; so also is it better to be good, though he seem wicked, then to be wicked, and be held for good. For what good will it do you to be held vertuous, and spiritual, if indeed you be not so. Saint Hie­rome upon these words. His works shall praise him in the gates. Not the vain praises of men, but your good works must needs defend and praise you, vvhen you appear in judg­ment before Almighty God.

Saint Gregory recounts how in the Mona­stery of Hiconia, there was a certain Monk who vvas generally in the opinion of being a Saint, and especially for being very absti­nent, [Page 108]and ful of penance also otherwise. But the hour of his death being come, he defi­red that all the Monks might be called to him. For their parts they vvere very glad of it, as conceiving that they vvere to hear from him, some matter of much edification, but he trembled, and vvas ful of anguish, and found himself compelled from vvithin, to declare his true state to them. And so he made them know that he was damned, be­cause all his life had been but hypocrifie. For when they thought he fasted, and did much penance, he eat secretly when they saw him not, and for this saith he, am I now delivered over to a terrible, and furious Beast, whose tail hath wreathed it self about, and tied my feet, and his head is already en­tring now into my mouth, to fetch out, and carry away my soul with him for ever. And with these words he expired to the great amazement of them all. And now, what was this miserable creature the better for having been reputed a Saint.

Saint Anthanasius compares proud men, who go in search of honour, to children to hunt butterflies. Others compare them to spiders, who destroy and defeat themselves in making their webs, for the hunting of flies. According to that of Isa. They weave the spiders web, Isa: 59.5. For so the proud man ever disimbowels himself, and casts up as it were his very maw, that he may obtain a lit­tle [Page 109]humane praise. We read in the life of a certain honorable Person, that he ever both carried, and shewed a most particular ha­tred, and detestation against this opinion, and estimation of the world, for he said that it was the cause of great mischiefs, and the impediment of many blessings. And so they hear him cry thus out sometimes, with much earnestnes, and many sighs. O opinion, O opinion and estimation of the world, how many mischiefs hast thou wrought already, how many workest thou now, and how many wilt thou continue to work.

CHAP. XIX. Of other humane reasons which will help us to be humble.

SAint Chrisostome upon those words of St. Paul. Not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think, but to think soberly. Rom. 12.3. goes proving very expresly, that the proud and arrogant person, is not only wicked and sinful, but a stark fool withall. To prove this, he brings that of Isaiah. The fool speak foolish things, and by the follies which he utters, you shall understand him indeed to be a fool. Wel then, let us observe the follies which are uttered by the arrogant, and proud man and we shal quickly see what a [Page 110]fool he is. What is that, which the first. proud creature uttered, which was Lucifer I will mount up to heaven, I will place and exalt my throne above the clouds, and be­ing there, above the stars, I will be like the most High. What could be more foolishly, and dis-jointedly conceived. And in the tenth Chapter, he sets down very arrogant and foolish words of Assur, King of the Assi­rians, vvherevvith he glorified himself in that, vvith his povverful hand he had con­quered, and subdued all the Kings of the earth. As vvhen a man takes the poor little Birds out of a nest, vvhich are bred up by the elder Birds, and as a man vvho goes to gather the eggs vvhich are not defended, so have I (saith he) conquered all the earth vvith the same facility, nor was there any one who durst so much as stir, yea, or so much as open his mouth against me, either in earnest or in jest. What greater folly can there be then this, saith Saint Chrisostom? And there he also brings in divers other speeches of proud men, which discover ve­ry sufficiently what fools they are, so that if you hear, and mark their words, you will not easily discern whether they be words of a proud man, or of some other who is a meer sot, so absurd, and dis-jointed they are. And so we daily see that as fools move us to laughter, with what they say and do, so do also proud men in their conversation, by the [Page 111]arrogant words which they utter, redoun­ing to their own praise, and by the gestures which they use, and by the state and foolish gravity wherewith they walk, and by the high account which forsooth, they will needs have men make both of their persons, and of all that which is theirs, and by the estimation wherein they hold themselves. And Saint Chrisostome adds, that the stupidi­ty, or folly of proud men, is worse, and worthy of greater reproach and shame, then that which is natural; for this carries no fault, or sin with it, but the other doth. From whence also follows another diffe­rence between these two follies, that they who are natural fools, cause pity, and move all men to be sorry, and compassionate of their misery; Whereas the folly of proud men moves not others to compassion and pity, but to laughter and scorn.

But in the mean time, proud men are sots, and so we must proceed with them as such. For as we must condescend, and seem to that which fools say, that so we may have peace with them, (though indeed the thing be not so, or at least though we understand it not after that manner) (but yet still we wil not contradict them, because in fine, they are fools) just so do we proceed vvith proud men. And indeed this humor, and madnes raign, so much in the World at this day, that novv vve can hardly converse vvith [Page 112]men, but vve must be fain to smooth them, and to say that vvhich is not so, no nor is so conceived by us. For the other takes so much delight to understand, that his stories give contentment, and seem so vvell to others, that there is no better way to oblige him, & to gain his good wil then by praising him. And this saith the Wiseman, is one of the vanities & follies which he saw in the world, namely, That wicked men were praised as good; because they were in high place, I saw the wicked buried, who while they lived were in the holy place, and they were praised in the City, (so the vulgar Latine hath it) as for righteous works: this also is vanity. What greater vanity, and madnes can there be, then to praise men, when they think there is no cause for it, yea and to do as many times is done, when some praise others, for that which they did ill, or at least for what they thought was ill done. And the jest is, that they have already told others what they really think of you, but yet with you, because forsooth you must be kept contented, they stick not for the most part to lye. At other times they are fain to seek out by wayes, that so they may be able without lying to speak well of that, which indeed they do not like, and the matter is, because they must treat you, and condes­cend to you as they would, to some stupid for or fool. The while, that other conceives that you are of the same humor with him, [Page 103]and that you are also glad when you are dealt with after the same manner, and that the best morsel of the meat which he can be able to give yo, after you have preached, or performed some such thing, is to tel you that you discharged it excellently wel, and that all the World was highly pleased with you, and he treats you thus, to keep you in contentment, or else to gain your good opi­nion, and affection, whereof perhaps he hath need; but that for which this serves indeed is to make you a veryer fool then you were before, because he praises you for what you said, or did ill, and so you are the more ani­mated, and confirmed in committing the same errors another time. Men dare not now a dayes speak what they think, because they know that truth is grown troublesome. Truth procures hatred. And they know that he who is mad, and frantick refuses to take Physick, and spits in the Doctors face, when he desires to cure him: so doth the proud man resist admonition, and reformation, and therefore men will not tell such a one that which will discontent him, but they think it the shorter way to make him think they like that, which yet indeed they mislike, and the other beleeves all, and is well plea­sed with it: Whereby also we may see the truth of that which we delivered in the last Chapter, namely, how great a vanity, and madnes it is, to make any account of the [Page 114]praises of men, since we see that in this age, all is complement, deceit, flattery, and lies. For even they are able to derive, and inter­ret the word after this manner, Complimen­to cumploy miento, that is to say, I comply, and I lye, and the cause why I lye, is that I may comply.

Bu prou men saith, Saint Chrisostom are abhorred by all. First by Almighty God as the Wiseman saith: Every arrogant man is a ve­ry abomination in the sight of God, Prov: 16.5. And of seven things which God abhors, he places pride for the first. And not only are they abhorred by God, but by men also. As they who have ill lungs, have so unsavery breath, that there is no induring of it, so also have proud men.

But novv even this very World, gives them here the pay of their pride, for it pu­nisheth them in that very thing, to vvhich they most pretend, and all proves vvith them the contrary vvay. They pretend to be valued, & esteemed by all, and they are held by al to be sots, and fools. They pretend to be beloved by al, & indeed they are abhor­red by all. By their betters, because these men make themselves their equals, by their equals, because these men make themselves their betters; by their inferiors, because these men depresse them more then they should. Even the domesticks, and servants speak il of their master, and indure him not. Where pride is, there is reproach. And on [Page 115]the other side, the humble man is valued, and esteemed, affected, and beloved by all. As children who for their goodnes, their in­nocency, their simplicity of heart are belo­ved, so saith Saint Gregory are the humble For that clearnes and plainnes of thei­speech, and that conversing without dou­blenes or deceit, even robs men of their ve­ry hearts. Humility is a loadstone which dravvs all mens affections to it: and it seems that all men if they could, vvould take this humble man into their very hearts.

To the end, that vve may at length be ful­ly persvvaded that it is a meer madnes to go desiring, and procuring the estimation, and opinion of men. Saint Bernard makes a very good dilemma, and concludes thus. Either it is madnes in the Son of God, to abase and empty himself so far, as to choose contempt, and dishonor for himself, or else it is extream madnes in us, to be in so great desire of the honor, and estimation of the World. It vvas not folly, or madnes in the Son of God, neither could it be, though the World thought it vvas as Saint Paul saith. To the blind and proud Gentiles, and Jews, Christ our Lord seems to be a folly, or madnes: but unto us who have the light of Faith, he is infinite wis­dom, and love. Novv if his vvere infinite vvis­dom, it wil follovv that ours is stupidity, and folly; and that vve are very sots in ma­king such account as vve do of the opinions estimation, and honor of the World.

CHAP. XX. That the certain way for a man to be va­lued, and esteemed even by men, is to give himself to vertue, and humility.

IF vvithal that vvhich vve have said, you vvil not yet forsake these sumes, and abate that edg and desire of honor, and estimati­on, but will stil be saying, that in fine it is a great point, to hold a good opinion, and estimation amongst men, and that this im­ports very much, even for the edification of your Neighbors, and for many other things, and that the Wiseman counsels us to have a care thereof. Have a care of thy good name. I say let it be so, in the name of God; I am content that you have care to keep the good name you have, and that you be esteemed, and held in good opinion by the World. But yet I give you to understand withal, that if you desire it, as you say you do, you err, even in order to that for vvhich you desire it, and that you shall never ob­tain that end by this means, but the direct contrary. The safe and certain vvay vvherby you shall infallibly come to be much valued and esteemed by men, is vertue, and humi­lity, as Saint Chrisostome saith. Procure eve­ry [Page 117]one of you in particular, to be a good re­ligious man, and to be the meanest, and hum­blest of all the rest, and that you may appear to be so by your manner of living; and in the occasions vvhich shal present themselves, so you shall be valued and esteemed by all men. This is indeed the honor of a religious man, vvho hath forsaken the World, and professeth himself to be a Citizen of Hea­ven. And on the contrary side, for him to desire to be valued and esteemed by men, is a dishonor and affront to him, for vvhich men vvould justly despise him. Because this man began to build, and could not finish it. And so it is vvith such as desire, and pretend to be valued, and esteemed by men, which indeed is to return to the World vvith the heart. For this estimation is the most truly, and properly belonging to the World, and that vvhich you forsook, and from which you fled, vvhen you made that holy vow at your Baptism.

Will you cleerly see how shamefull, and reproachful a thing it is, for such men to af­fect the estimation of the World, who pro­fes to aspire towards perfection? Let such a desire come but once so to light, as that others may discern that you desire it, and you will quickly find how much your self will be confounded, and out of counte­nance, that any such thing should be con­ceived of you. We have a very good exam­ple [Page 118]of this, in the holy Gospel. The Evange­lists relate, that the Apostles went once with Christ our Lord, but yet at such di­stance from him, that they might think he heard them not, and so they went discour­sing and arguing amongst themselves. Which of them was to be the chief, and best man amongst them. But when they were al come home to Capernaum, he asked them what that wa [...], about which they had been dis­coursing upon the wa [...]. And the holy Gos­pel faith, that the poor men were so asha­med, & out of countenance to see their pre­tention, and ambition discovered, that they had not one word to say. But they held their peace. Mark: 9.35. For by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. But then did the Sa­viour of the World take them in hand, and say. You must know, O you my Disciples, that amongst wordly men, and them who live according to the custome of the world, they who govern and command, will be esteemed, and honored as great Persons. But in my school it is directly otherwise; for the greatest there is to be the least and must be a servant to all the rest. If any man de­sire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all: Mark 9.35. By nothing can you loose more then if once it come o be found, that you desire and pretend to be valued and esteemed by men, and that you [Page 119]are standing upon puntilios, and spend your thoughts upon such toyes as these. And so John Climacus saith very well. That vain glo­ry hath many times been an occasion of ig­nominy to the owners, for it hath made them set upon things whereby they have proclaimed their vanity, and ambition, and so came to infamy, and confusion. Bonaven­ture adds, that pride blinds the understand­ing in such sort, that many times, the more pride you have, the lesse you know it: and so as being blind, a proud man saith, and doth such things, as that if himself could see them well, he then would not for the World either say, or do them, even though there were no such thing as God, or vertue, but meerly for that reputation, and honors sake, which is so eagerly pursued. How ma­ny times doth it happen, that a man is trou­bled, and complains, because they made no reckoning of him, in such an occasion, or that they preferred some other before him in such a busines; he conceiving that it be­longed to him, and that it will redound to his dishonor, and diminnution, and that it will lye as a note upon him, and that others will discover it, and reflect upon it, and un­der this colour, he gives them to understand the exception which he takes, and the trou­ble which he sustains, by means whereof in very deed, he remains more noted, and disesteemed, because he is held now for proud­and [Page 120]for a man that stands upon certain points of honor, which amongst humble, and good Christians, is a most abominable kind of thing. Whereas if he would have passed it over, and neglected himself, and given way, that superiors might do their will, he might have gained much honor, and been much esteemed for it.

So that though there were no such thing as a way of spirit, but that men were only to live in a course of prudence, and discretion, yea and even according to the very Laws of the World, the true and certain way for a man to be valued, esteemed, affected, and be­loved by men, is to addict himself seriously to acquire vertue, and humility. Even among the Gentiles, it is recounted of Age­silaus who was the chief of the Lacedemoni­aus, and accounted a Wise man amongst them, that being asked by Socrates, how a man should do to make all others esteem, and conceive wel of him, made this answer. If you shall procure to be such, as you desire to seem. And afterward, the same man be­ing asked concerning the same thing, answe­red thus. If you speak ever well, and do bet­ter. And it is related of another Philoso­phet, that he had a great friend who in eve­ry occasion spoke all good of him, and tel­ling him one day, that he owned him much, because wheresoever he chanced to be, he praised him much, and spake much of his [Page 121]vertues, the Philosopher answered him thus. I pay you wel for your pains, by living in such sort, as that you may not lye, in any of those things which you have said of me.

But now we say not, for all this, that we must give our selves to vertue, and humility, to the end that we may be valued, and e­steemed by men, for that were pride, and a perverse error. That which we say is, that if we procure to be humble indeed, and at the heart, we shal be valued, and esteemed much, whether we will or no: nay, and the more we fly from honor, and estimation, and the more we shall desire to be despised, it will follow us the faster, just as the sha­dow doth the body. Saint Hierome treating of the devout matron Paula, saith. Flying from honor, and estimation, she was more honored and esteemed. For as the shadow whilst a man flies from it, follows him, and on the contrary side, if he follows the sha­dow it flies from him, and the faster he runs from it, the more it flies, and so, as that he can never overtake it; just so it is, in the point of honor, and estimation.

This was taught us by Christ our Lord in the holy Gospel, when he discoursed of the way men were to hold in publick meetings. When you shall be invited (saith he) sit not down in the highest place, lest perhaps a guest of greater quality then your self may have been desired; and when he ar­rives, [Page 122]they wish you to quit that place, and then you descend to the lowest with much confusion, and shame. But that which you are to do, is to sit down in the lowest place, that so when he comes who invited you, he may cause you to ascend higher, and thus you shal receive honor before all the com­pany. Which in substance is the same thing, that the Holy Ghost had said before, by the mouth of the Wiseman: Prov: 25.6, 7. Put not forth thy self in the presence of the King; and stand not in the place of great men. For better it is that it be said unto thee, come up hither: then that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the Prince, vvhom thine eyes have seen. But the parable concludes with saying. For every man who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalt­ed. Here you see, how the humble man who chooses the lowest, & meanest place, is valu­ed, and esteemed, not only before God, but before men also; and on the other side, the proud man, who seeks the best, and highest seat, is undervalued, and despised. Saint Au­gustine exclaims, and saith. O holy Humility, how unlike art thou to pride. Pride O my Brethren, cast Lucifer down out of Heaven: but humility brought the Son of God from thence, to become man. Pride cast Adam out of Paradise: but humility carried the good theef in thi [...] Pride divided and [Page 123]confounded the tongues of the Gyants: but humility united al them which were divided. Pride transformed Nabucadonosor into a beast; but humility made Joseph Lord of Aegypt, and Prince of the People of Israel. Pride drowned Pharao, but humility raised, and exalted Moses.

CHAP: XXI. That Humility is the means to obtain inward peace of mind, and that with­out it, this cannot be had.

LEarn of me, for I am meek, and humble of heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. One of the chief, and most effi­catious reasons which we can bring for the animating our selves to despise honor, and to procure to be humbled, is that which Christ our Redeemer propounds to us, in these words, namely, that it is a most ex­cellent means, for the obtaining of interior quietnes, and peace to the soul, a thing so much desired by al spiritual men, and which Saint Paul sets down for one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. Gal: 5.22. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, &c. That we may the better understand this quietnes, and peace, which the humble man enjoyes, [Page 124]it will be well, that we consider the disqui­et, and restlesnes, which the proud man ever carries in his heart, for one contrary is the better known by the other. The holy scrip­ture is full of sentences, which declare that wicked men have not peace. There is no peace saith the Lord unto the wicked, Isa. 48.22.

For they have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace, Jer: 8.11. Wasting and destruction are in their paths. Isa. 59.7, 8. The way of peace they know not. They know not what kind of thing peace is, and though sometimes they may exteriorly seem to have peace, yet that is not true peace; for there within, in their very heart, they have a War, which their conscience is ever making against them. Behold for peace I had great bitter­nesse. Isa: 38.17. Wicked men ever live with bitternesse, and sadnes of heart.

But proud men are subject after a parti­cular manner to great unquietnes, and want of peace. And the expresse reason here of we may very well collect, out of Saint Augustine who saith, that instantly envy grows out of pride, whose Daughter it is: and that it is never to be so und, without the company of this hateful issue. Which two sins of pride, and envy, make the devil to be that very devil which he is. Now then, by this we may [Page 125]understand what mischief these two sins are likely to work, in the heart of man: since they are bad enough to make the devil a devil. He who on the one side, shal be ful of pride, and of the desire of honor, and esti­mation, and sees that things succeeds not according to his design; and on the other side, is also full of envy, which is the Daugh­ter of pride, and is ever in company thereof, when he shall see that others are more esteemed, and preferred before him, wil cer­tainly be full of bitternes, and restlesnes: for there is nothing which so wounds the poor man, nor reaches so near to his very heart, as those things aforesaid.

The holy Scripture paints this unto us, to the life, in the person of that proud Aman. He was the favourite of King Asuerus, above al the Princes Grandes of his Dominions. He had a great aboundance of temporal goods, and riches, and was so highly valued, and esteemed by all, that now it seemed that there was nothing left for him to desire.

And yet neverthelesse, it gave him so great pain, that one single man, and he a mean person, who sat usually at the gate of the Pallace, made no reckoning of him, nor did him reverence, nor rose up, nor stirred from his place whilst he was passing by, that he esteemed nor all the possessed at a rush, in comparison of the distemper, and pain to which he was put thereby. This himself con­fessed, [Page 126]by way of complaint to his Wife, and freinds, whilst in discourse he was speaking to them of his prosperity, and power other­wise. Est: 5.13. Yet all this availeth me no­thing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sit­ting at the Kings gate. That so we may see the restlesnesse of a proud man, and the high waves, and storms which tosse his heart. (According to that of the Prophet. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest.) Isac 57.20. Like a Sea which is angry and fierce, so high goes the heart of a proud and wicked man. And now the rage which grew in the heart of Aman, upon that occasi­on, was so great, that he disdained to lay hold upon Mardochaeus, who was but a poor particular man, unlesse knowing him to be a Jew by Nation, he might also procure war­rants from the King, by Vertue whereof, all that race of men, who were to be found in his Dominions might be put to death. He commanded also a very high gibet to be ere­cted in a Court of his own house, whereup­on he meant that Mardochaeus should be hanged. But his dream fell out far otherwise, and the Jews proved to be the men, who executed upon their enemies, the sentence which had been given against them: and A­man himself was hanged upon the very gal­lows, which he had prepared for Mardo­cheus.

But first, there happened a sound morti­fication to him, and it was this. He going one morning very early to the Court, in order to the revenge which he had designed, and to obtain a Warrant from the King for the executing thereof, it hapned that the night before, the King not having been able to fleep, commanded them to bring the Histo­ry, and Chronicles of his Times, and when by course of reading, they were come to those particulars of what Mardocheus had done in service of the King, by discovery of a certain treason, which some of his own ser­vants had plotted against him, he inquired what reward had been given that man, for that service; and they told him none at all. The King then asked who was without, and whether yet men were come to make their Court. They told him that Aman was there, and so he was bidden to enter. The King then asked him this question. What will it be fit to do for that man, to whom the King desires to do honor. Now Aman conceiving that himself was to be the man, to whom that honor was to be done, made this an­swer: The man whom the King desires to honor, should be clad in the Kings Princely robes, and set upon the Kings own Horse, with the Crown Royal upon his head: and one of the prime men of the Court should go before him, leading the Horse in his hand, and proclaiming, thus in the publique [Page 128]places of the City. Thus is he to be honored whom the King will honor. Well then, said the King, go thou to that Mardochoeus, who keeps about the Court gate, and do al that to him, which thou hast said to me, and be­sure thou faile in no one circumstance. Think now what wound of anguish, that wicked, and proud heart would feel, but in fine, he durst not fail in executing the Or­der to a hair. It seemed to be beyond imagi­nation, to think of a greater mortification then this was for him, but yet instantly after followed that other, of his being hanged up­on that very gibbet which he had caused to be provided for Mardochaeus. This is the pay which the world is wont to give to such as serve it.

And now let us consider, from whence al this catastrophe grew: Because forsooth, Mardochaeus would not rise up, and do him reverence when he passed by. For such a foolery as this, is able to keep proud men so unquiet, and restles, that they shall ever be wounded by it, and made sad at the heart. And so we see it, at this day in world­ly men, and so much more do we see it, as the men are in more eminent place. For al such things as these, are as so many needles points to them, which gall, and transpeirce them from side to side, nor is there any sharper launce which they can feel, nor do they ever want their part of this, how much soever [Page 129]they are extolled, and whatsoever they pos­sesse, but they ever have their hearts as bit­ter as gall, and they ever walk up and down the World with perpetual unquietnes, and want of rest.

From hence we may understand, another particular which we experiment very often, namely, that although it be true, that there is a sicknes of melancholy, yet many times it happens that a mans being melancholy and sad, is not the humor of melancholy, or any corporal infirmitie, but it is the very humor of pride, which is a sicknes of the soul. You are melancholy and sad, because you are forgotten and cast aside, into some corner, and because they make no account of you. You are melancholy and sad, because you performed not such or such a thing with so much credit, and reputation, as you fancied to your self; but rather you con­ceive that you are disgraced. The busines proved not as you desired; that Sermon, that disputation, those conclusions; but you rather think that you have lost opinion and credit by it, and therefore you are melan­choly and sad, yea and when you are to do any of these publique things, the-very fear of the successe and whether you shal gain or loose honour by it, makes you afflicted and greived. These are some of those things, which make the prond man melancholy, and sad. But now the humble of heart, who [Page 130]desire no honour, or estimation, and con­tents himself with a mean place, is free from all this restlesness, and disquiet, and enjoyes great peace, according to the words of Christ our Lord, from whom that Saint took this saying of his. If there be peace in this World, the humble of heart possesses it. And therefore though there were no way of spirit or perfection to be looked after, but only our own interest, and the keeping our hearts in peace, and quietnes, even for this and this alone, we were to procure humili­ty; for thus we should come to live, where­as the other is but to lead a kind of dying life.

Saint Augustine to this purpose recounts a certain thing of himself, whereby he saith, that our Lord gave him to understand the blindnes and misery, wherein he was. As I went one day (saith he) full of affliction, and care in thought of a certain Oration which I was to recite before the Emperor, in his praise, whereof the greatest part was to be false: and my self procuring to be prai­sed for my pains, even by them who knew that it would be false (that men may see how far the vanity, and folly, and madnes of the World, extends it self) as I went I say with much thought hereof, and was full of trouble, and care, how the busines might succeed, and having as it were even a kind of feaver upon me of consuming thoughts, it [Page 131]hapned, that in one of the streets of Milan, there was a poor beggar, who after he had gotten wel to eat, and drink, was playing tricks, and taking his pleasure, and in fine, was very merry and jolly. But when I saw this, I fel to sigh, and represent to my friends who were present there, to what misery our madnes hath made us subject. Since in all our troubles, and namely in those wherein we found our selves at that time (carrying a great burthen of infelicity upon our backs, and being wounded with the vexation of a thousand inordinate appetites, and daily ad­ding one burthen to another) we did not so much as procure to seek any other thing than only some secure kind of contentment, and joy, wherein that poor beggar had out­stripped us already, who perhaps should ne­ver be able to overtake him therein. For that, which he had now obtained by means of a little alms, namely the joy of temporal felicity, I still went seeking, and hunting out with so much solicitude and care. It is true, saith Saint Augustine, that the poor man had no true joy, but it is also true, that the con­tentment which I sought, was more false then this; and in fine he then was merry, and I said, he was secure, and I ful of cares and fears. And if any man should ask me now, whether I had rather be glad or grieved, I should quickly make answer, that I had ra­ther be glad; and if he should ask me yet a­gain, [Page 132]whether I had rather be that beggar, or my self, I should then rather choose to be my self, though I were then ful of afflictions but yet for ought I know, I should have no reason to make this choise. For I ask what cause I can alledge. For my being more learned gave me then no contentment at all; but only desired to give contentment to others, by my knowledge, and yet that, not by way of instructing them, but without doubt, (saith he) that poor man was more happy then I, not only because he was mer­ry and jolly, when I was full of cogirations, and cares, which drew even my very bowels out of my body: but because he had gotten his Wine by lawful means, whereas I was hunting after vain glory by the way of tel­ling lies.

CHAP. XXII. Of another kind of means more efficatious for the obtaining the vertue of Hu­mility, which is the exercise thereof.

WE have already spoken of the first kind of means which are usually as­signed for the obtaining of vertue, which is, certain reasons, and considerations, both di­vine [Page 133]and humane. But yet the inclination which we have to this vice of pride is so ve­ry great, by reason that the desire of Divini­ty (Eritis sicut dii) remains so rooted in our hearts from our first parents; that no consi­derations at all, are sufficient to make us take our last leave, of the impulse and edge which we have to be honored, and esteem­ed, It seems that that happens to us herein, which ours to others who are full of fear. For how many reasons soever you give to perswade such persons, that they have no cause to fear such or such a thing, they yet make this answer, I see well that all you say is true, and I would fain not fear, but yet I cannot obtain it of my self. For just so, some say in our case, I well perceive that al those reasons which you have brought against the opinion and estimation of the World, are good & true, & they convince that all is but meer vanity and Wind, but yet with all this, I cannot by any means Win so much of my self, as not to make some account thereof. I would fain do it if I could, but me thinks I know not how those kind of things, trans­ports, and disquiers me strangely. Wel then, as no reasons and considerations, are suffici­ent to free the fearful man from fear, but that besides this, we must entreat him to put his hand to work, and bid him draw neer, to feel, & touch those things, which seemed to him to be bugbears & sprights; & advise him [Page 134]to go sometime by night, and alone to the same places where he thought he saw them, that so he might find by experience, that there was nothing indeed, but that all was his imagination, and apprehension, that so by this means he may loose his fear: so also for the making us give over the desire of opinion, and estimation of the World, the Saints affirm, that no reasons or considerati­ons are sufficient: but that we must also use the means of action, and of the exercise of Humility, for this is the principal, and most efficatious means, which we for our parts, can imploy, towards the obtaining of this vertue.

Saint Basil saith, that as Sciences and arts are acquired by practise, so also are the mo­ral vertues. That a man may be a good Musi­tian, a good Rethorition, a good Philoso­pher, and a good Workman in any kind, let him exercise himself herein, and he wil grow perfect. And so also, for obtaining the habit of Humility, and all the rest of the moral ver­tues, we must exercise our selves in the acts thereof, and by this means we shall possesse them. And if any man will tell me, that for the composing and moderating our passions, and the affections of the mind, and for the obtaining also of vertue, the considerations, and reasons, the documents, and counsels of holy Scripture are sufficient, he is deceived as Saint Basil saith. This would be like him [Page 135]who should learn to build a house, or coyn money, and would never exercise himself therein, but that all should passe in hearing the documents, and rules of art, in which case it is certain, that he would never prove a good Workman. And as little will he grow to possesse humility, or any other vertue, who will not exercise himself therein. And in confirmation hereof, the Saint brings that of the Apostle Saint Paul. For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. Rom: 2.13. It is not e­nough for this purpose to hear many docu­ments, and reasons, but they must be put in execution. For practise conduces more to this busines then all the speculation in the World. And though it be most true, that al vertue, and every thing which is good, must come to us from the hand of God, and that we cannot compasse it by our own strength; yet the same Lord who is to give it, is pleased that we should help our selves, by our own endeavours.

Saint Augustine upon those words of Christ our Lord. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one ano­thers feet, Joh: 13.14. saith that this is that, which Christ our Lord intended to teach us by this example of washing his Disciples feet: This is that O blessed Peter, which thou didst not know when thou wouldst not con­sent that Christ should wash thy feet. He [Page 136]promised that thou shouldst know it after­ward, and now, that afterward is come, and now thou shalt understand it. And it is, that if we will obtain the vertue of humility, we must exercise our selves in the exterior acts thereof. For I have given you an example, to the end that you may do as I have done. Since the omnipotent, and soveraign Lord humbled himself: since the Son of God aba­sed, and imployed himself in mean, and low­ly exercises, washing the feet of his Disci­ples, serving his blessed Mother, and the ho­ly Joseph, and being subject and obedient to them in whatsoever they commanded; let us learn of them, and exercise our selves in humble and mean imployments, and thus we shall come to obtain the vertue of Hu­mility. This is also that which Saint Ber­nard saith. The humiliation of the extericur man, is the way and means, to obtain the vertue of Humility; as patience is, for the ob­taining peace, and reading or study for the obtaining knowledge. And therefore if you will obtain the vertue of Humility donot fly from the exercise of humiliation: for if you say, that either you cannot, or will not hum­ble or abase your selves, as little have you a mind to obtain the vertue of humility St. Au­gustine proves it very wel, & gives the reason, why this exercise of humiliation, is so use­ful, important, and necessary, for the obtain­ing of true humility of heart. The interiour [Page 137]and exteriour man are so interlaced and united together, and the one depends so much upon the other, that when the heart is humbled and abased, the heart is stirred up towards the love of humility. That hum­bling my self before my Brother, and kissing his feet, hath somewhat in it; that poor and mean coat, that low and base Office, hath I know not what, which goes ingenering, and breeding Humility in the heart, and if it be there already, it conserves and increases it. And thus Saint Dorotheus answers this que­stion, how a man with a poor and mean coat, which belongs to the body, may come to obtain the vertue of humility, which inha­bits the soul? It is certain saith he, that the body in many cases, gives a good, or ill dis­position to the soul. And so we see the soul hath one kind of disposition, when the bo­dy is well, and another when it is sick, one when it is full fed, and another when it is very hungry. Now in the self same manner, the soul vests it self with one kind of incli­nation, when a man is seated upon a throne, or upon a Horse richly adorned, and with another, when he sits upon the ground, or is riding upon a jade; and one kind of inclina­tion it hath, when he is set out in sumptuous cloaths, and another when he is but covered with a poor coat.

Saint Basil also noted this very well; and saith, that as a gallant and shining attire, [Page 138]lists up the hearts of Worldly men, and in­genders in them, certain sumes of vanity of proper estimation and pride, so doth a poor and mean habit awake in the heart of religi­ous men, and of the servants of God, an in­clination to Humility, and it breeds a dise­steem of ones self; and it makes men endure better, to be despised. And the Saint adds further, That as Worldly men desire rich, and glorious cloaths, that so they may be the better known, and the more honored, and esteemed thereby; so the good servants of God, and such as are truly humble, desire to be poor and meanly clad, that so they may be valued the lesle: and especially because they conceive themselves to find much help therein, towards the conservation, and aug­mentation in true humility. Amongst all the exteriour humiliations, that of poor and mean cloathing is one of the chief, and for this, we find it to have been so much used, by such as are truly humble.

It will also appear by another reason, that towards the purchase of humility of heart, or any other interiour vertue, the exteriour exercise of the same vertue doth profit much, because the vvil is much more moved thereby, then by bare desires. For it is cleer that present object moves us more, then the absent, as vve see that vve are moved more by seeing things, then by hearing of them; and from hence the Proverb came, That [Page 139]which the eyes see not, the heart rues not. So that the exteriour thing vvhich is put in practise moves the vvill much more, because the ob­ject is there present, then meer apprehensi­ons, and interiour desires do, vvhere the ob­ject is not present, but only in the conceit and imagination. One great affront vvel en­dured with a good Will, shall breed more of the vertue of patience in your soul, then four affronts will do, when you have but the only desire without the deed. And the spen­ding of one day in exercising some mean and low Office, and the wearing some poor and mean apparel, some one day, will help your soul more to the vertue of Humility, then many days of meer desires will do. We have experience every day, that a man hath re­pugnance to perform one of the ordinary mortifications which we use; and within two or three dayes after he hath begun to do them, he finds no difficulty therein at all, and yet before he did them, he had concei­ved many purposes, and desires thereof, and yet still they were not strong enough to o­vercome the difficulty, And to this we may add, that which is said by the School Divines, that when the interiour act is accompanied by the exteriour, it is commonly more effi­catious and intense. So that, it helps much in all respects, towards the obtaining of the vertue of humility, to imploy our selves ex­teriourly about objects which are mean and base.

And because vertue is conserved, and augmented by the same means, whereby it is obtained, therefore as the exteriour exer­cise of Humility is necessary for the obtain­ing the vertue of Humility, it will also be ne­cessary for the custody and increase thereof; whereupon it will follow, that this exercise is very important for all, not only for begin­ners, but for others also, who are great profi­cients, as we also said when we were treat­ing of mortification. For it is a good rule that is given by one in these words. It will greatly help that We perform those offices with all possible devotion, wherein Humility and charity are exercised most. And in ano­ther place he saith. Temptations are to be prevented by their contraries, as when there is opinion, that such a one is inclined to pride, he must be exercised in such mean things, as may be likely to help him to­wards Humility, and so in other ill inclinati­ons. And yet in another place. As for mean and base imployments, men ought readily to accept of those wherein they find most repugnance, whensoever they shall be so or­dained. So that finally I say, that these two things, Humility, and Humiliation must help one another, and from the interiour humi­lity which consists in despising himself, and desiring to be held by others in small ac­count, exteriour humiliation is to grow, that the man may exteriourly shew him­self [Page 141]to be the same, that interiourly he took himself to be. Namely, that as the humble man is interiourly contemptible in his own eyes, and holds himself to be unworthy of all honor, so he must treat himself also exte­riourly; that the exteriour works which he performs, may visibly declare the interiour humility, which is in his heart. Choose you the lowest place, as Christ our Lord advised; despise not to treat with Persons who are poor, and mean, be glad of the most inferi­our imployments; and this very exteriour humiliation which springs from the interi­our, will give increase to that very Poun­tain also, from which it springs.

CHAP. XXIII. That we must take heed of speaking any such words, as may redound to our own praise.

THe Saints, and Masters of spiritual life Saint Basil, Saint Gregory, Saint Bernard, and others also, advise us to take heed, with great care, of speaking any words, which may redound to our own estimation or praise, according to that which the holy To­bias counselled his Son. Never suffer pride to have dominion either over thy heart, or over [Page 142]thy words. Saint Bernard ponders that of Saint Paul, very well to this purpose. But now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. The Apostle had formerly spo­ken great things of humself, and so it was fit at that time that he should do, for the good of hearers, and for the greater glory of God; and he might yet have said greater things since he had been rapt up into the third Heaven, where he had seen, and understood more, then the tongue could speak, but I forbear saith he, to speak thereof, lest other­wise any man should think more then he sees, and hears of me.

Saint Bernard saith, O how well he said. I forbear that for this time. The proud or arrogant man, forbears not such things, for he suffers no occasion to passe, wherein he may magnifie himself: yea, and sometimes he adds, and saith more then is, that so he may be esteemed the more. Onely the man who is truly humble, lets these occasions passe: and to the end he may be sure, that they shal not ascribe more to him, then that which is true, he conceals that which is true. The Saint descends more particularly into this subject, and saith: you must not say any thing, whereby you may seem more learned, or to be a man of piety, & prayer. And ge­nerally, you must take heed of saying any thing, which may redound in any kind, to [Page 143]your own praise, for it is very dangerous, though you could say it with much truth, and though it may be matter of edification, and though you may think it to be a good end, and for the profit of another, yet it suffices that it is to your own praise, to keep you from speaking it. You must ever walk with great care concerning this, lest other­wise by this means, you loose the good which perhaps you did.

Boniventure saith, you must never speak Word which may give others to understand that you have eminent parts, or that you were formerly of some account in the World. It looks very ill favouredly in a re­ligious man, to value himself by the Nobili­ty, and riches of his friends, for all these pe­degrees, and states, are no better then a lit­tle Wind: and as one asked, do you know for what Nobility is good? the other answe­red very vvell, To be despised, as Wealth is. Saint Basil saith, he vvho is born by another nevv birth, and hath contracted a spiritual, and divine kindred vvith God, and received a power to become his Son, grows ashamed of that other carnal kindred, and layes it ut­terly aside. Whosoever the man be, Words of praise, sound ill out of his own mouth. And so the Proverb saith. A mans praise in his own mouth is little worth. Prov: 27.2. And the Wiseman saith better. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth: a stranger [Page 144]and not thine own lips. But in the mouth of a religious man, they do much worse, as being so contrary to that which he professes, and so be grows to be slightly thought of; and disesteemed by means of that very thing, whereby he meant to be honored. Saint Am­brose upon those words of the Prophet. Behold O Lord, my humility, and deliver me, saith, that although a man be sick, and poor, and of mean condition, yet if he grow not proud not prefer himself before any other, By hu­mility he makes himself to be esteemed, and beloved. So that humility supplies all defects; and on the other side, though a man be ve­ry rich, and noble, and powerful: though he be very learned, and excell in abilities, and good parts, yet if withall, he boast thereof, and look big upon it. By this, he lessons and abases himself, and grows to be disesteemed, and despised, because he grows to be held proud.

The History of devout Arsenius recounts, that although he had been so illustrious in the World, and so eminent in learning, for he had been the instructer, or Master, of the Sons of the Emperor Theodosius, and of Arca­dias and Honorius, who also came both to be Emperors, yet no word was ever heard to fall from him, which might favour of great­nes, or which gave to understand, that he had learning, but he converst, and lived a­mongst his Brethren, with so great humility, [Page 145]and simplicity of heart, as if he had never known any thing; and he would also ask questions of others, concerning the most or­dinary things of spiritual life, affirming that in th [...] su [...]lime science, he deserved not to be their Disciple. And it is related of the Blessed Saint Hieroine, that he was of most noble extraction, and yet we find not in al [...] his works, that he hath so much as insinua­ted any thing therof.

Bonaventure gives a very good reason a­gainst this vanity, and it is this. Know that there can hardly be any good thing in you, worthy of praise, which breaks not, and shines not out to others, so that they may understand, and know it; and if you use si­lence, and conceal it, you shall gain more upon them, and be more worthy of praise, both for the vertue it self, and for your hi­ding it; but if you will needs become the publisher thereof, and will needs serve it out in a full dish, they will make sport at it; And whereas before they were edified, and you esteemed, they now grow to vilifie, and des­pise you. Vertue is in this, like musk, which the more you hide it, the stronger smell it gives, but if you carry it open, it looses his sent.

CHAP. XXIV. In what manner we are to make a parti­cular examination of our consciences, concerning the vertue of Humility.

THe particular examination, as we have said already in the proper place, is to be of some one only thing: for thus will this means be more efficatious, and have greater force then if we carried o're many things together, and it is therefore called particu­lar because it concerns one only thing. And this is of so great importance, that ordinari­ly it is necessary to take many times one vice, which we would avoid, and one ver­tue which we would obtain, into parts, that so, by little and little, we may be able to compasse that which we desire. So is it ther­fore in this vertue. If you will make your particular examination, about rooting up the pride of your heart, and of obtaining the vertue of Humility, you must not take it in hand, after a kind of general way. For humi­lity, and pride, imbrace many particulars, and if you take it but so in grosse, as to say I will be proud in nothing, but humble in all things, it is too much to examine your [Page 147]selves upon, at once, and it will be more, if you do it upon two or three vertues at once and thu, in fine you will do nothing. But you are to take it into parts, and to go on by little and little Consider in what you are chiefly wont to sail, concerning Humility, or in exercising of pride, and begin there, and having ended with one particular thing, take another to heart, and then another, and thus by little and little, you will go rooting up the whole vice of pride out of your souls, and planting the vertue of Humility in place thereof. Let us therefore now go part­ing, and dividing these things, that so you may the better, and with the more profit, make this particular examination, concern­ing this vertue which is so necessary.

The first shall be not to speak a word which may redound to our own estimation and praise. For the appetite of honour and estimation, is so natural to us, and we carry it so rooted in our hearts: that, even as it were without thinking, or reflecting upon it, our tongues tun voluntarily to say some­what, which either directly, or indirectly may redound to our own praise. The mouth is wont to speak, out of the abundance of the heart. As soon as any occasion is offered, whereby honour may be gained, we instant­ly come in for our parts: as by saying, I was in place; I was partly the cause: If I had been absent. I was interessed in that from the beginning, &c.

And the while, I dare warrant you that if the thing had not brought honour with it, you would have been content, to hold your peace, though you had been present, yea and partly had been the cause thereof. Of this kind, there are other words, which ma­ny times we observe not, till they be past: and therefore it will be very well done, to make a particular examination upon this point: that so by care, and good custome, we may take away this other ill one, which is so connatural to us.

The second may be that, which Saint Ba­sil advises us; namely, that we be nor willing to hear any other praise, or speak well of us, for in this, there is also great danger. Saint Ambrose saith, that when the divel cannot beat us down by pusillanimitie, and dismay, he procures to blow us up by presumption and pride, and when he cannot overthrow us, by the way of affronts, he procures that we may be honoured and praised, and so to be undone by that means. Saint Hierome saith, Keep your selves safe from these Sy­rens, for they inchant men, and put them out of their wits. The musick of the praises of men, is so delightful and so sweet to our ears, that there are no Syrens, which can so inchant men, nor put them so out of their Wits, and therefore we had need to stop our ears, and make our selves deaf to them. Saint John Climacus advises us, when men praise [Page 149]us, to call our sins to mind, for so shall we find our selves to be unworthy of the prai­ses they give, and so shall we draw more Hu­mility, and confusion from thence. This may therefore be the second thing, upon which you may particularly examine your selves: Namely, that you rejoyce not to be well spoken of, and praised by others. And to this we may also joyn, the being glad when others are well spoken of, and praised, which is a point of very great importance. And whensoever you find either any feeling or motion of envy for the praise of others, or else of any complacence or vain content­ment in that others speak well of you; be sure to set it down for a fault.

The third thing upon which we may make a particular examination of our selves, is concerning the not doing of any thing, to the end that we may be seen, or esteemed by men. And this is that, which Christ our Lord advises us, in the holy Gospel. Mat: 6.1. Take heed that ye do not your alms, (or righ­teousnes as some copies have it) before men, to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven. This is a ve­ry profitable examination, & it may be divi­ded into many parts. First it may be made, upon the not doing of any thing for humane respects. Secondly, upon the doing things meerly for the love of God. And thirdly, upon the doing them perfectly well, as one [Page 150]who doth them in the presence of God, and as one who serves not men but God. And this diligence is to be used by us, till the works be performed by us in such sort, as we may rather seem to be loving God in them, then to be working of them.

The fourth point upon, which we may carry our particular examination, is not to excuse our selves. For this also grows from pride, when committing a fault, and being told of it, we instantly make our excuse, and without even marking it, we make one excuse sometimes upon another, yea and we will yet give another excuse, for having formerly excused our selves, Saint Gregory up on these words of Job, If as a man, I have hidden my sin, ponders these words very wel: Quasi homo as a man, and saith: that it is the property of a man, to desire to cover, and excuse his sin, because it comes to us by des­cent, from our first parents. As soon as the first man had sinned, he went instantly to hide himself amongst the trees of Paradise, and God reproving him for his disobedi­ence, he thus excused himself presently up­on his wife, O Lord, that Woman, whom thou ga­vest me for my companion, made me eat of the for­bidden fruit. And the Woman excused her self in like manner, upon the Serpent. The Serpent deceived me, and I did eat thereof. God examined them about their sin, to the end that knowing it, and confessing it, they [Page 151]might obtain pardon for it: and so Saint Gregory saith, that he did not examine the Serpent, because he meant not to pardon the serpent. But they, instead of humbling them­selves, and acknowledging their sin, towards the obtaining of pardon, increase and aggra­vate it, by their excuses: yea and by desi­ring, after a sort, thus to cast the fault upon God. The Woman whom thou gavest me O Lord, was the cause. As if he had said; If thou hadst not given her me for a compani­on, no part of this had been done. The Ser­pent which thou didst create, and suffer to enter into Paradise, deceived me, and if thou hadst not suffered it to enter there, I had not sinned, S. Greg: saith, that they having heard from the Devils mouth, that they should be like God, since they could not become like him in the point of his Divinity, they endeavoured to make him like them, in the point of their sin; and so they made it great­er by defending it, then they had done by committing it. And now, as being children of such parents, and in fine, as being men, we still remain with this infirmity, and with this defect, and ill custome, and when we are reproved for any sault, we instantly have a mind to cover it with an excuse, as under bows and leaves: yea and sometimes, a man is not content to excuse himself, but he must needs be casting the fault upon others. One compares such as excuse themselves to he [Page 152]Hedg-hoge, which when she perceives that they go about to take her, she shrinks in her head and feet with extreme speed, and re­mains as a boul, being circled on every side, as it were with thorns; so that a man cannot touch her, without pricking himself first. So that you shall sooner see your own blood, then her body. In this manner saith he, be they who are wont to excuse themselves; for if you will but touch them, by telling them the faults which they made, they instantly defend themselves, like the hedg-hog, & som times they prick & gaul you, & give you also to understand, that you as well deserve re­proof. At other times, they wil be telling you, that there is a rule, which forbids one to find fault with another, and that there be some who make greater faults, which yet men are content to dissemble; and in fine, do but touch the hedg-hogg, and you shall ee whether he will prick you or no. Al this busines grows from our great pride, who would not have our faults known, nor be held for defective, and it troubles us more, that they be understood and for the estima­tion which we think we loose thereby, then for having committed them; and so we pro­cure to conceal and hide them, the most we can. Nay there are some so unmortified in this kind, that even before you say any thing, they prevent you, and excuse them­selves, and give reasons for that which they [Page 153]think you may object; and they say, If I did this, it was for this reason, and if I did that, it was for that: and the like. But who in the mean time pricks you now, that you must skip so high. The goad of pride it is, which you carry so deeply rooted in your hearts. This is that which pricks you, and which makes you leap even before your time. It will therefore be well done by him who finds this old and ill custome in himself, to examine himself particularly thereof; till at length, he may come to part with all desire of covering his faults, but rather since he committed them, let him be glad to be held faulty, in shame and punishment thereof, yea and though you have made no fault, and yet they reprehend you as if you had, yet do not you alwayes excuse your selves.

The fifth, is also very good for a man to examine himself upon, namely, the restrain­ing, and cutting of all thoughts of pride. A man is so proud and vain, that many idle, and presumptuous thoughts, will be rushing in upon him, and he will imagine himself to be in some high Office, and performing of some great function. Already you fancy your selves to be preaching in the places where you were born, with great allowance, and li­king, and you imagine that you produce great fruit. Already do you conceive that you are reading, or disputing against such conclusions, with great applause of the hea­rers; [Page 154]and such things as these. All this grows from our great pride, which lyes sprouting, and breaking out into these thoughts. And therefore it will be very well done, to make a particular examination upon the clipping, and cutting of these thoughts, which are so haughty and vain. And so will it be fit so to stop, and instantly to cut off all impure thoughts, and rash judgments, or any other vice, whereby we may find our selves to be molested.

The sixt point shall be, to carry a particu­lar examination upon your selves, whether you esteem of all men as your. Superiors. ac­cording to that rule, that we must animate our selves towards Humility, by procuring, and desiring to give the advantage to others, esteeming them all from our very souls, as if they were our superiours, and exteriourly bearing them that respect, and reverence, which the condition, or state of every one of them shall bear with plainnes, and religious simplicity of heart: and this is also taken from the Apostle. And howsoever there is to be a difference amongst men, according to the distinction of their persons, and states, yet for as much as may concern the interi­our, and true Humility of our souls, every one of us must hold himself for the least, and lowest, and must hold all others for his supe­riours, and betters. This shal therefore be a very good, and profitable examination: but [Page 155]yet so, as that it be not only speculative, but that in the exercise, and practise thereof, we procure to carry our selves so towards all, with such Humility, and respect, as if they were indeed our superiours. For if you e­steem that other man as your superior, you will not be talking to him with such liberty and harshnes, and much less in words, which may mortifie, and offend him, nor will you so easily passe your judgment rashly upon him, nor be disgusted that he should treat you; or speak to you in this or that manner, and so you are to set down, and note al these things for faults, when you examine your self thereupon.

The seventh thing whereof we may parti­cularly examine our selves, upon this sub­ject, is whether we make good use of all those occasions which offer themselves to­wards the getting of Humility. Are you wont to be troubled when another speaks some little word to you, which you would not hear, or when they command any things in too resolute, and imperious manner, or when you think they make not so much account of you as of others? Examine your selves whether you make good use of these, as also those other occasions, which sometimes re­present themselves redounding to your dis­estimation. This is one of the most proper, and most profitable examinations, which we can use towards the obtaining of the ver­tue [Page 156]of Humility. For besides that, we shal thus go providing our selves, for all those things which may daily occurre, and whereof we may stand in need; we may, by means of this examination, go encreasing, and rising up by those three degrees of vertue, which we set down before. First, you may examine whether or no you carry all these things with patience. Secondly, whether you car­ry them with so much promptitude and fa­cility, as that they put you to no trouble. And thirdly, whether you carry them with joy, & with taking pleasure in the contempt of your self, for in this we shewed before, that the perfection of humility doth consist.

The eighth point upon which a man may particularly examine himself, either in this subject, or tohers like it, is to make some acts or exercises, as wel interiour as exteriour of humility, or any other vertue, about which he examines himself, meditating upon it, so many times in the morning, and so many in the evening beginning with fewer acts, and so rising up to more, till at length he get the habit and custome of that vertue. And now the enemies being divided after this manner and we taking every one of them by himself they will the more easily be overcome, and the victory which is desired, will be the more speedily obtained.

CHAP: XXV. How it may be compatible with Humili­ty, to be willing to be accounted of, and esteemed by men.

THere is a doubt, wont to be propounded concerning Humility, the solution where­of doth much import, that so we may know how to carry, and conduct our selves there­in. We ordinarily say, and it is the general Doctrine of the Saints, that we must desire to be abased, disesteemed, and despised, that men may hold us in no account. But then instantly it comes to be considered on the other side, how we shall be able to gather fruit, by the good of our Neighbors, if they difesteem, and despise us: for to that end it is necessary, that we have a kind of credit with them, and that they may hold us in good opinion and estimation: & therefore it may seem, that it shall not be ill, but good that we desire to be valued, and esteemed by men. Saint Basil, Saint Gregory, and Saint Bernard treat upon this doubt very wel, and say, that although it be true, that we must fly from the honour, and estimation of the World, by reason of the great danger which is therein, and that, for as much as is on our part, and for that which may concern our [Page 158]selves, we must ever desire to be disesteem­ed, and despised, yet for some good end of the greater service of God, the honour and estimation of the World, may lawfully, and piously be desired. And Saint Bernard saith also, that for as much as concerns our part, we must wish that men may think, and e­steem of us, as we think and esteem of our selves, that so they may value us as our selves do, but yet he saith withall, that it is not fit many times, that others should be sure thereof, and so therefore that we may sometimes even lawfully, and vertuously procure that they may not know our faults, lest so themselves may receive hurt there­by, through the hindrance of their own spi­ritual good. But in the mean time, it will be necessary that we understand this point ve­ry well, and that we walk therein, with great caution, and with much spirit, because such truths as this, insteed of doing good, do ma­ny times much hurt to some, who know not how to make right use thereof. The Saints themselves declare this Doctrine very well, that so we may not take occasion of errour from thence. Saint Gregory saith. Som­times, even holy men are glad that they have good opinion, and estimation amongst men; but this happens when they find that it is a necessary means, for the doing good, and giving help to their Neighbours souls, And this (saith Saint Gregory) is not to re­joyce [Page 159]at his own credit or estimation, but for the fruit and good of his Neighbours; Which is a very different case. It is one thing for a man to love humane honour, and estimation for it self, and to dwell as it were therein, for his own respect, and contentment, that so he may grow great, and be celebrated a­mongst men, and this is naught; but another thing it is, when this is liked for some good end, as for the good of our Neighbours, and to give help to souls, and this is not ill but good, and thus we may well desire opinion, and estimation of the World, and that they may have us in good conceir, for the greater glory of God, and because it may be neces­sary for the edification of our Neighbours and for the benefit of their souls. For thus a man shall not rejoyce in his own honour, and estimation, but in the spiritual good of others, and the greater glory of Almighty God. And as he who for his health desires to take a purge, which he naturally abhors, may well say, that to admit and like the purge, is to love his health, so he who ad­mits, and likes humane honour, which other­wise he despises, (only because in that case it is a necessary, or at least a profitable means for the service of God, and the good of souls) may affirm with truth, that he de­sires and likes nothing in it, but the glory of Almighty God.

But let us now consider, how we may know whether a man delight in honour and estimation, for the meer glory of God, and the good of his Neigbours, or else for his own sake, and for the affection which he bears to his own honour: for this indeed is a nice point, wherein the whole difficulty of this busines consists. Saint Gregory answered thus: Our being glad of honour and estima­tion, is to be so meerly for God, that when it is not necessary for his greater glory, and the good of souls, not only we are not to re­joce therein, but to be troubled at it. So that our desire and heart, for as much as may de­pend on us, is ever to be inclined to disho­nour, and contempt; and therefore when any occasion thereof is presented, we must embrace it with our whole hearts, and be glad of it as men, who have met with what they wished for. And as for honour and esti­mation, we are only to desire it, and be glad thereof, so far forth as it may be necessary for the edification, and further good of our Neighbours souls, and for the greater honor, and glory of Almighty God. By this you shall therefore know, if you be glad of ho­nour, and estimation, for the good of souls, and the glory of God, or else for your own honour and same: If when any occasion of humility, and contempt is offered, you im­brace it in good earnest, and with the heart; and if you rejoyce thereat, it is then a good [Page 161]signe; that when such a Sermon, or such ano­ther imployment hath succeeded well, and that you are valued and esteemed for it, you rejoyce not for your own honour, and esti­mation, but meerly for the glory of God, and the good of souls which grows thereby. But when on the other side some occasion of humility, and of being held in smal ac­count is offered, you reject it, or you carry it not well; and if when it is not necessary for the good of others, you will yet be glad of estimation, and praise of men, and pro­cure also to have it, this indeed is a signe, that you are glad also in those other things, as for a thing which hath relation to your self, and your own estimation and honor, and not meerly for the glory of God, and the good of souls.

So that it is true, that the honour and esti­mation of men, is not ill but good, if we use it rightly, and it may lawfully, and vertu­ously be desired. Yea even a mans praising himself, may be holy and good, if it be done as it ought. And so we see that Saint Paul writing to them of Corinthus, began to praise and recount great things of himself, relating the high favours which our Lord had im­parted to him, and saying; That he had labo­red more then the rest of the Apostles: yea, and he began to tell them of his Revelati­ons, and rapture, whereby he had been car­ried up to the third Heaven. But all this he [Page 162]did, because it was convenient, yea and ne­cessary for the glory of God, and good of them to whom he wrote, that so they might grow to hold, and value him for an Apostle of Christ, and embrace his Doctrine, and take benefit thereby: and he spoke these things of himself, with a heart, which did not only despise honour, but love dishonor for the love of Christ our Lord, and when his honour was not necessary for the good of o­thers, he knew very well how to empty and abase himself, saying. That he was not wor­thy to be called an Apostle, because he had persecuted the Church of God, and stiling himself blasphemous, and abortive, and the greatest of sinners; and when the occasions of dishonour, and contempt were presented to him, therein was his contentment, and joy. Such hearts as these, we may well trust­with receiving honour, and with saying som­times such things as may conduce towards it; because they will never do it, but when it may be necessary for the greater glory of God, yea and even then, they do it so much without the sticking of any part, thereof to themselves, as if they had not done it at all: for they love not their own honour, but the honour of Almighty God, and the good of souls.

But because it is a matter of much diffi­culty, to receive honour, and not to grow proud by it, nor to take any vain content­ment, [Page 163]or complasence therein: therefore the Saints through their fear of the great danger which lurks in estimation, and dignity, and high place, fled as far as they could from it, and they procured to busie themselves in mean, and contemptible imployments, be­cause they saw that they profited thereby in Humility, which was the most secure way for them. One said very well, I am not a religi­ous man, if I take not dishonour, with the same both inward and outward joy, where­with I take honour. For if I joy in that ho­nour which others allow me, when I preach, or perform any other office of charity to them, for their good, (whereby yet I put my soul to run some hazard, through the danger of vanity) much more ought I joy in mine own good, and in the salvation of mine own soul, which I preserve with more security, when I am scorned; and it is evi­dent, that we are more obliged to joy in our own good, and profit, then in that of others, because charity wel ordered begins at home. If then you joy in the good of your Neigh­bour, when the sermon, or other imploy­ment hath succeeded wel, and when you are esteemed, and praised for it, why should you not be glad of your own good, when you ha­ving done what was in you, are yet underva­lued for your pain, for this is better, and more safe for you? If you be glad when you have a great talent, wherewith to do great [Page 164]things, for the good of others, why are yon­not glad of your own good, and for your be­ing left in contempt, because God gave you no such talent? If you be glad when you have much health, and strength, wherewith to la­bour hard for the good of others, why should you not be glad; when God is pleased that you should be sick, and weak, and be fit for nothing, but to be laid in a corner, & with­out use: for this is your profit, and this will help you more towards humility, and in this shall you please God more, then if you were a great Preacher, or a Wise, & active States. man, since his Wil is so.

Hereby it may be seen, how much decei­ved they are, who have lodged their eyes up­on honour, and the estimation of the World under colour, forsooth, that is necessary for the doing good to others: and under this pretence, they desire high place, and honou­rable imployments, and all that which looks like greatnes: and so they fly from all that which is mean and poor: for they make themselves beleeve, that they were to be disauthorised thereby. But in this is another deceit, and a very great one, that by the ve­ry thing, whereby a man pretends to gain authority, he looseth it, and by that where­by he thought to loose it, he shal gain it.

But now laying this last reason, vvhich is the chief aside, and to consider the thing in question, by the vvay of prudence, and hu­mane [Page 165]reason, you cannot employ a more ef­ficatious means to gain authority, and opini­on amongst your Neighbours, and to do good to souls, then to exercise your selves in these things which seem poor and base, (such as are, to Catechnize Children in a low way of short questions, and answers, to teach, or to see them taught the first princi­pies of good Religion, and manners, daily to visit the sick, the poor and ignorant, and humbly, and kindly to instruct, comfort, and quicken them, as occasion is offered.) And to do these things so much the more, by hovv much the more your parts are greater. The reason of this is, because the World doth so hugely esteem of honor, and estima­tion, and of things vvhich are high, in order to that end, as that the thing of the vvhole World, vvhich it admires most, is the man vvho despises that, and to see that one vvho might be used in high and honourable im­ployments, doth choose to passe his hours, in things that are poor and mean: and thus they grow to frame a great conceit, and esti­mation of the sauctity of such Persons, and accept of that Doctrine vvhich they teach, as if it came immediately to them from Hea­ven.

This is that kind of Authority, vvhereof men have need, that so they may be able to do good to souls: this is the estimation and opinion, vvhich follows humble men, and [Page 166]belongs to Saints, and Evangelical Preach­ers, and this in a word, is that which we are to procure. For as for those other Authori­ties, and reputations, and punctilios, which carry a smack, and savour of the World with them, they do great hurt, and they disedifie our Neighbours very much.

Upon those words of Saint John, I seek not mine own glory; there is one that seeketh, and judgeth. John 8.50. A Doctor saith thus very well: Since our Heavenly Father procures, and seeks our honor, and our glory, our selves have no need to take care thereof. Take you care to humble your selves, and to be such as you ought, and as for any such estimation and authority, whereof you think you may have need, for the good of souls, leave you that to God, for even wherby you shall most humble and abase your selves, thereby will God raise you most, and indue you with another manner of estimation in the World, then that which you would ever be able to obtain for your selves, by these other humane diligences, and devises.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the third degree of Humility.

THe third degree of Humility, is when a man possessing great vertues, and gifts of [Page 167]God, and being in great honor, and estimati­on, grows not as all proud thereby, nor at­tributes any thing to himself, but refers, and ascribes it all to the true fountain thereof, which is God, from whom every good and perfect gift proceeds. This third degree of Humility, (saith Bonaventure) belongs to high, and perfect men: and by how much higher they are, so much the more low do they humble themselves. That a man who is imperfect, and faulty, should know, and e­steem himself for such, is no great matter. It is commendable, and good, but it is no won­derful thing, any more then it is, for the son of a Plough man, not to desire to be held for the Kings son; or a poor man for poor, or a sick man for sick, and that others may hold them for such as they know themselves to be: but that a rich man should account himself poor, and the great man make him­self little, and so conform himself to mean persons, this indeed deserves to be account­ed strange. He saith, that it is not to be won­dred at, that a man who is imperfect and faulty, should hold himself for imperfect, and faulty: nay rather it were to be won­dred at, if being as he is, he should hold himself to be perfect, and good: for it is as if being full of leaprousie, he should take him­self to be found. But that he who is mightily advanced in vertue and possesses many gifts of God, and is really very great in his divine [Page 168]presence, should yet hold himself for little, this indeed is great Humility, and worth the wondring at. Saint Bernard saith. A great and rare vertue it is, that a man should do great things, and yet not hold himself for great; that others should evidently see his sanctity, and yet that it should lye bid from him; that he should be admirable in the eyes of o­thers, and contemptible in his own. I esteem this more, (siath he) then all the other ver­tues, which he can have.

This Humility was found after a most per­fect manner, in the most Blessed Virgin, who knowing that she was chosen for the Mother of God, did acknowledg her self, with most profound humility, to be his servant, and slave. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, (saith Saint Bernard) God having chosen her to so great an honour, and for so high a dignity, as to be his Mother, she cals her self his slave; and being celebrated by the mouth of Saint Elizabeth, for blessed amongst all Women she ascribed not to her self any glo­ry, for all these greatnesses which were in her: but she gave them all back again to God, exalting, and admiring him for them, and her self remaining the while, most unsha­ken, & intire in her own most profound Hu­mility, said: My soul doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour: for he hath regarded the lowlines of his Handmaid. This is the very Humility of Heaven, the [Page 167]saints possesse this humilitie. And this (saith St: Gregory) is that which St: John saw, in the Apocalipse, of those four and twenty Elders, who being prostrate before the throne of God, adored him, taking the Crovvns off from their heads, and casting them down at the foot of the throne. And the Saint saith, that the casting off their crowns, at the foot of the throne of God, signifies the not atributing their victories to themselves, but the ascribing all to God, who gave them strength, and power to over­com. It is reason, O Lord, that we give the honour and glory of all to thee, and that we take off the crowns from our heads, and that we cast them at thy feet, be­cause al is thine, and by thy wil it is made: and if we have any thing good, it is because thou wouldst have it so. This is then the 3d: degree of Humilitie, when a man ascribes not these gifts, and graces to himself, which he hath received of God: but to ascribe them, and refer them al to him as to the au­thor and giver of all good gifts.

But som man may say, if Humility con­sists in this, we al are humble; for who is there who knows not, that al good coms to us from God, and that of our selves we have nothing but misery, and sin. Who is he that wil not say, if God should take his hand off from me, I were the most miserable man of the whole world. On our part we have no­thing [Page 168]but destruction and sin saith the Pro­phet Hosea. Al the favour, and al the good coms to us from the liberality of God, and this is Catholick doctrine: and so it may seem that we al have this Humility; for we al beleeve this truth, whereof the holy Scri­pture is ful. The Apostle St: James, in his Canonical Epistle, saith, Al good and perfect gifts, com to us from above, from the Father of lights. And the Apostle St: Paul saith, that we cannot work, nor speak, nor desire, nor think, nor begin, nor finish any thing, which may serve for our salvation, without God, from whom al our sufficiency proceeds. And by what more clear comparison could it be given us to understand al this, than by that which Christ our Lord himself declares? Wil you see, saith he, the little, or indeed the nothing which you can do without me, the vine branch cannot give fruit of it self, unless it be united to the vine; so no man can perform any good work of himself, un­less he be united with me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Joh. 15.5. What is more fruitful than the branch, united to the vine? and what more unprofitable, and useless, than the branch parted from the vine? For what is it good? God interrogates the Prophet Ezekiel: What O Son of man shal be done with the branch of vine? It is not tim­ber [Page 169]which is fit for any Carpenters work nor yet for any stake, or pin wher upon any thing may be hanged against a wal. The branch severed from the vine, is fit for nothing, but the fire. Now just so, are we, if we be nor united to the true vine, which is Christ our Lord. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Joh: 15.6. We are good for nothing but the fire: and if we be any thing, it is by the grace of God, as St: Paul saith: By the grace of God I am what I am. 1 Cor: 15.10. It seems we are al fully satisfied with the truth of this: That al the good we have is of God, and that we are to ascribe no good to our selves, but al to God, to whom the honor and glory of al, is due. It seems, I say, that this is not very difficult, to such as beleeve in Christ; and therefore that it should not be set down, for the last, and most perfect degree of Humilitie, since it is so clearly a point of Faith.

It seems so indeed, at the first sight, if we look superficially upon it; but indeed it is not easie, but very hard. Cassian saith, that to such as are but beginners, it seems to be but an easie thing, to attribute nothing to a mans self, and not to rest or rely upon his own industry, and diligence, but to refer and ascribe al to God; but indeed it is very hard. For since we also contribute somwhat on [Page 170]our part, towards good works, as St: Paul saith, because we also work and concur joyntly with God, we grow tacitly, and even as it were without finding it, to confide in our selves; and a secret presumption and pride steals upon us, which makes us think, that this or that was done by our diligence and care; and so by degrees, we grow vain, and look big, and ascribe the works which we do to our selves: as if we had performed them by our own strength; and as if they had been wholly ours. This is not so easie a business as we conceive. And it may suffice for us, that the saints set this down, for the most perfect degree of Humilitie, and they say this is the Humilitie of the great ones; that we may so understand, that there is more difficulty, and perfection therein, than one would think. For a man to receive great gifts of God, and to do great things, and to give God al the glory of al as he ought; without attributing any thing to himself, and not to take any vain contentment ther­in, is a point of great perfection. To be ho­nored and praised for a saint, and that no part of such honor, and estimation should stick at al to the heart, any more than if he had done nothing, is a very hard thing, and there are few who attain to it, and there is need of much virtue for the performance thereof.

St: Chrisostome saith, that to converse in [Page 117]the midst of honor, & not to be at al toucht thereby, is like conversing much with beau­tiful women, and yet never to look upon them with unchast eyes. It is a difficult, and a dangerous thing, and a man had need of much vertue therein: For a man to climbe so high, and not to be giddy, he had need be Master of a good head; All men have not a head, wherewith to walk on high: The Angels of Heaven, Luifer, and his Consorts had it not; and so they grew giddy, and proud, and fell down into the bottomless pit of Hell. For this they say was the sin of Angels, that when God crea­ted them so beautifull, and had inriched them with so many, both naturall, and su­pernaturall gifts, they remained not in God, nor gave him the glory of all, but would needs subsist in themselves; and yet not as conceiving, that of themselves they had these things (for they knew well, that they all came from God, and that they depended upon him, since they knew they were his creatures) but, as the Prophet Ezekiel saith, They grew proud in their beauty, and glo­rified themselves in those gifts, which they had received of God, and took delight in them, as if they had possessed them of themselves, and did not ascribe, or refer them all to God, giving him the honour and glory thereof: but they grew proud, and they exalted and contented themselves [Page 172]vainly in themselves: So that, although with their understanding, they knew that the glory thereof was due to God, yet they robbed him of it, and took it to themselves, with their will. By this time you see, that this degree of Humility, is not so easie, as it seemed, since the Angels found it so hard, that they fell from that height wherein God had placed them, because they knew not how to conserve themselves therein. And now if the Angels had not heads wher­with to walk so high, but that they grew giddy, and fell down, much more reason have we to fear, lest we may fail, when we are raised and exalted, because we men are so miserable creatures, that as the Prophet David saith, We vanish even like smoak: As smoak, the higher it goes, the more it scat­ters, and dissolves it self: So man, who is so miserable and so proud, the more he is ho­noured, and raised up to high estate, the more idle and intoxicated he grows.

O how aptly, and how wel did Christ our Lord admonish us of this. The holy Gospel relates, that having sent his seventy two Disciples to preach, they returned to him full of joy, and being, as it were proud of their mission, they said thus to him, Lord we have done wonderfull things, yea, and the very Devils themselves have obeyed us in thy Name. But the Saviour of the World an­swered them thus with great severity, Luk. [Page 173]10.18. I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven. Take heed of vain contentment in your selves; know that Lucifer fell down from Heaven, because in that high state wherein he was created he was vainly plea­sed vvith himself, and vvith those gifts and graces vvhich he had received, and did not ascribe all to the honour and glory of Al­mighty God, as he ought, but vvould needs take it to himself. Take heed the like hap­pen not to you; grovv not vain by reason of the great and vvonderfull things vvhich you do in my Name, and take no vain con­tentment in them. And novv these vvords may also suit vvith us. Take heed you vvax not proud, in that great things are done by you, for the good of others, and many souls are gained by you means. Take heed you have no contentment in the applause and opinion of men, and in the much account they make of you. Be sure you take nothing to your selves, and suffer not the love of ho­nour and estimation, to stick at all to your hearts, for this is that which cast Lucifer down to hell, and that which of an Angel, made him a Devil. You may see (saith Sr. Augustine) how detestable a thing Pride is, since it makes Angels Devils; and on the other side, how excellent a thing Humility is, since it makes men become like Angels.

CHAP. XXVII. It is declared wherein the third degree of Humility consists.

WE have not yet sufficiently declared wherein the third degree of Humi­lity consists; and therefore it will be fit to go on, that so we may the better put it in practice, this being the thing at which we aime. The Saints affirm, That this third de­gree of Humility consists in knowing how to distin guish between the gold of the Gra­ces and benefits which comes to us from God, and the drosse or misery wherewith we abound in our selves, and then to give every one his due: to God, that which is his, and to our selves that which is ours; and that this be done by execution, and pra­ctice, wherein the life of this whole busines consists: So that Humility doth not consist in knowing speculatively, that of our selvs, we are good for nothing, and can effect nothing, and that all good things come to us from God, and that it is he who works the willing, the beginning, and the ending in us, through his free and gracious will, as St. Paul declares; for onely to know this speculatively is a very easie thing, and all true Christians know and beleeve it; but [Page 175]to know and exercise it, in the way of pra­ctice, and to be so grounded and setled in it as if we saw it with our eyes, and touch't, and took it into our hands; this (as Saint Ambrose saith) is a most particular grace and high favour of Almighty God: to prove this, he brings that passage of Saint Paul, We have not received the spirit of this World, but the Spirit of God, to the end that we may know and feel the gifts which we have re­ceived from his hand. For a man to ac­knowledge, and even feel the graces which he hath received from God, so purely, as to esteem them as meerly anothers, and to have been imparted, and to be enjoyed by the meer liberality and mercy of Almighty God, is a most particular favour and gift of his: And the wise Solomon saith, That this is supream Wisdom, To understand and know practically, that to be continent, is not a thing which we are able to compasse by our own strength; and that no industry or indeavour of our own, is able to obtain it; but that it is the gift of God, and that we must have it from his hand, is a point of su. pream wisdom: So that in this which S Paul saith, is a particular grace, and gift of God, and vvhich Solomon cals supream Wisdom, consists this third degree of Humility. What have vve, which we have not received; it was none of ours, for of our selves we have no good thing; and if we have received it, [Page 176]and that if it were anothers, and none of ours, Why do we glory, as if we had not received it, and as if it were properly our own.

This was the humility of the Saints, who with being enriched by the gifts, and graces of Almighty God, and with his having raised them up to the very top of perfection, and thereby to honour and estimation, even in this world, have notwithstanding held them­selves for vile and base in their own eyes, and their souls remained so deeply fixed in the knowledg of their own meanes, and misery, as if they had possessed no such gra­ces at all. There stuck not the least vanity to their hearts, nor any ayre at al of that ho­nour, and estimation, which the world gave them; for they knew well, how to distin­guish between their own, and that of others, and so they lookt upon all those gifts, gra­ces, honour, and estimation, as things extrin­secal to themselves, and received from the hand of God; and to him they ascribed, and gave all the glory, and praise thereof, them­selves remaining still intire in the knowledg of their own unworthines, considering that of themselves, they could neither have, nor do any good thing. And from thence it also came, that though the whole World exalted them, they would never yet exalt them­selves, nor esteem themelves one jot the more for that, nor did any little breach [Page 177]thereof stick to their hearts. But it seemed to them that these praises were not uttered, as concerning them, but some other, to whom they belonged; namely God, in whom and in whose glory they placed all their contentment, and joy. And thus it is affirm­ed with much reason, that this is the Hu­mility of great and perfect men. First, be­cause it already presupposes great vertue, and great gifts of God, which only makes one great in his sight, and secondly, because in it self, for a man to be truly great in the sight of God, and very eminent in vertue, and perfection, and for that reason to be highly valued, and esteemed, both before God and man, and yet in the mdist of al this, to hold himself for little and base in his own eyes, is a great and admirable perfection. And this is that which Saint Chrisostome and Saint Bernard do so much wonder at in the Apostles, and others, who with being so great Saints, and so richly full of graces from God, and his Majesty working such wonders and miracles by their means, so far as even to raise the dead to life, and being so highly esteemed for these things, by the whole world, they yet nevertheless remain­ed so sixed in their unworthines and base­nes, as if they had had nothing in them, and as if it had been some other, and not they who wrought those great things and as if all that honour, and estimation, and praise, were [Page 178]belonging to others, and as if they had been imparted to others, and not to them. Saint Bearnard saith, it is not much that a man in poverty and baseness, should be content to humble himself, for that which indeed he is, helps him to know, and disesteem himself, but that a man should be generally honou­red, and esteemed for an admirable man, and for a Saint, and yet remain so well grounded in the truth of his own baseness, and of his nothing, as if no part of those other things, were in him; this indeed is a rare and ex­cellent vertue, and a point of most high perfection. In such men saith Saint Bernard doth the light shine before men, according to the Commandement of our Lord, not for the glorifying of themselves, but of their Fa­ther who is in Heaven. These are those true imitators of Saint Paul, and of the Preach­ers of the Gospel, who publish not them­selves, but Jesus Christ. These are those good and faithfull servants who seek no advan­tage of their own, nor ascribe any thing to themselves, but all and that most faithfully to God, to whom they give the glory of all. And so shall they be sure to hear from the mouth of our Lord, those words of the Gos­pel: Rejoyce thou, O good and faithfull servant, for because thou hast been faithfull in little, I will appoint, and place thee over much.

CHAP. XXVIII. The foresaid truth is more declared.

VVE have said that the third degree of Humility, is when a man having great vertues, and gifts of God, and withall being in great honour and estimation with the World, grows not proud thereof; but at­tributes, and ascribes all to the fountain thereof, which is God, giving him the glory of all, himelf remaining the while, in his own un worthines, and baseness, as if he did no­thing, nor had nothing. But now we say not, for all this, that we do not also work, or that we have not a part in those good works which we do, for this were a great ignorance and errour.

Nay rather, this is that very thing, which makes this degree of Humility so very hard to be obtained: for on the one side, we are to use all our diligences, and to imploy all the means we can to obtain vertue, and to resist temptations, and to procure that all things may succeed well, as if these things alone were able to effect it; and on the o­ther side, when all this is done, we are to di­strust our elves as much, and we hold our selves for as unprofitable, as if God had done nothing at all, and we must place our whole confidence in God, as the holy ospel teach­es: [Page 180] When you have done all those things which are commanded you, (he speaks not of some, but of all) say that you are unprofitable servants; and to say this right, you will have need of some vertue, and not a little. Cassianus saith, That he who comes to know well that he is an unprofitable servant, and that all his own endeavours and diligences, are not able to obtain any one good things, but that all is to flow from the gracious gifts of Almighty god, this man will not grow proud when he prevails in any thing, which he obtained not by his own labour, but by the grace and goodnes of God. Which is also the same that Saint Paul saith. What hast thou, which thou hast not received.

Saint Augustine brings a very good com­parison, to declare this truth and saith: That without the grace of God, we are no more but meerly a body without a soul. So that as a body which is dead, cannot move, or stir it self, so we, without the grace of God, cannot perform the works of life, or value in the sight of God. So that as that body were a mad kind of thing, which should assume the acts of living, and moving to it self, and not ascribe it to the soul which dwels in it, and gives it life; so were that soul to be stark blind, which doth attribute the good works which it doth, to it self, and not to God, who infused into it the spirit of life, which is his grace; to the end that so he might be able [Page 181]to perform them. And in another place he saith, that as our corporal eyes, though they be never so sharp sighted, yet if they be not assisted by the light of the Sun, can discern nothing; so a man, how much soever he may be justified, cannot so much as continue to live well, if he be not enabled by the light of Gods grace. If our Lord keep not the City saith the Prophet David, in vain doth he watch who keeps it. O saith the Saint, that men would at length know themselves, and now at length, understand themselves as to con­fesse that they have nothing in themselves, whereof to glory, but only in Almighty God. O that God would send us some beam of light from heaven, whereby we might ap­prehend, and understand our own darknes: and that there is no good, nor being, nor strength in any thing which ever was created, but only so far forth, as our Lord hath been graciously pleased to give it, and is still plea­sed to continue it. Now in this doth the third degree of humility consist, saving that no poor words of ours can arrive to express the profunditie, and great perfection which is therein, notwithstanding all that which we can say, sometimes after one manner and sometimes after another: and not only is the practise hereof hard, but even the specula­tion also.

This is that annihilation of a mans self, which is so often repeated, and recommend­ed [Page 182]by the masters of spiritual life. this is that holding, and coufessing a mans self for unworthy, and unprofitable to all purpo­ses. Which is set down, for the most perfect degree of Humility. This is that distrust of a mans self, and that being still depending upon God, which is so recommended to us in holy Scripture. This is that holding himself in no account at all, whereof we are ever talking, and hearing; but O that we might find it once for all in our very hearts. That we might understand, and feel in very truth, and practically, as a man who sees things with his eyes, and touches, and feels them with his hands, that, for as much as is on our part we neither have any thing but misery, nor can do any thing but commit sin, and that all the good which we effect, or work, we neither exercise it, nor have it of our selves, but only of God; and that the ho­nor and glory of all is his.

And if with having said all this, you yet understand not fully the perfection of this degree of humility, do not wonder at it; for this is a very high peece of Divinity; and therfore it is not strange, though it be not so easily understood. A certain Doctor saith very well, that it happens in all arts, and sci­ences, that every body arrives to know such things as are common and plain, but as for such others as are curious, and choice, they are not to be reached by every hand, but by [Page 183]such only as are eminent in that science, or art. And just so it is in our case; for the or­dinary, and usuall things belonging to any vertue, are understood by al the World; but such as are extraordinary, and choice, and nice, and high, can only be comprehended by such as are eminent, and fully possessed of that vertue. And this is that which Lau­rentius Justitinianus saith, namely; That no man knows well what humility is, but he vvho hath received the gift of being humble from God. And from hence it also grows, that in regard the Saints were indued vvith such a most profound Humility, that they thought, and said such things of themselves that we who fall so far short of them, cannot understand exactly what they say: but their speeches seem exaggerations, as namely that they were the greatest sinners of the whole world, and the like, where of I will speak ere long. But if we cannot say or think such things as they, no nor even understand them, it is because we have not arrived to so great Humility, as theirs was, and so we understand not the curious, and subtill parts of this fa­culty. Procure you to be humble, and to grow up in this science, and to profit therein more and more, and then you vvill under­stand hovv such things as those, may be said vvith truth.

CHAP: XXIX. The third degree of Humility is further declared, and how it grows from thence, that the true humble man esteems himself to be the least, and worst of all.

TO the end that vve may yet better un­destand this third degree of Humility, and may ground our selves vvell therein; it vvill be necessary for us to go back, and take up the matter neerer the fountain. And as according to vvhat vve said before, all our natural being, and all the naturall operati­ons vvhich vve have, vve have from God, be­cause we were nothing, and then we had no power either to move our selves, or to see, or hear, or tast, or understand, or will but God who gave us our natural being, gave us these faculties, and powers, and we must ascribe our being, as also these namral operations to him; so in the self same manner, and with much greater reason must we say; in the case of a supernatural being, and of the works of grace, and that so much more, as these are greater, and more excellent than those. We have not our supernaturall being of our selves, but of God. In sine it is a being [Page 185]of savour and grace, and therefore it is so called, because out of his meer goodnes, he added that, to our natural being. Ephes. 2, 3. We were born in sin, we were the children of wrath, and the enemies of God, who drew us out of that darknes, into his admirable light, as the Apostle Saint Peter saith: 1 Pet: 2.9. Of enemies, God made us friends, of slaves, Sons, from being nothing worth, he brought us to be acceptable in his own eies. And the cause why God did all this, was not for any respect either of our merits past, or services to come; but only for his own bounty, and mercy, and through the merits of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour, as Saint Paul saith, Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Now then, as we were not able to get out of that nothing, wherein we were, into the natural being which now we have, nor were able to perform the acts of life, nor see, nor hear, nor feel, but all this was the graci­ous gift of God, and to him we must ascribe it all, without taking the glory of it to our selves, so could we never have gone out of that darknes of sin, wherein we were, and in which we were conceived and born, if God of his infinite goodnes and mercy, had not drawn us out from thence, nor could we now perform the works of spiritual life, if he gave us not his grace to that end. For the vertue and worth of good works, grows [Page 186]not from that part thereof, which they have from us, but from vvhat they have from the grace of our Lord, just so as the legal value which curtant money hath, it hath not from it self, but from the stamp or coyn. And therefore we must not ascribe any glory at all to our selves, but all to God, from whom both our natural, and supernatural being is derived; carrying ever that of St: Paul both in our mouths, and in our hearts. I am whatso­ever I am, by the meer grace of God.

But now, as according to what we said God, not only drew us out of our nothing, and gave us that being which now we have, but after we are created, and have received, our being, we do not subsist in our selves, but God is ever sustaining, upholding, and conserving us, with his hand of power, that so we may nor fal into that former pro­found Abisse of nothing, from whence he took us before; in the same manner is it al­so, in the case of our supernatural being; for not only did God shew us the favour to bring us out of the darknes of sin, wherein we were, into the admirable light of his grace; but he is ever conserving, and holding us up with his hand, that so we may not re­turn to fall. And this, to such a proportion, as that if God should take off his hand of cu­stody from us, but for one instant, & should give the Devil leave to tempt us at his plea­sure; we should return both to our former, [Page 187]and to greater sins: said the Prophet David. Thou O Lord, art ever at my side holding me up, that I may not be pluckt down; it is thy work O Lord, to have raised me up from sin; thine to have kept me from returning to sin again. If I rose up, it was because thou gavest me thy hand; and if now I be on foot, it is because thou holdest me from dropping down.

Since therefore, as we shewed it before to be sufficient to make us hold our selves for nothing, because on our part, we are no­thing, we were nothing, and we should be nothing, if God were not ever conserving us: so this is also sufficient to make us ever keep our selves in the account of being wicked sinners, because, for as much as is on our part, we are sinners, we were sinners, and we would be sinners, if God were not still up­holding us, with his holy hand. Albertus Magnus saith, that whosoever would obtain Humility, must plant the root thereof in his heart, which consists in that he know his own weaknes, and misery, and understand, and weigh not only how vile and wretched he is now, but how vile and wretched he may be, yea, and would be even very now, if God with his powerful hand, did not keep him, and sin asunder: and did not remove the occasions, and assist, and strengthen him in temptations. Into how many sins had I fallen, if thou O Lord through thy infinite mercy, hadst not kept me up? how many oc­casions [Page 188]of my sinning hast thou prevented, which were sufficient to have pulled me down, as they pulled down the Prophet Da­vid: if thou, knowing my weaknes, if thou I say hadst not hindred them? How many timeshast thou tyed the devils hands, to the end that he might not rempt me at his plea­sure, and if he would tempt me, that yet he should not be able to overcome me? How of­ten might I have said those words of the Prophet, with much truth. If thou O Lord hadst not holpen me, this soul of mine had already been little lesse, then in the very bottom of Hell. Hovv often have I been assaulted, and even almost tripped up, tovvards falling: and thou O Lord didst hold me, and didst apply thy sweet and strong hand, that I might take no hurt. Psal: 94.18. If I said that my foot slipt thy mercy O Lord came to help me. O how often should we have been lost, if God, through his infinite mercy, and goodnes, had not preserved us? This is then the account wherein we are to hold our selves: because this we are, and this we possesse on our parts, and this we were, and this we should also be again, if God took off his hand, and custody from us.

From hence it came, that the Saints des­pised, humbled, and confounded themselves so far, that they were not content to esteem little of themselves, and to hold that they were vvicked, and sinful men; but they [Page 189]thought themselves the meanest of all o­thers, yea and the most unvvorthy, and sin­ful men in the World. The same did the holy Apostle Saint Paul affirm, touching himself: Our Lord Jesus Christ came into this World to save sinners, of whom I am the first, or chief. And so he advises us to procure. to ob­tain this Humility, that vve hold our selves for inferior, and lesse then all others, and that we acknowledg them all for our supe­riors, and betters. Saint Augustine saith, The Apostle deceives us not, when he saith, That we must hold our selves for the least of all, and that we must esteem all others to be our superiors, and betters: Phil. 2 3. Rom: 12.10. & he commands not hereby, that we should use any words of flattery, or courtship to­wards them. The Saints did not say with counterfeit humility, and telling a lye, that they were the greatest sinners in the world: but meerly according to truth, because they thought so in their very hearts, and so they also give us in charge, that we think, and say the same, and this not by complement, or with fiction.

Saint Bernard ponders very well to this purpose, that saying of our blessed Saviour. Luk: 14.10. When you shall be invited, sit you down in thelast, and lowest place. He said not, that you should choose a middle place, or that you should sit amongst the lowest; or in the last place but one: but [Page 190]he will only have you sit in the very lowest place of all. Not only are you not, to prefer your selves before any, but not so much as to presume to compare, or equal your selves with any other: but you are only to remain in the last place, without any equal in your basenes, esteeming your selves to be the most miserable sinners of the whole World. It puts you, saith he, to no danger, if perhaps you should humble your selves too much, and put your selves under the feet of all; but the preferring your selves before any one a­lone, may put you to a great deal of preju­dice. And he brings this ordinary compari­son. As when you passe by a low gate, the stooping too much with your head, can do you no hurt, but if you stoop never so little lesse then the gate requires, you may do your selves so much hurt, as to break your head; so it is also in the foul. For to abase and humble your selves too much, cannot be hurtful, but to forbear to humble yourselves though it be but a little to prefer, or even equal your selves to any one, it is a dange­rous thing. What knowest thou (O man) whether that one whom thou takest, not on­ly to be worse than thou (for perhaps it seems to thee now, that thou art grown to live well) but that he is a wicked man, and the greatest sinner in the whole World may not prove perhaps a better man, than either they or thou, yea and that he is so al­ready [Page 191]in the sight of God. Who knows whe­ther God will nor change hands, as Jacob did, and that the lots will be also changed; and that thou wilt come to be the forsaken, and the other chosen? How do you know what God hath wrought in that heart since yesterday, yea and in this last minute. In one instant, is God able to make Apostles of a Publican, and a Persecutor, as he did of Saint Mathew, and Saint Paul. Of sinners more stony and hard than a Diamond, can God make sons for himself. How mightily did that Pharise find himself deceived, when he judged Saint Mary Magdalen for wicked, and when Christ our Lord reproved him, and gave him to understand that she whom he held for a publique sinner, was better than he. And so Aquinus sets this down for one of the twelve degrees of Humility. To say and think of himself, that he is the worst man of the whole World. It is not enough to say so with the tongue, but it must be felt with the very heart. Think not that thou hast profited at all, if thou hold not thy sel for the vvorst of men.

CHAP. XXX. How good, and holy men, may with truth esteem themselves lesse then others yea and affirm themselves to be the greatest sinners of the world.

IT will not be matter of curiosity, but of much profit, to declare how good, and ho­ly men, may with truth esteem themselves esse then all; and also affirm that they are the greatest sinners of the whole world; For we have said that we must procure to arrive thus far Some of the Saints refuse to answer the question, how this may be; and content themselves with beleeving of themselves, that they are so in their hearts Saint Doro­theus relates, that the holy Hosimus being one day speaking of Humility, & saying so of himself; a certain Philosopher was there, who asked him how he could hold himself to be so great a sinner, since he knew him­self to live so uprightly, and holily. To which the holy man made this answer, I say that this which I have said is true, and that I speak as I think; and therefore ask me no more questions. But Saint Augustine, Aqui­nas, and other Saints give an answer to this question, and they do it divers wayes. That [Page 193]of Saint Augustine, and Aquinas is, that a man placing his eyes upon his own defects, and considering in his Neighbours the secret gifts which he hath, or at least may have of God; every one may with truth affirm of himself, that he is the vilest, and greatest sin­ner of the whole World; for he knows his own defects, and know not another mans graces or gifts. Obut say you, I see that he commits many sins, which I commit not. But yet how do you know, what God hath wrought in his heart, since that time. In a moment, may God have secretly imparted some gist and favour to that man, which may have made him excell you, as it hapned to that Pharise, and that Publican of the Gos­pel, who went into the Temple to pray. Ve­rily I say to you, (said Christ our Lord) that the Publican who was held for so wicked, re­turned justified out of the Temple, and the Pharise who was held for good, went out condemned. This alone might serve to fright us, and to make us not presume, I say not, to prefer our selves before, but even not to compare our selves with any, and to make us keep our selves in the lowest place of all: which certainly is most secure. And for him who is truly humble, and from the heart, it is a most easie thing to hold him­self in the lowest, and least account of all o­thers. For the truly humble man considers in other men the goodnes and vertue which [Page 194]they have, and in himself he observes but his own defects; and he is so busie, and ear­nest about the knowledg and redresse ther­of, that he hath no leisure to lift up his eyes towards the faults of others, as conceiving himself to have enough of his own to la­ment: and so he holds all other men for good, and himself for wicked. And by how much the more holy any man is, so much the more easie is this to him; for after the rate, or the increase of his other vertues, the knowing, despising, and humbling himself, doth also encrease, for all these things go to­gether. And still the more light he hath from Heaven, and the more knovvledg of the goodness, and Majesty of Almighty God, the more profound understanding vvill he come to have of his ovvn misery, and of his nothing, because, Abyssus abyssum invocat: Psal: 42.9. That depth of the knovvledg of the goodness, and greatnes of God, cals up, and discovers that other profound depth of our misery, and makes us able to discern the infinite little moats, and grains of dust of our imperfections. And if we hold our selves in any account, it is certainly, because we have smal knowledg of God, and little light from Heaven. The beams of the sun of Ju­stice, have not yet entred in by our win­dow, and so vve do not onely not see the moats which are our lesse defects, and im­perfections, but we are so short sighted, or [Page 195]rather indeed so very blind, that vve scarce discern our greater sins.

To this it may be added, that God loves humility in us so much, and it is so very plea­sing to him, that vve should hold our selves in no account, and conserve our selves ther­in; that, in order to this end, he is wont ma­ny times in the case of his great servants, to vvhom he imparts many high benefits, and savours, to disguise his gifts, and to commu­nicate them in such a secret, and strange manner, that even the man himself who re­ceives them, doth not throughly compre­hend them, and thinks they are nothing. Saint Hierome saith: All that beakty of the Tabernacle vvas covered vvith the skins of Beasts. And so useth God to conceal, and cover the beauty of mens vertues, and of his ovvn graees, and benefits; by permitting va­riety of temptations, yea and sometimes of some errors and im perfections, that so they may be the more safely conserved, as burn­ing Coals under ashes might be.

Saint John Climacus saith, that as the De­vil procures to lay our vertues, and good vvorks before our eys, that so vve may grovv proud because he desires our ruine, so on the contrary side, our Lord God, because he de­sires our greater good, gives more particular light to his servants, that so they may see their ovvn faults, and imperfections, and he covers, and disguises his gists and graces to [Page 196]them, that even the man himself who re­ceives them, may not be able expresly to understand them. And this is the common Doctrine of the Saints: Saint Bernard saith, To conserve Humility in the servants of God, his divine goodness disposes things in such fort, as that the more a man profits, the lesse he conceives himself to profit: and when he is arrived to the highest degree of vertue, Almighty God permits him to be subject to some such imperfection, as con­cerns the first degree; to the end that he may conceive himself not to have fully ob­tained so much as that; and of the same doth Saint Gregory speak in many places.

For this, do some very well compare Hu­mility, and say that it respects other ver­tues, as the Sun doth other Stars; and that, for this reason, as when the Sun appears, o­ther Stars lye hidden, and are concealed; so when Humility is in the soul, other vertues are not seen, and the humble man conceives that he hath no solid vertue at all. Saint Gregory saith. Their vertues being manifest to all men, only themselves see them not. The holy Scripture recounts of Moses. that when he came from speaking with God, he carried a great brightnes in his face, which the children of Israel saw, but for his part, he saw it not. So the humble man, sees no ver­tues in himself. all that which he sees, seems faults, and imperfections to him yea and he [Page 197]further beleeves, that the least part of his miseries is that which he knows, and that he is ignoraht of the greater, and now in the midst of this, it will be eafie for him to e­steem himself below all, and for the greatest sinner of the whole World.

It is most certain, (to the end that we may conceal nothing) that as there are ma­ny several wayes, whereby God is wont to conduct his Elect, so he leads many by this way, whereof vve have spoken, namely, of concealing his gifts from them, so that them selves may not see them, nor conceive that they have them; but he manifests them to others, and makes them know them, to the end, that they may esteem his servants, and be pleased in them. And so saith the Apostle Saint Paul: We have not received the spirit of this World, but the Spirit of God; that we may know the gifts and graces, which we receive from his hand. And the most holy Virgin Mary did very well both knovv, and acknovvledg the great graces, and gifts, vvhich she possessed, and had received from Almighty God: as she faith in her Canticle. My souldoth magni­fie and exalt our Lord, because he who is omnipo­tent, hath wrought mighty things in me. And this is not only not contrary to humility, and perfection, but it is accompanied with an humility so very much elevated, and so high, that for this reason the Saints are wont to stile it, the humility of great, and perfect men.

But yet here, there is a great error, and danges, whereof we are advertised by the Saints, and it is when some think of themselves, that they have more graces of God, than indeed they have. In which er­ror was that miserable Creature, to whom God commanded this to be said in the Apo­calipse; Thou sa ist that thou art rich, and that thou hast need of nothing, but thou dost not un­derstand thine own case, for thou art miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. In the same er­ror, was that Pharise who gtave God thanks, that he was not like others, beleeving of himself, that he had what indeed he had not: and that therefore he was better then other men: And sometimes, this kind of pride steals in upon us, so secretly, and with such disguise, that almost before we know where we are, we grow very full of our selves, and of our own estimation. And for this, it is an excellent remedy, that we ever carry our eyes open, towards the vertues of others, and shut up towards our own, and so to live ever in a holy kind of fear, whereby we our selves will be more safe, and the gifts of God better kept.

But yet in fine, forasmuch as our Lord is not tyed to this, he conducts his servants by several wayes. Sometimes as the Apo­stle Saint Paul saith: he will do his servants the particular favour, of making them know the gifts which they have received from [Page 199]his hand. And in this case, it seems that the thing in question hath more difficulty, namely, how these Saints, and spiritual men, who know and see in themselves, so great gifts which they have received from God, can with truth esteem themselves below all; and affirm of themselves with all, that they are the greatest sinners of the whole World. When our Lord conducts a man by that other way of hiding his gifts, that so he sees no vertue in himself, but all his faults and imperfections: the difficulty is not so great, but in these others, how can it be? Notwithstanding all this, it may be very well. Be you humble like to that holy Fa­ther, and you shall know how. His compa­nion pressing to understand, how he could think and say so of himself with truth; he made this answer. Really I understand it as I speak it, and I beleeve, that if God had stewed those mercies, and imparted those graces to any murthering theef, or to the greatest sinner in the whole World which he hath vouchsafed to me, he would have been much better, and more grateful than I. And on the other side, I conceive, and beleeve, that if our Lord should take off his hand from me, and not hold me fast, I should commit greater sins, and should prove the most wicked man in the whole World. And for this reason he saith, I am the greatest sinner and the most ungratef [Page 200]of all men. And this is a very good answer, and a very profound humility, and it carried Doctrine in it, of admirable instruction. This knowledg and consideration, is that which made the Saints dive down so low under the carth, and cast themselves at the feet of all men, and really esteem them­selves for the greatest sinners of the whole World, for they had that root of Humility vvhich is the knovvledg of their own mise­ry and frailty, wel planted, and deeply root­ed in their hearts: and they knevv very vvell hovv to penetrate and ponder both vvhat they vvere, and vvhat they had of themselves; and this made it easie for them to beleeve, that if God should not hold them fast, but once take off his hand, from their heads, they would have proved the greatest finners of the World; and so they held themselves, for such. And as for those gifts and graces vvhich they had received from God, they beheld them not, as any thing of their ovvn, but as the goods of ano­ther, and only lent to them. And not only did the having of all these gifts, not di­stract, or hinder them from remaining intire in their poorness, and baseness, or from e­steeming themselves belovv all others, but it rather helpt them on tovvards that end, because they thought they profited not thereby, as they ought to have done. So that vvhich vvay soever, vve turn our eyes, [Page 201]whether vve cast them inward, upon what we have of our solves, or wherther we cast of God; we shall find occasion enough to be humbled; and to esteem our selves below al.

Saint Gregory, to this purpose, ponders those words which David said to Saul, after he might have killed him in the Cave into which Saul had entred. And when David spared his life, and let him go, he yet went after him, saying. Whom dost thou persecute O King of Israel? thou persecu­test a dead dogg, and a singleflea, as I am; The Saint poinders it thus very well, David was already anointed for King, and had un­derstood from the Prophet Samuel who a­nointed him, that God would take the King­dom from Saul; & give it him, & yet never­the less; he humbles and lessens himself be­fore him, though he knew that God had preferred him, and that in the sight of God, he was a better man than Saul. Whereby we may learn, to esteem our selves less, than them, of whom we know not, in what con­dition or degree they stand, in the presence of Almighty God.

CHAP: XXXI. That this third degree of Humility is a good means to overcome all temptati­ons, and to obtain the perfection of all the vertues.

CAssianus saith, that it was a tradition of those antient Fathers, and as it were the first principle amongst them, that a man could not obtain purity of heart, and the perfection of vertue, if first he did not conceive and know, that all his industry diligence, and labour, would not be suffici­ent for that purpose, without the especiall favour and help of God, who is the prime Author, and giver of all good things. And he saith moreover, that this knowledg of his must not be only speculative, and be­cause we have heard it or read it, or because it is a Doctrine of Faith; but we must know it practically, and by experience, and be so convinced, so resolved, and setled in this truth, as if we saw it with our eyes, and touch't it with our hands: and this is litte­rally the third degree of Humility, whereof now we treat. And of this kind of Humility it is, that the authorities of holy Scripture speak, and which promise so great, and even innumerable blessings, to such as are hum­ble. And for this reason the Saints assign it [Page 203]for the last, and most perfect degree of Hu­mility and say, that it is the foundation of all vertue, and the preparation, or disposi­tion for receiving all kind of graces, and gifts from God. And Cassianus prosecuting this point more in particular, saith concern­ing chastity, that no endeavour of ours, will serve for the obtaining thereof, till we cer­tainly understand, that it is not to be had, but from the liberality and mercy of Al­mighty God. And Saint Augustine agrees ve­ry well herewith. For the first and chief means, which he delivers for the acquiring and conserving the gift of chastity, is humi­lity; that so we may not think, that our own diligences will suffice for this: for if we rely and rest upon them, we deserve to loose it. But we must know, that it is the gift of God, and that it must come to us from a­bove, and that we must place our whose confidence in him. And so one of those old Fathers said, that a man would be tempted with carnal thoughts, till he come to know very well, that chastity is the gift of our Lord: and no acquisition of our own. Palladi­us confirms this, by the example of Abbat Moyses, who hauing been a man of a strange corporal strength, as also of a most vicious mind, was converted afterward to God, with his vvhole heart. At the first, he was grievously tempted, especially concerning imputity; and by the advice of those Fa­thers, [Page 204]he imployed his best means to over­come it. He prayed so long, as that he pas­sed six years in prayer, yea and spent the greatest part of the whole nights in prayer, remaining still upon his feet. He used much handy labour, he eat nothing but bread; and that in small quantity: he went carry­ing water to the old Monks in their Cels, and used many other greater wortificati­ons, and austerities. But yet, with all this, he came not to be free from his temptati­ons; but was even set on fire by them; and was sometimes in danger to fall, and to for­sake his purity. Being then in this trouble, the holy Abbat Isidorus came to him: nd told him on the part of God, that for that time forward, his temptations should cease in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord; and so they did, and never set upon him more. And the Saint, by way of declaring the cause, adds this; that till then, God had not given compleat Victory to Abbat Mo­ses, lest he should have grown vain and proud; as con [...]eiving that he had conquer­ed by his own strength: and therefore that God had, till then, permitted it for his grea­ter good. Moses had not yet obtained the gift of distrusting himself and now to the end that he might obtain it, and not grow proud by confiding in himself, God left him so long a time, and he obtained not by so ma­ny, and so great endeavours, the compleat [Page 205]victory over this passion, which others by diligence had obtained.

The like did Palladius relate to have hap­ned to the Abbat Pacon; for even whilst he was seventy years old; he was very much molested by unclean temptations: and he saith, that the other affirmed it to him, with an Oath, that after he was fifty years old, the combat had been so usual, and so very fierce, as that there had not passed either one day or night, in all that time, wherein he had not been tempted to that sin. He did very extraordinary things to free himself from these temptations: but they did not serve the turn. And lamenting one day, and even half fearing, that our Lord had sorsa­ken him, he heard a voice which interiour­ly said thus to him: know that the cause why God hath permitted this sharp assault to be made against thee, hath been to the end, that thou mightest know thy own po­verty, and misery, and the little or nothing which thou hast of thy self; and therefore see that thou humble thy self hereafter, and confide not in thy self at all; but in al things have recourse for help to me. And he saith, that he was so comforted by this instructi­on, that he never felt that temptation a­gain. In fine, the Will of our Lord is, that we put all our confidence in him, and that we distrust our selves with all our own dili­ences and means.

This is the Doctrine not only of Saint Augustine, Cassian, and those antient Fathers, but of the Author, and book of Wisdom himself; and that in those very terms, wher­by we have expressed it here. For the wise man, in the book of Wisdom, sets expresly down, both the Theory, and the practise of this point in these words. When I knew (saith he) that I could not be continent, Wis. 8.21. (so the vulgar Latine readeth) but by the gift of God. Now continent is here the general word, which comprehends not only the containing, or restraining that passion which is against chastity, but all the other passions also, which rebel against rea­son. And that other place also of Eccles. No weight of Gold, is able to go in ballance with a continent soul. No pretious thing, is so much worth as the person, who is continent. He means that kind of man, who intirely contains all his affections, and appetites, that they may not passe beyond the bounds of reason And now, saith Solomon, knowing that I could not contain these passions, and powers, both of my body and soul, within the moderati­on of vertue and truth, without the especi­al gift of God: but that sometimes they would exceed (the knowledg whereof is a high point of Wisdom) I had recourse to our Lord, and begged this gift of him, with my whole heart: So that, in fine, this is the only means, whereby a man may become [Page 207]continent: and may be able to continue continent, to restrain and govern our passi­ons, and bind over all temptations, and the perfection of all Vertues. And so the Pro­phet understood it rightly, when he said. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. Except the Lord keepeth the City, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psa. 127.1, 2. It is he who must give us all good things, and when he hath given them, must conserve them to us; or els all our labour will be lost.

CHAP: XXXII. That Humility is not contrary to Magnanimity, but rather that it is the foun­dation, and cause thereof.

AQuinas treating of the vertue of mag­nanimity, makes this question. On the one side the Saints say, yea and the holy Scripture also saith, that Humility is very necessary for us, and withall, that magnani­mity is also necessary; especially so such, as exercise high Ministries, and live in high place. Now these two vertues seem to be contrary in themselves, because magnanimi­ty is a greatnes of mind to attempt, and en­terprize great, and excellent things, which in themselves may be worthy of honour, and both the one and the other seem to be [Page 208]contrary to Humility. For as for the first, which is to enterprise great things, this seems not to sure well, with this vertue, because one of the degrees of Humility, which the Saints assign, is, To confesse, and hold himself unworthy, and unprofitable for all things; and now for a man to attempt that for vvhich he is not fit, seems to be presumption, and pride. And as for the se­cond point, vvhich is to enterprise things of honour, it seems also to be contrary, because the true humble man, must be very farfrom desiring honour and estimation. To this A­quinas ansvvers very vvell and sayes, that al­though in appearance, and by the exteriour sound of the Words, these tvvo vertues may seem to be contrary, betvveen them­selves: yet in effect and truth, one vertue cannot be contrary to another; and in par­ticular, he saith concerning these tvvo ver­tues of Humility, and magnanimity, that if vve vvill attentively cast our eyes upon the truth, and substance of the thing, vve shall not only find that they are not contrary, but that they are direct Sisters, and depend much upon one another. And this he de­clares very vvell, because as for the first, vvhich is to enterprise and attempt great things, vvhich is proper to the magnanimous persons, it is not only not contrary to the humble man; but rather is very proper to him, and he vvho is the one, may very vvel [Page 209]do the other. If confiding in our own dili­gence, and strength, we should undertake great things, it might be presumption, and pride, because we may not undertake things either great or small, in the confi­dence of our own strength, for as much as of our selves, we are not able to have one good thought, as Saint Paul saith. But the firm foundation of this vertue of magnani­mity, to attempt and enterprise great things is to be by distrusting our selves, and all hu­mane endeavours, and to put our whole confidence in God; and this doth Humility also, and therefore do the Saints call it, the foundation of all the vertues, as we said be­fore, because it opens the soyl, and sounds deep into the very bottom, and takes out all the sand and loose stuffe, till at length it arrive to that living rock, which is Christ our Lord, that so we may build there­upon.

Saint Bernard upon that place of the Can­ticles. Who is this which rises up from the de­sert, aboundning in delights, and leaning upon her beloved, goes declaring how all our vertue, our strength, and all our good works, are to rely, and rest upon our Beloved. And he brings for an example, that of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain: but I labou­red more abundantly than they all. The Apo­stle [Page 210]begins to recount his labours, and how much he had done in the preaching of the Gospel, and the service of the Church, till at length he came to say, that he had labou­red more than the rest of the Apostles. St Bernard saith. Take heed what you say O holy Apostle. To the end that you may be able to say this, yea and to the end that you may not loose it: rely upon your Beloved. Now he replyes upon his Beloved. Not I, but the grace of God in me: Phil. 4.13. And writing to the Philip. he saith, I can do all things, and then instantly he leans upon his Belo­ved, through Christ which strengthneth me. In God we shall be able to do all things, by his grace we shall be of power to do all things.

This must be the foundation of our mag­nanimity, and of our greatnes of mind. And this is that, which the Prophet Esay saith: Isa. 40.31. They who distrust themselves, and put their whole confidence in God, shal change their strength. For they shall change their strength of men, which is meer weak­nes for the strength of God, they shall change their arm of flesh, and blood, for the arm of our Lord: and so they shall have strength for all things, for they shall be a­ble to do all things in God. And therefore did Saint Leo say, nothing is hard to the humble, nothing is harsh to the meek. The truly humble man, is he who is magnani­mous, couragious, and hardy to enterprise, [Page 211]and attempt great things: or rather nothing wil be hard to him, because he confides not in himself, but in God, and looking up to him, and relying upon him, he contemns al dangers. In God we can do all things. This is that, whereof we have much need, a great and couragious mind, and a great confi­dence in God, and not a weak heart which takes away our appetites from doing our duties. So that in our selves, we must be humble, as knowing that of our selves we are nothing, we can do nothing, and we are good for nothing; but in God, and in his power, and grace, we aie to be strong heart­ed towards the enterprising of great things. Saint Basil declares this very well, upon those words of the Prophet Esay; Here am I, send me: Isa: 6.8. God was resolved to send one to preach to his People, & for as much as he is pleased to work things in us, with our good will and consent, he said, and said it so, as that Esay might hear him: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Isa: 6.8. To this the Prophet answers, O Lord here I am if you will be pleased to send me. Saint Ba­sil pondets very well that he said not, Lord I will go, and can dispatch this busines, for he was humble, and knew this own weakness well, and saw that it was boldnes to pro­mise for himself, that he would perform so great a vvork, vvhich overcame his strength but he said, Lord here I am ready, and vvilling [Page 212]to receive that which you shall be pleased to give; do you send me, for upon your war­rant I will go. As if he had said, for my part I have no ability for so high a Ministery as that, but you are able to make me suffici­ent, you can put words into my mouth, which will have a power to make a change in the hearts of men. If you send me, I may well go; for going in your name, I shall be able to perform the work. Then God said to him, Vade, Go, See here, saith Saint Basil, how the Prophet Esay took his degree for being a Preacher, and an Apostle of God: because he could answer very well in the Doctrine of Humility, and attributed not his going to himself, but acknovvledg his own insufficiency, and weaknes, he placed all his confidence in God, beleeving he could do all things in him, and that if God sent him, he might go. For this reason, God gave him the charge, and bad him go, and so made him his Preacher, Embassador, and A­postle. This is to be our strength, and our magnanimity, for the enterprising and un­dertaking great things. Be not therefore disanimated, or dismayed, when you consi­der your own insufficiency, and weakness, Jer. 1.7.8. Say not I am a child (saith God to the Prophet Jeremiah) for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee. So that, for as [Page 213]much as concerns this part of Humility, not only it is not contrary to magnanimity, but rather it is the foundation, and root there­of.

The second point, which belongs to the magnanimous person, is to desire to do great things, and that in themselves they may be worthy of honour. But this also is not contrary to Humility, because as A­quinas saith very well, although the magna­nimous person desire to do such things, yet he desires it not, for humane honour, nor is this his end. He will take care indeed to deserve it, but not either to procure, or e­steem it. Nay rather he hath a heart, which so truly despiseth both honour, and disho­nour, that he holds nothing to be great but vertue, and for love thereof, he is mo­ved to do great things, despising the honour which men can give. For vertue is a thing so high, that it cannot be honoured or re­vvarded sufficiently by men, and deserves to be honoured & rewarded by Almighty God, & therfore the magnanimous person values not al the honours of the World at a straw. It is a mean thing, and of no price at al with him, his flight is higher. For the only love of God; and vertue, is he invited to do great things, and he despises all the rest. Now then, for the having of a heart which is so great, so generous, such a despiser of the ho­nour, and dishonour of men, such as the [Page 214]magnanimous person ought to have, it is necessary that he have also much Humility. To the end that a man may arrive to so great perfection, as to be able to saywith S. Paul, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things I am instructed, both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to suffer need. Phil: 4.12. By honour, and dishonour, by evill report, and good report, as deceivers, and yet true: 2 Cor: 6.8.9. As unknown, and yet well known, as dying, and behold we live: To the end that so stiffe, and so contrary winds, as they of honour, and dishonour; of praise and murmuring, of fa­vours and persecutions, may cause no change in us, nor make us stumble, or shrink, but that we may still remain in our own being, it is necessary to have a great foundation of Humility, and of wisdom from Heaven. I know not whether you will be a­ble to keep your self free, for the doing of all good works, when you are in abundance like the Apostle Saint Paul. As for suffe­ring poverty, and to be humble in the midst of dishonors, and affronts, this per­haps you will be able to do. But to be hum­ble in honours, chairs, pulpets, and the high­er sort of Ministeries, I know not whether you will be able. Alas those Angels once of Heaven, knew not how to do this; but they grew proud, and fell. Boetius saith. Though both estates are to be feared, yet prosperity [Page 215]more then adversity. It is harder for a man to conserve himself in Humility, in honour, and estimation of the World, and in high imployments, and Ministeries, then in dis­honour, and contempt, and in the discharge of places, which are mean and poor, for these things draw humility after them, and those others vanity, and pride. Scientia in­flat: knowledg, and all other high things, do naturally puff us up, and make us giddy, and therefore the Saints say, that it is the humi­lity of great and perfect men, to know how to be humble, and amongst the great gifts and graces which they receive from God, and amongst the honours and estimations of the World.

We must therefore procure to arrive to this humility, by the grace of our Lord, we I say, who are called, not to the end that we should be shut up in corners, or be hidden under a bushel, but set up on high, like a Ci­ty upon a hil, or like a taper upon a Candle­stick, to shine, and give light to the World. For which purpose it will be necessary for us to lay a very good foundation; and for as much as is on our part, to have great desire to be dis-esteemed, and despised; and that this may flow out of a profound knowledg of our own misery, our basenes, and our no­thing.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the great benefits, and advantages which are in this third degree of Humility.

AFter King David had prepared much gold, and silver, and many rich materi­als for the building of the Temple, he offe­red them up to God, and said these words. All things O Lord are thine, and that which we have received at thy hands, that do we render, & return again. This is that, which we must do and say, in all our good works. O Lord all our good works are thine, and so we return what thou hast given us. Saint Augustine saith very well. He who puts himself to re­count the duties, and the services which he hath done thee, of what other thing doth he tell thee O Lord, but of the benefits, and gifts which he hath received from thy holy hand. This is an effect of thy infinite mer­cy, and goodnes towards us, to qualifie thine own benefits, and gifts to us, to be as new vertues of ours: and so when thou payest us for our services, thou rewardest thine own benefits, and for one grace of thine, thou givest us another, and for one favour another, Gratiam pro gratia; Our Lord is content to proceed with us, like another Joseph, by giving us not only corn, but he [Page 217]will also give us the price, and mony which it cost. All is Gods gift, and all must be as­cribed, and returned to him, he giveth both grace, and glory.

One of the great helps and benefits, which is to be reaped, by this third degree of Humility, is that it is the good, and true gra­titude, and thanksgiving, for the benefits which we have received at the hand of God. It is well known how highly the gi­ving of thanks, and gratitude is recommen­ded, and esteemed in holy Scripture; since we see that when our Lord vouchsafed any remarkable benefit to his people, he in­stantly ordained, that some memory, or seast of thanksgiving should be institu­ted: because gratitude doth much import us, towards the receiving of new graces and favours. Now this is very well effected, by this third degree of humility, which consists as hath been said, in that a man attribute nothing to himself, but all to God, and to give him the glory of all. For in this con­sists true gratitude, and giving of thanks; and not in saying with the tongue, O Lord I give thee thanks for thy benefits, though yet we must also praise, and give God thanks, with the tongue. But if you shall do it with the tongue alone, it will not be to give thanks, but to say thanks. But now to the end that it may not be only be say­ing of thanks, and not only with the [Page 218]mouth, but with the heart, and indeed it will be necessary for us to acknowledg, that all the good we have is of God, and that we must ascribe, and return it all to him, giving him thanks for it all, and retaining to our selves no part thereof: for in this sort, a man strips himself of that honour which he sees to be none of his own, and he gives it to God, whose it is. And this did Christ our Lord intend to make us know, in the holy Gospel, when having cured those Leapers, and one only returning to give him thanks for the benefit which they had al received, he said thus: There is none who hath returned, and given glory to God, but this stranger. And when God admonished the people of Isra­el that they must be grateful, and not for­get the benefits which they had received, he gave them this advertisement; Deut: 8-11. Take heed that you for get not God, when you shall be in the Land of promise, in great prosperi­ty of temporal goods, of houses, Lands, and stock, take heed that your hearts be not then puffed up, and that you become not ungratefull, and say that you have obtained it by your own wisdom, and strength. My power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth v: 17. This is to forget God, and this is the greatest ingrati­tude into which a man can fall, to ascribe the gi [...]t of God to himself. Take heed you have not once a thought of any such thing as this. But see that you remember God, [Page 219]and acknowledg that the strength was his, and that he fortified you in all things: and this, not for any desert of yours, but only to comply with the promise, which of him­self he had franckly made, to your fore­fathers. This is the gratitude, and rendring of praise: wherewith our Lord God will be honoured, for the benefits and favours which he imparts to us. Psal: 50.23. Who so offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me. This is the sum of Saint Pauls Doxology. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the on­ly wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and e­ver. Amen. That God onely have the glory of all.

From hence also grows another benefit, and good, that the true humble man, though he have many gifts of God, and be much e­steemed and valued by the whole World for them, doth not yet esteem and value himself, one hair the more, for that: but re­mains so firm in the knowledg of his own basenes, as if none of that which they as­cribed, were to be found in him. For he knows very well, how to distinguish that which is his own, from that which belongs to another: and to assign to every one his own: and so he beholds the benefits and graces which he hath received from God, not as his own, but as anothers; by whom they were lent, and he also lodges his eyes upon his own basenes, and misery, and up­on [Page 220]on that which he would not fail to be, if God should take off his hand, even for one minute, and were not ever conserving, and holding him up. Yea and even whilst he is receiving the gifts of God, he is the more humbled, and confounded thereby. Saint Dorotheus saith, that as it happens with trees, which are mighty loaden with fruit, the same very fruit makes the bows stoop, and abase themselves; and that, some­times so fat, as to break them with their great wait, whereas the boughs which bear no fruit remain perking up, and high; and as ears of Corn, when they are very ful, hang down their heads, so far that they seem, as if they would even break the stalk, whereon they grow: and when they stand boult upright, it is a shrewd sign that they have nothing in them; so it hapneth saith he in the way of spirit, that they who are emp­ty, and without fruit, look bigg, and lofty, and hold themselves for gallant men; but they on the other side, who are much loa­den with fruit, and are ful of the graces and gifts of God, are the more humble, and con­founded thereby. For even from those be­nefits and gifts, the true servants of God take occasion to be the more humbled, & to walk with the more warines, and fear. Saint Gregory saith, that as a man who hath bor­rowed great sums of mony, is glad in such sort, that he hath borrowed it, as that yet [Page 221]this joy of having received it, is very suffi­ciently watered, by the knowing that he is in obligation to pay it again; & care to con­sider, whether he shall be able to comply, when his Bond is due; so the man who is truly humble, the more gifts he hath recei­ved, he acknowledges himself to be so much the more deeply a Debtor, to Almighty God, and so much the more bound to serve him, and he is still thinking, that he corres­ponds not to these greater favours, by grea­ter services, nor to greater graces, by great­er thanks; and he conceives and beleeves, that to whomsoever God would have shewed that goodness, which he had shew­ed to him, that man would have made bet­ter use of it, and would have been more grateful, and a better man. And so, one of the considerations which makes the true servants of God to be very much humbled and confounded is this; They know that God will not only call them to an account for their sins committed, but for his favour also received and they know that to whom God gives much, from him he will require much, and to whom he gives more, of him he wil also require more Holy Macarius saith, that the humble man looks upon the gifts and favours of God, as some depositary or treasurer would do, who had his masters goods in his hands; for such a one will ra­ther be in fear and care, than in pride, lest [Page 222]somwhat should, by his fault be lost, when they call him to make up his accounts.

From hence also grows yet another good, which is, that the man who is truly humble, disesteems or despises no other man, into whatsoever defects and sins he may perhaps see him fall, nor wil he there­by grow proud, or esteem himself the more, for that; but rather wil take occasi­on thereby, to humble himself the more by having seen him fal, through the considera­tion that the other, and himself, and both made of the same mould, and that when the other fals, he also fals, for as much as he is in himself. For, as St. Augustine saith, there is no sin which is committed by any one, which another man would not, or might not commit, if the hand of Gods mercy with-held him not. And so one of those an­rient Fathers, when he heard that any man had fallen, was wont to weep bitterly, and say: To day for him, and to morrow for me. As he fel, I might as wel have fallen, since I am a weak man as he is. I must esteem it, as a most particular blessing of our Lord, that I fel not too. Thus do all the Saints advise us, that whensoever we see one man blind, another deaf, another lame, another maimed, or sick: we must esteem all those miseries of theirs, to be benefits of ours, and give thanks to God, for not having made us blind, or deaf, or lame, or maimed, as he [Page 223]made him. And so also must we make ac­count, that the fins of al other men, are so many benefits of our own, for I might have committed them al, if our Lord out of his infinite mercy, had not defended me. By this means, the servants of God preserve themselves in Humility, and in not despi­sing their neighbors, and in not carrying themselves high against others: for what­soever faults or sins they discern in them, according to that of St. Gregory; True ju­stice makes us have compassion of our neighbors, and false justice disdain and scorn. But such men as these, have reason to be afraid of that which St. Paul saith, Gal. 6.1. Considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted. Lpray God they com not to be tempted, in that very thing which they condemn in others: and that, at length, they find not to their cost, how great that misery is, which uses to be the punishment of this sin. In three things, said one of those ancient. Fathers, have I judged others, and my self fel into them al: To the end that we may know, by experience, that our selves also are but men, and that we may learn, neither to judge nor despise any man.

CHAP. XXXIV. Of the great mercies and favours, which God shews to the humble, and why he exalts them so high.

ALgood things together came to me with her. Wisd. 7.11. These are the words of the Wise man concerning divine Wis­dom, which say, that al good things com with it. But yet, we may wel apply them to Humility, and say that al good things com to us thereby; since the same Wise­man saith, that where Humility is, there also is wisdom. Ʋbi est Humilitas, ibi & Sapientia. And in another place, he saith, that to have this Humility, is supreme wisdom. And the Prophet David saith, that God gives wisdom to the humble. But besides this, we are taught this truth, in expresse terms both in the old and new Testament; where great bles­sings and graces are promised to them, by Almighty God; somtimes by the name of the humble: at other times, of little ones, and somtimes of the poor of spirit, for by these, and such other names are they, who are truly humble, called. Saith God, by the Prophet Isaiah, But to this man wil I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit; and trembleth at my words. Upon these doth God cast his eyes, to do them favour, and even to sulfil them with benedictions. And [Page 225]the glorious Apostles St Peter, and Saint James, in their Canonical Epistles lay, God resists the proud, but grveth grace unto the hum­ble. Jam. 4.6. 1 Pet: 5.5. We are also taught the same by that most blessed Virgin in her Canticle Our Lord hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of lowe de. gree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. Luk. 1. 52, 53. And this is that, which the Prophet had said before: For thou wilt save the af­flicted (or humble) people, and shalt bring down the high looks of the proud. Psal. 18. 27. And that also which Christ our Lord said in the holy Gospel, Luk. 14.11. Whosoever exalteth himself, shal be abased: and be that humbleth himself, shal be exalted. As the waters run down the vallies, so the rains of Gods grace, fal down upon the humble. And as vallies use to abound with fruit, by reason of the much water which is assembled there: so they, who are lowe and humble in his sight, use to yeeld much fruit, through the many gifts, and graces, which they receive from God. St. Augustine saith, that Humility draws down the most high God to it self. God is high, and if you humble your selves, he wil descend to you; but if you grow proud, and exalt your selves, he wil sly from you. Wil you know why, saith St Augustine, Because (as we are taught by the loyal Prophet) God is a high and seteraign Lord, and he looks [Page 226]upon such as are humble: and his looking up­on them, is to fil them with al good things: but he saith, that God sees the ptoud from far off, because, as when heer, we see a man far off, we know him not, so doth God not know the proud, in order to shew them any favour. I tel you for a certain truth, saith God, to wicked and proud people, that I know you not, Luk. 13.27. Bonaventure saith, as when wax is soft, it is ready to receive any impression, which men wil make there­in: so doth Humility dispose your souls to receive virtue and grace from God. When Joseph invited his brethren, the youngest of them al, had the best part.

But let us now look after the cause, why God raises the humble so high, and is plea­sed to do them so great favour. It is, because al his goods do thus com back again to him­self. For the humble man carries nothing away, and attributes nothing to himself: but intirely ascribes and restores al to God, and gives him the honour, and glory of al. Such as these, saith God, may very wel be trusted with our goods : we may wel put our riches and blessings into their hands, for they are safe persons, and wil not rise and run away with them: and so God pro­ceeds with them, as in a case meerly his own; because al the honour and glory is stil his Even heer we see, that a great lord or King, holds it for a point of greatness, to [Page 227]raise a man somtimes, out of the very dust of the earth (as we use to say) who before was nothing, and who had nothing; for so is the bounty and greatness of that King, the more visibly perceived. Thus saith the Apostle St. Paul, 2 Cor: 4.7. We have the treasure of the graces, and gifts of God, in pots of clay, to the end that the world may know, that the treasure is Gods and not ours: for clay breeds no such commodity as that. So that for this, doth God exalt the humble, and shew them so many favours: and for this doth he leave proud men empty: because the proud man confides much in himself, and in his own diligences and ways, and ascribes much to himself, and takes a vain contentment in the good success of his bu­siness, as if it had been dispatched by his own industries and pains, and al this, takes somwhat from God, and steals away that honour and glory, which is proper to his divine Majestie. As soon as we have once made som little entrance in to the use of prayer with any little devotion, any little tear, which we shed, we conceive that al­readie we are grown to be spiritual, & men of prayer. And somtimes we wil be also preferring our selves, before others, and we wil think that they have not profited so much, nor are grown so spiritual as we. For this reason, our Lord doth us no great­er savour; and somtimes he takes that from [Page 228]us which he had given us; left the good should to us, be an occasion of il, and left health should be turned into sickness, and treacle into poyson and so his benefits and gifts, should prove to our damnation through our il use thereof: as to the sick man of a weak stomack, though the meat be good, yet they must give him but little of it, because he hath not strength to digest more; and if they gave him more, it would corrupt, and be converted into il humour. That oyl of the Prophet Elizeus, never gave over to run, til such time as vessels were wanting, wherein it might be received: but then the holy Scripture saith, instantly the oyl forbore to run. Now such is the oyl of the mercy of God, which, in it self, is not limited: for the graces and mercies of God, have no limits at al, on his part. God hath not streightned, or closed his hand, nor is his nature changed; for God is neither chan­ged, nor can change, but ever remains in his own nature, and hath more desire to give, then we to take. The fault is on our side, who want empty vessels to receive the oyl of the graces and mercies of God. We are very sul of our selves, and put much trust in our own endevour. Humility, and the knowledge of our own weakness emp­ties the house, and takes a man off from himself, and makes him distrust himself, and all humane helps, and ascribes nothing to [Page 229]himself, but al to God; and to such men as these, God shews his favours with ful hands.

CHAP. XXXV. How much it imports us to betake our selves to Humility, to supply thereby, what siever is wanting to us in virtue, and perfections, and to the end that God may not humble us, by punishing us.

THe blessed St. Bernard saith, A very stu­pid fool is he, who confides in any thing but Humility: for alas, we have al sin­ned, and offended God, many ways: and so we can plead right to nothing, but punish­ment If man, saith Job, wil contend with God, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. Job 9. 3. To a thousand accusations he wil not be able to give one good discharge. What then remains, saith he, and to what other reme­die shal we have recourse, but only to retire our selves towards Humility: and to supply by that, the want, which we may have of other things. And because this is a remedy of much importance, the Saint repeats it many times, both in these, and other words: Let that which is wanting to you in the purity of your conscience be supplied by [Page 230]your being ashamed of your selves: and let that which is wanting to you in fervour, and perfection, be made up by your confu­sion. And St. Dorotheus recommended his very much; and said, Brethren, since we cannot, through our weakness, work, and labour so much as we would: yet let us humble our selves at least, & by this means I hope that we shal hereafter be able to find our selves, in society with them who have wrought hard. And when, after you have committed many sins, you shal find your selves disabled to do many works of repentance and mortification, for want of health; walk you quietly on, by the plain and even way of Humility, for so you wil meet with a most convenient means for your salvation. If you think you be not able to enter into and excel in prayer; enter at least into your own confusion: if you con­ceive that you have no talent for impor­tant things, procure to get Humility, for by this, you shal supply for al those things.

Let us therefore consider heer, how little our Lord asks of us, and with how little he contents himself. He desires, that according to our baseness, we would know, and hum­ble our selves. If God should ask of us great Fasts, great and many good works, great and high contemplation; som men might excuse themselves, and say, that they had no strength for the one, and no talent or [Page 231]ability for the other. But for the not hum­bling our selves we have no reason or ex­cuse to alledge. You cannot say, that you have not health to be humble, or that you have no talent or ability for that. There is nothing more casie, (saith Sain Bernard) than for a man to humble himself, if he have a mind to it. We can al do this, if we wil, and we have matter enough for it, to work upon, within doors. Al the furniture of thy Humility thou hast at home. Let us there­fore retire out selves now at last, to Humi­lity, and so let us supply with consusion, that which is wanting to us of perfection, and so we shal be able to move the bowels of God, to mercy and pardon. At least, since we are poor let us be humble too; and we shal give contentment to God; but to be poor and proud, wil offend him much. Of three things, which the Wiseman sets down, to be much abhorred by Almighty God, this is the first. A poor man that is proud: Eccles. 25.2. Yea and even it is odi­ous, also amongst men.

But let us humble our selves at least, lest God humble us, for thus he is very ordina­rily wont to do. He that exalteth himself shal be humbled. Luk. 14 10. If therefore you wil not have god humble you, take care to humble your selves. This is a very principal point, and worthy to be considered, and pondered at great leisure. St. Gregory saith, [Page 232]Do you know how much God loves Humi­lity, and how greatly he abhors pride and presumption? He abhors it so much, that he permits us first to fal into certain sins, and many little faults: to the end that he may teach us, that since we are not able to keep our selves from little sins, and temptations, but that we stil find our selves to stumble, and daily to fal in mean things, and very easie to be withstood we may be very cer­tain, that in our selves we have no means to avoid such as are greater: and that so we may not be proud, when there is question of great things, nor attribute any thing to our selves, but vvalk ever on vvith Humili­ty, and fear, and beseech our Lord to shevv us savour and grace St. Augustine, upon those vvords, And without him was not any thing made that was made: Joh. 1.3. And St. Jerom upon that of the Prophet Joel: And I wil restore to you the yeers that the lorust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm: Joel 2.25 Say that to humble a man, and to tame his pride, God created these little animals, and poor base vvorms vvhich are so troublesom to us and that the proud people of Pharach, might easily have been tamed and humbled, if God vvould have sent Bears, Lyons, and Serpents, in up­on them; but he thought fit to tame their pride, by the balest sort of creatures, as gnats, flyes, and frogs, that he might humble [Page 233]them so much the more. And so also, to the end that we may be humbled, and con­founded, God permits us to fal into little faults; and gives vvay that som poor and vveak temptations, vvhich are like gnats, and eem not indeed to have any body, or bulk in them; may somtimes make vvar against us. If vve vvil pause to consider at­tentively, vvhat is vvont somtimes to dis­quiet, and put us from our ease: vve shal find that they are certain trifling things, vvhich being sisted, and discovered vvel, have no substance in them at al. I knovv not vvhat little vvord they said to me; or els they said it to me in such a manner; or me thought they made light of me; and the like. Of a fly vvhich passes through the air, a man somtimes vvil build a vvhole tovver of vvind, and then adding one thing to ano­ther, it shal serve to make his heart very unquiet. What vvould then becom of us, if God should let loose som Lyon, or Tyger against us, vvhen vve are put into such dis­order, by a gnat? What would becom of us, if we vvere set upon, by som grievous temptation? And thus are vve to dravv more Humility and confusion, out of such things as these. And if as St. Bernard saith, this be dravvn from thene, it is a great mercy and benefit and favour of God, that such toys as those, may not be wanting to us, and that this may be able to make us humble.

But if these slight things wil not serve the turn, then know, that God vvil pass sur­ther on, and that very much to your cost, for so he is accustomed to do. God doth so highly abhor presumption, and pride, and loves Humility, so much, that the Saints af­firm, that he is vvont, through his just and most socret judgment, to permit that a man may sal into grievous sins, to the end that he may be humbled thereby, yea and even into carnal sins which are the most ugly, and ful of shame, to the end that they may be humbled the more. They say that he pu­nishes secret pride with open lust. And to this purpose they bring that which St. Paul said of those Philosophers, vvhom for their pride, God delivered over to the desires of their hearts. Rom. 1.24. They came to fal into unclean sins, which were most filthy, and not to be named, God permitting it so for their pride, to the end that they might be humbled, and confounded, when they saw themselves turned beasts, with the heart, and conversation, and custom of beasts. Who would not sear thee, O King of Nations? Jer. 10.7. Who wil not tremble at this punish­ment, which is so great as that there is none greater out of hel? Nay sin is even worse than hel. Who O Lord hath known the power of thy wrath? or who is able to relate it (so the vulgar Latin readeth) through the great sear which ought to be had thereof.

The Saints note, that God in these cases is wont to use two kinds of mercy towards us, a greater mercy and a less The less mer­cy is, vvhen he succours us in our less mise­ries, which are the temporal, and such as only concern the body; and the great mer­cy, is when he succours us in our great mi­series, which are the spiritual, and which concern the soul. And so when David saw himself in his great misery, of being aban­doned and dispossessed of God, by the adul­tery and murther which he had commit­ted, he cried out, and beggs the great mer­cy of God: Have mercy upon me O God, after thy great goodness: Psal: 51.1. They say also that there is a great, and a little anger of God. The lesser is, when he punishes men here, in the temporal, with adversities, in loss of goods, of honour, health, and the like, which only concern the body; but the great anger is, when the punishment goes so far, that it arrives to the interior part of the soul, according to that of the Prophet Jeremy, The sword reacheth unto the soul: Jer. 4.10. And this is that which God saith by the Prophet Zachary, I wil be angry, with my great anger, with that Nation which is proud and puffed up. Zach. 1.15. When God forsakes a man, and permits him to fal into hainous sins in punishment of his other sins, this is the great anger of God; these are wounds which are given by divine indignation, and [Page 236]they are not as of a Father, but as of a just and righteous Judge. Of which vvounds, that of the Prophet Jeremy, may be under­stood: I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with a cruel punishment. Jer. 30.14. And so also saith the Wiseman: The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhor­red of the Lord shal fal therein. Finally, pride is so wicked a thing, and so much abhorred by Almighty God, that the Saints say, that somtimes it is good for the proud man, to be thus punished by Almighty God, that so he may com to be cured of his pride. So saith St. Augustine: I presume to say, that it is profitable and good, for proud men, that God permit them to sal into som visible and external sin, that so they vvho were very vvel satisfied and pleased in them­selves, and vvere already salu, though they perceived it not; may so begin to knovv, and to humble, and distrust themselves, ac­cording to that of the Wiseman: Prov. 16.18. Pride goeth before destruction: and an haugh­ty spirit before a fal. The same do St. Basil, and St. Gregory affirm. St. Gregory, by the occasion of the sin of David, asks vvhy God permits that the elect, and such as he hath predestinated to eternal life, and on vvhom he had heaped up his graces, and gifts, should fal sometimes into carnal and filthy sins; and he ansvvers, that the reason of it is, because somtimes, thy vvho have re­ceived [Page 237]great graces fal into pride, and they have it so rooted, and even wrought into the most intimous part of the heart; that they themselves understand it not; but are so wel pleased, and confident of themselves, as to think that God and they, are al one. As it happened to St. Peter, the Apostle, who conceived not, that those words of his, had flowed from pride, when he said, Though al men shal be offended because of thee, yet wil I never be offended: Matt. 26.33. but he thought that it had been cou­rage in him, and an extraordinary love which he carried to his Master. Therefore to cure such pride as this, which lyes so close and is so disguised, as that a man is al­ready faln, though himself perceive it not, our Lord permits somtimes, that such per­sons fal into certain manifest, exterior car­nal filthy sins; to the end that so they may know themselves better, and look more exactly into their souls: and may so com to perceive their pride, which they beleeved not to be in them before: and whereof they look for no remedy, and would so have com to perish; but now by means of such gross fals, they know it, and being humbled now in the sight of God, they repent both for the one and the other, and so meet with re­medy for both their miseries at once, as we see St. Peter did: who by that visible and apparent fal of his, came to know that [Page 238]pride which lay so secretly within, and he grew to lament it, and to repent for them both: and thus was his fal good for him. The same hapned also to David, Psal. 119.71. who therefore saith, O Lord it hath cost me dear, I confess it, but yet, upon the whole matter, it hath been good for me that I have been humbled, that so hereafter I may learn to serve thee, and know how to abase my self as I ought. And as the wise Physitian, when he is not able to cure the malady out right, and when the peccant humor is so re­bellious and maligne, that he cannot make nature digest, and overcom it; procures to cal and draw it into the exterior parts of the body, that so it may be the better cu­red: just so, for the cure of certain haughty and rebellious souls, doth our Lord permit them to fal into grievous and exterior sins, to the end that they may know, and hum­ble themselves: and by means of that abase­ment which appears without, the maligne and pestilent humor may be also cured, which lay close within. And this is a work vvhich God vvorks in Israel, vvhich vvho­soever coms to hear, his very ears shal even tingle for meer fear: these I say, are those great punishments of God, the onely hear­ing vvhereof, is able to make men tremble, from head to foot.

But yet our Lord vvho is so ful of benig­nity and mercy, doth never imploy this fo­rigorous [Page 239]punishment, nor this so la­mentable and unhappy remedy, but after having used other means, which were most gentle and sweet. He first sends us other occasions, and other more gentle induce­ments, that so we may humble our selves. Sometimes sicknesse, sometimes a contradi­ction, sometimes a murmuration, and some­times a dishonour, when a man is brought lower then he thought. But when these temporall things will not serve the turn to humble us, he passes on to the spirituall: and first, to things of lesse moment, and af­terward by permitting fierce and grievous temptations, such as may bring us so within a hairs breadth, and even perswade us, or at least make us doubt whether we consented or no. That so a man may see and find by good experience, that he cannot overcome them by himself, but may experimentally understand his own misery, and the precise need which he hath of help from heaven: and so may come to distrust his own strength, and may humble himself. And when all this will not serve, then comes that other so violent and so costly cure, of suf­fering a man to fall into hainous sin, and to be subdued by the temptation. Then comes this Cautery, which is made even by the very fire of hell; to the end that after a man hath even as it were beaten out his [Page 240]brains, he may fall at length upon the just examination and knowledge of what he is, and may at length be content to humble himself by this means, since he would not be brought to do it by any other. By this time I hope we see well how mightily it im­ports us to be humble, and not to confide or presume upon our selves: and therefore let every one enter into account with his own heart, and consider what profit he reaps by those occasions which God dayly sends for the making him humble, in the quality of a tender-hearted Physician, and of a father, that so there may be no need of those other which are so violent. Chastise me, O Lord, with the chastisement of a Father: cure thou my pride with afflictions, diseases, disho­nours and affronts, and with as many humi­liations as thou art pleased to send: but suf­fer not, O Lord, that I should ever fall into deliberate and wilful sin. O Lord, let the Devil have power to touch me in point of honour, and in my health, and let him make another Job of me: but permit not that he may ever touch my soul. Upon conditi­on that thou, O Lord, never part from me, nor permit me ever to part from thee, whatsoever tribulation may com [...] upon me shall be sure to do me no hurt, but it shall rather turn to my good, to­wards the obtaining of Humility, which [Page 241]is so acceptable to thee. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christs sake our onely Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.