THE EPISTLE OF S. HIEROME TO RVFFINVS.

THOVGH I knew before by the testi­mony of holy Writ, that God bestowes more then is desired at his handes, yea & that he graunts such thinges, as neyther the eye hath seene, nor the eare hath heard, nor haue ascended into the hart of Man: yet now, most deare Russinus, I haue found by expe­rience in myne owne person, that this is true. For I, who thought that my greatest ambition was suf­ficiently to be satisfyed, if we might counterfeit a kind of pre­sence to one an other, by meanes of letters; do now vnderstād that you are entring deep into the most secret parts of Egypt, and that you are visiting the Quires of Monkes and making a kind of progresse, to see that heauenly family which liues on earth. O that our Lord Iesus, would now suddenly grant me such a kind of transport of my selfe, as Philippe made to the Eu­nuch, or of Abacuke to Daniel! How would I euen clasp in your necke with straight imbracements! How would I euen print a kisse vpon that mouth of yours, which either erred or was in the right, togeather with me: But because I lesse de­serue to go so to you, then you do to come to me and that this poore body of myne (which when it was at the best, is but weake) hath beene lately euen broken in pieces with conti­nuall [Page 6] sicknesse; I haue sent this messenger of my mind to meet you, which tying you vp fast in a knot of loue, may bring you hither to my selfe. The felicity of this vnexpected ioy, was brought me first by our brother Heliodorus. I belieued not that to be certaine, which I desired it might be so; both because he had it but by the relation of another, and especially because the strangenes of the thing depriued me of power to giue it credit. But then (whilest my mind was in suspence through the vncertainty whether I should haue my wish or no) a cer­taine Monke of Alexandria, who had beene sent long before, through the pious deuotion of that people, to those Confes­sours of Egypt, who already in their desire were Martyrs, in­clined me greatly to belieue it. Yet I confesse I was still in a kind of wauering: though he being ignorant both of your coū ­try and of your name, did euen thereby make the matter more probable; for that in other circumstances he affirmed the selfe same thinges, which already had beene sayd by an other. At length the truth broke out with a downe waight. For the fre­quent multitude of trauailers related to vs, both that Ruffinus had been at Nitria, and was passed on to the Blessed Macharius: and then I gaue full way to my beliefe, and then indeed I har­tily grieued to see my selfe a sicke man. And vnles my weak­nes had beene such, that after a sort it tyed me vp in chaines; neither had the heat of the hotest part of Summer, nor the Sea which is neuer certaine to such as saile, beene able to hinder me from going towards you, with a holy kind of hast. Belieue me Brother, that the Sea-faring man, who is tossed with tem­pest, doth not so earnestly looke towardes his Port; nor do the thirsty fieldes so desire showers of rayne; nor doth the passio­nate Mother sitting on the shoare, so expect the arriuall of her sonne, as I doe to imbrace you. When that sudden tempest snatched me away from your side; when that wicked separa­tion distracted me, who was cleauing to you with the fast knot of Charity; then did the gloomy storme hang ouer me; then did the sky and sea rage bitterly.

At length whilest I was wandring in that vncertaine pe­ [...]egrination, when Tracia, Pontus, and Bithynia, and the whole [...]ourney ouer Galatia, and Cappadocia, and that Country of the [Page 7] Caelicians had euen consumed me with that scorching heat; the land of Syria occured to me, as a most safe and faythfull hauen after shipwrack. Where yet (hauing felt as many diseases in my person as can be conceiued) of my two eyes I lost one. For the sudden fury of a burning feauer snatched away Innocentius, whom I accounted a part of my very hart. And now I only enioy Euagrius, who is the one and only eye which I haue left; to whose labours otherwise, my continuall infirmity may be accounted to ad a new heap of care. There was also with vs Hylas the seruant of holy Melanius, who by the purity of his conuersation, hath washed away the spot of slauery to which he had been subiect; and his death did agayne open the wound which scarce was skined before. But because we are forbidden by the Apostles commandement to be afflicted for such as are departed; and to the end that the excessiue force of sorrow may be tempered by the arriuall of a ioyfull newes, I also de­clare it to you, to the end that, if you know it not, you may know it, and that if you know it already, we may reioyce to­gether at it.

Your Bonosus, or rather myne, or (that I may say more truly) Bonosus who belongs to vs both, is now climing vp that ladder, which Iacob saw in his sleepe. He carryes his Crosse, and neither is troubled with that which may succed, nor with that which is past. He sowes in teares, that he may reape in ioy; and according to the mistery of Moyses, He hangs vp the serpent in the Desert. Let all those false Miracles, which are founded in lyes, whether they be written either in the Greek or Latin tongue, giue place to this truth. For behould this young man, who was brought vp with me in the liberall arts of this world, who had plenty of estat & honour, amongst the men of his owne rācke; hauing contemned the delight and comfort of his mother, his sisters, and his brother, who was most dear to him, doth now inhabit a certaine Iland which is haūted by nothing but ship­wracks, and a sea roareing loud about it; (where the craggy rockes, and bare stones, and euen silence it selfe giues terrour) as if he were some new kind of Inhabitant of Paradice. There is no husband man to be found, no Moncke, no nor ye [...] doth that little Onesimus (in whome you know he delighted dearely [Page 8] as in a brother) affoard him any society in this so vast solitud [...] of his. There doth he all alone, (or rather not alone, but now accompanyed with Christ) behould the glory of God, which euen the Apostls could not see▪ but in the Desert. He lookes not indeed, vpon the towring Cittyes of this world; but, he hath giuen vp his name in the numbring of the new Citty: his body is growne horrid with deformed sackcloath; but he will so, be the better able to meet Christ our Lord in the cloudes. It is true that he enioyes no delitious gardens there; but yet he drinkes of the very water of life, from the side of our Lord. Place him before your eyes, most dear friend, and let your whole mind, and cogitation, procure to make him present to you. Then may you celebrat his victory, when you haue con­sidered the labour of his combat.

The mad Sea is roaring round about the whole Iland, and doth euen rebel againe, in regard it is broken backe, by those mountaines of wreathed rockes. The ground is not there adorned with grasse; and there are no fresh fields ouershadow­ed with delightfull groaues. These abrupt rude hills con­triue the place into a kind of hideous prison; where he, all se­cure (as being without any feare, and armed by the Apostle from head to foot) is now hearkening to God, when he reades spirituall things, and then speaking to God when he is praying to him; and perhaps also he hath some vision after the example of Iohn, whilest he is dwelling in the Iland. What plots can you thinke the Diuell to be deuising now? What snares can you conceaue that he will be laying? Will he perhaps (being mindfull of his ancient fraude) giue him a temptation by hun­ger? But already he hath his answere, Man liues not by bread a­lone. Will he perhaps offer wealth or glory? But then he shall be tould, That such as desire to be rich, fall into temptations and traps. And; All my glory is in Christ. Will he take aduantage of his bo­dy, which is weakned by fasting, and which may be assalted by some disease; but he shall be beaten backe by this saying of the Apostle: When I am weake, then am I strong; and strength is perfected in weaknes. Will he threaten death? but he shall heare Bonosus say: I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Will he cast fyery, darts at him? Bonosus will receiue them vpon the target of [Page 9] fayth. And that I may proceed no further, Satan will impugne him; but Christ will defend him.

Thankes be to the, O Lord Iesus, that I haue one in thy presence, who may pray to the for me. Thou knowest (for to the all our thoughtes are knowne, who searchest the secret of our harts, and who sawest thy Prophet shut vp in the sea, euen in the belly of that huge beast) how Bonosus and I, grew vp to­gether from our tender infancy, till we were in the flourishing prime of youth; and how the same bosome of our nurses, & the same imbracements of our foster-fathers did carry vs vp and downe the house. And how, after we had studyed, neer to those half barbarours bankes of the Rhine, we liued vpon the same food, and passed our time in the same house; and how I was the first of the two, who had a good desire to serue thee. Remember I beseech thee, how this great warryer of thyne, was once but a green souldier in my company. I haue the pro­mise of thy Maiesty, He who shall teach others, and not do thereafter, shall be accounted the least in the kingdome of heauen; but he who shall both teach, and do, shall be called the greatest in the kingdome of hea­uen. Let him enioy the crowne of his vertue, and let him fol­low the lambe in his long whit robe, for the daily martyrdome which he vndergoes. There are many mansions in the Fathers house; and one starre differs in clarity from another. Impart thou to me, that I may lift vp my head amongst the feet of thy Saints; that when I may haue had a good desire, and he may haue perfor­med the good worke, thou mayest pardon me because I was not able to fulfill it, and thou mayest giue the reward to him, which he deserues. Perhaps I haue produced my speech into a greater length, then the breuity of an Epistle would permit; and this is euer wont to happen, when I am to say any thing in praise of our Bonosus. But (to the end I may returne to that, from which I had digressed) I beseech you, that together with your sight, your mind may not consent to loose a friend; who is long sought, rarely found, & hardly kept. Let any man shine neuer so brightly in gold, and let his glittering plate be mustered out in as great pompe as pleaseth him; charity cannot be bought, nor can there be any price set vpon loue. That friēd­ship which can euer fayle, was neuer true. Farewell in Christ.

Saint Hierome to Asella.

IF I would imagine my selfe able to giue you such thankes as you deserue, I should be deceiued. God is able to repay that to your holy soule, which you haue merited at my hands; but I, vnworthy man could neuer conceiue, or euen desire that you should impart so great affectiō to me in Christ. And though some hold me to be wicked, and euen ouerwhelmed with crimes (and considering my sinnes towards God, euen these crosses are too light;) yet you do wel, in that, measuring others by you selfe, you esteem euen such to be good, as indeed are wicked. For a dangerous thing it is, to pronounce iudgment vpon the seruant of another: and it is not easily pardoned, if a man speake ill of good men. The day will come, when toge­ther with my selfe, you will lament to see, that so many are tormented in fire. I must be a slaunderous person, I false and lasciuious, I a lyer, and a deceiuer by diabolicall art. But whe­ther is it safer to haue deuised such things as these of innocent persons, or not so much as to haue belieued them, of such as are guilty? They were dayly kissing my hands; & yet, with teeth of vipers, were detracting from me: with their tongues they wery sory; but in their harts they reioyced. Our Lord saw it and scorned them for it, and reserued mee his poore miserable seruant, to be hereafter iudged together with them. One man calumniated my gat and laughter; another detracted from me by occasion of my countenance; another suspected some what by my playnenes. I remayned with them vpon the point of three years; I was often euen enuironed by a whole troupe of virgins; I expounded holy Scriptures to many, the best I could. This exercise bred frequence of conuersation, conuer­sation familiarity, and familiarity confidence. But yet, let thē say what other thing they euer found in me, then might be­come a Christian? did I euer take any of their moneyes? did I not despise al Presents, whether they were great, or smal? Was any of their mettall euer found to gingle in my hand? Was my speech indirect, or myne eye wanton? No other thing is ob­iected [Page 11] to me but my Sexe, & euen not so much as this was e­uer obiected, but onely when Paula and Melania tooke their Iourney to Ierusalem.

These men belieue the slaunderer, when he tels the lye; but why do they not belieue him, when he denyes it? He is the selfe same man, he was. He now auowes me to be innocent, whom formerly he made guilty; and surely torments do rather exact the confession of a truth, then good fellowship, & sport; sauing that men vse more easily to belieue that, which being fayned, is gladly heard, or rather which is procured to be fay­ned. Before I was acquainted with the house of holy Paula, the affections of the whole Citty fell vpon me, and I was almost generally esteemed worthy of the highest place of Priesthood. Damasus of Blessed memory spake of no body but me. I was sayd to be holy, I was sayd to be humble, and eloquent. Did I en­ter into the house of any one who was counted immodest? Did gay cloathes, or bright gemmes, or paynted faces, or the ambi­tious desire of gold, carry me away? Was there no other Ma­tron in all Rome, who could tame this vnruly mind of myne, but one who was all lamenting, and fasting, and neglecting her selfe euen to extremity, and who was almost blind with teares, and who imploring the mercy of God all night long, was often taken in the manner by the next dayes sunne? Whose songes were the psalmes, whose discourse was of the Ghospel, whose delights were Chastity, and whose life was a continuall Fast? Could no other creature please me, but she whom I did neuer so much as see at meat. But as soon as I began to esteem, to ho­nour, and to reuerence her, for the merit of her chastity, I was instantly depriued of all vertue. O enuy which first doest euer feed vpon thy selfe! O craft of Satan, which euer is persecuting holy things! There were no other which made talke to the whole Citty of Rome, but Paula, and Melania; who contem­ning their fortunes, and forsaking all that which might chal­lenge loue at their hands, did exalt the Crosse of our Lord, as the ensigne of piety.

If they had frequented the Bathes, if they had made vse of oyntments, if they had wedded riches and widowhood toge­ther, as the matter both of lasciuiousnes & liberty, they might [Page 21] still haue bene called great Ladies, and Saints; but now, they being in sackloath and ashes, will needs haue the reputation of beauty, and descend into hel fyer, with fasting and vtter ne­glect of themselues; belike, because it was not lawfull for them to perish in company, with applause of the people.

If they were Pagans who carped at this kind of life, or yet if they were Iewes, we should haue some comfort in not pleasing them, who are displeased with Christ. But now (O infamous crime!) some who carry the name of Christiās, laying aside all care of their owne houses, and neglecting the beame in their owne eyes, looke for motes in the eyes of others. With their teeth they teare the holy vowe of chastity; and esteeme it to be a remedy for their owne fault, if there be not a Saint in the world, if all men be subiect to their detraction, if there be a multitude of such as sinne, and a troupe of such as perish.

Thou takest pleasure to bathe daily; another houlds such kind of cleanlines to be meer filth. Thou feedest vpō pheasants, till thou doest euen regorge againe, & thinkest thy selfe a great man, when thou hast eaten vp some dainty foule; but I stuffe my body with beanes. Thou art delighted in great companies of people, who laugh loud; and I take gust in Paula, and Me­lania mourning. Thou couetest the goods of others; these con­temne their owne. Thou art pleased with drinking wine dres­sed with honey; & they find more sauour in cold water. Thou accountest thy selfe to loose whatsoeuer thou possessest not, thou eatest not, thou deuourest not, for the present; but they desire future things, and belieue that to be true which is writ­ten. Say they do it foolishly & idly, as belieuing the resurrectiō of bodies; what hast thou to do with that? for to vs, on the other side is thy life despleasant. Much good may it do thee with thy fatnes; but I had rather be leane and pale. Thou hol­dest such people to be miserable; and we esteem thee to be so much more. We are euen with one another, and either of vs thinkes his fellow mad.

These words my Lady Asella, did I write to you in great hast, both with greif & teares, euen when I was taking ship; and I giue thankes to my God, for being thought worthy by him, that the world should hate me. But do you pray, that I [Page 13] may retorne to Ierusalem out of Babylon, that Nabuchodonozor may not gouerne me, but Iesus the some of Iosedech. Let Esdras come, and carry me back into my country. Foole that I was, who would needs be singing the cāticle of our Lord, in a strāg land; and forsaking Mount Sina, would needs craue succour of Aegypt. But I remembred not the Ghospell: because he who went out of Ierusalem, fell instantly into the hand of theeues, and was stripped and wounded, and almost slayne. But though the Priest, and Leuite despised him; yet that Samaritan is mercifull. To whom when it was sayd, That he was a Samari­tan, and that he had a deuill, he denyed not himselfe to be a Sa­maritan: because looke what a Guardian or keeper is with vs, that is a Samaritan in the Hebrew tongue. Some there are who basely giue me out to be a Witch. I who am no better them a seruant, am content to weare this badge of my fayth; for the Iewes cald my Lord, Magitian. The Apostle was also sayd to be a seducer. Let no temptation light on me other then humane How small a part of afliction haue I endured, who yet serue vnder the ensigne of the Crosse? They haue layd the infamy of false crimes vpon me; but I know that a man may get to hea­uen, both with a good name and a bad. Salut Paula and Eu­stochium, who are myne in Christ, whether the world will or no. Salut our mother Albina, and our sister Marcella, as also Marcellina, and holy Faelicitas. And tell them, that one day we all shall stand before the Tribunall of Christ, and there will it appeare what our intentions haue been here. Remember me, O you excellent patterne of chastity, and modesty, and appease the Sea waues, by you prayers.

To Marcella in praise of Asella.

LET no man reprehend me, in that I either praise or re­proue some in my Epistles: since by reprouing some wicked men, others of the same kind are taxed thereby; and by cele­brating the praises of the best, the affections of such as be good, are stirred vp to vertue. Some three dayes since, I said some­what of Lea of blessed memory, and straight I found my selfe [Page 14] moued, and my mind gaue me, that I was not to be silent, of a Virgin; since I had spoken of one, who was but in the second degree of chastity. I will therefore briefly declare the life of Aseliae, to whom yet I will pray you not to reade this Epistle; for she is troubled with hearing her owne praises; but rather vouchsafe to reade it to some others of the younger sort, that so addressing thēselues according to her exāple, they may know they haue a conuersation to imitat, which carryes in it the very rule of a perfect life. I omit to say, that before she was borne, she had a blessing in her mothers wombe; and that the virgin was shewed to her father, as he was taking his rest, in a violl of cristall, and more pure then any looking glasse: That being, yet, as it were in the cradle of her infancy, and scarce excee­ding the tenth yeare of her age, she was consecrated to the ho­nour of her future happines. But let all this be ascribed to grace, which did preced any labour of hers: though God, who fore­knowes future things, did both sanctify Ieremy in the womb, and made Iohn exult in his mothers bowels, and seperated Paul for the Ghospell of his sonne, before the creation of the world. But I come to those things, which after the twelfth year of her age she chose, she apprehended, she held fast, she begane, & she perfected by her owne great labour.

Being shut vp within the straightes of one little Cell, she enioyed the large liberty of a paradice. The same spot of groūd was the place both of her prayer, and of her sleepe. Fasting was but a sport with her, and hunger was her food. And when not the desire of feeding, but the necessity of nature would draw her to eat, she would, by the taking of bread and salt and cold water, rather stirre vp-hunger, then take it downe. And I had almost forgotten that which I should haue said before; whē she first resolued to enter vpon this kind of life, she tooke that ornament of gold which is vsually called a [...]ampry (because the mettal being wrought into certaine wyers a chaine is made in such a wreathing forme) and sould it, without the know­ledge of her parents. And hauing so procured and bought a courser coat, then she was able to obtayne of her mother, she did suddenly, by that pious and fortunate begining of her spiri­tuall negotiation, consecrat her selfe to our Lord, in such sort, [Page 15] that al her kinred might quickly know, that no change of mind could be exorted from her, who by her cloathes had already renounced the world. But as I was begining to say, she euer carryed her selfe with such reseruation, and so contained she her selfe within the priuate limits of her owne lodging, as that she would neuer put her selfe in publicke, nor know what be­longed to the conuersation of any man. And, which yet is more to be admired, she did more willingly loue then see euen her owne sister, though she were also a virgin. Somewhat she would worke with her owne handes, as knowing that it is written; They who will not labour, let them not eat. She would euer be speaking to her Spouse, either in the way of praying or singing. To the Shrines of Martyrs, she would make such hast, that she would scarce be seen. And as she would be euer glad, for that she had vndertaken this course of life, so would she more vehemently exult in that she was vnknowne to all the world. Throughout the whole yeare, she would be fed with a continuall kind of fast, eating nothing till after two or three dayes But then in Lent, she would hoise vp the sayles of her ship, and with a cheerfull countenaunce, would knit one weeke to another, by one onely meale. And (which perhaps will seeme impossible to be belieued, though by the fauour of God it be possible) she is now arriued in such sort to the fiftieth yeare of her age, as that she hath no payne in her stomacke, & no torment in her bowels. Her lying vpon the ground, hath not wasted any of her limmes; her skinne growne rugged with her sackcloath, hath contracted no ill condition, or offensiue smell; but being healthfull in body, and yet more healthfull in mind, she holdes her retirednes to be deliciousnes, and in a swelling and tempestuous towne, she finds a wildernes of Moncks. But these things you know better then I, from whom I haue learned some particulars, & whose eyes, haue seen, that the knees of her holy body haue the hardnes of a camels skinne, through her frequent vse of prayer. As for me, I declare that which I haue bene able to know. There is nothing more plea­sing then her seuerity; nothing more sad then her sweetnes; nor more sweet, then her sadnes. So is palenes in her face, as that it discouers her abstinence▪ but yet yeeldes no ayre of ostenta­tion. [Page 16] Her speech is silent, and her silence full of speech. Her pace is nether suift, nor slow. He countenance is still the same. A careles cleanlynes, and an incurious cloathing; and her dres­sing is, to be without being dressed. And by the onely temper of her life, she hath deserued, that in a Citty full of pompe, of lasciuiousnes, and of delicacy, wherein humility is a misery, both they who are good proclaime her, and the wicked dare not detract from her. Let widowes and virgins imitate her, let marryed woemē reuerence her, let such as are faulty feare her, and let Priests looke with much respect vpon her.

Saint Hierome to Marcella, by occasion of the sicknes and true conuersion of Blesilla.

ABRAHAM was tempted concerning his sonne, and was found so much the more faithfull: Ioseph was sould into Aegypt, that he might feed his Father and his brethren: Ezechias was frighted by the sight of death at hand, that so pouring him­selfe forth in teares, his life might be prolonged for fifteen years: The Apostle Peter was shaken in the Passion of our Lord, that weeping bitterly he might heare those wordes, Feed my sheepe: Paul, that rauening wolfe. and who withall grew to be a se­cond Beniamin, was blinded in an extasis, that so he might se afterwards; & being compassed in by a sudden horrour of dar­kenes, he called vpon God, whom he had persecuted long as man. And so now, O Marcella, we haue seem our Blesilla boyle vp for the space of almost thirty dayes in a burning feauer, to the end that she might know, that the Regalo of that body, was to be reiected, which soon after was to be fed vpon by worms, Our Lord Iesus came also to her, and touched her hand, and behould she rises vp, and doth him seruice. She had some little tincture of negligence, & being tyed vp in the swathing bāds of riches, she lay dead in the sepulchre of this world. But Iesus groaned deepely, and cryed out in spirit saying, Come forth Ble­silla. As soon as she was called she rose, and being come forth, she eates with our Lord. Let the Iewes threaten and swel, let them seeke to kill her, who is raised vp to life, and let the A­postles [Page 17] onely reioyce at it. She knowes that she owes him her life, who restored it to her. She knowes that she now imbra­ces his feet, of whose iudgment she formerly was affrayd. Her body lay euen almost without life, and approaching death did euen shake her panting limmes. Where were then the succours of her friends? Where were those words which vse to be more vayne, then any smoke? She ows nothing to thee, O vngrate­full kinred of flesh and blood; she who is dead to the world, & who is reuiued to Christ. Let him who is a Christiā reioyce, and he who is offended at this, declares himselfe not to be a Christian. The widow, who is free from the tye of marriage, hath no more to do, but to perseuer. But you will say, that some will be scandalized at her browne coat. Let them he scā ­dalized also at Iohn, thē whome there was none greater amōgst the sonnes of men, who being called an Angel, baptized our Lord himselfe, and was clad with a camels skinne, and was girt in, by a girdle of haire. If meane fare displease them, there is nothing meaner then locusts. Nay let Christian eyes be scā ­dalized rather at these woemen, who paint themselues with red, and whose plastered faces being deformed euen with ex­treme whitenes, make them like Idolls: from whome if be­fore they be aware, any drop of teares breake out, it makes [...] furrow in their cheeks: whome euen the number of their years cannot teach them how old they are; for they strew their crowne with strange haire, and they dresse vp their past youth in wrinckles of their present age; and in fine, though they trē ­ble with being so old, yet in presence of whole troupes of their grand-children, they will still be tricked vp, like delicate and tender maides. Let a Christian woman be ashamed, if she would compell Nature to make her handsome, if she fullfill the care of her flesh towardes concupiscence: for they who rest in that, can­not please Christ, as the Apostle sayth. Our widow formerly would be dressing her selfe with a stiffe kind of care, & would be inquiring all day long of the glasse, what it might be that she wanted. And now she confidently sayth: But all we, contem­plating the glory of our Lord with a cleare face, are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of our Lord. Then did her maides marshall her haire in order, and the crowne of her [Page 18] head, which had made no fault▪ was imprisoned by certaine Coronets, crisped with irons. But now her head is so much neglected, as to know that it carryes inough, if it be but vay­led. In those dayes, the very softnes of downe would seeme hard, and she would scarce be content to ly in beds when they were euen built vp to giue her ease; but now she ryses vp full of hast to pray, and with her shrill voice snatching the Allelluia out of the others mouthes, her selfe is the first to prayse her Lord. Her knees are bent vpon the bare ground, and that face which formerly had beene defiled and daub'd with painting, is now often washed with teares. After prayers they rattle out the Psalmes, and her very necke, her weake hammes, and her eyes pointing towardes sleep, can hardly yet (through the ex­cessiue ardour of her mind) obtaine leaue that they may take rest. Her browne coat is least fowled, when she lyes vpon the ground. She is poorely shod, and the price of her former guil­ded shooes, is now bestowed vpon the poore. Her girdle is not now distinguished by studdes of gold and precious stone; but it is of woll, & as simple & poore as can be made, & such as indeed may rather tye in her cloathes, then gird her body. If the serpent enuy this purpose of hers, and with faire speech perswade her to eat againe of the forbidden Tree; let him be stricken with an Anathema; & let it be sayd to him, as he is dy­ing in his owne dust: Goe backe Sathan, which by interpretati­on is aduersary. For an aduersary he is of Christ, and he is an Antichrist, who is displeased with the Precepts of Christ. Tell me, I pray you, what such thing euer did we, as the Apostles did; vnder the colour whereof men should be scandalized at vs? They forsooke an old Father, and their nets and ships. The Publican ryses from the custome-house, and followes our Sa­uiour; & one of the Disciples being desirous to returne home, and declare his purpose to his friends, is forbidden by the com­mandment of his Master. Euen buriall not giuen to one by his Father; and it is a kind of piety to want such piety, for the loue of our Lord. Because we weare no silke, we are esteemed to be Monkes; because we will not be drunke, nor dissolue our sel­ues in loud laughter, we are called seuer and sad people. If our coat be not faire and white, we are presently encountred [Page 19] with the by-word of being Impostours and Greekes. Let them slander vs with more sly cunning if they will, and carry vp & downe their fat-backes with their full panches. Our Blesilla shall laugh at them, nor will she be sory to heare the reproa­ches of these croaking frogs, when her Lord himselfe was cal­led Belzebub.

Saint Hierome to Pope Damasus.

BECAVSE the Eastern part of the world being battered by the auncient fury of that people, doth teare euen into fi­tars the seameles coat of our Lord, which is wouen from the top to the bottome: and since the foxes do root vp the vine of Christ; so that in the midest of those leaking lakes, which hold no water, it is hard to find where that sealed fountaine, & that shut garden is; therefore haue I thought fit to consult with the chayre of Peter, and that fayth which was praysed by the Apo­stles mouth, demāding food from thence for my soule, where formerly I had taken the baptismal habit of Christ. For neither could the vastity of that watry element, nor the interposition of those long tracts of earth, prohibit me frō inquiring after that precious pearle, Wheresoeuer the body is, thither will the Eagles re­sort. The patrimony hauing beene wasted by the prodigal son, the inheritance of the Father is only preserued incorrupt by you. There doth the earth which is a fruitfull soyle, returne our Lords seed with purity, & that a hundred fould; but here the corne being ouerwrought by the furrow, degenerates into cockle and wild oates. Now doth the Sunne of iustice ryse vp in the West, and that Luciser who is fallen, doth place his throne aboue the starres in the East: You are the light of the world; you, the salt of the earth; you, the golden and siluer vessells, and here the vessels are of earth, or wood, which do but expect the iron rod, and eternall fire. Therefore though your greatnes fright me, yet doth your humanity inuit me. I desire a sacrifice of sal­uation from the Priest, and the succour which belongs to a sheep from his pastour. Let Enuy auoyd, let the Ambition of that high Roman seat recede, I am speaking with the successor of a Fisherman, and a disciple of the Crosse. I, who in the first [Page 20] place follow none but Christ, am ioyned by communion to your Beatitude, that is, to the chayre of Peter. Vpon that rocke doe I know that the Church is built. Whosoeuer eateth the Lambe out of this house, is a profane person. Whosoeuer is not in the Arke of Noe, shall perish, when the flood growes to be in height. And because, for my grieuous sinnes, I haue betaken my selfe to that desert, which deuides Syria from the barbarous confines on the other side, nor can I alwayes be crauing the Holy of our Lord from your Sanctity, being so hugely distant from you in place: ther­fore here do I follow the Confessours of Egypt your colleagues and like some poore barke, I lye vnder the lee of those great shippes. I know not Vitalis, I reiect Meletius. I haue nothing to do with Paul [...]nus: VVhosoeuer doth not gather with you, sca [...]ters, that is to say, he who is not of Christ, is of Antichrist. But now (O excessiue cause of griefe!) after the Nice [...] fayth, after the decree of Alexandria against three Hypostasies, wherein the Westerne Church did also ioyne, there is a new name exacted of me, be­ing a man of Rome, by the Prelate of the Arians, and the Cam­pensians. What Apostles I pray you were they, who declared▪ this? What new Maister of the Gentiles, which was Paul, taught this? Let vs enquire what they may be thought to vn­derstād, by three Hypostasies They say, they do but meane three subsisting persons. We answere that we also belieue iust so. The sense will not serue their turne, but they must haue the very name, because I know not what poison lyeth hid in the silla­bles of those wordes. And we cry out, that if any man will not confesse three Hypostasies, or Enypostata, that is, three subsisting per­sons, let him be accursed. And because we do not learne words, we are iudged to be Heretikes. But if any man vnderstanding Hypostasis to be Vsia or Substance, shall say that there is any more then one Hypostasis in three persons, he is an aliene from Christ; and vnder this confession we are marked togeather with you, by the burning iron of the same cōmuniō. Determine therfore, if it please you; I will not feare to say there are three Hypostasis if you bid me. But yet if you bid me, then let a new fayth be found out, different from that of Nice, and let vs, who are Or­thodoxall, confesse our Fayth in such wordes, as the Arians vse. All the schooles of learning know no other signification [Page 21] of Hypostasis, but Substance. And now who is he, who with a sacrilegious mouth, will speake of three Substances in God?

The nature of God is one, and only one, and it is most tru­ly so; for that which subsists of it selfe, hath not his being from any other, but it is his owne. Other thinges which are created though they may seeme to be, yet indeed they are not; for sometymes they were not, and that may againe not be, which once was not: God only who is eternall, that is, who hath no beginning, doth properly enioy the name of Essence. And ther­fore he sayd thus out of the bush to Moyses: I am he that I am▪ And againe: He that is sent me. It is true that then, there were Angels, Heauen, Earth▪ and Sea: and how then can God challenge the name of Essence as proper to himselfe, which is common to others? But because that only Nature is perfect, [...] one Deity doth subsist in three persons, which truly is, and i [...] one Nature; whosoeuer he be, that will say they are three, na­mely three Hypostasies, that is, three Substances, doth endeauour vnder a colour of piety, to affirme that God hath three Natures. And if that be so, why are we separated by Church-walls frō Arius, who are vnited to him in false beliefe? let then Vrsicinu [...] be ioyned to your Holynes, and let Auxentius keep society with Ambrose. Let this be farre from the Roman fayth, let not the harts of Religious people sucke in so great a sacriledge as this. Let it suffice for vs to affirme one substance, and three subsisting persons, perfect, equall, and coeternall. Let there be, if it please you, no more talke of three Hypostasies, but let vs sticke to one: It is suspitious when words are differing, the sense being the same. Let the aforesayd beliefe suffice for vs; or if you thinke it fit, that we speake of three Hypostasies with their interpretations, we will not refuse to do it. But belieue me, there lyes poyson vnder the hony, and Sathan hath transfigured himselfe into an Angell of light. They interpret the word Hypostasis well, and yet when I professe my selfe to belieue it as they expound it, I am held an Heretike for my labour. But why do they hold fast that one word with such anxiety? Why ly they hid vnder that ambiguous manner of speech? If they belieue it as they ex­pound it, I do not condemne that which they imbrace. If I be­lieue so as they pretend themselues to hold, let them giue me [Page 22] leaue to expresse myne owne sense, in myne owne wordes. And therefore I beseech your Holynesse by Christ crucifyed, by the saluation of the world, by the selfe-substantiall Trinity, that by your letters you will giue me authority, either to reiect or to vse the name of seuerall Hypostasies. And least the retyred­nes of this place where I liue, should disappoint you, voutch­safe to send to me by the letter-carryers, & direct yours for me to Euagrius the Priest, whome you know well; and signify to me withall, with whome you would haue me keep commu­nion at Antioche. For the Campensians being coupled with the Heretikes of Tharsis, affect nothing els, but that being vpheld by the authority of communicating with you, they may pu­blish three Hypostasies, in the auncient sense.

Saint Hierome to Pope Damasus.

THE importunate woman in the Ghospell, deserued to be heard at last. And one friend obtained bread of ano­ther, though himselfe and his seruants had shut vp their doores, and though it were midnight. God himselfe whome no power can ouercome, was conquered by the prayers of a Publican. The citty of Niniue which was to perish by sinne, stood on foot by tears. But why do I fetch the matter vp so high? To the end that you being great, may looke on me who am little; that you being a rich shepheard, may not contemne me, who am a sicke weake sheep. Christ conducted the murdering Theef from the crosse into Paradise: and least any man should thinke that this conuersion was too late, he made that punishment of his mur­der, to be a Martyrdome to him. Christ, I say, doth ioyfully imbrace the prodigall Sonne, when he returnes; and leauing ninety nine sheep, that single poore one which remayned, is brought home vpō the shoulder of the good shepheard. Paul of a persecuter is made a preacher; his carnall eyes are blinded, that he may see the better with his mind; & he who carryed the ser­uants of Christ bound before the Counsell of the Iews, did glo­ry afterward, to see himselfe in bonds for Christ. I therfore, who as I wrote before, receiued the garment of Christ in the Citty o [...] [Page 23] Rome, do now remayne in the barbarous confines of Syria. And least you should thinke, that I do it in obedience to the sentēce of some other, my selfe was obliged by my selfe, to vnderge this taske, which I had deserued▪ But as the heathen Poets say, he changes the Clyme not his mind, who passes ouer the Seas. So hath my incessant enemy followed me, as that now I endure grea­ter assalts in the wildernes. For here▪ the rage of the Arians being vpheld by the pillars of the world, doth rage. Here, doth the Church, deuided into three parts, vse al diligence to draw me to it; the auncient authority of the troupes of Monkes which are round about me, rises vp against me. But I, in the meane time cry out, that if any man be in coniunction with the chaire of Peter, that man is myne: Meletius, Vitalis, and Paulinus say that they adhere to you. I might belieue it, if onely any one of them did affirme it; b [...]t now, either all of them lye, or two at least. Therefore I beseech your Holynes, by the Crosse our Lord, by the glory of the world which was crucified, & by the Passion of Christ, that as you follow the Apostls in honour, so yow wil follow them also in merit. So may you sit in that Throne, to iudge with those twelue; so may there be another, who may gird you, like Peter, when you are old; so may you become a Citizen of heauen with Paul; as you shal signify to me by your letters, with whome I ought to communicate in Syria. Do not despise that soule, for which Christ dyed.

Saint Hierome to a Mother and a daughter, by way of caution against keeping ill company.

A Certaine Brother coming out of Frāce relates to me, that he hath a Sister, who is a virgin, and a Mother who is a widow, and that they liue in seuerall habitations, and yet in the same Citty: & that, either because their dwellings are so­litary, or els for the conseruing of their little meanes, they had seuerally taken certaine Priests, to gouerne them; so that they were ioyned to others, with [...]esse reputation, thē they had bene seperated between themselues. And (when I had sighed deep­ly, and signifyed much more by silence, then I could haue [Page 24] done by speech,) I beseech you saith he, reproue them by your letters, and draw them backe to good agreement, that the mo­ther may acknowledge the daughter, & the daughter the mo­ther. I āswered him thus; you put me indeed to a faire taske; that I being a stranger should reconcile them, when a sonne and a brother could not do it. As if I sat in some Episcopall chaire, and were not shut vp in a little Cell; and being farre remote from troups of men, do not either lament my sins past, or pro­cure to auoid such as are at hand: besides the ill fauourednes of it for a man to he hid in body, and to wander ouer the whole world, with his tongue. Then sayd he, you are to fearfull. And where is now that courage, wherewith you haue so wit­tily touched the whole world, for you haue bene a kind of Lu­cilius. This, said I, is that which puts me of, and suffers me not so much as to opē my mouth. For since by reprouing the faults of others, my selfe am growne faulty, and according to the vulgar saying, VVhen euery man doth so wrangle, and contradict me, me thinkes I do neither heare nor touch, and euen the very wals beat reproaches backe vpon me, & drinkers of wine make songes of me, I being constrayned by sad experience, haue learned to hold my peace, esteeming it better to place a guard before my mouth, & a strong doore before my lippes, then that my hart should decline towards the wordes of malice for feare least whilest I taxe vice in others my selfe should fall into the vice of detraction. When I had said thus much, he answered me after this manner. To say truth, is not to detract; nor doth a priuate reprehension amount to make a generall doctrine; since they are few, or none who fal within the compasse of that fault. I besech you therefore not to permit me to be come in vayne, who haue bene vexed by so long a iourney. For our Lord knowes, that next after my visiting these holy places, my chief occasion was, that by mea­nes of your letters, I might cure both my Sister and my mo­ther. Well then said I, I am content to do as you bid me; for both my letters serue for the other side of the Sea, & that speech which is dictated vpon so particular an occasion as this, will hardly find any other whom it may offend. But as for you, I beseech you that the matter may be carryed with great secret, that when you shall haue taken it with you by way of proui­sion, [Page 25] it my aduice be harkened to, we may reioyce together; but if it be contemned (which I rather feare) yet I may haue lost but my words, and you the labour of a long Iourney.

First O you mother and daughter, I desire you may know▪ that I write not therfore to you, as suspecting any thing ill of you; but I desire your agreement, least others should gro [...] [...]o haue suspition. For otherwise, if I thought you had bene ioyned together by any tye of sinne (which God forbid,) I should neuer haue written, as knowing that I were talking to deafe persons. In the second place, I would desire, that if I sh [...]l write any thing which may be of the sharper sort, you will not [...]hinke it to sauour so much of my austere condition, as of the di­sease in hand. Rotten flesh must be cured with a burning iron▪ and the poyson of serpents, driuen away with an Antidot. And that which giueth much payne, must be expelled by a greater. In the last place this I say, that although the conscience may haue no wound in it of any crime, yet fame suffers ignominy thereby. Mother and daughter are names of a Religious kind of tendernes, they are wordes of obseruance, they are bondes of nature, and they are of the highest leagues vnder God. It de­serues no prayse if you loue; but it is extreme wickednes, if you hate one another. Our Lord Iesus Christ was subiect to his pa­rents, he carryed veneration to his Mother, whose very Father he was. He was obseruant of his foster-father, whom yet him­selfe had nourished; and he remembred that he had beene car­ryed in the wombe of the one, and in the armes of the other. Whereupon, when he was hanging on the Crosse, he commē ­ded his Mother to his Disciple, and he neuer forsooke that mo­ther till his death.

But you O daughter (for now I forbeare to speake to the mother, whome perhaps either age, or weaknes, or desire of solitude may make excusable) you, I say, O Daughter, can you hold her house too straight. You liued ten monethes shut vp in her wombe, & can you not endure to liue one day with her in one chamber? Are you not able to like, that she should haue an eye vpon you? and doe you fly from such a domesticall witnesse as she is, who knowes euery motion of your hart; as she who bare you, who brought you vp, and lead you on to be [Page 26] of this age. If you be a Virgin, why mislike you to be diligent­ly kept? If you be defiled, why doe you not marry in the sight of the world? This is the second planche, or table, after ship­ [...]racke; let that which you haue ill begun, at least be tempe­red by this remedy. But yet neither do I say thus much, to the end that after sinne I may take away the vse of Pennance, or that she who hath begun ill, may perseuer to do ill; but because I despaire of any separation, after such coniunction. For o­therwise, if you go to your mother, after you shall haue beene subiect to that ruine, you may in her presence, more easily la­ment your selfe for that which you lost by being absent from her. If yet you be entire, and haue not lost it, take care to keep it. To what purpose are you now in that house, where it will be necessary for you, either to perish, or to fight continually, that you may ouercome? What creature did euer sleep securely neere a Viper, who though she do not bite, yet she will keep him awake? It is a point of more safety not to be in danger of perishing, then being in danger not to perish. In the one there is tranquility, in the other there must be labour and skill: in the former we ioy; and in the later we do but escape. But per­haps you will answere: My mother is of a harsh condition, she desirs worldly thinges, she loues riches, she knowes not what belonges to fa­sting, she paintes her eyebrowes blacke, she takes care to be curiously dres­sed, and hinders my purpose of chastity, and I cannot liue with such an one. But first, if she were such as you pretend, you should haue the greater merit, if you forsook not such an one as she. She carryed you long in her wombe, she nursed you long, & with a tender kind of sweetnes did endure the vntowardnes of your infancy. She washed your fowle cloutes, and was often defi­led with your silth. She sate by you when your were sicke; and did not only endure her owne incommodities, but yours also. She brought you to this age, and she taught you how to loue Christ our Lord. Let nor her conuersation displease you, who first did consecrate you, as a Virgin, to your spouse.

But yet, if you cannot endure her, but will needs fly away from her delicacies, and if (as we vse to say) she be a kind of se­cular mother; in that case you may haue other Virgins, you will not want some holy quier, where chastity is kept. Why, [Page 27] forsaking your Mother, haue you taken a liking to one, who perhaps hath also forsaken his Mother, and his Sister? She is of a hard condition: but this man forsooth, is sweet & kind. She is a chider, but he is therefore easily appeased. I aske whether you followed this man at the first; or whether you found him afterward? For if you followed him at the first; the reason is plaine, why you forsooke your mother. If you found him af­terward; you shew plainly what it was, which you could not find in your Mothers house.

This is a sharp kind of griefe for me, which woundes me with myne owne sword. He who walkes simply or plainly, walkes bouldly. I would faine hold my peace, if myne owne conscience did not giue remorce; and if now I did not repre­hend myne owne fault, in the person of another, and if by the beame of myne owne eye, I saw not the more which is in an others. Bu now, since I am farre off among my brethren, and whilest, ēioying their society, I live honestly vnder witnesses of my conuersation, and I see, and am seene very seldome, it is a most impudent thing, if you will not follow his modesty, whose example you haue followed otherwise. Now if you say: Myne owne conscience is sufficient for me, I haue God for my iudge, who is the witnesse of my life; I care not for the talke of men. Heare what the Apostle writes: Prouiding to do good thinges not only before God, but also before all men. If any man will detract from you, in re­gard that you are a Christian, or that you are a Virgin, let it not trouble you, though you haue forsaken your Mother, to the end that you may liue in some Monastery with Virgins. Such detraction will be a praise to you, as when seuerenes, and not too much loosenes is reproued in the Virgin of God. Such kind of cruelty is piety: for you preferre him before your Mother▪ whome you are commanded to preferre before your life it self; and whome if she will also preferre, she wil acknowledge you both to be her daughter, and her sister.

But what, is it such a crime to liue in society with a Holy man? You make a wry necke, and now you draw me into a kind of quarell: and so, as that either I must allow the thing which I like not; or vndergo the enuy of many. A holy man doth neuer [...]euer the daughter from the Mother; he respects [Page 28] them both, he carryes veneration to them both. Though the daughter be holy; yet if the Mother be a widow, she giues a good testimony of chastity. If that man of whome you know, be of equall age to your selfe, let him honour your Mother as his owne. If he be elder then you, let him loue you as his daughter, and make you subiect to the discipline o a Father. It becomes not the same of either of you, that he should loue you better then your mother; least it may seem, that he chooses not so much to loue you for other respects, as because you are younge. And all this I would say, if you had not a brother o your owne, who is a Monke, or if you wanted other domesti­call helpes. But now (O excessiue cause of griefe!) betweene a Mother, and a brother, a mother who is a widow, and a brother who is a Monke, how comes it to pasle, that a stran­ger interposes himselfe? It were good for you, that you knew your selfe both to be a daughter, and a sister: but if you cannot do both, at least let your brother please you; and if your bro­ther be ill conditioned, she will be gentler, who bare you. Why do you waxe pale? Why are you so much troubled? Why do you now grow to blush; and by your trembling lippes, de­clare the impatience of your hart? There is no loue, but only that of a wife, which outstrips the loue of a mother, and of a brother. I heare besides that you are walking vp and downe by houses in the country, & such other places of delight, with your Allies and kindred, and such kind of people as that; nor do I doubt, but that it is some Cosen or Sister, for whose solace you are lead about like a Page after this new cut. For God for­bid, that I should suspect you to affect the conuersation of men, howsoeur they may be neer you, either in Neighbourhood, or blood.

I beseech you therefore, O Virgin, to answere me. Do you walke in this company of your friendes, either with your louer or without him? Without faile, how impudent soeuer you may be, you dare not produce him, before the eyes of secular per­sons. For if you should doe thus, all the neighbours would make songes both of him, & you; nay the world would poin [...] at you both, by signes. Yea that very Sister, or Ally, or kins­woman, who to flatter you will often mention him in your [Page 29] presence, as if they held him for a Saint; when they shall find themselues out of your sight, will scoffe at such a prodigious kind of husband. But now if you go alone (which I rather thinke) amongst that younger sort of seruants, among woemen who either are marryed, or to be marryed, among those wan­ton maides, and those spruse and well apparelled young men; if I say, you goe like a maid in meane apparell, euery young beardles fellow, will be reaching forth his hand towards you, and will be supporting you when you are weary, & then strai­ning his fingers, he will either tempt you, or be tempted by you. You shall be at some banquet among men, and matrons; you shall see them kisse, and tast their meat, to one another; & not without danger to your selfe, you shall admire the silke, & cloath of gold which others were. In the banquet, you shall also be compelled as it were, against your will, to eat flesh. To the end that you may be drawne to drinke wine, they will be praysing it, as a creature of God. That you may be induced to frequent bathes, they wil speake against being vncleanly. And whensoeuer you shall do any of those things, which they per­swade you to, with any kind of vnwillingnes, they will pu­blish you with a full mouth to be pure, and simple, a great La­dy, and an ingenuous creature. The while, some man shalbe singing to you, when you are at table, and whilest he is run­ning ouer his ditty with sweet diuision, he wil be often casting an eye towards you who haue no guardian, not daring to look vpon mens wiues. He will speake to you by gesture, and that which he dares not expresse by wordes, he will by signes. A­mong so many shrewd incitements to pleasure, euen mindes as hard as iron are made soft towards lust; which moues with greater appetite in Virgins, who thinke that to be sweetest, which they know not. The fables of Heathen Poets relate, that Mariners are driuen headlong vpon rockes by the singing of Syrens; and that trees and beasts were inchanted, and euen hard flintes made to yeeld, vpon the hearing of Orphe us harpe. Virginity is hardly kept, at feasting tables. A smooth skinne, shewes a sordid mind. We haue read whilest we were boyes at Schoole, & we haue seene the story grauen in brasse, so wel that it seemed euen to breath with life, of one who had no­thing [Page 30] vpon him but skine and bone, and yet being fired with vnlawfull loue, that plague did no sooner leaue him, then his life. And what then will become of you, O mayd, who are healthfull, delicate, fat, high complexioned, boyling vp in meate, in wine, in bathes, amongst marryed woemen, and young men? who though you should not doe that which will be desired of you, may yet hold it to be an vgly kind of eui­dence against your selfe, euen that you are desired. A lustfull mind doth very eagerly hunt after dishonest thinges, and for the very reason of being vnlawfull, it is suspected to be the more delightfull. Euen a poore and blacke vest, if it be drawne close, and haue no wrinkles in it, is an argument of a consen­ting will; and if it be worne so long, as to be drawne after vp on the ground, that she may seeme the taller; and if the coat be left vnstitched of purpose, that somewhat may appeare, and if any thing which is ill fauoured must be concealed, and that which is handsome be disclosed. The buskin also of her that walkes, if it be daintily shining and blacke, serues for a call to young men, by the noise thereof. The little brests are pres­sed with strippes, and the wast is straitned with a wretched girdle. The haire of the head fals downe either vpon the fore­head, or about the eares. The little cloake fals off sometymes, that she may shew her naked shoulders, and instantly she mak [...] hast to hid them, as if she would not haue that seene, which yet she willingly discouered. And when going in publick, she hid [...] her very face with a pretence of modesty, she only shewes that after the manner of the Stewes, which being shewed may de­light the more.

But you will answere me thus, and say: How come you to know me so well? And how, being seated so farre of, doe you come to cast your eyes on me? The teares of your Brother, & those intolerable deep sighes, which euery minute he was sending forth, haue declared thus much. And I wish he had rather fayned it, & had spoken more out of feare, then know­ledge. But belieue me, a man lyes not, when he weepes. He grieues that a yong man is preferred by you before himselfe, yea and he, no delicate creature, nor one who treates himselfe n [...]tly▪ but a brawny fellow, who is but a slouen with all his [Page 31] delicacy, and who shuts the purse, and holdes the worke with his owne handes, and distributs the taskes, and gouernes the family, & buyes all thinges necessary in the market. He is the steward, and the Lord; and yet he preuents the inferiour ser­uants in their Offices: at whome the whole house rayles ex­claming against him as detayning all that, which the Lady doth not allow & giue. These seruants are a complaining kind of people, and how much soeuer you affoard, it is still too little with them. For they consider not out of what meanes, but how much is giuen them, and they comfort themselues the best they they can, in all their griefe, by deeraction only. One cals him a Parasite, another an Impostour, a third an Vnderminer of the estate, and a fourth will find some new name for him. They say he sits at her beds side, that he fetches midwiues, when she is sicke, that he reaches her the bason, warmes her cloathes, and foulds her swathing bandes. Men are apt to be­lieue the worst, and whatsoeuer is deuised at home, turnes a broad into common fame. Nor must you wonder, if your maids and men giue out these thinges of you; when euen your mo­ther and your Brother make the same complaint. Do therefore this, which I aduise and euen begge of you: be first reconciled to your Mother; and if that be not possible, to your Brother at least; or if yet you will needes implacably detest these names of so great dearnes, at least deuide your selfe from him, whome you are sayd to haue preferred before them. If you cannot doe euen thus much, yet respect the honour of your friends, and if you cannot forsake your companion, yet make more honest vse of him. Keep seuerall houses, and doe not eat at the same table, least men of ill tongues prooue to slaūder you with say­ing▪ that you lye both in one bed, when they see that you liue both in a house. You may, for your necessary occasions, take what kind of solace you will, and yet want some part of this publicke infamy. Though yet you had need take heed, of that other spot, which according to the Prophet Ieremy, is not to be remoued by any Niter, nor by any Diers herbe.

When you haue a mind, that he should s [...]e and visit you, let it be in the presence of witnesses, friends, free seruantes, [...]. A good conscience feares the eyes of none. Be without [Page 32] feare when he comes in, and secure when he goes out. Euen still eyes, silent speech, and the habit of the whole body, doth sometymes discouer, either security or feare. I beseech you o­pen your eares, & hearken to the clamour of the whole Citty.

You haue lost your owne names, and now you are called by the names of one another; for you are said to be his, and he yours. These thinges do your Mother and your Brother heare of you; and they are ready to receaue you, and beseech you to deuid your selues betweene them two, that so this particular infamy of your coniunction, may redound to the prayse of all. Be you with your Mother, and let him be with your Brother. More safely may you loue the companion of your Brother, & more honestly may your Mother loue the friend of her sonne then of her daughter?

But if you will come to no reason, if you will needes contemne my counsell with a frowning brow, this letter shal proclaime these thinges to you with a loud voice. Why doe you thus besiege the seruantes of another? Why make you him, who is the seruant of Christ, to be a houshould-seruant of yours? Looke vpon the people, and behould the faces of euery one. He reads in the Church, and all men cast their eyes on you; fauing that you do euen glory in your infamy, as if you had the priuiledge of marryed people. Nor are you any longer now content with secret infamy. You call saucy bould­nes by the name of liberty; you are growne to haue the face of an Harlot, and you know not how to blush. Againe you will be calling me maligne, againe suspitious, and a listner and pu­blisher of tales. Am I suspitious? am I malitiously disposed? who as I tould you in the beginning of this Epistle, did there­fore write, because I did not suspect. But it is you who are ne­gligent, dissolute, and who despise counselle, and who being fiue and twenty yeares ould, haue taken a young fellow with little haire vpon his face; and you haue wrapt him vp in your armes, as if it were in netts. A rare instructer indeed, who may admonish and fright you, euen with the seuerity of his counte­nance. And though in no age one be safe from lust, yet when the head is gray, a body is defended from publicke infamy. The day will come, it will come (for tyme slides away whilest [Page 33] you thinke not of it) when this dapper deare man of yours (be­cause woemen grow quickly old, and especially such as liue in company with men) will find either a richer, or a younger then you. Then will you repent your selfe of this course, and you will be weary of your obstinacy; when you shall haue lost both your goods, and fame; and when that which was ill ioy­ned, shall be well deuided. Vnles perhaps you be secure, that your loue getting the growth of so long tyme, you shall need to feare no separation.

And you also, O Mother, who by reason of your age wil be afrayd of no malediction, yet be not you so hould as to sin. Let your daughter rather be separated from you, then you be seuered from her. You haue a sonne, and a daughter, and a sonne in law, yea and also a companion in house for your daughter. Why do you go in quest after sorraine comforts, and stirre vp that fire which now lyes vnder ashes? At least it is more handsome for you to beare with the fault of your daugh­ter, then to seeke any occasion through committing faults your selfe. Let your sonne, who is a Monke be with you, as the stay of your widowhood, and the entertainement of your tender loue. Why doe you seeke out a stranger, especially to be in that house, which is not able to hold your sonne, and daughter in it? You are now of such age, as that you may haue grand-chil­dren by your daughter. Inuite them both to you, and let her returne to you in company of her man, who went out alone. I sayd her man, not her husband. Let no man slaunder me, I meant but to expresse the sexe; not the state of mariage. Or if she blush, and shrinke▪ and conceaue that the house wherein she was borne, is growne too little for her house; go you to her house, though it be strait, it will more easily be able to receaue a Mother and a Brother, then a stranger, whith whome she cannot certainly remaine chast in one house, vnlesse she haue another chamber. Let there be in one habitation, two woe­men & two men. But if that third party, that dry nurse of your old age, will not be gone, but will needs make a stirre and dis­quiet the house, let the Cart be drawne by two, or els let it be drawne by three, your brother, and your sonne, and at least you shall thus allow your sonne both a sister and a Mother. O­thers [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] will call these new commers, a sonne in law & a Father in law; but your sonne may call them a foster-father & a Bro­ther.

I haue dictated this with speed, at a short sitting vp, being desirous to satisfy the entreaty of him who sought it, & by way of exercising my selfe, after a scholastical māner. For he knoc­ked at my doore the same day in the morning, when he was to take his iourney and I did it also to let my detracters see, that I also can vtter whatsoeuer comes into my mouth. For which reason I haue taken little out of Scripture, nor haue I wouén my discourse with the flowers thereof, as I vse to do in my o­ther workes. I dictated it ex tempore, & it flowed from me by the light of my little lampe, with so great facility, that my tongue outstript the hand of the writers, and so as that the vo­lubility of my speech, did euen ouer whelme the letters which stole the words out of my mouth. This I haue sayd, to the end that he, who will not pardon my little wit, may excuse me in respect of my little tyme.

Saint Hierome to Rusticus the Monke, to whome he prescribes a forme of liuing.

NOTHING is more happy then a Christian, to whom the kingdome of heauen is promised. Nothing is more laborious, then he who is daily in hazard of his life. Nothing is more strong, then he who ouercomes the diuell; & nothing is more weake, then he who is ouercome by the flesh. We haue very many examples, on both sides. The theefe belieues vpon the Crosse, and instantly deserues to heare; Verely I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Iudas, from the high dig­nity of Apostolate, slips downe into the deep darke pit of de­struction; and could not be drawen backe from betraying him, as a man, whom he knew to be the sonne of God, either by the familiarity of eating at the same table, or by the dipping of that morsell of bread, or by the dearnes of the kisse, which was gi­uen him. What is meaner, then that Samaritan woman, and yet not onely did she belieue, and after the hauing six husbands [Page 35] found one Lord, and knew that Messias at the fountayne; whō the people of the lewes knew not, in the Temple; but did also become the authour of saluatiō to many; & whilst the Apostles were buying meat, did refresh him who was hungry and sus­tayne him who was weary. Who was wiser then Salomon, & yet he was besotted by the loue of woemen? Salt is good, and no Sacrifice is receiued without the aspersion thereof. Where­upō the Apostle prescribes thus. Let your speech be euer seaso­ned in grace, with salt. If that be infatuated, it is cast forth, & so farre doth it loose the dignity of the name it had, that it is not of any vse, so much as to a dunghill; whereby yet when it is good, the feildes of belieuers are seasoned, and the barren soile of soules is made fruitfull.

These thinges I say, O my sonne Rusticus, to the end that at the first entrance, I may teach you, that you haue begun to do great things, & that your endeauours are high, and now that you haue troden vpon the incentiues, or temptations, of the sprouting and budding of youth, you must clyme vp to the steps of perfect age. But the way whereby you go is slippery, & you will not reapeso much glory, by obtayning a victory, as ignominy, if you be ouercome. My busines must not be now to deriue the streame of my discourse, through the fieldes of the vertues; nor must I labour to shew you the beauty of seuerall flowers, and what purity the Lillyes haue, what a bashfullnes the Rose possesses, what the purple of Violets doth promise, in that kingdome; and what we may expect from the repre­sentation of those glittering gemmes. For already, by the fa­uour of God, you are holding the plough; Already you haue mounted vp the house with the Apostle Peter, who thirsting after the Iewes, was satisfyed by the fayth of Cornelius, & killed the hunger which was bred in him through their incredulity, by the conuersion of the Gentils; and by that foure cornered vessell of the Ghospels which came downe from heauen to earth, he was taught, and he learned that all kindes of men might be saued. And againe that, which he saw in the forme of a most pure white sheet, is carryed vp on high, and carryes vp also with it the troupe of belieuers from earth to heauen▪ that the promise of our Lord may be fullfilled. Blessed are the [Page 36] pure of hart, for they shall see God.

All the matter which I desire to infinuate to you is, that I like an old sea man, being taught by hauing suffered many ship wrackes, taking you now by the hand, may guide you, who are but a new passenger. That is to say, that you may know, vpon what shoare the Pirate of chastity lyes; where the Charybd [...] of auarice is, that root of al euill; where those bar­king Dogs of Scylla are, whereof the Apostle speakes thus: Least biting one another, you be consumed by one another; and how, when we thinke our selues safe in the midest of a calme, we are som­tymes ouer whelmed by the vnstable quickesandes of vice; & finally that I may declare to you, what venemous beasts are nourished in the desert of this world. They who saile in the red Sea (wherein it is to be wished by vs, that the true Phara [...] with his army may be drowned) must arriue through many difficulties, and dangers, at the great Citty. Both sides of the shoare are inhabited by wild▪ yea and they most cruell beastes. Men are there euer full of care, and being well armed, do also carry the prouision with them of a whole yeare. All places are full of hidden Rockes, and hard shallowes, in such sort that the skillfull Master must keep himselfe still vpon the top of the Ma [...]t, and from thence conuey his directions, how the ship is to be conducted, and steered. And it is a prosperous voyage, if after the labour of six moneths, they come to the port of that Citty, for the place where the Ocean begins to open it selfe, & and whereby a man doth scarce arriue at the Indies in a whole yeare, & to the riuer Ganges, which the Holy Ghost doth mē ­tion by the name of Phison and which enuirons by the name of [...]elath▪ and is sayd to produce many kindes of odoriferous spi­ces out of that fountaine of Paradise, where the Carbuncle & the Emerand is gotten, and those other shining Gemmes, and those O [...]ent pearles, towardes which the ambition of great Ladyes doth so much aspire, and those mountaines of gold, which it is impossible for men to approach, by reason of those Dragons, and other furious Beasts of monstrous bignes, that in fi [...] we may see, what kind of guard, couetousnes hath gotten for it [...]elfe.

But to what purpose doe I say all this? It is clea [...], that i [...] [Page 37] men, who negoti [...] the businesse [...] of this world, do [...] so great labour, that they may ob [...]ayne riches, which both are not certaine to be gotten, and are certaine either to leaue vs, or to be lost, and they are kept with hazard to the soule, and they are also sought through many dangers; what is that man to doe▪ who negotiates the affaires of Christ, & who selling al things, goes in purchase of that most pretious pearle; and who, with the substance of his whole estate buyes a field, wherein he may find that treasure, which neither the picklocke can fingar, nor the violent theef carry away? I know I shall offend many, who will interprete my generall discourse against vice, to be a per­sonall reproach to themselues. But in being angry with me, they declare what kind of conscience they haue, and they passe therby a worse iudgment vpon themselues, then vpon me. For I will name no man, nor (by that liberty which the ancient Comedians were wont to take) will I set forth, and sting any indiuiduall person. It is the part of prudent men and wo [...]men, to hide their disgust, or rather to amend that which they find to be amisse in themselues; and indeed rather to be offended with themselues, then me; and not to cast reproach vpon him, who giues them good counselle: who although he were sub­iect to the same crimes which possesse them, yet certenly he is the better, in that he is not pleased with vice.

I heare you haue a deuout woman to your Mother, a wi­dow of great age, who kept and brought you vp from infancy, and that after you had passed your studies in France (which flou [...]ish greatly there) she sent you to Rome, not sparing to spēd; and enduring the absence of her sonne, through the hope of fu­ture good, that so you might season the plenty, and elegancy of speech, which is gotten in France, by giuing it the graue mā ­ner of Rome; and how she did not vse the spu [...]re towardes you, but the oridle; which we haue also read of the most eloquent men of Greece, who dryed vp that swelling Asyatike humour of speech, with the falt of Athens, & did cut off with the hooke those [...]uxuriant tops of the vines, that so the presses of eloquēte might not be stuffed vp with the ran [...]ke leaues of wordes, but with solid matter and sense▪ as i [...] were will the expression of the [...]uyce of the grape▪ See you reuerence her [...] your Mother; [Page 38] loue▪ her [...] your nurse, and exhibite veneration to her, as to a Saint. And do not imitate the example of others, who forsake their owne mothers, and desire to be with the mothers of other folkes, whose shame is publicke; since they seeke suspected cō ­uersations, when they haue cloaked them vnder the names of so pious affection. I know certaine woemen who are now of yeares ripe inough, who take pleasure in young men, who were bond-slaues freed, and who seeke spirituall children, & then shortly after (all modesty being destroyed in them) those fayned names of Sonne and Mother, haue broken out into the liberties of man and wife. Some others forsake their sisters when they are virgins, and adhe [...]e to widowes who are stran­gers. There are some who do euen hate their friends in blood, and are not taken by any naturall affection, whose impatience discouers of what mind they are; and so they are capable of no excuse, and they breake through all inclosures of modesty, as if they were but cobwebs. You shall see some man well girt, in a course russet coate, and with a long beard, and yet can neuer get himselfe out of the company of woemen, but he dwells with them in the same house, and e [...]tes at the same ta­ble, and is serued by young maides, and enioyes all that which belonges to mariage, sauing the only name. But it is not the fault of Christian profession, if an Hypocrite be to bl [...]me, but rather it is a confusion to the Gentils, when they see, that Christians are displeased with those thinges, which are vnplea­sing to all good men.

But you, if you meane, not only to seeme to be a Monke, haue care, I say, not of your temporall estate (by the renunci­ation whereof you haue begun to be what now you are) but of your soule. Let your meane cloathes, be the index of a fayre mind in you. Let your course▪coate shew your contempt of the world; but so, as that your mind do not swell, and that your habite and your speech differ not from one an other. Let not him seeke the regalo of Bathes, who desires to quench the heat of flesh and blood by the coolenes of fasting. Which fasts must b [...] also moderate, least being excessiue, they grow to weaken the stomacke; and so requiring a mo [...]e liberall refection, they breake out into cruditi [...], which are the breede [...]s of [...]st. [...] [Page 39] sparing, and temperate dyet is profitable both to body & soule. Looke so vpon your Mother, as that by occasion thereof, you grow not to behould other woemen, whose countenance may sticke close to your hart; & so it may receaue an inward woūd. Make account that the maides who serue her, are so many snares which are layd for you, because how much more their condition is meane, so much more easy is the mischiefe. And Iohn the Baptist had a holy Mother, & he was the sonne of a Bi­shop, yet would he not be wonne, either by the loue of that Mother, or by the wealth of his Father, to liue in their house, to the danger of his Chastity. In the desert he liued, & hauing eyes which desired to behould Christ, he vouchsafed not to looke vpon any thing els. His garment was course, his girdle made of haire, his food locusts and wild hony; all which did carry proportion to vertue and chastity. The sonnes of the Prophets (whome we find in the old Testament to haue beene Monkes) did build themselues little houses neere the waters of Iordan, and forsaking the crowdes of Cittyes, did liue vpon meale, and wild herbes. As long as you are in your owne con̄ ­try, haue you a cell which may be a paradise to you. Gather sundry fruites of scripture, let those be your delights, and let them enioy your imbracements. If your eye, your foot, or your hand endanger you, throw it away. Spare none, that you may be good to your owne soule: He (sayth our Lord) who lookes v­pon a woman in the way of con [...]upiscence, hath already beene vncleane with her in his hart. Who will vaūt himselfe to haue a chast hart? The starres are not cleane in the sight of our Lord, and how much lesse are men cleane, whose very life is a temptation? Woe be to vs, who as often as we haue impure desires, so often do we commit fornication. My sword (sayth he) is inebriated in heauen; and much more on earth, which breedes thornes, and brambles. That Vessell of election, whose mouth did sound forth Christ, doth macerate his body, and makes it subiect to seruitude, and yet he findes, that the naturall heat of his flesh, doth so resist his mind, that he was forced to that, to which he had no mind; & to cry out, as suffering violence, and to say: Miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? And doe you thinke that you can passe through, without any fall, or woūd, [Page 40] vnl [...]s you keep your hart with a most straight custody, and [...], you say with our Sauiour: My mother and my brethren, [...] they who do the will of my Father. Such cruelty is piety. O [...]ra­ther what can sauour of more piety, then that a holy Mother should keep her sonne holy? She also desires, that you may liue, and that she may not see you for a tyme, to the end that she may euer see you with Christ. Anna brought forth Sa­ [...]ll, not for her selfe, but for the Tabernacle. The sonnes of I [...]nadah, who drunke neither wine, nor any other thing which could inebriate, who dwelt in Tents, and had no other places to rest in, then where the night layd hol▪d vpon them, are sayd in the Psalme to haue beene the first, who sustayned captiuity and were constrayned to enter into Citties by the Army of Cal­ [...]ans, which ouerran Iudea. Let others consider what they will resolue, for euery man abounds in his owne sense. To me a towne is a prison, and a solitude is a Paradise. Why should we desire the frequent concourse of men in townes, who are already sayd to be single? Moyses, that he might gouerne the people of the Iewes, was instructed forty yeares in the Wil­dernes: from being a pastour of sheep, he grew to be a pa­stour of men. The Apostles from fishing the lake of Genesereth, passed on to fish for men. Hauing then their Father, their net, and their ship, they followed our Lord; they left all thinges outright, they daily carryed their▪crosse, without so much as a sticke in their handes. This I haue sayd, that if you be tickled with desire of being ordained Priest, you first may learne what you are to teach, and may offer a reasonable sacrifice to Christ, that you esteeme not your selfe to be an old souldier, before you haue first carryed armes, and that you be not sooner a Ma­ster, then a scholler.

It belonges not to my poorenes, and small capacity to iudge of Priests, or to speake any thing of ill odour, concerning such as minister to the Churches. Let them hold their degr [...]e and ranke to which you also arriue; that booke which I wrot to Nepotian [...]s, will be able to teach you how you are to liue therein. We do now but consider as it were the cradle and cō ­ditions of that Monke, who being instructed from his youth in liberal sciences, hath layd the yoke of Christ vpon his neck.

[Page 41]And first it is to be considered, whether you were best liue in the Monastery alone, or in the company of others. For my part, I shall like well that you haue the society of holy men: [...]hat you do not teach your selfe, nor ēter vpon that way with­out a guide, which you neuer knew; for so you may decline either to one hand or other, and be subiect to errour: and that you may not walke either faster, or slower, then is fit; least ei­ther running, you be weary, or loytering you be sleepy. In solitude pride creeps on a pace; and if a man grow to fast a little, and then see none but himselfe, he will thinke he is some bo­dy; and forgetting both whence, and to what end he came, his hart wanders within, and his tongue without: He iudges the seruant of an other, against the Apostles mind; he reaches [...]orth his hand as farre as gluttony bids him; he sleepes as much as he will; he feares no man; he doth what he lists; he thinkes al men to be his inferiours; and is oftener in Citties, then in his Cell. And yet when he finds himself among others of his owne pro­fession, he takes vpon him to be so maydenly, as if the crowd of the streetes pressed him to death. But what? Do we reprehend a solitary life? No, for we haue often praysed it. But we desire that such men may go out from the discipline of Monasteries, as the hard lessons of the wildernes may not fright, they who haue giuen a long allowable testimony of their conuesation, who made themselues the lowest and least of all, and so grew to be the greatest; who haue not beene vanquished eyther by eating, or abstayning; who reioyce in pouerty; whose habite, speech, countenance, gate, is the very doctrine of piety; who know not how, after the custome of some fon [...] people, to de­uise certaine phantasticall battailes of Diuells, as if they were fighting against them; that so they may grow to be woundred at, by the ignorant vulgar, and make some commodity there­by. We saw lately, and we lamented, that the goods of Craesus were found vpon the death of a certen man, & that the almes of the Citty, which had beene gathered to the vse of the poore, was left by him to his posterity, and stocke. Then did the iron, which had lyen hide in the bottome, swimme vpon the top of the water; & the bitternes of My [...]h was seene to be among the palmes. Nor is this strange: for he had such a com­panion, [Page 42] and such a Master, as made his riches grow out of the hungar of poore men; and the almes which had beene left to miserable persons, he reserued for his owne misery. For at last, their cry reached to heauen, and did so ouercome the most patient eares of God, that an Angell Nabal Carmelo was sent, who sayd: Thou foole this night shall they take thy soule from thee, & the goodes which thou hast prouided, whose shall they be? I would not therefore, vpon the reasons which I haue declared already, that you should dwell with your Mother; & especially, least whē she offers you delicate fare, you should either make her sad by refusing it, or adde oyle to your owne fire, if you accept it. And least also, among those many woemen, you should see some­what by day, which you might thinke vpon by night. Let your booke be neuer layd out of your handes, and from vnder your eyes. Learne the Psalter, word for word. Pray without intermission; haue a watchfull mind, and such a one as may notlye open to vaine thoughts. Let both your body and soule striue towardes our Lord. Ouercome anger with patience; loue the knowledge of Scripture, and you will not loue the vices of the flesh. Let not your mind attend to the variety of perturbations, which, if they find a resting place in your hart, will grow to exercise dominion ouer you, and bring you at last▪ to any grieuous sinne. Be still doing somewhat, that the Diuell may euer find you imployed. If the Apostles, who might haue liued vpon the Ghospell, laboured with their hāds least they should ouercharge others, and gaue almes to them, from whome they might haue reaped carnall thinges for their spi­rituall, why should not you prouid those thinges, which are fit for your owne vse? Either make some baskets of reedes, or els of small wicker; let the ground be raked, and the garden beds diuided by some straight line; into which as soone as you haue cast the seed of Kitchin herbes, and other plants be set in order, the springing waters may be brought, and you may sit by, as if you did euen see the contents of those most excellent verses,

Let your vnfruitfull tree either be inoculated or ingraffed, [Page 43] thas so in a small tyme, you may eat the sauoury fruit of your labours. Take order to make Bee-hiues, to which▪ the Pro­uerbes of Salomon send you; and learne in those little bodies, the order both of Monasticall, and Monarchicall discipline. Knit nets for taking of fish, and write also somewhat, that bot [...] your body may get food, and your mind may be filled with reading. The lasy person contents himselfe with bare desires. The Monasteries of Egypt haue this custome, that they admit of no man, who will not vse corporall labour; and that, not so much for the necessity of corporall food, as for the good of the soule. Let not your mind wander vp and downe in pernitiou [...] cogitations, nor be like to fornicating Hierusalem, which partes her feet to all corners. When I was a young man, and when the deserts of solitude compassed me in, I was not able to en­dure the incentiues of vice, and the ardour of my nature, which though I [...]amed with often fasting, yet my mind would be boyling vp in other thoughts. For the subduing whereof I committed my selfe to one, who of a [...]ew was become a Chri­stian; and I made my selfe subiect to his discipline, to the end, that after I had passed by the sharpnes of Quintilian, the easy flowing of Cicer [...], the graue stile of Fronto, and the smoothnes of Pl [...]y, I might begin to study the Alphabet, and meditate vp on these hissing, and broken-winded wordes. What labour i [...] cost me, what difficulty I endured, how often I despaired, how often I ceased, and how I began againe with a desire and strife to learne, both my conscience, who felt it, is the witnes, and so is theirs also, who liued with me. And I thanke our Lord, that now I gather sweet fruit frō the bitter seed of those studies.

I will tell you also of another thing, which I saw in Egypt There was a young man, a Grecian, in the Monastery, who nei­ther by abstinence of diet, nor by any aboundance of the pains he tooke, was able to extinguish the flame of flesh and blood. This man being thus in danger, the Father of the Monastery did preserue by this deuise. He commanded a certaine graue person of the company, that he should haunt the other, wi [...]h brables and reproaches, in such sort, that after the iniury was offered, that other might be the first, who also made cōplaint. [Page 44] The witnesses being called, did testify in his behalfe, who had done the wrong. The other would weep against that lye, but no man was found who would belieue the truth; only the Fa­ther would subtilly come in to his defence, that so the brother might not be swallowed vp by too excessiue griefe. What shal I say more? There passed a yeare after this manner. Vpon the ending whereof, the young man being interrogated about his former thoughts, whether yet they [...]gaue him any trouble? Father, sayth he, I haue much adoe to liue, and should I haue a mind to fornication? If this man had beene alone, by what meanes would he haue beene able to ouercome. The Philosophers of this world are wont to driue away an old loue, with a new, like one naile with another: which the seauen Persian Princes did to King Assuerus, that the concupiscence which he had to­wards Queen Vasthi, might be moderated by the loue of other Virgins. They cure one vice and sinne by another; but we cō ­quer vice by the loue of vertue: Decline, sayth he, from euill, & d [...] good; Seeke peace and pursue it. Vnles we hate euill, we can­not loue that which is good: or rather we must do good, that we may decline from euill; we must seeke peace, that we may fly from warre. Nor doth it suffice vs to seeke it, vnles we follow it with all endeauour, when it is found; for it is still flying from vs; but being obtayned, it exceeds all imaginati­on, and God holdes his habitation therein according to that of the Prophet, And his place is in peace. And it is elegantly sayd, that Peace is persecuted, according to that of the Apostle, Persecu­ting bospitality. For we must not inuite men with a sleight and complementall kind of speech, and (as I may say) from the teeth outward, but we must hold them fast, with the whole affection of our mind, as persons who after a compendious manner come to make vs rich.

No art is learnt without a Master. Euen dumbe creatures, and the heardes of wild beasts, follow their leaders. The Bees haue their Princes: Cranes follow one of the flocke after a kind of learned manner. There is but one Emperour, and one su­preme Iudge of a Prouince. Rome as soone as it was built, could not endure two brothers togeather, for Kinges; and so it was consecrared in paricide. Esau and Iacob, fought battailes [Page 45] in the wombe of Rebecca. Euery Church hath one Bishop, one Arch-Priest, and euery Ecclesiasticall order relyes vpon his owne gouernours. In a Ship, there is one man who steeres; in a house, one Lord; and the VVord comes but from one per­son, how great soeuer the Army be.

And that I may not make my Reader weary by repetiti­ons, my whole speech tends but to this, that I may teach you, that you are not to be committed to the gouernement of your owne will; but that you must liue in the Monastery, vnder the discipline of one Father; and in the conuersation of many, that you may learne humility of one, & patience of another: one man may teach you silence, another meeknes. Do not that which you desire; eat that which you are bidden; cloath your selfe with that which they offer; performe the taske, which is imposed; be subiect to him, to whome you desire not to be sub­iect; come weary to your bed, so that you may sleep euen as you go; and as soone as you are sleeping soundly, be compel­led to rise. Recite the Psalmes in your turne; wherein, not the sweetnes of your voice, but the pious affection of your mind is sought by the Apostle, saying: I will sing with the spirit; and I will also sing with the mind▪ and, singing to our Lord in your hartes; for he had heard that it was thus commanded, sing wisely. Serue your brethren; wash the feet of strangers; be silent when you suffer wrong; feare the chiefe Father of the Monastery, as you would do your Lord, and loue him as your Father. Belieue that whatsoeuer he commandes is good for you, and iudge not the direction of your Superiours; you, whose office it is to o­bey, and to execute the orders which are giuen, according to Moyses: Hearken Israel, and hould thy peace Hauing so great things to thinke of, you will not be at leasure for idle thoughtes; and when you passe from one thing to another, and when the later action followes the former, your mind will be imployed vpon that alone, which you are bound to do. I haue knowne some, who after they renounced the world, not in their deedes▪, but in their cloathes, and wordes, made yet no change in their cō ­uersation. Their estate or fortune was rather augmented, then diminished. They vsed the ministery of the same seruantes, & kept the same state at their table; in a plate of glasse, or earth [Page 46] they eat gold; & being hemmed in with swarmes of seruants▪ they yet will needes take the name of being solitary vpon thē. They who are of the poorer sort, and of weake fortune, and seeme to themselues to be shrewd Schollers, walke forth in pu­blicke, like as many Pageants, that they may exercise their snarling kind of eloquence. Others s [...]rugging vp their shoul­ders, and chattering I know not what, within themselues, & fixing their eyes firmely vpon the ground, meditate deeply vpon certaine swelling words; and if they had but a cryer, you would sweare the Prefect were passing by. There are some, who by a certaine humour, to which they take, & by the immode­rate fastes, which they vse, and by the wearynes of solitude, & much reading (whilest day and night they make a noyse in their owne eares) grow into such a kind of melancholy, that they haue more need of Hypocrates his medecines, then my ad­monition. Many cannot forbeare their auncient artes, and ne­gotiations; and changing the names of their broker, they still exercise the same trafficke; not seeking food, and cloathing, ac­cording to the Apostles, but aspiring to improue their states, more then worldly men. Heretofore this rage of sellers was repressed by those Aediles, whome the Grecians call [...], nor was sinne so vnpunished then, as now it is. For now, vn­der the title of Religion, vniust hudling gaynes are exercised, and the honour of the name of Christian, is rather deceiuing, then deceiued. And (which is a shame to be sayd; but there is no remedy, that so at last we may blush at our owne shame) when we stretch our handes forth publikly, we hide the gold within our cloaths, and against the opinion of all men, we dye rich with full bags, who liued in the estimatiō of being poore.

Neither must you be lead away, by the multitude of sin­ners, or be sollicited by the troupe of such as are in the way to perdition, nor thinke thus within your selfe. VVhat? Shall therefore all they be damned, who dwell in Cittyes? Behould, they enioy their fortunes, they serue in Churches, they frequent the Bathes, they refuse not odoriferous oyntments▪ and yet they are celebrated in the mouthes of all men. To this I answered before, and now I answere briefly againe, that in this present worke, I speake not of Priests, but I instruct a Monke. Prieste [Page 47] are holy, and euery profession is laudable. Doe you therefore so proceed, and liue in the Monastery, that you may deserue to be a Priest, that you may not defile your youth with the least spot; that you may passe on to the Altar of Christ, as a virgin would do from her bed, chamber; that you haue a good repu­tutation from abroad, and that woemen may know you by name, but not know you by sight. When you come to a per­fect mans estate, if your life be answearable, and either the people, or the Bishop of the Citty make choice of you, into the clergy, doe you those thinges, which belong to a Priest, and let the best Priests be your patterne. For in all conditions and estates, the worst are mingled with the best. Do not start forth to write suddenly, and be not carryed away with light mad­nes. Be long in learning that, which you may teach. Do not belieue them who prayse you, or rather do not lend your eare to them who scoffe at you. For when they shall haue stroked you with flattery, and put you after a sort out of your wits; if you looke suddenly backe ouer the shoulder, you shall see them either stretch out their neckes at you, like so many storkes, or moue the eares of an Asse, which they haue framed with their fingers, or thrust out their tongues at you, as if it were at some panting Dog.

Detract from no man, nor conceaue your selfe to be there­fore a Saint, for tearing other men in pieces. We accuse others oftentym [...]s for that which we also do, and we inueigh against those vices; they who are dumbe, giuing sentence against vs who are eloquent. Grunnius stauked on toward his speech, with the pace of a Tortois, and by certaine pauses would be hardly able to speake a few wordes, so that you would rather thinke he swallowed, then spoke; and yet when he had layd a heap of his bookes abroad vpon the table, and had composed his face to seuerity, and had contracted his nose, and cast his forehead into a frowne, he would snap with two of his fingers bespeaking the attention of his Auditours by that signe, & then would be powre out meere toyes by heapes, and declayme a­gainst all the world; and you would say he were Longinus of Creete, and the Censor of the roman eloquence; he would taxe whome he listed, & expell them from the Senate of Doctours. [Page 48] But this man being wel moneyed, gaue men more contentmēt át the dinners he made. Nor was it any marueile, that he who was wont to inueigle many, would proceed in publicke with a crowd of clamorous para [...]ites round about him; and indeed he was a Nero in substance, and yet a Plato in shew. He was all ambiguous, as being framed of seuerall yea and euen contra­ry natures. You would say that he were some monster, or new beast, deuised according to that of the Poet. The first part hath of the Lyon, the last of the Dragon, and the middle part is a very Chymera. Neuer visit you any such men as these, nor ap­ply your selfe to them, Nor let your hart decline to the wordes of malice, nor doe you heare these wordes: Sitting downe thou spakest against thy brother, and thou laydst a scandall before the sonnes of thy Mother. And againe. Sonnes of men, theyr teeth are weapons, and arrowes. And elsewhere: Their speech is more supple then oyle, and yet they are dartes withall. And more clearely in Ecclesiastes▪ As the serpent bites secretly; so doth he, who detracts priuatly from his brother.

But you will say, I detract not: but if others doe, how can I help it? We pretend these thinges, for the excuse of our sinnes. Christ is not to be ouerreached by trickes. It is no sen­tence of myne, but of the Apostles: Be not deceaued, God is not [...]nocked. He lookes into the hart; we looke but vpon the face. Salomon sayth in the Prouerbs: A Northern wind scatters the clouds; and so doth a sadd countenance, detracting tongues. For as an Arrow, if it be shot against a hard obiect, doth oftentymes returne vp on him, who sent it forth, and woundes him that wounded it; and that is then fullfilled; They are made as a crooked Bow to me. And elsewhere; He who throwes a stone vpon high, it shall returne vpon his owne head: So the detracter, when he sees that the face of his hearer is sad (or rather of him who should not be his hea­re [...], but the stopper of his eares, least he chance to heare the iudgment of blood) is presently put to silence, his countenance growes pale, his lips will not part, his mouth is dryed. Where­upon the same Wise man sayth: Doe not mingle thy selfe with de­tracters, for suddenly their perdition will arriue, and who knowes the ruine of them both. That is it to say, both of the speaker, and of the hearer. Truth seekes no corners, nor doth it desire [Page 49] any whisperers. It is sayd to Timothy: Be not easy in receauing an accusation against a Priest. But if indeed he sinne, reproue him publikely, that others also may be affrayd. You must not be light in belieuing any thing of a man in yeares, who is also de­fended by the fame of his former life, and who receaues the ho­nour of any eminent title. But because we are men, and some­tymes we dishonour our mature yeares by falling into the er­rours of children: therefore if thou wilt correct me, when I offend, reproue me publickly, and only do not bite me behind my backe. The iust man will correct, and reproue me in mercy, but let not the oyle of the sinner bedaube my head, And our Lord cryes out by Isais: O my people, they who say you are happy, seduce you, and supplant your steppes. For what doth it profit me, that thou re­late my faults to others, if whilest I know nothing of the mat­ter, thou woundest another with my sin, or rather with thyne owne detractions, and when thou makest hast to recount it to all the world, thou speakest it so to euery one, as if thou hadst not sayd it to any other. This is not to reforme me, but to hu­mour thy selfe in thyne owne sinne. Our Lord commandes that sinners should be secretly admonished face to face, or els before witnesse; & if they refuse to obey, that account should then be giuen of it, to the Church; and that if they would be obstinate in doing ill, they should be held for Publicanes, and Pagans.

I haue beene the more expresse in this, to the end I may free my young man from the itch both of eares, and tongue, and that so being regenerate in Christ, I may exhibite him with­out wrinkle or spot, like a modest virgin who is chast, both in bo­dy and mind. Least els, he should glory in the only name he beares, and then his lampe being extinguished, for lacke of the oyle of good workes, he should be excluded by the spouse. You haue there, the most holy and learned Bishop Proculus, who will excell these letters of ours, with his admonitions, by word of mouth; and will direct your course, by his daily dire­ctions; and not suffer you, by declyning on either hand, to for­sake the Kinges high way. Israel hastening to the land of re­promision, assures him that he will go. And I pray God, that voice of the Church may be heard, O Lord graunt vs peace, for [Page 50] thou hast giuen vs all thinge [...]. God graunt that our renouncing the world, bean act of our will, and not of necessity; and that our pouerty being desired by vs, may haue glory; and not that being imposed, it may giue torment. But after the rate of the miseries of these tymes, and the swords which are euery where vnsheathed, he is rich inough, who hath bread to eat; he is but too powerfull, who is not constrained to be a slaue. Holy Exu­periu [...] the Bishop of Tolosa, the imitatour of that widow of Sa­rep [...]a, feeds others, though himselfe be hungry; and hauing his face pale with fasting, he is tormented with the hunger of o­thers; & hath bestowed his whole substance vpon the bowells of Christ. There is nothing richer then this man, who carryes the body of our Lord, in a basket made of little twigs; & his blood in a glasse; who hath cast auarice out of the Temple; & without any whip or reproofe, hath ouerthrowne the chaires of them, that sould doues (that is to say, the gifts of the holy Ghost) and the tables of riches; and hath dispersed the money of the changers, That the house of God may be called the house of pray­er▪ and not a denne of Theeues. Follow the steps of this man close at hand, and of the rest who are in vertue like him, whome Priesthood makes humbler, and poorer, then he was before. If you desire to be perfect, go with Abraham out of your owne countrey, and from your kindred, and go forward, without so much as knowing whither. If you haue an estate sell it, and giue it to the poore; if you haue none, you are already rid of a great deale of trouble. Be naked in following Christ, who is nacked. It is heauy, it is high, it is hard, but the rewardes are great.

S. Hierome against Vigilantius the Heretike.

THERE are many Monsters brought forth in the world. Centaures and Syrens, Harpyies, and other prodigious birds are mentioned in Esay▪ Leuiathan and Behemoth are described by Iob, in a mysticall kind of language. The Poets in their fables speake of Cerberus, and the Stymphalides, the Boare of Erymanthus, the Nemaean Lion, the Ch [...]maera, and the Hydra of many heades▪ [Page 51] Virgil describes Cacus; and the countryes of Spaine, haue shewed vs, that three formed Geryon. France alone hath brought no Monsters, but hath euer abounded with most valiant, and most eloquent men. Only Vigilantius is suddenly start vp, who more truly may be called Dormitantius, since he fights with his impur spirit, against the spirit of Christ; and, Denyes that veneration is to be exhibited to the tombes of Martyrs. He sayth also; That Vigills are to be condemned; that Allelluia is neuer to be sung but at Easter; That Continency is heresy; and chastity but a seminary of lust. And as Eu­phorbus is sayd to haue beene reuiued in Pythagoras; so is the wic­ked mind of Iouinian risen vp againe in this man: so that we are constrayned to answere to the sleights and subtilties of the Diuell, in the person both of that man, and this, to whome it may be iustly sayd, O thou wicked seed prepare thy children to be slaine, by the sinnes of thy Father. The former man be­ing condemned by the authority of the Church of Rome, is not so properly to be sayd to haue giuen vp his Ghost, as to haue cast it out in the middest Pheasants, & Swines flesh; but this Tauerne▪ keeper of Callagura, who by nickename, in respect of the towne where he was borne, was called the dumbe Qui [...]tili­an, sophisticates his wine with water; and out of the stocke of that ancient fraud, he stri [...]es to mingle the poyson of his perfi­dious doctrine with the Catholike fayth, to impugne virginity, to hate chastity; and at the full table of secular persons, to de­claime against the fasting of Saints, whilest himselfe is playing the Philosopher, among his cuppes; and feeding licorishly vp­on [...] cakes, he will needes be stroked with the sweet finging of Psalmes. In such sort as that, in the middest of his bankets, he voutchsafes not to heare any other songes then of Dauid, I­dithus, Asaph▪ and the sonne of Chorah. These thinges do I vtter with a sad and gri [...]ued mind. not being able to containe my selfe, nor to passe by the i [...]iuries, which are done to the Apo­stles and Martyrs, with a dea [...] [...]eare. O vnspeakable abuse [...] he is sayd to haue found Bishops, who are partakers with him of his crime; if they may be called Bishops, who ordaine no Dea­cons, but such as first haue marryed wiues; not belieuing that any vnmarryed man can be ch [...]st; and shewing thereby how holily themselues liue, who suspectiall men of ill; and vnles [Page 52] they see that Priests haue wiues with great bellyes, and that their children be crying in their Mothers armes, they giue thē not the sacraments of Christ.

But what shall then become of the Orientall Churches? What of the Churches of Egypt, & of the Sea Apostolike? which receiue men to Priesthood, either before they are marryed, or when then are widowes; or if still they haue wiues, yet they leaue to do the part of husbandes. But this hath Dormitantius taught, releasing the raynes to lust, and doubling by his exhor­tations, that ardour of flesh and blood, which vsually boyles vp in youth, or rather quenching it, by the the carnall knowledg of woemen. That so now, there may be nothing, wherein we differ from horses, and swine, and such brute beasts, of whom it is written. They runne towardes woemen as horses, which are mad with lust do to their kind; and euery man goeth euen neying after his neighbours wife. This is that which the Holy Ghost sayth by Dauid, Do not grow like the horse and mule, in whome there is no vn­derstanding. And againe he sayth of Dormitantius, and his com­panions, Keep in, with the bridle and bit, the iawes of them who draw not neere to thee. But now it is tyme, that setting downe his owne words, we procure to make them a particular answere. For it is possible, otherwise, that some maligne interpre­ter, or other, will againe alleadge, that my selfe haue deuised matter to which I may answeare with a Rhetoricall kind of declamation, like that which I wrote into France to the Mo­ther and Daughter, who were in discord. The holy Priestes Riparius, and Desiderius are the occasions of this Epistle, for they write that their Parishes were infected by the neighbourhood of this man; and by our brother Sesinnius, they haue sent vs those bookes, which snorting vpon a surfet, he hath vomited out. And these men affirme, that many are found, who fauou­ring the vices of his life, are content to heare the blasphemies of his doctrine. The man is ignorant both in knowledge and wordes, he is of vngratefull speech, and who cannot so much as defend a truth: but yet in regard of worldly men, and poore woemen who go loaden with their sinnes, and who are euer learning, and neuer arriue [...]o the knowledge of the truth, I wil make answeare to his trash, in this one single sitting vp at night, [Page 53] least otherwise I might seeme to despise the letrers of those ho­ly men, who haue entreated me to do thus much.

But this man followes the kind of which he comes, as being descended from murdering theeues, and from a people made vp of many natiōs; Whome Cneius Pompeius (hauing con­quered Spayne, and hastening to celebrate his triumph) thrust downe from the top of the Pyrenean hills, and gathered them together into one towne, whereupon the Citty was called by no other name, but of Conuenae, that is to say of People gathe­red together. Thus farre doth he reach now, in exercising mur­dering thefts vpon the Church of God, and descending from the Vectonians, the Arabatians, and Cel [...]iberians he ouerrunnes the Churches of France; not carrying in his hand the ensigne of Christ, but the standard of the Diuell. Pompey did the same in the Easterne parts also. And the Cilician, and Isaurian Pirates, & murdering theeues, being ouercome, he built a Citty for them betweene Cilicia, and Isauria, bearing his owne name. But that Citty doth still liue vnder the lawes of their forefathers, and no Dormitantius is sprung vp there. The Countreyes of Fraunce haue a domesticall enemy, and now they see a man of a troubled brayne, and fit to be bound vp, as Hipocrates directed that mad men should be, hauing a seat in the Church, and a­mong other wordes of blasphemy deliuering also these; To what purpose is it for thee, with so great respect, not only to honour, but to adore also, that (I know not what I should call it) which thou wor­shippest in that little portable violl. And againe in the same booke; VVhy doest thou adoringly kisse that dust, wrapped vp in a little cloath. And afterward; VVe see that almost after the manner of the Gentils, it is introduced into our Churches, vnder the pretence of Religion, to light huge heapes of waxen tapers; and euery where they kisse, and a­dore I know not what little dust in a little violl, wrapped about in some pretious linnen cloath Such men as these do doubtles impart great honour to the most blessed Martyrs in thinking that they may be illustrated by those most base waxe lights, whome the Lambe, who is in the middest of the Throne doth illuminate, with the whole brightnes of his Maiesty.

But who, O you mad headed man. Did euer adore the Martyrs? Who thought that a man was God? Did not Paul and Barnabas, when they were thought by the Lycaonians to be Iu­piter, [Page 54] and Mercury, and had a mind to offer them sacrifice, teare their garments, and declare that they were but men? Not but that they were better then Iupiter or Mercury, who were dead long before; but because, vnder the errour of Paganisme, the honour which was due to God, was deferred to them. This we also read of Peter, who when Cornelius desired to adore him, raysed him vp by the hand, & sayd; Rise vp, for I am also a man. And dare you say, That same, I know not what, which you worship in that little violl to be carryed vp and downe? What is that thing which you call by the name of I know not what? I would faine vnderstand what you meane by it. Speake plainely that you may with perfect liberty blaspheme, That same I know not what kind of little dust, in that little violl, wrapt about with a precious linnen cloath.

He is grieued that the Relikes of Martyrs are preciously couered, and wrapped vp, and that they are not foulded in cloutes, or course haire clouths, or cast in fine into some dung­hill, that so Vigilantius alone, being drunke a sleep, might be adored. So that belike we commit sacriledge when we go into the temple of the Apostles. Constantine the Emperour was also sacrilegious, who transferred the holy Relikes of Andrew, Luke and Timothy to Constantinople; at the presence of which Relikes, the Diuels roare, and the Inhabiters of Vigilantius confesse, that they feele the presence thereof. Yea and Augustus Arcadius, is not only to be accounted sacrilegious, but a so [...] also, who hath carryed a thing most base, and euen loose ashes in silke, and in a case of gold. The people of all Churches must be also fooles, who went to meet those holy Relickes, and entertayned them with so much ioy, as if they had beheld the Prophet present, & li­uing with them, in such sort, as that the swarmes of people, did euen reach from Palestine to Chalcedon, and did sound forth the praise of Christ with one voice. Belike they adored Samuel, & not Christ whose, Priest & Prophet Samuel was. You think he is dead, and therefore you blaspheme. But read the Ghospel. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Iacob, is not the God of the dead but of the liuing. If therefore they be aliue, they are shut vp, belike according to your opinion, in some honest pri­son. For you say, that the soules of the Apostles, and Martyrs, are in [Page 55] [...]he besome of Abraham, or in a place of reposc, and ease, or vnder the Al­tar of God, and that they cannot be present at their tombes, and where els they will. So that belike they are endewed with the dignity of Senatours, who are not condemned to be kept in some ab­hominable prison; but shut vp in some honest and free custo­dy, in the fortunate Ilands, and Elisian fields.

But will you prescribe a law for God? Will you tye vp the Apostles in chaines, in such sorte as that they shall be kept in prison, till the day of iudgment, and not be with their Lord; they of whome it is written, They follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goes? If therefore the Lambe be euery where, they also who are with the Lambe, are to be belieued to be euery where. And if Lucifer, & the rest of the Diuells wāder ouer the whole world, and by their too excessiue swiftnes, be euery where at hand, shall Martyrs after the effusion of their blood, be shut vp in a chest, and not be able to go forth?

You say further in your booke, that whilest we liue, we may pray mutually for one another; but after we shall be dead the prayer of noe one is to be heard [...] another, especially since Martyrs, desiring the reuenge of theyr blood were not able to obtayne it.

But if the Apostles and Martyrs, being yet liuing in these mortal▪ bodies, might pray for others, when still they ought to be solicitous for themselues; how much more can they do it after they haue obtayned their crownes, their victories, & tri­umphes? That one man Moyses, obtayned pardon of God for six hundred thousand armed men: and Steuen the imitatour of our Lord, and the first Martyr of Christ, begges fauour for his persecuters; and shall they be of lesse power when they haue begun to be with Christ? Paul the Apostle affirmes, that two hundred seuenty six mens liues were saued in the ship at his suit, and when being dissolued, he shall be with Christ, shall his mouth be stopped, and shall he not dare to speake a word for them, who throught the whole world did belieue, vpon his preaching the Ghospell? And shall Vigilantius this liuing dog, be better then that dead Lyon? I might rightly alleadge this out of Ecclesiastes, if I should confesse that Paul were dead in spirit, but Saints in fine are not sayd to be dead, but to be sleeping. Whereupon Lazarus, who was to rise againe, was sayd to sleep; [Page 54] [...] [Page 55] [...] [Page 56] and the Apostle forbiddes the Thessalonians to be afflicted for such a [...] sleep. But you sleep euen when you wake, and you write whē you sleep; & you propound to me an Apocriphall booke, which is read by you, and such as you are, vnder the name of Esdras, where it is writtē that after death, no one must dare to pray for any other, which booke I neuer read. For to what purpose should I take that booke in hand, which the Church doth not receaue? Vnles perhaps you will produce Balsamus to me, and Barbelus, and the treasure of Manich [...]us, and the ridiculous name of Leusibora; and because you dwell at the foot of the Pirenean mountaines, and are a neighbour to Spayne, you aduance those incredible monsters of opiniō which were vented by Basilides, that most auncient, but ignorant, vnskillfull Heretike; & you propound, that which was condemned, by the authority of the whole world. For in your little Commentary, you take a testimony out of Salomon, as if it made for you; which, Salomon indeed neuer wrote: to the end that, as you had then another Esdras, so now you may haue another Salomon. And if you will, go read those fayned Reuelations of all the Patriarches and Prophets; and when you shall haue learnt them, you may sing them in the weauing houses of woemen; or rather propound them to be read in your tauernes: that so by meanes of these bables, you may the more easily prouoke the vnlearned vulgar to drinke hard.

But as for tapers of waxe, we light them not in cleere day, as you idly slaunder vs; but to the end, that by this comfort, we may temper the darknes of the night, and that we may watch by light, least otherwise being blind, we should sleep in darknes like you. And if any either through the vnskillfull­nes, of simplicity of secular men, or yet of deuout woemen (of whome we may truely say, I confesse they haue the zeale of God, but not according to knowledge) do this for the honour of Martyrs, what are you the worse for that? The Apostles did also, long ago, complaine that a pretious oyntment was cast away, but they were reproued by the voice of our Lord. For neither did Christ need that oyntment, nor the Martyrs this light of tapers; and yet that woman did that in honour of Christ, and the de­ [...]otion of her mind was accepted. And whosoeuer light ta­pers, [Page 57] haue their reward according to their fayth, as the Apostle sayth Euery one aboundes in his owne sense. But do you call such persons as these, Idolaters? I deny not, but that all we, who belieue in Christ, came from the errour of Idolatry: for we are not Christians by generation, but by regeneration. And belike, because we once worshipped Idols, we should not now wor­ship God, least we may seeme to exhibit the same honour to him: which formerly we exhibited to Idols. That was done to Idols and therefore it was to be detested; but this is done to Martyrs, and therefore it is to be receaued. But abstracting frō Martyrs Relickes, there are tapers lighted, through all the Churches of the East, when the Ghospell is to be read; how brightly soeuer the Sunne then shine. Not forsooth to driue a­way darkenes, but to declare our ioy by that testimony. Wher­upon those Euangelicall Virgins haue their lampes euer lighted. And it is sayd to the Apostles: Let your loynes be girt, & your lam­pes burning in your handes. And of Iohn Baptist it was sayd; that He was a lampe which did both burne and shine, that vnder the tipe of visible light, the other light might be shewed, wherof we read in the Psalme, Thy word, O Lord, is a lanterne to my feet, and a light to my steps.

So that the Bishop of Rome doth ill, who ouer the bones of the dead men, Peter and Paul (which according to our beliefe are venerable, and according to you are vile poore [...]usi) doth of­fer sacrifices to our Lord, and holdes their tombes to be the Al­tars of Christ. And not only he of one Citty, but the Bishops of the whole world erre, who contemning this Tauerne-keeper Vigilantius, enter into the Churches of these dead men, wherein this most base dust, and I know not what kinde of ashes, lyes wrapped vp in linnen, that it selfe being defiled, may defile all thinges els; and which are like those Pharisaicall sepulchres, exteriourly adorned, when within, the ashes being impure according to you, all other thinges may be also vnsauoury and impure. And then casting vp that base vncleanes out of the profound hell of your stomach, you dare say thus, Therfore belike the soules of Mar­tyrs loue theyr ashes, and houer about them, and are euer present with them; least perhaps if some petitioner might come thither, they should not be able to heare them, if themselues were absent.

[Page 58]O prodigious Monster, fit to be posted away into the [...]urdest root of the whole earth! you scoffe at the Relickes of Martyrs, & together with Eunomius the authour of this heresy, you pro­cure to cast a scandall vpon the Churches of Christ▪ Nor are you frighted by finding your selfe in such company as that; & you speake those very things against vs, which he spake against the Church. For none of his followers will go the Churches of the Apostles, and Martyrs; that forsooth they may adore the dead Eunomius, whose bookes they esteeme to be of more au­thority then the Ghospells; and in him they hold the light of truth to be▪ as other heresies affirmed, that the holy Ghost came into Montanus, yea and they say, that Manichaeus is that ve­ry holy Ghost. That most learned man Tertullian (that you may not vaunt your selfe to be the first finder out of this wickednes) writes against this heresy of yours, which broke out long ago against the Church, an excellent booke, which he termed Scor­piacum, vpon a most iust reason; because by a circling kind of wound, that Heretike spread his poison vpon the body of the Church, by that heresy, which anciently was called of Cain, and which sleeping, or rather lying buryed a long tyme, is now by Dormitantius raised to life. It is a marueile, you say not, that Martyrdomes are not to be endured, because God doth not seeke the blood of so much as goates, or bulles, and much lesse will he require that of men. Which when you shall haue sayd, yea although you shall not say it, you shall be so accoun­ted of, as if you sayd it. For he who affirmes, that the Relicks of Martyrs are to be troden on; forbids that blood to be shed, which is vnwor [...]hy of any honour.

Concerning Vigils, and sitting vp at night, which are of­ten to be celebrated in Martyrs Churches, I haue giuen a briefe answere in another Epistle, which I wrote almost two yeares since, to Riparius the holy Priest If therefore you thinke that they are to reiected, least otherwise we may seem to celebrate many seuerall Easters; and that we keep not solemne Vigils at the end of euery yeare: by the same reason no sacrifices should be offered to Christ vpon the Sundaies, least we should seeme to celebrate the Easter of the Resurrection of our Lord often; & so we should not haue one Easter, but many. Now that ab­use [Page 59] and fault, which is many tymes committed in the night, betweene young men, and the basest sorte of woemen, is not to be imputed to deuout persons; because some such thing is ma­ny tymes found to be committed, euen in th [...] Vigil the Easter; but now the fault of few, must not preiudice this Act of Reli­gion; For euen without Vigils, men may commit that sinne, either in their owne or others houses. The treason of Iudas, de­stroyed not the fayth of the Apostles, and so the ill Vigills of o­thers, must not destroy our Vigils; but rather let them be con­strained to watch to chastity, who sleep to lust. For that which was good being done once, cannot be euill, if it be done often. And if it be culpable through any fault, it is not culpable be­cause it was done often, but because it was done at all. Let vs not therfore, belike, watch at Easter, least the long entertained desire of some adulterer, may chaunce to be fullfilled then, least the wife find occasion of committing sinne; least she ex­empt her selfe, from being shut vp by her husbandes keye. Whatsoeuer is rare, is so much the more ardently desired.

I cannot runne ouer all those particulers, which are men­tioned in the letters of those holy Priests; but some I will pro­duce out of his owne bookes. He frames arguments against those wonders, and miracles, which are wrought in Martyrs Churches, and he sayth, they are good for vnbelieuers, but not [...]or be­lieuers. As if now the question were, for whose sake, and not by what power they are wrought. But well, let Miracles be wrought for Infidells, who because they would not belieue speech, and doctrine may be brought by Miracles to the fayth. Our Lord wrought Miracles for such as were yet incredulous; and yet the Miracles of our Lord are not be taxed, because they were for Infidels, but they were to be admired so much the more, because they were of so great power, as to tame euen the stifest mindes, and oblige them to imbrace the fayth. Therfore I will not haue you tell me, that miracles are for Infidels: but an­swere me how there comes to be so great a presence of wōders and miracles, in most base dust, and I know not what kind of ashes? I find, I find, O you the most vnhappy of all mortall men, what grieues you, and what frights you? The impure spirit which compels you to write those thinges, is often tormented with [Page 60] this most base dust, yea and is tormented this very day; and he, who dissembles the wounds, which he giues to you, confesses those which he giues to others. Vnles perhaps, after the man­ner of Gentiles, and prophane persons (such as P [...]rphyrius and Eu­uomius were) you will pretend that these are but trickes of the Diuells; and that indeed the Diuells cry not out, but only that they fayne themselues to be in torment. Take my counsaile, goe to the Martyrs Churches, and you shall be one day dispos­sest. There shall you find many of your fellowes, and you shall be burnt, not by the tapers of Martyrs, which displease you, but by inuisible flames: and then you will confesse what you now deny; & you wil freely publish your owne name, though now you speake in the name of Vigilantius; and say, that either you are Mercury, for your desire of money, or Nocturnus accor­ding to the Amphitryo of Plautus, who sleeping in adultery with Al [...]mena▪ Iupiter made two nights of one, that Hercules might be borne full of strength. Or els that you are Father Bacchus for your drunken head, and you tankard hanging at your backe, and your face euer red, your lips foming, and your vnbridled tongue rayling▪ Whereupon there being a sudden earth-quake in this Prouince, which raysed all men from their sleep, you being the most discreet, & wise of mortall men, were praying naked, and represented to vs an Adam and an Eue, as they were in Paradise. Sauing that they hauing their eyes open, and see­ing themselues naked, did blush and couer their secret partes with leaues of trees, but you being as naked of cloathes as voyd of vertue, and frighted with a sudden feare, hauing somewhat in you of the surfet of the former night, did expose the obscene parts of your body, to the eyes of the Saints, that you might shew how discreet a man you were.

Such enemyes as these hath the Church. These are the Cap­taines who fight against the blood of Martyrs; such Oratours as these, thunder out against the Apostles, or rather such madd Dogs as these barke against the disciples of Christ. I confesse my feare, least perhaps in your opinion it might seem▪ to grow from superstition. When I haue bene angry, when I haue had any ill thought in my mind, and haue beene deluded by any i­magination in the night, I dare not goe into the Martyrs Chur­ches; [Page 61] I doe all so tremble both in body and minde. Perhaps you will scoffe at me for this, as if it were the dotage of some old woman. But I blush not to hold fast the fayth of those woemen, who were the first in seeing our Lord after his resur­rection, who were sent to his Apostles, and who in the person of the Mother of our Lord & sauiour, were recomended to the same holy Apostles. Go you belching on, with the men who lead a worldy life. I will fast with those woemen, yea and al­so with those Religious men, who carry chastity euen in their countenance; and hauing their faces pale, through continuall abstinence, declare the modesty of Christ.

Me thinkes you also seem to be troubled at another thing and that is; least if chastity, sobriety, and fasting should con­tinue to take deep footing in France, your Tauernes would make little gayne; and so you should not be able to continue those Vigills of the Diuel, & those drunken feasts, all night lōg.

It is related to me besides, in the same letters, that you forbid▪ men to be at any charge, for the vse and comfort of those holy men, who liue at Ierusalem, against the authority of the Apostle Paul, yea and of Peter also, and of Iames and Iohn, who gaue handes to Paul and Barnabas, in testimony of their con­sent with them, and required them to be mindefull of the poore. But now if I should answere these thinges, you would presently barke out and say, that I am pleading myne owne cause; you who haue been so liberall to all the world, as that if you had not come to Iesuralem, & had not powred forth your own mo­ney, or that of your Patrons, we should all forsooth haue bene in danger to starue. For my part, I will but say that which the blessed Apostle Paul deliuers almost in all his Epistles, and enioyneth the Churches, which had bene conuerted among the Gentiles, namely that vpon the first day after the Sabboth, (that is to say, vpon the Sunday) men were all to conferre a­bout that alms, which should be sent to Hierusalē either by their disciples, or by others, whome they should appoint; and that if it proued to be of moment, himself might either carry or send it. In the Acts of the Apostles, speaking to Foel [...]x the Gouer­nour, he sayth thus; After many yeares, being to giue much almes to the men of my nation, and to make oblations and vowes, I came to Ie­rusalem, [Page 62] where they found me purifyed in the Temple. But had he not also power, to dispose of some part of that, which he had receaued of others, vpon the Churches in other parts of the world, which growing to be Christian, he had instructed by his preaching? But yet he desired to impart the almes to the poore of those holy places, who leauing their fortunes for Christ, had deuoted themselues wholly to the seruice of our Lord. It were a long businesse, if I would reflect vpon all the testimonies which might be brought out of euery one of those Epistles, wherein the Apostle endeauours, and with his whole affection makes hast to ordaine, that money should be addressed to the faythfull at Hierusalem, and to the holy places; not to sa­tisfy couetousnes, but for their necessary comfort; not for the gathering together of riches, but for the vphoulding of their weake bodies, and for the auoyding of hunger and cold; this custome continuing in Iury euen to this day, not only among vs Christians, but among the Iewes also, that they who medi­tate vpon the lawes of our Lords day and night, and who haue no Father vpon earth, but only God, should be cherished by the charities of the Synagogues of the whole world, with a fit e­quality; not that some should be at ease, and some in misery, but that the aboundance of some might serue to supply the wāt of others: But you will answere, that euery man may do this in his owne country, and that poore people will not be wan­ting to be mainteyned vpon the charity of the Church. And so also neither doe we deny, but that almes is to be giuen to all kind of poore people, yea though they be euen Samari­tans, and Iewes, if there be enough for all. But the Apostle directeth indeed▪ that we should giue almes to all, but especially to them of the houshold of fayth, in respect of whome our Lord sayd in the Ghospell: Make your selues friendes by the Mammon of iniquity, who may receaue you in the eternall Tabernacles. Now I pray you, can those poore people, who among their rags and corporall mi [...]eries haue burning lust ruling ouer them, can they, I say, haue any eternall Tabernacles, who possesse neith [...]r present, nor future thinges? For not absolutly such as are poore, but such as are poore [...] spirit, are called happy; of whome it is written: Blessed is the man, who vnderstandingly considers the poore and needy, [Page 63] our Lord will deliuer him in the euill day. Now for the reliefe of th [...] generality of poore people, there is no such need of Vnderstan­ding, but of the almes it selfe. In the case of such poore as are holy, there is a kind of beatitude of Intelligence, that a man may giue to him, who will blush to receaue, and euen be sory when he is on the taking hand, reaping carnall thinges, and sowing such as are spirituall.

But in that you affirme them to do better who still make vse of theyr owne goodes & distribute the reuenues of their estates by little & little, then they who by selling their landes, giue all at once, no answere shall be giuen you to this by me, but thus by our Lord, If thou [...] be perfect go and sell all that thou hast & giue it to the poore, and come thou and follon me. He speakes to him who will be perfect, and who in company of the Apo­stles will dismisse himselfe of his father, of his ship, and of his net. This other man whome you cōmend, is of the second and third ranke, whereof we also allow; so as yet we may know withall, that the first is to be preferred before the second and the third.

No [...] are Monkes to be frighted from their course by your viperous and most cruell biting tongue, against whome you argue thus, and say, If all men should shut themselues vp, and be­take themselues to the desert, who shall doe Offices in Churches, who shall gaine secular men to God, who shall exhort sinners to a course of ver tue? And so also if euery body should be a sot with you, what wise man would there be in the world? And by this reason al­so virginity must not be approued. For if euery body shall be chast, there will then be no mariages, and then mankind will perish; noe infanrs will be crying in their cradles, Midwiues must goe begg without meanes to liue; and Dormitantius must ly awake in his bed in the coldest wether which can come, al alone, and shrunke vp together.

But vertue is a rare thing, and not sought by many. And I would to God all men were that, which few are; of whom [...] [...] is sayd, Many are called but few are chose [...]. The prisons then would be empty. But as for the Monke it is not his Office to teach, but to lament and bewayle, either himself, o [...] the world, and to expect the comming of our Lord with profound feare: who [Page 64] knowing his owne weakenes, and how brickle the pott is which he beares about him, is affrayd to offend, least first he stumble, and then fall, and so it be broken. And for this reason, he declines the sight of woemen, and especially of the younger sort [...], and is so farre a chastiser of himselfe, that he shrinkes euen at those thinges, wherein there is no danger.

But you aske me, why I go to the Desert? Euen to the end that I may neither heare, nor see you; that I may not be offen­ded by your madnes, nor endure the troubles which you put me to; that the harlots eye may not take hold of me, nor that great beauty of hers bring me to vnlawful embracements. But you will say; This is not to fight, but to fly. Stand fast in the battaile, be in armour, and resist your ennemy, to the end that you be crowned when you haue conquered. I confesse my weaknes, I will not sight through a hope of victory, least at some tyme or other, I may chaunce to loose it. If I fly, I auoyd the sword; if I stay, I must either conquer, or be killed. But what need haue I to let goe that which is certaine, and to seek after that which is vncertaine? Death must be auoided, either by the targuet, or by flight. You who fight, may both ouer­come, and be ouercome. I, when I fly away, shall euen ther­fore not be ouercome. There is no safety in sleeping neere a serpent. It may be, he will not bite; but so perhaps, there may be a tyme, when he will. We call them our Mothers, our Si­sters, and our Daughters, & we are not ashamed to cloake our vices by such names of▪ piety as those. But what doth the Monke in woemens chambers? What meane these single and priuate conferences, and these countenances which are afraid of witnesses? A holy loue, is not subiect to impatience; & that which we haue sayd of lust, may be applyed to couetousnes, or any other vice which is auoided in the desert. And therefore do not we decline the frequent resort of Citties, least we should be obliged to do those thinges, to which nature doth not com­pell vs so much as our owne will.

These wordes (as I was saying) I haue dictated in the [...]it­ting vp of one night, at the request of those holy Priestes; our brother [...] making much hast, and going towardes Egypt with all speed▪ to carry almes to the Saints there. For other­wise, [Page 65] the matter it sol [...]e is full of expresse blasphemy, which rather would require indignation, in the writer, then any mu­stering vp of proofs against him. But i [...] Dormitantius keep him­selfe awake to rayle at me, and with the same blasphemous mouth, wherewith he teares the Apostles and Martyrs, shall thinke also fit to detract from me; I will not keep my selfe wa­king in some short sitting vp, but all night long, both for him and his companions; or rather for his, either disciples, or Ma­sters; who vnles they may see the wo [...]men with great b [...]llies, thinke their husbands to be vnworthy of the Ministry [...] Christ

The Epitaphe of S. Paula the Mother, directed to Eustochium by S. Hierome.

IF all the parts of my body were conuerted into tongu [...]s, & all my limmes were able to expresse thēselues by the voice of man, I should not yet be able to say any thing, which might be worthy of the vertues of the venerable and holy Paula. She was noble by extraction, and much more noble by her sancti­ty; powerfull she had once beene in riches, but now more il­lustrious by the pouerty of Christ. She who was of the stocke of the Gracch [...], of the race of Scipio's, the heire of Paulus (whose name she bore,) the true vndoubted progeny of Martia, Papyria, and the mother of Africanus, preferred Bethleem be [...]ore Rome, & made an exchāge of her houses brightly bunr [...]ished with gold, for the basen [...]s of ill fauoured durt. We grieue not for hauing lost such a one; but we giue God thankes, in that we had her, or rather in that we haue her still. For all thinges liue to God, and whatsoeuer returnes to our Lord, is still reputed as a part of his Family. For our losse of her, is the peopling of that ce­lestiall house; of her I say, who when she was in her body, was in pilgrimage from our Lord; and would still be saying with a la­menting voice; VVo be to me because my Pilgrimage is prolonged, I haue dwelt with the Inhabitants of Cedar, my soule hath beene farre off in pilgrimage. Nor is it marueile if she bewayled her selfe, as be­ing in darkenes (for so is the word Cedar interpreted) since the world is placed in malignity, and the very light of it is like darke­nes; [Page 66] but true light shines in that darkenes, and darkenes comprehend [...] it not. Whereupon she would very often inferre these wordes; A stranger I am, and a pilgrime as all my Fathers were. And againe; I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. But then, as often as she was vexed by any infirmity of her body, which she brought downe by incredible abstinence & doubled fasting, she would take this saying into her mouth; I subiect my body, and I bring it into seruitude, least whilest I preach to others, my selfe may become a reprobate. And; It is good not to drinke wine, nor to eat flesh; and I haue humbled my soule in fasting. And; Thou hast made my whole bed in my sicknes; and I haue beene conuerted in my misery, whilest the thorne stucke in my sides. And in the middest of those sharp pangs of payne, which she endured with admirable patience, she would be saying, as if she had seene heauen open, VVho will giue me the winges as of a Doue, that I might fly vp, and rest? I take Iesus and his Saints so witnes; and that particular Angell who was the keeper, and companion of this admirable womā, that I will say nothing of her for fauour, nothing after the cu­stome of flatterers; but whatsoeuer I am to say, shall be as if it were vpon myne oath; and yet still it will fall short of her me­rits, whome the whole world celebrates, whome Priests ad­mire, whome the quiers of Virgins want, and the troupes of Monkes, and poore people, lament.

Do you, O Reader, desire to know her vertues in few wordes? She left all her friendes poore, her selfe being more poore, then any of them all. Neither will it be strange, that we should say thus much of them, who were next her, as na­mely her family (the slaues and hand-maydes whereof, in both sexes, she had exchanged into the name of brothers and sisters) since she left the virgin Eustochium, her daughter deuoted to Christ ( [...]or whose comfort this booke is made) farre off from her illustrious friendes, and only rich in fayth and grace. But let vs speake of thinges in order. Let others fetch them higher; & from her cradle, & euen in her swadling cloutes (as I may say) produce her morher Blesilla, and Rogatus her father, wherof the Mother was the of spring of the Scipio's, and the Gracchi; & the Father is sayd to haue drawne downe his blood, through the best nobility of all Greece, by descending from the stemme of [Page 67] that Agamemnon, who destroyed the Citty of Troy, in that ten yeares siege. As for vs we will prayse nothing in her, which was not her owne, and which is not to be der [...]ed out of that purest fountaine of her holy mind.

Although our Lord and Sauiour taught his Apostles in the Ghospel, when they aske him, what he would re [...]iore to [...]hem, who should part with their fortunes for his sake in this world [...]hey should re­ceaue a hundred fold, & eternall life in the next: wh [...] by we come to vnderstand, that it is no prayse [...]o possesse riches, but to con­tēne them for Christ; not to swell vp with honou [...] but for the fayth of God to despise it. What our Sauiour promised to his ser­uāts, he hath truly performed in the present case. For she, who contemned the glory of one Citty, is celebrated by the fame of the whole world; she whom as long as she dwelt in Rome▪ none knew but they who were at Rome, lying now h [...]d in Be [...]hleem, both the Barbariā & the Romā world hath admired. For of what nation are there any men, who come not to visit the holy pla­ces? And who findes any thing in these holy places, which he m [...]y admire more then Paula? For as the most pretious Gemme doth outshine other little gemmes, and as the Sunne beames do ouerwhelme and obscure the brightnes of the little starres, so doth she with her humility, ouercome the excellencies and vertues of all the rest, and she is growne the greatest, because she would needs be the least of them all, and so much more as she deiected her selfe, so much more was she eleuated by Christ our Lord. She lay hid, and she lay not hid. By flying from glory she deserued glory, which follows vertue like a shadow; and forsaking such as honoured her, she sought after such as might contemne her. But what am I doing, now that I omit to speake of thinges in order; for whilest I take hould of so ma­any particulers, I obserue not the rules of good discourse.

Paula being thus descended, was marryed to Toxotius her husband, who was extracted from that high blood of Aeneas & the Iulio's; whereupon also her daughter, the virgin of Christ, Eustochium, is called Iulia; and that Iulius had his name deriued from the great Iulu [...]. Now we speake of these thinges, not because they are great in them who haue them; but because they may be wondred at, in such as despise them. The men of [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] this world admire such persons, as are adorned with these pri­uiledges; but we praise such others as contemne them, for the loue of our Sauiour; but we who esteeme little of those who haue them, do after a strang fashiō proclaime those others, who cōtemne, & care not for them. She being borne, I say, of those parents, was approued both in fecundity, & modesty, first by her husband, then by her friendes, and by the restimony of the whole Citty; and when she had brought forth fiue children, Blesilla (vpon whose death I comforted her at Rome,) Paulina (who left behind her that holy and admirable man Pammachius, the heire both of her holy purpose and her estate, to whome we addressed a little booke vpon the occasion of her death,) Eustochium (who is now in the holy places, euen the very pre­tious lewell of virginity, and of the Church,) Ruffina (who by her vntimely death did euen astonish the tēder hart of the mo­ther) & Toxotius, after whome she had no more children, that we might know she had no mind to attend to the office of a wife for any long time; but only to bring children, till the hus­bandes longing were satisfyed, in his desire of a sonne. When her husband dyed, she bewayled him so as that it had almost cost her her life; and yet withall shee did so giue her selfe a­way to the seruice of our Lord, that she might seem to haue de­sired her husbandes death.

What shall I stand to tell of her ample & noble house, which formerly was most abundantly rich, & whereof now all the wealth was spent vpon the poore? What, of her mind, which was so mercifully enclined to all? and of her goodnes which would be wandring, euen to the help of them, whome she had neuer seene? What poore man dying, was not shrowded in cloathes of her giuing? What cripples were not maintayned by her purse? whome causing to be sought for with extreme curi­osity, ouer the whole citty she would hold it to be her owne losse in particular, if any weake or hungry person were sustay­ned by any food, but hers. She euen stript her owne children; & to her friends, who would be chiding her for this excesse; she would say, she meant to leaue them a greater inheritance, then she found, namely the mercy of Christ. Nor could she long en­dure the visits, and courting which was due to her most noble [Page 69] house, and to that high stock of hers, according to the account of the wold. She grieued at the honour which was done her, and made hast to decline, and fly from the face of such as gaue her prayse. And when the Imperiall letters h [...]d brought the Bi­shops both of the East, and West to Rome for composing the dis­sentions of some Churches, she saw those admirable men, and Bishops of Christ, Paulinus, the Bishop of the Citty of Antioch, & Epiphanius of Salamina in Cyprus, of whome she had Epiphanius for her owne guest, and Paulinus though lodging in an other house she possessed as her owne, by the care she had of him.

Being inflamed by the vertues of these men, she deuised, from one minute to another, how to forsake her country. And not being mindfull of her house, not of her children, not of her family, not of her estate, not of any thing which belonges to this world, she had an earnest desire to be going on, euen a­lone, and vnaccompanyed (as a man may say) to the desert of those Anthonies and Pauls. At length the winter being spent, and the sea being open; the Bishops returning to their Chur­ches, she also, in her desire, and with the vowes of her hart, went sayling with them. Why shall I deferre it longer? She went downe to the Sea port, her brother, her kinred, her al­lyes & (which is more then this) her children following her, & striuing with their earnest suits, to ouercome that most ten­der mother.

The sailes were by that time spread, and by stretching of the Oares, the ship was drawne into the deepe. Little Toxotius cast forth his begging hands, vpon the shoare. Ruffina, who then was marriageable, did in silence craue with teares, that she would expect to see her bestowed. But Paula the while, cast vp her dry eyes towards heauē, surmounting her dear affectiō towards her children by her deuotion towards God. She knew not her selfe to be a mother, that she might approue her selfe, for a hand-mayd of Christ. Her very bowels were racked with­in her, and as if she had bene torne from the very parts of her owne body, so did she fight with grief, in this so much the more admirable to all, as she carryed a great loue to them which was to be conquered. When people are in the hands of enemyes, & in the sad condition of captiuity, there is no one thing more [Page 70] cruell, then for parents to be separated from their children. And yet euen this, did her full faith endure, against the rights of nature; nay her ioyfull hart did desire it, and contemning the loue of her children through her superiour loue towards God, she contented her selfe with onely Eustochium, who was the cō ­panion, both in her holy purpose, & nauigation. In the meane time the shippe plowed vp the Seas, & all the passingers who were embarked with her, looking backe vpon the shoare, she only turned her eyes from thence; that so she might not see thē, whom she could not behould without torment. I confesse that no woman could more loue her children, to whom, before she went, she gaue away whatsoeuer she had best.

Being arriued at the Iland of Pontia which aūciently had bene ennobled by the banishment of that most excellēt of woe­men Flauta Domitilla, vnder the Emperour Domitian, for confessiō of the name of Christ, & beholding those Coles wherin she had suffred a long martyrdome she then tooke vp the wings of faith and desired to visit Ierusalem and the holy places. The windes were thought sluggish, and all speed was slowe. Committing her selfe to the Adriaticke Sea, between Scylla and Carybbis, she came, as by a lake, to Methona; and there refreshing her selfe a little, & laying her seasicke limmes vpon the shoare, by Malea, & Cythera, and the Cyclads (which are sprinkled ouer that Sea) and those waues being the more furious by the often indenting of the land and hauing also passed by Rhodes, and Lycia, at length she came to Cyprus, Where casting her selfe at the feet of the holy and venerable Epiphanius, she was deteyned by him ten dayes, not for her regalo as he meant it, but for the worke of God, as indeed it proued. For vewing all the Monasteries of that quarter, she left to the vttermost of her power, certeyne almes to beare the charge of those brothers, whom the loue of that holy man had drawen thither from the seuerall parts of the whole world From thence she made a short cut ouer to Se­leucia▪ & then going vp to Antioche, & being deteyned a while by the charity of the holy Confessour Paulinus, in the hart of winter, (her owne hart being most hot with a liuely faith) the noble creature who auntiently vsed to be carryed by Eunuches hands, did put her selfe now to trauaile, vpon an asse. I omit to [Page 71] speake of Caeles, the way to Syria and Phenices (for I meane not to writ her Iournall) but will only name those places, wher­of mention is made in holy Scripture. And leauing Berytus, the Colony of Rome, as also the auntient Citty of Sidon▪ she went into the little tower of Elias vpon the shoare of Sarepta; wherin hauing adored our Lord our Sauiour, she came to Coph, which now is called Ptolemais, by those sandes of [...]yrus, where Paul prayed vpon his knees. And passing by the fields of Mageddo, which were priuy to the death of Iosias, she entred into the land of Philistim, & wondred at the ruines of Doe, which was once a most powerfull Citty, and on the contrary side she saw the to­wer of Strato, which was called Cesarea by Herod, King of Iury, in honour of Augustus Cesar, wherein she beheld the houses of Cornelius, which grew to be a Church of Christ; and the little houses of Phillip, and foure chambers of the prophetising vir­gins; and then Antipatris, a towne halfe ouerthrouen, which Herod had called by the name of his father, and Lidda, changed into Diospolis, made famous by the resurrection of Dorcas to life, & of Aeneas to health. Not farre from thence was Arimathea [...] the little towne of Ioseph, who buryed our Lord, and Nobe which aūtiently was the Citty of Priests, now a sepulture of the dead, and Ioppe also the hauen of Ionas, when he fled, and (to the end that I may giue some little touch of the inuention of Po [...]ts) which was the spectatrix of Andromade when she was tyed to the rocke. And then renewing her Iourney, she went on to Ni­copolis, which formerly had bene called Emaus, where our Lord being knowen in the breaking of bread; did consecrat the house of Cleophas a Church.

Departing from thence, she ascended both into the vper and lower Bethoron, which were Citties built by Salomon; but were afterward destroyed, through the tempest which was drawen vpon them, by seuerall warres; beholding vpon her right hand, both Haialon, and Gabaon where Iesus the sonne of Naue, fighting against fiue Kinges, commanded both the sunne and moone; and condemned the Gabaonites to be water carryers, and wood-cutters, for their trechery, and falshood in breaking the league, which themselues had obtayned. In Gabaon (which had bene a Citty, but was then destroyed euē [Page 72] to the very ground) she paused a while; remembring the sinne it committed, and the concubine cut in peices, and the three hundred men of the tribe of Beniamin, who were reserued for Paul the Apostles sake.

Why make I any longer stay? Hauing left the tombe of Helena, on the left hand (who being the Queen of the Adeabe­nians, had relieued the people with corne in a time of famine, she entred into Hierusalem that citty of a treble name; Iebus, Sa­lem, and Hierusalem, which afterward out of the ruines, and a­shes of the Citty, was raised by Helius Adrianus, and called Helia. And when the Proconsul of Palestine (who excellētly well knew her Family) had sent her Officers before, and comman­ded the Pallace to be prepared, she rather chose an humble Cell; and went round about to all those places with so great ardour, and affection of mind, that vnles she had hastened to haue seene the rest, she would neuer haue beene drawne from the former. And lying prostrate before the Crosse, she adored our Lord, as if she had seene him hanging on it. Being entred into the Sepulcher, she kissed the stone of the Resurrection, which the Angell had remoued from the doore thereof. And that very place, where our Lord had lyen, shee licked with a faythfull mouth, as any thirsty creature would do, the most desired waters. What teares, what groanes, what griefe she there powred forth, all Hierusalem is a witnes; and indeed our Lord himselfe is the best witnes▪ to whome she prayed. Going out from thence, she went vp to Syon, which now is turned into a watch-tower, or lanterne. This Citty, Dauid did anci­ently, both destroy, and build againe. Of this, when it was destroyed, it is written thus; VVoe be to thee, O Citty Ariel, that is, thou Lyon of God, and once of excessiue strength, which Dauid tooke. And of that Citty being reedifyed, it is sayd; Her foundations are in the holy hills▪ our Lord loueth the gates of Sion, aboue all the Taber­nacles of Iacob: not those gates which now we see dissolued in­to dust, and ashes; but the gates, against which hell cannot preuaile, and by which the multitude of belieuers go into Christ. There was shewed to her, a pillar of the Church houlding vp the porch, which was spotted by the blood of our Lord, to which he was sayd to haue beene bound, and whipt, and that place [Page 73] also shewed where the holy Ghost descended vpon the soules of more then a hundred and twenty belieuers, that the prophecy of Iod might be fullfilled.

After this hauing disposed of her little meanes to the poore who by that tyme were growne to be her fellow-seruants, she went on towards Bethlem, & stayed on the right hand of her way, at the sepulcher of Rachel, wherin the mother of Beniamin brought him forth, not Benoni as she called him whe [...] she was dying, that is, the Sonne of my griefe, but as the Father p [...]ophe­cyed of him in spirit, which is, the sonne of my right hand. And from thence going to Bethleem, and entring into that hollow place of our Sauiour, as soone as she saw the sacred lodging of the Blessed Virgin, & that stable wherin the Oxe knew his owner, and the Asse the manger of his Lord (that it might be fullfilled which was written by the same Prophet; Blessed is he who soweth vpon the water, where the Oxe and Asse do tread) She swore in my hea­ring, that she saw with the eyes of Fayth▪ the child wrapped in his cloutes, and our Lord crying in the manger, the Magi ado­ring, the Starre shining from aboue, the Virgin Mother, the diligent Foster-father, the Pastours comming by night; that they might see the VVord which was made (and so dedicated euen then▪ the beginning of Iohn the Euangelist; In the beginning was the word, and the word was made flesh,) Herod raging, the young Infants slaine, Ioseph & Mary flying into Egypt▪ And then with teares mixed with ioy she sayd; All haile, O Bethleem, the house of bread, wherein that bread was borne, which descended from heauen; All haile, O Ephrata, thou most abundant, & fruitfull Region, whose fertility▪ God is. Of thee Micheas prophecyed of old. And thou Beth­lem the house of Ephrata, art not the least amongst those thousand of Iu­da; out of thee shall he come forth to me, who is [...]he Prince in Israell; & his going forth is from the beginning, from the dayes of eternity. There­fore shalt thou giue them▪ till the tyme of bringing them forth arriue. She shall bring them forth, and the relik [...]s of her brethren▪ shall be con­uerted to the sonnes of Israel. For of thee is borne a Prince, who was be­gotten before Lucifer, and whose birth on the Fathers side, doth exceed all ages. And so long did the beginning of Dauids stocke remaine in thee, till a Virgin did bring forth, and till the relickes of the people belieuing in Christ, were conuerted to the sonnes of Israell, and did freely preach in [Page 74] this manner. To you first it was fit to preach the word of God▪ but be­cause you haue reiected it, and iudged your selues vnworthy of eternall life, behold we are conuerted to [...]he Gentils. For God had sayd, I came not but to the lost sheep of the house of Israell. And at that tyme, the words of Iacob were fullfilled: A prince shall not be wanting out of the house of Iuda, nor a Captaine out of his loynes, till he come, for whome it is layd vp; and he shall be the expectation of the Gentiles. Dauid swore truly, and made his vowes well, saying: If I enter into the tabernacle of my house, if I ascend into the bed of my couch, if I graunt sleep to myne eyes▪ and slumbring to myne eye-lids▪ till I find a place for our Lord, and a tabernacle for the God of Iacob. And instantly he decla­red what he desired, and with his propheticall eyes discerned that he was to come, whome now we see to be come already: Behold we haue heard him in Ephrata, we found him in the fieldes of the wood. For Vau the Hebrew word (as I haue learned by your teaching) doth not signify Mary the mother of our Lord, that is [...], but him, that is [...]. Whereupon she confidently sayd; VVe will go into his Tabernacles; we will adore in the place where his feet haue stood. And, I miserable and sinnefull creature, am I held worthy to kisse the manger wherein my Lord▪ being an infant cryed; to pray in that stable, where the Virgin Mother was deliuered of our Lord, being made a child? This is my rest, because it is in the country of my Lord; here will I dwell because my Sau [...]our made choice thereof. I haue prepared a lampe for my Christ, my soule shall liue to him▪ and my seed shall serue him.

Not farre from thence, she went to the tower Ader, that is to say, Of the flocke, neere which Iacob fed his flockes, and the shepheardes, who watched by night, deserued to heare; Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, to men of a good will. And whi­lest they kept their sheep, they found the Lambe of God, with that cleane & most pure fleece, which when the whole earth was dry, was filled with celestiall dew, and whose blood tooke away the sinnes of the world, and droue away that exte­minatour of Egypt, being sprinkled vpon the posts of the house. And then presently with a swift pace she began to go forward, by that old way which leades to Gaza, to the power of the ri­ches of God; and silently to reuolue within her selfe, how the Ethiopian Eunuch (prefiguring the Gentiles) did change his skinne, and whilest he was reflecting vpon his old way found [Page 75] the fountaine of the Ghospel. From thence she pasled towards the right hād. From Bethsur she came to Escoll, which signifyes a Bunch of grapes, and from whence (in testimony of the ex­treme fertility of that soile, & as a type of him who sayd: I haue trod the wine presse alone, & not one of the Gentils was with me) those discouerers, or spyes carryed home a bunch of Grapes of a wō ­derfull bignes. Not farre from thence, she entered into the little houses of Sarah, and viewed the antiquities of the infancy of Isaac, and the relikes of Abrahams Oake, vnder which he saw the day of Christ, and reioyced. Rising vp from thence, sh [...] ascen­ded vp to Chebron, which is Cariath Arbe, that is to say, the towne of the foure men, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and the great A­dam, whome according to the booke of Iesus Naue, the Iewes conceiue to be buryed there, although many thinke that the fourth man was Caleb, whose memory they continue by shew­ing there a part of his side. Hauing viewed these places, she would not proceed to Chariath Cephor, that is to say, the little towne of letters, because contemning the killing letter, she had found the quickning spirit. And she wondered more at those superiour and inferiour waters, which Othoniel the sonne of Iephone Kenaz, had gotten, insteed of that Southerne Land, & dry possession; and by Aquiducts had moistened those fieldes of the old testament, that he might find the redemption of old sinnes, in the water of Baptisme. The next day, the Sunne being risen, she stood vpon the brow of Chaphar Barucha, that is, the Towne of benediction, to which place Abraham followed our Lord, looking downe from thence vpon a large desert, & that Land, which of old was belonging to Sodomah, and Gomorrah, Adamah, and Seboin [...]. She then contemplated those Vines of Bal­samum in Engaddi, and the Calfe of Segor; and Zoara, which in the Syrian language signifyes, The little one. She remembred the little hollow caue of Lot; and being all bathed in tears, she ad­monished the Virgins who accompanyed her, to take heed of Wine, wherein Luxury is; and whose fruites are the Moabites, & Ammonites.

I make too long stay in the South, where the spouse found out her fellow-spouse, as he was layd; and where Ioseph was inebriated with his brethren. But I will now returne to Hie­rusalem▪ [Page 76] and betweene Thecua and Amos, I will behold the b [...]ightly shining light of Mount Oliuet, from whence our Sa­uiour ascended vp to his Father; and vpon which moun­taine, a red Cow was yearely burnt by way of Holocaust to our Lord; the ashes whereof did expiat the people of Israel: wherupon also the Cherubin passing away from the Temple; ac­cording to Ezechiel, there was founded a Church to our Lord. After this, going into the Sepulcher of Lazarus, she saw the house of Mary, and Martha, and Bethphage, the towne of sacer­dotall iawes; and that place, where the wanton asses coult of the Gentiles accepted the bridle of God; and being ouerspred with the Apostles garments, gaue an easy seat to the rider. Then did she descend by a straight way towards Iericho reuoluing in her mind, that wounded man of the Ghospell; and withall, the cle­mency of the Samaritan, which signifyes a Guardian, who layd the man being halfe dead, vpon his beast, and brought him to the stable of the Church, whilest the Priests and Leuites, with vnmercifull harts passed by. She also saw the place called Adonim, which is by interpretation, of blood; because much blood was wont to be shed there, by the frequent incursion of murdering theeues. She saw the Sicomore tree of Zach [...]us; that is to say the good workes of penance, whereby he trod vnder foot his former sinnes, which were full of extortion and cruelty; & beheld that high Lord of ours, from the height of vertue. And neer that way, she saw those places of the blind men, where receiuing their fight, they prefigured the mysteries of both those people, which were to beliue in our Lord.

Being entred into Iericho, she saw that Citty, which Hiell founded in Abiram, for his eldest sonne; and whose gates were placed in Segub, for his youngest. She beheld the tents of Gal­gala, and the whole heape of foreskinnes and the mystery of the Circumcision, and the twelue stones which being transferred thither out of the bottome or bed of Iordan, did strengthen the twelue fomdations of the Apostles; and that fountayne of the lawe, which auntiently was most bitter and barren of waters, but now the true Elizeus had seasoned it with his wisedome, and indued it both with suauity, and plenty. The night was scarce passed when she came with extreme feruour of deuotion [Page 77] to Iordan. She stood vpon the bancke of the riuer; and as soon as the Sunne was vp, she remembred the Sunne of Iustice; and how the Priests had formerly set their dry feet in the middest of the riuer, when the streame made a fayre way, by the stay­ing of the water halfe or the one side, and halfe on the other, vpon the commandement of Elias and Elizeus; and how our Lord, by his baptisme clensed those waters, which had bene infected in the tyme of the flood, by the death of all mankind. It will be a long businesse, if I shall take vpon me to speake of the valley of Achor, that is to say, Of troubles and tumult, wherin couetousnes and th [...]ft were cond [...]mned; and of Bethel, the house of God, wherin the poore & naked Iacob slept vpon the bare ground, and (laying that stone vnder his head, which in Zachary is described to haue seuen eyes, and in Esay is called the corner stone) saw a ladder reaching vp to heauen, toward which our Lord inclined from aboue, reaching forth his hand to such as were labouring to get vp; and precipitating from on high, such as were negligent. She also exhibited veneration, to the Sepulchres of Iesu the sonne of Naue vpon mount Ephraim, and of Eleazarus the sonne of Aaron, which was there hard by, whe­reof the one was built by Tannathsare on the northside of the Mount Goas, the other in Gabaah belonging to Phinees his sonne: she much wondered, that he who had the distribution of those possessions in his hands, had chosen the mountaynous & bar­reyne parts for himself. What shall I say of Silo whereof the altar was pulled downe, and is shewed to this day, where the tribe of Beniamin did forerunne the rapt of the Sabines, which was made by Romulus She passed by Scihem which now is called Neapolis (for it is not Sichar, as some erroneously affirme) and she entred into that Church, which is built neet the well of Ia­cob, vpon the side of the mountaine of Garizim, & vpon which well our Lord sitting downe, and being hungry, and thirsty, was satisfyed with the faith of the Samaritan woman; who leauing both her fiue husbands vnder the law of Moyses, and the fixt whome then she auowed her selfe to haue, & giuing ouer that errour, to which Dositheus was subiect, found the true Mes­ [...], and the true Sauiour. And turning aside from thence, she sawe the tombes of the twelue Patriarchs, and Sebastes that is [Page 78] Sameria, which in honour of Augustus was called Augusta in the Graecian language. There are the Prophets Helizeus, and Abdias, Iohn the Baptist, then whom there was none greater among the sonnes of men. There did she euen tremble, and was astonished with many wōderful things. For she found the diuels roare through feuerall torments; and that, before the Sepulchres of the Saints, men howled after the manner of wolues, and barked like dogs, and foamed like Lyons, hissed like serpents, and roared like Buls: Others did shake, and wheeled their heades about, & bent their crownes behind their backes to the ground; and woemen would be hanging vp by their feet, with their cloa­thes flying downe about their faces. She had pitty on them, and powred forth her teares, she begged mercy at the hands of Christ, for them all.

Now though she were but weake, yet she went vp the hill on foot; in two concauities whereof. Abdias the Prophet fed a hundred Prophets, with bread aud water, in a time of famine and persecution. From thence, she went with a speedy pace to Nazareth, that nursery of our Lord, and to Canaan & Caphernaum, where his Miracles were so familiarly wrought. And she saw the lake of Tyberiadis, which was sanctifyed by our Lordr sayling on it, & the wildernes wherein many thou­sands of people were satisfyed with bread; & where the twelue baskets of the twelue tribes of Israell were filled with the reli­qu [...] [...] them who were fed. She climed vp to Mount Thabor wherein our Lord was transfigured. She saw a farre off, the hils of Hermon and Hermonym, and those large wild fields of Ga­lilee; wherein Sisara and all his Army, was ouercome vnder the conduct of Barach; the torrēt of Cison which deuided that plaine by the middle; and the towne neer Naim, where the widowes sonne reuiued, was shewed to her.

The day wil sooner faile me then discourse, if I shal speake of all those places, which the venerable Paula visited with an incredible faith. I will passe on to Egypt, & I will stay a while in Soceth, and at the fountayne of S [...]mpson. which he produced out of a great iaw tooth; and I will wash my dry mouth, and being so refreshed, will looke vpon Morastis, which an̄tiently was the Sepulchre of the Prophet Micheas, & is [...]ow a Church. [Page 79] And I will leaue, on the one side, the Chorreans, the G [...]heans. Maresa, Idumea, and Lachis; and by those deepe sands which euen draw the feet of trauailers from vnder them, and by that huge vastity of the desert, I wil come to S [...]or that riuer of Egypt which by interpretation is, Troubled; and I will passe by the fiue Citties of Egypt, which speake the Cananean tongue, and the land of Gesse, & the fieldes of Tanais, wherin God wrought wonderfull things; and the Citty of No, with grew afterward to be Alexandria; and N [...]tria, that towne of our Lord, where the filthines of many is daily washed away with the most pure Niter of vertue. Which when she saw, the holy and venera­ble B [...]shop and Confessour Isidorus coming to meet her, toge­ther with innumerable troupes of Monckes (amongst whome there were many, who were sublimed so farre, as to be Leui­tes and Preists) she reioyced indeed at the glory of our Lord, but confessed her self to be vnworthy of so great honour. How shall [...]be able to relate, of those Machario's, Arsenio's, Serapions, and the rest of the names of those pillars of Christ. Into whose cell did she notēter? Before whose feet did she not fal? In euery one of the Saints she cōceiued her selfe to see Christour Lord: & whatsoeuer she gaue thē she reioyced in that she gaue it to our Lord. She expressed a strange ardour of minde, & a cou­rage which was scarce credible to be in a womā. Being forget­full of her sex. and of her corporall indispositions, she [...]d that she might dwell with her virgins, among so many thou­sands of Moncks. And perhaps she had obtayned it, through the great respect [...] which they carryed to her, vnlesse a more earnest desire to reuiew the holy places had drawen her backe And by reason of those most excessiue heats she put her selfe to Sea, from Pellusium, to Maioma; and retourned with so great speed, that she might be thought to fly Soon after resoluing to remayne for euer in the holy Bethlem. she entertayned herselfe for three yeares in that straight lodging, till she had built Cels, and Monasteries, and diuers habitations for pilgrimes, neer that way, where Mary and Ioseph could find no place of en­tertainment. And this shall suffice for the description of her Iourney, which she performed with many virgins one of thē being her daughter.

[Page 80]But now let her vertue, which is properly her owne, be described more at large: in the declararation whereof, I pro­fesse before God, who is both my witnes, and my iudge, that I will adde nothing to the truth; nor amplify, after the man­ner of men who praise others; but rather say lesse, then I might, least els I may seem to speake incredible things; and be concei­ued to deliuer vntruthes, and to adorne Esopes crow with co­lours belonging to other birds, in the conceit of my detracters, who are euer gnawing vpon me with a sharp tooth. She aba­sed her selfe with so great humility (which is the chief vertue of Christians) that whosoeuer had not seen her before, and had desired to see her then, for the fame of her person, would ne­uer haue belieued that she was her selfe▪ but the very poorest of her maydes. And when she was hemmed in with quiers of virgins▪ she would be the meanest of them all, both in cloa­thing, and speech, and behauiour, & rancke. From the death of her husband to the time of her owne death, she did neuer eat with any man, how holy soeuer he were; no not although he were placed in Episcopall dignity. She went not to any bathes, in but cases of danger of her life. Euen when she was opprest with the most sharp feauers she lay vpō no soft beds; but she rested vpon the hard ground being only ouerspred with certeyn little poore cloathes of haire, if that indeed may be ac­cou [...] rest, which coupled the dayes and nights, with almost continuall praiers▪ ful filling that of the Psalme; I will wash my bed euery night, and I will water my couch with teares. And euen in that time of rest, you would take her eyes to be as some sluces of water; and so would she lament her least sinnes, as that you would esteeme her thereby to be guilty of most grieuous cri­mes. And when we would be often warning her, that she should take care of her eyes, and preserue them for the reading of holy scripture▪ she would vse to say, That face is to be made vgly, which against [...]he precept of God I haue so often daubed; That body is to be afflicted, which hath been treated with so much delicacy. A long laughter is to be recompenced with a constant lamentation. Soft li­men, and pretious stuffes of silke must be changed into ragged haire cloathes. I who haue pleased a husband and a world, desire now to please Christ.

[Page 81]If, in the company of her so many and so great vertues, I shall praise chastity in her, I may well seem superfluous. For in this vertue, euen when she was a secular womā, she was the example of al the Matrons in Rome. Where she behaued her selfe so, as that the report euen of wicked tongues, did neuer pre­sume to deuise any thing against her. There was nothing more pittifull then her minde, nothing more benigne towardes meane people. She courted not such as were mighty, neither yet did she fastidiously despise such as were proud▪ & affected the vanity of glory. If she saw a poore body, she re [...]ieued him; if a rich man, she exhorted him to vse charity. Only in libera­lity, she exceeded measure; and whilest she was paying inte­rest, she would often borrow of one to discharge another, that so she might still haue some meanes, not to deny an almes to him who asked it. I confesse my errour: When I found her too open handed, I reprehended her with that saying of the Apo­stle, Let not others be so comforted, ac that your selues be aflicted ther­by; but doe it with d [...]scretion and weighing of circumstances; that your abundance may be the relief of others wantes & their abundāce of yours. And that of our Sauiour in the Ghospell, Let him who hath two coates, giue one to him who hath none; and I would tell her that we must procure, not to do that willingly, which we may not al­wayes do; and many thinges of this kind. Which she with an admirable modesty, and most sparing speech, would yet dis­charge, calling God to witnesse, that she did all things for his sake, and that she had this earnest desire, that she might dy [...] begging; and that she might not haue one penny to leaue her daughter; and that at her death, she might be shrowded in the sheet of anothers gift. For conclusion, she said, If I shal aske almes, I may find many who will giue it me, but if this begger haue not that of me, which I may affoard him, euen out of ano­thers store, and so shall chance to dy for want thereof, at whose hands shall his life be required? For my part I desired her to be more cautious in the distribution of her temporall estat; but she being more ardent in her faith, flew close to her Sauiour, with her whole hart, & being poore in spirit, did follow her poore Lord; repaying him what she had receiued, since he had bene made poore for her. In fine, she obtayned what she desired▪ [Page 82] & left her daughter in great debt, which hitherto she is owing▪ and confides not in her owne strength, but in the mercy of Christ, that she shall be able to pay it.

It is vsuall with many of our Matrons, to bestow their gifts at the sound of the trumpet, and carrying a profuse hand towardes some few, to withdraw their bounty from the rest; from which vice she was wholy free. For so did she deuid her Charity among them all, as was necessary for euery one, not towardes excesse, but for necessity. No poore man could goe empty from her, which yet she was not able to compasse by the greatnes of her estate, but by her prudence in dispensing; and this she would euer be repeating, Blessed be the mercifull; for they shall obtaine mercy. And; As water quenches fire, so doth almes extinguish sinne. And againe; Make your selues friendes of the vniust Mammon, that they may receaue you into eternall Fabernacles. And: Giue almes, and behold all thinges are cleane to you. And the wor­des of Daniel admonishing Nabuchodonozor the King, that he was to redeeme his sinnes with almes. She would not cast away her money vpon these stones, which are to passe away with this world, but vpon those liuing stones which rowle vp & down the earth; and wherof, in the Ap [...]calips of Iohn, the Citty of the great King is built; and which, as the Scripture sayth, must be conuerted into Saphires and Emmerolds, and Iaspers, and other gemmes.

But these thinges may be common to many: and the Di­uell knowes, that the top of vertue is not placed in this Where­upon he sayd to our Lord (after Iob had lost his substance, after his house was ouerthrowne, after his children were slaine.) A man would giue a skin for a shinne; and whatsoeuer he hath, for the s [...]uing of his life; but stretch forth thy hand, and touch his flesh and bones, and see if he will not curse thee to thy face. We know that ve­ry many haue giuen almes, who gaue nothing of their owne body; who haue stretched forth th [...]ir handes to the poore, but yet haue beene ouercome by the pleasures of the flesh; to haue painted the outside, whilest that within hath beene all full of dead bones. But Paula▪ was no such person but was of so great abstinence, that almost she exceeded measure, and contra­cted weakenes of body, by excessiue fasting & labour. For ex­cept [Page 83] vpon holy dayes, she did scarce vse oyle in her meat; that by this one instance, it may be knowne what iudgment she made of wine, of sewet, or larde, and fish, & hony, and egges, and other things which are delightfull to the taste. For the ve­ry eating whereof, some take themselues to be extremely ab­stinent; and if they stuffe their belly with these thinges, they thinke their honesty is in safety.

But enuy euer followes vertue; and lightning strikes the highest hils. Neither is it any wonder, if I say this of men, since euē our Lord was crucified, through the zeale of the Pharis [...]es; and since all Saints haue had Emulators, and since there was a serpent euen in Paradice, by whose enuy, death entred into the world. Our Lord had raised vp Adad the Idumean, who might giue her now and then a knocke, least she should extoll her selfe; and he admonished her often, and as it were with a kind of goad of the flesh, least the greatnes of her vertue might snatch her vp too high, and considering the vices of other woe­men, she might thinke her selfe to be placed out of all reach. I would be saying to her, that she must yeild to that bitter enuy and giue place to madnes, which Iacob had done in the case of his brother Esaw; and Dauid, in that of Saull who was the most implacable of all enemyes; whereof the one flede into Mesopo­tamia, the other deliuered himselfe vp to strange people; choo­sing rather to be subiect to enemyes, then to enuyous persons. But she would be answering me thus. You might iustly say these thinges, if the diuell fought not euery where against the seruants and handmayds of God; & if he got not the start of them, in being the first at all those places whithersoeuer Chri­stians went to fly. Though I were not deteyned here, by the loue of these holy places, and if I were able to find my Bethlē in any other part of the world but this, yet whh should not I ouercome the bitternes of enuy with patience? Why should I not breake the necke of pride by humility? and to him who strikes one of my cheekes, offer him the other? Paul the Apostle, saying; Ouercome you euill with good. Did not the Apostles glory, when they suffered contumely for our Lord? Did not our Sauiour humble himselfe, taking the forme of a seruant & being made obedient to his father, euen to the death, and that the death of [Page 84] the crosse, that he might saue vs by his Passion? If Iob had not fought and ouercome in the battell, he had not receiued the crowne of iustice, nor heard this word of our Lord, Doest thou thinke I had any other mind in prouing thee, then that thou mightest ap­peare iust? They are said to be blessed in the Ghospell, who suffer persecution for iustice▪ Let our conscience be secure, that we suffer not for our [...]innes; & then our afliction in this wor [...] doth but serue vs for matter of reward.

If at any time any enemy of hers had bene malepert, and had proceeded so farre, as to offer her any iniury of words, she would resort to that of the Psalme, VVhen the sinner set himselfe before me, I held my peace, and was silent euen from good thinges. And againe; I was like to a deafe person who heard not; and like one who being dumbe did not open his mouth; and I became as a man, who doth not heare, and hath not in his mouth, any word of reproofe.

In temptations she would frequent those wordes of Deu­tronomy, Your Lord God tempteth you, that he may know whether you loue the Lord your God with your whole hart, & with your whole soule. In aflictions and troubles she would repeat the words of Esay. You who are weaned from milke; and taken from the tet, must expect tribulation vpon tribulation▪ and hope vpon hope. Yet expect a little, for the malice of lips, and for the wicked tongue. And she would bring this testimony of scripture for her comfort, because it be­longs to such as are weaned, and come to an estat of strength, to endure tribulation vpon tribulation, that they may deserue to haue hope vpon hope. As knowing that tribulation works pati­ence, patience probation, probation hope, and hope makes not ashamed; and that i [...] the outward man grow into decay, yet the inward man may be renewed And that this light and momentary tribulation of yours at the present, may worke an eternall waight of glory in you, who care not for the visible but for inuisible thinges; for those thinges which are visi­ble are tēporall, but those which are inuisible are eternall. And that the time wil not be long (though out impatience may thinke it so) but quickle they shall see the help of God, saying to them. I haue heard you in a fit tyme and I haue succoured you in the day of sal­uation▪ and that crafty lips and wicked tongues were not to be feared, but that we must reioyce in our Lord and helper; and that we must heare him admonishing vs thus by his Prophet: [Page 85] Feare not the slaunders of men, & be not troubled at their blasphemies; for the worme shall consume them▪ as it would do [...] a garment, and the [...]oath shall deuoure them, as if they were wooll. And by your patience you shall possesse your soules; And The sufferinges of this life, are not worthy of that future glory which shall be reuealed in vs. And in an other place; VVe must suffer tribulation vpon tribulation, that we may proceed with patience, in all thos [...] thinges which happen to vs. For the patient man is full of wisedome; but he who is pufill animous, is ex­tremely a foole withall.

In her frequent infitmities, and sickenesses, she would say: VVhen I am weake▪ then am I strongest, and we keep a treasure in bric­kle vessells, till this mortality of ours put on immortality, and this cor­ruption be apparelled with incorruption. And againe: As the suffe­ringes of Christ haue superabounded in vs▪ so also hath consolation aboū ­ded in vs, through Christ. And then againe: As you are companions in suffering, so shall you also be in receauing comfort.

In her sorrowes she would say thus: VVhy, O my soule, [...] thou sad▪ and why art thou troubled within me? Put thy trust in God, for still I will confesse to him, who is the health of my countenanc [...], and my God. In her dangers she would say: He that will come after me, must deny himselfe▪ and take vp his Crosse and follow me. And a­gaine: He that will saue his life shall loose it; and he that for my [...]ake, will be content to loose his life, shall saue it. When she suffered losses in her fortunes, and when the ouerthrow of all her patrimony was declared to her, she sayd: But what doth it profit a man, if he gaine the whole world▪ and hurt his owne soule withal? VVhat exchāge shall a man giue for his soule? And; Naked I came out of my Mothers wombe, and naked I shall returne; As it pleased our Lord so is it done, blessed be the name of our Lord. And that other: Do not loue the world, nor those things which are in the world, for whatsoeuer is the world is the desire of the flesh the con [...]upiscence of the eyes, and the pride of this life, which is not of the father▪ but of the world; and the world passes with the cōcupiscenc [...] therof. For I know when her friends wrote to her of the dāgerous in [...]irmities of her children, & especially of her To­xotius, whome she did most dearely loue, & when she had effe­ctually fullfilled that saying, I am troubled, & haue not spoken, she broke forth with these wordes: He who loues his sonne, or his daughter more then me, is not worthy of me. And praying to our [Page 86] Lord she sayd: Possesse thou, O Lord, the children of them who are mor­tifyed, and who mortify themselues daily for thy sake.

I know a certaine Whisperer (and this is a most pestilent race of people) who tould her vnder the colour of good will▪ and care of her, that through the excessiue feruour of her ver­tue, she seemed mad to some; and that she were best looke to her head: to whome she answered thus; VVe are made a specta­cle to the world, to Angells, and to men; and we are fooles for Christ, but the folly of God, is wiser then men. Whereupon our Sauiour sayth to his Father: Thou knowest my simplicity. And againe: I am made like a kind of Monster to many, but thou art my strong helper, I am made as a beast before thee, and I am euer with thee. He, whom in the Ghospell euen his neere friendes sought to bind, like a mad Man, and his aduersaries did bitterly taxe him, and say: He hath a Diuell, and is a Samaritan; He casts out Diuels in Belzebub who is the prince of Diuells. But let vs heare how the Apostle ex­horts vs, saying: This is our glory, the testimony of our conscience, because we haue conuersed in the world with sanctity and sincerity, & in the grace of God. And let vs heare our Lord saying to the A­postles: Therefore doth the world hate you, because you are not of the world, for if you were, the world would loue that which is his owne. And to our Lord himselfe she would be turning her wordes, and saying: Thou knowest the hidden thoughtes of the hart. And: All these thinges are come vpon vs, neither yet haue we forgott [...]n thee, nor haue we done wickedly against thy will, nor is our hart turned backe frō thee. And: For thee are we mortifyed all the day long, and we are re­puted as sheep, fit for slaughter. But Our Lord is my helper, and I will not feare what man can do to me. For I haue read, My sonne honour thou our Lord, and thou shalt be comforted, and besides our Lord, thou shalt feare none.

By these and the like testimonies of Scripture (as if it had beene with some armour of God) did she defend her selfe a­gainst all ill opposition; but especially against cruell enuy; & by suffering iniuries, she would mitigate the fury of their en­raged minds. In a word, her patience did appeare in al things euen to the day of her death: and so did the enuy of others, which euer gnawes vpon the harbourer thereof; and whilest it striues to hurt the contrary party it growes mad and most fu­rious [Page 87] vpon himselfe.

I will now speake of the order of her Monastery, & how she conuerted the pouerty of the Saints, into her owne gaine; Shee sowed carnall thinges, that she might reap spirituall. She gaue earthly things, that she might obtaine heauenly; she gaue tem­porall thinges, that she might exchange them for eternall. Be­sides a Monastery of men, which she assigned to be gouerned by men, she gathered many Virgins together out of diuers Pro­uinces; such as were very noble, such as were of midle ranke; and such as were of the meanest condition; and these, she di­uided into three troupes of Monasteries; but yet so, as that be­ing separated in their worke, and in their food, yet in their Psalmes and prayers they were ioyned. As soone as the Alleluia was sung, which was the signe whereby they were called to­gether, it was lawfull for none to forbeare coming. But Paula being either the very first, or at least one of the first, would ex­pect the arriuall of the rest; prouoking them so by her exam­ple to be diligent; and working vpon them, rather by the way of shame, then terrour. In the morning early, at the third houre, at the sixt▪ at the nynth, and at midnight, they sung the Psal­tery in order. Neither was it lawful for any of the Sisters, to be ignorant of the Psalmes, and not to learne somewhat daily of the holy Scriptures. vpon the Sundaies only, they went forth to Church, at the side whereof they dwelt. And euery troupe followed their peculiar Mother, and from thence returning together, they attended to the worke which was appoynted, and made cloathes either for themselues, or others. Such a one as were of the nobler fort, was not permitted to haue any com­panion of her owne family, least being mindefull of former thinges they might refresh the auntient errours of their idle youthe, and renew them by often speech.

They went all in one habit or attire. They vsed no linnē at all, but onely for the wiping of their hands. They were so perfectly seperated from men▪ as that she seuered them euen from Eunuches also, least otherwise occasion might haue bene giuen to ill tongued men, who are apt to carpe at Saints, for their owne greater priuiledge to sinne. If any of them came later to the Quier, or were more slacke in working thē the rest, [Page 88] she would set vpon her seueral wayes. If she were cholericke, by faire language; if she were patient, by reprehension, imitating that of the Apostle, what will you haue me do, shall I come to you with the r [...]d, or in the spirit of [...]enity and meekenes? Excepting food and cloathes, she suffered no one of them to haue any thing, according to S. Paul; Hauing food and cloaths, be contented therewith, least by the custome of hauing more, she should mi­nister occasion to auarice, which is satisfyed with no wealth; and how much the more it hath, so much the more doth it re­quire; and it is not lessened either by plenty, or pouerty Such as were fallen out amongst themselues, she would vnite, by her most milde manner of speech.

As for the vnbridlednes of the younger sort, she would [...]ame their flesh, with frequent and double fasts, choosing ra­ther to let their stomacks ake, then their minds. If she saw some one of them any thing curious or choyse, she would reproue that errour, by a contracted brow, and sad face, saying, That the affected cleanlines of the body and of cloathing, is vnclea­nes to the soule, and that an vndecent or immodest word, was neuer to proceed out of a virgins mouth; for by those signes, a lustfull mind is shewed, and by the outward man, the vices of the inward are declared. Whomsoeuer she obserued to be ta­tling, full of tongue, or forward, and delighted with braw­les, and that being often admonished, she did not mend, she would make her pray in the hindermost rancke and sometimes out of the community of the Sisters; and againe at the doores of the Refectory; and to eat alone: To the end that whome chi­ding could not mend, shame might. She detested theft, like sa­criledge. And whatsoeuer was accounted either little, or no­thing amongst secular people, that did she esteem to be a most grieuous crime in Monasteries▪

What shall I say of her pitty, & diligence about sicke per­sons, whome she cherished with strange obsequiousnes and seruice. And she who liberally affoarded all thinges to sicke folkes, and would also giue them flesh to eat; whensoeuer her selfe wa [...]sicke, she gaue her selfe no such liberties; and in that, seemed vniust, that being so full of pitty to others, she exerci­sed so much seuerity vpon her selfe▪ There was none of the [Page 89] younger sort healthfull and strong, who gaue her selfe to so much abstinence, as Paula did with that broken and aged and weake body of hers. I confesse that in this poynt, she was some­what too peremptory; for she would not spare her selfe, nor hearken to any admonition. I will tell you what I know by experience. In Iuly, when the heates were at the highest, she fell into a burning feauer, and when by the mercy of God she was recouering, after she had bene despaired of; and the Physi­tians were perswading her, that for the getting of some strēgth, she would vse a little wine, which was very small, least con­tinuing to drinke water, she might grow hydropicke; & when I had priuately desired the blessed Pope Epiphanius to aduise, or rather to compell her to drinke wine, she as she was discret, & of a quicke piercing wit, did presently find that she was as it were betrayed; and smiling, declared that that was my doing, which was his saying. To be short, when the blessed Bishop, after hauing vsed much perswasion, was gone forth, & I was asking her, what he had done, she answered, I haue gone so farre as that almost I haue perswaded the old man, that I might drinke no wine. I haue related this particular, not that I allow of those burdens which are vndertaken inconsideratly, & aboue ones strength; for the scripture fayth, Take not a burdem vpon thee; but only to the end that I may proue euen hereby, the ardour of her mind, and the desires of her faithfull soule. And she said, My soule thirst towards thee; and how plentifully doth my flesh also thirst A hard thing it is, to keep the meane in all things. And indeed, according to that sentence of the Philosopher, vertue is in the meane, and excesse is reputed vitious; which we expresse by one short little sentence▪ Take not too much of any thing.

She, who was so peremptory, and strict in the contempt of food; was tender in the occasions of her greif; and was euen defeated by the death of her friends, and especially of her chil­dren For in the death both of her husband, & of her daugters, she was euer in danger of her owne life. And though she would Signe both her mouth, and her brest, and procure to mollify a mothers grief by the impression of the Crosse, yet she was ouer­come by her affection; and those bowels of a mother did euen astonish her tender hart: and though she were a conquerour in [Page 90] her mind; yet she was conquered, by the frailty of her body▪ And once, vpon such an occasion, a sicknesse taking hold of her, did possesse her for so long a time, that it gaue care to vs, & daunger to her. But she reioyced, & said, Miserable creature that I am, who shall free me from the body of this death?

But here the discreet Reader will say, that I writ matter of reproofe, rather then praise. I take Iesus to witnes, whom she serued in deed, and whom I serue in desire, that I fayne nothing on either side; but that I deliuer truthes, as one Chri­stian should do of another; and that I writ no panegyricke, but a story of her, and that those thinges which go for vices in her, would be vertues in an other. I call them vices according to the mind whereof I was, and to the desire of all the sisters, and brothers who loued her, and are looking for her now she is gone. But she hath fulfilled her course, she hath kept the faith▪ & now enioyes the crowne of iustice▪ and followes the lambe wheresoeuer he goes. She is now satisfyed to the full, because she was hungry; & she sings thus with ioy; As we haue heard, so haue we seen it, in the Citty of the Lord of power, in the Citty of our God.

O ble [...]ed change of things! she wept that she might for euer reioyce; she despised these leaking cesternes, that she might find the fountayne which is our Lord. She wore a haircloath, that now she might be apparelled in white roabes, & say, Thou hast torne my sackloath, and hast apparelled me with ioy. She fed vpon ashes like bread, and she mingled her drinke with teares, saying, My teares were bread to me, day and night, that she might feed for e­uer vpon the bread of Angels, & sing, Taste & see how sweet our Lord i [...]. And My hart hath earnestly vttered a good word; I consecrat my workes to the King. And she saw those words of Esay, or rather the words of our Lord by Esay, fulfilled in her selfe, Behold they who serue me▪ shall eat; but you shall be hungry: Behold they who serue me, shall drinke; but you shall be thirsty: Behold they who serue me shall reioyce; but you shall be shamefully aflicted: Behold they who serue me shall exult; but you shal cry out in the sorrow of your harts, & shall howle through the contrition of your spirit.

I was saying that she euer fled from those leaking Cesternes, that she might find the fountayne which is our Lord, & might sing with ioy, As the hart desires the fountaynes of water, so doth [Page 91] mysoule aspire to thee, O my God: when shal I come & appeare before th [...]face of God? I will therfore briefly touch, how she auoyded those durty lakes of the heretikes; and esteemed them to be no better, ther Pagans. A certaine crafty old companion, and who in his owne opinion was a shrewd kind of schollar, begā, without my knowledge, to propound certaine questiōs to her, and say, VVhat sinne hath an Infant committed, that he should be pos­sessed by a Diuell? It what age shall we be when we are to rise from the dead? If in the age when we dye some of vs will need nurses after the resurrection: If otherwise, it will not be a resurrection of the dead, but a transformation of them, into others. Besides, there will either be a diuersity of the Sexes of man and woman, or there will be none. If there be, it will follow that there will be marriage, and carnall knowledge, yea and generation. If there be not, then, taking away the difference of Sex, they will not be the same bodies, which rise againe: for an earthly habitation doth aggrauate and oppresse the vnderstanding, which hath many thinges to thinke of; but they shall be spirituall, and subtill, accor­ding to the Apostle, The body is sowed carnall, and it shall rise spiritual. By all which he desired to proue that reasonable soules, for cer­taine vices & auntient sinnes, were slipped downe into bodies, and according to the diuersity, and demerit of the same sinnes were to be subiect to such, or such a condition; so that either he should enioy health of body, or riches, and nobility of parents, or els should fall into sicke flesh; or [...]ls by coming into poor [...] houses, might pay the punishment of those antient sinnes, & be shut vp in this present life, and in their bodies as in a prison.

Which as soon as she had heard, and related to me, letting me know who the man was, and that a necessity lay vpon me, of resisting this most wicked viper, & destroying the beast, whō the Psalmist mentions saying, Do not deliuer vp to beasts, the soules of such as confesse to the; And Re [...]uke O Lord, these beasts of the reed, who writing iniquity, do speake a ly against our Lord; and exalt their mouths against the most high. I met with the man (& by his owne discourse, whereby he procured to deceiue her, I shut him vp, by asking him this short question. VVhether or no he belieued the future resurrection of the dead. When he had answered that he did, I pursued him thus; Shall the same bodies rise? or shall they be other? When he had said the same; I asked him, whether in [Page 92] the selfe same sexe, or in another? Vpon which question hol­ding his peace (and tossing his head too & fro, like some snake least he should be hurt) because said I, you hold your peace, I will answere my selfe for you, and inferre the consequences. If a woman shall not rise as a woman, nor a man as a man, there will be no resurrection of the dead. For the sex implyes distinct parts, and the parts make vp a whole body; but if there be no sex, and parts; what will become of the resurrection of bodies, which consist not without parts, and sex? And then, if there be no resurrection of bodies, there can be no resurrection of the dead. But as for that also, which you obiect towching marriage, If they shall be the same parts, it must follow that there will be marriage, it is answered by our Sauiour saying, You erre, not knowing the Scripture, not the vertue of God. For in the Resurrection of the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be marryed but shall be like the Angels of God. In that he saith, they shall neither marry nor be marryed, the diuersity of sex is shewed; for no man saith of wood, or stone, that they shall neither marry, nor be marry­ed; which are not capable of marriage; but of them who may marry, & yet for beare to do it by the power & grace of Christ. If you reply and aske, How then shall we be like to Angells, since among the Angells there is no difference of male and female? I will answere you in few words. Our Lord doth not repromise to vs the substance, but the conuersation and felicity of Angells. As Iohn Baptist, euen before he was beheaded, was called an Angell; and all the Saints and Virgins of God, do expresse in themselues, the life of Angells, euen in this world. For when it is sayd: You shall be like to Angels, a resemblance is promised, but the nature is not changed. And answere me besides, how you interprete, that Thomas touched the handes of our Lord, after the Resurrection, and saw his side boared through with a Lance? And▪ That Peter saw our Lord, standing vpon the shoare, and eating part of a broyled fish and a hony combe? Certainly, he who stood, had feet; he who shewed a wounded side, had doubtles a belly, & brest, without which he could not haue sides, which must be contiguous to them both. He who spake, did speake with a tongue a pall [...], and with teeth. For as the quill hath relation to the stringes, so the tongue presses towards the teeth, and [Page 93] makes a vocall sound. He whose handes were felt, must by cō ­sequence, haue armes. Since therefore he was sayd to haue all the parts, he must necessarily haue had the whole body▪ which is framed of the partes, and that no feminine, but masculine, that is, of the sexe wherein he dyed. If now you shall reply, that by the same reason we must eate after the Resurrection; and that our Lord entred in, when the doores were shut, a­gainst the nature of true, and solid bodies: giue eare a while. Do not draw our Fayth into reproach, by speaking of meat af­ter the Resurrection. For our Lord bad them giue meat to the Daughter of the Archi [...]ynagogue, when she was raised again to life. And Lazarus, who had been dead foure dayes, is writ­ten to haue fed with him at the same table, least his Resurrecti­on should be thought to be but a conceit. But if because he en­tred in while the dores were shut, you would therefore striue to proue, that his body was but aeriall and spirituall; by the same reason it must also haue beene but spiritual, before he suf­fered, because he walked then vpon the Sea, which is contrary to the nature of waighty bodyes. And the Apostle Peter, who also walked vpon the waters with a wauering pace, must be belieued to haue had but a spirituall body, whereas the strength & power of God, is shewed more, when any thing is done a­gainst nature. And to the end that you may know, that by the greatnes of wonders, not the change of nature, but the omnipo­tency of God is shewed; he who walked by fayth, began by in fidelity to sinke downe, vnles the hand of our Lord had kept him vp, when he sayd: VVhy dost thou doubt, O thou of little fayth? But I marueile that you will haue so obstinate a mind when our Lord himselfe did say: Bring in thy finger hither▪ and touch my handes; and reach forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not incredulous, but belieue. And els where: See my handes and my feet, for it is I. Feele and see, for a spirit hath no flesh and bones▪ as you see I haue. And when he had sayd so, he shewed them his hands & his feet. I tell you of bones, and flesh, and handes, and feet; & you come talking to me of Globes of the Stoickes, and certaine do­ting fancies of the ayer. But if now you aske me, VVhy an infant who neuer sinned, is possest by a Diuell? or of what age we shall be, wh [...] we rise againe, since we dye of seuerall ages? I shall answere you [Page 94] good cheape with this; The iudgments of God are a great abysse▪ And O the altitude of the riches of the wisedome, and knowledge of God how inscrutable are his iudgments, and how vnsearchable his wayes? For who hath knowne the sense of our Lord, or who hath beene called by him to counselle.

But the diuersity of ages, doth not change the truth of bodies. For since our bodies doe continually change, and either en­crease, or decrease, we shoud, by that reason, be euery one of vs, many men, as we daily vndergo changes; & I was an other being ten yeares old, an other at thirty, an other at fifty, an o­ther now that I haue my whole head ful of hoary haires. Ther­fore according to the traditions of the Churches, and of the Apostle Paul, we must answere thus. That we shall rise in perfe [...]t man, in the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ; in which age the Iewes conceiue Adam was created, and when we read that our Lord and Sauiour rose againe; besides many other proofes, which I brought out of both Testamēts, wherewith to strāgle the hereticke. And from that time Paula did so beginne to de­test the man, and all them, who were of his doctrine, that she proclamed them with a loud voice, to be the enemyes of our Lord Now these thinges I haue mentioned, not that I would briefly confute the heresy, which is to be answered in many volumes, but to the end I might shew the faith of so great a woman, as she was, who chose rather to vndergo the conti­nuall emnities of men, then to prouoke the wrath of God, by entertayning such friendships as were faulty.

I will therefore say as I began, there was nothing more docile then her wit. She was slow to speake, & swift to heare, as being mindefull of this precept, Hearken, O Israel, and hold thy peace. She had the holy Scriptures without booke. And though she loued the historicall part thereof, and said that it was the foundation, and the ground of truth; yet she did much more affect the spirituall meaning of it and by that high sence she se­cured the edificatiō of her soule. In fine she compelled me, that together with her daughter, she might read ouer both the old Testament, and the new, whilest I expounded it. Which I denying at the first for modesties sake, yet at last, in regard of her frequent desires, I was content to teach that, which I had [Page 95] learnt of my selfe; that is to say I learnt it not of presumptiō, which is the worst Master of all others, but of the most illustri­ous men of the Church. If at any time I were at a stand, & did ingenuously confesse myne owne ignorance, she would neuer leaue me in peace, but by a perpetuall kind of demaund, com­pel me to declare, out of many various opinions which seemed the most probable to me.

I will also speake of another particular which in the eye of enuious persons will seem to haue somewhat of the incredi­ble. She had a mind to learne the Hebrew tongue, which I had gotten in some measure with much labour and sweat, from my very youth; and euen yet I do not forsake the study, with a kind of indefatigable meditation thereof, least I should grow to be forsaken by it. And she also hath so obtayned this tongue, as that she can read the psalmes in Hebrew, and pronounce the language, without any accent of the Latin tongue, which we also see euen to this day in her holy daughter Eustochium, who euer so adhered to her mother, and so liued vnder her comād­ments, that she neuer lodged, nor fed, nor went without her, nor had one penny in her power, but did reioyce to see that lit­tle fortune which was left of her Fathers and Mothers patri­mony, to be bestowed by her Mother, vpon poore folkes; and she esteemed the duty she ought her parent, to be her greatest inheritance and riches.

I must not passe ouer in silence with how great ioy she did euē exult, when she heard that her grādchild the young Paula, who was begotten and borne of Leta, and Toxotius▪ yea & con­ceiued with a desire, and promise from them both, of future chastity, did sing forth Allelluia with her stammering tongue, in her cradle, in the middest of other childish toyes; & did breake forth the names of her grandmother, and her aunt, by halfe words. In this alone, she had still a desire concerning her coū ­try, to know that her sonne, her daughter in law, & her grand­child, had renounced the world, and serued Christ our Lord: which in part she hath obtayned; for her grand-child is reserued to weare the vayle of Christ. Her daughter in law, deliuered her selfe ouer to eternall chastity; her sonne in law followes on in faith, almes, and other good workes; and endeauoureth to [Page 96] expresse that at Rome, which she hath accomplished at Ierusalem.

But what do we▪ O my soule? why fearest thou to come so farre as her end? Already the booke is growne big, whilest we feare to come to this last cast; as if whilest we conceale it, & employ our selues vpon her praises, we were able to put off her death. Hitherto we haue sayled with a fore-wind, & our sliding ship hath plowed vp the crisping waues of the Sea at ease. But now my discourse is falling vpon rockes, and I am in such daūger of present ship wracke, as makes me say, Saue vs, Master, for we perish; And againe, Rise vp O Lord, why doest thou sleep. For who can with dry eyes speake of Paula dying? She fel into extreame indispositiō; or rather she found what she sought in leauing vs, and in being more fully ioyned to our Lord. In which sicknesse, the approued dear affection of the daughter Eustochium to her mother, was more confirmed in the eyes of al She would be sitting vpon the beds side, she would hold the fanne, to moue the ayre; she would beare vp her head, apply the pillow, rubbe her feet, cherish her stomacke with her hand, compose her bed, warme water for her, bring the bason, and preuent all the maydes in those seruices; and whatsoeuer any other had done, to hold that she her selfe had lost so much of her own reward. With what kind of prayers, with what kind of [...]tations and groanes, would she be shooting her selfe swiftly vp and downe, between that caue where our Lord had bene layd, & her mother lying in her bed? that she might not be depriued of such an inestimable conuersation, that she might not liue an houre after her; & that the same Bier might deliuer them both vp to one buriall. But O frayle and caduke nature of mortall men! for vnlesse the faith of Christ raised vp to heauen, and that the eternity of the soule were promised, our bodies would be subiect to as meane condition, as beasts, & they of the basest kind. The same death seises vpon the iust, and wicked man; vpon the good and bad; the cleane and the vn­cleane; him who sacrifices, and him who sacrifices not: as the good man, so him who sins; as him who sweares, so him who feares to sweare an oath. Both men & beasts are dissolued into dust▪ and ashes, after the same manner.

Why do I make any further pause, and encrease my sor­row [Page 97] by prolonging it? This most wise of woemen found, that death was at hand▪ and that some part of her body, and of her limmes being already cold, there was onely a little warmth of life, which weakely breathed in her holy brest; & yet neuer­theles, as if she had bene but going to visit her friends. & take her leaue of strangers, [...]he would be whispering out those verses; O Lord, I haue loued the [...] order of thy house, & the place of the habitation of thy glory. And; How belou [...]d are thy taber­nacles, O God of power; my soule hath euen saynted, with an amorous kind of desire of entring into the Court of thy house. An [...] I haue chosen [...]o be an abiect in the house of my God, rather then to dwell in the taber­nacles of si [...]. And when, vpon occasion, I would be asking her why she was silent, and would not answere? & whither she were in any payne or no? she answered me in Greeke, That she had no trouble, but that she saw all things before her, in tranquility & peace. After this, she was silent and shutting her eyes, as one who, by this time, despised mortall thinges, she repeated those verses aforesaid, but yet so, that it was as much as we could do to heare her: and then applying her finger to her mouth, she made the signe of a Crosse, vpon her lippes. Her spirit fainted▪ and panted apace towards death; and her soule euen earnest to breake out, she conuerted the very ratling of her throate▪ wherewith mortall creatures vse to end their life, into the praises of our Lord. There were present▪ the Bishops of Ieru­salem, and of other Citties, and an innumerable multitude of Priests, and Leuites of inferiour rancke. All the Monastery was filled with whole Quiers of virgins▪ and Monks. And as soon as she heard the Spouse calling thus, Rise vp a [...]d come, O th [...] my neighbour, my beautifull creature, and my doue; for behold the winter is spent, and past and the ray [...]e [...] go [...], [...]he answered thu [...] with ioy▪ [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] i [...] our land, the time of pruning [...] land of the li [...]ing▪

From that time forward, there was n [...] lamentation, nor dolefull crye, as is wont to be vpon the death of men of this world; but there [...] who [...] swarmes of people, who ch [...]ed out the Psalme [...] in different tongues. And Paula▪ body, being translated by the hands of Bishops, [...] they bending the [...] necks [Page 98] vnder the Bier, whilest some other Bishops carryed lampes, & tapers before the body▪ and others led on the Quiers of them who sung, she was layd in the midle of her Church of the Na­tiuity of our B. Sauiour. The whole troope of the Citties of Palaestine came in, to her funerall. Which of the most hidden Moncks of the wildernes, was kept in by his Cell? which of the virgins, was then hidden vp by the most secret roome she had? He thought himself to oomi [...] sacriledge, who performed not that last Office, to such a creature. The widowes and the poore▪ after the example of D [...]cas, shewed the cloathes which she had giuen them. The whole multitude of needy people cryed out, that they had lost their mother and their nurse. And which is strange, the palenes of death had not [...]anged her face at all; but a certaine dignity and dece [...] did so possesse her countenance, that you would not haue thought her dead, but sleeping. The Psalmes were sounded forth in order, in the Hebrew, and Greeke, and Latin▪ & in the Syrian tongue; not onely for those three dayes, till her body was interred, vnder the Church▪ and neer the caue of our Lord; but during the whole weeke all they who came in, did the like belieuing best in those funerals which themselues made, and in their owne teares. The venerable virgin, her daughter Eustochium, like an infant weaned from her nurse, could scarce be drawen from her mother. She kissed her eyes▪ and euen adhered to her face, and embraced her whole body, and euen would [...] bene buryed with her mother. I take Iesus to witne [...], that there▪ remayned not one penny to her daughter; but as I said before, she left her deeply in debt; and (which yet is matter of more difficulty) an immense multitude of brothers and sisters, whom it was hard to feed, and impious to put away▪

What is more [...] of a most noble family▪ d [...]d [...] with a h [...]ge [...] ▪ should haue giuen away all she had, with so great faith▪ [...] [...]o be come almost to the very extremity of pouerty▪ [...] others brag of their moneyes, and of alme▪ [...]ast into the poore ma [...] boxe▪ & of the Presents which they [...] [...]ung▪ [...]in [...]pes of gold. No one hath giuen more to the poore▪ then she [...] [...] no­thing to her selfe. Now, [...]he [...] riches, and those good [Page 99] thinges, which neither the [...]ye hath see [...] ▪ nor the care hath heard, nor hath it ascended into th [...] hart of man▪ We lament our owne c [...]e, & we shall seem but to enuy her glory, if we lament her longer, who is raigning. Be you secure, O Bustochium, that you are en­riched with a great inheritance. Our Lord is your part; and to the end that your ioy may be the more complet, your mother is crowned with a long martyrdome. For not only is the effusi­on of blood reputed for such a confession, but the vnspotted ser­uice of a deuout mind, is a daily martyrdome. The former crowne is wreathed, & made of roses, and violets, the later of lillies. Wherupon it is written in the, Canticle of Canticles, My be­loued is whit and red; bestowing the some rewardes vpon such as ouercome, whether it be in peace, or warre. Your mother heard these words with Abraham; Go forth of thy country; & of thy kinred, and come into the land, which I will shew the; and she heard our Lord commanding thus by Ieremy▪ Fly you out of the middle of Babylon and saue your soules. And till the very day of her death, she returned not into Chaldea, nor did she couer the pots of E­gypt, nor that stincking flesh; but being accōpanyed with quier [...] of Virgins, is made a fellow-Citizen of our Sauiour; & ascen­ding vp to those heau [...]ly kingdomes from the litle Bethleem, she saith to that true N [...]mi, Thy People is my people, & thy God my God.

I haue dictated this booke for you, at two sittings vp▪ with the same grief which you selfe susteynes. For as often as I put my selfe to writ, and to performe the worke which I had promised, so often did my fingars growe numme, my hād fayn­ted, my wit fayled, and euen my vnpolished speech, so farre from any elegancy or conceit of words, doth witnes well in what case the writer was▪ Farewel O Paula, & helpe thou by thy prayers, this last part of his ould age, who beares thee a religi­ous reu [...]. Thy faith and work [...]; ha [...] ioyned thee in so­ciety to Christ; and now being present, thou wilt more easily obtayne what thou desirest. I haue finished thy monnment, which no age will be able to destroy. I haue cut thy Elogium vpon thy sepulcher: and I haue placed it at the foot of this vo­lume, that wheresoeuer our worke shal arriue, the Reader may vnderstand, that thou wer [...] praised, and that thou art buryed in Bethleem.

The holy and blessed Paul [...], departed this life vpon the seauenth of the Kalends of February, on the Tuesday after Sun­set. She was buryed on the fifth of the Kalends, of the same moneth, Ho [...]rius Augustus being the sixt time Consull, and fellow Consull with Arist [...]ius. She lined in her holy purpose fiue yeares at Rome, and twenty yeares at Bethleem. She had in all, fifty [...] yeares of age, eight moneths, and one and twenty daies.

S. Hierome to Nepotianus of the life which a Priest ought to lead. VVhereof I haue omitted the former part or rather Preface, which is both very long, and but personal, and not belonging at all to the chiefe matter in hand, which is; what li [...]es Priests a [...] to le [...]d.

HEARKEN, as the Blessed Cyprian aduises, not to such thinges as are eloquently deliuered; but to such as haue strength and truth in them: Hearken to him, who in function is your brother, in age your father, who brings you from the [Page 101] swathing clou [...]es of faith, to a perfect age, and who setting downe rules throughout all the steps of your life, may instruct others also, by your meanes. I well know, that both already you haue learned such thinges as are holy, & that you are dayly learning them, of the Blessed man Heliodorus, your vncle, who is now a Bishop of Christ; and the example of whose vertue, may be the very rule of a mans life. But yet accept of these our endeauours how poore soeuer they may be, & ioyne you this booke to his; that as he instructed you how you might be a Monke, this may teach you how to be a perfect Priest.

A Priest therfore, who serues the Church of Christ, let him first interpret that word; and when he hath defined the same, let him striue to be that very thing, which the word sig­nifyes For if the word [...] in greeke, do signify portion in Latin, then it will follow, that Priests are called so, either because they are of the portion of our Lord, or els because our Lord is the portion or part of Priests. But he who either is the part of our Lord, or who hath our Lord for his p [...]rt, ought to shew himselfe to be such an one, as that he possesses our Lord, & is possessed of our Lord. He who possesses our Lord, & saith with the Prophet, Our Lord is my part, can possesse nothing but our Lord; and if he will haue any thing besides him, our Lord wil not be his part. As for example, if he will haue gold, siluer, or choice of costly houshould stuffe, our Lord with these Partes, will not voutchafe to be his Parte. And if I be the parte of our Lord, and the bounder wherby his inheritance is mea­sured and do not take a Parte amongst the rest of the Tribes, but as a Leuit and Preist, do liue of the Tenthes, and s [...]ruing the Altar do liue vpon the oblations of the Altar, if I may haue food, and cloathing, I will be content therewith, and being naked I will follow the naked Crosse, I beseech you therefore, and repeating my suit to you againe and againe, I will admonish you, that you thinke not the O [...] of Priesthood, to be a kind of warefare, after the old fashion; that is to say that you seeke not the commodities of the world in the warfare of Christ, & that you procure not to be richer, then when you began to be a Priest, & that it be not said of you, Their Priestes haue not [...] of profit to them. For many haue bene richer being Monkes, then [Page 102] when they were secular persons and Priests. There are some who possesse more riches now in the seruice of Christ being poore, then formerly they possessed by their seruice vnder the rich and false diuell: and the Church doth euen groane with their being rich, whom before, the world knew for beggers.

Let your table be frequented by poore people, and Pil­grimes; & let Christ be a guest with them. See you fly as you would do the plague, any Priest who is a negociator of affairs, and who growes rich of poore, and glorious insteed of base. Ill speech corrupts good manners. You contemne gold, an other mā loues it; you tread riches vnder your feet, an other man hunts after it; you cordially loue silence, meekenes, recollection, but another likes prating, and bouldnes, and takes no pleasure but in streates, market-places, fayres, and to be sitting in Apothe­caryes shoppes. In such a difference of manners, what agree­ment can there be?

Let your house either seldome or neuer be troden vpon by woemens feet; and be you either equally ignorant, or doe you equally like, all the maydes and virgins of Christ. Doe not dwell with them vnder the same roofe, and presume not vpon your former chastity. You are not holyer then Dauid, no [...] can you be wiser then Salomon. Be euer remembring, how a woman cast the inhabitant of Paradise out of his possession. When you are sicke, let some deuout brother of yours assist you and some sister, or your mother, or some other woman, who is of vntouched [...]ame, with the world. If you haue not perhapes of your consaguinity, who are withal of piety, the Church en­tertaines many old widowes, who may performe that duty, and receiue some benefit by their seruice; that so your sicknes may also inable you to gather their fruit of almes. I know of some, who haue recouered in body, and begun to fall sicke in mind. She affoardes you a dangerous kind of seruice, vpon whose countenance, you are often looking with attention. If in regard you are a Priest▪ some Virgin or widow must needes be visited by you, yet neuer goe into their house alone. Take such company with you, as may not defame you by their socie­ty. If some [...]ector, or some Acolytus or some other who hath the Office of singing in the Church follow you▪ let them not [Page 103] be adorned with cloathes, but good conditions; no [...] haue they haire curled with irons, but promise vertue by the very appa­rance of their persons. Sit neuer with any woman alone in se­cret, and without some witnes or looker on. If you be to say any thing in familiar manner, the woman hath some aun [...]ent person belonging to the house, or some Virgin, or wi [...]e, or wi­dow, she is not so inhumane, as that she hath none besides you with whome she dares trust her selfe. See you be carefull of giuing no ground to suspicions, and procure to preuent what­soeuer may probably be deuised against you. A holy affection doth no [...] admit the vse of frequent Presents & handkerchi [...]es▪ and scar [...]es, and garments which haue bene kissed, and meat which hath beene [...]sted to your hand, nor [...]he changing of cer­taine deare delightfull letters. These wordes, My light, my h [...] ­ny, my desire, and all those delicacies, and conceits and certaine ciuilities, which deserue to be derided, and the rest of those [...]oyes of louers we blush at euen in Comedies, we detest euen in secular men▪ and therefore how much more are we to doe it in the case of Monkes, & Priests, whose Priesthood is adorned by their Chastity, and their Chas [...]y by their Priesthood. Nei­ther do I say thus much, as fearing these thinges in you, or in holy men, but because there are found good, and bad, in eue­ry course, in euery degree, and sexe, and the condemnation of [...]he wicked serues for the comendation of the good. I am asha­med to speake of these men, who might better be the Priests of Idolls.

I esters, carters, and queanes may inherit landes; only Priestes, and Monkes may not: and this is prohibited, not by persecutours, but by Christian Princes. Nor doe I com­plaine against the law, but I am sorry we haue deserued, that such a law should be made. A caute [...]y is a good remedy, but why should I haue a wound, which must stand in need of such a cure. The caution of the law is not only prouident but seuere; yet couetousnes is not bridled euen thereby. We ouer­reach the lawes by certaine deeds made in trust; and as if the Ordinations of Emperours were of more authority then they of Christ: we feare their lawes, & we contemne his Ghospels. Let there be an heire, but withal let there be the mother of the [Page 104] children; that is to say, the Church of the flocke, which hath br [...]d, nourished, and [...]ed them. Why do we interpose our selues between the mother and the children? It is the glory of a Bishop, to prouid for the comodities of poore people, and it is the ignominy of Priests to attēd to acquire riches. I who was borne in a poore house, or rather in a country cottage, who scarce had meanes to fill my windy stomacke with the basest grayne, and ry [...] bread, can now scarce thinke of the finest flower, & hony, with contentment. I am also come to know the names, and kindes of fishes; yea and vpon what part of the coast, such a shell fish was taken; and in the taste of foule I de­cerne the difference of countryes; & the rarity of those meates. yea and euen the very hurt they do men by dearly buying thē. delights me.

I vnderstand besides, that some Priestes, performe certen base seruices to old men and woemen, who haue no children. They hold the spitting bason, they beseige [...]he bed round a­bout, and they take sometimes, the fleame of the lungs. & the rotten filth of the stomacke, in their very hands. They trem­ble when the Physician comes to make his visit, and their lip [...] shake with feare, when they aske him, if the sicke man be men­ded; & if the old man, chance to be grown better or stronger, themselues are ind [...]ngered by it▪ For taking a face of ioy vpon them, their couetous mind is rackt within; as fearing least they may loose their hope of gayne, but then agayne they will needes compare the liuely old man, to Mathusalem, O how great would their reward be, at the hand of God, if they ex­pected no reward in this life! What sweating doth the getting of such a poore inheritance cost! the pearle of Christ, might be sought at an easyer rate.

Be diligent in reading the holy Scriptures, or rather, let that diuine booke be neuer layd out of your handes. Learn [...] that which you ar [...] to teach. Procure to be able to vse that faythfull speech, which is according to knowledge, that you may be able to exhort men, with sound doctrine, and so con­fute such as contradict you. Stand fast in those thinges which you haue learned, and which are committed to you in trust, a [...] knowing of whome you learned them; and be euer ready to [Page 105] giue satisfaction to all such as demand a reason at your handes, of that fayth and hope which is in you. Let not your ill deeds put your wordes out of countenance; least some body who heares you speake at Church, make this answere to you with­in himselfe; VVhy do you not practise what you say? He is a delicate instructer, who discourses of fasting, when his belly is full. Euen a murdering theefe may be able to cry out against coue­tousnes. Let the mind and the handes of the Priest of Christ keep correspondence with his mouth.

Be subiect to your Bishop, and reuere him as the Father of your soule. It is for a sonne to loue, and for a slaue to feare. If I be thy Father, sayth he, where is myne honour; if I be thy Lord, where is that feare which is due to me? In his person which is but one, there are many seuerall titles to be considered by you: a Monke, a Bishop, an Vncle of your owne, who already hath instructed you, concerning all good thinges. You shall also know, that Bishops must vnderstand themselues to be Priests, and not Lordes; let them honour Priests, as Priests▪ that Priests may deferre all due honour to them, as to Bishops▪ That of the Oratour Domitius is vulgarly knowne; VVhy should I carry my selfe towardes you, as towardes a Prince, when you regard not me as a Senatour? That which Aaron and his sonnes were, in relation to one an other, that must the Bishop, and the Priests be. There is one Lord, and one Temple, and the mystery also must be one. Let vs euer remember what the Apostle Peter enioy­neth Priests; Feed that flocke of our Lord, which is among you, pro­uiding for it according to God, not after a compuls [...]ne, but free and chearefull manner, not for filthy lucres sake, but willingly; nor as ex­ercising dominion ouer the Clergy, but after the forme of a shepheard ouer his flocke, to the end that when the Prince of Pastours shall ap­peare, you may receiue an immarcessible crowne of glory.

It is an extreame ill custome in some Churches, that Priests are silent, and refuse to speake in the presence of Bi­shops, as if Bishops enuyed them so much honour, or would not voutchsafe to heare them. But S. Paul sayth, If a thing be reuealed to any man who sits by, l [...]t the former hold his peace. For you may prophecy by turnes, that all may learne, and all may be comforted, and the spirit of Prophets, is subiect to Pro­phets; [Page 106] for God is not a God of dissention, but of peace. It is a glory to the Father, when he hath a wise sonne, and let a Bi­shop take comfort in his owne iudgement, when he hath cho­sen such Priests, for the seruice of Christ. When you are prea­ching in the Church, let not the people make a noyse, but let them profoundly sigh. Let the teares of yours Auditours, be your prayse. Let the discourse of a Priest, be seasoned by rea­ding holy Scripture. I will not haue you a declamer, nor a iangler, nor to be full of talke without reason; but skillfull in the mysteries, & most excellently instructed in the Sacraments of your God. It is the vse of vnlearned men, to tosse wordes vp and downe, and by a swift kind of speech, in the eares of an vnskillfull Auditory, to hunt after admiration▪ A bold man will interpret many tymes he knowes not what, and in the perswasion which he vses to others, he arrogates the reputati­on of knowledge to himselfe. Gregory Nazianzen myne old Master, being desired by me to expound what that Sabboth, cal­led [...], meant in Luke, he did elegantly allude thus; I will instruct you about this busines when we are at Church; where the whole people applauding me, you shall be forced whether you will or no, to know that, whereof you are ignoran [...] now. There is nothing so easy, as to deceiue a poore base people, and an vnlearned as­sembly, by volubility of speech, which admires whatsoeuer it vnderstands not. Marcus Tullius (of whome this excellent Elogi­um was vsed, Demosthenes depriued you of being the first Oratour, & you him of being the only Oratour) sayth that in his Oration for Quintus Gallus, concerning the fauour of the people, and such as speake absurdly before them, which I would fayne haue you marke, least you should be abused by these errours. I speake of that, whereof my selfe haue lately had experience. A certaine [...], a man of name and learned (who made certaine Dialogues of Poets and Philosophers) when in one and the same place, he bringes in Euripides, and Menander, and Socrates, and Epicurus, discoursing altogether one with another, whom yet we know to haue liued, not only at different tymes, but in different a­ges, what applauses and acclamations did he moue? For in the Theatre, he had many condisciples who performed not their studies together.

[Page 107]Be as carefull to auoid blacke course cloathes as white. Fly from affected ornaments, at as full speed, as you would do from affected vncleanes; for the one of them sauours of delica­cy, the other hath a taste of vaine glory. It is a commendable thing, I say not, to vse no linnen, but not be worth any: for otherwise it is a ridiculous thing, and full of infamy to haue the purse well filled, & then to bragge, that you are not worth so much as a handkerchiue. There are some who giue some little thing to the poore, to the end that they may receiue more, and some man seekes after wealth, vnder the pretence of vsing Charity; which is rather to be accounted a kind of hū ­ting then almes-giuing. So are beasts and birds, and so are fi­shes taken. Some little bayte is layd vpon the hooke, that the money bagge of the Matrons, may be brought forth vpon that hooke.

Let the Bishop, to whome the care of the Church is com­mitted, consider whome he appointes to ouersee the dispensa­tion of goodes, to the poore. For it is better for a man not to haue any thing to giue away, then impudently to begge som­what, for himselfe to hide. Nay it is a kind of arrogancy, for one to seeme more meeke, and mercifull then the Priest of Christ is. We cannot all do all thinges; some one is an eye in the Church, an other is a tongue, an other a hand, an other is a foot, an eare, or a belly▪ and so forth. Read the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, How diuers members serue to constitute on [...] body. But yet let not the rusticke, and simple man, thinke himselfe to be holy, because he knowes nothing; nor if a man be elo­quent and skillfull, must he esteeme that he hath as much san­ctity, as he hath tongue; and of the two defects, it is much bet­ter that he haue a holy rudenes, then a sinfull eloquence.

Many build vp wals, and raise pillars in Churches, the marbles shine, the roofes glister with gold, the Altar is set with pretious stones; and the while, no care is taken, to chose fit Ministers for Christ. Let no man obiect to me, that rich tem­ple of the Iewes, the Table, the Lampes, the Incensories, the Basons, the Cuppes, the Morters, and other thinges▪ made of gold. Then were these thinges approued by our Lord, when the Priest did immolat sacrifices, and when the blood of beasts [Page 108] was the redemption of sinnes. Though all these things did go before in figure, yet they were written for our instruction, vpon wh [...] the ends of the world are come. But now, when our Lord, by be­ing poore, hath dedicated the pouerty of his house, let vs thinke vpon his Crosse, and esteem of riches, as of durt. What mar­ueile is it, that Christ called riches by the name of vniust Mam­mon? Why should we admire and loue that, which Peter doth euen after a kind of glorious manner professe himselfe not to haue? For other wise, if we onely follow the letter, and that yet the apparance of the history, speaking of gold and riches, delight vs; then together with the gold let vs take vp other thinges too; and let the Bishop of Christ, marry virgins, and make them their wiues. If that argumēt, I say, be to hold, then let him who hath any skarre, or other corporall deformity be depriued of his Priesthood, though he haue a vertuous minde, & let the leprosy of the body be accounted a worse thing then the vices of the soule Let vs encrease, and multiply, and fil the earth, and let vs not sacrifice the lambe▪ nor celebrat the mysti­call Pascha, because these thinges are forbidden by the law, to be done any other where, then in the Temple. Let vs fasten the tabernacle in the seauenth moneth, and let vs chant out the solemne fast, with the sound of the cornet. But now if comparing all these to spi­rituall thinges and knowing with Paul; that the law is spirituall; and that the words of Dauid are true, who sings thus; Open thou myne eyes, and I will consider the wonderfull thinges of thy law; we vnderstand them as our Lord also vnderstood them, and as he interpreted the Sabboth; either let vs despise gold with the rest of the superstitions of the Iewes; or else if we shall like gold, let vs also like the Iewes, whom of necessity we must either like, or dislike; together with the gold.

The Feasting of secular persons, and especially of such as swell vp in high place of honour, must be auoyded by you. It is an vgly thing, that before the doores of a Priest of Christ crucifyed, (who was so poore, and had no meat of his owne) the Officers of Cōsuls, & bands of souldiers should stand way­ting; and that the gouernour of the Prouince should dine bet­ter at your house, then at the Court. And if you shall pretend, [...]at you do such thinges as these, to the end that you may ob­tayne [Page 109] fauour for inferiour and miserable people; know that a temporall Iudge will deferre more to a mortifyed Priest, then to a rich one; & will carry more veneratiō to your vertue, thē to your wealth. Or if he be such a one, as that he will not fa­uour Priests speaking for afflicted persons, but whē he is in the middest of his cups, I shall be well content to want the obtay­ning of such a suit; and will pray to Christ in steed of the Iudge, who can helpe me better, and sooner then he. It is better to con­fide in our Lord, then to confide in man. It is better to hope in our Lord, then to hope in Princes. Se that your breath do not so much as smel of wine, least you deserue to heare that saying of the Philoso­pher, This is not to giue me a kisse, but to drinke to me in wine. As for Priests, who are winebibbers, both the Apostle condemnes them, and the old Lawe forbids them, saying, They who serue at the Altar, must drinke no wine, or Sicera; by which word Sicera; in the hebrew tongue, al such drinkes are meant, wherby any man may be inebriated; whether they be made of wheat, or of the ioyce of fruit, or when together with fruit they take hony, and make a sweet and barbarous potion thereof, or els strayne the fruit of palmes till they yeeld liquore; or by the boyling vp of corne, giue a different colour and strength to water. What­soeuer may inebriat, and ouerthrowe the state of the mind, you must auoid, with as much care, as you would do wine. Neither yet do I say this, as condemning the creature of God, since our Lord himselfe was called a drinker of wine; and the taking of a little wine was permitted to the weake stomacke of Timothy; but we require a moderation in the vse thereof, according to the quality of constitutions, and to the proportion of age, and health. But yet, if without wine I burne with youth, and am inflamed by the heat of my blood, and am indued with a young & a strong body, I will gladly spare that cuppe, wher­in there is suspition of poyson. It sounds elegantly in Greeke, but I know not whether it will carry the same grace with vs, A fat full belly, doth not beget a slender and well proportioned mind.

Impose as great a measure of fasting vpon your selfe; as you are able to beare. Let you Fasts be pure, chast, simple, mode­rat, and not superstitious. To what purpose is it, that a man will needes forbeare the vse of Oyle; & then vndergo certaine [Page 110] vexations, and difficulties, how to get and make meat, which he may eat; as dryed figs, pepper, nuts, the fruit of palmes, hony, and pistacho's? The whole husbandry of the kitchin gar­dens is vexed from one end to the other, that forsooth we may be able to absteyne from so much as rye bread; and whilest we hunt after delicacies, we are drawen backe from the king­dome of heauen. I heare besides, that there are certaine persons, who contrary to the nature of men and other creatures, will drinke no water, & eate no bread; but they must haue certaine delicat little drinkes, and shred herbes, and the ioyce of beetes; and that forfooth, they will not drinke in a cup, but needes in the shell of some fish. Fy vpon this shamefull absurdity, and that we blush not at these follies; & are not weary with scorne of these superstitions, besides that we seeke for a fame of absti­nence, euen in the vse of delicacy. The most strong fast of all others, is of bread and water. But because it carryes not such honour with it, because we all liue with the vse of water and bread, it is scarce thought to be a fast, in regard that it is so vsu­all and common. Take heed you hunt not after certaine little estimations of men, least you make purchase of the people praise with the offence of God. If yet (saith the Apostle) I should please men, I should not be the seruant of Christ. He ceased from pleasing men, & became the seruant of Christ. The souldier of Christ marches on, both through good fame and bad, both by the right hand and by the left; & is nether extolled by praise, nor is he beaten downe by dispraise. He doth not swell vp with riches, nor is he extenuated by pouerty; & he contemnes both those thinges, which might gaine him ioy, and those also which may afflict. The sonne burnes him not by day, nor the Moone by night.

I will not haue you pray in the co [...]nes of streetes, least the ayre of a popular fame should diuert you prayers, from the right way to their Iournyes end. I will not haue you inlarge the borders, nor make ostentatiō of the skirtes of you garmēts, and against your conscience to be enuironed by a Pharisaicall kind of ambition. How much better were it, not to carry these things in the exteriour, but at the hart▪ and to obtayne fauour in the sight of God, rather then in the eyes of men? Hereupon [Page 111] hange the Ghospell, hereupon the law and the Prophets, and the holy and Apostolicall doctrine; for it is better to car­ry all these thinges in the mind, then in the body. You who reade this faithfully with me according to a faithfull and right intention, do vnderstand euen that which I conceale; & which I speake so much the louder, euen because I am silent. You must haue an eye to as many rules, as you may be tempted with kindes of glory.

Will you know what kind of ornaments our Lord desires to se in you? Procure to haue Prudence, Iustice, Temperance, and Fortitude. Be you enclosed by these coasts of the sky. Let this charriot of foure horses carry you on with speed, to the end of the race, [...] the charriot driuenes by Christ. There is nothing more pretious then this Iewell, nothing more beau­tifull then the variety of these pretious stones. You shall be beautifyed on euery side; you shall be compassed in, and pro­tected; they will both defend you, and adorne you, & these gemmes will become bucklers to you.

Take you also heed, that you neither haue an itching ton­gue, nor eats; that is to say, that neither your selfe detract from others, nor that you endure to heare detracters. Sitting (saith he) thou spakest against thy brother, and thou laydst scandall before the sonne of thy mother; these thinges didest thou. & I held my peace. Thou didest wickedly think, that I would be like thee: but I will reproue th [...] before thy face. Take care that you haue not a detracting tongue, and be watchfull ouer your wordes; and know that you are iudged by your owne conscience, in all those thinges which you speake of others, and of those things, which you condem­ned in other folkes, your selfe is found guilty. Nor is that a iust excuse, when you say that you do no wrong, when you do but heare the report of others▪ No man reports thinges to an other, who hears them vnwillingly. An arrow enters not into a stone; but starting backe, sometimes it hurts him who shot it. Let the detracter learne, that he is not to detract in your hearing, whome he findes to heare him so vnwillingly. Doe not mingle your selfe, saith Salomon, with detractours, because his destruction shall come suddenly, and who knowes how soone they shall both be ruined, that is to say, he who [...]tracts, and he who [Page 112] giues audience to detracters. It is your duty to visit the sicke, to be well acquainted with the houses of Matrons and their chil­dren, & to keep safe the secret of great persons. It is your duty not onely to haue chast eyes, but a chast tongue also.

You must neuer dispute nor argue of the beauties of woe­men; nor euer let any house vnderstand by you, what hath pas­sed in any other house. Hippocrates adiured his disciple before he taught them, and made them sweare to follow his directions▪ and commanded them religiously to promise silence; and pre­scribed the speech, the gate, the habit, and the conuersation, which they were to vse. How much more must we, to whom the charge of soules is cōmitted; loue the houses of all Christi­ans, as our owne. Let them know vs to b [...] rather comforters of them in their aflictions, then companions and feasters with them in their prosperity. That Priest is ordinarily contem­ned, who being often inuited to dinner, doth not refuse to go. Let vs neuer desire to be inuited, and euen when we are in­uited, let vs go seldome, It is a more blessed thing to giue, them to receiue. And it is strange, but so it is, that euen he who desires you to receiue a curtesy at his handes, thinkes the meanlier of you, when you haue accepted thereof; and doth strangely ho­nour you afterward if you chance to lay aside that request of his.

You who are a preacher of chastity, must not meddle with making of marriages. He who reades the Apostle saying thus, It remayne [...] that they who haue wiues, b [...] so as if they had them not, Why should he compell a virgin to marry? He who is a Priest after hauing bene marryed but once, why should he exhort a widow to marry againe? The stewards and ouerseers of other mens houses, & possessions, how can they be Priests, who are comaunded to contemne their owne fortunes? To take any thing violently from a mans friend, is theft; to deceiue the Church, is sacriledge. To take away that which were to be distributed vpon the poore, and when there are many hungry people, to be reserued or wary, or (which is a most abhomi­nable crime) to take their due from them, doth exceed the cru­elty of any robber by the high way. I am tormented with hū ­ger, and you will be measuring out, how much I may haue an [Page 113] appetite to eat. Either distribut that presently, which you ha [...]e receiued; or els if you be a timorous dispencer, turne it backe vpon the proprietary, that he may bestow his owne. I will not haue your purse to be filled, by occasion of dispensing my goods. No man can better dispose of my things, then my selfe. He is the best dispencer, who reserues nothing for his owne vse.

Youe haue compelled me, most deare Nepotianus (after thee booke which I wrote to holy Eustichium at Rome concer­ning the custody of virginity, which hath bene stoned to death) that now againe I haue vnsealed my mouth in Bethleem, and haue laid my selfe open, to be stabbed by the tongues of al men. For either I must writ nothing, least I should become subiect to mens censure (which you forbad me to regard;) or els I must know when I wrot that the dartes of all ill speaking tongues would be turned against me. But I beseech them to be quiet, & that they will giue ouer to backbite. For we haue not written this, as to aduersaries, but as to friendes; nor haue we made any inuectiue against them who sinne; but only aduised them not to do so. Nor haue we only bene seuere iudges against such as do ill, but against our selues also: and being desirous to picke the moat out of anothers eye, I haue first cast the beame out of myne owne. I haue done no man wrong, nor poynted at any mans name in my writing. My speech hath not applyed it selfe to particulars, but hath discoursed onely in generall against vice. He who shall be angry with me, will thereby confesse himselfe to be in fault.

Saint Hierome to Laeta about the instruction of her daughter.

THE Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, & instructing the Church of Christ, which was then but yoūg or rude, with holy directions, did propound this commaundment a­mongst the rest, If any woeman haue an vnbelieuing husband, and if he consent to liue with her, let her not seperate her self from him▪ for the vnbelieuing husband is sanctifyed by the belieuing wife, and the vnbe­lieuing [Page 114] wife is sanctifyed by the belieuing hubands; for otherwise yo [...] children would be vncleane, but now they are cleane, If perhaps it may haue seemed to any hitherto, that the bonds of discipline were too much relaxed, & that the indulgēce of the Master was too forward, let him consider the house of you father, (a man, I confesse, most illustrious, and most learned; but yet walking hitherto in darkenes), and he will perceiue that the counselle of the Apostle hath produced this effect; that the sweetnes of the fruit might make a recompence for the bitternes of the roo [...]; & that base twigs, might sweat forth pretious balsamū. You are borne of an vnequall marriage, & Paula is begotten & brought forth, by my Toxotius, & you. Who would euer belieue that the grand-child of Albinus the pagan high Priest, should be borne v­pon the fore promise of a Martyr; that the stāmering tongue of the little one, should sound forth the Alleluia of Christ; that the old man should cherish the virgin of God, in his bosome. And we haue wel & happily expected, that the holy, & belieuing house may sanctify the vnbelieuing husband. He is now, in a kind of am­bition, & expectation to become a Christian, whom a troupe of belieuing sons, & grand children doth already enuiron. For my part, I think that Iupiter himself might haue come to belieue in Christ, if he had had such a kinred. Let him derid & spit at my Epistle▪ & and cry out that I am either fond, or mad. His sonne in law did also this, before he belieued. Men are not born Chri­stians, but they are made so. The golden Capitoll is out of coū ­tenāce now, for lacke of looking to & al the heathen Temples of Rome, are ouer growne with cobwebs. The very citty is now fleeting from it selfe, and the people runnes downe, like a flood towards the Martyrs Tombes, whilest the Heathen Temples are not yet halfe pulled downe. If wisedome will not oblige them to embrace the faith, me thinkes they should do it now euen for shame. This (O [...] my most deuout daughter in Christ) is said to you, to the end that you despaire not of the conuersation of your Father; and that by the same faith, wher­by you haue deserued to obtayne you daughter, you may also gaine your father; and so the whole house may be happy, by knowing this which was promised by our Lord, Those thinges which are impossible with men, are possible with God. A mans conuer­sion [Page 115] neuer comes too late. The theefe passed on from the Crosse to Paradice. Nabuchodonozor the King of Babylon, after he had growne wild both in body and disposition, and had fed in the wildernes like a beast, was restored to the reason of a man. And (that I may passe ouer aūtient stories least they might seem fa­bulous to incredulous persons) did not your kinsman Gracch [...], (whose name doth sufficiently shew the antiquity of his nobi­lity, some few yeares since (when he had the prefecture of the Citty) ouerthrowe, breake downe, burne that denne of Mi­thra, and all those prodigious Idols wherby C [...]rax, Niph [...], Nilon, Leo, Perses, Helios, and father Bromius or Bacchus are dedicated to those vses? and hauing sent these hostages before him, did he not obtayne the Baptisme of Christ? Gentility suffers a kind of desolation of a wildernes euen in the Citty. The Gods which heretofore we adored by the Nations of the world, are now onely remayning in the tops of houses, with skrich Owles. The Ensignes of the Crosse, are now become the standa [...]s of the campe. The healthful picture of the same Crosse, serues to beau­tify the Purple Robes of Kings, & the bright burning gemmes of their diademes. Now the Egyptian Serapis is turned Chri­stian; Marnas who is shut vp in Gaza, mournes, and perpetu­ally trembles for feare of the euersion of that Temple. Out of India, Persia, and Ethiopia, we daily [...]nterteyne whole troopes of Monckes. The Armenian hath layd his quiuers aside; the [...]uns learne the Psalter; the frozen Scythia doth euen boyle vp through the heat of faith The red and yellow Army of the Getes carry Churches like Tents round about; and therefore is it perhaps, that they make their part good against v [...] by way of Armes, because they embrace our Religion.

I am almost fallen away into an other matter, & the wheele running round, whilest I was thinking vpon a little pitcher▪ my hand hath made a great tankerd. For my purpose was, to di­rect my speech (vpon the request of holy Marcella, and you) to a Mother, that is to your selfe; and to teach you how you are to instruct our Paula, who was consecrated to Christ before she was borne; and whome you conceiued in your vowes, before you did it in your wombe. Somewhat we haue seene in our tyme, of the propheticall Bookes. Ann [...] exchanged barrennes [Page 116] for fruitfullnes; and you haue now changed your said fruitfull­nes, for hopefull children. I speake it confidently, you shall haue more children, you who haue payd the first borne to God. These are those first borne, which were offered in the law. So was Samuel borne, and so was Sampson; and so did Iohn Baptist reioyce and exult, vpon the arriuall of Mary. For he heard the words of our Lord thūdering in his eares, by the mouth of the virgin, and he stroue to breake forth of his Mothers wombe, that he might haue met him. So that she who was borne by repromission, must obtaine such instruction from her parentes, as may be worthy of her birth. Samuel was brought vp in the Temple. Iohn was prepared in the desert. The former was ve­nerable by his sacred haire, and druncke neither wine, nor any other thing which could inebriate; and whilest he was yet but a little one, he had conuersation with our Lord. The later flyes from Citties, he was bound in by a girdle of haire, he was fed with locusts and wild hony; and (in type of the pen­nance which he was to preach) he was apparelled with the spoile, or skine, of the Camel, that most crooked beast. So must that soule be instructed, which is to become the Temple of God. Let her learne to heare, and speake nothing, but that which belongs to the feare of God. Let her not vnderstand a fowle word, and let her be ignorant of the songes which the world is wont to sing. Let her tongue be enured to sweet Psalmes, whilest it is young.

Away with the vsuall wantonnes of children, and let the girles, and waiting maides be remoued from secular conuersa­tion, least what they haue learned ill, they teach worse. Let some Alphabet of letters be made for her, either of Boxe or I­uory; & let them be called by their names. Let her play with them, that so her very playing, may be learning; and let her not only learne the order of the letters, that the memory of names may passe into the tune of some songe; but let euen that very order he inuerted, and let the last letters be mingled with them of the middest, and they of the middest with the foremost that she may not only know them by roat, but by vse. But when she beginnes with a weake shaking hand, to draw her stile vpon waxe, let either the tender ioyntes of her fingers be [Page 117] ruled by the casting of some hand ouer hers, or els let the letters be grauen vpon some little table; that the lines may be drawne & still shut vp in margens by the same hollowes, & so they may not wander abroad. Let some reward be propoun­ded to her, when she beginnes to ioyne the sillables; and let her be animated, by such kind of Presents, as are wont to take the most flattering hold, vpon that tender age, Let her also haue companious in learning, whom she may enuy, and by whose prayses she may be stung. If she be at all slowe of wit, let her not be chidden; but you must raise it with comendation of her, that she may be glad when she hath conquered, and be sorry when she is ouercome. You must chiefly take care, that she be not brought to mislike learning, and that the bitter way of tea­ching her, in her infancy, may not be remembred by her, whē she shall haue passed beyond those tender yeares. Those names whereby she shall accustome her selfe by little and little to knit words together, must not be casuall, but appointed, and in­dustriously compiled; namely of the Prophets, & the Apostles; & let the whole series of the Patriarkes from Adam, be brought downe, as it is deliuered in Matthew, and Luke. That so whi­lest she is about this other businesse, a preparation of matter may be made for her memory, to be layd vp thereby for after tymes. Some Master must be chosen of fit yeares for her, and of good life & knowledge. And I hope a learned man will not thinke much, to do that in the behalfe of a noble virgin, which Aristo­tle did for the sonne of Phillip, who tooke the office of clarckes or booke wrighters away, by teaching him first to reade. Those thinges are not to be contemned as little, without which great thinges cannot stand. The very ayre or manner of the letters, and the first teaching of Rules, doth sound after one fashion out of a learned mouth, and after another, if the man be ignorant and rude. And therefore you must prouide, that through the foolish dandlings of woemen, your daughter get not a custome of pronouncing certaine halfe wordes. Nor to play with gold, or gay cloathes, though it be but in iest; for the former of these two things hurts the tongue, & the latter hurts the mind; and she may chance learne that, when she is young, which afterward she must be fayne to vnlearne. The māner of Horten­sius [Page 118] his speech was gotten by him in his fathers armes. That is hardly scraped out, which young vnfashioned mindes haue drunke in. Who shall be able to reduce purple wooll, to the former whitenes? A new vessell long retaynes both that odour and taste, whereof it receiued the first impression. The Grecian history relates, how Alexander, that most powerfull King and conquerour of the world, had not power to want the defect of his Tutour Leonides, both in his gate, and behauiour other­wise, wherewith he was infected being a little one. For it is a matter of much ease, to grow like an other in any thing which is ill; and you may readily imitate their vices, to whose ver­tues you cannot ariue. Let not euen her nurse be giuen to wine, nor be wanton or tatling. Let her be carryed by some modest creature, & let the man who ouerlookes her, be a graue per­son. When she sees her grandfather, make her skippe into his bosome, and hang about his necke; and sing Alleluia to him, whether he will or no. Let her grand mother snatch her to her selfe, and acknowledge that she smyles like her father. Let her be amiable to all, and let the whole kinred reioyce, that such a rose is sprung from thence. Let her quickly be told, what her other grand mother, and aunt she hath; and for the seruice of what Emperour, and for what Army she is brought vp, though yet she be but a green souldier. Let her desire to be with them; and let her threaten you, that she will be gone to them from you.

Her very habite, and cloathing, must tell her to whom she is promised. Take heed you bore not through her eares, & that you paynt not that face, which is consecrated to Christ, either with white or red, nor oppresse her necke with gold, & pearle, nor load her head with gemmes; nor make her haire yellow, and bespeake not by that meanes, a part of hell-fyer for her. Let her haue an other kind of pearles, by the selling whereof afterward, she may purchace that one great Pearle, which is the most pretious of all. A certaine noble woman of the highest rancke, vpon the comaundment of Hymetius her hus­band, who was vncle to the virgin Eustochium did once change the manner of her habit, and dressing; and knit vp her negle­cted haire after a secular fashion, desiring thereby to ouercome [Page 119] both the purpose of the virgin her selfe, and the desire of her mother. But behould the very selfe same night, she sees (when she was at rest) that an angell was already come towards her, threating punishment with a terrible voice, and storming out these words, Hast thou presumed to preferre the comaundment of thy husband, before Christ? Hast thou presumed to tou [...] the head of the virgin of God, with thy sacrilegious handes? which euen at this instant, shall wither vp; that thou mayest feele with tormentes, what thou hast done; and at the end of the fifth moneth from hence, thou shalt be lead downe to hell. All these thinges were fulfilled in the selfe same order as they were foretold; and the swift destruction of that miserable creature, declared the latenes of her penance. So doth Christ reuenge himselfe vpon the violater of his temples; and so doth he defend his owne iewels, and most pretious or­naments.

I haue related this particular, not that I would insult vpō the calamities of vnfortunat creatures, but that I may admonish you, with how great feare and caution you must preserue that which you haue promised to God. H [...]ls the Priest offended God by the sinnes of his sonnes. He must not be made a Bi­shop, who hath luxurious and disobedient children. But on the other side, it is written of woman, that she shall be saued by the bringing forth of children; if they remayne in faith, and charity, and sanctification, with chastity. But now if a sonne of perfect age, and who hath discretion to guide himselfe be put vpon the account of his parents when he doth il; how much more shall it be so▪ in the case of sucking and weake children; who, according to the iudgment of our Lord, know not their right hand from the left; that is to say, the differēce between good & ill. If you will prouide with extraordinary care that you daughter be not bitten by a viper; why will you not prouide with the like care, that she may not be stroken by that beetle, which beates vpon the whole earth; that she may not drinke of the golden cup of Babylon; that she go not forth with Dina, to se the daughter of a straung nation; that she dance not, and weare not curious cloathes? Poyson is not offered, vnles it be ouer­spred with hony; and vice deceiues not, but vnder the shadow and shew of vertue. But how, will you say; The sinnes of [Page 120] fathers are not punished vpon the children, nor of the children vpon the parents; but that soule which sinnes shall dye.

This is said of them who haue discretion, and of whom it is written in the Ghospell, He is of age, let him speake for himself; But he who is a little one, and who iudges of thinges like a little one, till he come to the yeares of discretion, and till the letter of Pythagoras, the Y bring him to the parting of the two wayes, both the good, and ill; of such a one is imputed to the parents. Vnles you will perhaps conceiue, that the children of Christians, if they receiue not Baptisme, are onely guilty of that sinne; and that the wickednes hath no relation to them, who would not giue the Baptisme; especially if it be at such tyme, as when they who are to receiue Baptisme, haue no po­wer to refuse it. But so on the other side, the good of those Infants, is also the gayne of their parents. It was in your po­wer, whether or no you would offer vp your daughter, though yet your case be different, who made a vow of her, before you conceiued; but that now you should neglect her breeding, whē you haue offered her, will touch you selfe in point of danger. He who makes oblation of a Sacrifice, which is lame or may­med or defiled with any spot, is guilty of sacriledge; and how much more will she be punished, who is negligent in prepa­ring a part of her owne body, and the purity of an vntouched mind, for the embracements of the King?

When she beginnes to be a little growne, and to encrease in wisedome, age, and grace, both with God and man, after the example of her spowse, let her go to the Temple of her true father, with her parents; but let her not depart with them out of the Temple. Let thē seeke her in the iourney of this world, and amongst the troupes of her kinred, but let them find her no where els, but in the secret retiring place of holy scriptures▪ asking questions of the Prophets, and Apostles, couering her spirituell mariage. Let her imitatat Mary, whome Gabriel found aboue in her chamber; and who was therefore stroken with feare, because she saw a man, as she was not wont to do. Let her imitate her, of whom it is said, All the glory of that daughter of the King, i [...] from within Let her also say to her elect, being wounded by the dart of his charity, The King hath led me into his [Page 121] chamber. Let her neuer go forth, least they meet with her, who walke round about the citty, and least they strike and wound her, and take the pure v [...]ile of chastity from her, & lea [...]e her starke naked in her owne blood; but rather when any body knockes at the doore, let her say: I am a wall, and my breasts are a tower, I haue washed my feet, and I cannot find in my h [...]rt to fowle them.

Let her not feed in publike, that is to say, at her parents table, that so she may see no meat which she may affect▪ And though some thinke, that it is an act of higher vertue to con­temne pleasure, when it is at hand; yet for my part, I hold it to be the safer way towardes abstinence, to be ignorant of that, which you must not seeke. I read this of old, when I was a boye at schoole; You haue no good title to reprehend that, which you suffer to take roote by custome. Let her beginne to learne, euen al­ready, not to drinke wine, wherein is Luxury. Before one come to be of strong age, abstinence is both grieuous and dangerous. Till that tyme she may (if need require) both bath, and vse a little wine, for the help of her stomake, and be sustayned by the eating of some flesh, least her feet [...]ayle her, beo [...]fe she can begin to runne. And thi [...] I say, according to indulgence, but not according to commaundment; fearing weaknes, but not teaching the way to lust. For otherwise, that which is partly done by the superstition of the Iewes, in reiecting some beasts, and other food; and which the Brachman [...]i of the Indians, and the Gymn [...]sophists of the Egyptians do also vse, euen in excluding the vs [...] of so much, as flower, or barly, and only to feed vpon rootes; Why should not the Virgin of Christ obserue wholy? If glasse be so much worth, why should not pearle be worth more? She who is borne vpon a fore-promise, let her liue so, as they liued who were borne vpon such a kind of fore-pro­mise. A like grace ought to be obtained by a like labour.

Let her be deafe to musicall instruments, and not know why the Pipe, the Lyra, and the Harpe were made. Let her dai­ly giue account of the taske of those flowers, which she daily is to gather out of Scripture. Let her learne from thence a cer­taine number of Greeke verses. Then presently let the tea­ching of the Latin tongue follow after; which if it cast not her [Page 122] young mouth into a frame from the beginning, her tongue wil be peruerted towardes some strange accent; and her naturall language will be abased with forraine errours. Let her haue you for her Mistres, & let her tēder youth admire you. Let her see nothing in you, or in her Father, which if she doe, she may sinne. Remember you who are the parents of a Virgin, that you are to teach her more by your deeds, then by your words. Flowers quickly fad, and an vnwholsome ayre doth soone corrupt the Saff [...]an, the violet, and the lilly. Let her neuer goe into publike, but with you. Let her not goe euen to the tombes of Martyrs, or to Churches, without her mother. Let no youth, let no dapper fellow smile vpon her. Let our young virgin so celebrate the dayes of Vigills, and solemne pernocta­tions, that she may not depart from her mother, euen for one haires breadth.

I will not haue her loue any one of her maides, more then another; no [...] that she be euer whispering in her care. Whatso­euer she sayth to one of them, let them all know. Let that cō ­panion please her, who is not tricked vp, nor fayer, & wantō, and who singes not a sweet song with a clear voyce; but who is graue, pale, neglecting her selfe, and inclining to sadnes. Let her gouernesse be some auntient virgin of approued trust, mo­desty and conuersation; who may instruct her, and accustome her by her owne example, to rise by night to prayers & Psalmes to sing hymnes in the morning, and at the third, the sixth, and ninth houre; to stand in the skirmish, & like a warryer of Christ to offer the euening sacrifice with her lampe lighted. Let the day passe in this manner, and so let the night find her labouring. Let reading come after prayer, and then prayer after reading. That tyme will seeme short, which is imployed vpon such va­riety of workes. Let her learne also to make yarne, to hold the distaffe, to lay the basket in her lap, to turne the spindle, & to draw downe the threed with her fingars. Let her despise silke, and the wooll of the S [...]reans, and gold which is wrought into fine thred. Let her get such garments, as wherby the cold may be driuen away, and not whereby the body which is pre­tended to be clad, may be discouered. Let her food be some little pot of herbes, and flower, and little fishes for some sel­dome [Page 123] tymes. And (that I may not draw on these rules against gluttony into length, whereof I haue also spoken more at lar­ge elswhere) let her so eate, that she may be euer hungry, and may be able to read, & sing psalmes presently after meat. Those long and immoderate fasts are not allowed by me (especially when the party is very young) wherin they go empty from one weeke to another, and when it is forbidden to eat fruites▪ and to vse oyle in the dressing of meat. I haue learned by experi­ence, that an asse when he is weary, seeks places into which he may diuert. This do those worshippers of Isis, and Cybeles, who with a gluttonous kind of abstinence, deuour pheasants & tur­tles, when they are brought smoaking in, least otherwise for­sooth, they should de [...]ile the gifts of Ceres. This is the precept, which I giue for that kind of fast, which is to be continuall, that our strength may last for a long iourney, least being able to runne in the first part of therace, whē we come to the second we fal downe. But (as I haue writen h [...]rtofore) in L [...]nt the sails of abstinence are to be hoised vp, and all the raines of the char­riot-driuer, are to be layd in the horses neckes, as when they are in great hast. Though yet, there be still a difference be­tweene the condition of secular persons, and that of Virgins and Monkes. A secular man conco [...]tes the former rauin of his appetite, and liuing vpon his owne iuyce (after the manner of snailes) he prepares his panch for future food, and fat prouision: but a Virgin, and a Monke, must so loose the raines to their horses, as to remember that they must euer runne. That labour which endes not, must be moderate; but that which is to haue an end, may for the tyme [...]e more intense. For there we are euer going, and here we pawse sometimes. If euer you goe to the houses of recreation neere the Citty, doe not leaue your daughter at home. Let her not know how, nor let her be able to liue without you; and when she is alone, let her be af­fraid, let her not haue conuersation with secular persons, nor cohabit [...] with ill bred Virgins. Let her not be present at the marriage of your seruants, nor mingle her selfe with the sports of the vnquiet family.

I know some who haue aduised, that the virgin of Christ may not bath her selfe, with so much as Eunches, nor with mar­ryed [Page 124] woemen; for the former lay not downe the mindes of mē; and the later, by their great bellyes shew about what busines they haue bene. For my part, I am vtterly against liking, that a virgin of ripe yeares should vse bathes at all; who ought to be ashamed, and euen not to see her selfe naked. For if she ma­cerate her body, and reduce it to seruitude by watching, and fasting, if she desire to extinguish the incentiues▪ and flame of lust of her boyling youth by the coolenes of abstinance, if by the desire of neglecting her selfe she make hast to put her na­tural beauty in disorder; why should she on the other side stirre vp couered fyer, by the entertainment and incouragement of Bathes?

Insteed of silke and gemmes, let her loue the diuine bookes; wherein not the picture which is limmed with gold vpon Babylonian parchment, but an exact and learned edition or coppy may giue delight. Let her first learne the Psalter, let her diuert her selfe from vanity, by those songes; and let her life be instructed by the Prouerbs of Salomon. In Ecclesiastes, let her learne to despise worldly thinges. In Iob let her follow the ex­amples of vertue and patience. Let her passe from thence to the Ghospels, and neuer lay them out of her hands. Let her sucke in; the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles, with the whole affection of her hart. And when she hath enriched the store­house of her brest with those goods, let her commit the Pro­phets to memory, the fiue bookes of Moyses, the bookes of Kinges the Cronicles, and the volumes also of Esdras, and Hester. At the last, she may without danger, learne the Canticle of Canticles; which if she had red in the beginning, she might perhaps haue been wounded; through want of vnderstanding that nuptiall songe of spirituall Marriage, which is expressed vnder corpo­rall wordes. Let her take heed of all Apocriphall bookes. And if at any time she will read them, not for the truth of doctrine, but for the reuerence which is due to Miracles; let her know that they are not theirs, vnder whose names they go [...]; and that many vitious thinges be mingled, there with; and that the man had need of much prudence, who is to seeke gold in durt. Let her euer haue the workes of Cyprian in her hand, and she may with a secure foot runne ouer the Epistles of Athanasius, and [Page 125] the bookes of Hilarius. Let her be delighted with their tracts and wits, in whose bookes the piety of faith wauers not. And as for other Authours, let her read them so, as that she may ra ther iudge of them, then be ruled by them.

But you will say, how can I, being a secular woman, obserue all these things at Rome, in such a great crowd of peo­ple? Do not vndergo that burden, which you are not able to beare; but when you shall haue wenaed her, with Isaac, and shall haue clad her with Samuell; send her to her grandmother, and her aunt. Restore that most pretious gemme to the cham­ber of Mary; and let it be set vpon the cradle of Iesus, who is cry­ing out there, like an infant. Let her be brought vp in the Monastery, let her life be spent among those quiers of virgins; let her not learne to sweare; let her hold a lye to be a sacriledge; let her be ignorant of the world; let her liue angelically; let her conuerse in flesh without flesh; & let her [...]ld all others to be like her selfe. And that I may passe ouer the rest with silence, let her free you from the difficulty, & dan­ger of cōseruing her. It is better for you to wish for her, when she is absent; then to be frighted concerning her vpon al occa­sions, when she is present, about what she is saying, with whome she is speaking, towardes whome she makes a signe, and vpon whome she lookes with a good will. Deliuer this little one ouer to Eustochium; the childes very crying, now like an infant is a kind of prayer for you. Deliuer to Eustochium this companion of sanctity, whome hereafter she may leaue her heire thereof, Let her looke vpon her Aunt, loue her, and ad­mire her euen from her infancy, whose speech, whose gate, and whose conuersation, is the very doctrine it selfe of ver­tue. Let her be in the lappe of her grandmother, who may hereafter reap in her grand-child, whatsoeuer she sowed in her daughter; who hath learned by long experience to bring vp, to conserue, to instruct virgins; whose crowne is wouen with chastity, and it hath the increase of a hundred fould.

O happy virgin! O happy Paula, the daughter of Toxotius, who through the vertue of her grandmother, and of her aūt, is more honourable by sanctity, then by nobility of stock! O that you might happē to see that mother and sister in law of yours, and behold those great mindes in little bodies! I doubt not [Page 126] but according to that modesty, wherwith you are naturaly in­dued, you would outstrip your daughter, and change that first sentence of God, for that second law of the Ghospel; nor would you only contemne the desire of having more posterity, but would rather offer your selfe to God. But because there is a time for embracing, and a time for abstayning; and the wife hath not power ouer her body. And; Let euery one who is called, continue in the same vocation, in our Lord. And since he, who is vnder the yoke with another, must so runne, as not to leaue his cōpanion in the durt; doe you restore that wholly in your ofspring, which you defer in the meane time▪ concerning your selfe. Anna did neuer re­ceaue her sonne againe, whom she vowed to God, when once she had offered him in the Tabernacle; esteeming it to be an indecent thing▪ that he who was to be a Prophet, should grow vp in her house, who had still a desire of more children. In fine after she had conceiued, and brought him forth, she durst not approach to the Temple, nor appeare empty handed before our Lord, till first she had payd what she ought; and hauing made an immolation of that sacrifice, and returning home, she brought fiue children for her selfe: for her first borne was brought forth by her for our Lord. Admire you the fidelity of this holy woman? Imitate also her fayth. If you will send Paula hither, my selfe make you a promise, that I will be both her teacher, and her foster-father. I will carry her vpon my shoulders; and though I be an old man, I will by imitation of stammering frame wordes fit for her, and will esteeme my self much more glorious, then that Philosopher of the world; I, who shall not be instructing that Macedonian King, who was to be destroyed by poison; but a hand-maid and spouse of Christ our Lord, to be prepared for his celestiall kingdome.

Saint Hierome to Furia; about keeping her selfe in state of widdowhood.

YOV desire me by your letters, and you entreat me in a lowly kind of manner to answere you: and I will write▪ how you ought to liue, and conserue the crowne of widow­hood, [Page 127] without touch to the reputation of your chastity. My mind reioyces, my hart exults, and the affection of my soule doth euen earne with gladnes, to see you desire that, after your husbands life, which your mother Titiana of holy memo­ry did mainteyne and performe a long time, whilest her hus­band liued. Her petition, and prayers are heard. She obtay­ned that her only daughter should arriue to that, which her selfe when she was aliue, did possesse. You haue besides a great priuiledge, from the house whereof you came, in that, since Camillus his dayes, it is hardly writen, that any woman of your family was euer marryed a second tyme. So that you are not so prayse-worthy if you cōtinue a widdow, as you will deserue, to be detested if you keep not that being a Christiā, which Pagā woemen haue kept for so many ages. I say nothing of Paula & Eustochium, who are the flowers of your stocke; least by occa­sion of exhorting you, I may seeme to prayse them. I also passe by Blesilla, who following your husband, and your brother, ran through much tyme (after the account of vertue) in a short space of her life. And I wish that men would imitate that, for which woemen may be praysed, and that wrinkled old age, would restore, what youth doth offer of his owne accord.

I do wittingly, & willingly thrust my hand into the fyre. The browes will be knit, the arme will be stretched out & an­gry Chremes rage, till his face swell. The great Lords will stād vp against this letter, the nobility of lower ranke wil thunder, crying out, that I am a witch; I, a seducer, and fit to be carryed away into the furthest part of the world. Let them add if they will▪ that I am also a Samaritan, to the end that I may acknowledge the ti­tle of my Lord. But the truth is, I deuide not the daughter frō the mother, nor doe I bring that of the Ghospell, let the dead bu­ry the dead. For he liues whosoeuer he be, that belieues in Christ But he that belieues in him, must also walke as he walked. A way with that enuy, & malignitity, which the sharpe tooth of [...] tongued men would euer be fasting vpon Christians; that whilest they feare reproach, they may be vrged to forsake the loue of vertue. Except it be by letters, we know not one ano­ther; and then piety is the onely cause, where there is no notice of flesh and blood. Honour you father, if he seperate you not [Page 128] from the true Father. So long you must acknowledge the tye of blood, as he shall know his Creatour. For otherwise, Dauid will speake thus to you in playne termes; Hearken, O daughter, & see, and incline thyne eare, and forget thy people, and thy fathers house and the King will earnestly desire thy beauty▪ for he is thy Lord. A great reward, for hauing forgoten a father, The King will earnestly de­sire thy beauty. Because you sawe, because you inclined your eare▪ and haue forgotten your people, & your fathers house, therfore the King will earnestly desire your beauty, and will say to you; Thou art all fayre, my friend, and there is no spot in thee. What is more beautifull then a soule, which is called the daughter of God, and eares for noe exteriour ornaments? She belieues in Christ, and being ad­uanced to this high honour, she passes on to her spouse, hauing him for her Lord, who is her husband.

What troubles are found in these other marriages, you haue found in the marriages themselues; and being satisfyed e­uen to a glut with the flesh of quailes, your iawes haue bene filled with extreme bitternes. You haue cast vp those sharpe and vnwholosome meates, you haue rendred that boyling & vnquiet stomacke. Why will you cramme you selfe againe with that, which did yea hurt, like a Dog returning to his vo [...]it, and a S [...]w made cleane in a wallowing place of durt? Euen bruit beastes, and wild birdes, are not apt to fall againe, into the same ginnes and nets. Are you perhaps affrayd, that the family of your Furia's should faile; and that your father should not haue some little child sprunge from your body, who may craule vp and downe his brest, and bedaube his necke with filth? As if all they who were marryed had borne children; or they who haue had children, had them euer answerable to the stocke whereof they came. Belike Cicero'es sonne, did resem­ble his father in eloquence; and your auncestour Cornelia who was indeed the example both of chastity and fecundity, was glad belike, that she brought the Gracchi into the world. It is a ridiculous thing to hope for that, as a thing certaine, which you see, that many haue not, & others haue lost when they had it. But to whom shal you resigne so great riches? to Christ, who cannot dye. Whom shall you haue for your heire? him, who is also your Lord. Your father will be troubled at it; but Christ [Page 129] will be glad your family will mourne, but the angels will re­ioyce. Let your father do what he will with his estate; you belong not [...]o him of whom you were borne; but to him by whom you were regenerated, & who redeemed you with that great price of his owne blood. Take heed of those nurses, and those woemen who are wont to carry the children in their ar­mes; and such venemous creatures as they, who desire to seed their bellyes▪ euen out of your very skinne. They perswade you not to that which is good for you▪ but for themselues▪ And they are often giuing out those verses:

But men will say, that where the sanctity of chastity is, there is frugality▪ where frugality is▪ there are the seruants put to losse. They thinke themselues robbed, of whatsoeuer they carry not away; and they consider but how much, and not of how much, they receiue it. Wheresoeuer they see a Christian, they encounter him with that cōmon scorne of being an Im­postor. Th [...]se people sow most shamefull rumours; and that which came first from themselues, they giue out▪ to haue had from others; being both the authors, and exaggerators of the report. A publique [...]ame grows out of a meere lye which being once come to the Matrons eares, and hauing bene canuased by their tongues▪ passes on, and penetrates euen through whole Prouinces. You shall see many of them, fall into the very rage of mad people, and with a spotted face, and vipers eyes, and woorm-eaten teeth▪ raile at Christians.

And then forsooth all the company, makes a buz on her side; and the audience barkes out against vs▪ yea and some of our owne institute ioyne with the [...], being both the detractors and the detracted▪ Against vs they haue tongue inough▪ but they are dumbe in finding fault with themselues, as if euē they, were also any other thing, then Monkes; and that whatsoe­uer is spoken against Monkes▪ did not redound vpon Priests, who are the fathers of Monks. The losse of the sheep, is a re­proach [Page 130] to the shepheard; as on the other side; the life of that Monke deserues praise, who reuerences the Priests of Christ; and detracts not from that order, whereby he is made a Chri­stian.

I haue said thus much to you, O daughter in Christ, not doub­ting of your purpose, for you wolud neuer haue desired my letters of exhortation, if you had made any question of the good of single marriage; but to the end, that you might vnderstand the wickednes of seruants, who set a price vpon you; and the sleights of kinsmen, and the pious errour of your father, to whō though I will easily allow that he loues you, yet I cannot grant, that it is a loue according to knowledge. But I say with the Apostle, I confesse they haue zeale, but not according to knowledge. Do you rather imitate (for this I must often repeat) that holy mother of yours; whom as often as I remember, it occurres to me to thinke of her ardent loue towards Christ, her palenes through fasting, her almes to the poore, her obsequiousnes to the seruants of God; the humility both of her exteriour, and of her hart; and her speech which was so moderate vpon all oc­casions. Let your father (whom I name with honour and all due respect; not because he is of Consular authority and a Se­uator, but because he is a Christian) fulfil the effect of his name. Let him reioyce that he begat a daughter, not for the world, but for Christ; or rather let him grieue that you haue lost your virginity in vayne; and with all, haue not gathered the fruit of marriage. Where is the husbād which he gaue you? Though he had bene amiable; though he had bene good, death would haue snatched all away; and his departure would haue vntyed the knot of flesh and blood. I beseech you take speedy hold of the occasion, and make a vertue of necessity. The beginning of Christians, doth not so much import, as▪ the end. Paul began ill, but ended well; and the beginnings of Iudas are praised, but his end was made dānable by his trechery. Read B [...]chiel. Whō ­soeuer the iust man shall sinne, his iustic [...] shall not deliuer him; and the impiety of the wicked, shall not hurt him whensoeuer he shall be conuer­ted from his impiety. This is Iacobs ladder, by which the Angels ascend, and descend; from the top whereof our Lord leaning do w [...]e ward reaches out his hand, [...]o such as are weary▪ suf [...]ey­ning [Page 131] the weake steps of them who climbe, by the contemplati [...] of himselfe. But as he desires not the death of a sinner, but that he may be conuerted and liue; so he hates such as are tepid, & they quick­ly make him ready euen to cast the gorge. She to whom [...] more i [...] forgiuen, loueth more. That vncleane woman, who was bapti­sed in the Ghospell in her teares; and she who had formerly de­ceiued many with the haire of her head, was saued by wiping the feet of our Lord. She brought not frizled dressings with her▪ nor crackling shooes, nor eyes which were smoaked ouer with Antimony. So much the fowler she was▪ so much was she the fayrer. What should painting white or red; doe vpon the face of▪ a Christian? whereof the one tels a lye in making red the lips and cheeks; the other doth as much, in making white the forehead and necks; They are fyer to enflame young people; they are the entertainments and encouragements of lust; and they are testimonyes of an vnchast mind. How will such a one weepe for her sinnes, whose teares shew her skine, and do e­uen make furrowes in the face? This is not an ornament accor­ding to our Lord, but it is a couering of Antichrist. W [...]h what confidence can a woman lift vp that face to heauen, which the Creator of all thinges, knowes not? It is impertinent for any to alledge her youth, or tender yeares. The widow who hath left to please her husband, & who (according to the Apostle) is a widow indeed, hath need of nothing but perseuerance. It is true. that she remembers [...]her former pleasure; she knowes what she hath lost; and wherin she tooke delight; but these burning arrowes of the diuell, are to be quenched by the rigour of watching, and fasting. Either let vs frame our discourse ac­cording to that kind of life which we seem to lead otherwise, or els let vs seem to liue according to the discourse we hold▪ Why do we professe one thing & practise another? The tongue talkes of chastity, and the exteriour of the whole body iust the contrary. And this I haue thought good to say, of the dressing and habit of the body.

But the widow who liues in delights, is dead, euen whilest she is aliue; and this is not my saying, but the Apostles. What is the meaning of this, She is dead, euen whilest she is aliue? She seemes indeed to liue▪ in the eyes of ignorant people, and not to be [Page 132] dead in Christ, from whome no secret is concealed: The soule which sinnes, the same shall dye. Some mens sinnes are manifest, & precede their iudgment; but some other [...]ena sinnes follow it. And so also good deedes are manifest, and such as are not good cannot lye hid. He speakes therefore to this effect. There are some who sinne publikely, and so freely, that so soone as you see them, you presently vnderstand them to be sinners; but o­thers who hide the [...] sinnes with [...], are knowne afterward by their conuersation: and in like manner, the good deedes of some are very publike, and they of others are not knowne to vs, but only by long experience afterward. To what purpose is it therefore, that we stand bragging of chastity, which is not able to wine credit fo [...] it selfe, without her companions, and acc [...]ssaries, which are▪ A l [...]st [...] & Thirst▪ The Apostle ma­c [...]rares his body▪ [...] bringes it vnder the subiection of his soule, for feare leas [...] otherwise he should not find that to be in himself which he had inioyned to others. And shall a young woman, whose blood is boyling vp with meat, be secure concerning her chastity [...] Neither yet whilest I am saying this, do I con­demne those meates which God hath created to be vsed by vs, with thankesgiuing; but I take from young people & maides, the motiues and intertainments of pleasure? They are not the fir [...] of Aetn [...], nor that land of Vulcan, nor eyther [...], or O­ [...], which boyle vp in so huge [...]heat, as do the most inward [...]ines of young people, when they are full of v [...]ine, and infla­med with curious fare.

There are many, who tread vpon couetousnes; and it is layd aside by them as easily as their purse. A reproachfull ton­gue, is mended by imposing silence vpon it. To reforme the ha­bite and order of our cloathing, doth but cost an houres work. All other sinnes ar [...] without the man▪ and that which is with­out, is soone cast away. Only lust, to which we are enable [...] by God, for the procreation of children, if i [...] passe beyond the due boundes, proues vicious, & by a kind of course of nature, it striues to breake out into copulation. It is therefore a point of great vertue, and requires a carefull diligence to ouercome that, to which you are borne▪ and not to liue in flesh, after a [...]shly manner; to fight daily with your selfe, and to ha [...]e the [Page 133] hundred eyes of Argus (which the Poets [...]aigne) vpon that ene­my who is shut vp within our selues. This is that which the Apostle deliuers to vs in other words: All sinne which a man com­mits is without the body, but he who commits fornication▪ sinnes against his owne body. The Phisitians, who writ of the nature of mans body, and especially Galen sayth in those bookes which are in­tituled Of preseruing bodily health, that the bodies of youthes, and young men, and of men and woemen of perfect age, boyle vp through their inuate heate, and that such food is hurtfull to them, at those years, as doth increase their heat; & that on the other side it conduces to their health, to take such other meate and drinke, as cooles the blood. And so also old wine, and warmer food, is good for old men who are subiect to cru­dities and fleame. Whereupon our Sauiour also sayth; Looke to your selues, that your har [...]s be not oppressed, through gluttony & drun­kennes, and with the cares of this life. And the Apostle speakes of wine, wherein there is luxury. Neither is it any maru [...]ile, that the Potter framed this iudgment of the poore little pot which him­selfe had made, when the Comedian, whose end was no more then to describe the conditiō of mankind, sayd, that Venus grew could without Ceres and Bacchus.

First therefore (if yet the strength of your stomacke will endure it) let water be your drinke, till you shall haue passed ouer the heat of your youth. Or if your weakenes will not ad­mit of this, hearken to Timothy; Vse a little wine for your stomacke, and for your frequent infirmities. In the next place, you must in your food, auoyd all kind of thinges which are hot. And here I speake not only of flesh, vpon which the vessell of election pronounces this sentence; It is good for a man not to drinke wine, nor to eate flesh; but also euen in Pulse, to auoyd all those things, which are windy, and heauy; and know you that nothing is so good for Christians, as the feeding vpon kitchin herbes. Whereupon he saith also in another place? He that is infirme, let him eat herbes; and so the heat of our bodies, is to be tempered with this cooler kind of cates.

Daniel, & the three children were fed with Pulse. They were but young, & were not yet come to the fiery paine wher­in that Babylonian King fryed those old iudges. By vs, that [Page 134] good & fayre state of body which (euen besides the priuiledge of Gods grace) appeared in them, by theyr feeding vpon such meates, is not esteemed; but the strength of the soule is sought by vs; which is so much the stronger, by how much the flesh is weaker. From hence it is, that many who desire to lead a chast life, fall groueling downe in the midest of their iourney, whilest they attend only to abstayne from flesh; and load the stomacke with pulse, which being taken moderately and spa­ringly, is not hurtfull. But if I shall say what I thinke, there is nothing which doth so much inflame a body, and prouoke the partes of generation, as meate when it is not wel digested, but makes a kind of conuulsion in the body through windynes.

I had rather O daughter, speake a little too plainly, then that the matter we speake of, should be in danger. You must thinke all that to be poyson, which makes a seminary of plea­sure. A sparing diet, & a stomacke which is euer in appetite, I preferre before a fast of three daies; and it is much better to take some little thing euery day, then to feed full, at some few ti­mes. That rayne is the most profitable, which descends into the earth, by little and little. A sudden and excessiue shower, which fals impetuously▪ turnes the field vp side downe. When you eat, consider that instantly after, you must pray and read. Rate your self to a certaine number of verses of holy Scripture, and performe this taske to our Lord; and allow not your body to take rest, till you shall haue filled the basket of your breast with that kind of worke. Next after holy scriptures, read the writings of learned men; of thē I meane whose faith is known. There is no cause, why you shold seeke gold in durt, but you must sell pearles, to buy that one. Stand according to the ad­uise of Ieremy, neer many wayes, that you may meet with that one which leades to our country Transferre your loue of ie­wels, and gemmes, and silken cloathes, to the knowledge of holy scripture. Enter into that land of promise flowing with milke and hony. Eate flower, and oyle, and apparayle your selfe with the variously coloured garments of Ioseph. Let your eares be boared through with Ierusalem, that is to say, by the word of God, that the pretious grayne of new corne, may bow downe from thence. You haue holy Exuperius, a man of fit age [Page 135] & approued faith, who will often instruct you with his good aduice. Make friendes for your selfe of the vniust Mammon, who may receiue you into those eternal Tabernacles: bestow your riches vpon them, who eat not pheasants, but browne bread, who driue hunger away, and who do not call lust home. Haue vnderstan­ding of the poore, and needy; giue to euery one that askes of you, but especially to the houshould of faith. Cloath the naked, & the hungry, & visit the sicke. As often as you stretch forth your hand, thinke of Christ. Take heed, that when your Lord God is begging of you▪ you increase not the riches of other folkes.

Fly from the conuersation of young men, and let not a­ny roof in your house be able to see these dapper, curious, and loose fellowes there. Let the musitian be sent away like a ma­ [...]efactour, and thrust you rudely out of your house, all Fidlers, and minstrells, and such quiers of the Diuell, as you would a­noyd those Syren songes, which bring destruction. Goe not [...]orth in publicke, & be not carryed vp and downe (according to the liberty which widowes takes) with that army of Eunu­ches going before you. It is a most wicked custome, that a frail sexe, and a weake age should abuse power, and should thinke that all is lawfull, which they list. Though all thinges were lawful, al things are not expediēt. Let not any sollicitour who is curled vp, nor any fine foster-brother, nor any dainty faire­faced page, be neere you. Sometymes the Ladyes mind, is vn­derstood by the habit of her maides. Procure the society of ho­ly Virgins, and widowes; and if there be necessity that you must speake with men, doe not auoyd by-standers; and let your confidence in speach be such, as that you neither trem­ble, nor blush, when any other body comes in. Let your face be the glasse, wherein your mind may be seene; and let your silent eyes confesse the inward thoughtes of your hart. We find, that lately, a certaine ignominious rumour did flut­ter throughout all these Esterne partes. Both the age, the fa­shion, the habite, the pace, the indiscreet conuersation, the exquisite Feasts, the princely prouision of Nero, and Sarda [...]apa­lus spake of nothing but marriage. By the correction of the wicked, the wise man will grow so much the wiser. A loue which is holy, is not subiect to impatience. A false report is [Page 136] soone represt, the the later part of a mans dayes, is made the iudge of the former. I confesse indeed, that no man can passe the course of this life, without being bitten by ill report; and wicked men make it their comfort, to cast reproach vpon the good, as conceuing that their sinnes are made lesse faulty by it. But yet a fyer made of straw goes out quickly, and the raging flame is content to dy by little and little, if it be noe longer fed. If fame belyed you the last yeare, yea or euen if it sayd true, let the fault cease now, & the rumour will also be at an end. I say not this, as if I doubted any ill of you; but because I loue you so much, that I feare euen such thinges as are safe▪ O that you might but see your sister, and that you might chance to heare the wise discourse of that holy mouth; you would discerne strange power in that little body. You would perceiue that wholesuite of stuffe, both of the old & new Testament, euen boyle out of her holy mouth. She makes a pastime of fasting, and her delight is her prayer. She holds the Timbrell in her hand, after the example of M [...]ria; and Phara [...] being drowned, she inuites the quier of virgins by saying thus, Let vs sing vnto our Lord, for he is magnifyed, after a glorious manner; he hath cast down [...] both horse, and Rider into the sea. She addresses this kind of singers to Christ, and she instructes this kind of musique for our Saui­our. So passes the day, and so the night, and the oyle being prepared for [...] lam [...]es, the cōming of the spouse is expected. Doe you therefore imitate her. Let Rome haue such a one in it, as B [...]thleem possesses which is les [...]e then Rome. You are rich, & it is easy for you to minister the help of food to such as are poore. Let vertue spend that which was prouided by you as the mat­ter of luxe, and let no woman feare pouerty, who despises ma­trimony. Help to make such virgins, as you may bring into the Kings chamber. Relieue widowes whome you may min­gle as so many violets, betweene Virgins lillyes, and Martyrs roses; & make your selfe a coronet, of such flowers as th [...]se, in­steed of that crown of thornes in which Christ carryed the sins of the world.

Let your most noble Father, both be glad, and be assi­sted by this example. Now let him learne that of his daugh­ter which he learned before of his wife. Now the hayre [Page 137] is growne white, the knees tremble, the teeth fall, and the forehead being plowed with wrinkles by his great years, death must needes be euen at the gates, and the funerall fire is there at hand. We grow old whether we will or no. Let him make that prouision for himselfe, which is necessary for a long iour­ney. Would he carry that with him, from which he must part against his will? Nay rather let him send it to heauen before him; which if he refuse to do, the earth will take it.

These younger widowes, wherof many going backe after Sa­than, when they haue beene luxurious against Christ, are wont to say when they are about to marry a second tyme: My little fortune is dayly perishing; the inheritance of my auncestours is destroyed, My ser­uant hath spoken saucily to me; my mayd neglects my commandement; who shall shew himselfe against these thinges? VVho shall answere the charges which are layd vpon my landes? VVho shall instruct my children? who shall bring vp my young she slaues? And, O vnspeakable wic­kednes, they bring that as a cause of marriage, which euen a­lone were a sufficient reason to haue hindred it. The Mother bringes not a foster-father, but an enemy vpon her children; not a Father, I say, but a tyrant. Being inflamed by lust, she forgets the children of her owne wombe; and, in the middest of her little ones, who are not capable yet to vnderstand their misery, she, who heereafter will lament it, is now tricking her selfe vp, like a new bride. Why doe you pretend the care of your patrimony? Why the vnruly pride of your seruants? Con­fesse your filthines. No woman marryes a husband, to the end that she may not lye with a man. Or yet if it be true, that you are not vrged by lust, what kind of madnes is it, that you should prostitute your chastity, after the manner of harlots, to the end of augmenting your estate; and that for the obtayning of a base and transitory end, your chastity which is precious, and eternall, should be defiled.

If you haue children already; why desire you a second marriage? If you haue none; why feare you not that [...], whereof already you haue some proofe? And why preferre you a thing vncertaine, before purity which is certaine? The con­tractes of marriage are now written out for you to signe, that shortly you may be compelled to make your will. Your hus­band [Page 138] will counterfeit himselfe to be sicke; and that which he desires you should do, when you are about to dy, he will doe now, when he meanes to liue. Or if it happen, that you haue children by the second husband, there is already a quarell, and a ciuill warre within doores. It shall be no longer lawfull for you, to loue your former children, nor so much as to looke vp on them with indifferent eyes. If you feed them by stealth, he will enuy the dead man, and vnlesse you hate your childrē, you will seeme to be still in loue with their Father. But then, if he hauing children by a former wife, shall lead you home to his house, all the Comedians, and Versifyers, and the commō ­plea-bookes of the towne, will declame against you, as a most cruell step-mother, though indeed you should be most benigne towardes them. If your sonne in-law be sicke, or if he haue but euen an aking head, you shall be defamed for a Witch. If your selfe giue him not meat, you will be accounted cruell; if you feed him, you will be sayd to poyson him. I beseech you tell me, what good do these second marriages produce, which may serue to counteruaile so great miseryes.

Would we know what kind of thinges widdowes ought to be? Let vs read the Ghospell according to Luke. And Ann [...] the Prophetesse (sayth he) was the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asser. Phanuel, in our tongue signifyes the face of God; Aser, is translated to signify, both riches & felicity. Because therfore she had endured the burden of widowhood, from her youth til she came to be fourescore and foure yeares old, and departed not from the Temple of God, insisting day and night by fasting & prayer, therefore did she deserue spirituall grace, and to be sti­led, the daughter of the face of God, and to be endowed with the riches, and felicity of her ancestours. Let vs remember the wi­dow of Sarepta, who preferred the hunger of Elias before her owne, or her childrens health. So that she being to dye with her sonne that night, resolued to leaue her guest safe behinde her; and choosing rather to loose her life, then her giuing of almes, did in that handfull of floure, prepare for her selfe the seminary of a haruest, from our Lord. The floure is sowed, & the vessels of oyle springes out. In Iury there was scarcity of wheat, for the graine of corne was dead there; & there flowed [Page 139] great fountains from the widowes oyle▪ We read in Iudith (if men be yet disposed to receaue that booke) of a widow, who was defeated by fasting, and defaced by mourning weedes, who lamented not her dead husband, but sought the coming of a new spouse, by the extreme neglect of her owne person▪ I see that she appeares with a warlike sword, and with a bloo­dy right hand. I perceaue she hath the head of Holophernes, which she hath brought, euen from the middest of her enemies. A woman ouercomes men, and chastity cuts off the head of lust; and changing suddenly her habit, she comes backe to that conquering neglect of her selfe, more glorious then all the or­naments of this world could giue her. Some there are, who ignorantly reckon Deborah among the widowes, & thinke that Barach the Captaine, was the sonne of Deborah, though the scripture speake otherwise. By vs, she shall be named in regard that she was a Prophetesse, and is reckened among the num­ber of the Iudges. And because she could say, How sweet are thy wordes to my throat, more then hony or the honycombe to my mouth; she tooke the name of a Bee, being fed by the flowers of holy Scripture, and being imbrued by the odour of the Holy Ghost, and composing the sweet iuyce of Ambrosia, with her Prophe­ticall mouth. Noemi (which signifyes [...], and which we may interpret The comforted) her husband and children being dead in foraigne parts brought bake her chastity into her country, and being sustained by that prouision, she had a Mo­abite for her sonnes wife, that this prophecy of Isay might be ful­filled: Send forth, O Lord, the Lambe, the subduer of the earth, from the rocke of the desert, to the mountaine of the daughter of Sion. I com now to the widow of the Ghospell (that poore widow, more rich then all the people of Israell) who taking a grayne of Mu­stard-seed, and putting leuen into three cakes of flower, did by the grace of the holy Ghost, temper a confession of the Fa­ther, and the Sonne, and did cast two mytes into the Treasury. Whatsoeuer she could be worth in all the world, and all her riches without exception, she offered, in both the Testaments of her fayth. These are the two Seraphims, who thrice did glo­rify the Trinity, and are layd vp for a treasure to the Church, whereupon a burning coale being by the [...]onges of both those [Page 140] Testaments, doth purify the lippes of a sinner.

Why should I repeat these auncient particulars, and pro­duce the vertues of woemen out of books, when you may pro­pose many to your selfe in the Citty, where you liue, whose example you ought to imitate. And that I may not seeme to speake of them in particular by the way of flattery; the holy Marsella will serue your turne, who corresponding with the stocke wherof she came, hath presented vs with some what out of the Ghospel. Anna liued seauen years with her husband, frō the tyme of her virginity; Marsella seauen moneths. The former expected the coming of Christ; this later holdes him fast, whome that other receaued. The former, saw him crying, the later preaches him triumphing. The former spoke of him, to all such as expected the redemption of Israel, the later cryes out thus with the nations, which are now redeemed: A brother doth not redeeme, a man shall redeeme. And out of another Psalme: A man is borne in her, and the most high hath founded her. I remember that almost two yeares since, I wrote some bookes against Iouinian, wherein by the authority of Scriptures I fully satisfyed the questions, which came against me; where the Apostle grants liberty of second mariages. And there is no necessity to repete them here at full length, since you may haue what I haue wri­ten there. And now that I may not exceed the measure of an Epistle, I will only giue you this lesson: Remember daily that you must dye, for then you will not be thinking of a second mariage.

Saint Hierome to Paulinus, about the institution of a Monke.

A Good man bringeth forth good thinges, out of the good treasure of his hart; and the Tree is knowne by his fruit-You measure vs by your owne vertue, and being great, you extoll vs who are little; and you fill the lowest roome ar the banket, that you may be aduanced. by his direction who makes the Feast. For what is there in vs, or how little is there that we should deserue to be praysed, by learned wordes? that we, who are poore and meane, should be commended by that [Page 141] mouth, wherby that most religious Prince is defended? But do not, my deare brother, esteeme of me according to the number of my yeares, & value not my wise dome by my age; but my age by my wisedome, according to that of Salomon: A mans wise­dome is his grey haires. For Moyses was commaunded to choose se­uenty six such Priestes, as he knew to be Priestes, that is to say, such as were to be esteemed according to their wisedome, not according to their age. And Daniel, whilest he was yet a youth, gaue iudgment vpon aged men; and their lasciuious­nes condemned them of vnchastity. I say, you must not iudge of a mans sufficiency, after the rate of his age, nor must you therefore thinke me to be more vertuous, because I began to serue in the campe of Christ before you. Paul the Apostle. was changed from being a persecuter, to be a vessell of electi­on, and being last in order, he became first in merits; because though he were the last, he laboured more then they all. Iudas (of whome it was sayd, But thou O man, who diddest eate fa­inlliarly with me, and wast my captaine, and we walked togeather in the house of God) was the betrayer of his friend, and of his Master▪ and was reproued by our Sauiours wordes, and tyed the knot of his owne vgly death, vpon a high tr [...]c. On the other side the theefe exchanged the Crosse for Paradice, and made that punishment of his murders, to stand for Martyrdome.

How many do at this day, euen by liuing long carry themselues (as it were) dead to Church, and being whited sepulchres without, are full of dead mens bones within. A sud­den lusty heat is better then along tepidity. In fine you hea­ring those words of our Sauiour ( If thou wilt be perfect go, and sell all though hast, and giue it to the poore, and follow me) do turne those wordes into deeds; & being naked do follow the naked Crosse; and so doe more lightly and nimbly clime vp Iacobs ladder you haue changed you mind with your habite, and do not, with a full purse, affect any glorious kind of filth, but with cleane hand and a pure hart, you prize your selfe to be poore in deed, and in spirit. For there is no great matter, in counter­setting or making ostentation of fasting, by carrying a pale and wanne face about; and for a man to bragge of carrying a poore cloake vpon his backe, when he is rich in reuenues. That Cra­tes [Page 142] of Thebes, who formerly had bene extremely rich, when he came to be a Philosopher at Athens, cast away a great somme of gold, nor did he thinke that a man could possesse vertue and riches, both together. But we, being all stuffed with gold, will needs follow Christ, who was so poore; and attending to our former rich estates, vnder the pretence of enabling our felues to giue almes, how shall we distribut the goods of other men faithfully to others, when we do so fearfully reserue our owne? It is an easy matter for a full belly to dispute of fasting.

It deserues no comendation to haue liued at Ierusalem; but to haue liued there wel. That Citty is to be desired, that to be praised, not which kils the Prophets, and which hath spilt the blood of Christ; but which the impetuousnes of the riuer doth make glad; which placed vpon the hill, cannot be concealed; which the Apostle cals the mother of Saints; of which Citty he reioyces, that he is made a free-denison. Nei­ther yet by saying this, do I taxe my selfe of inconstancy, or condemne that, which I do; that so I should in vayne seem to haue left my friends, and country, after the example of Abra­ham: but I dare not circumscribe the omnipotency of God to so narrow as compasse; and to confine him to a small place of the earth, whom heauen is not able to contayne. The faithfull are not waighed by the diuersity of places, but by the merit of their faith. And they who are true adorers, adore not the fa­ther either in Ierusalem, or in Mount Gasarim: for God is a spi­rit, and they must do it in spirit, and truth. The spirit breaths where it will. The earth & the fulnes therof, is our Lords. Since the whole world was bathed with that celestial dew, the fleece of Iury be­ing dry, and many coming from the East and VVest, haue reposed in the bosome of Abraham, God hath giuen ouer to be only knowne in Iury, and to haue his name great in Israell; but the sound of the Apostles, is now gone ouer the whole earth, and their wordes euen to the ends of the world. Our Sauiour speaking to his Disciples when he was in the Temple, sayd thus; Ryse vp, let▪ vs goe hence. And to the Iews; Tour house shall be left desert to you. If heauen & earth shall passe, certainly all thinges which are earthly, shall passe: And ther­fore the places of the Crosse, and Resurrection, shall profit thē, who carry their Crosse; who ryse daily with Christ, and who make themselues worthy of such an excellent habitation. But [Page 143] they who say, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord; Let them heare the Apostle say, You are the temple of our Lord, and the holy Ghost dwells in you. And that heauenly Court is open a­like, both towardes Hierusalem, and towardes Britanny. For the kingdome of God is within you. Anthony, and all those swarmes of Monkes of Egypt, and Mesopotamia, Pontus, Capad [...]cis, and Ar­menia neuer saw Hierusalem, and heauen is open to them with­out any relation to this Citty. Blessed Hilarion, who was of Palestine, and liued there, did neuer spend but one day in the seeing of Hierusalem, to the end, that being so neere hand, he might neither seeme to contemne those holy places, nor yet on the other side, might seeme to shut vp our Lord in any one pla­ce. From the tymes of Adrian, to the empire of Constantine (which imported about the tyme of a hundred and foure score yeares) in the place of the Resurrection, there was an Idoll of Iupiter. In the rocke of the Crosse, there was placed a marble statue of Venus to be worshipped. The persecutours who were authours therof, conceiuing that they might abolish our Fayth of the Resurrection, and of the Crosse, when they had pollu­ted the holy places by their Idols. That wood which is called Thamus, that is to say, of Adonis, did ouershaddow the most im­periall place of the whole world, namely this Bethleem of ours, whereof the Psalmist sayth: Truth is sprung out of the earth, and in that hollow place where Christ being an Infant did once cry, the paramour of Venus was lamented. But you will aske me to what end I am so large in this particular? To the end that you may not thinke, that any thing is wanting to your fayth, be­cause you haue not beene at Hierusalem; and that you may not esteeme vs to be the better men, because we enioy this habita­tion. But whether you liue here or there, you shall obtaine of our Lord, a reward which shall be equall to your workes.

But yet that I may plainely confesse what the pulse of my hart is in this businesse, considering both your purpose, & that ardour of mind wherewith you haue disclaimed the world, I do really belieue, that you will then find difference in places, if forsaking Cittyes & the concourse of people which is found therein, you will dwell in some little retyred corner, & feeke Christ in the desert, and pray alone in the mountaine with [Page 144] Iesus, & enioy the neighbour-hood of these holy places. That is to say, that both you may estrange your selfe from the Citty, and not loose the purpose of being a Monke. I speake not this for Bishops, or Priests, who haue other imployments; but I speake of it for a Monke, and such a one as formerly was noble in the world, who layd the price of his possessions at the feet of the Apostles; thereby teaching, that money was to▪ be troden vnder foot, that so liuing in humility and secrecy, he might continue to despise that, which he had once despised. If the places of the Crosse, and of the Resurrection were not excee­dingly frequented in this Citty, where there is a Court, where there is a guarde of souldiers, where there are lasciuious people iesters, mimickes, and all other things which were wont to be in other Citties; or if it were only frequented by troopes of Monkes; all Monkes indeed might well desire such an habita­tion as this. But now it is extreme folly, for a man to renounce the world, to forgoe his country, to forsake his Cittyes, to pro­fesse Monasticall life; and then to liue in greater concourse of men abroad, then he was to haue liued in his owne coun­try. Men flocke hither from all the partes of the world; the Citty is full of all kind of people, and there is such a crowding here of folkes of both sexes, that here you are to endure that whole incouenience, whereof you auoyded but a part, by go­ing from any other place.

Since therefore you doe so confidently aske me by what way you are to goe. I will vnmaske my selfe, and tell you clearely what I thinke. If you will exercise the office of a Priest, if you be delighted in the imployment of Episcopal dig­nity, liue in Citties and Townes; and procure that the salua­tion of others soules may be profitable to yours. But if you desire to be that which now you are called, that is to say, a Monke, which signifyes to be a solitary person; what make you in Citties, which are not the habitations of seuerall single persons, but of many who liue togeather? Euery profession hath his chiefes. Let Captaines of Roman armyes, imitate the Camillo's, the Fabricio's, the Regulo's, and the Scipio's. Let Philo­sophers propound to themselues Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Ari­stotle. Let Poets imitate Homer, Virgil, Menander, and Terence. [Page 145] Historians, Thucydides, Salust, Her [...]tus, Liuy; Orators, Lysias the Gracchi, Demosthenes, & Tully. And (that we may come neerer to our selues.) let Bishops and Priests haue the Apostles and Apostolicall persons for their patternes, & let them endeauour to haue their merit, since they haue their honour. But let vs haue for the prime men of our institute, the Paulo's, the Autho­ [...]ies, the Iulians, Hilarions, and the Macario's▪ And (that I may re­turne to the authority of scriptures) our Generall is Elias, and Elizeus; and our Captaines are the sonnes of the Prophets, who dwelt in solitary places and deserts, and who made Taberna­cles for themselues, neer the waters of Iordan. The children of Rechab, are of this kind, who drunke no wine, nor other thing that could inebriat; who dwelt in Tents, who were praised in Ieremy, by the voice of God; and it was promised to them, that some one of their stocke, should not be wanting, who might stand be­fore our Lord. This I thinke is signifyed by the title of the 70. Psalme, speaking of the sonnes of Ionadab, and of them, who were led into captiuity. This is Ionadab the sonne of Re­chab, who is affirmed in the booke of Kinges, to haue mounted the chariot of Hi [...]u, and his sonnes they are, who (euer dwel­ling in Tents, and being at last compelled vpon the breaking in of the Army of Chaldea; to enter into Hierusalem) are said to haue bene the first, who were led into captiuity; because after hauing enioyed the large liberty of a desert, they were shut vp in that Citty, as if it had bene a prison. I beseech you there­fore, because that holy Sister of yours hath a kind of tye vpon you, and for that you passe not on as yet, with a pace which is wholly free, yet whether you be here or there, fly from complements, and visits, and feasts, as from certaine chaines which will tye you to pleasure. Let your food be meane, as herbes, and pulse; and take it not till night; and little fishes sometimes, which you must hold for a great delicacy. He who desires Christ, and feeds vpon that bread, must not grea­tly care of how pretious meates his excrement be made: what­soeuer delicate thing you eat is all one with bread and pulse, when once it is passed downe below the throat. You haue two bookes of myne against Iouinian, of the contempt of delight in eating. Let your hand e [...]er haue in it some holy booke. [Page 146] You must often pray with your knees bent, & your mind must be raised vp to our Lord. You must watch often, and often sleepe with an empty stomacke. These carryers o tales and these prety little vanities, and smoothing flatterers, you must fly like so many enemyes. Dispence your almes with your owne hand, for the ease of the charge of poore and vertuous people. Honesty is growne rare amongst men. Doe you not belieue what I say? Thinke of Iudas his purse.

Do not affect poore cloathes, with a prowd mind. What need haue you to see those thinges often, for the contempt whe­reof you became a Monke. Especially let your sister decline the conuersation of these Matrons, and let her haue no cause, either to be sorry for her selfe, or to admire her selfe, when she sees her selfe all neglected and ill clad, amongst the silkes and iewels of other woemen, who [...]it about her. For one of these two will bring you to repent your good purpose, & the other is a Seminary of vainglory. Take heed that you, who haue formerly bene a faithfull & excellent dispencer of your owne goods, take not vpon you to distribute the money of other folkes. You conceaue well what I say: for our Lord hath giuen you a very vniuersall vnderstanding▪ Carry the simpli­city of a doue, that you procure not to deceiue any man; and the subtility of a serpent, that you be not supplanted by the sleights of others. It is not much lesse vitious for a Christian, to be deceiued then to deceaue. Whom you shal find to be euer, or often speaking of money (except it be in the way of almes, which must be open to all) hold him rather to be, a mer­chaunt, then a Monke. Besides that which must serue for food, and cloathing, and other manifest necessities, doe not giue to any, least the dogs, eate vp the childrens▪ bread. The belie­uing soule is a true temple of Christ. Apparel that, adorne that, offer▪ presents to that, and receiue Christ in that. For what serues it, that the wals should glister with pr [...]tious stones, and that Christ should be in danger to dy of hunger, in the person of a poore man? They are no goods of yours, which you pos­sesse, but you are only trusted with dispensing them. Remem­ber Ananias, and Saphira. They did too miserably keepe their owne; and take you heed, that imprudently you scatter not [Page 147] the substance of Christ; that is to say, that by indiscretion or affection, you bestowe not the goods of the poore, vpon such as are not poore; and that (according to the laying of that most wise man) Liberality [...]e not destroyed by liberality. Do not looke backe vpon the martiall ornaments, and the vayne title of the Cato' [...]. I know you within, euen to the very rootes. It is a high poynt, to be indeed & not only to seem a Christian; And I know not how, but so it is, that they, who please the world, dis­please Christ.

I speake not these thinges, as if according to the Prouerbe, The sowe were reading a lesson to Minerua, but now that you are s [...]tting to Sea, I haue admonished you as one friend should do another: choosing, that you should rather obserue my skill to be little, then my good will; and desiryng that wherein I haue slipt, you may passe on with a firme pace.

I haue gladly read that booke, which you composed for the Emperour Theodosius, with much prudence and eloquence; and especially I liked the subdiuision thereof. And as in the first parts, you ouercome others, so in the later you outstrip your selfe. The very manner of discourse is close, and cleane, and together with the purity of Tully it is full of sentences. For that kind of eloquence (as one saith) is but cold and weake, when onely the words deserue praise. Besides, you make your consequences of thinges very well, & one thing [...]angs hand­somly vpon another. Whatsoeuer you assume, i [...] either an end of that which goes before, or a begining of that which follo­wes. Theodosius is happy, in being defended by such an Orator of Christ. You haue giuen lustre to his princely roabes, and you haue consecrated the profitablenes of his lawes, to succee­ding ages▪ Proceed on in vertue you, who haue layd so good foundations. What kind of souldier will you proue when you haue experience? O that I were so happy, as to haue the leading of such a wit as yours, not through the Aonian moun­taynes and those tops of the hill of Helicon, (whereof the Poets speake) but by the tops of Sion, and Itabirium, and Sina. If I might but teach you, what I haue learned, and deliuer the mysteries of Scriptures, as it were into your hands, some such thing would grow vp to vs, as the learned Greece neuer had. [Page 148] Hearken therefore my fellow seruant, my freiend, my brother▪ obserue a little, by what path you are to walke, in the holy Scripture. All that which we read in those diuine bookes, doth shine indeed, and that brightly, euen in the barke, but it is much sweeter in the substance and depth thereof. He who wil eat the kernell, must breake the nut: Reueal myne eyes (saith Da­uid) and I will consider the wonderfull thinges of thy law. If so great a Prophet confesse so great darkenes of ignorance; with what a night of stupidity may we conceiue our selues to be enuironed, who are but little ones, and as it were but sucking babes? But this veyle was not onely put vpon the face of Moyses, but vpon that also of the Euangelists and Apostles. Our Sauiour spake to the people in parables; & auowing that that which he deli­uered had somewhat in it of the Mysticall, he said, He who hath eares to heare, let him heare. Vnles all things which are written of him be opened by him, who hath the keye of Dauid, which shuts and no man opens, and which opens and no man shuts, they will neuer be disclosed by any other. If you had this ground, and if your worke were perfected by this last hand, we should haue nothing more gracefull, nothing more learned, nothing more delightfull, nothing more Latin then your bookes. Tertullian is frequent in sentences, but of no very delightfull speech. Bles­sed Cyprian walkes on, all sweet and smooth, like a most pure fountayne, but (employing himselfe wholy vpon the exercise of vertue, and taken vp by the troubles of persecution) he dis­coursed not at all of holy Scriptures. Victorinus, who was after crowned with an illustrious marytrdome, is not able to ex­presse what he vnderstands. Lactantius, who was a very flood of Ciceronian eloquence, I would to God he could as well haue confirmed our doctrine, as he did easily confute that of others. A [...]nobius was vnequall, and subiect to excesse, and with al con­fused, without diuiding his worke. Saint Hilary is aloft in his french stile, and hauing the ornament of those flowers of Gr [...] ­cian eloquence, he is inuolued sometimes in long periods; and is farre out of the reach of ordinary men. I passe ouer the rest in silence, whether they be dead, or still aliue, of whom others may iudg [...] either way, after our time.

And now I come to you, who are my fellow in profes­sion, [Page 149] my companion, and my friend, (I say my friend, though you be not yet of my acquaintance) and I will pray you, not to suspect my friendship of flattery, but rather conceiue, that I am in errour, or that I slip through the loue I beare you; then that I would deceiue a friend, by speaking hlm fayre. You haue a great wit, and an vnspeakeable store and copie of speech; and you expresse your selfe purely, and with ease, and the same fa­cility and purity is seasoned with prudence; for the head be­ing sound, all the sences are in vigour. If labour and the vn­derstanding of Scripture were added to this prudence, & elo­quence, we should see you in a short time to hold the very highest place amongst our men; and (ascending vp to the house of Sion, with Iacob) to sing vpon the house tops, that which you had learned and knowne in the priuate roomes of the house. Gird your selfe vp, I beseech you, gird yourselfe vp. Nothing of this world is giuen to mortall men, but vpon the price of great labour. Let the Church haue you noble, as the Senate had you in former time; and now prepare riches for your selfe, which you may daily bestowe, and yet will neuer fayle, as long as the world lasts. Doe it whilest yet your head is not sprinkled with grey haires; before you be ouergrowne with diseases, and melancholy, and old age, and payne, and be­fore sad death carryes vs vnmercifully away. I cannot be con­tent with any mediocrity in you; but I desire that all may be eminent, all excellent. With what greedy gladnes I haue re­ceaued the holy Bishop Vigilantius, it is fitter that you learne by his wordes, then by my letters. Vpon what ground he went hence, and left vs so soon, I must not say, least I may seem to offend some. I haue entertayned him a while as he was passing by in hast; and I haue giuen him a taste of our friendship▪ to the end that you may learne by him, that which you desire to know of me. I entreat that by your meanes, I may salute your fellow seruant, who labours with you in our Lord.