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CHAP. XVII.

A Reclufe Life.

HE Man who defires to maintain Peace and a good Understanding with others, muft learn, in order to it, in many Cafes to deny and fubdue himfelf. If then you would keep your Ground, or advance forward in Piety and Virtue, poffefs your felf entirely with the Notion of your being no better than a Stranger and Pilgrim only here upon Earth. As fuch, be content to forego the Enjoyments and Efteem of the World, and to be accounted a Fool for Chrift's fake. For till this be done, You are not duly prepared to retire, and enter into a Courfe of Life wholly devoted to God and Religion.

The peculiar Habit, and Tonfure, and other Formalities, by which Monafticks are diftinguifh'd from common Men, add nothing to their Sanctity, nor contribute in the leaft to render them what they pretend to be. This can only be done by a Temper, as different from the reft of the World, as their Way of Living An entire Change of Manners, and an effectual mortification of their Paffions and Defires. He that retreats out of any other Defign, but the Service and Honour of God, and the Salvation of his Soul, will be fo far from avoiding Mifery and Trouble, that he will involve himself in new and greater Troubles, and become more exquifitely wretched than the Affairs of the World could make him. No body can continue easy in his own Mind, who does not endeavour to become leaft of all, and Servant of all.

Remember then that you come to Obey, and not to Govern: The State of Life to which you are called, is a State of Labour and Hardship, and much Suffering; not of Leifure, and Eafe, and Diverfion. You do

not fo properly forfake, as change your Bufinefs. For this fort of Life is fuch a Trial of Men, as the Fire is of Gold: And none make good their Poft in it, but fuch as are content to humble themfelves, and heartily and chearfully fubmit to any Thing, for God's fake,

CHAP. XVIII.

Of the Examples of Holy Men in former Ages.

I'

T will much contribute to our Progrefs and Encouragement in Chriftian Virtues, to keep in View thofe lively Patterns, which those holy Fathers have fet us, whofe Zeal and exalted Piety fhone clear in former Generations. For, by obferving the Brightness of their Luftre, we fhall at the fame time difcern the Faintnefs and Dimnefs of our own light, and blush to find the prefent Age fo much eclipfed by the une qual Comparifon. Alas! How poor and mean are our Attainments when put into the Balance with Theirs! Thofe excellent good Perfons, thofe affectionate Friends and Followers of Chrift, ferved God inftantly, in Hunger and Thirft, in Cold and Nakednefs, in Labour and Wearinefs, in Watchings and Faftings, in Prayers and holy Meditations, in many Perfecutions and fharp Reproaches.

Bleffed God! How many, how grievous Miseries and Hardships did the Apoftles and Martyrs, the Confef fors and Virgins endure heretofore! And not They only, but all those brave and generous Souls in the Pri mitive and purer State of the Church, who made iti the Study of their whole Lives to tread in the Steps of their meek and fuffering Saviour.Thefe heavenlyminded Perfons even hated their own Lives unto the Death, that they might preferve them unto Life eter

nal.

nal. How very auftere, how entirely mortified, was the Converfation of the Ancient Hermits in the Defarts? How long, how fharp the Temptations they underwent? How fierce and frequent their Conflicts with the Enemy of Souls? How conftant and fervent their Prayers? How rigorous their Abftinence, how unblemished their Chastity? How eager their Defires, how indefatigable their Endeavours after higher degrees of Perfection? How vigorous and gallant the War they waged against their Vices and rebellious Appetites? How pure and uncorrupt all their Intentions, how free from any Mixture of Worldly Profpects, and fincerely fixed upon God and his Glory? The whole Day they employed in hard Labour, the whole Night in Devotion. From which their very Labours did not hinder them; for even these were confecrated too, by the frequent intermingling of Prayers and holy Ejaculations.

Their great Care, in a word, was, That no Portion of the Time God gave them in the Body, might be spent unprofitably: And what they laboured to make an Improvement, their Zeal made a Delight. For Time in their Efteem was much too fwift; and their Devotions fo far from creating Wearinefs, that every Hour feem'd fhort, and fnatch'd away thofe joys too haftily, which they felt in converfing with him whom their Soul loved. Their Thoughts were fo intent, their Raptures fo entertaining, fo ravishingly fweet, that they became almost all Spirit, and quite forgot their Bodies, and the Care neceffary for fupporting them in Life. Riches, and Honours, and Greatnefs, and Friends, and Relations were now no longer their Concern. How fhould they? when even a Part of their own Perfons ceafed to be fo; and providing those things, without which Mortals cannot fubfift, was now grown a Trouble, and to Perfons so abftracted from Flesh and Senfe, a painful and unfeafonable Interruption of better and much more important Business, D

Thefe

Thefe Men, 'tis true, had no earthly Poffeffions, but they who were Poor in that refpect, were exceeding Wealthy in another, rich in the Favour of God, and abounding in excellent Virtues. What they wanted of outward Comforts, was much better fupplied by the plentiful Communications of Divine Graces, the inward Refreshments and unfpeakable Confolations of the Bleffed Spirit. The fe Strangers to the World were intimately acquainted with its Maker and Lord; and, how meanly foever they might think of themselves, or how defpicable they might appear in the Eyes of others, yet in the fight of God they were particularly dear, highly honourable, and precious. They per`fevered in their Humility, and fincere Obedience, in their Courage and Conftancy, their Meekness, and Patience, and great Charity. And by this continuance in well-doing, and contented fuffering, they made daily Advances in fpiritual Perfection, and attained to a wonderful high pitch of Grace and Favour with God. By this exemplary Piety they are become proper Patterns for the Imitation of all devout Men in afterAges: And, though but a few in Number, ought to encourage and prevail upon us more powerfully to rival their uncommon Zeal, than the numerous Examples of negligent and lukewarm Chriftians should do, to flacken, and fuffer our Piety to grow cold.

To these we may add the ardent Devotion of those Holy Men, who retired from the World into Cloisters and Cells, which, at their firft Inftitution, were Places of great Piety and severe Virtue. Their Prayers were frequent and devout, their Emulation in fpiritual Perfections noble, their Difcipline ftrict and well ordered: their Obedience to fuperiors modeft and respectful. Even thofe Footsteps of their Piety ftill remaining, from which their Succeffors have fince fo fcandaloufly degenerated, are fufficient to inform us, that the firft Combatants in this War against the World and the

I

Flesh,

Flesh, were Men of Gallantry, and just Renown. But now alas! how wretched a pass are we come to, when it is counted a mighty Matter, if here and there one keep himself from tranfgreffing the Rules of his Order, and patiently fubmit to thofe Exercises, which his Profeffion imposes upon him?

Oh what a miferable Age of cold Indifference and wicked Carelesness are we fallen into? How are the holy Flames of Primitive Zeal extinguished! And instead of being a Delight, how great a Wearinefs, how infupportable a Burthen, are Religious Duties and Exercises become to us! How wretched is that Stupidity, how profound that Sleep, which now oppreffes the Spirit of Mankind, when fo many bright Examples cannot prevail with us to shake off our Sloth and Slumber, nor awaken our Souls into any tolerable Concern for banish'd Piety and neglected Virtue!

CHAP.

XIX.

The Exercife of a truly Religious Perfon.

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HELife of a Chriftian, who hath dedicated himfelf to the Service of God, fhould abound with eminent Virtues of all kinds, that he may be really the fame Perfon, which he is by outward Appearance and Profeffion. Indeed he ought not only to be the fame, but much more, in his inward Difpofition of Soul; because he profeffes to ferve a God, who fees the inward Parts, a Searcher of the Heart and Reins, a God and Father of Spirits: And therefore, fince we are always in his Sight, we fhould be exceeding careful to avoid all Impurity, all that may give Offence to him, whose Eyes cannot behold Iniquity. We fhould in a word, fo far as mortal and frail Nature can, imitate the BlefD 2

fed