Bu. I know some monks so superstitious, that they think themselves in the jaws of the devil, if by chance they are without their sacred vestments; but they are not at all afraid of his claws, while they are lying, slandering, drunkening, and acting maliciously. Fi. There are a great many such to be seen among private persons, that can’t think their house safe from evil spirits, unless they have holy water, holy leaves, and wax tapers; but they are not afraid of ’em because God is so often offended in them, and the devil served in them. Bu. How many are there, who put more trust in the safeguard of the virgin mary, or st. Christopher, than of christ himself? They worship the mother with images, candles, and songs; and offend christ heinously by their impious living. A mariner when in a storm is more ready to invoke the mother of Christ or St. Christopher, or some one or other of the saints, than Christ himself. And they think they have made the virgin their friend, by singing her in the evening the little song, salve regina, tho’ they don’t know what it is they do sing; when they have more reason to be afraid, that the virgin should think they jeer her by their so singing, when the whole day, and great part of the night is spent in obscene discourses, drunkenness, and such doings as are not fit to be mentioned.
Fi. Ay; and so a soldier, when he’s about any dangerous enterprise, is more ready to remember george, or barbara, than christ. And tho’ there is no reverence more acceptable to the saints, than the imitation of their deeds, by which they have approv’d themselves to christ, that is despis’d as much as can be; and we fancy that st. Anthony is mightily attach’d to us, if we keep some hogs consecrated to him, and have him painted upon doors and walls with his hog, his fire, and his bell; and never fear that which is more to be dreaded, lest he should look with an evil eye upon those houses, where those wickednesses reign, that the holy man always abhorred. Do we say over rosaries and salutations to the holy virgin? We should rather recount to her the humiliation of our pride, the repressing our lusts, the forgiving of injuries. The mother of christ takes more delight in such songs as these, and these are the offices that oblige them both.
Bu. A man that is sick is more ready to remember st. Rochus or dionysius, than Christ, the only health of mankind; and more than that, they that from the pulpit interpret the holy scriptures, which none, without the assistance of the spirit, can rightly understand, or profitably teach; they choose rather to invoke the aid of the Virgin Mary, than of Christ or his spirit. And he’s suspected for a heretick, that dares to mutter against this custom which they call laudable. But the custom of the antient fathers was much more laudable, such as origen, basil, chrysostom, cyprian, ambrose, jerom, and austin used, who often invoked christ’s spirit, but never implored the aid of the virgin: But they are not at all displeased at them, who have presumed to alter so holy a custom, taken from the doctrine of christ and the apostles, and the examples of holy fathers.
Fi. A great many monks are guilty of such like errors, who persuade themselves that st. Benedict is mightily attached to them, if they wear his cowl and cloke; tho’ I don’t believe he ever wore one so full of folds, and that cost so much money; and they are not afraid of his anger, in that they do not imitate him in his life at all.
Bu. He is a very good son of St. Francis, who does not disdain to
