Quod Cartuariensea, dum moderationis habenis
The Discipline of the Great Mountain
The Carthusians are praised for their radical detachment from worldly greed and their total reliance on divine providence.
They restrain greed, and the new religious life of the Great Mountain, while despising all worldly things and not thinking of tomorrow, rejects everything and excludes greed; they are far removed from the reputation and name of hypocrites, and from knowing who is secular or religious, what the rule of the active is and what that of the idle, and what the end of hypocrisy is. The Carthusians and the new profession of the Great Mountain, however, most cautiously and faithfully avoid the name and reputation of hypocrites, established on the summit of ancient virtue with the Savior as their guide. The Carthusians have set limits to their desires—or rather, to their needs—and with the reins of moderation they restrain all greed. Sometimes they even deprive themselves of necessities, so that greed cannot use them as a pretext for its schemes. They are undoubtedly great men and to be numbered among the most distinguished, since in such a multitude of passing ages, with the world now growing old, few men have come forward who have prescribed for themselves limits of satisfaction, not only in their professions. Something must always be lacking to a limited thing, and the very gap of desire, which constantly seeks something further, is a sign of imperfection. I say it is a sign; I would rather call it a manifest defect of conscience. In a certain way, therefore—a glorious one—he is perfect who foresees where he can be satisfied. Although I believe that no one, or very few of the pagans, attained this, I am certain that some have followed this purpose, since the ethicist also says: 'Seek a certain end for your desire; without which the effort of the human mind is stretched into infinity and toward that which can in no way be apprehended.' Furthermore, the inhabitants of the Great Mountain have chosen a very arduous life. As tamers of not only greed but, in a way, of nature itself, they have excluded all the demands of necessity and cast off anxiety for the morrow. To despise all the pleasures of the world is a small thing for them; whatever image someone may use to knock at their doors, he is excluded and departs confused. Only Christ enters into them, on whose grace they rely, casting their thoughts upon Him who feeds the little ones and gives food to the beasts and to the young of the ravens. He clothes the lilies of the field and provides what is necessary to all who hope in Him or obey the law of their constitution, so that nothing is lacking to those who have not withdrawn themselves from His will. They cast all their anxiety and every concern upon Him who cares for the faithful, and they avoid the traps of worldly prudence so thoroughly that their entire life might seem like a temptation to some; for the holy fathers define this kind of temptation as occurring when someone entrusts the reins of his actions solely to divine miracle, while not yet being destitute of human aid.
The Sacrifice of a Sincere Will
True justice is found in submitting one's own will to God, avoiding the 'leaven' of pride and the 'honey' of self-interest.
However, I consider a life that pleases God to be one that is free from greed, persistent in innocence, and vigilant in the work of charity. What, then, will hypocrisy, masked by greed, claim for itself in these people or those? For the truest rule is that evils don't spring from the root of charity, and good things will by no means come from the plant of greed. There is nothing that displeases God where the sacrifice of a sincere will is offered, nor does it fail to offend Him if, in any rich offering, someone holds back his own will from Him. Therefore, whoever intends to do his own will irritates the Lord; and whoever, having set aside his own, submits himself to His will, pleases the Most High. In this alone, indeed, the sum of true justice consists. Hence that saying in the Gospel: 'My judgment,' says the Lord, 'is just, because I don't seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.'✦ Moses also says in Leviticus: "Every offering presented to the Lord must be made without leaven; and no leaven or honey shall be burned in the sacrifice of the Lord." The leaven of pride is offered, just like honey, when someone neglects humility and the bitterness of the commandments to offer something based on the whim of his own will. But whoever submits his own will to legitimate commands excludes—no matter what he offers—the swelling of leaven and the sweetness of honey, which are forbidden in the sacrifice. These people, therefore, unmindful of their own will, constantly seeking how they might please Him to whom they have proven themselves, despising the praise that comes from men, and neither having nor wishing to have riches—how are they to be said to have a portion with hypocrites? Yet it is said that someone, having been called away from the company of the saints, went off to the Carthusians, and by the testimony of his works declared what he was seeking when he later turned back. He has his own Judge, and yet he could never bring himself to tarnish the glory of a most holy profession. I haven't heard of anyone being taken from the Great Mountain yet; but I wish that either no one is ever taken, or that it is someone who doesn't tarnish the beauty of such singular eminence by any act of his. Some have Basil, others Benedict, these have Augustine, but those have the singular Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Diversity in Vocation and Holiness
While different religious vocations have different levels of rigor, holiness is ultimately defined by keeping God's commandments rather than by outward habit.
Although I’ve praised these two religious disciplines—perhaps less than they deserve—I’ve said nothing (God is my witness) to disparage others who are walking the right path in their own vocations. The Cistercians are certainly holy, and the Cluniacs are holy; the monks and regular canons are holy, and among them—just as one star differs from another in brightness—some are holier than others. Even though one vocation may rank higher than another, you’ll likely find in any of them those who can be compared to the holiest of the high. Clearly, the state of virginity holds the first rank and a unique title of glory; yet among those who live in continence or marriage, there are perhaps some who should be preferred over many virgins. The Catholic Church confesses that martyrs are to be preferred over confessors; and yet, in some respects, she wouldn’t hesitate to equate certain confessors with some martyrs. There’s no reason for any secular person—like me, for instance—to compare himself to the vocations already mentioned, because it’s rare for anyone to be equal to even a lazy monk. For if someone among us were to fast every day from the middle of September until Easter, attend the night vigils, consistently abstain from eating meat, avoid all the impurities of Friday, never miss the appointed hours (or rarely, and then only for a just cause), not exceed the limits of sobriety, keep a careful guard of silence over his mouth, wipe away his daily faults with daily penance, fulfill what is commanded without hesitation or delay, and patiently endure not only the sharpness of words but also of blows, so that he remains silent before the one who shears him—who wouldn’t admire him as a man of extraordinary virtue and singular merit, and praise him with reverence as a truly apostolic man and an express imitator of Christ? Yet even lazy monks do these things out of necessity. For they differ from the zealous in this: the latter perform these things out of love, while the former are driven by the spur of necessity and are often unwilling. Yet there are people in ordinary dress whom I hesitate to call secular, since nothing secular should be said of them, except that they are bound to this wicked world by the affection of love. For just as circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but only the keeping of God's commandments, so—if I may say so with the permission of religious people—monasticism is nothing, and being a canon is nothing, if the observance of the commandments is missing. These things, then, are ultimately useful if someone keeps the law. But if someone keeps the law without these, I wouldn't call him secular at all. Nevertheless, let's show respect to those in religious life; let those whose dark clothing doesn't distinguish them from others remain secular for the time being. For there is no loss of name unless it is secular in both name and life. Some are indignant that I, a man in secular dress and a sinner in my way of life, pronounce these things about religious people, and they accuse me of disparaging others while I commend monks. Against them, I appeal not to Caesar but to Benedict, who, just as he argues against gyrovagues and sarabaites, so he clearly commends cenobites.
The Trap of False Piety
External appearances, such as clothing or almsgiving, are often used as masks for greed and pride, which are the true marks of the hypocrite.
I rely on the authority of Jerome, even though some monks don't take kindly to him because he seemed to favor the clergy in certain respects. My point, I repeat, is that clothing doesn't make a difference in one's religious life; rather, in any habit, whoever fears God and does what is right is accepted by Him. He also says: 'Avoid dark clothes just as much as white ones.' Ornate clothing should be avoided just as much as filth, because the one smells of luxury and the other of pride. It's praiseworthy not to walk around in linen garments, but it's even more praiseworthy not to value such expensive clothing. And it clearly seems to describe the sect of our time—people, that is, who profess a certain irregular rule, whom you might recognize from his words if he adds anything immediately. Otherwise, he says, it's ridiculous and shameful to boast that you don't have a handkerchief or a stole while your purse is stuffed full. There are those who give very little to the poor so that they might receive more, and under the pretext of almsgiving they seek riches; this should be called hunting rather than almsgiving. This is how beasts are caught, this is how birds are caught, and this is how fish are caught. A small bait is placed on the hook so that the purses of matrons might be drawn out by it. It is certainly better to have nothing to give than to beg shamelessly in order to give. The brothers of the Hospital, or others, have no reason to complain about me here. After all, the one who says these things is a doctor of the Church, and perhaps Jerome wasn't looking at them. Even if I don't know them, they know their own rule. I do know, however, the rule of truth, by which it is clear to me that this is the religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father: to visit orphans and widows in their tribulation and to keep oneself unstained from this world.✦ This, however, belongs to all citizens; and it goes well for them if they faithfully keep it.
The End of the Hypocrite
The chapter concludes by contrasting the quiet contemplation of the faithful with the inevitable destruction of the hypocrite.
Furthermore, the prophet expresses in himself the rule for those who live in the holy leisure of God, saying: 'I kept the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, so that I might not be moved; therefore my heart was glad.' And there is Mary, removed from the crowds, sitting in the Gospel at the feet of the Lord to hear his word. But, to close the discussion on hypocrites, let's bring forward what the blessed Job says about them. 'This,' he says, 'I know from the beginning, ever since man was placed upon the earth, that the praise of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is like a point.' 'Even if his pride rises to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, he will be destroyed in the end like dung.'
Read the original Latin
auaritiam cohibent, et Magni Montis noua religio, dum omnia mundana contempnens et de crastino non cogitans repellit omnia, auaritiam excludit, ab ypocritarum nota et nomine longius absunt; et qui sint seculares aut religiosi; et quae regula actiuorum et quae otiosorum; et quis sit finis ypocriseos. Ypocritarum autem nomen et notam cautissime et fideb lissime declinant Cartuarienses et Magni Montis noua professio in antiquae uirtutis culmine, Saluatore praeuio, solidata. Siquidem Cartuarienses cupiditati suae immo necessitati limites praefixerunt et moderationis habenis omnem auaritiam cohibent et interdum ipsi necessitati aliquid subtrahunt ne sub obtentu illius quippiam auaritia moliatur. Magni proculdubio uiri et inter praecipuos numerandi, cum non modo professiones sed iam senescente mundo in tanta multitudine labentium seculorum pauci processerint homines qui satietatis sibi aliquos praescripserint terminos. Necesse est semper deesse aliquid curtae rei, et ipse hiatus desiderii, aliquid ulterius iugiter afFectantis, imperfectionis signum est. Signum dico; defectum potius dixerim conscientiae manifestum, Quodam igitur modo eoque glorioso perfectus est qui praeuidet unde ualeat satiari; quod etsi neminem uel admodum paucos gentilium assecutos credam, huic tamen nonnullos institisse proposito certum habeo, cum et ethicus dicat: Certum uoto pete finem; sine quo in infinitum animi humani conatus protenditur et in id quod omnino nequeat apprehendi. Porro Magni Montis incolae uitam praearduam elegerunt et, non modo auaritiae sed ipsius naturae quodammodo domitores, omnia necessitatis imperia excluserunt, abiecerunt soUicitudinem crastini. Omnia mundi oblectamenta contempnere parum est apud eos; quacumque ad portas eorum quis pulset imagine, excluditur et confusus abscedit; in eas quippe solus Christus ingreditur, cuius innituntur gratiae, iactantes cogitatum suum in eum qui paruulos enutrit et dat iumentis escam pullisque coruorum; lilia uestit agri et omnibus sperantibus in se aut constitutionis suae obtemperantibus legi necessaria praestat ut nichil desit his qui se eius non subtraxerint uoluntati.
Totam ergo sollicitudinem suam et omnem in eum proiciunt, cui de fidelibus cura est, adeoque prudentiae deuitant angustias ut uita eorum tota nonnuUis temptatio uideatur; sancti siquidem patres genus temptationis diffiniunt, cum quis agendorum habenas diuino dumtaxat committit miraculo, humano nondum auxilio destitutus. Ceterum ego uitam placentem Deo arbitror cupiditatis ignaram, insistentem innocentiae et peruigilem in opere caritatis. Quid ergo in his aut in illis sibi palliata a ypocrisis uendicabit, cupiditate deducta? Regula namque uerissima est, quod de radice caritatis non oriuntur mala et de cupiditatis planta nequaquam bona prouenient. Nec est quod displiceat Deo, ubi sincerae uoluntatis uictima immolatur; aut quod eum non offendat, si in qualibet pingui oblatione propriam ei quis subtraxerit uoluntatem. Ergo qui suam uoluntatem facere disponit, irritat Dominum; et qui sua postposita illius se subicit uoluntati, Altissimum placat. In eo siquidem solo uerae iustitiae summa consistit. Vnde illud in Euangelio: ludicium meum, inquit Dominus, iustum est, quia non facio uoluntatem meam sed uoluntatem eius qui misit me.
Moyses quoque in Leuitico: Omnis oblatio, quae offertur Domino, absque fermento fiet; nec quicquam fermenti ac mellis adolebitur in sacrificio Domini. Superbiae namque fermentum offertur et mellis, cum quis neglecta humilitate et amaritudine mandatorum quippiam offert ad nutum propriae uoluntatis. Qui uero mandatis legittimis propriam subicit uoluntatem, quicquid offerat, tumorem fermenti et mellis a sacrificio prohibitam scilicet excludit dulcedinem. Isti itaque propriae uoluntatis immemores, quaerentes iugiter quomodo placeant ei cui se probauerunt, laudem, quae ab hominibus est, contempnentes, nec habentes nec uolentes habere diuitias, quam dicendi sunt habere cum ypocritis portionem? Quod tamen mirac beris, iam ad Cartuarienses diuertisse dictus est aliquis, ut a sanctorum consortio euocatus ascenderet, et postea conuersus retrorsum quid quaesierit operum testimonio declarasse. At ille iudicem suum habet, nec tamen umquam committere potuit ut sanctissimae professionis gloriam denigraret. De Magno Monte neminem adhuc assumptum audiui; sed utinam aut numquam assumatur aut talis qui nuUo decoloret actu hominum singularis eminentiae uenustatem. Alii Basilium, alii Benedictum, hi Augustinum at isti singularem magistrum habent Dominum lesum Christum.
Licct autem duas istas professiones, minus tamen quam meruerint, commendauerim, nichil (Deo teste) in suggillationem aliorum in professionibus suis recte incedentium protuli. Sancti sunt utique Cistercienses, Cluniacenses sancti; sancti monachi et canonici regulares, et in his, sicut stella a stella differt in claritate, sunt alii aliis sanctiores; et quamuis professionem professio antecedat, in quauis earum forte reperientur qui possint sanctis superioribus adaequari. Plane uirginum primus gradus et singularis gloriae titulus est; in continentibus tamen et coniugatis forte sunt aliqui multis uirginibus praeferendi. Confessoribus martyres praeferendos catholica confitetur Ecclesia; et tamen nonnullos confessores aliquibus martyribus forte quod ad aliquid non uerebitur coaequare. Nec est quod se aliquis secularium mei scilicet similium iam dictis professionibus conferat, quia uix est ut quispiam a talis uel ignauo cenobitae possit aequari. Si quis enim in nobis a Septembris Idibus usque ad Pascha ieiunet omni die, noctumis assit uigiliis, iugiter abstineat ab esu camium, omnem Veneris immunditiam nesciat, horis competentibus numquam desit aut raro et hoc ex iusta causa, sobrietatis limites non excedat, cautam ponat silentii custodiam ori suo, et diurnos excessus deleat satisfactione cotidiana, et quod praecipitur incunctanter et sine mora expleat, et non modo uerborura sed et uerberum acrimoniam sufFerat patienter ut coram tondente se obmutescat; quis non eum quasi uirtutis egregiae et singularis meriti hominem admiretur et cum reuerentia praeconetur tamquam reuera apostolicum uirum et expressum Christi imitatorem? Haec autem etiam ignaui ex necessitate tamen faciunt cenobitae. Nam in eo a studiosis difFerunt, quod illi ex dilectione exercent ea ad quae isti stimulo necessitatis urgentur et saepe inuiti.
Sunt tamen in habitu communi quos seculares non audeo nominare, cum nichil seculare sit dicendum in talibus, nisi quod seculo nequam amoris federatur affectu. Sicut enim praeputium nichil est et circumcisio nichil, sed obseruatio mandatorum Dei; sic, ut religiosorum pace dicam, monachatus nichil est et canonicatus nichil, mandatorum obseruatione deducta. Haec igitur tandem prosunt, si quis legem obseruet. Si uero sine his quispiam obseruat legem, eum nequaquam dixerim secularem. Verumtamen geramus morem religiosis; sint seculares interim quos uestis pulla ab aliis non discemit. Nulla enim iactura nominis nisi secularis sit et uita. Indignantur aliqui quod de religiosis ego habitu secularis et conuersatione peccator ista pronuntio, et, dum commendo cenobitas, me aliis detrahere criminantur. Aduersus hos non Cesarem sed Benedictum appello, qui sicut girouagos et sarabaitas arguit, sic manifeste commendat cenobitas.
Auctor mihi leronimus est, licet eum nonnulli monachorum minus benigne audiant eo quod clericos quod ad aliquid uisus est praetulisse. Auctor est, inquam, quod uestis nequaquam religionis differentiam faciat, sed in omni habitu qui timet Deum et operatur iustitiam acceptus est illi. Idem quoque ait: Vestes pullas aeque uita ut candidas. Ornatus ut sordes pari modo fugienda, quia alterum delicias alterum gloriam redolet. Non absque lineo amictu incedere sed pretium linearum uestium non habere laudabile est. Et manifeste uidetur exprimere sectam temporis nostri, hominum scilieet qui irregularem quandam regulam profitentur, quos an ex uerbis eius possis agnoscere audiquid incontinenti subiungat. Alioquin, inquit, ridiculum et plenum dedecoris est referto marsupio quod sudarium et orarium non habeas gloriari. Sunt qui pauperibus parum tribuunt ut amplius accipiant et sub praetextu elemosinae quaerunt diuitias; quae magis uenatio appellanda est quam elemosina.
Sic bestiae, sic a aues, sic capiuntur et pisces. Modica esca in hamo ponitur ut in eo matronarum sacculi protrahantur. Est utique melius non habere quod tribuas quam ut tribuas petere impudenter. Non habent fratres Hospitalis uel alii quid hic de me querantur. Qui enim haec loquitur, doctor Ecclesiae est; et forte ad eos leronimus non respexit. Ipsi, licet ego non nouerim, nouerunt regulam suam. Noui tamen regulam ueritatis qua michi constat quia religio munda et immaculata apud Deum et Patrem haec est, uisitare pupillos et uiduas in tribulatione eorum et immaculatum se custodire ab hoc seculo. Haec autem politicorum omnium est; et bene cum istis agitur, si eam fidehter seruant.
Porro in sacro otio Dei degentium regulam in se propheta exprimit dicens: Prouidebam Dominum in conspectu meo semper, quoniam a dextris est michi ne commouear; propter hoc delectatum est cor meum; et Maria, exempta a turbis et in Euangelio sedens secus pedes Domini ut audiret uerbum eius. At, ut de ypocritis sermo claudatur, quid beatus lob de his pronuntiet proferatur in medium. Hoc, inquit, scio a principio, ex quo positus est homo super terram, quod laus impiorum breuis sit et gaudium ypocritae ad instar puncti. Si ascenderit usque in eelum superbia eius et caput eius nubes tetigerit, quasi sterquilinium in fine perdetur.
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.5.30 — I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.
- ↩Jas.1.27 — Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
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