Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/384

880 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. a child, who, according to the world, was neither wise nor learned, but very acceptable to God and man for the strict mortification of his worldly affections ; and not only for him, but for all who following his footsteps endeavour from their hearts to be dead to the world and to live to Christ, But as to the habit itself, I value it not ; and I would fain know of you what a dead man is the better for a garment ? Th. You know it is the Lord's precept, " not to cast pearls before swine, nor to give holy things to dogs." Besides, if you ask questions to make your- self merry with them, I will tell you nothing at all ; but if you do it with an honest desire of being informed, I will very freely communi- cate to you what I have learned from them. Ph. I profess myself willing to learn, and promise to be an attentive, teachable, and thank- ful scholar.

Th. In the first place, you know that there are some persons that are so ambitious, that it is not enough for them to have lived proudly and insolently, but they must be buried pompously too when they are dead ; not that the dead are sensible, but yet while they are alive they take some pleasure, by the force of imagination, to think of the pomp of their funerals. Now I suppose you will not deny but it is some degree of piety to renounce this vain affectation. Ph. I will own it, if there be no other way to avoid the vanity of pompous funerals. But in my opinion it is more modest for a prince when he is dead to be wrapped in a coarse winding-sheet, and to be carried by the common bearers, and interred in the common burying-place among the common sort of people ; for they that were cai-ried as Eusebius was carried do rather seem to have changed their pride than avoided it. Th. It is the inten- tion of the mind that God accepts, and it is His province only to judge of men's hearts. But what I have told you is but a small matter, there are greater things behind. Ph. What are they ? Th. They pi*ofess themselves of the order of St. Francis's rule before their death. Ph. What, that they will observe it in the Elysian fields ? Th. No, but in this world if they happen to recover, and it oftentimes has happened that they that have been given over by the physicians have by God's blessing recovered as soon as ever they have put on this holy robe.

Ph. Ay, and it often happens so to those that never put it on at all.

Th. We ought to walk with simplicity in the way of faith. If there were no extraordinary advantage in this case, certainly so many learned and eminent persons, even among the Italians themselves, would not be so desirous of being buried in this holy habit. But lest you should object against the examples of strangers, I will tell you that one whom you very deservedly had an high esteem for was thus buried Rudolpius Agricola, and so was Christopher Longolius too. Ph. I do not regard what men do being delirious at the point of death. I would fain have you tell me what good professing, or being clothed, does a man when he comes to be tei'rified with the fears of death, and discomposed with despair of life. Vows are of no force unless they be made in sound sense and sobriety, with mature deliberation, without either force, fear, or guilt. Nay, if nothing of all this were required, such a vow is not binding till after the expiration of the year of probation, at which time they are commanded to wear the coat and hood. This is what St, Francis himself says ; so that if they recover, they are at liberty in two respects, because a vow is not binding that is made by a