be gone Ioc. 3. â— is not from aboue as saynte Iames sayth of sapience 2. Io. 2. And saynte IohnÌ„ coÌ„maunded his disciples therfore that they shulde not wyll ne desyre to loue the worlde nor those thynges that be ther in The worldly pacience than is al worldly and the gostly pacience heuenly The one bestly carnall The other gostly and spirituall The one / synfull and dyuelyshe And the other good and goodly Vnto the ton pacience man may attayne and rech by hym selfe by his owne wyll But vnto the tother not so And why The cause is that the coÌ„cupiscens desyre and loue wherby the worldly ê‘sons do so styffly and obstinately bere and suffre paynes and sorous is of the worlde all synfull and man of hym selfe may fal into synne though he can not by hym selfe aryse agayne vnto the state of grace as by exeaÌ„ple a man caÌ„ not clymbe vnto a steple toppe without streyrê or some other-helpe but when he is at the hyghest place therof he may of hys owne wyl without helpe fal downe But vnto the gostly pacience man may not so attayne and come of hym felfe be cause the seruouâ— loue and desyre wherby the gostly ê‘sons done so strongly and meruelousely suffre so wonderfull paynes is of god and god is a spirite impossible that maye not suffre ne haue any payne A man therfore can not loue that thynge impassible with out he be holpyn inflamed with that godly fyre that is the holy goste so then maye he loue god and by that loue he may suffre and gladly bere vnsufferable and vnbereable paynes for god For as we sayde before charite bereth and suffreth al thynges Psal 〈◊〉 3. d. From the whiche charite saynte Paule sayde no thyng shulde departe him Nother trouble nor anguyshe nother hongre thyrst nor colde no peryle nor ioperdy ne ê‘secucion nor vengauÌ„ce no dent of swerde nor drede of death For hyt is wrytten that we be mortified put to death euery daye / in all our lyfe tyme for the good lorde but in all these do we venquyshe and ouercome al for hym and by hym that hathe ê‘fectly loued vs. For I am certene sayeth he that nother death ne lyfe nor angelles nother pryncipates nor vertues nother thynges instant or preseÌ„t nor thyngê to come No strength nor power nother heyght ne depthe nor any other creature may departe vs from the charite and loue of god which is in Christe Iesu our lorde and mayster Nowe you se what myght and streÌ„gth loue hathe and howe inwordly ê‘sons hyt causeth them to take great labours and suffre muche and so to lerne pacience / and yet is hyt in dede no pacience nor worthy the name of pacieÌ„ce although hyt be a suffraunce and so doeth seme only pacience For as we haue shewed before the cause of the suffrauÌ„ce doeth make pacience not the selfe suffraunce yet may we christians take exeample at theyr suffrauÌ„ce that be worldly to lerne and wynne true faythfull meritorious pacieÌ„ce And muche may we be abashed a shamed of our dulnes and vnkyndenes when we se or here howe they suffre bere for the vayne loue of theyr lewde desyres and howe lytle payne we take and suffre for god to wynne very pacience Nowe let vs thaÌ„â—urne our face froÌ„ thys maner of pacieÌ„ce because we perceyue hyt is not true pacieÌ„ce although the exeample myght moue vs and so teache vs / and let vs folowe the exeamples of better maysters and more sure lernynge ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ Of the exeamples of gostly persons The .xvi. Chapiter ⧠⚜ ⧠SAynte Iames sayeth we may take example of the yuel labour Iâ— 5. 〈◊〉 payne and pacience of yuel persons but muche more of the holy ê“phetes whom nowe we blesse and prayse for theyr paynes and suffrynges you haue harde sayeth he what Iob suffered and what ende our lorde made you haue sene and perceyued Nowe than yf we shall take the doctryne and lerdynge of our pacience / before defined Ro. 2. â— and destribed at and by exeample We maye well begynne at the exeample of oure Lorde god that as saynte Paule sayeth doeth by greate pacience tarie byde and loke for oure â—oÌ„uersion from synfull lyfe vnto good lyfe Aug. de pacieÌ„tia Capâ—â— But here must you beware that you thynke not ne beleue pacience to be in god as hyt is in vs. For wâ— can neuer haue pacience without payne without suffrynge of losse hurte or grefe whiche maner of passions be neuer in god but when god doth mynystre Iustice so doth punysh the synne of man then we saye that god is angry displeased and yet in dede ther is no perturbacion of that passion of Ire in hym And agayne when he doeth vse vntâ— vs his mercy grace benignite and goodnes then saye we that god loueth vs is pleased with vs and yet be ther non suche mutacions nor chaungynges of affecâ—yons or passions in god And yet may we say that god without any passion is most hyghly paciente And that he hath not only moste parfecte pacience but also that he is the selfe essenciall pacience and the founteyne well spryng and begynnynge of all good pacience And therfore they erre and thynke muche a mysse Aug. de pacieÌ„â—â—s et eyprâ— anus aug 〈◊〉 suprâ— Cap. 5. that do saye they may haue pacience of theyr owne selfe by the libertye of theyr fre wyll For Dauid sayde good lorde god thou arte my pacience That god hath pacience and that muche and meruelous aboue that any tonge can speke or any hert may thynke appereth openly from the begynnynge of the worlde In that specially that he so pacieÌ„tly and mercifully suffred and bare the greate vnkyndnes yet forther the great rebellious obstinacie and disobedience of our fyrst pareÌ„tes Adame and Eue. And also of theyr fyrst soÌ„ne Cayne in fleyng of his brother Abel And euer sythe that tyme hytherto hath borne and suffred and yet doth bere vnto the greate contumely and dyspyte of hys mayeste honour the ydolatrye of Caynes poste ryte ysshue and ofsprynge Cyprianus vbi supra and of al infideles that sette vp theyr fals goddes theyr ydoles of yerth metalles of ston wode in theyr profane teÌ„ples that is to saye such teÌ„ples as were neuer coÌ„secrate ne halowed but coÌ„trarye vnto all good religion wyched cursed he suffreth them to do vnto them sacrifice and sacrilege And yet god doth not only suffre and most paciently bere them in all these many other abhominacions but also dothe gyue hys gyfies equally as well vnto theÌ„ as vnto hys chosen chyldren The son the mone and yâ— sterres the elementes all maner of wedders all maner of frutes and fode in lyke vnto the good and badde or yuel ê‘sons And although hyt be in hys power and also iuste vnto theyr deseruynge to take vengaunce and wreke vpon them vtterly to destroy them yet
than is full true Sufferaunce doth ease many other meanes there bene as pride ê“digalite and vnlawful pleasures that done lyghtly sparpoyle destroy great goodê and substance for lackh of due pacience So that we may well conclude / that pacience is profetable vnto the lawful getynge kepynge increascyng also spendyng of the wordely goodê which goodê as we sayde be the lyest / and in the lowest place of those coÌ„modites that do apparteyne belonge vnto man Then foloweth of the cors and body of man which is more precious then any worldly goodes ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ That pacience is coÌ„modious and profitable vnto the good state of the body of man The .ix. Chapiter ☞ âšœ ☜ WE put the body of man in the secunde place as muche more worthy then the goodê and yet vnder the fame good name or honour in dignite and degre althogh sume ê‘sons do set more by the sory carcas then other by theyr name or yet by the soule vnto the good state than of the body to be kept or recouered our pacience is much necessarie and profitable For the pacient person is euer sobre prouident and ware bothe in wordes dedes couÌ„tenauÌ„ce behauiour And the hasty man sayeth the coÌ„mune prouerbe wanteth neuer wo. The countenaunce of man in lokes or gestures doth many tymes prouoke vnto Ire and hathe ben occasion of bodely hurte / and harme many ê‘sons by hasty passions haue hurte them selfe Yee and some slayne them selfe / for lacke of pacience many for default of pacience haue exceded in wordes which haue bene occasion and cause of bodyly hurte and bludshed Eccli 6. a. where the pacient ê‘sons by soft and swete wordes haue mytigate and swaged Ire and restrayned hasty passions and appeased the parties Ibidem let neuer therfore sayth the wysemaÌ„ a prowde hasty worde passe thy mouth hasty passion lacke of pacience haue brought and cast many persons into feuers axes variaÌ„t sekenece / and diseases And also kept them longe therin and increasced the same And sume for lacke of pacience do rayle blaspheme god And many wylfully done byde and continue in sekenes because they wyll not suffre to be lauÌ„ced Qui pri ceptame dici noÌ„ seruat seipÌ„m intimit cut or otherwyse cured And suÌ„ wyll not kepe prescribed dyete ne kepe the preceptes coÌ„maundemeutes of theyr phisicions surgions or leches wherby they bene oftymes causers of theyr owne death And some haue had so greate malyce / and hatered vnto some ê‘sons that they had leuer suffer greate paynes in the body then to be cured by that / or those ê‘sons Many and very many variaÌ„t and sondry incoÌ„modites haue comen vnto the body of man for lacke of pacience whiche the meke pacieÌ„t ê‘sons do avoyde and exscape And yf by chaunce they be in ê‘yll yet by pacieÌ„ce they sone lyghtly recouer and finde remedy Some for very angre freate them selfe to death and that is for lacke of pacience Thus you se and perceyue that vnto the good state of the body pacience is commodious / and profetable ☞ ⧠☜ ⧠¶ Howe pacience is coÌ„modious and necessarye vnto good fame and good name to be obteyned holden and kept The .x. Chapiter ⧠⧠GOod fame or good name doth kepe the thyrde place in ordre as in dignite degre more worthy then other the worldly goodes or yet the body of maÌ„ For the fame doeth last byde after that the body is dede and roten And doeth in maner rendre and presente the ded ê‘son by recorde and memory as yet and euer lyuynge in honour or dishonour accordynge vnto the merites of the ê‘son Fame therfore is so precious that as I sayde before some ê‘sons haue rather lost theyr lyues then they wolde lose theyr fame and honour The cronicles and stories do coÌ„tinue kepe in mynde the fame and the noble actes and dedes of armes of the pagans and hethyn men and be rehersed for examples And so be the holy legendes or lyues of the blessed saintes vnto theyr great glorye and honour in our lorde and vnto our edification All Christians therfore shuld much cure and regarde theyr fame Timo. 5 Timo. 2. Cor. 2. prope finem For saynt Hierom sayth that our fame and good name is a fragrant pleasant odour / or smell vnto Christe as saynt Paule wryteth vnto the Corrinthê And in an other place he sayth that those be cruell ê‘sons that be negligeÌ„t and carelis of theyr fame Fame than and good name is a glorious thynge muche to be desyred chyfely and derely to be kept so hyt be ryghtly goten For the good fame of the ypocrite is not well goten Aug. de bond vi duitatâ— And good fame doth folowe vtuous dedes whether the ê‘son wyll or not as the shado in the son doth folowe the bodye Let euery person loke wel than howe they desyre to haue good name fame For yf hyt be desyred for veyneglory and so outwardly by feyned vertue and not inwordely before god deâ—eâ—â—â—ed hyt is then a lyer shall in the ende come vnto the greate shame rebuke of the person Aug. coÌ„ tra pela â—ium Epist 109. let therfore very and vnfeyned vtue obteynâ— wyne the fame And let the loue of honesty and the intente and mynde of the edificacion of the neghbur reteyne and kepe the same The persons of good name and fame be had in great loue and fauour in greate honour and reuerence And in great feare or drede The holy wydowe Noemy and her doghter in lawe Ruth Ruth 1. d. e. 2 â—ester 9 b. Iudit 8. a. Ph. 〈◊〉 b 3. ReguÌ„ 10. a. 2. Para. 9. a. Math. 12. d. Hiero. ad Pau linum were greately beloued and fauored by theyr fame and good name so were bothe Hester and Iudit And saynt Paule wylleth that the ê‘sons of good name and fame shulde be promoted vnto office rule dignite / and honour aboue other The fame of kynge Salomon caused the Quene of Saba to come froÌ„ ferre couÌ„treyse vnto hym whose vertue she sayde exceded the fame The fame of Tiâ—us Liuius as saynte Hierome writeth caused many ê‘sones to come vn to Rome onely to se that man And so we rede of many other ê‘sons that haue made great â—orneyse passed the seese and many large â—ferre couÌ„treyse in greate spens of theyr goodes Hiero â—bisÌ„ â—â—great labours of theyr bodyes in great toperdy of theyr lyues onely to se them in preseÌ„ce whose fame they herde of ferre Iosue Dauid Salomon / many other noble men were had in great feere drede onely by theyr fame The coÌ„mine prouerbe is in englysh it is a good thynge / to haue a good name For he that hathe an yule name saye they is more then halfe hanged For no waysh ne crafte can purge clense Hiero. nor put a waye the spottes and fylth of an yule name or fame For the name
of worldly goodes Sometyme for the hurte noyance of the body Sometymes for the blottynge steynynge and hynderance of fame And suÌ„tyme byonde all these thynges for the trouble of the mynde alon we shall shewe you howe coÌ„modious and profitable pacience is vnto the quietude and reste of the mynde ¶ That pacience is profitable and necessarye vnto the quietude and reste of mans mynde The .xii. Chap. ☞ ☜ THe losse of wordly goodê may fortune vnto any person without any hurt or noyance of his body or of the fame or good name or yet without any ioê‘dy of soule as when theues or soden fyre do steyle and destroye the goodes and yet when the persons hauynge that losse haue knowlege therof the mynde is coÌ„munely troubled and gruged therwith But ther then hath pacieÌ„ce a place For then doth the ê‘son that is disciple vnto pacience call vnto mynde that al maner of worldly goodê be not gyuen vnto vs as vnto propriete as our owne goodes but they be coÌ„mitted and delyuered by our lorde as his goodê vnto our necessarie vse and administracion and euer vpon a counte For without any feyle we shal rendre yelde a count of euery peny And also yâ— sayde disciple knoweth well hyt is but lent good and that also without any day appointed or set but euer at the wyll of the owner wherfore he wyl saye mekely and with due pacience Iob. 1. b with holy Iob. Dominus dedit dominus abstulit c. Our lorde gaue al and our lorde hath take it as it pleaseth our lorde so be it blessed be euer the name of our lorde And lykewyse a ê‘son may be hurt or greued in his body although ther be no losse ne hurt in the goodê nor yet in yâ— fame and that when the mynde is quiete But yet sone after the mynde wyl be vnrested withall and seke for remedy And yf no remedy can be had then the disciple of this good lady calleth for his maystres and she ful louengly is redy at hande and sayeth RemeÌ„bre good chylde what botches skabbes / had holy Iob specially what payne thy sauyour Iesu suffred for the and take me thy maystres to be thy leche or phisicion thou shalte be lyghtly and well cased Yet forther the fame may be sore assayled and in greate ioperdye without any losse of goodes or greaf of the body and without any blemysh of the soule As was in holy Susan wheÌ„ she was in harde case shamefully accused but se what her maystres my lady dame pacieÌ„ce dyd for her For she neuer accused her fals accusers ne yet vnto her dere fryndes dyd she excuse her selfe but bydynge with her lady pacience she remytted and cuÌ„mytted her holle cause vnto our lorde and with as fewe wordes as myght shewe that she was not careles nor neglygeÌ„t of fame sayde vnto our lorde O eterne and euerlastynge god that haste the perfecte knowledge of all hydde Daniel 13. e. and pryuey thynges that knowest all thynges before theyr bygynnynge Thou knowest wel lorde that these men haue borne fals wytnes agaynste me and se good lorde I go to death whyle I dyd none of all these thynges that they haue malyciously coÌ„powned / and made of theyr owne hedes agaynst me And forthwith by the meane of my lady pacience and of her mother mekenes helpe came she was delyuered and her fame and good name not only pÌ„serued kept but also vnto her eterne glorye multiplied increased Nowe yet go forther vnto the selfe mynde And you shall perceyâ—â—e that althogh in a ê‘son the state of the goodes of the corps or body of the fame and good name ye and also of the selfe soule be whole sounde / and stoude al vpryght yet may yâ— mynde be sore vexed and troubled Aug. de pacien cap. as dayly happeth in euery teÌ„tacion of the gostly enymyes the dyule the worlde and the flesh by many other occacions of theyr meÌ„bers and seruandes 2. Reg. 16. b. as was in dauid wheÌ„ he sled from his son absolon a man called semet a lym of the dyule rebuked him extremely in so much that hys seruandes were greately moued therwith so that one of them wolde haue slayne the wreche but dauid turned vnto my lady pacience and so was not only rested in hys owne mynde but also with his wyse godly wordes he appeased hys sayde seruandes Thus appereth that pacience is good and profitable vnto the quietude and reste of mynde For the mynde is not onely moued and troubled by tentacions and suche outwarde occasions but also many tymes without knowne occasion when the persons within them selfe ben troubled vexed can not tel why nor with whom yet wyll they lum / lowre Tertulianê° in Apolo loke all of a ded fashon and no thyng can please for that tyme. The cause wherof may be an humour in the body and many tymes that vnrest of mynde cuÌ„meth of opinion or suspicion Seneca ad Lucil epla 78. whiche many tymes do muche greue vnrest the mynde For let a person put a way opinion and suspicion sayeth seneke and greate outwarde trouble shall lytle or nothynge greue Aug. de pacien La. 9. For pacience wylfully taken doeth by good deliberacion auoyde all suche trouble and wynneth / and geteth therby great ease and rest of mynde For the person that hath wylfull pacience Quinti lianus La. 10. hathe but lytle payne And the impacient person by cause he wyll not suffre doth not auoyde the payne hurt that greueth hym and that he dredeth but rather doth he multiplye hys payne by impacience where the pacient person that hath determinate wyll rather to suffre then to do any wronge or puyl doth mynushe make hê payne Ouidiê° 8. Mâ—tha fa. 7. or trouble much lighter lesse by pacience Aud yet doeth also auoyde / and excape many wors or greater troubles paynes wherinto he shulde by impacience haue siypped / and be drowned The wyse seneke therfore sayde vnto a frynde of hys that was troubled and not pacient therwith Vbi supra ad Lucil. Make not sayde he thy mater wors and thy trouble more greuous by thy quarelles coÌ„playntes and impacience And vnto an other frende he sayde Bere and suffer sayth he with euyn mynde Ad Pau linum episco 6 and good wyll and take also and account as gaynes of marchandes al suche aduersites troubles as fortune doth sende or as happe fall by chaunce in this lyfe for the tyme shall come in a whyle very shortly Macto that felicite and ioy shall make an ende of al myseryes and yuyls And macrobius sayeth who so euer for the tyme wyll dissimble and lytle care for troubles vexacions shall in a shorte space after haue by the beniftce of paciencâ— great rest of mynde and ease and pleasure Your coÌ„mune englysh ê“uerbe doth so affirme
in a coyshe in bytter cold and in sted of a kynges cradle he was leyde in a chrayche wrapped in hay bytwene two bestes he shed hys pÌ„cious blode as other synfull chylderne paynfully circuÌ„cysed For he that neuer dyd nor euer myght do any synne wolde suffre bere the synne of other ê‘sons And settyng asyde or layng on parte for the tyme hys inmortalite he suffred hym selfe to be made mortall and dedly that innocent gyltles in hym selfe he myght be slayne deye for the gylty man And yet in all hys depe pouerte he toke the due honour of kynges when he was shewed vnto them by myracle of the sterre to be the kynge and maker of the worlde And yet sone after when he had bene presented in the temple he suffred hym selfe and his dere mother and supposed forther to be dryueÌ„ to flyght out of hê owne natyue countre vnto a strounge lande And not longe after hys retourne he wente mekely with his parentes vnto Ierusalem at the tymes statuted and ordined to do sacrifice And although a chyld of .xii. yeres yet as an auncient man in wysdome and lernyng he taught the doctors in disputyng the mystryes of theyr lawes And for the conforte of hys soroful mother myssyng hym thrye dayes he descended and came downe from Ierusalem with her her housbande hê supposed father vnto nazareth And was subiect obedient vnto them as a chylde although god vnto hys parentes he also lord vnto S. IohnÌ„ baptiste dyd not dedygne ne disdeyne to be of hê seruant baptized washed in the lauacre and fouÌ„te of regeneracion amonge synners notwithstandynge that he came to gyue remyssion and for gyuenes of synnes forthwith after hê baptyme he went into wyldernes among bestes and there alon without any cuÌ„peny of maÌ„ fasted froÌ„ all maner of bodely fode .xl. dayes and forty nyghres coÌ„tynually be cause the other ê‘sons shulde therby be fully fedde and made spiritually fatte He then beganne to be hongry to fele the payne of honger because that those that were famyshed for greate defaulte of the worde of grace shulde be ful fedde with celestiall heuenly bred And yet before that he toke any bodyly fedynge he suffred the tentacion and subtell assayle of the dyuell and waged with him open batayle hande for hande and victoriousely venquyshed ouercame hym and put him to flyght And so gaue vs bothe exeample also strength so to do in euery teÌ„tacion He than beganne to do myracles and to shewe exeample of all perfection and to take bodyly labours to go aboute the countrey in hete colde in cawme stormy weders by water and by lande in honger and thurste Faynte and wery to preche and teache the worde kyngdome of god And amonge his disciples not as a lorde ouer his bonde seruantê by worldly pompouse power but euer beynge gentil mylde and meke he intreated them in all and withall brotherly charite and loue howe greate pacience he expressed in berynge and sufferynge of the Iwes no tonge can tell he shewed vnto theÌ„ vnspekeable kyndnes they reanswered hym euer with most vnnaturall vnkyndnes he was borne of theyr nacion in theyr countrey Math. 15. â—1 And as he sayd hym selfe he came pryncipally for that people And there he byganne fyrst to do myracles to preache with all diligence to brynge them vnto the ryght fayth vnto the true vnder standyng of theyr owne lawe And they wold not receyue hym nor gyue credence vnto hym he fede them by myracles and the sone forgate hym and neuer thanked hym therfore He cured theyr seke people by hys godly vertue And they sayde hyt was by the power of the dyuyl when so euer they toke occasion at any of hys wordes or workes he euer charitably satisfyed them by auctoryte and good reason when they proudly spake vnto hym he mekely reaunswered when they with raylynge wordes rebuked hym he with softe soubre maner spake vnto them And euer was he most diligente to wynne and gether them vnto god that were moste rebellious and obstinate And when they pursued hym he auoyded and gaue place tyl hys tyme was cuÌ„ that he him selfe had appoynted for his death And then howe cruelly they behaued theÌ„ selfe towarde hym the ordre of his passion doeth shewe euidently In euery artycle wereof is playnly set forth both theyr extreme malycious crudelyte and bytter malice And his most hygh charitable pacience To recounte here and rehers vnto you the sayde passion nedeth not you haue hyt in so many workes bokes setforth by ordre of dyuers auncient auctours In thys on thynge you may note hys pacieÌ„ce meruelouse wonderful and perfecte that he dyd not onely bere suffre hys enimies so mekely and constantly in all hys lyfe but also dyd praye for theÌ„ so charitably and wepynge so hertely vpon the crosse at hys death O meruelous and must vn declareable exeample of pacience he taught his disciples this pacience before in precepte by wordes as the gospell doeth wytnes in many places Math. 5. g In Math he sayde vnto his disciples I bydde you sayeth he loue youre enymyes Do you good vnto them that hate you and praye you for your persuers harmeres And for them that shamefully falsly do rebuke you that you may be the chylder of your heuenly father so in conclusion to be perfect in pacience as he is And when our sauiour goynge to death had washed the fete of hys disciples and also for the great exeample of pacience the fete amonge theÌ„ of hys enymye and fals traytoure Iudas he sayd vnto them Se sayde he take hede knowe you what I haue done vnto you Io. 3. â— You call me mayster and lorde and you saye well For in dede so I am yf than I your mayster lorde haue wayshed youre fete you muste also of duete eueryche washe the fete of other For I haue gyuen you exeample that as I haue done vnto you so shulde you also do in lyke maner Note you deuoute disciples what he dyd vnto them and what exeample he gaue In that obseruance of washynge he gaue the exeaÌ„ple of profounde mekenes and in the berynge and suffrynge of the traytour Iudas he gaue exeaÌ„ple of must perfect pacience For he knewe well before that he wolde betray hym yet notwithstandyng he ê“moted hym vnto the must hygh degre of hys church the ordre appostolyke And not only washed hym with his other byloued frendes Augu. temo 4. contra dona Epist 163. pagina 478. d. et temo 8. In psal 10. In do coÌ„fido but also fede hym amonge theÌ„ with hys owne holy sacred body precious blode Remembre you nowe howe meruelous pacience hit is to knowe a domesticall / and housholde enemye and neuer to detect ne by wrey hym and yet when he came vnto the dede wolde not denye to kysse the treatour Thus you ê‘ceyue howe he bare and suffred that his
vnreasonable and insensible creatours myght not bere For the son the mone the starres and the foure elementes dyd not bere ne suffre his death paciently but openly shewed them selfe to be confounded troubled and discontent therwith The son and the mone the starres bycause they wolde not se and beholde that cruell dede of the Iues dyd hyde and withdrawe theyr beames and lyght So that the nyght dyd close shyt vp the day all remayned in darkenes The yerth quaked the stones brake graues opened and ded corses dyd aryse and all to complayne in theyr maner vpon the innocent death of theyr maker And he hym selfe in al thys wrongfull intreate nothynge sayde ne spake ther vnto nothyng was he moued Nor yet in al these paynes and passion shewed he any sparcle or the least token of his maieste to be knowen but perseuerantly and coÌ„tinually he suffred all vnto the laste ende bycause that my lady pacieÌ„ce sâ—â—â—de in hym tryumphe and be shewed and knowe aâ—l all / and perfect And yet after all thys se and by holde a pacience aboue pacieÌ„ce that is that he dyd and yet doeth receue vnto grace them that slewe hym and that they may be coÌ„serued kepte therin He setteth open the gates sacramentes of his holy churche vnto all persons that wyll retourne and come whome vnto hym For the moste vnkynde aduersares the most fel blasphemers and raylers and the most cruell and hatefull enemies of hys holy name yf they wyll repente and do penauÌ„ce knowlegyng theyr defaulte and trespas he doth not only receyue vnto grace and forgyue wholly and fully all theyr synnes but also he doth gyue them inestimable vnthynkeable rewarde that is 2. Cor. 1. e. here in thys lyfe a confortable quietude reste of coÌ„science For saynt Paule sayth Our glorye prayse and conforte is the testimonie and wytnes of our conscience and thys is no small gyfte nor lytle to be estymed or weyed but yet that foloweth is more and greater gyfte that is the rewarde of the kyngdome of heuen in ioye and blys euerlastynge Oh good Iesu what may be more paciently more benignely and gently or what maye be more louyngly and mercifully spoken ymagyned or thought Those that shedde the blode of Chryste were quyckened and made lyuely by the same blode of Chryste Suche and so greate and meruelous is the pacience of Chryste And els yf hyt had not bene so greate we shulde haue lacked and myssed in the churche of Chryst many greate doctours and teachers and examplers of pacieÌ„ce As saynte Paule saynt Cypryane dyuers many other yf we than do dwell and byde in Chryste most dere bretherne deuote scolers of pacience yf we haue clothed as saynt Paul sayeth and put Chryste vpon vs Ro. 5. d. as our lyuery that is yf we wyl faythfully were hys lyuery clothynge bere hys connysaunce and bage of armes yf we take hym for the way / and meane of our helth saluacion let vs then that do folowe hys holsome steppes go 1. Io. 2. and passeforth after hys Exeamples for saynt IohnÌ„ sayeth who so sayth he dwelleth in Chryst must walke and go forth after suche forme maner as he walked wente And saynt Petre sayde vnto hys disciples 2. Pe. 2. Chryste dyd suffre and take payne and passion for al leuynge and gyuynge exeample vnto all you faythfull people that you shuld folowe hys steppes For he dyd neuer synne nor trespas nother in dede nor worde Note thys poynt well good deuote reders that syth our sauiour Chryste neuer offended in the least thynge and yet suffred moste and that moste wyllyngly also without any gruge hys exeample of pacieÌ„ce muste nede be vnto vs excellent and occacion of good reason for vs to take pacience and gladly to suffre / that we haue well deserued for our synnes and offences ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ That our owne myserie and multitude of our synnes shulde moue vs vnto pacience The .xviij. Chap. ⧠☜ ⧠☞ YF we coÌ„syder how much we of iustice be bounde and howe muche of good reason we haue deserued to suffre we may the rather be moued vnto pacieÌ„ce Fyrste than that we of iustice ryght shulde suffre all paynes and sorowes paciently let vs remeÌ„bre the senteÌ„ce of our lorde god which sentence anone in the bygynnynge of the worlde and of man kynde he gaue vpoÌ„ our parentes and forefathers Adam and Eue because that they myndeles and forgetfull of hys coÌ„maundement wylfully brake hys lawe wherby all theyr posterite yssue and ofsprynge be borne and bounde vnto pressures coÌ„flictacions paynes troubles and labours all the tyme of thê lyfe For thus our lorde sayde vnto Adam Genes 3 â— d. Because thou waste obediente vnto the voyce and counsell of thy wyfe And so hast eaten of that tree wherof I coÌ„maunded the thou shouldest not eate cursed be the yerth in thy worke Thou shalt in greate labours eate therof all the dayes of thy lyfe And hyt shal bryng forth vnto the thornes and breres or bremles And the herbes of the felde shall be thy fode And in the swette of thy face shalte thou eate thy brede vnto the tyme thou retourne and tourne agayne into yerth wherof thou came / was made For thou arte duste of the yerth and into duste shalte thou retourne Thys is the seÌ„teÌ„ce of god vnto yâ— which all we be bouÌ„de vnto the tyme that death departe vs from thys worlde For by thys sayde sentence all we must nedely remayne and byde in sorowe mournynge payne trouble and labours all the dayes of our lyfe And so eate our brede in the swette of our face and in continuall myserie In tokyn wherof euery man when he is fyrste borne and receyued into the hospitall and ynnes of this worlde for we haue here no dwellynge place he begynneth hys lyfe with teres and wepynge Hebre. 13. c. And although he be yet ignorant no thyng knoweth of thys worlde ne any thynge els caÌ„ he do in that fyrste natiuite and byrth but wepe yet by the prouidence and disposicion of nature he lamenteth and mourneth And thus the rude and vntaught or vnlerned soule and lyfe of man forth with in the fyrste begynnyng doeth by hys wepyng and mournynge testifie and wytneseth the anxietes / anguyshes labours storines and turmoyles of thys worlde wherinto he entreth and cuÌ„meth For certenly as longe as we lyue in thys worlde we muste nedely swete and labour and suffre many greues And yet in all our paynes shall we neuer haue better solas and conforte then of pacieÌ„ce Al thys nowe haue we shewed vnto you that you shulde euideÌ„tly perceyue and se howe by the iustice and ryghtwysnes of god we be bouÌ„den to suffre and take paynes and moued by our owne miserie to lerne pacience yet haue we a forther occasion to suffre to lerne pacience of our owne deseruyng For that I spake of before was iuste and due
reioyce bost and crake therof as though thou haddest not so taken and borowed hyt And saynte Gregory agayne Grego he the sheweth out borded goodê as hys owne doth feght with god with his owne rewardes and gyftes Dessende therfore sayeth saynte Augustyne and come downe lowe that thou mayst asceÌ„de and clymbe suerly vp make thy selfe vyle meke lowe that thou mayst be exalted promoted lest peraduenture yf thou exalte thy selfe thou be plucked downe agaynst thy wyll For so sayth our sauyour in the gospell Qui se exaltat humiliabitur Who so euer doth exalte et enhauns or set vp hym selfe shall be brought downe made vyle and lowe By these auctorites many mo dothe appere that to call vnto remeÌ„brans / our good dedes or vertues is not profetable but rather perilous Notwithstandynge for such causes as I shewed before in extreame disconforte it may be lawfull and good as we haue of the holy father Iob Iob. 31. in the .xxxi. Chapiter throughout And specially at the houre or in the Ioperdy of death as is euident in the boke of kynges of the good kynge Ezechias 4. ReguÌ„ 20. a. So may we do at suche tymes / or in such necessites that is to saye to cal wylfully vnto mynde and remeÌ„brans our good dedes and workes or the paynes that we haue suffred for the loue of god to quench viâ—e and to kendle and increas vertue And therfore I wolde aduyse all them that shall fortune to be present with any persons drawynge vnto death to put them in remeÌ„brans of all suche and that they neuer thynke at that tyme vpoÌ„ any fyâ—â—e â—â—offâ—ns that euer they dyd but to coÌ„mytte all those with stedfast fayth / and pure hope vnto the passion and death of our sauyour and vnto hys mercy Amen ¶ Of the secuÌ„de poynt that shulde rather be forgotyn then remeÌ„bred ⧠☞ ⧠☜ LYke as we shulde not call vnto mynde or remeÌ„brance our good dedes So shulde we clerely forgete all yuel and wronges done vnto vs / of any ê‘son for any cause And yf by chauns any suche come vnto mynde put them quycly awaye with violence So was coÌ„maunded in the olde lawe Seke not vengauns nor to wreke thy selfe Leuiti 19. d. nor kepe in thy mynde the iniurie or wronge of thy neyghbour But here some persons wyl saye Syr I can fynde well in myne herte to forgyue the wronge but I can not forgete hyt And although I do not seke or mynde any meane of veÌ„gauns yet my hert doeth some tyme aryse and I then murmure and go out of cuÌ„peny â—erâ—er supra cautieÌ„ wyll nother salute ne be saluted of the parties and yf by chauns I can not auoyde then I checke or vpbrayde the person of the wronge Thys forgyuenes can not discharge the conscience byfore god And yet be they in wors case that make outwarde a fayre face as though all were clerely forgyuen and yet inwarde they bere rancore and grugge wolde be glad that god or some other persons shulde take vengauns or do some hurte vnto the parties Thys is in dede a very hatered who so kepeth hyt in herte be homicides and manslers Qui odit fratrem suum 1. Io. 3. c homicida est Who so euer sayth the scripture hateth his brother is a mansleer That hert or mynde that lyghtly forgeteth the benifetes of his frynde and that holdeth kepeth well in mynde the hurt and iniurye of hys foo or enimie is well assimuled and lykened vnto a colender or streyner that putteth on t the beste and reteyneth and kepeth the worst A very faythfull christiane therfore shulde clerely fully forgyue and vtterly forgette with al hys herte al iniures wronges and hurtes done in any wyse vnto his goodes or body Takynge euer example of oure sauiour and his holy folowers For he prayde his father vpon the crosse to forgyue hys foose and cruel crucifiers And saynt Stephan in lyke maner And saynt Bernarde sayeth that god doeth lyberally Gernar and frely forgyue all penitentes al iniuries wronges so that nother he wyl by damp nacyon take veÌ„geance nor yet coÌ„founde or make them abashed by vpbrayde nor impute ne lay any thynge vnto theyr charge by lesse loue or fauour so that they onely haue perfete wyl to do no more And yf we do in lyke maner eche vnto other we shall fullfyll the greate and laste coÌ„maundement that our sauiour gaue vnto hys disciples saynge Hoc mando vo bis c. Io. 15. c. This one thing I coÌ„mauÌ„de you sayde he that you loue to gether that you fauore eche other For in that shal euery maÌ„ knowe sayeth he that you be my disciples yf you loue eche other Thus shall we than haue perfete and vnfayned charite in our hertes yf we forgete and neuer kepe in mynde or remeÌ„brance iniuries wronges hurtes hyndrances and al displeasures done vnto vs. ⧠☞ ⧠☜ âšœ ⧠¶ Of the thyrde poynte to be put clene a way and neuer to be called ne kept in remembrance ☞ âšœ ☜ THe thyrde to be forgoten is the dilectacion of synnes past which is very perilous For although the recorde and remembrans of synnes past may be good and profitable vnto some persons yet is that recorde neuer good Auguâ— but rather yuel except ther folowe forthwith some maner of repentance sorowe and displeasure for the offeÌ„ce of god in the synnes or by those synnes But to haue delectacion in that recorde or remembrans is neuer good but alway nought For as saynte Hugh De sancto victory sayeth Huge when so euer our lorde god by his holy sarrameÌ„tes or by coÌ„tricion doth louse the penitent from hys synnes forgyueth hys transgressions and offences he dothe therwith also bynde hym vnto perpetual detestation hatred of them that is that when the sayde synnes come vnto remembrans by any meanes that the person be abashed of them with hatred and sory that he so dyd with purpose and mynde neuer to coÌ„mit any suche agayne and thus that recorde may be good and profetable as I sayde vnto some ê‘sons For theyr be some maner of persons that after myne opinion shulde neuer call wylfully theyr synnes vnto mynde nor yet when they come vncalled kepe them in remeÌ„brance For some persons be carnall very frayle and sone set one fyre in flamed or at the least sore assayled with a lytle remeÌ„brans and so intendynge by recount of theyr synnes to make a mendes sodeÌ„ly they fal vnto forther daunger Let these maner of ê‘sons therfore beware and neuer call those synnes vnto mynde that were coÌ„fessed And yf by chauÌ„ce they come to remeÌ„brance let them caste them quicly a way with feare horror detestacion indignacion as they wolde cast an edder or a snake from theyr hande or a venemus tode that sodenly shulde fall in theyr lappe and with reuereÌ„de drede retourne vnto our lorde god and most swete sauiour
I doubt not be edified therby A deuout brother of ours instantly requirynge forsed me to stranslate the mater which I haue done more after the sens and meanyng of the auctour then after the letter and somewhere I haue added vnto the auctour rather than mynushed any thynge Ascribe and take all vnto the beste I byseche you good deuoute Christiane reders whom our lorde god moste swete sauiour Iesu saue kepe increace in his grace and mercy euermore Amen Your assured bedeman the olde wreched brother of Syon Rycherd Whytforde ⧠An instructyon to auoyde and eschewe vices and folowe good maners ascribed vnto saynt Isodor and translate into Englyshe by a late brother of Syon Richarde Whytforde * ⎠* MAn knowe thy selfe / knowe what thou arte knowe whens thou came howe and whetof thou wast begotyn how thou wast nury shed in thy mothers wombe howe thou wast borne know vnto what ende and purposethou wast create and made frame and order thy selfe vnto the same As thy maker hathe institute and taught the so go forth by due obedience ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ Of yuel thoughtes FYrste haue thy selfe in a good awayte of thy thoughtes dayly discusse and trye thy herte / examyne dayly thy coÌ„science kepe well thy mynde from vayne and yuell thoughtê Let neuer fylthy or vnclene cogytacion crepe into thy soule Yf thou be assayled and tempted with an yuel thought gyue no place therunto when the serpeÌ„t appereth fyrst kyll hym trede vpon hys hedde and crush hyt in peces Put awaye the yuel thought at the fyrst enter at the fyrst mocion and begynnynge and then shall hyt nothynge noye For better is to auoyde synne then to make amendes therfore The mendes is beste made wher and when the synne fyrst spryngeth and begymieth Be ware at the begynnynge and thou shalt lyghtly auoyde and excape all daungers and periles of the soule coÌ„science ¶ Of chastite NEuer than be thou polluted or defoled with any vnclennes Let neuer thy mynde be occupied nor thy soule be spotted with any fylthy pleasures of the bydy Let no lechery preuayle in the ne haue restynge place in thy hert or mynde Chastite dothe ioyne man vnto god Chastite dothe drawe conuey and carye man vnto heuen Vnto the chaste person is heuen promysed And yf yet thou fele the greuous vexacion and troubles of the body yf thou be touched with the stynge and prycke of the fleshe yf thou be assayled with the suggestion tentacion of the fylthy lust or stynkyng pleasure of vnclennes yf by any mynde thoughtes or remeÌ„brance of fornicacion thou fele or perceyue any tytillacions or rysynge of the frayle flesh and bestly body theÌ„ renne streght way in all haâ—t vnto the nexte remedy Cast forthwith byfore the face and syght of thy soule the memorie and remeÌ„brance of death Put before thy face the passage of thy soul from thy body loke vpoÌ„ thy last ende beholde and se the terrible and most dredeful day of iudgement Thynke what tourmeÌ„tes paynes be ordened for synne the perpetuall euerlastyng fyre of hell with other innumerable horrible / and abominable punyshmeÌ„t vnspekable And yet the moste suer and spedefull remedye agaynst al maner of tentacions is the remembrance of the acres of our saluacion specially the bytter passion / and paynfull and shamefull death of our lorde Iesu prayer helpeth muche ⧠⚜ ⧠¶ Of Prayer PRaye therfore contenually cease not to praye our lorde daye and nyght pray with teares wepe mourne and by wayle the synne of the worlde Let prayer be your armour harnes and defence For prayer is a principal vertu violeÌ„ce agaynst the assayles of al tentacions For the dyuyl is veÌ„quished and ouercomen by prayer prayer dothe preuayle agaynste all yuels And obteyneth / and geteth grace so that fastynge go therwith ¶ Of superfluous fedynge SVperfluous fedynge bybbynge and bollyng be the instrumeÌ„tes of lechery as by fewel fore cast vnto the fyre the heate more increaceth Mater coÌ„bustible and that wyll lyghtly bren maketh the flame more feruent so doth the pomprynge of the body moue and sturre the blode and doth ingender vayne and vnclene thoughtes ¶ Of aspecte or cast of the fyght ONe of the fyrste and principall grynnes sun res or lymeroddes of vncleÌ„nes is the eye or syght The chefe coÌ„cupiscence that frayle persons haue eche vnto other is by lokynge and caste of the syght For therby is the mynde sone lyghtly netted 2. Re. 11. Psal 118. caught and taken Dauid to wytnes and he prayed afterwarde vnto our lorde sayng Auâ—rte oculos meos ne videant vanitatem Turne and plucke awaye good lorde myne eyes and syght / that I byholde not or se any vanite withdrawe therfore your syght holde backe your eyes froÌ„ all lyght wanton lokes Neuer fyxe or fasten youre syght vpon the fauour beauty or countenance of the contrary sexe that is man vpoÌ„ the woman or contrarye the woman vpon the man Remembre the gospell who so euer loketh vpon afrayle ê‘son of the coÌ„trarie sexe with the consente of coÌ„cupiscence hath euen then Math. 5. d. done fornicacion in his hert and mynde Yf you wyl than be safe and in suerty froÌ„ vice of fornicacion vncleÌ„nes auoyde / put away all occasions therof take away the mater cause the offeÌ„ce is sone auoyded Aristo The philosopher sayeth Remota causa remouetur et effectus Remoue and put awaye the cause and the effecte is forthwith remoued Be therfore discrete ware as well of your loke syght as of your touchyng and other byhauiour of the body ¶ Of the cuÌ„peny and preseÌ„ce of the contrarye sexes ⧠★ ⧠THer is no thynge more ê‘ilous for the frayle persons then the presence cuÌ„pany famuliarite of the coÌ„trarye sexe For when they be disioyned and in sondre departed selden haue they any intent or purpose of synne harde to lye or dwell longeÌ„ by a serpent without some hurt Byde nere the face of a continuall fyre though thou were yron thou shalte be dissolued and wasted who so euer is very nere vnto perile and ioperdy caÌ„not belonge in iuerte to be safe therfrom Eccli â— d The wyseman sayth Qui amat piculum in illo pecibit Who so loueth perile shall therin perysh The frayle lyght person is euer in perile byding in familier presence of a lyke frayle person specially of the coÌ„trarie sexe The most redy and most suer remedy / than is to fle and to auoyde presence For often hathe hyt chaunced and cuÌ„men to passe that familiarite in accustomed presence hathe venquyshed ouercomen brought vnto effecte that vnclene acte of the flesh which the voluptuous desyre and appetite therof coulde neuer brynge aboute ¶ Of labour occupacion and of the coÌ„trarye that is ydelnes ☜ âšœ ☞ THe ydel persons be sonest and most lyghtly venquished ouercomen with the fole synne of the body For the fylthy appetite of the fleshe dothe most