me and let it deliuer me from all euill affection and inordinat loue and I shall walke with thee in great freedome of hart 2. I †Our Lord. will teach thee sayth the Truth those things that are right pleasing in my sight Thinke of thy sinnes with great sorrow and grief neuer esteeme thy selfe any thing for thy good works Thou art in very deed a sinner and subiect to many passions Of thy selfe thou alwaies tendest to nothing and art quickly cast downe and ouercome quickly troubled quickly dissolued Thou hast nothing wherein thou canst glory 2. Cor. 4. but many thinges for which thou oughtest to humble and despise thy selfe for thou art much weaker then thou art able to comprehend 3. And therfore let nothing seeme much vnto thee whatsoeuer thou doest Let nothing seem great nothing precious and wonderfull nothing worthy of estimation nothing high nothing truly commendable and to be desired but that which is euerlasting Let the eternall Truth aboue all things please thee Let thy owne great vnworthines alwaies displease thee Feare nothing blame and fly nothing so much as thy sinnes and vices which ought to displease more then the losse of any thing whatsoeuer Some walk not sincerly in my sight Eccles 3. 2. Cor. 3. but led by a certaine curiosity and pride will know my secrets and vnderstand the high mysteries of God neglecting themselues and their owne saluation These often times for that I resist them do fall into great temptations sinnes for their pride and curiosity 4. Feare the iudgments of God dread the wrath of the almighty But discusse not the works of the Highest Search thine owne iniquities in how much thou hast offended and how much good thou hast neglected Some carry their deuotion only in bookes some in pictures some in outward signes and figures some haue me in their mouths but little in their harts Esa 29. There are others that being illuminated in their vnderstanding and purged in their affection do alwaies aspire with an earnest mind to euerlasting happines and are vnwilling to heare of the things of this world and do serue the necessities of nature with griefe Ps 24. and these perceaue what the spirit of truth speaketh in them Because it teacheth them to despise earthly Ps 1. and loue heauenly things to neglect the world and day and night to desire heauen CHAP. V. Of the wonderfull effect of diume grace I praise * The Seruant thee o heauenly Father Father of my lord Iesus Christ for that thou hast vouchsafed to remember me a poore and wretched creature 2. Cor. 1. O Father of mercies and God of all comfort thanks be vnto thee who somtimes with thy comfort refreshest me vnworthy of all comfort I euer blesse and glorify thee with thy only begotten Sonne and the holy Ghost for all worlds O God my lord the holy louer of my soule when thou shalt come into my hart all that is within me will reioyce Psal 3. Thou art my glorie and the exultation of my hart Thou art my hope Ps 31. and my refuge in the day of my tribulation 2. But for that I am yet weake in loue and imperfect in vertue I haue need to be comforted by thee visit me therfore often and instruct me with thy holy discipline Deliuer me from euill passions and heale my hart of all inordinate affections that being cured within and well purged I may be made fit to loue strong to suffer and constant to perseuere 3. Loue is a great matter Matt. 11. in very truth a great good which alone maketh euery thing that is heauy light and beareth equally vnequall burthens For it carrieth a burthen without a burthen and maketh euery thing that is bitter sweet and delightsome The noble loue of Iesus enforceth man to worke great things and styrreth him vp to desire allwaies the most perfect Loue will be aloft and not kept downe with any base thinges Loue will be free from all worldly affection to the end his inward sight be not obscured that he be not intangled with the desire of any transitory gaine or troubled with the want therof Nothing is sweeter then loue nothing stronger nothing higher nothing more ample nothing more pleasant nothing fuller nor better in heauen or in earth for that loue hath his beginning from God and cannot rest but in God aboue all creatures 4. He that loueth flyeth runneth and reioyceth he is free and not held in He giueth all for all hath all in all for that he resteth in one Highest aboue all from which all good floweth and proceedeth He respecteth not the guifts but turneth himselfe aboue all goods vnto the giuer Loue oftentimes knoweth no measure but inflameth aboue all measure Loue feeleth no burthen waieth no paines desireth aboue it strength complaineth not of impossibility for that it thinketh all things lawfull and possible It is therfore able to vndertake all things and performeth and bringeth many things to effect wheras he that doth not loue fainteth and can do nothing 5. Loue alwaies watcheth Rom. 8. and sleeping sleepeth not being wearied is not tyred straitned is not pressed frighted is not troubled but like a liuely flame and burning torch breaketh vpwards and passeth through all with great security If any one loueth he knoweth what this voice crieth A lowd cry in the eares of God is the burning loue of the soule which sayth My God my loue thou art wholy mine and I wholy thine 6. Enlarge me in loue that my hart may tast how sweet it is to loue and to be dissolued and swimme in thy loue Let me be possessed by loue mounting aboue my selfe with excessiue feruour and admiration Let me sing the song of loue let me follow thee on high my beloued let my soule faint in thy praises reioycing with loue Let me loue thee more then my selfe and not my selfe but for thee and all in thee that truly loue thee as the law of loue commandeth which shineth in thee 7. Loue is swift 1. Cor. 13. sincere pious sweet and delightfull strong patient faithfull prudent suffering full of courage and neuer seeking it selfe 1. Cor. 10. For where one seeketh himselfe there he falleth from loue Loue is circumspect Ps 2. humble and vpright not remisse not mutable nor attending vnto vaine things sober chast constant quiet and guarded in all the senses Loue is subiect and obedient to Superiours meane and abiect to it selfe deuout and thankefull vnto God trusting and hoping alwaies in him euen then when God imparteth no sweetnes vnto it for without sorrow none liueth in loue 8. He that is not ready to suffer all things and stand to the will of his beloued is not worthy to be called a louer A louer ought to imbrace willingly all that is hard and distastfull for his beloued Rom. 8. and not to turne away from him for any contrary accidents CHAP. VI.
THE FOLLOVVING OF CHRIST Deuided into foure Bookes Written in Latin by the Learned and Deuout man THOMAS à KEMPIS Chanon-Regular of the Order of S. Augustine AND Translated into English by B. F. I H S Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XIII TO THE HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS ELIZABETH VAVX Mother to the LORD Harrodowne HONOVRABLE AND RIGHT WORTHY THE publike demonstratiō which you haue lately giuen of your true desire to follow the footsteps of our Lord vndergoing so heauy a Crosse for his sake with so ready and resolued a mind hath moued me to dedicate this little Booke of the Imitation of Christ vnto You assuring my selfe that it will be no lesse gratefull to You to see it appeare in light purged from many mistaken sentences which were in the former Translation then the reading and practice therof will be profitable to others it being so diuine and excellent a worke as in the opinion of such as can best iudge of this matter of all the Bookes which are written that treate of spirit and Christian Perfection the holy Scripture excepted it is inferiour to none if it excelleth not all No ' booke hath byn more approued by generall consent none more often printed and translated into diuers languages none more esteemed commended yea commaunded also by the chiefe Maisters of Spirit of some Religious Orders to be often read by euery one in priuate and once a weeke publikely to all So full of sweet sense is this diuine Flower that the most spirituall bees may dayly draw from thence great plenty of celestiall hony It is a dish of so diuine meate that it neuer satiates the deuout mind but as the Wisdome of God doth promise to all such as fit at that heauenly banquet so shall they find in this spirituall food The more they eate it Eccl. 4. the more they shall hunger after it And the reason heerof is for that it contayneth so great depth of spirit and so great store and variety of heauenly documents that it seemeth euer new to the Reader and like another Manna affoardeth to euery one that delightfull tast which best agreeth with the palate of his soule and none can loath it but they whose lustes do carry them to Aegyptian slauery A true Israelite may feed vpon it fourty yeares togeather and euer find such pleasing tast and increasing strength by vse therof as will sustaine him in the desert of this world enable him to goe on without fainting till he arriue at his promised inheritance of eternall rest The practise of that which this Booke doth teach couereth the soule with the rich garment of grace and adorneth it with the splendent pearles of Euangelicall Perfection which maketh vs more pleasing in the sight of God then can the deckings of all earthly iewells make the fayrest Lady in the Kingdome where you are appeare beautifull to the eyes of men It returneth aboundant Gayne for sustained Losses and enlargeth the Liberty which is now restrayned It raiseth vp to cheerefull confidence the debased head and placeth in a Throno of endles Honour those who in this world doe seeme imprisoned in the blacke cloud of disgrace To Yov therfore who haue so willingly endured the losse of your earthly substance I haue thought good to present this Euangelicall Pearle and incomparable Treasure contayned in a little roome Heere you shall find the most perfect manner of conforming our selues to Christ our heauenly Patterne and see the vertues set forth in their colours which did most shine in the life of our Lord himselfe and read in plaine and vulgar phrase those Lessons of high Perfection which are commended vnto vs by the highest Wisdome and which haue made as many Saints as they haue had diligent and obseruant followers ACCEPT therfore I beseech you this little Present presented by him who wisheth you much more temporall happinesse then your present state affoardeth and that endles glory wherof your present suffering is no vncertaine pledge This first of Nouember 1612. Yours in all duty B. F. A TABLE Of the Chapters of this ensuing Booke THE FIRST BOOKE OF the imitation of Christ and contempt of all the vanities of the world CHAP. 1. pag. 1. Of the hūble conceipt of our selues p. 4. Of the doctrine of truth pag. 7. Of prudence and foresight in our actions pag. 11. Of the reading of holy Scriptures pag. 13. Of inordinate desires affections pag. 14. Of flying vaine Hope Pride pag. 15. That too much familiarity is to be shunned pag. 17. Of Obedience Subiection pag. 18. Of auoiding superfluity of words pag. 20. Of the obtayning of peace and zeale of spirituall profit pag. 22. Of the profit of Aduersity pag. 25. Of resisting Temptations pag. 26. Of auoyding rash iudgment pag. 31 Of VVorkes done of Charity pag. 33. Of bearing with the defects of others pag. 34. Of Religious life pag. 36. Of the examples of the holy Fathers pag. 38. Of the Excercise of a good and Religious person pag. 42. Of the loue of Solitude Silence pag. 46. Of Compunction of hart pag. 52. Of the cōsideratiō of humane misery pag. 56. Of the consideration of Death pag. 60. Of Iudgment and the punishment of sinne pag. 66. Of the feruent amendment of our whole life pag. 71. THE SECOND BOOKE OF spirituall cōuersation pag. 80. Of humble submission pag. 86. Of a good and peaceable man pag. 87. Of a pure mind vpright intentiō pag. 90. Of the consideration of ones self pag. 92. Of the cōfort of a good Conscience pag. 94. Of the loue of Iesus aboue all things pag. 97. Of familiar cōuersation with Iesus pag. 99. Of the want of all comfort pag. 102. Of thankfulnes for the Grace of God pag. 107. How few the louers of the Crosse of Christ are pag. 111. Of the high way of the holy Crosse pag. 114. THE THIRD BOOKE OF the in ward speach of Christ vnto a faithfull soule pag. 129. That truth speaketh inwardly without noyse of words pag. 127. That the wordes of God are to be heard with humility and that many weigh them not pag. 129. That we ought to liue in truth and humility in the sight of God pag. 133. Of the wonderfull effect of diuine grace pag. 136. Of the proofe of a true Louer pag. 141. That grace is to be hid vnder the veile of humility pag. 145. Of a meane conceipt of our selues in the sight of God pag. 149. That all things are to be referred vnto God as vnto the last end pag. 151. That despising the world it is sweet to serue God pag. 153. That the desires of our hart are to be examined moderated pag. 156. Of the effects of Patience and of strife against Concupiscence pag. 158. Of the hūble obedience of a subiect according to the example of Christ pag. 162. Of the secret Iudgments of God to be considered least we be extolled in our good deeds pag. 164. VVhat we ought to do and say in euery
worke without charity profiteth nothing 1. Cor. 13. but whatsoeuer is done of charity be it neuer so little and contemptible in the sight of the world it is fruitfull and of great esteeme in the sight of God For God weigheth more with how much loue one worketh then how much he doth He doth much that loueth much Luc. 7. 2. He doth much that doth a thing well he doth well that rather serueth the common good of others Phil. 2. then his owne will Oftentimes it seemeth to be charity and it is rather carnality because naturall inclination selfe-will hope of reward and desire of our owne commodity will seldome be wanting 3. He that hath true and perfect charity seeketh himselfe in nothing but only desireth in all things that the glory of God should be exalted Phil. 2.3 1. Cor. 13. He also enuieth none because he loueth no priuate good Ps 17. 24. neither wil he reioyce in himselfe but wisheth aboue al things to enioy God He attributeth nothing that is good to any man but wholy referreth it vnto God from whom as from the fountaine all things proceed in whom finally all Saints haue perfect rest by fruition of his glory O he that had one sparke of perfect charity how easily would he discerne that all earthly things be ful of vanity CHAP. XVI Of bearing with the defects of others THOSE things that a man cannot amend in himselfe or in others he ought to suffer patiently vntil God ordaine otherwise Think that perhaps it is better so for thy tryall and patience without which our merits are not much to be esteemed Matt. 6. Thou oughtest to pray notwithstanding when thou hast such impedimēts Luc 11. that God would vouchsafe to help thee and that thou maist beare them patiently 2. If one that is once or twice warned doth not amend contend not with him but cōmit all to God that his will may be fulfilled Matt. 6. and his name honoured in all his seruāts who knoweth how to turne euill into good Endeauour to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others Thess 5. Io. 1. Luc. 6. for that thy selfe also hast many things which must be suffered by others If thou canst not make thy selfe such an one as thou wouldest how canst thou expect to haue another in all things to thy liking We would willingly haue others perfect and yet we amend not our owne faults 3. We wil haue others seuerely corrected and will not be corrected our selues The large liberty of others displeaseth vs and yet we will not haue our desires denied vs. We will haue others kept vnder by rigorous lawes but in no sort will we our selues be restrained And thus it appeareth how seldome we weigh our neighbour in the same ballance with our selues If all men were perfect what should we haue to suffer of our neighbour for God 4. But now God hath thus ordained that we may learne to beare one anothers burden Gal. 6. for no man is without defect no man without burden no man sufficient of himselfe no man endued with so much wisdom as he needeth 1. Thes 5. 1. Cor. 12. but we ought to beare with one another cōfort one another help instruct admonish one another Aduersity best discouereth how great vertue ech one hath for occasions make not a man fraile but do shew what he is CHAP. XVII Of Religious life THOV must learne to break thy owne will in many things if thou wilt haue peace and concord with others It is no small matter to dwell in communtiy or in a congregation to conuerse therin without complaint and to perseuer there faithfully vntill death Blessed is he that hath there liued well and ended happily If thou wilt perseuer in grace as thou oughtest and profit in vertue esteeme thy selfe as a banished man and a pilgrim vpon earth Thou must be cōtented for the loue of Christ to be esteemed as a foole in this world if thou desire to lead a vertuous and perfect religious life 2. The wearing of religious habit 1. Pet. 2. and shauing of the Crowne do little profit but chang of manners and perfect mortification of passiōs make a true religious man He that seeketh any thing els but God Eccls. 1. 4. and the health of his soule shall find nothing but tribulation sorrow Neither can he remaine long in peace that laboureth not to be in the meanest place and subiect to all 3. Thou camst to serue not to be serued Know that thou wast called to suffer and to labour Matt. 20. not to be idle or to spend thy time in talke Heere in the schoole of Christ men are proued as gold in the fornace Here no man can stand vnlesse he humble himselfe with his whole hart for the loue of God CHAP. XVIII Of the examples of the holy Fathers CONSIDER the liuely examples of the holy Fathers Heb. 11. in whom true perfection and religion shined and thou shalt see how little it is and almost nothing which we do now in these daies Alas what is our life if it be compared to them The Saints and friends of Christ serued our Lord in hunger and thirst in could and nakednesse in labour and wearines in watching and fasting in prayer and holy meditations in persecutions and many reproaches 2. O how many and grieuous tribulations suffered the Apostles Martyrs Confessours Virgins all the rest that endeauoured to follow the steps of Christ They hated their liues in this world Ioan. 12. that they might possesse their soules in euerlasting life Matt. 7. O How strait and poore a life led the holy Fathers in the wildernes How long and grieuous tēptations suffered they How often and how grieuously were they assaulted by their Ghostly enemy How feruent praiers offered they daily to God! How rigorous abstinence did they vse How feruent zeale and care had they of their spirituall profit How strong and continuall a combat had they for the ouercōming of vices How pure and vpright intention kept they vnto God! In the day they laboured and in the night they attended to continuall prayer although when they laboured also they ceased not from mentall prayer 3. They spent all their tyme with profit euery houre seemed short for the seruice of God and for the great sweetnes they had in contemplation they forgot the necessity of corporall refection They renounced all riches dignities honours friends and kinsfolkes they desired to haue nothing which appertained to the world they scarse tooke things necessary for the sustenance of life they grieued to ferue their bodies euen in necessity They were poore in earthly things but rich in grace and vertues Outwardly they wanted but inwardly they were replenished with grace and spirituall comfort 4. They were strangers in the world but neere and familiar friēds to God They seemed to themselues as nothing and abiect to
imagine oftentimes those things that are pleasing to the flesh If I loue the spirit I delight to think of spirituall things For whatsoeuer I loue thereof do I willingly speake and heare and carry home with me the formes and representations thereof O blessed is that man that for thee o Lord forsaketh all creatures that violently resisteth nature and out of the feruour of spirit crucifieth the concupiscences of the flesh that with a cleare conscience he may offer sincere praiers vnto thee be worthy of the cōpany of the angelical quiers all earthly things outwardly and inwardly being excluded CHAP. XLIX Of the desire of euerlasting life how great rewards are promised to those that fight valiantly SONNE †Our Lord. when thou perceauest the desire of euerlasting bliss to be giuen thee from aboue desirest to depart out of the Tabernacle of this body that thou maist without shaddow of any enterchange behould my light open thy hart and receaue this holy inspiratiō with thy whole desire Giue great thanks to the heauenly goodnesse that dealeth with thee so fauourably visiteth thee mercifully stirreth thee vp fernently houldeth thee vp powerfully least through thme owne weight thou fall downe to the vanities of the earth Neither doest thou obtaine this by thine owne thought or endeauour but by the only fauour of heauenly grace and diuine boūty that thou maist profit in vertue and obtaine greater humility and prepare thy selfe to future battailes and endeauour to cleaue vnto me with the whole affectiō of thy hart and serue me with a feruent desire 2. Sonne fire often burneth but the flame ascēdeth not vp without smoke so likewise the desires of some men are earnestly carried to heauenly things yet they are not free from temptation of carnall affection and therfore it is not altogeather purely for the honour of God that which they so earnestly request of him Such is also oftentimes thy desire which with such importunity thou presentest vnto me For that is not pure and perfect which is infected and defiled with the loue of thine owne proper commodity and interest 3. Aske not that which is delightsome and profitable to thee but that which is gratefull to me and appertaineth to my honour for if thou iudgest aright thou oughtest to preferre and follow my appointment rather then thine owne desire or any desired thing I know thy desire and haue heard thy often grones Now thou wouldest be in the freedome of the glory of the Sonnes of God now doth the euerlasting habitation the heauenly Countrey full of ioy delight thee but this houre is not yet come it is yet another time to wit of warre time of labour and triall Thou desirest to be filled with the chiefest good but thou canst not attaine it for the present Iob. 7. I am he saith our Lord expect vntill the Kingdome of God doth come 4. Thou art yet to be tryed vpon earth and to be exercised in many things Comfort shall be sometimes giuen thee but aboūdant fulnes therof shall not be granted Iosue 1. Take courage therfore and be constant as well in doing as in suffering things contrary to nature Eph. 4. Thou oughtest to put on a new man and to be chāged into another Thou must oftentimes do that which thou wouldest not and leaue vndone that thou wouldest do That which is pleasing to others shall go well forwards that which thou wishest shall not speed That which others say shal be heard what thou saist shall be nothing regarded Others shall aske shall receaue thou shalt aske and not obtaine 5. Others shall be great in the praises of men but of thee there shall be no speach to others this or that shall be committed but thou shalt be accompted fit for nothing At this nature will sometimes repine and it is much if thou endurest it with silence In these and such like a faithfull seruant of our Lord is wont to be tryed how he can deny and ouercome himselfe in all thinges There is scarce any thing wherein thou hast such need to mortifie thy selfe as in seeing and suffering those things that are contrary to thy will especially when that is commanded which seemeth vnto thee inconuenient or to little purpose And for that thou being placed vnder authority darest not resist a higher power therfore it seemeth hard vnto thee to walke at the becke of another to leaue wholy thine owne opinion 6. But consider Sonne the fruit of these labours the end neere at hand the reward aboue all measure and thou shalt receaue no griefe therby but great comfort of thy patience For in regard of that little of thy will which now thou willingly forsakest thou shalt alwaies haue thy will in heauen There thou shalt haue all that thou wilt or canst desire there thou shalt enioy all good without feare of loosing it there shall thy will be euer one with me it shall desire nothing strange or priuate there no man shall withstand thee no man complaine of thee no man hinder thee nothing come against thee but all things desired shall be there togeather present and delight thy whole desire and fulfill it to the highest degree there I will giue thee glory for the reproach which heere thou sufferedst a garment of praise for former griefe for the lowest place a seat of an euerlasting Kingdome there shall the fruite of obedience appeare the labour of pēnance reioyce humble subiection shal be gloriously crowned 7. Now therfore bow thy selfe with great humility vnder the hands of all and regard not who said or cōmaunded this but take great heed that whether thy Superiour or thy Inferiour or thine equall require any thing of thee or doe insinuate their desire thou take it all in good part and endeauour to fulfill it with a sincere intention Let one seeke this another that let him glory in this the other in that and be praised a thousand thousand times but do thou neither reioyce in this nor in that but in the contempt of thy selfe and in my pleasure and honour alone This art thou to wish that whether by life or death God may be alwaies glorified in thee CHAP. L. How a desolate person ought to offer himselfe into the hands of God LORD God * The Seruant Holy Father thy holy name be now and for euer blessed because as thou wilt so is it done and what thou doest is good Let thy seruant reioyce in thee not in himselfe nor any thing els for thou alone art the true gladnes thou art my hope and my crown thou art my ioy and my honour o Lord. What hath thy seruant 1. Cor. 4. but what he hath receaued from thee euen without any desert of his Thine is al that thou hast giuen whatsoeuer thou hast made I am poore and in labours from my youth Psal 87. and sometimes my soule is heauy euen vnto teares sometimes also it is troubled in
it self by reason of passions which rise against her 2. I desire the ioy of peace I craue the peace of thy children that are fed by thee in the light of cōfort If thou giue peace if thou infuse holy ioy the soule of thy seruāt shal be full of heauenly sweetnes and shall become deuout in thy praise but if thou withdraw thy selfe as very often thou art wont he will not be able to runne the waies of thy commandements but rather he boweth his knees and knocketh his breast for that it is not with him as it was yesterday and the day before when thy light shined vpon his head and he was protected vnder the shaddow of thy wings from the temptations which violently assaulted him 3. O righteous Father and euer to be praised the houre is come that thy seruant is to be proued Be hould Father it is fit that in this houre thy seruant suffer something for thee O Father worthy of eternall honour the houre is come which from all eternity thou didest foreknow should come that for a short time thy seruant should outwardly be oppressed but inwardly liue for euer with thee he should be a little despised and humbled and made as an abiect in the sight of men and much afflicted with passions infirmities that he may rise againe with thee in the rising of new light and be clarified in heauen Holy Father thou hast so appointed it and wilt haue it so and this is fulfilled which thy selfe hast commanded 4. It is a grace and a fauour to thy friend to suffer and to be afflicted in the world for the loue of thee how often soeuer and by whomsoeuer thou permittest it to fall vpon him Without thy counsell and prouidence Ps 118. and without cause nothing is done in earth It is good for me Lord that thou hast humbled me that I may learne thy righteous indgments and cast away all haughtines of hart presumptiō It is profitable to me that shame hath conered my face that I may rather seeke to thee for comfort then to men I haue learned also heerby to dread thy inscrutable iudgment that afflictest the iust with the wicked but not without equity and iustice 5. I giue thee thanks that thou hast not spared my sinnes but hast worne me away with bitter stripes inflicting sorrowes sending griefs within and without There is none vnder heauen that can comfort me Tob. 13. but thou my Lord God the heauenly Phisitian of soules Psal 17. that strikest healest bringest into hell and drawest out againe let thy correction be vpon me and let thy rod instruct me 6. Behould beloued Father I am in thy hands I bow my selfe vnder the rod of thy correction let my neck and shoulders feele the stripes of thy chastisement that my crookednesse may be conformed to thy will Make me a deuout humble disciple of thine as thou art wont well to do that I may be ready at euery beck of thy diuine pleasure I commend my selfe and all mine vnto thee to be corrected It is better to be rebuked heere then heerafter Thou knowest all and euery thing and there is nothing hidden in the conscience of man which can be hidden from thee Before things are done thou knowest that they will happen and hast no need that any should teach thee or admonish thee of those things which are done on earth Thou knowest what is expedient for my good and how much tribulation is fit for purging the rust of my sinnes Do with me according to thy desired pleasure and despise not my sinfull life better and more clearly knowne to none then to thee alone 7. Graunt me Lord to know that which is to be knowne to loue that which is to be beloued to praise that which pleaseth thee most to esteeme that which is precious vnto thee to despise that which is contemptible in thy sight suffer me not to iudge according to the sight of the exteriour eyes nor to giue sentence according to the hearing of the eares of ignorant men but to determine of visible and spirituall things with a true iudgment aboue all things euer to search after thy will and pleasure 8. The senses of men are often deceaued in their iudgments the louers of the world are also deceaued in louing only visible things What is a man the better for that he is esteemed great by man The deceiptfull man deceaueth the deceiptfull the vaine the vaine the blind deceaueth the blind and one feeble likwise another whilst he exalteth and praiseth him For how much euery one is in thy sight so much he is and no more sayth humble S. Francis CHAP. LI. That a man ought to imploy himselfe in workes of humility when force is wanting for higher exercises SONNE †Our Lord. thou art not able alwaies to continue in the feruent desire of vertue nor to persist in the high pitch of contēplation but thou must sometimes of necessity by reason of originall corruption descend to inferiour things and beare the burthen of this corruptible life euen against thy will and with irksomenes As long as thou carriest a mortall body thou shalt feele trouble and heauines of hart Thou oughtest therefore in flesh oftentimes to bewaile the burthen of flesh for that thou canst not alwaies perseuere in spirituall exercises and diuine contemplation 2. It is then expedient for thee to fly to humble and exteriour works and to refresh thy selfe with good vertuous actions to expect with a firme confidence my comming and heauenly visitation to beare patiently thy banishment and the drinesse of thy mind till thou bee visited againe by me and deliuered from all anxiety For I will make thee forget thy former paines and enioy inward quietnes I wil lay open before thee the pleasant fieldes of holy Scripture that with an enlarged hart thou maist begin to run the way of my commaundements And thou shalt say that the sufferings of this time are not condigne to the glory to come Rom. 8. that shall be reuealed in vs. CHAP. LII That a man ought not to esteeme himselfe vnworthy of comfort and to haue deserued stripes LORD * The Seruant I am not worthy of thy comfort nor of any spirituall visitation and therfore thou dealest iustly with me when thou leauest me poore and desolate For if I could shee l teates like a soe yet I were not worthy of thy comfort For alas I deserue nothing but to be scourged and punished in that I haue grieuously and often offended thee and sinned in many things All things therfore duely considered I am not worthy euen of the least cōfort But thou mild and mercifull God who wilt not that thy workes do perish to shew the riches of thy goodnesse in the vessels of mercy euen beyond his desert vouchsafest to comfort thy seruant aboue humane measure For thy comforts are not like to the vaine words of men 2. What haue I done o