many sighs so many painfull cares of mind which I beare out in the world mooue thée O Iesu the brightnesse of glory euerlasting the solace of the wandring soule my mouth is with thée voyde of wordes and my silence doth speake vnto thée How long doth my Lorde God forslow his comming Let him come vnto mée his poore soule and make me ioyfull stretching forth his hand let him deliuer a wretch out of all perplexitie of minde Come come I say For without thée there shal be no day no nor no howre quiet bicause thou art my ioye without whome my table is voyde emptie I am a wretch and know not after what sort I am pressed downe as it were with imprysonment and fetters vntill thou refreshe mée with the light of thy presence and set me at liberty and shewe me thy friendely louyng countenance Let other men séeke what they list in the stead of thée but as for me nothing either liketh or shall like me else saue thée O my God my hope and euerlasting saluation I will neuer holde my tongue I will neuer cease to pray vntil thy fauor doe returne and thou speake vnto me at home IESVS Behold I am here present with thée bicause thou hast called vpon me thy teares desire of mind discouragment anguish haue called me vnto thée in stirring me vnto pitie SERVANT I O Lorde haue called vpon thée as one desirous to enioy thy presence being ready to refuse al things for thy sake For thou diddest first stirre me vp to séeke thée as touching which thing I yéeld thée thanks O Lord which hast done so great a benefite vnto me thy seruaunt according to thy singuler mercy In fine what néedeth many words or what remayneth else besides sauing that I submit my selfe very modestly vnto thée as one mindful euermore of mine owne vnrighteousnesse and vilenesse For no man is like vnto thée any where in all those woonderfull things which are conteined in heauē earth Thy works O Lord are good aboue mesure thy sentence is true al things are gouerned by the helpe of thy prouidence Wherefore praised and glorified be thou O wisdome of the Father let both my soule and my mouth togither with all the creatures of the worlde praise and set forth thée Of the recounting of so many benefits of God The .xxiiij. Chapter OPen O Lorde the eyes of my minde and teach me to liue according to the commaundements of thy lawe Cause that I maye vnderstande thy wyll and may recount with great reuerence diligent consideration thy benefits bestowed aswel vpon all men as also vpon me that therby I may giue thanks accordingly Although to say the truth I am not able sufficiently to praise the least part of the same and so much it wanteth that I am able to set forth so many gifts benefits bestowed vpō me that whilst I consider thy bowntie liberality my spirite fayleth me through the greatnesse thereof For what thyng soeuer we possesse eyther of minde or of bodie either without or within both naturall and against nature those same are thy benefites and doe commend thy liberalitie bountie and goodnesse of whome we haue receiued all good things Nowe if one man haue receiued more or fewer gifts than another hath surely they are all thine without thée the least thing of all may not be had Now if any man haue gotten greater gifts the same can not boast of his owne desert nor extoll himselfe aboue other men or triumphe ouer him that hath lesser giftes For euery man is so much the greater and the better as the same doth the lesse attribute and ascribe vnto himselfe and as he is the more modest Godlie in giuing of thankes and looke how much the more euery man doth thinke hymself most vile and most vnworthy of al other so much the fitter is the same to obtaine greater things at thy handes Againe if one haue gotten fewer gifts the same ought not to bée sorie or to take it heauily or to enuie at him that is richer in gifts but rather to beholde thée and most of all to praise thy goodnesse in that thou giuest thy gifts so plētifully so willinglye without any respecte or difference of persons All thynges are of thée and therfore art thou to be praised in all things and thou knowest what is expedient to be giuen vnto euery man yea it is not for vs but for thée to iudge why this man hath lesse and he more which thorowly perceiuest what thing is conuenient for euery man Therefore O Lorde God I recken account it for a great benefite also to haue but fewe things which maye séeme after the fashion of the worlde to bée praised and gloried in And thus I determine that man ought not onely and to be vexed to sorrow for his owne vilenesse lack of helpe and to be discouraged in mind but also to take therof great comfort and ioy bicause thou O God doest choose the naked and lowly and to such as are despised in the face of the worlde to be thy familiars houshold seruants Thy Apostles themselues are witnesses hereof which being made chiefe of the whole world by thée did shewe themselues so modest so simple so void of all malice guile that they did not onely refraine from complainings but also did reioyce to be taken vp with reprochful words rebukes for thy name sake and did most gréedily imbrace those thinges which other men doe detest flie from Therfore nothing ought so much to céere vp a louer of thée and one that acknowledgeth thy benefits as the knowledge of thy will and euerlasting decrée with the which he ought so to be content and so to accept and take it in good worth that he desire no lesse to be the least of all other then another man desireth to be the greatest and doe no lesse take in good parte content himselfe with the lowest place then with the highest is no lesse willingly despised abiect and a séely soule of no reputacion then he is to be the most noble greatest of al other For thy will and the loue of thy honor ought to ouercome all things to cōfort him more and please him more then all benefits either bestowed or to be bestowed vpon him Of foure things which doe procure peace The .xxv. Chapter LORDE SOnne I will now teach thée the way of true peace and libertie SERVANT Doe Lorde as thou sayst For it is welcome to me to heare this LORDE Endeuour sonne to doe the wyll of another rather than thine owne will. Haue aiwaies liesser to haue lesse than more Alwaies séeke for the lowest place and desire to obey all men Alwaies wish pray that Gods will may altogither be done in thée Hée that both these things wéete thou that he entreth into the bounds of peace and quietnesse SERVANT Lorde
feared and not discussed as they which doe passe mans vnderstanding capacity Desire not so much as to search or dispute about the merits of the saints and Godly who shall bée more holy or greater then other in the kingdome of heauen For these things doe manye times cause vnprofitable debates contentions doe also mainetaine pride and ambicion whereof aryseth enuyinges and dissentions whilest one stryueth prowdly that an other is holier than the rest The desire to learne these things the searching of them out are fruitlesse Nay rather doe displease the godly sort For I am not God of dissension but of peace which peace consisteth in true modestty and lowlinesse not in arrogancy and pryd Some for the affection of loue doe cast more fauour vnto these then to those but they do it rather vpon their carnall affection then that God is so affected I am he that haue created all the saints that haue endued the same wyth gifts haue giuen them honor I know the merites of euery man I prouoked them with moste pleasant gifts and benefits I knew that they were to be loued before the beginning of the worlde I did choose them out of the worlde not they me I called thē w my fauor I drew them to me with my mercy I led thē through diuers temptacions and did poure vpon them notable comforts I gaue them perseuerance and did crowne their pacience I knowe both the first and the last I embrace all men with loue incredible I am to be praysed in all my saintes ioyntly and to be magnified and honored in all particularly aboue all thinges which saints being appointed by me to saluation I haue so gloriously lifted vp without any of their deserts going before Therfore he that despiseth euen the least of my seruaunts the same doth neither honor the great in as much as I haue made aswell the small as the great so that he the doth derogate from any on of the saints the same doth both derogate frō me from al the parteners of the heauenly kingdome For they are al but one in the bonde of loue thinking all one thing willing all one thing also louing al one another with mutuall loue Nay rather which is a much more high matter they more loue me than themselues their owne merits For being rauished aboue themselues drawne beside the loue of themselues they do go forward altogither vnto the loue of me do repose themselues in the fruition therof in so much that nothing can turne thē from it or thrust them down as the which being full of euerlasting truth doe burne w the fire of vnquenchable loue Therfore let the carnall sensuall men leaue of to reasō about the state of the saints which knowe not to do ought else but to loue their priuat ioies Many as yet by their naturall affection and worldly loue are bent to these or to those and euen as their iudgement is in the inferior things so doe they likewise imagine of the heauenly things Without doubt it cannot be vttered in words in how great vnlikelynesse in those things do differ the one from the other which the vnperfit men do think with themselues which the men that by God are lightned doe behold as made open vnto them frō aboue Wherfore beware Sonne that thou occupie not thy self somewhat curiously about those things which passe the capacitie of thy wit but rather apply thy selfe vnto that that thou mayest bée found euen the least in the kingdome of god Now in case a man did know who were accounted more holye or greater than other in the heauenly kingdome what should the knoledge thereof auaile him vnlesse he did humble himselfe so much the more vnto me and rise vp higher vnto the greater prayse of my name He doth a much more acceptable thing vnto God which doth thinke vpon the greatnesse of his sinnes and the slendernesse of hys vertues and how farre of he is from the perfection of the saintes then he which reasoneth about the greatnesse lownesse of the saints and godly They do not boast of their merits which doe ascrybe no goodnesse at all vnto themselues but acknowledge that all cōmeth from me which they haue bicause I haue bestowed al those things vpon them accordyng to my excéeding great loue of Godlinesse and surely they are enuironed with so great loue of Godlynesse and so great ioy of mynd that no glory at all no maner of felicitie is wanting vnto them The more high in honor and glory that all the saints are so much the more modest and the nygher and eke the more déere the same are vnto mée And for this cause that same in the Apocalips is wrytten That they did cast their Crownes before God and with a groueling countenance before the lambe did worship him liuing for euermore Many doe séeke who is greatest in the kingthe kingdome of God and cannot tell whether that they themselues shall bée reckened in the number of those that are least It is a great thing to be the verye least in Heauen whereas all be great for all shall be called and shall so be in déede the children of God. The least shall growe into a thousande and the hundreth person that shall be punished of me shall dye a yoong man For when the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of God they had this same aunswere Vnlesse yee be altered in manners and become like vnto the little ones yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore who so shall humble hymselfe lyke to this little chylde he shall be greatest in the Kyngdome of heauen Wo be to them that disdaine to submitte themselues wyth the little ones for the gate of the Heauenly Kingdome is to lowe for them to enter in at Wo bée to the ryche also that haue their comfortes here in thys Worlde For when the poore doe enter the Kingdome of GOD they shall stande wythout crying and howling Keioyce yée lowly and méeke Triumph ye poore for the kingdome of God is yours in case yée doe obey the truth That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone The Lxiiij Chapter SERVANT LOrde in whome is my trust set in this life or what is my greatest comfort among all things that are vnder the cope of heauen Art not thou O my Lord GOD being endued with infinite mercye When was I eyther in good case wythout thée or in euill plight whilest thou wast present with me Surely I had lieffer to be poore for thy sake then to be rych wythout thée and had rather to be a traueyler with thée vpō the earth than wythout thée to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen And again where thou art not there is death and Hell. Thou art my longing and wishe therfore doe I recken it necessarye to sigh to cry to praye vnto thée In fine I can fully put
but fewe followe him to drinke of the Cup of his passion Manye men worship his miracles but fewe doe followe the Ignominy of his Crosse. Many doe loue Iesus so long as aduersitie doth not happen vnto them Many doe prayse the same Iesus and giue him thankes so long as they receyue some comfort at his handes If the same Iesus doe hide himselfe from them and forsake them a litle while they fall either into complaynts and moanings or else into ouermuch dispayre of soule But they which loue Iesus for Iesus owne sake and not for any comfort that they receyue of him the same doe magnifie and prayse him as wel in the calamities and anguishes of the mind as in their greatest comfortes readie to doe no lesse although he should denie and barre them of all comfort for euermore So much is the méere loue of Iesus able to do being blended with no priuate commoditie or loue of hymselfe Therefore they are to be called hirelings which doe euermore séeke after comforts Plaine it is that they are rather louers of themselues than of Christ which doe alwayes ponder theyr owne commodities and gaine How many are there of a great number that will serue God fréely and without al respectes or which are so spirituall that they are left bare and destytute of all worldelye thyngs I say againe who can fynde one poore in spirite naked of all worldly things and that precious fellow that must be fetched from the furthermost coastes of the worlde Though a man doe bestowe all hys goodes he hath yet done nothing and though he chastise himselfe with a streight and earnest repentaunce of hys sinnes yet is it but a small matter and though he vnderstand all knowledge he is yet a great way off and though he be indued with singular vertue and most earnest zeale of religion he hath as yet a gret deale lacking namely this one which is marueylous necessary for him But what is that I praye you Namely that forsaking al other things he forsake himselfe to and departyng wholy out of himselfe doe keepe still no pryuate or selfe loue When hée hath done all things that he knoweth shoulde be done let him thinke that he hath done nothing and let him not estéeme it much that he may be counted great but let him pronounce himselfe an vnprofitable seruaunt in déede like as the truth saith When you haue done all thinges which are commaunded you yet say you thus we are vnprofitable seruaunts Then shall he at the length be néedie and naked in soule shall be able to say with that Prophet Solitarie and needie am I. And yet is no man richer then hée no man more frée no man more mightie which both knoweth how to forsake himselfe and all other thinges and to debase himselfe to the verie basest things Of bearing of Christ his Crosse. The .xij. Chapter THis séemeth a harde saying to manye men Denie thy selfe take vp thy Crosse and followe Iesus But much more harde is that saying in the latter daye Get you hence ye curssed into fire euerlasting For they which now willingly heare and follow the saying of the Crosse the same then shall not feare that heauy sentence of euerlasting damnation And this signe of the Crosse shall be in heauen when the Lord shall come to iudge the worlde Then all the seruants of the Crosse which haue led a life agréeable vnto Christ that was nailed vpon the crosse shal come vnto Christ the iudge with great fayth and trust Why then doubtest thou to take vp thy Crosse by the which thou goest to a kingdome Saluacion is in the Crosse In the Crosse is life In the Crosse is ayde against thyne enymies there is infusion of supernaturall pleasure in the crosse there is strength of mynde in the Crosse there is ioye of spirite in the Crosse in the Crosse there is excéeding vertue in the Crosse there is perfection of Godlinesse To bée short without the Crosse there is neyther health of soule nor yet hope of euerlasting life Therfore take vp thy Crosse and follow Iesus and thou shalt go into life euerlasting He went forth beareing his Crosse and died vpon a crosse for thy sake that thou mightest beare a Crosse also and couet to die vpon the Crosse. For if thou shalt die togither with him thou shalt also liue togither with him and if thou shalt be a companion of his passion thou shalt also be a companion of his glory For that thou maiest vnderstande thus much al things doe consist in the Crosse in dying neither is there any other waye vnto life and true peace of soule than the way of the Crosse and of daily mortifing thy selfe Whither soeuer thou tourne thy selfe on which side soeuer thou cast thine eyes thou shalt find no way any where aboue or beneath neither more high or more safe then is the way of the Crosse. Although thou order and fashion al things according to thine owne wyll and iudgement yet shall it not bée possible but that thou must euermore suffer somethyng eyther willinglye or against thy will and alwayes incurre the Crosse. For eyther thou shalt féele paine of bodye or bée tormented wyth griefe of minde Sometime thou shalt be forsaken of GOD sometyme thou shalt be exercised of an other man and which is more gryeuous thou shalt be tedyous and yrkesome vnto thine owne selfe many times and that so farre that thou mayest be deliuered by no remedie or comfort but that thou must pacientlye beare the same so long as it is Gods will and pleasure that it shall so be For God will haue thée learne to suffer miserie without comfort and to submit thy selfe wholy vnto him that thou mayest become the more modest in calamitie No man féeleth the passiō of Christ so much in his hart as he vnto whome it chaunceth to suffer the like thinges Therefore the Crosse is alwayes ready tarieth for thée euery where neyther canst thou escape it whether soeuer thou runne For whether soeuer thou go thou caryest thy selfe with thée and shalt alwayes finde thy selfe Turne thy selfe vpward turne thy selfe downeward turne thy self outward turne thy selfe inwarde thou shalt finde the Crosse any maner of way and necessary it is that at all times thou keepe pacience if thou wilt enioy peace of minde and obtaine a perpetuall Crowne If thou wilt wyllinglye beare the Crosse the same shall likewyse beare and stay thée and shal bryng thée to the desired ende namely whereas there shall be an ende of suffering which ende vndoubtedly shall not be in this life If thou shalt beare it against thy wyll thou shalte cause a burthen vnto thy selfe and shalte agréeue and waye down thy selfe the more and yet must néedes beare it for all that If thou shalt cast awaye one Crosse thou shalt surely incurre another and the same perhaps more heauy Dost thou hope that thou shalt escape that which no man liuing could euer decline or turne from
thée I am thy most pore slaue and vile worme much more poore more vile than I eyther know my selfe or dare tell vnto thée And yet O Lorde be thou mindefull euen of this same thing the I am nothing that I haue nothing that I am nothing worth Thou only art good thou iust thou holy thou art able to doe all things thou perfourmest all thyngs thou fulfillest al things leauing the sinful only voyd emptie Remember thy mercy O Lord and fill my soule wyth thy fauor which wilt not haue thy workes to be good for nothing For howe maye I continue in thys wretched life vnlesse thy mercy fauor do strengthen me Turne not thy face away from me Deferre not thy curing of me from day to day Withdraw not thy cōfort from me least my soule doe sée me in thy sight like vnto the earth that is voyde of moysture Lorde teach me to doe thy will teach mée to walke worthilye and humblye before thée For thou art my wysedome and doest both know and hast knowne me perfectly aswell before that I was borne into the worlde as also before the worlde it selfe was made That truth and modestie in the sight of God is to be exercised The .v. Chapter LORDE SOnne practise thou truth in my sight and alwaies séeke me in singlenesse of heart He that exerciseth truth in my sight the same shal be defended from the inuasions of euill and him shall truth deliuer from deceiuers and siaunderers of the wycked Now if the truth shall deliuer thee thou shalt be frée in déede and shalt not passe vpon the vayne wordes of men SERVANT It is as thou sayest Lord and let me be so delt withall I pray thée to wéet that thy truth may teach me may kéepe me and maye bring me vnto an happie ende Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lust and from inordinate loue So shall it be brought to passe that I maye vse great libertie and freedome of soule towardes thée TRVTH And I will teach thée what is right what is acceptable vnto me Call thy sinnes to remembraunce with great sorrow and heauinesse of hart and doe thou chalenge any thing vnto thy selfe for thy good déedes For in verye déede thou art sinfull and endaungered and inwrapped in many diseases of the minde which goest euermore of thyne owne nature vnto nothing and soone fallest art soone ouercome art soone troubled and throwne downe headlong Finally thou hast nothing wherin thou mayst glory and boast but rather many things for which thou oughtest to set litle by thy selfe For thou art much more weake than that thou art able to perceyue the same Wherfore sée that none of all thy workes séeme great vnto thée Sée thou think nothing of thy loftinesse nothing precious woonderfull nothing to be reuerenced nothing high nothing prayse woorthy and to be desired in déede sauing that which is euerlasting Let the euerlasting truth please théé aboue all thinges and let thy excéeding vylenesse displease thée Feare nothing so much dispraise and flie from nothyng so much as thy vices and sinnes which ought more to myslyke thée then the losse of anye manner thing besides Some doe not behaue themselues towardes me purely and sincerely but rather being led with a certaine curiosity and arrogancie doe studiously search out my secrets and high mysteries neglecting themselues and their owne saluation These folowers doe many times fal into gréeuous tēptacions and sinnes for their owne curiositie and pryde bicause I am against them But being timerous doe thou stande in awe of the sentence and wrath of almightie GOD and search not out the works of the almighty but search thorowly thine own faults either how much euill thou hast done or else howe much good thou hast neglected Some doe beare about their whole religion and Godlinesse in beekes onely some in pictures some in outewarde signes and figures Other carye mée in their mouth but not so in theyr heart Contrariwise there are which being of perfite vnderstanding in minde and pure in hart doe euermore breath and couet after euerlasting things doe heare of earthly things against their willes do that which nature necessarily requireth with griefe sorrow and these in déede doe féele what the spirite of truth doth speake within them as they which doe teach them to loue heauenly thinges despising the earthlye and both daye and night doe couet heauen the worlde being contemned The praise of God and thankesgiuing for benefites and likewise of the force of the loue of god The .vi. Chapter SERVANT I Prayse thée O heauenly Father the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hast vouchsafed to remember mée néedie Soule O father of mercy and God of al comfort I giue thée thanks which refreshest me being vnworthy of al comfort sometime with thy comfort I praise magnifie thée euermore and also thy onely begotten Sonne and thy holy ghost the comforter worlde without ende Oh my Lorde God O the holy louer of me when thou shalt come into my soule I will reioyce with my whole heart Thou art my glory and the reioyce of my heart Thou art my hope and refuge in the time of my calamitie and trouble But bicause I am yet of weake loue and vnperfite vertue I recken it necessary to be confirmed of thée and to be comforted at thy handes Wherefore visite me oftentimes instruct me with holy discipline Deliuer mée from wicked affections of the Soule and heale my minde from all the vnruly desires and vices that being healed inwardly and well purged I maye be made fit to loue strong to suffer constant to perseuere Loue is a great matter no doubt a great good thing which onely doth make light each thing that is heauy and beareth equally whatsoeuer is vnequall For it beareth a burthē without any burthen and doth turne all bitter thinges into swéete and sauorie The same Iesus I saye beyng our Noble Loue doth inforce to doe great things and euermore stirreth vp to desire the things that are more perfite Loue will be aboue and not kept still with any low things Loue will be frée and voyde from all worldly affection least hir inwarde sight be hindered or least it bée enwrapped eyther wyth some temporall commoditie or ouercome with incommoditie Nothing is more swéete than Loue nothing more strong nothyng more déepe nothing more broade nothing more pleasant nothing more full Nothing better eyther in Heauen or in earth bycause it is sprong of God and can not rest but in God aboue all the creatures The louer flyeth runneth reioyceth is frée and is not holden It giueth all thinges for all things and hath all things in all thinges as the which resteth in one highest thyng aboue all thynges out of which floweth and spryngeth all goodnesse It looketh not vppon hys gyftes but turneth it selfe vnto the gyuer aboue all good gyftes Loue canne not tell howe to kéepe measure but is feruente
rather to despise thy selfe and to lyue in feare as one that hath the same vnworthilye bestowed vppon thée Thou must not to earnestly cleaue fast vnto that affection which may soone be changed into the contrarie Thinke with thy self so long as thou hast Gods grace with thée how wretched and néedye thou art woont to be without his grace recken not that the commyng forwarde and profiting in spirituall life doth only consist in that point to enioy the benefite of heauenlye comfort but also if thou modestly temperately and paciently doe take the withdrawing of the same so that thou doe not saint and ware dull or slowe at that time in the great desire of praying nor suffer thy other accustomed exercises to bée wholy left and forsaken but after the best sort that thou art able and knowest doest that thing willingly which is in thy power and not vtterly neglect thy dutie for that dryenesse or vexation of minde which thou féelest in thy selfe For many if it be not so well with them as they woulde haue it doe become forthwith impacient or slothfull It is not alwaies in the power of man to rule and gouerne his owne matters but it belongeth to God both to giue to comfort both when he will and howe much he wyll and whome he will and that alwaies as it liketh him best Some being vncertaine and vnstayed haue cast themselues away frō the study of godlinesse bestowed vpon them whilest they endeuoring aboue their strength doe not throughly consider their owne corruption and wickednesse but rather followe the affection of their minde then the iudgement of reason Bycause these fellowes haue taken greater matters vpon thē then it was gods wil and pleasure they should they haue quicklye lost the fauor of God and they which had made them a nest in heauen euen those same became néedy vile and forsaken to the intent that they being pressed downe and impouerished might learne to fiye not with theyr owne wings but to staye themselues vppon my Fethers They which are yet but beginners and vnskilfull of the waye of the Lorde vnlesse the same obay the counsaile of the wiser sorte they may soone be deceiued throwen downe headlong and if the same haue rather yéelded to their owne opinion then obaied the practised and beaten souldiers those are in the greater daunger bicause they woulde not be retired from the opinion that they had once conceyued in themselues It is seldome séene that one séeming wise in his owne conceyte can modestly beare the commaundement of an other Therefore it is better to haue little wit with modesty and slender vnderstanding of things then for his abundant knowledge to stand to much in his owne conceyt Better it is to haue lesse then hauyng much to be prowde He doth not behaue himselfe circumspectlye ynough which betaketh himselfe wholly vnto ioy forgetting his olde néedinesse and the chaste feare of the Lorde which feare is woont to stande in awe of léesing the benefites alreadie bestowed vppon him Surelye that person is not Godly wise sufficiently which behaueth hymselfe to desperately in the time of aduersitie and trouble and thinketh and iudgeth of me with lesse trust and confidence then he ought to doe Hée that sheweth himselfe to carelesse in the tyme of peace the same is often to much discouraged and faynte hearted in the time of warre If thou haddest alwayes skill to shew thy selfe modest and of a lowelye minde and to rule and gouerne thy spirites aryght thou shouldest not so soone fall into daunger offence It is a point of assurance to cast what shal come after if the light shall depart after thou hast conceiued the spirite of feruour and heate And againe when the same hath so chaunced in déede to think that the same light may returne againe being therefore of mée withdrawne that both thou mayest be made the more warie and I become thereby the more glorious For many times such trial is more expediēt then if thou shouldest alwaies enioy prosperitie according as thou wouldest haue it For the workes of Godlinesse vertue doe not stande vpon that point that thou shouldest be full of heauenly visions and comforts or be skilful in learning or knowledge or be placed in a high degrée but if thou stay vpon true modesty if thou be full of heauenly charity and loue if thou alwaies studie for Gods glory chastly and sincerely if thou set naught by thy self but vnfainedly despise thy selfe also reioyce more to be despised pressed downe of other then to be honored of thē Of setting little by a mans selfe in the sight of god The .ix. Chapter SERVANT I Dare speake vnto my Lorde being my selfe but Dust and Ashes and if I shoulde set somewhat by my selfe yet doest thou stande against me my owne sinnes doe beare true witnesse against me which witnesse I am not able to gainesay But if I by thinking my selfe vyle shall bring my selfe to nothyng and by casting all estimation of my self away from me shal recken my selfe but for dust as I am in deed thē shal thy grace be fauorable vnto me thy lyght approch néere vnto my hart so shall it happen that if I haue euer set by my selfe the least thing that can be euen that shal vanish away for euer when I am altogither pressed downe vnto nothyng Herein thys case thou shalt shewe vnto mée what I am what I haue béene and from whence I haue come Namely nothing and from nothing who if I be left once vnto my self am forthwith nothing but méere infirmitie and weakenesse But if thou haue sodainely looked backe vpon me by and by I am made strong and am replenished with new gladnesse And great woonder it is to sée that I shoulde so sodainely be lifted vp aloft when thou doest so gently imbrace me which am of mine owne waight and pronesse alwaies caried vnto the lowest things Thy loue fréely preuēting me and helping me in so many necessities defending mée from grieuous perilles and to speake truely snatching me out of infinite euilles is the cause of this thing For I both haue lost my selfe in louing my selfe disorderly and also haue found both myselfe thée in séeking thée onely and in louing thée sincerely with the same loue also haue I the more plunged my selfe into nothing For thou O my most swéete Lorde doest bestowe moe things vpon me not onely then I am able to deserue but also then I dare hope for I will not saye craue for O my GOD I giue thée thankes that though I be vnworthy of all goodnesse yet thy nobilitie and infinite goodnesse doth neuer cease to doe good vnto the ingratefull and to those that are turned far away from thée Turne thou vs vnto thée that we may be thankfull humble religious and godly which art our helth vertue strength That we ought to driue all our doings to gods glory as to the fardest ende or
marke that we shoote at The .x. Chapter LORDE SOnne I must be thy highest fardest ende if thou desire to be blessed and happy By this intent of thine shall thy witte bée purged being wickedly prone many times to it selfe also to the creatures For as soone as in any thing thou studiest for thine owne commodity thou fallest and wytherest as dry by and by in thy selfe Therefore thou must referre and direct all thinges to mée onely bicause I haue giuen al things and thou knowest that euery thing doth flowe from me as from the highest and most principall goodnesse and that therefore they are to be reduced vnto me againe as to their own fountaynē and spring As well the small as the great as well the riche as the poore doe draw liuely water out of me as out of a liuely fountaine and they which serue me of their owne accord and after a frée and honest sort shall be laden with benefites vpon benefites But if any will glory out of me or be delighted with any priuate goodnesse the same shall not obtaine parpetuall true ioye with gladnesse of heart but shall incurre diuers incommodities and anguishes of minde Therefore oughtest thou to ascribe and impute no goodnesse nor no vertue eyther to thy selfe or to any man liuing but to acknowledge althings for Gods benefites without whom man hath nothing It is I that haue giuen all thing it is euen I also that doe chalenge all things vnto my selfe by good right and with great seueritie doe require giuing of thanks This is the truth by which the vanity of mans glory is chased away And who so shall be indued with heauenly fauour true loue the same shall neither be attached with enuie nor discouraged in hart nor shall be holden with the loue of himself For Gods loue ouercommeth al things and displayeth or spreadeth abroad all the powers of the soule Nowe if thou bée rightly wise thou shalt reioyce in me onely thou shalt put thy trust in mée onely according as GOD onely is good to bée praysed aboue all thinges and to be magnified in all things That it is a sweete thing to serue God and to despise the worlde The .xi. Chapter SERVAVNT NOwe will I speake againe O Lorde will not kéepe silence and will speake after this sorte in the eares both of my God my Lorde and my king inhabiting the high heauen O how great is that pleasure O Lord which thou hast reposed or layed vp for them that feare thée not onely for them that loue thée but also for them that serue thée with their whole heart The swéetenesse of the beholding of thée is certainelye vnspeakable which thou giuest vnto thy Louers and in that point hast thou specially shewed forth the swéetnesse of thy loue that when I had no being thou then diddest make me and afterwarde when I went far astray from thée diddest bring me againe into the waye that I might serue thée and didst giue me in commaundement to loue thée O fountaine of continuall loue what may I say to thée or how may I forget thée which hast vouchsafed to remember me which contrary to all hope hast vied mercy toward me thine owne and after that I was corrupted and perished and hast wonne my heart vnto thée with thy fauor friendship when I did sée no plesure at all For which liberalitie of thine what thanks shal I render vnto thée againe I will euen serue thée But what great matter is it to serue thée whome the whole worlde ought to serue That rather séemeth great and woonderfull in thy sight that thou vouchsafest to admit and take into thy seruice so néedie so vnworthy a person and to choose him into the number of thy beloued seruants Beholde all things are thine whatsoeuer I haue or possesse and by which I doe thée seruice But howe is this that thou doest more serue mée than I doe serue thée Sée the heauen and the earth which thou hast made for mans commodities are at hande and doe euery daye whatsoeuer thou cōmandest them to doe Nay thou hast made and ordained the Aungels also for mans vses But the verye greatest matter of all is that thou thy selfe hast vouchsafed to serue man and hast promised that thou wilt giue thine owne selfe vnto him For which thy infinite benefites what thanke shall I yéelde thée againe I praye GOD I maye bée able to serue thée in all my life long I praye God I may be such a one as may serue thée but euen one day as I ought to doe Thou in déede art worthye of al seruice of all honor and euerlasting praise Thou in déede art my Lorde and I am thy simple seruant which am bound to serue thée wyth all my strength and neuer to be filled or satisfied wyth thy praises And surely so I will so I doe desire and whatsoeuer is wanting vnto me doe thou vouchsafe to supplye it Great honor great glory it is to serue thée and to despise al things for thy sake For they shall carie with them great rewarde that of their owne accorde haue put themselues in subiection vnto this most holy seruice shall finde the most pleasant comfort of the holye Ghost that haue renounced and cast awaye worldely pleasures for thy loue sake Great libertie of soule shall they attaine vnto that entring into the straight or narrow way for thy name sake haue contemned all worldely carkes and cares O acceptable and pleasant seruice of god by the which man is made frée and holy in déede O sacred state of Godlye seruice which maketh man equall to Angels accepted of GOD terrible to Deuils and commended of all faithfull O seruice to bée imbraced and alwayes to be wished for by which both the chiefest felicitie is procured and ioy gotten euerlastingly That the desires of the minde are to be examined and ordered The .xij. Chapter LORDE SOnne there yet remayne a great many thinges that thou must learne SERVANT What be those Lorde LORDE That thou submit thy desire altogither to my will and pleasure and be not now a louer of thy selfe but one coueting to doe as I will and commaunde Desires doe kindle thée oftentimes vehemently inforce ordriue thée In this case consider thou whether thou be mooued with my honor or stirred rather with thine owne commoditie For if thou couet ought for my sake thou wilt take in good woorth whatsoeuer I shall determine but if there lie hid any desire of priuate gaine euen the very same it is that doth hinder and way thée downe Therfore beware that thou rest not to much vpon thy conceiued desire without asking counsell of me least perhappes it repent thée afterwardes and that doe then displease thée which at the first did like thée and which thou diddest séeke after as the very best thing For neither euery affection that séemeth good is by and by to be followed nor yet the
with thy iudgements doest shake all my lims with feare trembling doest out of measure terrifie my hart This doe I ponder vpon amazedly that the very Heauens are not cleane in thy sight And if thou haue founde sinne in the very aungels themselues hast not spared them what shal then become of me If the Starres themselues haue fallen from heauen what may I being dust hope for They haue fallen down to the lowest places whose works did séeme laudable and praise worthy and they that did eate the bread of Aungels those sawe I to be delighted with Hogs meate and draffe Therefore Lorde there is no holinesse if thou once plucke backe thy hande No wisedome preuaileth if thou cease to gouerne No strength helpeth if thou leauest to kéepe and preserue No chastitie is in safetie vnlesse thou defende it No kéeping of a mans selfe doth profite vnlesse thy holye watching go withall For being once forsaken we are drowned and doe perysh and when thou doest take care ouer vs then we liue erected and lyfted vp We are in our owne respect but vnconstant Of thée we be confirmed and strengthned we are but warme of our selues of thée we are kindled Surely I must thinke of my selfe most humbly and basely must altogither way my selfe at nothing if that I séeme to haue any goodnesse in me I say again that I ought to submit my selfe most lowlye vnto those thy vnsearchable iudgments wherin I find that I am nought else but nothing of nothing O waight without mesure O sea that cannot be passed thorow wherein I finde my self to be nothing but altogither of nothing Where is then the couert of glory Where is then the confidence of glorie for the which thou hast bargayned Al vaine glory is swallowed vp in the gulfe of thy iudgements that thou hast of me What are all mortal men in thy sight Clay may boast it selfe against the Potter belike Can he ware prowd with vaine praises whose mind is subiect vnto god in the truth No though the whole worlde doe extol him after that the truth hath once made him subiect vnto it I say he shal be mooued with no bodies prayses that hath fixed his whole hope in god For euen al they that do speake are but nothing and shall fade away with the sounde of their owne wordes But the truth of the Lorde abideth for euer How we must be minded and what we ought to saye in such things as we desire to haue The .xvi. Chapter LORDE SOnne thus must thou saye in all thinges Lorde if it shall please thee let it bee euen so Lord if this shal be to thine honour bee it done in thy name Lorde if thou see that this shall be expedient and profitable for me bring it to passe that I maye vse it to thine honour but in case thou know that it shall not be for the health of my soule but hurtfull therevnto take this desire from me For euery desire is not of the holye spirite although it séeme right and good vnto man but harde it is to iudge whether a good or a wicked spirite doe enforce thée to couet after this or that or whether thou bée mooued rather within thine owne spirite Many men haue béene deceyued at the last which dyd séeme to be stirred at the first with a good spirit Therefore we must alwayes couet with the feare of God lowlinesse of mind whatsoeuer commeth into our heads by occasion to wishe for and the whole matter must bée committed to God with vnfained chiding of our selues and thus must we say Lord thou knowest whether of both is more expediēt for me do thou whether of both thou wilt thy self Giue me that thou wilt and as much as thou wilt and at what time thou wilt Deale with me as thou knowest it méete for me to be delt with al and as it liketh thée and as the thing may procure greatest glorie vnto thée Place me there where thou wilt deale fréely with me in al things I am in thy hands turne me and tosse me euery way Beholde I thy seruant am prest vnto al things for as much as I desire to liue I pray God accordingly and perfitely not vnto my selfe but vnto thee Pryaers to performe Gods will. The .xvij. Chapter SERVANT GRaunt vnto me O most bountifull Iesu thy fauour which may be assistant vnto me may labour with me may continue wyth mée to the verye ende Graunt vnto me euermore to will and couet the thinges which are acceptable and deare vnto thée Let thy will be my wil and let my will away follow thine and iustly agrée with thine Let one willing one nilling be common vnto vs both in such wise that I maye will or nill nothing but that which thou wyllest or nillest Graunt me to die vnto al things that are in the worlde and to loue to be contemned and not knowne in this world for thy sake Graunt me aboue all my wishes to repose and rest my self in thée and to haue a quiet and contented minde Thou art the true peace of the heart Thou art the onely rest out of thée are al things difficult and vnquiet In this peace that is to say in thée onely being the chiefest and euerlasting goodnesse will I sléepe and take my rest That true comfort must be sought for in God onely The xviij Chapter WHatsoeuer comfort I can wish for or imagine the same doe I not looke for here in this world but in the world to come Now if I alone had euen all the comforts that are any where and coulde enioy all maner delicates and dainties certaine it is that the same could not long continue or endure Therfore O my soule thou canst not attaine full comfort be perfitely refreshed sauing onely in God the comforter of the néedie and the helper of the modest Looke a litle while O my soule looke a little while after Gods promise and then thou shalt attaine plentie of all good things in heauen Now if thou wilt somewhat inordinately couet these present things thou shalt léese the euerlasting and heauenly things Let temporall thinges be in vse and occupying but let the euerlasting things be in thy desire Thou canst not be filled with anye temporall good thing bycause thou wast not created to enioye the same Albeit thou haddest all good things that are created yet couldest thou not be blessed notwithstanding Nay thy felicitie consisteth in God the creator of all things I meane not such as is thought so and praised of the folish worldlings but such as the good faithfull Disciples of Christ doe looke after such as the spiritual and cleane of hart whose conuersation is in heauen do sometime foretaste in this life Vaine and short is all mans comfort blessed and true is that which is receyued inwardly from the truth The godly person both euery where cary Iesus Christ hys comforter about
wholy frée from the stayne or spot of self loue Thus did the Iewes come in old time to Bethany vnto Martha Mary not for Iesus sake onely but to sée Lazarus Therfore the eie of the intent must be clensed that it may be simple straight and to be directed vnto me beyond the reach of all things which doe happen among in great varietie That there is pleasure about all things and in all things to one that loueth god The .xxxix. Chapter SERVANT BEhold my God and al things What would I haue more or what can I wish more happy O sauorie and swéete worde But to him that loueth the word and not the worlde nor the things that are in worde My God and all things to a wiseman it is ynough and to repeate the same oftentimes is pleasant vnto thy louer For whilst thou art present all things are pleasant whilest thou art away all things are painefull troublesome Thou makest a calme soule great peace and plesaunt ioye Thou art the cause that wée haue a good opinyon of all thynges and that thou bée praysed in all thinges Neyther canne anye thing long please without thée Naye that any thing shoulde be acceptable and sauorie the presence of thy fauour is requisite and the same must be sawced and powdred with thy wisedome What is not sauorie and swéete vnto hym vnto whome thou art sauorye Againe what canne cause pleasure vnto him vnto whome thou art not sauorie But the wise of the worlde doe faile in thy wisdome and such as sauour the flesh because death is found here and there very much vanitie But they which followe thée by the contempt of worldly things and mortifying of the fleshe are to be thought wise in déede because they are translated from vanitie to veritie from flesh to spirite Vnto these men God is swéete and sauorie and whatsoeuer there is in the worlde created al that doe they referre to the praise of the Creator and maker Yet is the taste of the Creator and the creature of euerlastingnesse and of time and light vncreated and light illuminated vnlike yea and that far vnlike to O euerlasting light and thou which doest surpasse al created lights shine cléerely vpon mée and with thy brightenesse péerce purge chéere giue light vnto all the inwards of my minde quicken my spirite with hir powers that I maye sticke fast vnto thée with the song of triumphant gladnesse O Lorde when shall that blessed desired howre come wherein thou mayst fyll me so with thy presence that thou maist be al things in al things vnto me Surely so long as this shall not bée graunted vnto me I shall not haue full and perfite ioy The olde man not yet wholy crucified not yet wholy mortified doth as yet liue within me which maketh me sory yet doth it mightily couet against the spirite yet doth it moue warre within me suffereth not the kingdome of my soule to be quiet But go to doe thou helpe me which bearest rule ouer the Sea and doest settle the motions of the waues surges Disperse the people that are desirous of warre and tread them downe by thy force and vertue Shew foorth thy greatnesse make noble this right hande of thyne For I haue no hope any where I haue no refuge any where sauing in thée O my lord god That this life is neuer in safety frō temptacion The .xl. Chapter LORDE SOnne thou shalt neuer bée without daungers in this lyfe but so long as thou liuest thou shalt alwaies haue néede of spirituall weapons Thou art in the midst of thy enimies Thou art assaulted on the right and left hande Therfore vnlesse thou wilt defende thy selfe with the buckler of wisdome on all sides thou wilt not long time be without a wound Againe vnlesse thou wilt fixe thy mind vpon me to suffer all things for my sake with a sincere wil thou shal be vnable to continue this heat or to attaine the rewarde of the blessed Wherefore then must ouergo all things like a man and must vse a mightie hand against the things that are cast against thée For Manna is giuen to the conquerour but much miserie is left vnto the sluggard Now if thou séeke after ease in this life how wilt thou come vnto the life euerlasting Bend thy self wholy not vnto rest but vnto pacience Séeke for true peace not vpon the earth but in heauen not in men and other worldly things but in god alone Thou oughtest to enterprise all things willingly for the loue of God labors sorrowes temptacyons vexations carckes necessities infirmities wronges obloquies reproofes oppressyons reproches corrections despisinges These things do allure vnto vertues These things doe make tryall of the yoonge Souldiour of Christ These thinges doe make a heauenly Crowne to this man will I praye for hys short labor an euerlasting rewarde for a reproche past euerlasting glory Thinkest thou that thou shalt alwaies haue spirituall comforts as thou wouldest thy selfe The state condition of those my saints was not such in olde time but they did paciently abide many gréeuous things sundry temptacions and great destructions wherin neuerthelesse they did wholy shewe themselues pacient altogyther more trusting vnto god then to thē selues knowing that the aduersitie of this life shall not counteruaile their glory to come Wylt thou haue that at the first chop which manye haue gotten scarsely at the length after many teares trauails looke for the lord shew thy selfe a man giue not ouer thine enterprise for lacke of faith but bestowe both body and soule constantlye in the defense of Gods glory I will reward thée most bountifully will be assistant vnto thée in all calamity Against the vaine iudgements of men The .xli. Chapter SOnne cast thy mind constantly vpon God feare not mans iudgemente so long as thyne owne conscience doth pronoūce thée godly and innocent It is profitable and blessed to suffer these thinges neither is the same gréeuous and painefull to a modest mind to one more trusting in God then himselfe Many men doe prate babble many things and therefore little credit must be giuen vnto them and it is not possible that al men shoulde be satisfied And though Paule did study to please all men and did shew himselfe all things to all men yet did he litle recken to be counted so by mans iudgement He did what he coulde no doubt to the profite saluation of others but he coulde not let himself to be condemned despised by other mens iudgements did therfore commit the whole matter vnto God who knew all and defended himselfe with pacience and modestye against the slaunders and cursed speakings of the wicked the lawlesse liers Neuerthelesse he answered sometime least he shoulde cause offence to the weaklings through his silence Why shouldest thou then at the length feare to be cōdemned of a mortall man who to day is aliue
to morrow is no where Feare God and thou shalt not feare men What hurt can any man doe with his words or wrongs He hurteth himself rather than thée and cannot escape the iudgement of God whosoeuer hée be Haue thou God before thine eies striue not with quareling words If thou think thou be oppressed presently with infamy vndeserued take not the same heauilye or diminishe thy crowne with impacience but rather looke vp vnto me in heauen which am able to deliuer man from all rebuke and wrong and rewarde euery man according to his dooings Of the pure and entire yeelding vp of himselfe to the attaining of the libertie of minde The .xlij. Chapter LORDE SOnne forsake thy selfe and thou shalt finde me Sée that thou chalenge nothing vnto thy selfe sée thou haue nothing peculiare and proper vnto thy selfe and so shalt thou be alwayes a gainer For ouer and aboue this thou shalt haue greater giftes giuen thée as soone as thou shalt yéelde vp thy selfe neuer to looke backe againe SERVANT Lorde how oftentimes shall I yéelde vp my selfe and wherein shall I forsake my selfe LORDE Alwaies and at all howres both in smal and great matters I except nothing but that I wil haue thée founde naked made bare in all things Else how couldest thou bée mine and I thine vnlesse thou were spoyled of all thine owne will both within without The more spedily thou shalt thus do so much the better shall it go with thée and the fullier and more sincerely that thou go about it both so much the more shalt thou please me the more shalt thou gaine by it Some in déede do yéelde vp themselues vnto me but yet they doe it with some exception For they doe not put their trust in me fully and wholy therefore endeuor to sée prouide for themselues Other also at the first doe yeelde themselues altogither but afterwards when temptacion once knocketh they come to their olde condicions againe and therefore doe very litle profite in vertue These men shall neuer aspyre vnto the true lybertie of a pure hart to the most pleasant benefite of my familiaritie vnlesse an entire yéelding vp and a daily offring and sacrificing of themselues haue gone before without the which it happeneth not nor will be that thou mayest enioy the coniunctiō of god I haue sayde many times vnto thée and nowe I say againe Forsake yéelde vp thy selfe and thou shalt enioy déepe peace of minde Giue all for all require nothing aske nothing againe abide in me méerely without sticking at it and so shalt thou haue me shalt be frée of minde and voyd of darknesse Endeuor this praye for this labor to wish for this that being wholy turned out of thy selfe thou maiest being naked follow Iesus naked and mortified vnto thy selfe liue vnto me for euermore Then both vaine imaginations and wicked troubles and superfluous cares depart awaye Then also shall immoderate feare be gone and loue inordinate die Of conuenient dealing in outward things and flying vnto God in daungers The .xliij. Chapter SOnne thou must looke vnto this diligentlye that in euery place and outwarde action and businesse thou haue a frée mind and maister ouer it self and do put all things vnder thy subiection not thy self vnder them and be not the slaue or bondman of thine owne déedes but a Lord but a Ruler but one truely set at libertie an Hebrue translated into the lot and libertie of the children of God who despising present things doe beholde things euerlasting and looke vpon mortal things with the left eie but things heauenly with the right eye whome temporall things doe not draw to cleaue vnto them but they themselues doe rather draw them to serue their tourne aright according as they were made of God and the chiefest workmā who did leaue no disordred thing in thinges of his creation Now if in euery chaunce thou shalt not cleaue vnto the outwarde shewe of the matter nor behold the thing séene or hard within a carnall eye but in euery thing shalt forthwith enter with Moyses into the tabernacle to aske counsell of the Lorde thou shalt sometime heare God make thée an answere and shalt returne as one taught in manye things both present and to come For Moyses did alwaies repaire to the tabernacle in assoiling of doubts and questions and he fled vnto the helpe of prayer to driue away the perils wickednesse of men Euen so oughtest thou to flie into the secret place of thy hart in calling earnestly vpon Gods help For it is recorded in the scriptures that Iosua the other Israelites were therefore deceyued of the Gabaonytes bicause they did not first aske counsell of the Lord but were deluded with the swéetnesse of words as men light of credite vnder the shewe or pretence of godlinesse That man be not importunate in his businesse The .xliiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne commyt thy cause vnto me alwaies I wyll frame the same aright Looke for my decrée and determination thou shalt féele a profiting thereby SERVANT Lorde I commit euery thing vnto thée with a good wil bicause my thought doth little preuaile about it And woulde to God I were not carefull thus for the chaunces to come but did submit my selfe without stay vnto thy will and pleasure LORDE Sonne man oftentimes desirous of some thing doth couet the same and then hauing once gotten it hée beginneth to bée of another mynde bycause the desires of one thing are not dureable but force you to dyuers and sundrie things Therefore it is not the least thing of all to forsake himselfe in the least things and the true profiting of a man consisteth in the denying of himself so that he that hath done that once the same is most frée and in most safety But that olde enimy aduersarie to all good men doth neuer cease frō temptacion but day and night worketh high treasons or deceytes if perchaunce he maye thereby throwe downe the vnwary headlong into the snare of guile Wherfore watch pray saith the Lord lest you enter into temptation That man hath no goodnesse of himselfe nor that he can boast of any thing The .xlv. Chapter SERVANT LOrd what is man that thou art mindefull of him What is the sonne of man that thou earest for him what hath he deserued to be had in fauor of thée Lord what can I complain of if thou shalt forsake me Or wherein can I iustly blame thée if thou graunt me for my requestes Surely this may I rightly thinke and say to my self Lorde I am nothing I haue no goodnesse of my self but being voyd of all things doe euer tende vnto nothing And if I be not holpen of thée and instructed of thée wythin my minde I am made altogither warme and dissolute But thou O Lorde art alwayes one and doest abide one for euer more alway good iust holy bicause thou doest
all things well iustly holyly and order them with wisedome But I being more prone to reuolting then comming forward doe neuer continue still in one state bicause I am subiect to the alteratiōs of time But when thou doest stretch forth thy helping hand I am by by refreshed for as much as thou art able alone to helpe without help of man to strengthen me so much that my countenance may not now be chaunged into diuers things but my minde may be corrected and repose it selfe in thée onely Therefore if while I either desire the godlynesse of minde or am mooued vpon some necessity to séeke for thée when there is no body to comfort me I could skill to cast al humaine comfort frō me surely I might rightly hope well of thy fauor looke for a new gift of comfort with ioy and gladnesse Finally it is thy benefite whatsoeuer doth happen well vnto me at any time I am vaine a wretched man of no regarde in thy sight vnconstant weake Therefore wherevpon may I boast or why shall I desire to be reuerenced Forsooth I shall boast but of nothing and as for that it is most vane Ambition is in déede a most pestilent and most vaine thing which draweth a man away from true glory spoyleth him of heauenly fauor For whilst a man standeth in his owne conceit he displeaseth thée whilst he gapeth after mans praises he is depriued of true vertues But true glory holy reioyce is to boast of thée and not of himself to reioice in thy name and not for his owne vertue or to be delighted with any thing sauing onelye for thy sake Therefore let thy name and not mine be praysed Let thy work and not mine be extolled Let that holy name of thine be so praised that I may haue no prayse of men at all Of thée will I boast gladly for euermore Of my selfe will I boast nothing sauing of mine owne infirmities Let the Iewes desire mutuall glory betwéene themselues I will study for that which doth only make for god Surely all mans glory all mortall honor all worldly loftinesse if it be compared with this thy euerlasting glory is vanitie folishnesse O my truth my mercy my God blessed trinitie to thée only be praise strength power honour glory worlde without ende Amen Of the contempt of mortall honour The .xlvi. Chapter LORDE SOnne thinke it no matter to thée if thou sée others honoured and extolled and thy selfe to bee despised and contemned Lyfre vp thy minde vnto me into heauen and so shalt thou not take it grieuously to be contemned of men in this worlde SERVANT Lord we are in blindnesse are soone seduced with vanitie If I looke rightly vppon my selfe I neuer haue anye wrong done vnto me of any creature wherby it happeneth that I haue no cause to complaine worthily of thée But bicause I haue sinned against thée both oftentimes and gréeuouslye the whole worlde vpon good cause is sharpely set against me Therfore is infamy and contempt due vnto me to thée is prayse honour and glory belonging And except I so fashion my self to be despised and forsaken of al men and take it quietly to be had in no maner of reputacion at all I can not either attaine vnto a quiet and stedfast minde or bée lightned frō aboue or fully ioyned vnto thee That a man must not set his peace vpon Men. The .xlvij. Chapter LRODE SOnne if thou shalte fixe thy peace in any man lyuing bycause of thy agréement and familiaritie with him thou shalt be vnstedfast and vnquiet But if thou shalt repaire to the euerlasting immortal truth thou shalt not be vexed with the departure or deceasse of thy friend For man is so much the nearer vnto God as he departeth farther from all earthly comfort doth ascende so much the more highly vnto God as he descendeth the more déepely into himself and as he is the more vile in his own conceite But he that doth attribute any goodnesse vnto himselfe the same is a let for gods fauor to haue place in him bicause the fauor of the holy ghost doth alwaies séeke for a lowly mind If thou knowest how to bring thy self altogither into nothyng and to ridde thy self from all loue of the creature surely I should flow into thée with great bountifulnesse But whilest thou lookest vpon the creatures the sight of the Creator is withdrawn from thée Learne to maister thy self in al things for thy Makers sake so shall it happē that thou maist come vnto the knowledge of god Euen the least thing in the worlde if it be loued and regareed inordinately hindreth one from the chiefest felicity doth defile a man with sin Against vaine and worldly knowledge The .xlviij. Chapter LORDE SOnne be not mooued with the feare sharpe sayings of men For the kingdome of God doth not stande in talke but in vertue and power Consider my words which both kindle the soules and giue light to the minds and make remorse of conscience bring true and perfite comfort Neuer reade any thing with this intent to séeme the better learned or the wiser therefore but endeuor to mortifie thy vices and sinnes For this shall stande thée in more steade than the knowledge of many harde subtil questions When thou hast reade and knowne manye thinges yet at the last thou must come to one beginning I am he that teache men knowledge and doe procure more sharpe vnderstanding to litle ones than can be taught of any mortall man into much that they whom I speake vnto doe soone become wise and do much profite in the spirite Wo be to thē that séeke many curious things at men and passe litle vpon the way that teacheth to serue me That time shall come when Christ the mayster of maysters the Lord of Angels shall appeare to require accounts of all men to examine the conscience of all men when as he shall search Hierusalem throughout with cādlelight and those things shall become manifest which haue lyen hid in darckenesse the filed finenesie of tongues then holding their peace I am he the in one moment doe so raise vp the lowly minde that he may vnderstand mo reesons of the euerlasting truth than another shall attaine vnto euen with ten yeres studie I teach without noyse of words without multitude of opinions without pryde of ambicion without fight of Arguments I am he that teacheth to despise worldely things to loath present things to séeke sauor euerlasting things to flie honors to beare offenses to put all hope in me out of me to desire nothing to loue me feruently aboue al things For by louing of mée a certaine man did so wholy learne heauenly things that he coulde speake woonders and did more come forware in forsaking all thinges than hée coulde haue done by any subtiltie of studies But I vtter common thinges to some to
that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty
passe those things which thou wouldest do Other mens attempts shall come forwarde well ynough but thine shall not so doe Other mens sayings shall be heard thine shall bée counted for nothing Other men asking shal haue when thou askest thou shalt go without Other shall be set out greatly with the praise of men Of thée no man shall say any thing at all Other men shall haue offices committed vnto thē to gouerne but thou shalt be thought good for nothing For these causes thine own fleshe shall sometimes teach thée and shall abide great conflyctes But thou shalt haue great good thereby if thou wilt beare it pacyently say nothing With these and such like things is the faithfull seruaunt of the Lorde woont to be tried whether he can deny himself and make himself plyable in all things And scarcely there is any thing in which it is so much for thy profit to be mortified as in that that thou mayest beholde and paciently suffer those things which are contrary to thy will especially whilst things absurde and not profitable in thy iudgement are commaunded In which bycause thou darest not resist the power of thy Superior vnto which thou art subiect it hapneth that it séemeth a hard thing vnto thée to be at another mans beck letting passe all thine owne will. But consider sonne what fruite how great reward in short time shall follow these trauailes of thine and thou wilt not be agréeued with them but wilt take right great comfort of thy pacience For in steade of this short will of thine which thou hast nowe giuen euer of thine owne accorde thou shalt haue thy will for euer in Heauen For there thou shalt finde whatsoeuer thou wilt haue whatfoeuer thou shalt be able to wishe for There shalt thou haue plentye of of all good things without any feare of léesing them againe There shall thy will togither with me neuer desire any outward or priuate thing There shall no man resist thée no man shall complaine of thée no man shall let thée but all thy wishes shall be had shall most plentifully fill the desire of thy minde There will I render glory for reproche borne paciently the clothing of praise for sorrow heauinesse a kingly seat for euermore for the lowest or basest place in the worlde There shal the fruite of obedience appeare the labour of repentance reioyce modest subiectiō be crowned gloriously Wherefore submit thy selfe nowe modestly to the commaundement of al men and passe not who speaketh or cōmaundeth but especially endeuour this one thing that whether some superior of thine or some equal or also some inferior shal require ought at thy hands or else shall but giue a token to haue thée doe something thou take all in good woorth and studie to doe them with asincere will. Let diuers men séeke diuers things Let diuers men glory in diuers things let them be praysed euē of an infinite number of men reioyce thou but in the contempt of thy self in the dooing of my commaundement in looking vnto my glory wish for that thing aboue all other that eyther by life or by death God may alwayes be honoured in thée How a man being pressed downe with euilles ought to yeelde himselfe vp vnto god The .lv. Chapter SERVANT I Giue thée immortal thanks O God my holy Father for that those thinges are done which thou wilt haue to be done thou wilt haue nothing to bée done but that that is good Let me thy seruant reioyce in thée not eyther in my selfe or in any other For thou onely art true ioy O Lord thou art my hope and crowne thou art my reioyce honor To be short I haue nothing but that which I haue receyued at thy hand and that without any maner of desert of mine at all thine are al those things that either thou hast giuen or made I néedie soule and turmoiled with trauailes from my birth am sory in my minde and that so déepely sometime that teares doe gush out of mine eyes and that I am altogither disquieted for the euils that are at hande I long after the ioye of peace I earnestly craue the peace of thy children which are fed with the light of thy comfort If thou shalt giue peace if thou shalt poure forth ioy I shal haue a minde full of melodie and singe thy prayses deuoutlye But if thou shalte withdrawe thy selfe as thou art woont very often I shall not be able to runne the race of thy commaundementes but rather fallyng downe vpon my knées will strike my brest bicause I am not nowe in so good case as I was before when thy candle giuing light vnto me from aboue I was defended wyth the shadowe of thy wings against the euils that ranne violently vpon me O iust father and alwayes to bée praysed the howre is come wherin I thy seruant shoulde be tried O Father to be loued right it is that I should suffer something for thy sake in this howre O Father euermore to be worshipped the howre is come which thou diddest foresée before all beginning that I shoulde so be ouercome outwardly for a shorte time that inwardelye I might alwayes liue with thée that I might be cōtemned pressed downe fayle before men a little while be afflicted with euils and sorrows to the intent I might rise againe with thée in the morning of newe light and might be made bright in heauenly things O holy father thou hast thus determined so thou wouldest haue it that hath béene done which thou hast commaunded to be done For this benefite is bestowed by thée vpō thy louer or frend that he should suffer afflictions in this life for the loue of thée so oftentimes as thou shalte suffer the same to be done vnto him and of whome thou shalt suffer it to be done after that sort as thou shalt suffer it to be done For there is neyther any thing done in the worlde without thy purpose and prouidence nor yet without a cause And surely it is for my profite O Lord that thou hast thrust me downe to the intent that I may learne thy ordinaunces cast all loftinesse arrogancie of mind from me It is profitable to me to haue béene shamed that I might aske comfort rather of thée than of men Againe also I haue learned therby to feare thy vnsearchable iudgement which afflictest the iust togither with the wicked and vngodly and yet not without equitie and right I giue thée thanks which hast nothing spared to sende me aduersities but hast afflicted me with bitter torments sorrowes anguishes both within and without wherein to comfort me there is none found liuing vnder heauen but thou onely art he O my Lord God being the heauenly phisition of soules which both woundest and healest which leadest downe to hel and againe bringest a man backe from thence Thy correction doth chastice
thy self the néerer thou shalt approche onto mée Lyke as to couet nothyng outwardly is the cause of inwarde peace euen so to forsake himself inwardelye doth ioyne a man vnto God I will haue thée to learne à perfite denial of thy self in my wil without any gaynesaying complaint Follow me I am the way the truth and the lyfe Without way there is no traueyling without truth the way is vnknowne without life we liue not I am the way by which thou must goe the truth which thou must beléeue the life which thou must hope for I am the ready way the truth neuer deceiuing the life without ende I am the most straight waye the highest truth the true life the blessed the increated or vnmade If thou wilt perseuere in my way thou shalt knowe the truth and the truth shall so deliuer thée that thou mayst attaine euerlasting life If thou wilt get life obay my commaundements If thou wilt follow the truth beléeue in me If thou wylt bée perfite sell all thinges If thou wilt be my Disciple denie thy selfe If thou wilt attaine to the blessed life despise the life present If thou wilt be exalted in Heauen thrust downe thy selfe vpon the earth If thou wilt raygne with me then be are my Crosse with me For the seruaunts of the Crosse onely doe find the way of blessednesse and true lyght SERVANT O Lorde Iesu Christ forasmuch as thy way is narrow and hatefull to the worlde make me with thée to despyse the worlde For the seruant is not greater then the Lorde nor the 〈◊〉 aboue his Mayster Let thy seruaunt be exercised in thy way séeing that my sauing health and true holinesse is there to be founde of me Beside that whatsoeuer I eyther reade or heare the same doth not fully refreshe or delight me LORDE Sonne séeing thou both hast read knowest al those things thou shalt be blessed if thou wilt practise and perfourme them Hée that both knoweth doth my commaundements the same loueth me and I will likewise loue him will open my selfe vnto him and will cause that he may sit wyth me in the kingdome of my father SERVANT Lorde bring to passe therefore that these thinges maye happen vnto mée which thou hast sayde and promysed I haue receyued a Crosse at thy handes I will paciently beare the same euen to the very death according as thou haste enioyned vnto mée Surely the lyfe of the Chrystian man is a Crosse but by this waye men go into Paradise We may not go backe againe or leaue off our enterprise To it nowe chéerefully Brethren let vs go on togither Iesus wyll bée present wyth vs For Iesus sake haue we taken vp this crosse For Iesus sake let vs perseuer and continue in the crosse The same Iesus shall be our helper which is both our guide and leader and goeth also before vs Beholde oure Kyng which shall fight for vs doth goe before vs Let vs follow like men Let no man be striken with feare let vs be readye manfullye to dye in battayle and let vs not staine our glorie by running away backe agayne from the Crosse. That man be not ouermuch discouraged if at any time he haue fallen into any offense The Lxij Chapter LORDE SOnne pacience and humblenesse of mind in aduersitie doth more please mée then much cōfort and godlinesse in prosperitie Why art thou vexed wyth so small a thing spoken against thée which though it were greater yet oughtest thou not to be mooued to impacience Passe not vpon this thing it is neyther first nor strang nor it shal not be last if thou liue longer Thou art man like inough so long as no aduersity doth come against thée yea thou canst giue good counsel to other and canst tel how to confirm chéere them vp with thy words but when sodaine calamitie is at thy doore then art thou destitute of counsel strength Consider how great thy frailtie is which thou makest profe of many times in smal and trifling matters Howbeit both these things al other like vnto these doe make for thy saluation Cast these things out of thy minde accordyng as thou knowest thou must do But if they nippe thée endeuor that they either cast thée not downe or do long time kéepe thée troubled and if thou canst not take them ioyfully at the least wise beare thē paciently But if thou heare such things vnwillingly and doest féele indignation in thy selfe represse and kéepe in thy selfe and suffer nothing once to come one of thy mouth wherby the litle ones should bée offended By thys meanes shall it be brought to passe that both this affection may be forthwith setled and the gréese of the minde waxe swéete the fauor of God returning to thée againe I am yet aliue saith the Lord ready to helpe thée to comfort thée more then I was woont if puttyng thy trust in me thou wilt cal vpon me deuoutly Be of a more pacient minde prepare thy selfe to greater sufferaunce Thou must not therefore be discouraged if thou sée thy self to be oftentimes afflicted and grieuously tempted Thou art a man and not a God Thou art flesh thou art no Angell Mayest thou be able alwayes to abyde still in one state of vertue when the same hath béene wanting both to the Aungel in heauen and to the first man in Paradise as the which did not long remayne in perfite case I am he that will both raise vp the mourners vnto health will lift vp vnto my dignitie those men that doe acknowledge their owne infirmity SERVANT Lord I giue thée thankes for thy sayings which to me are more swéete thā honie and the hony combe What could I doe in so great calamities and anguishes vnlesse thou didst strengthen me with this thy holy talk So that I may at the last come vnto the hauē of saluation what matter maketh it what and how great things I do suffer Giue me a good ende graunt me a happye departure out of this life be mindefull of me O my God and directe or setle me in the straight way of thy kingdome Amen Of leauing the deeper things the hid iudgements of God vnsearched The Lxiij Chapter LORDE SOnne beware thou doe not dispute about highe matters and the hidde or secret iudgements of God why this man is thus forsaken left to himselfe that other man is increased with so great fauour this man so much tormēted that man so highly aduanced These things do surmout mans capacity neither is any reason of disputacion full ynough to search out the bottome of gods meaning purpose Therefore if at any time the enimy do minister these things vnto thée or else some curious persons aske thée the question make answere with that saying of the Prophet Thou art iust O Lorde and thy iudgement is right And likewise that saying The iudgementes of the Lorde are true and agreeable to equitie My iudgementes must be
swéetely solace themselues with most pleasant thoughts and thinke themselues present among the companies of angels farre otherwyse than the world thinketh of them Their cogitacions are alwayes busied in the misterie of mans redemption in that Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world in the forgiuenesse of sins reuealed and promised by almightie God for the deliuerer to come in that séede of the woman dreading downe the head of the serpent in the séed of Abraham which is Christ as the apostle saith in that Prophet of whom Moses maketh mention in Deuteron briefly in our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ promised vnto the fathers alreadie giuen vnto vs that is in him onely to whome all the Prophetes doe beare witnes that who so euer doth put trust of his saluatiō in him shal obtain forgiuenesse of sins by his name who came into the world to saue sinners to séeke out saue that which was lost to giue his life for the redemption of many who was sent to bring the glad wished message or Gospel vnto the poore afflicted to heale the contrite of hart to preach deliueraunce to the captiue to comfort them that mourne to deliuer the oppressed who in fine is our aduocate with the father our enterpretour and pacifier betwéene God and men the throne of grace the high bishop the greatest priest to make intercession cōtinually for vs the propitiacion for the sinnes of the world our hope lyfe righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The cōsideration of these things abandoneth heauynesse out of the mindes of the Godly and maketh them to reioyce at all tymes more than one woulde beléeue And now howe great gladnesse doe they at large enioy whiles they set before theyr eyes the holy Catholyke apostolyke right beléeuing true Christian Church or cōgreation whiles they remember that communion or felowship of saints which being euen from the very beginning of the worlde after the promise giuen touching the Messias or Sauiour to come doth continue on still euen to this daye spreade first abroade in the fathers and Prophetes afterwards in the Apostles and Martyrs then by and dyuers degrées orders of Christians professing all one faith displayed throughout the whole worlde Whyles they waye and consider that Christ the sonne of God our Lorde and Redéemer doth rule this same spouse or congregation of his with his worde and Gospell doth helpe it with the holy Ghost defende and maintaine it continually against the Deuill whiles they plesantly and swéetely remember that they are adioyned vnto this fellowship of the Godly true Christian congregation by fayth wyll meaning inuocation prayer and by confession which hath the sonne of God for heade principall Aungels for defenders the holye Ghost for a sanctifier the godly and chosen of all ages for companions I say whiles they remember that they are the members of the people of God and mysticall bodye whose chiefe captaine is Christ Whiles they occupie their heades about thinking vppon that most blessed familiarity in time to come with all the Saintes in the kingdome of Heauen vnto the which they trauaile and labour tooth and nayle with excéeding great desire Therfore howe great ioye thinkest thou that they haue large fruition of whiles they are fixed vpon these and such other cogitacions And surely it behooued Christians alwayes to occupie their mindes about such things and being as it were astonied with the consider atiō of them to brast out into the prayses of God into Psalmes and Hymmes into spirituall songs singing and making melodie in theyr harts vnto the Lord giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth And bycause the Godly doe this contynually what woonder is it if they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde And what then is there that can euer make heauy and sad can trouble or faare one that in such wise reioyceth Is it the breache of the lawe But the Apostle doth comfort vs Christ sayth he hath he redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe becomming himselfe a curse for vs. Is it sinne But S. Iohn doth comfort vs If anye man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate wyth the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiacion for our sinnes Is it death The Godly wote full well that it is the gate of life euerlasting a certaine passage out to thys worlde vnto the Father Is it the wrath and the iudgement of God But we are reconcyled vnto God through Christ as Paule sayth Is it Satan Christ hath conquered him already and hath triumphed ouer him being conquered as sayth the same Paule Is it hell fire and the tormentos of hell Nay Christ when he had ouercome hell dyd open a waye vnto Heauen to the Godly And in the Prophet Osea the Lorde sayth I wil be thy death O death I wil be thy destruction O hell Likewise Dauid also in his Psalmes doth testifie that Christ did leade Captiuitie captiue when he ascended into heauen that is as much to say did as a man woulde saye leade the enymies of mankinde prisoners in hys shewe of Triumph the deuill I meane sinne death hell Briefly in all terrours and temptacions of Sathan in all heauinesse in the most sorrowfull cogitacions many tymes of death of the last iudgement of the iudgement seate of the Lorde among the other comfortes of the holy Ghost the godly doe chiefely stay themselues with the wordes of the Apostles Créede I beleeue say they the Communion or fellowship of Saints the remission of sinnes the resurrection of this fleshe and the life euerlasting They leaning vpon this fayth chasing all feare and heauinesse from them if that the deuill doe minister any doe reioyce alwayes in the Lorde Howbeit some man will here obiect that considering they are men it can not be otherwyse chosen but that they should be troubled with passions mourne and be sorowfull oftentimes For they can not lay the nature of mankinde from them renounce as it were the féele of flesh and bloude which all men haue in them I graunt that the godly are distressed with heauinesse many a time and oft and that their minds are sometimes troubled and mazed and that it can not bée otherwise in these tumults of worldly affaires Howbeit the same doe foorthwith come to themselues againe and disquietnesse of mind being setled or appeased they so facion themselues in Gods regard and prouident care toward them that with ioy they take all things very quietly and reioyce in their afflictions reposing themselues in thapprooued loue of God towarde them doe conceyue such gladnesse and pleasure in their minds therof that the same sorrow of theirs is soone ouerwhelmed withall if happily these outwarde things as commonly it comes to passe haue caused any in them For like as a very little sparkle falling into a great riuer is forthwith quenched and come to nothing euen so whatsoeuer euill
with him doth speak vnto him in this wise Lord Iesus be assisting vnto me in all places and at all times Let thys be my comfort to be voyde of all mans comfort with a good will. Or if thy comfort shall be lacking at any time let thy will and due tryall of me be in steade of thy chiefest comfort vnto me For thou art not he that euermore art angry or makest afearde That all carefulnesse is to be committed to god The .xix. Chapter SOnne let mée deale with thée as I will my selfe I doe know what is for thy profite Thou imaginest as a man and doest so thinke in manye thinges as thy fleshly minde doth counsell thée SERVANT Lorde thou sayest truth thou hast greater care ouer me than I could haue of my selfe For he standeth but after a sickle sort vndoubtedly which committeth not hys whole care vnto thée Lorde vse me as thou list so that my will toward thée doe continue right and stedfast For it can not be but good whatsoeuer thou shalt determine of me Therfore whether thou wilt haue me to be in darknes stil I praise it or whether thou wilt haue me to enioy light that doe I also praise Or whether thou vouchsafe to comfort me I praise it or whether thou wilt haue me to be pressed downe with aduersity I praise this also LORDE Sonne so thou must be myuded in déede if thou desire to haue to doe wyth mée neyther oughtest thou to be lesse chéerefull to suffer than to reioyce more vnwillingly néedie and poore than full and welthie SERVANT Lorde I will willingly suffer for thy sake whatsoeuer thou wylt haue to happen vnto mée and I wyll receyue at thy hands alike both good and euill both swéete and sower both ioye and sorrowe and giue thée thanks to for all things that haue chaunced vnto mée Preserue mée from all sinne and so shall I feare neyther death nor Hell and so that thou doe neuer tourne mée off or blot me out of the booke of life there shall bée no calamitie that shall hurt mée That the miseries of this life must be suffered paciently according to Christs example The .xx. Chapter LORDE SOnne I descended from Heauen for thy sake and tooke thy miseries vpon me not for any necessity but for very loue that moued me thervnto to the intent that thou mightest learne pacience and sufferance and mightest take temporall miseries without disdayne grutch From the hower of my birth till such time as I ended my life vpon the crosse there were neuer sorrows wanting to be suffered I tooke paciently the great lack of necessary things I oftentimes heard sundry complaints of me I toke slaunders reproches in good worth I had vnkindnesse for benefits Curssing and euill speakings for miracles reproofes and fault findeings for my doctrine SERVANT Lord for as much as thou hast shewed thy self pacient in this life Wherin surely thou diddest most of al do the cōmaundement of thy father méete reason it is that I wretch and sinful man should shew my self pacient according vnto thy will and shoulde beare the burthen of this mortall lyfe for my soule health sake so long as thou wilt haue it so For though this present life be left burdensome yet hath it béene made alreadye more light by thy benefite and both by thy example more tollerable and famous vnto the weakelings and also by the footesteps of thy saints yea much more full of comfort also then it was once in the olde Law when both heauen gate did continue shut and the way did séeme somewhat hard to finde so fewe did passe to séeke for the kingdome of heauen Nay also euen those which then were iustified and in the state of saluation could not enter the kingdom of Heauen before thy passion and the merite of thy precious death How great thanks am I bound to render vnto thée in that thou hast vouchsafed to shew the straight and good way to thy euerlasting kingdome both to me and to all them that put their trust in thée For thy way is our way and through godly pacience doe we earnestly traueyle to come vnto thée our crowne and rewarder who vnlesse thou hadst gone before vs and haddest taught vs what man woulde haue passed to follow How many woulde not only haue bidden behind but also a great way off except they had behelde and looked vpon these thy notable examples Lo if when we haue heard so many of thy miracles and commaundements yet are but warme howe woulde it be then if wee had not so great light to followe thée Of the bearing of iniuries and wrongs who it is that is pacient in deede The .xxi. Chapter LORDE SOnne what is this that thou speakest Ceasse from cōplaint and moane consider both my passion and the martirdome of other saints Thou hast not yet resisted vnto death It is but little that thou sufferest if thou be compared with thē which haue suffered so many things haue ben tempted so vehemently haue béene afflicted so greuously haue béene tried and exercised so many waies Therefore other mens cases being more gréeuous must bée called to minde of thée that thou maiest take this more tolerable case in better part or if thou doe not think it so tollerable sée that thine own impacience be not cause hereof and in fine whether it bée tolerable or intolerable endeuor thou to take it paciently throughout For the better that thou shalt setle thy selfe to be pacient both by so much shalt thou deale the more wisly in the matter and shalt deserue the greter things and shalt more easily beare thy case as one not slouthfully framed readie in minde vse therevnto Neither shalt thou thus say to thy self I neither am able nor ought to bere this thing at that mans hands For he hath both done me a great displeasure or hurt slaundereth me with other things that I neuer thought In déede I can be content to beare that at another mans hands that I shal sée good to be borne This is the thought of foolishnesse it neyther considereth the vertue of pacience nor yet of whome it must be crowned and rewarded but rather wayeth the persons the wrongs done vnto it He is not truly pacient that will suffer but as much as he list and of whome he listeth but the man that is pacient in déede maketh no account of whome hée is vexed and troubled whether he be his better his equall or his inferior whether he be good and godly or else peruerse and wicked Nay whatsoeuer aduersity is done vnto him of any man liuing looke how much and how oftentimes soeuer the same be done he receyueth the same thankfully as it were from Gods hands reckneth it for gaine bicause nothing is so great or so smal if a man suffer the same for Gods sake but that it deserueth reward Wherfore be thou in a readinesse to battaile