with other like vertues gracious giftes of God VVherefore they profited dayly in spirit obteyned great grace of God They be lefte as an exaÌ„ple to al religious persons and more ought their examples to stirre them to deuotioÌ„ and to profite more and more in vertue and grace then the great multitude of dissolute ydle persons shoulde anye thing drawe them abacke O what feruour was in religious persons at the beginning of their religion what deuotion in prayers what zeale to vertue what loue to ghostlye discipline and what reuerence and meeke obedience fiourished in theÌ„ vnder the rule of their superiour Truely their deedes yet beare witnes that they were holy and perfect so mightily subdued the world and thruste it vnder foote Nowe a dayes he is accoÌ„pted vertuous that is no offender and that may with patience keepe some litle sparcle of that vertue and feruor that he had firste But alas for sorowe it is through our owne slouth and negligence and through losing of time that we be so soone fallen from our first feruour into such a ghostly weaknes and dulnes of spirite that in maner it is to tedious to vs for to liue But woulde to God that the desire to profite in vertue slepte not so vtterly in thee that so ofte haste seene the holy examples of blessed Saintes Of the exercises of a good religious person The 19. Chapter THe lyfe of a good religious man should shine in all vertue and be inward as it appereth outwarde and that much more inwarde for almightie God beholdeth the heart VVhom we should alwaye honour and reuerence as if we were euer in his bodilye presence and appere afore him as Angels clene and pure shining in all vertue we ought euery daye to renewe our purpose in God and to stirre our heart do feruor and deuotioÌ„ as though it were the firste daye of our conuersion dayly we shall pray and say thus Helpe me my Lorde Iesu that I may perseuer in good purpose and in thy holy seruice vnto my death that I may nowe this present daye perfectly beginne for it is nothinge that I haue done in time past After our purpose and after our intent shalbe our reward And though our intent be neuer so good yet it is necessarie that we put therto a good will and a great diligence For if he that often times purposeth to doe well and to profite in vertue yet fayleth in his doing what shall he doe then who seldome or neuer taketh such purpose Let vs intend to doe the best we can and yet our good purpose may happeÌ„ to be hindred and letted in diuers maners And our speciall hinderaunce is this that we so lihgtly leaue of our good exercises that we haue vsed to doe before time for it is seldome seene that a good purpose wilfully broken may be recouered agayne without great spirituall hinderance The purpose of righteous men dependeth in the grace of God more then in theÌ„selues or in their owne wisedome for man purposeth but God disposeth ne the waye that man shall walke in this worlde is not in himselfe but in the grace of God If a good custome be sometime left of for helpe of our neighbour it may soone be recouered but if it be left of through slouth or through our owne negligence it will greatlie hinder vs and hardly will it be recouered agayne Thus it appereth that though we incorage our selues all that we can to doe well yet it is good that we alwaye take such good purpose especiallie against such thinges as hinder vs moste VVe must also make diligent searche both within vs without vs that we leaue nothing inordinate vnterformed in vs as nigh as our frailtie may suffer And if thou can not for frayltie of thy selfe doe thus continualâ—ie yet at the least that thou doe it once on the day euening or morning In the morning thou shalt take a good purpose for that daye folowinge and at night thou shalte discusse diligentlie how thou hast behaued thee the daye before in worde in deede and in thought for in them we doe ofte offend God aud our neighbour Arme thee as Christes true knyght with meeknes and charitie against all the malice of the enemie Refraine glotonie and thou shalt the more lightlie refrayne all carnall desires Let not the ghostly enemy finde thee all ylde but that thou be readinge writing prayinge deuoutlie thinkinge or some other good labour doinge for the comminaltie Bodily exercises are to be done discretelie for that that is profitable to one is sometime hurtfull to another and also spirituall labours done of denotion are more sure done in priuitie then in open place And thou must beware that thou be not more readie to priuate deuotioÌ„s then to them that thou arte bounde to by duetie of thy religion But wheÌ„ thy duetie is fulfilled theÌ„ adde thereto after as thy deuotion gyueth All may not vse one maner of exercise but one in one maner another in another maner as they shall feele to be most profitable to theÌ„ Also as the time requireth so diuers exercises are to be vsed for one maner of exercise is necessary on the holy daye another on the feriall daye one in time of temptation another in time of Peace and coÌ„solation one when we haue sweetenes in deuotion another when deuotion withdraweth Also against principall feastes we ought to be more diligeÌ„t in good workes and deuoutlie to call for helpe to the blessed Saintes that then be worshipped in the Churche of God then in other times and to dispose our selues in like maner as if we shoulde then be taken out of this world and be brought into the euerlastinge feast in heauen And fith that blisse is yet differred from vs for a time we may well thinke that we be not yet readye nor worthye to come therto And therefore we ought to prepare our selues to be more readie another time For as S. Luke saith Blessed is that seruaunt whom our Lorde when he shall come at the hour of death shall finde readie for he shall take him and lifte him vp high aboue all earthlie thinges into the euerlastinge ioye and blisse in the kingdome of heauen Amen Of the loue of onelines and silence The .20 Chapter SEeke for a coÌ„uenient time to searche thine owne coÌ„science and thinke ofte on the benefites of god Leaue of all curious thinges and reade such matters as shal stirre thee to compunctioÌ„ of heart for thy sinnes rather then to reade onelie for occupyinge of the time If thou wilt withdrawe thy selfe from superfluous wordes and from vnprofitable runninges about and from the hearinge of rumours and vayne tales thou shalt finde time eonuenient to be occupied in holy meditations The moste holie men and women that euer were fled the company of worldlie liuing men with all their power chose to serue god in secrete of their heart And one holye maÌ„ sayde As ofte as I haue beene amoÌ„ge
haste vouchedsafe to serue man thy selfe and haste promised to geue thy selfe vnto hym VVhat shall I then geue to thee agayne for this thousand folde goodnes woulde to God that I might serue thee all the dayes of my lyfe or at the least that I might one daye be able to doe thee faythfull seruice for thou art woorthye all honour seruice and praysinge for euer Thou art my Lorde and my God and I thy poorest seruant most bounde before all other to loue thee and prayse thee and I neuer ought to ware werye of the praysinge of thee And that is it that I aske and that I desire that is to say that I may alway laude and prayse thee Vouchsafe therfore moste mercifull Lord to supply that wanteth in me for it is great honour to serue thee all earthly thinges to despise for the loue of thee They shal haue great grace that freely submit theÌ„ selues to thy holye seruice And they shall finde also the moste sweete consolation of the holye ghoste and shall haue great freedome of spirit that here forsake all worldlye busines and choose a harde and straite lyfe in this worlde for thy name O free and ioyfull seruice of God by the which a man is made free holy and also blessed in the sight of God O holye state of religion which maketh a man lyke to aungels pleasant to God dreadefull to wicked spirites and to all faythfull people right highlye commendable O seruice much to be embraced and alwaye to be desired by whom the high goodnes is wonne and the euerlasting ioye and gladnes is gotten without ende That the desires of the heart ought to be vvell examined and moderated The 12. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde it behoueth thee to learne many thinges that thou haste not yet well lerned VVhat be they Lorde that thou order thy desires and affections wholly after my pleasure and that thou be not a louer of thy selfe but a desirous folower of my wil in all things I knowe well that desires ofte moue to this thing or to that but coÌ„sider well whether thou be moued principally for mine honour or for thine owne If I be in the cause thou shalt be wel contented whatsoeuer I doe with thee but if any thinge remayne in thy harte of thine owne will that is it that letteth and hindreth thee Beware therefore that thou leane not muche to thine owne desire without my councell least happly it repent thee and displease thee in the ende that firste pleased thee Euerye affection and desyre of mans hart that seemeth good and holye is not forthwith to be folowed nor euery contrarious affection or desire is not hastily to be refused It is sometime right expedient that a man refraine his affections and desires though they be good least happlye by his importunitie he fall into vnquietnes of minde or that he be a let to other or be letted by other and so faile in his doinge and sometime it behoueth vs to vse as it were a violence to our selfe and stronglye to resist and breake downe our sensuall appetite and not to regard what the fleshe will or will not but alwaye to take hede that it be made subiect to the will of the spirite and that it be so long chastised and compelled to serue till it be ready to all thing that the soule commaundeth that it can learne to be coÌ„tent with a litle and can delight in simple thinges and not to murmure nor to grudge for any coÌ„trarious thinges that may befall vnto it Hovv vve should keepe patience and continually stryue agaynst all concupiscence The .13 Chapter O My Lord God as I heare say patience is muche necessarie vnto me because of many contrarious thinges which in this life daylie chaunce I see well that howesoeuer I doe order my selfe for peace yet can not my life be without some battaile and sorowe My sonne it is true that thou sayest wherfore I will not that thou seeke to haue suche peace as wanteth temptations or as feeleth not some coÌ„tradictioÌ„ But that thou trow beleue that thou hast found peace wheÌ„ that thou hast many troubles and art proued with many coÌ„trarious thinges in this worlde And if thou saye thou mayest not suffer suche thinges how shalt thou then suffer the fire of Purgatory Of two euils the lesse euill is to be taken Suffer therefore patientlie the litle paines of this world that thou mayest hereafter escape the greater in the worlde to come Trowest thou that worldlye men suffer litle or nothing yes truely thou shalt find none without some trouble though thou seeke the most delicat persons that be But percase thou sayest to me againe they haue many delectations folowe their owne pleasures so much that they ponder but litle all their aduersities VVell I will it be as thou sayest that they haue all that they can desire but howe longe trowest thou that it shall endure Soothly it shal sodenlye vanish awaye as smoke in the ayre so that there shall not be lefte anye remembraunce of their ioyes passed yet when they liued they were not without great bitternes and griefe for ofte times of the same thing wherein they had their greatest pleasure receaued they after great trouble and payne righteouslie came that vnto them that forasmuche as they sought delectations and pleasures inordinatelye that they shoulde not fulfill their desire therein but with greate bitternes and sorowe O howe shorte howe false and howe inordinate be all the pleasures of this worlde Soothlye for dronkenship and blindnes of hearte the worldlye people perceaue it not nor wil not perceaue it but as dombe beastes for a lytle plesure of this corruptible life they runne headlonge into euerlastinge death Therefore my sonne go not after thy concupiscence but turne thee lightly from thine owne wil. Delite thee in god and fixe thy loue stronglye in him and he shall geue thee the asking of thine heart And if thou wilt haue coÌ„solation aboundantlye and wilt receaue the soothfast comfort that commeth of God dispose thy selfe fullye to despise this world and put from thee whollye all inordinate delectations and thou shalt haue pleÌ„teously the comfort of God And the more that thou with drawest thee from the consolation of all creatures the more sweete blessed consolations shalte thou receaue of thy creatoure But soothlye thou canst not at the first come to such coÌ„solations but with heauines and laboure goinge before thy olde custome will somewhat withstande thee but with a better custome it may be ouercome The flesh will murmure against thee but with feruour of spirite it shall be restrained The olde auncient enemy thee freende wil â—et thee if he can but with deuout prayer He shall be driuen awaye and with good bodilye and ghostlye laboures his waye shalbe stopped so that he shall not dare come nigh vnto thee Of the obedience of a meeke subiect after the example of our Lorde Iesu Christe The 14.
beautie that was deformed through sinne returneth agayne and the grace of this Sacrament sometime is so much that of the fulnes of deuotion that commeth thereby not onelie the minde but also the feeâ—le bodye recouer their former strength But verilye it is greatlie to be sorowed that we be so slowe and negligent and that we be stirred with no more affection to receyue Christ then we be for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued He is our health and our redemption he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen And it is also greatly to be sorowed that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie which gladdeth the heauen and preserueth all the world Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent and taketh litle heede thereto If this blessed Sacrament were ministred onelie in one place coÌ„secrate but by one priest in the world with how great desire thinkest thou the people would runne to that place and to that Priest that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries Nowe there be manye priestes and Christe is offred in many places that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde thankinges be to thee therefore my Lord Iesu that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie sayinge come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament The second Chapter O My Lorde Iesu trustinge in thy great goodnes mercye I come to the as a sicke man to him that shall heale him and as he that is hungrye thirstie to the fountayne of life that is needie to the Kinge of heauen as a seruaunt to his Lord a creature to his creator and as a desolate persoÌ„ to his meeke and blessed comfortour But howe is it that thou commest to me who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature Thou knowest thy seruant and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him seâ—â—e whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him I confesse therefore mine owne vnworthines and I knowledge thy goodnes I prayse thy pietie and yeelde thee thankings for thy great charitie Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes not for my merites that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare thy charitie the more largelie be shewed and thy meekenes the more highlie be commeÌ„ded Therefore because this pleaseth thee and thou hast coÌ„maunded that it shoulde thus be done thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not O my Lorde Iesu howe great reuerence and thankinges with perpetuall praysinges of thy name ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie whose dignitie no man is able to expresse But what shall I thinke in this communion and in goeinge to my Lorde God whom I can not worship as I ought to doe and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly But what may I think better or more healthfull to me then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee exaltinge thy infinite goodnes farre aboue me I laude thee my Lord God and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie I despise my selfe and submit me to thee and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie Thou arte the Saint of all Saints and I am the filth of all sinners and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me that am not worthye to looke towarde thee Thou commest to me thou wilt be with me thou biddest me to thy feast thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate and this Angelles foode to eate which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which desceÌ„dest from heauen and geuest lyfe to the worlde Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth and howe great goodnes shineth vpon vs and howe great thankes prayses are due to thee therfore O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it wheÌ„ thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten O Lorde howe meruailous is thy worke howe mightie is thy vertue and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth By thy worde all thinges were made and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded It is a meruaylous thinge worthy to be beleeued and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man that thou Lorde that art God and very man art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine and art eaten without consuminge of him that taketh thee and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges and that needest nothing in this world wouldest by this glorious Sacrament dwell in vs kepe thou mine heart my body immaculate that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times celebrate thy misteries and receiue them to my euerlastinge health which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour perpetuall memory O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift and so singuler a coÌ„fort left to thee in this vale of misery for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery takest the body of Christe so ofte thou workest the worke of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished the greatnes of his mercy is neuer consumed and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health It shoulde seeme to thee as newe and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort when thou singest masse or hearest it as if Christe the same daye first entred into the wombe of the virgin and were made man or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse for the health of mankinde That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled The .3 Chapter LOrde I come to the to theÌ„de that it maye be well with me through thy gifte and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great goodnes haste made redy for me In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire for thou art my health my redemption my hope my strength my honour and glorie Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house that I may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee and to be accompanied amonge the children
reproue so glad in prosperitie so feeble in aduersitie so ofte purposinge many good thinges and so seldome bringinge them to effecte And when thou haste thus confessed and be wept all these defaults and such other like in thee with great sorowe and displeasure of thine owne fraylenes set thee then in a full purpose to amende thy life and to profite alwaye from better to better and then with a full resigninge and a wholle will offer thy selfe into the honour of my name in the Aulter of thy hart as sacrifice to me that is to saye faythfullie committinge to me both thy bodie and soule so that thou mayest be worthye to offer to me this high sacrifice and to receyue healthfullie the Sacrament of my holie bodie for there is no oblation more worthie nor satisfaction greater to put awaye sinne then a man to offer him selfe purelie and whollie to God with the offeringe of the bodie of Christ in masse and in holie communion If a man doe that in him is and is truelie penitent as ofte as he commeth to me for grace and forgiuenes I am the Lorde that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted to liue and I shall no more remember his sinnes but they all shall be forgeuen and pardoned vnto hym Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse and of a full forsakinge of our selfe The 8. Chapter OVr Lorde Iesus sayth to his seruant thus As I hanginge all naked with mine armes spread abroad vpon the crosse offered my selfe to God the father for thy sinnes so that nothinge remayned in me but that all went in sacrifice to please my Father and to appease his wrath agaynst mankinde so thou oughtest to offer thy selfe freelie to God as muche as thou mayest in a pure and holie oblation daylie in the Masse with all thy power and affection VVhat require I more of thee then that thou shouldest studie whollie to resigne thy selfe vnto me for whatsoeuer thou geuest beside thy selfe I regarde it not for I looke not for thy giftes but for thee For as it shoulde not suffise to thee to haue all thinges beside me so it maye not please me whatsoeuer thou geue beside thy selfe Offer thy selfe to me and geue thy selfe all to God and thy oblation shall be acceptable Lo I offered my selfe whollye to my father for thee and I gaue my bodye and bloude to thy meate that I shoulde be all whollie thine and thou mine But if thou haue a trust in thy selfe and doest not freelye offer thee to my will thy oblation is not pleasaunt and there shall be betwene vs no perfect vnitie Therefore a free offeringe of thy selfe into the handes of God must go before all thy workes if thou wilte obteine grace and the true libertie Therefore it is that so fewe be inwardlie illuminate and free because they can not whollye forsake them selfe for my words be true but a man renounce him selfe he may not be my disciple Offer thy selfe fullie to me with all thine affection and loue Amen That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God and to praye for all people The 9. Chapter LOrde all thinges be thine that be in heauen earth I desire to offer my selfe to thee in a free and perpetual oblation so that I may perpetuallie be with thee Lord in simplenes of hart I offer me this daye to thee to be thy seruant in the seruice sacrifice of laude perpetuall accept me with this oblation of thy precious bodye which I this daye offer to thee in the presence of thy holie Angels that be here present inuisible that it maye be to my health and to the health of all the people And Lorde I offer to thee all my sinnes and offences that I haue committed before thee and thy holie Angels fro the daye that I might first offende vnto this daye that thou vouchesafe through thy great charitie to put away all my sinnes to clense my cōscience of all mine offences and restore to me agayne the grace that I through sinne haue lost and that thou forgeue me all thinges past and receyue me mercifullie into a blessed kissing of peace and forgeuenes VVhat may I do then but meekelie cōfesse and bewaile my sinnes and continuallie aske mercye of thee forgeue me mercifull Lorde I beseeche thee for all my sinnes displease me muche and I will neuer commit them againe but sorow for them readie to doe penance and satisfactiō after my power Forgeue me Lorde forgeue me my sinnes for thy holie name saue my soule that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloode I commit my selfe whollie vnto thy mercie I resigne me whollie into thy handes doe with me after thy goodnes and not after my malice and wretchednes I offer also to thee all my good deedes though they be verie fewe and imperfect that thou amende them and sanctifie them and make them likinge and acceptable to thee and alwaye make them better and better and that thou bringe me though I be a slowe and an vuprofitable person to a blessed and a laudable ende I offer also to thee all the desires of deuout persons the necessitie of mine auncesters freendes brother sister and of all my louers and of all them that for thy loue haue done good to me or to any other that haue desired asked me to praye or to doe sacrifice for them or for their freendes whether they be aliue or deade that they maye the rather feele the helpe of thy grace and the gifte of thy heauenlie consolation thy protection from all perils and the deliuerance from all payne and that they so beinge deliuered from all euils may in spirituall gladnes yeelde to thee high laude and praysinges I offer to thee also my prayer and my peaceable offeringe for all them that haue in any thinge hindred me or made me heauy or that haue done me any hurt or greeue and for all them also whom I haue at anye time made heauy troubled greued or slaundered in worde or deede wittinglye or ignorantlye that thou forgeue vs altogether our sinnes and offences against thee and of eche of vs against other and that thou Lorde take fro our heartes all suspition and indignation wrath variance and whatsoeuer may let charitie or diminish fraternall loue that eche of vs shoulde haue to other haue mercie Lorde haue mercie on all them that aske thee mercie and geue grace to them that haue neede and make vs to stande in suche case that we be worthye to haue thy grace and finallye to come to the lyfe euerlastinge Amen That the holye Communion is not lightlye to be forborne The .10 Chapter IT behoueth thee to runne ofte to the fountayne of grace and mercye and to the fountaine of all goodnes and puritie that thou mayest be healed from thy passiōs and vices and be made more stronge against all the temptations and deceytfull crafte of our enemie The fiende knowinge the greatest
me but I come to sanctifie thee and to make thee better then thou were before Thou commest to be sanctified and be vnited vnto me and that thou mayest receaue a newe grace and be kindled a newe to amendement Do not forget this grace but alway with all thy diligence prepare thine heart and bringe thy beloued vnto thee and it behoueth thee not onelye to prepare thy selfe vnto deuotion before thou shalt be housled but also to keepe thy selfe therein diligentlye after the receauinge of the Sacrament And there is no lesse keeping requisite after then a deuout preparatioÌ„ is needefull before for a good keepinge after is the best preparation to receaue newe grace hereafter and a man shall be the more vndisposed thereto if he anone after he hath receaued the Sacrament geue him selfe to outward solace Beware of much speakinge abide in some secrete place and kepe thee with thy Lorde God for thou hast him that all the worlde may not take from thee I am he to whom thou must geue all so that fro henceforth thou liue not in thy selfe but onely in me That a deuout soule shoulde greatlye desire vvith all his heart to be vnited to Christe in this blessed Sacrament The .13 Chapter VVho shal graüt vnto me Lord that I maye finde thee onelie and opeÌ„ all mine heart to thee and haue thee as mine heart desireth so that no man maye deceaue me nor any creature moue me nor drawe me backe but that thou onelie speake to me and I to thee as a louer is wont to speake to his beloued and a freende with his beloued freende That is it that I praye for that is it that I desire that I may be whollie vnited to thee and that I maye withdraw my hart fro all things create and through the holie coÌ„munion and ofte saying Masse to sauor and taste eternall thinges Ah Lorde God when shall I be all vnited to thee and whollie be molten into thy loue so that I wholly forget my selfe Be thou in me and I in thee and graunt that we maye so abide alwaye together in one Verilie thou art my beloued elect and chosen before all other in whom my soule coueteth to abide all dayes of his life Thou art the Lorde of peace in whom is the soueraine peace and true rest without whom is labour and sorowe and infinite miserye Verilie thou art the head God and thy counsayle is not with wicked people but with meeke men and simple in heart O howe secrete and howe benigne is thy holy spirite which to the inteÌ„t thou woldest shewe to thy chosen people thy swetnes haste vouchedsafe to refreshe them with the most swete bread that desceÌ„deth from heauen Verilie there is none other nation so great that hath their goddes so nigh vnto them as thou Lorde God art to all thy faithfull people to whom for their daylie solace and to rayse their heartes into the loue of heauenly things thou geuest thy selfe as meat and drinke O what people be there that be so noble as the christien men are or what creature vnder heauen is so muche beloued as the deuout christien soule into whom God entreth and feedeth her with his owne glorious flesh and bloude O inestimable grace O meruaillous worthines O loue without measure singulerly shewed vnto man but what shall I yeelde againe to God for all this grace and high charitie Truelie there is nothing more acceptable to him then that I whollye geue mine heart and inwardly ioyne my selfe vnto him then shall all mine inward partes ioye in him when my soule is perfectlie vnited vnto him Then shall he say to me If thou wilte be with me I will be with thee And I shall answere to him againe and say Vouchesafe Lorde to abide with me and I will gladly abide with thee for that is all my desire that mine heart maye be fast knit vnto thee without departinge Amen Of the brenninge desire that some deuoute persons haue had to the body of Christe The 14. Chapter O Howe great multitude of sweetnes is it Lorde that thou hast hid for them that dreade thee But what is it theÌ„ for them that loue thee Verilie when I remember me of manye deuout persons that haue come to this holie Sacrament with so great feruoure of deuotioÌ„ I am then many times astonied and coÌ„founded in my selfe that I go vnto thy aultar and to the table of thy holy communion so coldely and with so litle feruour and that I abide still so drie and without any affection of hart and that I am not so whollie kindled before thee my Lorde God nor so stronglie drawen thereby in affection to thee as manie deuout persons haue beene the which of the great desire that they haue had to this holte communion and for a feeleable loue of hart that they haue had therto might not refrayne them from weping but effectuously with the mouth of their heart and bodie together opened their mouthes to thee Lorde that art the liuelie fountaine because they coulde not otherwise asswage ne tempt their huÌ„ger but that they tooke thy holie body which they did with great ioye and spirituall gredines Truelie the great brenninge sâ—ith of them is a probable argument of thy holy presence and they also knowe verily their Lorde in breaking of breade whose heartes so stronglye brenneth in them by the presence of their Lorde Iesu sacramentallye then walking with them But verily such affection and deuotion and so stronge feruour and loue be ofte time far from me Be thou there fore must swete and benigne Lorde Iesu mercifull and meeke vnto me and graunt me thy poore seruaunt that I maye feele sometime some litie part of the harty affection of thy loue in this holy Communion that my fayth maye the more recouer and amende mine hope through thy goodnes be the more perfect and my charitie being once perfectly kindled and hauing experience of the heauenlye Manna doe neuer fayle Thy mercy Lorde is stronge ynough to graunt to me this grace that I so muche desire and when the time of thy pleasure shall come beninglye to visite me with the spirit of a brenninge feruour to thee And though I doe not brenne in so great desire as suche speciall deuout persons haue done yet neuerthelesse I haue desired the grace to be inflamed with that brenninge desire praying and desiring that I maye be made partaker of all such thy feruent louers and to be numbred in their holy companye That the grace of deuotion is gotten thorough meekenes and for sakinge of our selfe The 15. Chapter IT behoueth thee abidinglie to seeke the grace of deuotion and without ceassing to aske it patientlie and faithfullie to abide it thankefullie to receaue it meekelie to keepe it studiouslie to worke with it and whollie to commit to God the time and maner of his heauenlte visitalion till his pleasure shall be to come vnto thee and principallie thou oughtest to meeke thee when thou feelest
loue to God when it is rather done of carnalitie and of a fleshly loue then of a charitable loue for cōmonlie some carnall inclinatiō to our frēdes or some inordinate loue to our selfe or some hope of a temperall reward or a desire of some other profite moueth vs to doe the deede and not the pure loue of charitie Charitie seeketh not him selfe in that he doth but he desireth to doe onlie that which shalbe honour and praysinge to God He enuieth no man for he loueth no priuate loue neither wil he ioy in him selfe but he couereth aboue all thinges to be blessed in God He knoweth well that no goodnes beginneth originallie of mā and therefore he referreth all goodnes to God of whom all thinges proceede and in whom all blessed Saintes doe rest in euerlasting fruition Oh he that had but a lytle sparkle of this perfect charitie should feele sooth fastlie in his soule that all earthlie thinges be full of vanitie Of the suffering of other mens defaultes The .16 Chapter SVche defaultes as we can not amende in our selues nor in other we must patientlye suffer til our Lord of his goodnes wil other wise dispose And we shall thinke that happlye it is so best for to be for prouinge of our patience without which our merites are but litle to be pōdred Neuerthelesse thou shalte pray hartilye for such impedimētes that our Lorde of his great mercye and goodnes vouchsafe to helpe vs that we may patientlye beare them If thou admonishe any person once or twise and he will not take it striue not ouermuche with him but commit al to God that his wil be done and his honour in al his seruauntes for he can wel by his goodnes turne euil into good Study alway that thou maiest be patient in suffering of other mens defaultes for thou haste many thinges in thee that other doe suffer of thee and if thou canste not make thy selfe to be as thou wouldest how mayest thou then looke to haue another to be ordered in al thinges after thy wil VVe woulde gladlye haue other perfect but wil not amēde our owne defaultes VVe would that other should be straitly corrected for their offences but we will not be corrected It misliketh vs that other haue libertie but we will not be denyed of that we aske VVe wolde also that other should be restrained according to the statutes but we in no wise wilbe restrayned Thus it appeareth euidentlye that we seldome ponder our neighbour as we doe our selfe If al men were perfect what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God Therfore God hath so ordeyned that one of vs shal learne to beare anothers burden for in this world no man is without default no man without burden no man sufficiente to him selfe nor no man wise ynough of him selfe VVherefore it behoueth eche one of vs to beare the burden of other to comfort other to helpe other to enforme other and to instruct and admonish other in all charitie who is of most vertue appeareth beste in time of aduersitie Occasions make not a man frayle but they shewe openly what he is VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person The .17 Chapter IT be hooueth thee to breake thine owne wil in many thinges if thou wilte haue peace and concorde with other It is no litle thing to be in monasteries or in congregations and to continue there without complayning or missaying faithfully to perseuer there vnto the ende Blessed are they that there liue well and make a good ende If thou wilt stand surely in grace and muche profite in vertue holde thy selfe as an outlaw and as a pilgrime here in this life and be glad for the loue of God to be holden as a foole and as a vile person in the worlde as thou art The habite and tonsure helpe litle but the chaunging of life and the mortifying of passiōs make a person perfect and true religious He that seeketh any other thing in religion then purely god and the health of his soule shal finde nothing there but trouble and sorowe and he may not lōg stand there in peace and quietnes that laboreth not to be least and subiect to all It is good therfore that thou remember ofte that thou camste to religion to serue and not to be serued and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour not to be ydle or to tel vayn tales In religion a man shal be proued as gold in a fornace and no man may stand long there in grace and vertue but he wil with al his heart meeke him selfe for the loue of God Of the examples of holy fathers The .18 Chapter BEholde the liuely examples of holy fathers and blessed Saintes in whom flourished and shined all true perfection of life and perfecte religion And thou shalt see howe litle it is and welnigh as nothing that we doe nowe in these dayes in comparison of them O what is our life if it be to them cōpared They serued our Lorde in hunger and thirste in heate in colde in nakednes in laboure and in werines in vigiles and fastinges in prayers in holy meditations in persecutions and in many reproufes O how manye and howe greeuous tribulations suffered the Apostles Martyrs Confessours virgins other holy Saintes that would folowe the steppes of Christe They refused honours and all bodily pleasures here in this life that they might alway haue the euerlasting life O howe straite and abiecte a life led the holy fathers in wildernes how greeuous temptatiōs suffred they howe fiersly were they with their ghostly enemies assailed and how feruent prayer offered they dailye to God VVhat rigorous abstinence vsed they howe great zeale and feruour had they to spirituall profite how strong battayle helde they against all sinne and howe pure whole intent had they to God in all their deedes On the day they labored in the night they prayed And though they labored on the day bodily yet they prayed in minde and so they spent their time alway fruitfullye and thought euery houre shorte for the seruice of God and for the great sweetenes that they had in heauenly contemplatiō they forgot ofte times their bodily refection All riches honour dignities kinsemen and frendes they renounced for the Ioue of god They coueted to haue nothing in the world scarsely they would take that was necessary for the bodily kinde They were poore in worldly goodes but they were riche in grace vertue They were needy outwardly but inwardly in their soules they were replenished with grace and ghostly eōfortes To the world they were alienes and strangers but to God they were right deere and familier frendes In the sight of the world and in their owne sight they weare vile abiecte but in the sight of God and his Saintes they were precious singulerlye electe In the shined all perfection of vertue true meekenes simple obedience charitie patiēce
ende of my life And anone he hearde inwardlie in his soule the answere of our Lord sayinge VVhat wouldest thou doe yf thou knewest thou shouldest perseuer doe nowe as thou wouldest doe then and thou shalt be safe and so anone he was comforted and committed himselfe whollie to the will of God and all his doubtfulnes ceassed and neuer after would he curiousie search to know what should become of him but rather he studied to knowe what was the will of god against him and how he might begin and ende all his deedes that he should doe to the pleasure of God and to his honour Trust in God and do good deedes sayth the prophete Dauid inhabite the earth and thou shalt be fedde with the riches of thy good deedes But one thing withdraweth manie from profitinge in vertue and from amendment of life that is an horrour and a false worldlie dreade that they may not abide the paine and labour that is needefull for the gettinge thereof Therefore they shall most profite in vertue before all other that enforce them selues mightilie to ouercome those thinges that be moste greeuous and contrarious to them For a man profiteth there moste there winneth most grace where he moste ouercommeth him selfe and wherin he most mortifieth his bodye to the soule But all men haue not in lyke much to mortifie and ouercome for some haue mo passions then some haue Neuerthelesse a feruent louer of god though he haue more greater passions thē other yet shall he be more stronger to profite in vertue then another that is better manered and that hath fewer passions but is lesse feruent to vertue Two thinges helpe a man much to amendment of lyfe that is a mightie withdrawinge of himselfe from those thinges that the bodye most inclineth him to and a feruent labour for suche vertues as he hath moste neede of Studie also to ouercome in thy selfe those thinges that most mislike thee in other men and take alwaye some speciall profite in euerie place wheresoeuer thou become as yf thou see any good example enforce thee to folowe it and yf thou see any euill example looke thou eschewe it As thy eye considereth the workes of other right so and in the same wise thy workes be considered of other O howe ioyous and howe delectable is it to see religious men deuoute and feruent in the loue of God well manered and well taught in ghostlie learning and on the contrarye part howe heauye and sorowfull is it to see them liue inordinatlie not vsinge those thinges that they haue chosen and taken them to Also how inconuenient a thinge is it a man to be negligent in the purpose of his firste callinge and to set his mynde to thinges that be not committed to hym Thinke ofte therefore on the purpose that thou haste taken and set before the eye of thy soule the memorie of Christes passion and if thou beholde well and diligentlie his blessed life thou mayest well be ashamed that thou haste no more conformed thee to him then thou haste done He that will inwardly and deuoutlie exercise him selfe in the moste blessed lyfe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe shall finde therein plenteouslye all that is necessarie for him so that he shall not neede to seeke any thinge without him O yf Iesu crucified were ofte in our hearts and in our remembrance we should soone be learned in all thinges that be necessarie for vs. A good religious man that is feruent in his religion taketh all thing wel and doth gladly all that he is commaunded to doe but a religious person that is negligent and slouthfull hath trouble vpon trouble suffereth great anguishe and paine on euerie side for he lackeeh the true inwarde comfort and to seeke the outward comfort he is prohibited Therefore a religious person that liueth without discipline is like to fall in great ruine Also he that in religion seeketh to haue libertie and releasinge of his dutie shall alwaye be in anguishe and sorowe for one thinge or other shall euer displease him Therefore take heede howe other religious persōs doe that be right straitlie kept vnder the rule of theire religion They goe seldome forth they liue hardly they eate poorelie and be cloathed grosselie they labour much speake litle watche longe rise earlie make longe prayers reade ofte and keepe them selues alwaye in some wholsome doctrine Beholde the Carthusiens the Cistersiens and manie other monkes and Nunnes of diuers religions howe they rise euerie night to serue our Lorde And therefore it were great shame to thee that thou shouldest waxe slowe and dull in so holie a worke where so manie laude prayse our Lorde O howe ioyous a life were it if we should nothinge else doe but with heart and mouth continuallye prayse our Lorde Nowe truelie yf we should neuer neede to eate drinke nor sleepe but that we might alwaye laude him and onelie take heede to spirituall studies then were we much more happie and blessed then we are nowe when we are bounde of necessitie to serue the bodie O would to God that these bodilie meates were turned into spirituall refections which alas for sorowe we taste but seldome VVhen a man is come to that perfection that he seeketh not his consolation in any creature then beginneth God first to sauour sweet vnto him and then he shall be contented with euery thinge that commeth be it in likinge or mislikinge Then shall he be glad for no worldlie profite be it neuer so great nor sorie for the wantinge of it for he hath set and established hym selfe whollie in God the which is vnto him all in all to whom nothing perisheth nor dyeth but all thinge liueth to hym and serueth him without ceassinge after his biddinge In euerie thinge remember the ende and that time lost can not be called againe VVithout labour and diligence thou shalte neuer get vertue If thou beginne to be negligent thou beginnest to be feeble and weake but yf thou applie thee to feruour thou shalt finde great helpe of God for the loue of vertue thou shalt finde lesse payne in all thy laboures then thou diddest first He that is seruent and louinge is alway quicke and readie to all thinges that be of God and to his honour It is more labour to resist vices and passions then it is to toyle and sweate in bodily labours He that will not flee small sinnes shalt be litle and litle fall into greater Thou shalt alway be glad at night when thou haste spent the daye before fruitfullye Take heede to thy selfe stirre thy selfe alwaye to deuotion Admonishe thy selfe and howesouer thou remember other forget not thy selfe and so much shalt thou profite in vertue as thou canst breake thine owne will and folowe the will of God Here beginneth the seconde Booke Of invvarde conuersation The firste Chapter THe kyngdome of God is within you saith Christ our Sauiour Turne thee therefore with all thy heart to God and forsake
it were put in thy election thou shouldest rather chose aduersitie then prosperitie for then by the pacient sufferinge thereof thou shouldest be more like to Christe and the more confirmed to all his saintes Our merite and our perfectioÌ„ of life standeth not in consolations and sweetnes but rather in sufferinge of great greeuous aduersities and tribulations For if there had bene any nearer or better waye for the health of mans soule then to suffer our Lorde Iesu would haue shewed it by wordes or by examples But for there was not therefore he openlie exhorted his disciples that folowed him and all other that desired to folowe him to forsake their owne will and to take the Crosse of penance and folowe him saying thus VVho so will come after me forsake he his owne will take he the Croue and folowe he me Therefore all thinges searched and redde be this the finall conclusion that by many tribulations it behoueth vs to enter into the kingdome of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen Here beginneth the third Booke Of the invvarde speakinge of Christ to a faythfull soule The firste Chapter I Shall take heede saith a deuout soule and I shall heare what my Lorde Iesu shall speake in me Blessed is that man whiche heareth Iesu speaking in his soule and that taketh of his mouth some worde of comforte and blessed be the eares that heare the secret rowninges of Iesu and heede not the deceytfull rowninges of this world And blessed be the good playne eares that heede not the outwarde speache but rather take heede what God speaketh and teacheth inwardlye in the soule Blessed be the eyes also that be shutte from sight of outwarde vanities that take hede to the inwarde mouinges of God Blessed be they also that get them vertues and prepare them by good bodily and ghostly workes to receyue dayly more and more the secrete inspirations and inward teachinges of God Also blessed be they that set them selues wholly to serue God and for his seruice set apart all lettinges of the world O thou my soule take heede to that is sayde before and shet the dores of thy sensualities that are thy fyue wittes that thou mayest heare inwardlye what our Lord Iesu speketh in thy soule Thus saith thy beloued I am thy health I am thy peace I am thy lyfe keepe thee with me and thou shalt finde peace in me Forsake the loue of transitorie thinges and seeke thinges that be euerlasting VVhat be all temporall thinges but deceauable and what may any creature helpe thee if thy Lord Iesu forsake thee Therefore all creatures and all worldlye thinges forsaken lefte 〈◊〉 that in thee is to make thee pleasaunt in his syght that after this lyfe thou mayst come to the life euerlasting in the kingdome of heauen AmeÌ„ Hovve allmightie God speaketh invvardlye to mans soule vvithout sounde of vvordes The .2 Chapter SPeke Lord for I thy seruaÌ„t am readie to heare thee I am thy seruant geue me wisedome vnderstanding to knowe thy commaundements Bowe my heart to folowe the wordes of thy holy teachings that they may distil into my soule as dewe into the grasse The children of Israel sayde to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we shall heare thee but let not our Lorde speake to vs least haply we dye for dreade Not so Lord not so I beseeche thee but rather I aske meekelye with Samuel the prophete that thou vouchsafe to speake to me thy selfe and I shall gladlye heare thee Let not Moyses nor any other of the prophets speake to me but rather thou Lorde who art the inward inspirour and geuen of light to all prophets for thou alone without them mayest fully informe and instruct me They without thee maye litle profite me They speake thy wordes but they geue not the spirite to vnderstand the wordes They speake fayre but if thou be still they kindle not the heart They shewe faire letters but thou declarest the sentence They bring forth great high misteries but thou openest therof the true vnderstanding they declare thy commaundements but thou helpest to performe them They shew the way but thou geuest comfort to walke therein They doe all outwardly but thou illuminest and infourmest the heart within They water onely outwardly but it is thou that geuest the inwarde growing They crye all in wordes but thou geuest to the hearers vnderstanding of the wordes that be hard Let not Moyses therfore speake to me but thou my Lorde Iesu who art the euerlasting truth least happely I dye and be made as a man without fruit warmed outwardly and not inflamed inwardly and so to haue the harder iudgement for that I haue hearde thy word not done it knowen it and not loued it beleeued it and not fulfilled it Speake therefore to me thy selfe for I thy seruaunt am readye to heare thee Thou hast the wordes of eternall life speake them to me to the full comfort of my soule and geue me amendement of all my life past to thy ioy honor and glory euerlastingly Amen That the vvordes of God are to be hearde vvith great meekenes and that there be but fevve that ponder them as they ought to doe The .3 Chapter MY sonne sayth our Lord heare my wordes and folow them for they be moste sweet farre passing the wisedome cunning of all philosophets and wise men of the worlde My words be spirituall and ghostly and can not be fully comprehended by mans wit neither are they to be turned or applyed to the vayne pleasure of the hearer but are to be heard in sileÌ„ce with great meeknes and reuerence and with great inward affection of the heart and also in great rest and quietnes of body and soule O blessed is he lord whom thou infourmest teachest so that thou mayest be meelie and mercifull Lorde vnto him in the euil day that is to say in the day of the most dreadful iudgement that he be not then left desolate comfortlesse in the land of daÌ„nation Then sayth our Lord againe I haue taught prophetes from the beginning and yet cealse I not to speake to euery creature but many be deafe will not heare many heare the worlde more gladly then me and more lightly folowe the appetite of the fleshe theÌ„ the pleasure of God The worlde promiseth temporall thinges of small value yet is he serued with great affectioÌ„ but God promiseth high thinges and thinges eternall and the hearts of the people be slowe dul Oh who serueth obeyeth God in all thinges with so great desire as he doth the worlde and as worldly princes be serued obeyed I trow none for why for a litle prebend great iourneyes be taken but for the life euerlasâ—ing the people wyll scarsely lift their feete once from the grounde A thing that is of small price many times is busily sought and for a penie is sometime great strife and for the promise of a litle worldlye profite men eschewe not to
swinke and sweate both day and night But alas for sorowe for the goods euerlasting and for the rewarde that may not be esteemed by mans haâ—â—e and for the high honour glory that neuer shall haue ende men be slowe to take any maner of payne and labour Be thou therefore ashamed thou slowe seruaunt of God that they be founde more ready to workes of death then thou art to works of life and that they ioy more in vanitie then thou in truth and yet they be ofte deceyued of that that they haue most trust in but my promise deceueth no man nor leaueth no man that trusteth in me without some comfort That I haue promised I will performe that I haue sayd I will fulfill to euery person so that they abide faythfully in my loue dread vnto the ende for I am the rewarder of all good men and a strong prouer of all deuout soules VVrite my wordes therefore in thy hart diligeÌ„tly and ofte thinke thou vpoÌ„ them and they shall be in time of temptatioÌ„ much necessarie vnto thee That thou vnderstandest not when thou readest it thou shalt vnderstande in the time of my visitation I am wont to visite my seruauntes two maner of wayes that is to say with temptation and with consolation and two lessons dayly I reade vnto them one wherby I rebuke their vices another whereby I stirre theÌ„ to encrease in vertues and he that knoweth my wordes and despiseth theÌ„ hath that that shall iudge him in the last day A prayer to obteyne the grace of deuotion The .4 Chapter Lord Iesu thou art all my riches and all that I haue I haue it of thee But what am I Lorde that I dare thus speake to thee I am thy poorest seruaunt a worme most abiect more poore and more dispisable than I can or bare say Beholde Lorde that I am nought that I haue nought and of my selfe I am nought worth thou art only good righteous and holy thou orderest all things thou giuest all things thou fulfillest all things with thy goodnes leauing only the wretched sinner barrain and voyde of heaueÌ„ly comfort Remember thy mercies and fill my harte with thy manifolde graces for thou wilte not that thy works in me be made in vaine How may I beare the miseries of this lyfe vnlesse thy grace and mercy doe coÌ„fort me therin Turne not thy face from me defer not thy visiting of me ne with drawe not thy comforts from me lest happily my soule be made as dry earth without the water of grace and as it were a thing vnprofitable to thee Teache me Lorde to fulfill thy will and to liue meekly and worthily before thee for thou art all my wisedome and running and thou art he that knowest me as I am and that knewest me before the world was made and before that I was borne or brought into this lyfe Hovve vve ought to be conuersant before God in truth and meekenes The 5. Chapter MY sonne sayth our lord Iesu walke before me in truth and meekenes and seeke me alwayes in simplenes and playnnes of hart He that walketh in truth shall be defended from all perils and daungers and truth shall deliuer him froÌ„ all deceyuers and from all euil sayings of wicked people If truth deliuer thee thou art very free and thou shalt litle care for the vayne sayinges of the people Lord it is true all that thou sayest be it done to me after thy saying I beseeche thee that thy truth may teache me and kepe me and finally leade me to a blessed ending and that it may deliuer me from all euil affections and from all inordinate loue that I may walke with thee in freedome of spirite and libertie of harte Then truth sayth agayne I shall teache thee what is acceptable and liking to me Thinke on thy sinnes paste with great displeasure and sorowe of harte neuer thinke thy selfe worthy to be called holy or vertuous for any good deedes that thou hast done but thinke howe great a sinner thou art beâ—apped and bounde with great and manifolde sinnes and passions and that of thy selfe thou drawest to nought soone fallest soone art ouercome soone troubled and soone art thou broken with labour and payne and thou hast nothing whereof thou mayst righteously glorifie thy selfe but many things thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to despise thy selfe for thou art more vnstable and more weake to ghostly works then thou knowest or mayst thinke Let nothing therfore seeme great to thee nothing precious nothing worthy any reputation nor woorthy to be praysed in thy sight but that is euerlasting Let the euerlastinge truth be most liking moste pleasaunt to thee aboue all other thinges and that thine owne sinne and vilenes be moste misliking and moste displeasaunt to thee Dreade nothing so much nor reproue nothing so much neyther let any thing be to thee so much hated nor flee nothing so muche as thy sinnes and wickednes for they should more displease thee then should the losse of all worldly thinges Some there be that walke not purelye before me for they through pride and curiositie of theÌ„ selues desire to searche and know high thinges of my godhead forgetting them selues the health of their owne soules such persons fall oft times into great leÌ„ptations and greeuous sinnes by their pride and curiositie for the which I am turned against them leaue them to theÌ„ selues without helpe or counsaile of me Dreade therfore the iudgemetes of God the wrath of him that is almightie and discusse not nor searche his secretes but searche well thine owne iniquities How ofte how greeuouslie thou haste offended him howe many good deedes thou haste negligeÌ„tlie omitted lefte vndone whiche thou mightest well haue doone Some persons beare their deuotion in bookes some in images some in outward tokens and figures some haue me in their mouth but litle in their heart but some there be that haue their reason cleerely illumined with the light of true vnderstandinge whereby their affectioÌ„ is so purged and purified from loue of earthly thinges that they maye alwaye couete desire heauenlie thinges in so much as it is greeuous to theÌ„ for to heare of earthly likinges and it is to them also a right great payne to serue the necessities of the body and they thinke all the time as lost wherein they go about it Suche persons feele and knowe well what the spirite of truth speaketh in their soules for it teacheth them to despise earthlie thinges and to loue heauenlie thinges to forsake the worlde that is transitorie and to desire both daye and night to come thither where is ioy euerlastinge to the which bringe vs our Lorde Iesus Amen Of the meruaillous effect of the loue of God The .6 Chapter BLessed be thou heauenlie father the father of my Lorde Iesus Christe for thou haste vouchesafed to remember me thy poorest seruant and somtime doest comfort me with thy gracious presence that am
spirite and lyfe VVith hovve great reuerence Christe is to be receaued The firste Chapter O My Lorde Iesu Christe eternall truth these wordes aforesayde be thy wordes albeit they were not sayde in one selfe time nor written in one selfe place And for that they be thy wordes I will thankefully and faithfullie accept them They be thy wordes and thou haste spoken them and they be now myne also for thou haste sayde them for my health I will gladlye receyue them of thy mouth to the end they maye be the better sowen and planted in mine heart Thy wordes of so great pietie full of sweetnes and loue greatly excite me But Lorde my sinnes feare me greatlie and my coÌ„science not pure to receaue so great a misterie draweth me sore abacke The sweetnes of thy wordes prouoketh me but the multitude of mine offeÌ„ces charge me verie sore Thou commaundest that I shall come vnto thee faythfullie if I will haue part with thee receaue the nourishinge of immortalitie and couete to obteyne the glorie and life eternall Thou sayest Lorde come ye to me that laboure and be charged and I shall refreshe you O howe sweete and howe amyable a worde is it in the eare of a sinner that thou Lorde God wilt bidde me that am so poore and needie to the Communion of thy moste holie bodie But what am I Lorde that I dare presume to come to thee Loe heaueÌ„ and earth may not comprehende thee and thou sayest come ye al to me VVhat meaneth this moste meeke worthynes and this louelie and frendly biddinge howe shall I dare come vnto thee which knowe not that I haue done any thinge wel Howe shall I bringe thee into mine house which so ofte haue offeÌ„ded before thy face Angels and Archangels honor thee righteous men dreade thee And thou sayest yet Come ye all vnto me but that thou Lorde haddest sayde it who woulde beleue it to be true And but thou haste commaunded it who durst attempt to go vnto it Noe that iust man laboured an hundred yere to make the shippe to the end he might be saued with a fewe of his people Howe maye I prepare me then in an houre to receaue thee with due reuerence that art maker and Creatour of all the worlde Moyses thy seruant and great familier and speciall freende made the arke of timber not corruptible whiche he couered with right pure golde and put in it the tables of the lawe And I a corrupt creature how shall I so lightlie date receaue thee that art maker of the lawe geuer of grace and lyfe vnto all creatures The wise Salomon kinge of Israel edified a meruelous temple to the praysinge of thy name in the space of seuen yeres and by eight dayes halowed the feast of the dedication of the same he offred a thousande peacible hostes and put the arke of God in the place made readie for it with great melodie of clarions and trumpetres Howe dare I then that am moste poore amonge other creatures receaue thee into mine house who scarcelie haue well spent one houre of time or one halfe hower of my life O my good Lorde howe muche studied they to please thee and howe litle is it that I doe Howe litle time take I when I dispose me to be houseled seldome am I gathered together in thee and more seldome and I purged fro hauinge my mind ouermuch on worldlie thinges And certainly no vnprofitable thoughts ought to come into the holie presence of thy Godhead nor no creatures ought there to haue place for I shall not receaue an Angel but the Lorde of Angels into my heart Neuerthelesse there is great difference betwene the arke of God with his reliques and thy most pure precious bodie with his vertues which are mo then can be spoken and betwene the Sacrifice of the olde lawe that was but a figure of the newe lawe the true hoste of thy precious bodie whiche is the accomplishement of all the olde sacrifice VVhy then am I not more inflamed to come to thee why do I not prepare my selfe with greater diligeÌ„ce to receaue this holie and blessed SacrameÌ„t sith the holy auncient fathers the patriarches prophetes Kinges and Princes with all the people haue shewed so great affectioÌ„ towardes thy seruice in time passed The moste deuout blessed Kinge the Kynge Dauid went before the arke of God and honoured it with all his strength alwaye remembringe the great benefites before geueÌ„ vnto the fathers he made Organes of diuers maners also Psalmes which he ordeyned to be songe and he him selfe sang them with great gladnes and ofte times with his harpe he beinge fulfilled with the grace of the holie ghost taught the people of Israel to laude and prayse God with all their heart and dayly with their mouth to blesse him preache his goodnes And yf there were shewed then so great deuotion and remembraunce of laude and praysinge to God before the arke of the olde testament howe muche reuerence and deuotion ought we then nowe to haue in the presence of this holy Sacrament and in the receauinge of the moste excellent bodye of our Lorde Iesu Christe Many runue to diuers places to visite reliques of Saintes and meruayle greatlye when they heare of their blessed deedes they see great buyldinges of temples and beholde howe their bones and holie reliques be couered with silke and lapped in golde and loe thou my Lorde God thou arte present here with me vpon the Aultar the most holie Saint of Saintes maker of all thinges and Lorde of Angels Ofte times there is great curiositie and vanitie in the sight of suche thinges and litle fruite and amendemeÌ„t is had thereby and that speciallie where there is so light recourse and waueringe without anye contrition goinge before But thou my Lorde God my Lorde Iesus Christ god and man art here wholle present in the Sacrament of the Aultare where the fruit of euerlastinge health is had plenteoustie as ofte as thou art worthilie and deuoutlie receaued But if that shall be done fruitfullie there maye be no lightnes curiositie nor sensualitie but stedfast fayth deuoute hope and pure charitie O God inuisible maker of all the worlde howe maruaylousâ—ye doest thou with vs howe sweetelie and howe graciouslie disposest thou all thinges to thy chosen people to whom thou offerest thy selfe to be taken in this glorious Sacrameut Certainlie it surmounteth all vnderstandinge and it draweth the hartes and kindleth the affection of all deuout men The true faythfull people that dispose all their life to amendement receaue ofte times through this glorious Sacrament great grace and deuotion and great loue of vertue O meruaylous and secretlie hid is the grace of this Sacrament the which faythfull people of Christ doe onelie knowe for infidels and they that liue in sinne maye haue thereof no maner of experience In this Sacrament spirituall grace is geuen and the vertue that was lost in their soule is repayred and the
of Abraham My soule coueteth to receiue thy body my hart desireth to be vnited with thee betake thy selfe to me Lord and it suffiseth for without thee there is no comfort nor without thee I may not be nor without thy visitation I may not liue and therefore it behoueth me ofte times to goe to thee and for my health to receiue thee leste happilye if I should be defrauded from that heauenlie meat I should faile in the waye So thou sayedst thy selfe moste mercifull Iesu as thou were preaching to the people healedst them of their sicknesses I will not let thē returne into their houses fasting lest they fayle by the waye Doe with me therefore in like maner that hast left thy selfe in this glorious Sacrament for the comfort of all faithfull people Thou art onely the true refection of the soule and he that worthily eateth thee shall be partaker and heire of eternal glorie it is necessarie to me that so oft do offende so soone ware dull and slowe that by ofte prayers and cōfessions I may renewe my selfe purifie my selfe and kindle my selfe to quicknes feruour of spicite lest happily by long abstaining I might fall from that holy purpose for the wittes of man and woman be from their youth proude and readie to euil and but this heauenly lie medicine do helpe man maye anone fall to worse and worse therefore this holy communion draweth a man from euill and comforteth him in goodnes If I nowe be ofte times so negligent and slouthfull when I am cōmaunded what should I be if I receiued not that biessed medicine nor sought not for that great helpe And though I be not euery daye apte nor disposed to receyue my Creator neuerthelesse I shall take heede to receyue him in times conuenient so that I maye be partaker of so great a grace for it is one of the moste principall consolations to a faithfull soule that is to saye that as long as he is as a pilgrime in this mortall bodye that he ofte remember his Lorde God and receyue him that is his onely beloued aboue all thinges It is a marueilous goodnes of the great pitie that thou Lorde haste against vs that thou Creatour and geuer of Iyfe to all spirites vouchestsafe to come to a poore creature and with thy godhead manhood to refresh his hunger and neede O happie is that man and blessed is that soule that deserueth deuoutlie to receiue his Lorde God and in that receiuinge to be fulfilled with a spirituall ioy O howe great a Lorde doth he receiue howe welbeloued a gest doth he bringe into his house howe ioyous a felowe doth he receiue howe faithfull a freeude doth he accept howe noble a spouse doth he imbrace that receiueth thee For thou art onelie to be beloued before all other and aboue all thinges Let heauen and earth and all the ornamentes of them be still in thy presence for whatsoeuer they haue worthy laude or praise they haue that of the larges of thy gift and yet they maye not be lyke to the honour and glorie of thy name of whose wisedome there is no number nor measure That many commodities be geuen to them that deuoutly receaue this holye Sacrament The 4. Chapter O My Lorde God preuent thy seruant with the blessinges of thy sweetenes that he may deserue to go reuerently and deuoutly to this high Sacrament Stirrs vp my hart into a full beholdinge of thee and deliuer me from the great slouth and ydlenes that I haue bene in in time passed visite me in thy goodnes and geue me grace to taste inwardlie in my soule the sweetnes that is hid secretlie in this blessed Sacramēt as in a most plenteous fountaine Illumine also mine eyes to see and beholde so great a misterrie strengthen me that I maye alwaye faythfullie and vndoubtedly beleeue it for it is thy operation and not the power of man thy holie institutiō and not mans inuention And therefore to take and to vnderstand these thinges no man is sufficient of him selfe and they also ouerpasse the subtility of all Angels and heauenlye spirites VVhat may I then moste vnworthy sinner earth and ashes searche and talke of so high a secret but onelye that in simplenes of hart in a good stable fayth and by thy commaundement I come to thee with meeke hope and reuerence and beleue verily that thou art here present in this Sacrament God and man Thou wilt therefore that I shall receaue thee and knit my selfe to thee in perfecte charitie VVherefore I aske thee mercy and desire that thou geue me thy special grace that I maye from henceforth be fully molten and relented into thee flowe in thy loue and neuer after to intermit my selfe with any other comfort This moste high and moste worthy Sacrament is the life of the soule and body the medicine of all spirituall sicknes wherby all vices be cured passions refrayned temptations ouercome and diminished the greater grace is sent vertue increased and faith stablished hope strengthed and charitie kindled and spread abroade Thou haste geuen and ofte times geuest manye great giftes by this Sacrament to thy beloued seruantes that deuoutly receaue thee for thou thereby art the stronge vpholder of my soule the repairer of all the infirmities of man and the geuer of all inward consolation and of cōfort in tribulation and from thee deepnes of their owne desection thou raysest them againe into a strong hope of thy preseruation and renewest them and lightest them inwardlie with a newe grace so that they that felte them selues before receauing of that blessed Sacrament heauy and without affection after when they haue receaued it haue founde them selues changed into a great ghostly feruour And all this thou doest to thy elect people of thy great goodnes that they may see and knowe openlye by experience that they haue nothing of them selues but that all grace and goodnes that they haue they haue receaued of thee for of them selues they be colde dull and vndeuoute and by thee they be made feruent quicke in spirite and deuout folowers of thy will who maye go meekly to the fountaine of sweetnes but that he shall bringe awaye with him great plentie of sweetnes or who may stande by a great fyre but he shall feele great heate thereof and thou Lorde arte the fountaine of all sweetnes and the fyre alwayes brenning and neuer faylinge and therefore though I maye not drawe the fulnes of that fountaine nor drinke thereof to the full I shall neuerthelesse put my mouth to the hole of the heauenlie pipe that I maye take some litle droppe thereof to refreshe my thirst so that I be not all dried away And though I be not all heauenlye and brenninge in charitie as the Seraphins and Cherubins be neuerthelesse I shall endeuour me to set my selfe to deuotion and to prepare mine heart that I maye get some litle sparcle of the brenninge of heauenlie life through the meeke receuing of this
liuely Sacramēt and whatsoeuer wanteth in me I beseeche thee my Lorde Iesu most holie blessed that thou beninglye and gratiouslie supplie in me for thou haste vouched safe to call all to thee saying Come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refreshe you I labour in the sweate of my bodie and am tormented with the sorowe of mine heart and charged with sinnes trauayled with temptations intriked and oppressed with many euill passions and there is none that may helpe or that maye deliuer me ne that maye make me safe but thou Lorde God my onely Sauiour to whome I commit me and all mine that thou kepe me and lead me into life euerlastinge accept me and take me into the laude glorye of thy name that haste ordeyned to me thy bodie and bloud to be my meate and drinke and graunt me Lorde I beseech thee that by the ofte receauinge of thy high misterie the feruour of deuotion maye daylie increase in me Of the vvorthines of the Sacrament of the Aultar and of the state of priesthood The .5 Chapter IF thou haddest the puritie of Angels and the holines of S. Iohn Baptist thou shouldest not for that be worthie to receaue nor touche this holy Sacrament for it is not graunted for the merites of man that a man shoulde consecrate and touche the Sacrament of Christe and take to his meate the breade of Angels It is a great misterie and it is a great dignitie of priests to whome it is graunted that is not graunted to Angels for priests onely that be duely ordeined in the Church haue power to singe Masse and to consecrate the bodye of Christ for a priest is the minister of God vsinge the worde of consecration by the commaundement and ordinance of God and God is there the principall doer and the inuisible worker to whom is subiect all that he willeth and all obeyeth to that he commaundeth Thou oughtest therefore more to beleeue almightie God in this moste excellent Sacrament then thine owne wit or any other visible tokē or signe And therefore with dreade and reuerēce it is to go to this blessed worke Take heede then diligentlie and see from whēce this mistery and seruice commeth that is geuen vnto thee by the touchinge of the handes of the bilhop Thou aste nowe made a priest and art consecrate to sing Masse Take heede therefore that thou faithfullye and deuoutlye offer thy sacrifice to God in due time and that thou keepe thy selfe without reproufe thou haste not made thy burden more light but hou arte nowe bounde in a straiter bonde of discipline and of muche more high perfection then thou were before A priest ought to be adorned with all vertues and to geue other example of good life his conuersation shoulde not be with the common people nor in the common waye of the worlde but with Angels in heauen or with perfect men in earth that be best disposed to serue God A priest also clothed in holye vestimentes beareth the place of Christ that he should humblie and meekly praye to our Lorde for him selfe for all the people he hath before him and behinde him the signe of the Crosse of Christ that he shoulde diligently remember his passion he beareth before him the Crosse that he maye diligently behould see the steppes of Christ and study feruentlye to folow them and behinde him also he is signed with the Crosse that he should gladly and meekly suffer all aduersities for the loue of God he beareth the Crosse before him that he shoulde bewayle his owne sinnes and he beareth it behinde hym that he maye through compassion beweepe the sinnes of other and knowe him selfe to be set as a meane betwene God and al the people and not to ceasse of prayer and holye oblation til he maye deserue of almighty God mercy grace VVhen a priest saith Masse he honoreth God he maketh Angels glad he edifieth the Chruche he helpeth the people that be a liue and geueth rest to them that be deade and maketh him selfe partaker of all good dedes Of the invvarde remembraunce and exercise that a man ought to haue afore the receauinge of the bodye of Christe The 6. Chapter LOrde when I thinke of thy worthines and of my great filthines I tremble stronglie and am cōfounded in my selfe for if I receaue thee not I flie the eternall life and if I vnworthylie receaue thee I runne into thy wrath VVhat shall I then do my good Lorde my helper my protectour comforter and right sure Counsailer in all my necessities Teache me good Lorde the right waye and purpose vnto me some readie erercise conuenable to the receauinge of this holye misterie for it is necessarye vnto me greatlie profitable to knowe howe deuoutlie and reuerentlie I ought to prepare mine heart to receaue it or to consecrate so great and so goodlie a Sacrifice as it is Of the discussing of our ovvne conscience and of the purpose of amendment The 7. Chapter IT behoueth thee aboue all thinges with soueraigne reuerence and profounde meeknes of hart and with full fayth and humble intent to the houour of God to celebrate take and receaue this holie Sacrament examine diligentlie thy couscience by true contrition and meeke confession and make it cleane after thy power so that thou know nothing that greueth or biteth thy cōscience or that may let thee to go frelie vnto it haue displeasure of all thy sinnes in generall for thy daylie excesses and offences haue sighinges and sorowinges more speciall And if the time will suffer it confesse vnto God in secrete of thine heart the miseries of all thy passions weepe and sorowe that thou art yet so carnall and worldly so vnmortified from thy passions so full of motiōs of concupiscences so vnware and so euill ordred in thy outward wits so oft wrapped in vayne phantasies so muche inclined to outwarde and worldlie thinges so negligent to inwarde thinges so redie to laughinge and dissolution so harde to weepinge and compunction so readie to easie thinges and to that that is likinge to the fleshe so slowe to penance feruor of spirite so curious to heare newe thinges and to see fayre thinges so lothe to meeke and abiect thinges so couetous to haue muche so scarse to geue so glad to holde so vnaduised in speakinge so incontinent to be still so euill ordred in maners so importune in deedes so greedie vpon meate so deafe to the word of God so quicke to rest so slowe to laboure so attentiue to fables so sleepye to holye vigils so hastie to thende so vnstable to take heede to the waye to the ende so negligent in the seruice of God so dull and so vndeuout to go to Masse so drye in thy housell so soone fallen at large to outwarde thinges so seldome gathered together to inwarde thinges so soone moued to anger and wrath so lightlye stirred to the displeasure of other so readie to iudge so rigorous to
spiritual it is greeuous and tedious vnto me for as longe as I see not my Lorde openlie in his glorie I set it at naught al that I see and heare in this world Lord thou art my witnes that nothing may cōfort me nor any creature maye quiet me but thou my Lorde God whom I desire to see and beholde eternally but that is not possible for me to doe as longe as I shall be in this mortall life VVherefore it behoueth me to keepe my selfe in great patience and to submit my selfe to thee in euery thinge that I desire for thy holye Saintes that nowe ioy with thee abode in good fayth patience all whiles they liued here the comming of thy glory That they beleeued I beleeue that they hoped to haue I hope to haue and thither as they by thy grace be come I trust to come and till then I shall walke in faith take comfort of the examples of the sayde holy Saints I haue also holie bookes for my solace as a spirituall glasse to looke vpon aboue all these I haue for a singuler remedie thy holye bodye I perceue wel that two thinges be much necessarie vnto me in this worlde without which this miserable lyfe should be to me as importable for as long as I shall be in this body I cōfesse my selfe to haue neede of two things that is to say of meat light These two hast thou geuen vnto me that is to saye thy holy body to the refreshing of my bodye and soule and thou haste set thy word as a lanterne before my feete to shewe me the waye that I shall go VVithout these two I may not wel liue for the worde of God is the light of my soule and this Sacrament is the breade of my lyfe These two may also be called the two tables set here there in the spiritual treasure of holy Church The one is the table of the holy Aultar hauinge this holie bread that is the precious bodie of Christ The other is the table of the lawes of God conteining the holie doctrine of the lawe of God and instructing man in the right fayth and in the true beliefe leadinge him into the inwarde secrettes that be called Sancta Sanctorum where the inwarde secrettes of Scripture be hid and conteyned I yeelde thankinges to thee my Lorde Iesu the brightnes of the eternal light for this table of holie doctrine the which thou hast ministred to vs by thy seruauntes Prophetes Apostles and other doctours and thankings also be to thee the creator redeemer of mankinde that thou to shewe to all the worlde the greatnes of thy charitie preparedst a great supper in the which thou settest not forth the Lambe figured in the olde lawe but thy holy body and bloude to be eaten gladding thereby in that holy feast all faithful people and geuing them to drinke of thy chalice of health in the which be conteyned all the delightes of Paradise where Angels eate with vs with much more plenteous sweetenes O howe great and howe honourable is the office of Priestes to whom is geuē power to consecrate with the holye wordes of consecration the Lorde of all maiestie to blesse him with their lippes to holde him in their handes to receiue him into their mouthes and to minister him to other O howe cleane shoulde the handes be howe pure a mouth howe holye a bodye and howe vndefiled shoulde be the heart of a Priest to whom so ofte entreth the authour of al cleannes Truely there ought to procede from the mouth of a priest that so ofte receaueth the Sacrament of Christes bodie no worde but that is holy honest and profitable his eyes should be full simple and chaste that vse to behold the bodie of Christe his handes shoulde be full pure lifte vp into heauen which vse to touche the Creatour of heauen and earth and therefore it is speciallye sayde in the lawe to Priestes be ye holye for I your Lord God am holy O God almightie thy grace be with vs and helpe vs that haue receiued the office of priesthood that we may serue thee worthely and deuoutly in all puritie and in a good conscience And though we maye not liue in so great innocēcie as we ought to do yet geue vs grace at the least that we maye weepe and sorowe the euils that we haue done so that in spirituall meeknes and in full purpose of a good will we may serue thee hereafter Amen That he that shall be houseled ought to prepare hym selfe therto before vvith great diligence The .12 Chapter I Am the louer of al puritie and the liberall geuer of all holines I seeke a cleane heart there is my restinge place make ready for me a great chamber strawed that is thyne hart and I with my Disciples shall keepe mine Easter with thee If thou wilte that I shall come to thee and dwell with thee clense thee of all the olde filth of sinne and clense also the habitacle of thine heart and make it pleasaunt and fayre Exclude the worlde and all the clamorous noyse of sinne and sit solitarie as a sparowe in an house easinge and thinke vpon all thy offences with great bitternes of hart for a true louer will prepare to his beloued freende the best and the fayrest place that he can for in that is knowen the loue and affection of him that receyueth his freende But neuerthelesse I knowe that thou mayest not of thy selfe suffise to make this preparinge fullie as it ought to be in euerie point though thou went about it a wholle yere together and haddest none other thing in thy minde to thinke vpon but of my mercie and grace onely Thou art suffred to go vnto my table as if a poore man were called to the dinner of a riche man and he had none other thinge to geue him againe but onelie to humble him felfe and thanke him for it doe that in thee is with thy best diligēce and doe it not onelie of custome nor of necessitie onely for that thou art bounde to it but with dreade and reuerence and great affection take the bodie of thy beloued Lorde God that so louinglie vouchethsafe to come vnto thee I am he that hath called thee I haue commaunded that this thinge shoulde be done I shall supplie that wanteth in thee Come therfore and receaue me when I geue thee the grace of deuotion yeelde thankes to me therefore not for that thou art worthy to haue it but for that I haue shewed my mercy louinglye to thee And if thou haue not the grace of deuotion through receauinge of this Sacrament but that thou feelest thy selfe more drye and more vndeuout then thou were before yet cōtinue still in thy prayer wayle weepe and call for grace and ceasse not til thou mayest receaue some litle drop of this helthfull grace of deuotion Thou haste neede of me and not I of thee ne thou commest not to sanctifie
but litle inward deuotion but thou shalt not be ouermuche caste downe therfore nor inordinatlie be heauie for our Lorde geueth many times in a short moment that he denied longe time before he geueth also sometime in the ende that in the beginninge of the prayer he deferred to graunt If grace shoulde alwayes anone be graunted and should anone be present after the will of the asket it shoulde not be well able to be borne by a weake and feeble person and therefore in a good hope and meeke patience the grace of deuotion is to be abiden and taried for and thou oughtest to impute it to thy selfe and to thine owne sinnes when grace is not geuen thee or that it is secretlie taken from thee Sometime it is but a litle thinge that letteth grace or hideth it awaye if it maye be called litle and not rather great that letteth and prohibiteth so good a thinge but whether it be litle or great if thou remoue it and perfectlye ouercome it it shall be graunted vnto thee that thou desirest and forthwith as thou betakest thy selfe with all thine hart to God and desirest neither this thinge nor that for thine owne pleasure but whollye puttest thy will to his will thou shalt finde thy selfe vnited to him and set in a great inwarde peace for nothing shall sauour so well to thee nor so muche please thee as that the will and pleasure of God be fullie dene in thee VVhosoeuer therefore in a pure simple harte lifteth his intent vp to God and voyde him selfe from all inordinate loue and displeasure of any worldlye thinge shall be more apte to receiue grace and shall be best worthy to haue the gift of deuotion For there our Lorde geueth his blessinge where he findeth the vessels empty and voide And the more perfectlye a man can renounce him selfe all worldly things can by despising of him selfe the more die to him selfe so much the sooner grace shal come and shall the more plenteouslie enter into him and the higher shall lifte vp his hart into God Then his harte shall see and abounde and shall marueile and be delated in him selfe for the hande of our Lord is with him and he hath wholly put him into his hande for euer Lo so shall a man be blessed that seeketh God with all his hart and taketh not his soule in vaine Suche a man in receiuinge this holye Sacrament deserueth great grace of the vniting in God for he looketh not to his owne deuotion and consolation but to the glorie and honour of God That vveshoulde open all our necessities to Christe and aske his grace The 16. Chapter O Moste sweete Lorde whom I desire deuoutly to receiue thou knowest the infirmitie and necessitie that I am in in howe many sinnes and vices I lye howe ofte I am greeued tempted troubled and defiled I come to thee for remedie and I make my prayer to thee for comfort I speake to him that knoweth all thinges to whom all my secrete and inward thoughtes be manifest and open and the which onelye mayest perfectlye counsayle me helpe me Thou knowest what I neede to haue and howe poore I am in vertue Lo I stande before thee poore naked askinge and desiringe thy grace Refresh me therefore thy poorest seruaunt begginge for spirituall foode kindle my hart with the fyre of thy loue and illumine my blindnes with the clerenes of thy presence turne all worldlye thinges into bitternes to me and all greeuous thinges contrarious thinges into patience and all create thinges into despisinge and into forgettinge of them Lifte vp myne harte to thee into heauen and suffer me not liue vaynlie nor to erre in this worlde Thou Lorde from henceforth shalt be sweete to me for euer for thou art onelye my meate and drinke my loue my ioye my sweetnes and all my goodnes woulde God that thou wouldest kindle me enflame me and turne me wholye into thee that I maye be made one spirite with thee by grace of inward vniting and meltinge of burning loue into thee suffer me not to depart from thee fastinge and drye but worke with me mercifullye as thou haste ofte times marueillouslye wrought with thy beloued seruauntes in tyme paste VVhat maruaile were it if I were all inflamed into thee and fayled in my selfe sith thou art the fyre alwaye burning and neuer fayling the loue purifying the hartes and lightning the vnderstanding of all creatures Of the burninge loue and great affection that vve shoulde haue to receyue Christe The 17. Chapter VVith high deuotiō and burninge loue and with all feruour and affection of the hart I desire to receiue thee Lord as many Saintes and deuout persōs haue desired thee in their communiō that most speciallie pleased thee in the holines of their life were in most burninge deuotion to thee O my Lorde God my loue eternall all my goodnes and felicitie without endinge I couet to receyue thee with as great desire as due reuerēce as any holie man euer did or might do though I be vnworthie to haue such feelinge in deuotiō as they had yet neuerthelesse I offer to thee the whole affection of my hart as verilie as if I onelie had all the burninge flaminge desires that they had ouer that all that a meeke minde maye imagine desire I giue and offer to thee with high reuerēce worship inwarde feruour I desire to reserue nothinge to my selfe but me and all mine I offer to thee in sacrifice freely and most liberally And also my Lorde God my creatour and redeemer with such affection reuerence laude and honour with such thankes dignitie and loue and with suche fayth hope and puritie I desire to receaue thee this daye as thy most holie and glorious mother the virgin Mary desired and receaued thee when she meekely and deuoutlie answered the Angel that shewed her the misterie of thy incarnation and sayde Ecce ancilla domini fiat secundum verbum tuum that is to saye Loe I am the hand mayd of God be it done to me after thy worde and as thy blessed precursour Saint Iohn the Baptist moste excellent of all Saintes was glad and ioyed in great ioye in the holle ghost through thy presence when he was yet in his mothers wombe And after when he saw thee walkinge amonge the people verie meekelie and with deuout affection he sayde The fceend of a spouse that standeth and heareth ioyeth with great ioye to heare the voyce of the spouse and so couete I in great and holie desires to be inflamed and to present my selfe to thee with all mine heart and also I offer and yeelde to thee all the laudes of deuont heartes the brenninge affectiōs excessiue thoughtes spirituall illuminations and heauenlie visions with all vertues and praysinges done or to be done by any creature in heauē or in earth for me and for all them that be cōmitted to my prayer that thou mayest be worthilie
generall And that you may be the more apte to praye call three thinges ofte times to remembrance that is to saye what you haue bene what you be and what you shall be First by reason of your bodie you were conceaued of the moste filthie abhominable matter of man shameful to be spoken farre more vile then the slutche or slime of the earth and after borne in a sinfull soule purged onely by grace And nowe as vnto the bodie you be a muckheape or dunghill of filth more vyle then any vpon earth if you remember what doth issue daylie and come forth out of the meates of your bodie And your soule is daylie in some sinne or at the least full like to be VVhat you shall be as vnto your bodie you maye see in experience wormes meate and earth againe And what shall become of your soule no man in this world can assure you To remember then the ioyes of heauen and paines of hell and that both be infinite endles and without rebate but both euer encresinge and neuer ceasing neuer haue ease nor test but euer continue euerlastinge To remember then I saye these thinges may greatly moue you to haue your selfe in a good awayte and to studie howe you may auoyd the one obteyne the other Remember specially howe great a losse it is to loose heauen and howe vncomfortable gaines to winne helle and howe soone and howe lightlie either of them may be gotten or lost VVhen any thinge then of aduersitie hurt or displeasure happen vnto you thinke theÌ„ or imagine that if you were in hell you should haue the same displeasure and manye worse And so to auoyde those you shall here the better suffer and for our Lorde the more patientlie beare all these that nowe be present or any that may come hereafter And in like maner if any good prosperitie or pleasure happen vnto you thinke then that if you were in heauen you should haue that pleasure and many mâ— excellent ioyes And so for the feruent desire of those ioyes you shall set litle by any worldlie comfort or pleasure A good contemplation therefore may it be vnto you in feastes of holie Saintes to thinke and record howe great paines they suffered here for the loue of our Lorde and howe short these were and howe soone passed and then againe how marueylous reward they had therefore in ioye and blisse euerlastinge So the troubles and tormentes of good persons be soone and shortlie gone and ended and the ioyes and pleasures of sinful persons doe soone fade and fâ—â—e for euer The good persons for their troubles suffered here vppon earth doe get and win eternall and euerlasting glorie which the euill persons doe lose And contrarie these euill and sinfull persons for their ioy and pleasures here do receiue by exchaunge eternall and euerlastinge shame rebuke with paine and wo vnspeakeable VVhen soeuer theÌ„ you be disposed to sluggishnesse or to be drowsie remisse in prayers or dull in deuotion then take this litle worke or els some other good Treatise and read therin and euer note well the contentes thereof and what is meant thereby And if you be not thereby deliuered or eased thereof then shift vnto some other worke or occupation so that euer you auoyde ydlenes and all vaine pastimes which in dede is losse of time And then remember that those that nowe bide in paine either in hell or yet in purgatorie for suche times so passed or lost had rather then all the world haue such time to redeme their paines by as you maye haue if you will Time then vnto al persons wel occupied is verie precious and deare Beware well therefore howe you spend it or passe it for you can neuer reuoke it nor call it backe If the time passe you by trouble vexation thinke they be happie and gracious that be past this wretched life and nowe in blisse for they shall neuer haue any suche miserie And when you feele a comfort or consolation spirituall thanke God thereof thinke the damned soules shall neuer haue any suche pleasure And thus let this be for your exercise in the datiue At night when you go to rest first make accompt with your selfe and remember howe you haue spent or passed the daye and time that was geuen you tobe vsed in vertue and howe you haue bestowed your thoughtes your wordes your workes And if you finde no great thing amisse geue the whole laude and praise vnto our Lorde God And if you perceaue coÌ„trarie that you haue mispent any part thereof be sorie therefore and beseech our Lorde of mercy forgeuenes and promise and verilie purpose to make amendes the next daye And if you haue oportunitie thervpon it shall be full conuenient for you to be coÌ„fessed on the next morow and specially if the matter done saide or thought by deliberate consent do greuouslie weigh worke with a grudge in your conscience then woulde I aduise you neuer to eate nor drinke till ye be discharged thereof if you maye conuenientlie get a gostlie father Nowe for a conclusion of this worke put before you as by case or ymagination two large Cities one full of trouble turmoyle and miserie let that be hel The other Citie ful of ioy gladnes comfort and pleasure and let that be heauen Loke wel on them both for in both be many dwellers and great companye Then cast and thinke within your selfe what thing here might so please you that you shoulde chose the worse citie or what thing should displease you on the other part whereby you shoulde withdrawe your selfe from that vertue that might conuey and bring you vnto the other citie And when you haue satudied well here vpon and can nothinge finde I dare well assure you if you keepe well the precepts and counsailes of this litle lesson you shall find the right way for the holie ghoste will instruct teache you where you be not sufficient of your selues so you indeuor and geue diligence to beare awaye and folowe that here is taught Reade it euerie weake once or twise or oftener if you will And where you profite geue the thankes laude and prayse vnto our Lorde God and moste sweete Sauiour Iesu Christe who sende you his mercie and grace that alwaye liueth God worlde without ende Amen This lesson was brought vnto me in Englishe of an olde translation rough and rude with request to amende it I thought lesse labour to write new the whole which I haue done accordinge to the meaning of the authour though not worde for worde and in diuers places added some thinges folowinge vpon the same to make the matter more senteÌ„tious and full I beseeche you take all vnto the best and praye for the olde wretched brother of Sion Richard VVhitforde A spirituall glasse REade distinctlie praye deuoutlie sigh deepelie suffer pacieÌ„tly meeke you lowlye geue no sentence hastelie speake but rathe and that truelie preueÌ„t your speache discretly do
tuam a me factus sum conturbatus That is O Lord thou hast withdrawen thy ghostlye comfortes from me and I am lefte in great trouble and heauines and yet neuertheles he dispaired not therfore but prayed hartily vnto our Lorde and sayd Ad to domine clamabo ad deum meum deprecabor That is to saye I shall busilye crye to thee O Lorde and I shall meekelye praye to thee for grace and comfort And anone he had the effecte of his prayer as he witnesseth him selfe saying thus Audiuit dominus misertus est mei dominus factus est adiutor meus That is to say Our Lorde hath heard my prayer and hath had mercy on me and hath nowe agayne sent me his helpe and ghostlye comforte And therefore he sayth afterward Lord thou hast turned my sorow into ioye and thou haste belapped me with heauenlye gladnes And if almightie God hath thus done with holy Saintes it is not for vs weake and feeble persons to dispayre though we sometime haue feruour of spirite and be sometime left colde and voyd of deuotion The holy ghoste goeth and commeth after his pleasure and therefore the holy man Iob sayth Lorde thou graciously visitest thy louer in the morning tyde that is to saye in the time of comfort and sodenlye thou prouest him that is to say in withdrawing such comfortes from him VVherein then may I trust or in whom may I haue any confidēce but onelye in the great endlesse grace and mercy of God for why the company of good men nor the felowship of deuout brethrē and faithfull frendes neither the hauing of holy bookes or deuout treatises ne yet the hearing of sweete songes or of deuout hymnes may litle auayle and bring forth but litle comfort to the soule when we are left to our owne frailtie and pouertie And when we be so left there is no better remedie but patience with a whole resigning of our owne will to the will of God I neuer yet founde any religious person so perfect but that he had sometime absentinge of grace or some minishinge of feruour and there was neuer yet anye Saint so highlie rauished but that he firste or last had some temptation He is not worthy to haue the high gift of contemplation that hath not suffred for God some tribulation The temptations goinge before were wont to be a soothfast token of heauenlie comfort shortly comminge after And to them that be founde stable in their temptatiōs is promised by our Lorde great consolation And therfore he sayth thus He that ouercommeth I shall geue him to eate of the tree of life Heauenlie comfort is somtime geuen to a man that he may after be more stronge to suffer aduersities but after followeth temptation that he be not lifte vp into pride and thinke hym selfe worthie of such consolation The ghostlie enemie sleepeth not neither is the fleshe yet fullie mortified and therefore thou shalte neuer ceasse to prepare thy selfe to ghostlye battayle for thou haste enemyes on euerie side that euer will be readie to assaile thee and hinder thy good purpose all that they can Of yeeldinge thankes to God for his manifolde graces The .10 Chapter VVhy seekest thou rest heere syth thou arte borne to laboure dispose thy selfe to patience rather then to cōfortes to beare the Crosse of penaunce rather then to haue gladnes VVhat temporall man would not gladly haue spirituall comfortes if he might alwaye keepe them for spirituall comfortes excede far all worldlie delites and all bodelie pleasures for all worldlye delites be eyther foule or vayne but ghostlie delites are onelie iocunde and honest brought forth by vertues and sent of God into a cleane soule But such comfortes no man may haue when he woulde for the time of temptation tarieth not longe The false libertie of will and the ouermuch trust that we haue in our selfe be much contrary to the heauenlie visitations Our Lorde doeth well in sendinge such comfortes but we doe not well when we yeelde no thankes therefore to him againe The greatest cause why the giftes of grace maye not lightlie come to vs is for that we be vnkind to the gyuer and yelde not thankes to him from whom all goodnes commeth Grace is alway geuen to thē that be ready to yelde thākes therfore againe And therefore it shalbe taken from the proud man that is wont to be geuen to the meke man I wold none of that consolation that should take from me compunction nor any of that contemplatiō that should lift my soule into presūption Euery high thing in sight of man is not holy nor euery desire cleane and pure euery sweet thinge is not good nor euery deere thinge to man is alwaye pleasant to God VVe shall therefore gladlie take such giftes whereby we shall be the more readie to forsake our selfe and our owne will He that knoweth the comforts that come through the gifts of grace and knoweth also how sharpe and painefull the absentinge of grace is shall not dare to thinke that any goodnes commeth of him selfe but he shall openlye confesse that of him selfe he is right poore and naked of all vertue yeelde therefore to God that is his and to thy selfe that is thine that is to say thanke God for his manifolde graces and blame thy selfe for thine offences Holde in thee alwaye â sure grounde and a sure fouudation of meekenes and then the highnes of vertue shall shortlie be geuen vnto thee for the high tower of vertue may not longe stand but if it be borne vp with the lowe foundation of meekes They that be most great in heauen be least in their owne sight and the more glorious they be the meeker they are in them selues full of truth and heauenlie ioy not desirous of any vaine glory or praisinge of man Also they that be fullie stabled and confirmed iu God maye in no wise be lifte vp into pride and they that ascribe all goodnes to God seeke no vaine glorie nor vayne praysinges in the world but they desire onlie to ioye and to be glorified in God and desire in heart that he maye be honoured lauded and praysed aboue all thinges both in him selfe and in all his Saintes and that is alwaye the thinge that perfect men moste couet and moste desire to bringe about Be thou louinge and thankfull to God for the least benefite that he geueth thee and then shalt thou be the more apte and worthie to receaue of hym more greater benefites Thinke the least gift that he geueth is great the most despisable thinges accepte as speciall giftes and as great tokens of loue for if the dignitie of the geuer be well considered no gifte that he geueth shall seeme litle It is no litle thinge that is geuen of God for though he sende paine and sorowe we shoulde take them gladlie and thankefullie for it is for our ghostlie health all that he suffereth to come vnto vs. If a man desire to holde the grace of God
Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christe he that laboureth to withdrawe him from obedience withdraweth hym from grace And he that seeketh to haue priuate thinges loseth the thinges that be in common If a man can not gladlie submit him selfe to his superiour it is a token that his fleshe is not yet fullie obedient to the spirite but that it ofte rebelleth and murmureth Therefore yf thou desire to ouercome thy selfe and to make thy fleshe obeye meekelye to the will of the spirit learne first to obeye gladlye to thy superiour The outward enemye is the sooner ouercome yf the inner man that is the soule be not feebled nor wasted There is none worse nor any more greeuous enemye to the soule then thy selfe if thy fleshe be not well agreeinge to the will of the spirite It behoueth the therfore that thou haue a true despisinge and contempt of thy selfe yf thou wilt preuayle against thy fleshe and bloud But forasmuch as thou yet louest thy selfe inordinatlie therefore thou fearest to resigne thy will whollie to another mans will But what greate thinge is it to thee that art but doste and nought if thou subdue thy selfe to man for my sake when I that am almightie moste highe God maker of all thinges subdued my selfe mekelye to man for thy sake I made my selfe moste meeke and most lowe of all men that thou shoudest learne to ouercome thy pride through my meekenes Learne therefore thou ashes to be tractable learne thou earth and dust to be meeke and to bowe thy selfe vnder euerye mans foote for my sake learne to breake thine owne will to be subiect to all men in thine heart Rise in great wrath against thy selfe and suffer not pryde to reygne in thee but shewe thy selfe so litle and obedient and so noughtie in thine owne sight that as thee thinkes all men maye righteouslye go ouer thee and tread vpō the as vpon earth or claye O vaine man what haste thou to complaine O thou fowle sinner what mayest thou righteously say against them that reproue thee sith thou haste so ofte offended God and haste also so ofte deserued the paynes of hell But neuerthelesse my eye of mercie hath spared thee for thy soule is precious in my sight that thou shouldest thereby knowe the greate loue that I haue to thee and be therfore the more thankful to me againe and geue thy selfe to perfect true subiection and meekenes and to be ready in hart patiently to suffer for my sake thine owne contemptes and despisings whensoeuer they shal happen to fal vnto thee Amen Of the secrete and hid iudgementes of God to be considered that vve be not proude of our good deedes The .15 Chapter LOrd thou soundest thy iudgementes terribly vpon me and fillest my body bones with great feare and dreade my soule also trembleth very sore for I am greatly astonied for that I see that heauens be not clene in thy sight for sith thou foundest default in angels and sparedst thē not what shall become of me that am but vile and stinking carreyne Stars fel from heauen and I dust and ashes what should I presume Also some people that seemed to haue great workes of vertue haue fallen full lowe And suche as were fed with meate of aungels I haue seene after delyte in swynes meate that is to saye in fleshlye pleasures VVherefore it may be well sayde and verifyed that there is no holynes nor goodnes in vs if thou with drawe thy hand of mercy from vs nor that no wisedome maye auayle vs if thou Lorde gouerne it not nor any strength helpe if thou ceasse to preserue vs no sure chastitie can be if thou Lorde defende it not nor any sure keeping may profite vs if thy holy watchfulnes be not present for if we be forsaken of thee anone we be drowned and perishe but if thou a litle visite vs with thy grace we anone liue and be lifte vp agayne VVe be vnstable vnlesse thou confirme vs we be colde and dul but if by thee we be stirred to feruoure of spirite O howe meekely and abiectly ought I therfore to iudge of my selfe how much ought I in my heart to despise my selfe though I be holden neuer so good and holy in sight of the world and howe profoundly ought I to submit me to thy deepe and profound iudgementes sith I finde in my selfe nothinge els but naught and naught O substaunce that may not be pondered O Sea that may not be sailed in thee and by thee I finde that my substaunce is nothing and ouer all naught where is nowe the shadowe of this worldlye glorie and where is the trust that I had in it Truelie it is vanished awaye through the deepenes of thy secrete and hidde Iudgementes vpon me VVhat is fleshe in thy sight how may clay glorifye him selfe against his maker how may he be deceaued with vain prayses whose heart in truth is subiect to god All the worlde may not lift him vp into pride whō truth that God is hath perfectly made subiect vnto him nor he may not be deceaued with any flattering that putteth his whole trust in God For he seeth well that they that speake be vaine and nought and that they shall shortly faile with the sounde of wordes but the truth of God alway abideth Hovv a man shall order him selfe in his desires The .16 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ thus shalt thou say in euerye thing that thou desirest Lorde if it be thy will be it done as I aske and if it be to thy praysing be it fulfilled in thy name And if thou see it good and profitable to me geue me grace to vse it to thy honoure But if thou knowe it hurtfull to me and not profitable to the health of my soule then take from me suche desire Euery desire cōmeth not of the holy ghoste though it seeme rigteous good for it is sometime full harde to iudge whether a good spirit or an euil moueth thee to this thing or to that or whether thou be moued of thyne owne spirite Many be deceued in the ende which first seemed to haue beene moued of the holy ghoste Therfore with dreade of God and with meekenes of heart it is to desire and aske whatsoeuer commeth to our minde to be desired and asked and with a whole forsakinge of our selfe to committe all thinges to God and to saye thus Lorde thou knowest what thing is to me moste profitable doe this or that after thy will geue me what thou wilt asmuch as thou wilt and when thou wilt Doe with me as thou knowest best to be done and as it shall please thee and as shall be moste to thy honoure Put me where thou wilt and freelye doe with me in all thinges after thy will Thy creature I am and in thine handes leade me and turne me where thou wilte loe I am thy seruaunt ready to all thinges that thou commaundest for I desire not to lyue to
cleaneth to thee more or lesse If thy loue be pure simple and well ordered thou shalte be without inordinate affection to any creature Couete therefore nothing that is not lawfull for thee to haue and haue nothing that may let thee from ghostlye trauayle or that maye take from thee inwarde libertie of soule It is meruail that thou committest not thy selfe fullye to me with all thy heart with all thinges that thou mayest haue or desire VVhye art thou thus consumed with vaine sorowe why art thou weried with superfluous cares Stande at my will and thou shalt finde nothing that shall hurt or hinder thee but if thou seeke this thing or that or wouldest be in this place or in that for thine owne profite and for thine owne pleasure thou shalt neuer be in rest nor euer free from some trouble of minde for in euery place shal be found something that will mislike thee Transitorie thinges when they be had and greatly multiplied in the world do not alway helpe mans soule to peace but rather when they be despysed and fullie cut out of the loue and desire of the hart and that not to be vnderstand onely of golde and siluer and other worldlye riches but also of desire of honours and praysinges of the worlde which shortlye vanisheth and passeth awaye as doth the smoke with the winde the place helpeth little yf the spirite of feruour be awaye Also the peace that a man getteth outwardelye shall not long stande whoâ—e if it be voyde from the true inward peace of hart that is to say though thou chaunge thy place yet it shall litle amende thee vnlesse thou stande stedfast in me for by newe occasions that shall daylie rise thou shalte finde that thou hast fled percase muche more perillous and muche more greuous thinges than the first were A prayer for the purginge of mans soule and for heauenlye vvisdome and the grace of God to be obteyned and had The 32. Chapter COnfirme me Lorde by the grace of the holye ghost and geue me grace to be stronge inwardlye in soule and auoyde out thereof all vnprofitable busines of the worlde and of the fleshe that it may not be led by vnstable desires of earthlie thinges And that I maye beholde all thinges as they be transitorie and of short abidinge and me also to go with them for nothinge vnder the Sun may longe abide but all is vanitie and affliction of spirite O howe wise is he that feeleth and vnderstandeth this to be true that I haue sayde Geue me Lord therefore heauenlye wisedome that I maye learne to seeke thee and to finde thee and aboue all thinges to loue thee and all other thinges to vnderstande and knowe as they be after thorder of my wisedome and none otherwise and geue me grace also wiselie to withdrawe me from them that flatter me and patiently to suffer theÌ„ that greue me for it is great wisedome not to be moued with euery blast of wordes nor to geue eare to him that flattereth as doth the mairmayde The waye that is thus begon shall bring him that walketh in it to a good and a blessed ending Agaynst the euill sayinges of detractours The 33. Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christ thou shalt not take it to griefe because some persons thinke euill or say euill of thee that thou wouldest not gladlye heare for thou shalt yet thinke worse of thy selfe and that no man is so euill as thou arte If thou be well ordred inwardlye in thy soule thou shalt not muche care for suche flyinge wordes And it is no litle wisedome a man to keepe him selfe in silence and in good peace when euill wordes be spoken to him and to turne his heart to God and not to be troubled with mans iudgement Let not thy peace be in the heartes of men for whatsoeuer they say of thee good or bad thou art not therefore a nother man but as thou art thou art VVhere is the true peace and glorie is it not in me yes truely Therefore he that neither desireth to please man nor dreadeth not to displease him shall haue great plentie of peace for of inordinate loue and vaine dread commeth all vnquietnes of heart and vnrestfulnes of minde Hovve almightie God is to be invvarldlye called vnto in time of tribulation The 34. Chapter LOrde thy name be blessed for euer that thou wouldest this temptation and tribulation should fal vpon me I maye not escape it but of necessitie I am driuen to flee to thee that thou vouchsafe to helde me and to turne all into gohstlye profite O Lorde I am nowe in trouble it is not well with me for I am greatly vexed with this present passion And nowe moste best beloued father what shall I say I am nowe taken with anguishes and troubles on euerye side saue me in this houre but I trust that I am come into this houre that thou shalt be lauded and praysed when I am perfectlye made meeke before thee and that I am clerely deliuered by thee be it therfore pleasaunt to thee to deliuer me For what may I most sinneful wretch doe or whither may I goe without thee Giue me patieÌ„ce nowe at this time in all my troubles helpe me my Lord God and I shall not feare ne dread what troubles soeuer fall vpon me And nowe what shal I say but that thy will be done in me I haue deserued to be troubled greeued and therefore it behoueth that I suffer as long as it shall please thee but woulde to God that I might suffer gladlye till the furious tempestes were ouerpassed and that quietnes of hart might come againe Thy mightie hande Lorde is stronge ynough to take this trouble from me and to aswage the cruel assaults thereof that I doe not vtterly fayle as thou hast ofte times done to me before this time the more harde that it is to me the more light it is to thee And when I am clerely deliuered by thee then shall I saye This is the changing of the right hande of him that is highest that is the blessed Trinitie to whom be ioye honour and glorye euerlastingly Amen Of the helpe of God to be asked and of a full trust to recouer through deuout prayer our former grace The .35 Chapter My sonne I am the Lorde that sendeth comfort in tyme of tribulation come therefore to me when it is not well with thee This is it that letteth thee most that thou turnest thee ouer slowlie to me for before thou pray hartilie to me thou seekest many other comforts and refreshest thy spirites in outwarde thinges And therefore all that thou doest litle auayleth thee til thou canst beholde and see that I am he that sendeth comfort to all that faithfully doe call to me and that there is not without me any profitable counsayle nor perfect remedie But nowe take a good spirite to thee and after thy troubles be thou comforted in me in the light of my mercie
thinge vnprofitable O Lorde thou arte alwaye one euer shalt be one alway good alway righteous and holy well righteously and blessedly disposing all thinges after thy wisedome but I wretche that alway am more redy prone to euill then to good am not alwaye abidinge in one for seuen times be chaunged vpon me Neuerthelesse it shall be better with me when it shall please thee to put to thy helpinge hand for thou onely act he that without man mayest helpe me and so coÌ„firme and stable me in thee that mine heart shall not so lightlie be changed from thee but that it maye be wholly fired in thee and finallye to rest in thee And verilye if I coulde cast awaye from me all mans comfort either for getting of deuotion or for that I am compelled therto of necessitie for that I finde no comfort in man then might I well trust in thy grace to haue of thee newe visitations newe heauenlie consolation But I confesse it for truth that I am vnworthy to haue anye suche consolations and I thanke thee as ofte as anye good thinge commeth to me for all that is good coÌ„meth of thee I am but vanitie and nought before thee an vnconstant man and a feeble and therefore whereof maye I righteously glorifie my selfe or why should I looke to be magnified Truelye vaine glorie is a perillous sickenes a greeuous pestilence a right great vanitie for it draweth a man from the true ioy that he should haue in God and robbeth him cleerelye of all heauenly grace For when a man pleaseth him selfe he displeaseth thee when he delighteth in mans praysinges he is depriued from the true vertues for the true stedfast ioye gladnes is to ioye in thee not in him selfe in thy name and not in his owne vertue nor in anye creature Therefore thy name be praysed and not mine thy workes be magnified and not mine and thy goodnes be alwaye blessed so that nothing be geuen to me of the laude and praysing of man Thou art my glory and the ioy of my hart in thee shall I be glorified and alway shall I ioy in thee and in my selfe nothinge but in my infirmities Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge them selues but I will seeke none but that is onely of thee for all mans glory all temporall honour and all worldlye highnes to thy eternall glorye compared is but as foolishnes and a great vanitie O truth O mercy O blessed trinitie to thee be laude honour and glory euerlastingly Amen Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised The 46. Chapter My sonne take it not to greefe though thou see other men honoured and exalted and thy selfe despised set at nought If thou raise vp thine hart to me in heaueÌ„ the despites of man in earth shall litle greeue thee O Lord we be here in great darknes and are soone deceyued with vanities but verilie if I beheld my selfe well I should openlie see that there was neuer any wrong done to me by any creature nor that I haue nothing wherof I maye righteoussie complayne But for as muche as I haue ofte sinned and greeuouslie offended against thee therefore all creatures be armed against me To me therefore is due confusion and despite to thee lande honour and glorye And vnlesse I can bring my selfe to this point that I woulde gladlye be despised and forsaken of all creatures vtterlye to seeme as nought in the worlde I may not be inwardlye pacified nor stablished in thee nor spirituallie be illumined nor yet fully vnited to thee That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people The 47. Chapter My sonne if thou set thy peace with anye person for thyne owne pleasure or worldlye frendshippe thou shalt alway be vnstable and neuer shalte thou be coÌ„tented but if thou haue alway recourse to the truth euerlasting that is God himselfe then the death or goinge awaye of thy dearest freende whatsoeuer he be shall litle greue thee The loue of thy frend ought alwaye to be referted to me and for me he is to be beloued howe good and howe profitable soeuer he seme vnto thee in this life VVithout me freÌ„dship is nought worth nor maye not long endure nor that loue is not true and cleane that is not knit by me Thou oughtest therefore to be so mortified in all such affections of worldlie men that in as much as in thee is thou wouldest couete to be without all mans comfort So muche a man draweth nerer to God as he can withdrawe hym selfe from the worlde and from all worldlie comfort and so muche the more he ascendeth higher to God as he can descend lower in him selfe and as he can waxe vile and abiect in his owne sight He that ascribeth any goodnes to him selfe withstandeth the grace of God and letteth it to liue in him for the grace of the holye ghoste seeketh alwaye a meeke and an humble heart If thou couldest perfectly annihilate thy selfe and whollie put out of thy heart all humane and create loue then shoulde I sayth our Lorde dwell in thee with great aboundaunce of my grace But when thou lookest to creatures then is righteouslie drawen from thee the sight of thy Creator Learne therefore to ouercome thy selfe for the loue of him that made thee like to hym selfe and thou shalt anone come to great ghostlie knowledge Howe lytle soeuer the thinge be that a man loueth yf he loue it inordinatlie it hindreth and letteth him greatlie from the true and perfect loue that he shoulde haue to God That vve should eschevv vayne seculer cunninge The .48 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde let not fayre and subtil wordes moue thee for the kingdome of heauen standeth not in wordes but in good vertuous workes Take hede to my wordes for they enflame the harte and lighten the vnderstandinge and bringe in also compunction of harte for sinnes past and cause also ofte times great heauenlie comfort sodenly to come into the soule Reade neuer in any scieÌ„ce to the inteÌ„t thou wouldest be called wise but studie rather to mortifie in thee all stirringes of sinnes as much as in thee is that shall be more profitable to thee than the knowledge of many harde and subtill questions VVhen thou hast reade and vnderstoode many doubtes yet neuerthelesse it behoueth thee to come to one that is beginninge of all thinges that is God him selfe and els thy knowledge shall litle auayle thee I am he that teacheth a maÌ„ cuÌ„ning do giue more vnderstaÌ„ding to meeke persons than can be taught by maÌ„s teaching And he to whom I speake sâ—al soone be made wise much shall he profit in spirite when payne and wo shall be to them that onelie seeke for curious learninge takinge litle heede to the waye to serue God The time shall come when Christ Lorde of Angels and master of all masters shall appere to heare the lesson of euery creature and to examine the conscience of euery person and then shall
Ierusalem that is mans soule be searched with lanternes and lights of Goddes high knowledge and rightfull iudgmentes and then also shall be made open the deedes and thoughtes of euery man all excuses and vaine argumentes shall ceasse and vtterlie be set apart I am he also that sodenlie at a point illumine and lifte vp a meeke soule that it shalbe made able to take and to receiue in short time more perfectlie the true reason of the wisdome of God then an other that studieth ten yeres in scholes and lacketh meekenes I teache without sounde of wordes without diuersitie of opinions without desire of honour and without strife and argumentes And I am he that teach all the people to despise earthlye thinges to lothe thinges that be present to seeke and to sauour eternall thinges to flee honoures to beare pacientlie all euill wordes and speakinges to put their trust whollie in me nothinge to couet without me and aboue all thinges brenninglie to loue me And some folkes thorowe an inwarde loue that they haue had to me haue learned many great thinges and haue spoken high misteries of my God head They profit more in forsaking all thinges then in studyinge for highe subtill learning But to some meÌ„ I speake common thinges to some speciall things to some I appeare sweetlie in signes and figures and to some I geue great vnderstandinge of Scripture and open to theÌ„ high secret misteries There is in bookes one voice and one letter that is reade but it enfourmeth not all persons alike for I am within secretlie hidden in the letter the teacher of trueth the searcher of mans hart the knower of thoughtes the promoter of good workes and the rewarder of al men after as my wisdome and goodnes iudgeth them to haue deserued and none otherwise That vve shoulde not regarde muche outvvarde thinges nor poâ—der but litle the iudgement of man The 49. Chapter My sonne it is profitable to thee to be ignorauÌ„t in many things and to thinke thy selfe as deade to the worlde and to whom all the worlde is crucified And thou muste also with a deafe eare let many thinges passe as thou neither heard them nor sawe them and to thinke on such things as shall cause in thee an inwarde peace in soule It is also more profitable to thee that thou turne the eye of thy soule from thinges that displease thee and to let euery man holde his opinion therein as him seemeth â—est rather than to striue againe with frowarde wordes And truelie if thou were well stabled in God and beheldest well his iudgementes thou shouldest lightlie be content to be iudged of other and to be ouercome of other as our Lorde Iesus was for theâ— in time of his passion O Lorde sith it is true that thou sayest what shall become of vs that heede so muche worldlie thinges and beweepe so greatlie a litle temporall losse and we labour and tunne for worldlie profite with all our might but our spirituall profite and the health of our owne soules we litle regarde Suche thinges as litle or nothinge profiteth vs is much set by but that that is most necessarie to vs is nighe forgorten For why all men runne gladlye into outwarde thinges And truelie but they shortlye turne backe agayne they shall gladlie rest still in them whiche in the ende shall be to them great perill and daunger That men be not alvvaye to be beleeued for that they so lightlye offende in vvordes The .50 Chapter LOrde sende me helpe in my troubles for mans helpe is litle worth Howe ofte haue I not founde frendship where I thought I should haue found it And how ofte haue I founde it where I least presumed to haue founde it wherfore it is a vayne thinge to trust in man for the true and soothfast trust and health of righteous men is onelie in thee Blessed be thou Lorde therefore in all thinges that happen vnto vs for we be weake and vnstable soone deceiued and soone changed from one thinge to an other VVho may so warelie and so alsuredlie keepe him selfe in euery thinge but shall sometime fall into some deceipt or into some perplexitie truelie verie sewe but he that trusteth in thee and that seeketh thee with a cleane hart sâ—â—deth not so lightlie from thee And if it happen him to fall into any trouble or perplexitie whatsoeuer it be how greeuous soeuer it be he shall anone eyther be deliuered by thee or be comforted by thee for thou neuer forsakest him that trusteth in thee It is right harde to finde so true and so faithfull a frende that wil perseuer with his freende in all his troubles but thou Lord art most faithfull in all thinges and like to thee none can be founde O howe well sauoured that holy soule in ghostly thinges that sayde thus My minde is stablished in God and is fully grounded in Christ Truely if it were so with me the dread of man should not so lightly enter into me nor other mens wordes shoulde not so soone moue me VVho may forsee all thinges or who may preuent all euils that are to come and if thinges foreseene do yet ofte times great hurt VVhat shall then those thinges doe that be not foreseene But why haue not I wretche better seene to my selfe and why haue I so lightlye beleeued other mens sayinges truelye for that we be but men and that but frayle men though we be esteemed thought of many to be as Angels in our conuersation VVhom may I beleeue but onelye thee Thou art the trueth that deceyuest no man nor mayest not be deceyued And on the other side euery man is a lyer weake and vnstable and sâ—ding most especially in wordes so that scarselie it may be beleeued that seemeth openlie to be true Howe prudentlie therefore haste thou warned vs to beware of the lightnes of man and that our familier seruantes maye be our enimies so that it is not to be beleued though one will say Lo here is thy frend or there is thy frend for I am taught with mine owne hurt but would to God it might be as a warninge to me and not to my more follye Some saye to me Beware beware kepe riose to thy selfe that I shall the we thee And when I kepe it close and beleeue it to be secret he can not be secret in that him selfe desired but anone he betrayeth both him selfe me and goeth his waye From suche tales and from such vnstable men Lorde defende me that I fall not into their handes nor that I neuer commit any suche thinges A true worde and a stable Lorde geue into my mouth and a deceitfull toung driue farre awaye from me for that I woulde not haue done to my selfe I ought to be ware that I doe it not to other O howe good and how peacefull is it to kepe silence of other mens wordes and deedes and not to geue full credence till the trueth be tryed and not to report lightlye to
thereby in meekenes and vertue and that thou shouldest also prepare thee to be readye against another time for battels that are to come and the more surely to cleaue to God with all the desire and affection of thy hart and to studie with all thy power how thou mayest most purelie and moste deuoutlie serue him and take heede of this common prouerbe The fire doth oft burne but the flame doth not ascende without some smoke So likewise the desire of some men draweth to heauenlie thinges and yet they be not all free from the smoke of carnall affections and therfore they doe it not alwaye purelie for the honour and loue of God that they aske so desirouslie of him Suche ofte tymes is thy desire that thou shewest to be so importune for that desire is not cleane and perfect that is mixte with thine owne commoditie Aske therefore not that is delectable and profitable to thee but that is acceptable and honour to me for if thou do well and iudge aright thou shalt preferre my ordinaunce my will before all thy desires before all thinges that may be desired beside me I knowe well thy desire Thou wouldest nowe be in libertie of the glorie of the sonnes of God nowe the euerlastinge house the heauenlie countrey full of ioye and glory delighteth thee muche but that time cōmeth not yet for there is yet another time to come that is to saye a time of labour and of proufe Thou desirest to be fulfilled with the high goodnes in heauē but thou mayst not yet come therto I am the full rewarde of man abide me till I shall come and thou shalt haue me to thy rewarde Thou art yet to be proued here vpon earth and more throughlye to be assayed in many thinges some comfort shall be geuen to thee but the fulnes thereof shal not yet be graunted Be thou therefore comforted in me and be thou strong as well in doeing as in sufferinge thinges contrary to thy wil. It behoueth thee to be clothed in thy blood and to be chaunged into a newe man and thou must ofte times doe that thou wouldest not doe and that thou wouldest doe thou must forsake leaue vndone That shall please other shall goe well forwarde and that shall please thee shal haue no speede that other men saye shall be well heard and that thou shalt saye shall be set at nought Other shall aske and haue their askinge thou shalte aske and be denied Other shal be great and haue great lande and prayse of the people and of thee no worde shall be spoken To other this office or that shall be committed and thou shalte be iudged vnprofitable in euery thinge for these thinges and other lyke nature will murmure and grudge thou shalt haue a great battaile in thy selfe if thou beare them secrete in thy hart without complayning missaying Neuerthelesse in suche thinges and other like my faithfull seruauntes are wont to be proued howe they can denie them selues and howe they can in all thinges breake their owne wylles and there is nothinge that thou shalt neede so muche to ouercome thy selfe in as to learne to be contented not to be set anye price by in the worlde and to suffer suche thinges as be moste contrarye to thy will especiallye when suche thinges as in thy sight seeme vnprofitable be commaunded to be done But my sonne consider well the profite and fruite of all these laboures the shorte ende and the great rewarde and then thou shalt feele not greefe nor paine in all thy laboures but the most sweetest comfort of the holye ghost through thy good will and for that litle wil that thou forsakest here thou shalt alwaye haue thy will in heauen where thou shalt haue all that thou canst or mayest desire There shalte thou haue full possession of all goodnes without dread to lose it There thy will shall be euer one with my will and it shall couete no straunge nor priuate thinges There no man shall resiste thee no man shall complayne on thee no man shall let thee nor no man shall wythstande thee but all thinges that thou canst desyre shall be there present and shall fulfill all the powers of thy soule vnto the full There shall I yeelde glorye for reprofes and a palle of laude for thy heauines and for the lowest place here a seate in heauen for euer There shall appeare the fruite of obedience the labour of penaunce shall ioy and the humble subiection shall be crowned gloriously Bowe thee therefore meekelye nowe vnder euery mans hande and force litle who saith this or who commaundeth this to be done But with all thy studie take heede that whether thy prelate or thy felowe or anye other lower than thou aske any thing of thee or will any thing to be done by thee that thou take it alwaye to the best and with a glad will studie to fulfill it Let this man seeke this thing and another that and let this man ioy in this thing another in that whatsoeuer it be and let them be lauded and praysed a thousande times but ioye thou neither in this thinge nor in that but onelye in thine owne contempt and despising and in my will to be fulfilled and whether it be by life or death that I may alway be lauded and honoured in thee and by thee Amen Hovve a man that is desolate ought to offer hym selfe vvhollye to God The .55 Chapter LOrde holy father be thou blessed now and euer for as thou wilt so it is done and that thou doest is alwaye well let me thy poorest seruaunt and most vnworthy ioye in thee and not in my selfe nor in nothinge els beside the◠for thou Lorde art my gladnes thou art my hope my crowne my ioye and all my honor VVhat hath thy seruant but that he hath of thee and that without his desert All things be thine and I am poore and haue bene in trouble in paine euer from my youth and my soule hath beene in great heauines with weeping and teares and sometime it hath bene troubled in it selfe through manifolde passions that come of the world and of the fleshe VVherefore Lorde I desire that I maye haue of thee the ioye of inwarde peace and I aske the rest of thy chosen children that be fedde and nourished of thee in the light of heauenly comforts but without thy helpe I can not come therto If thou Lorde geue peace or if thou geue inward ioye my soule shall be anone full of heauenlye melodie and be deuoute and feruent in thy laudes and praysings but if thou withdrawe thy selfe from me as thou haste sometime done then may not thy seruant runne the waye of thy commaundementes as he did first but then he is compelled to bowe his knees and knocke his brest for it is not with him as it was before when the lanterne of thy ghostlie presence shone vpon his heade and that he was defended vnder the shadowe of
through weakenes of it selfe it is not able to fulfill all that it approueth nor hath not sith the firste sinne of Adam the full light of truth nor the sweetnes of affections to God as it had firste Of this it commeth most mercifull Lorde that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule I delite me in thy lawes and in thy teachinges knowinge that they are good and righteous and holie and that all sinne is euill and to be fled and eschewed and yet in my outwarde man that is to saye in my fleshelie felinge I serue the lawe of sinne when I obeye rather to sensualitie then to reason And of this it foloweth also that I will good but to perfourme it without thy grace I maye not for weakenes of my selfe And sometime I purpose to doe many good deedes but for that grace wanteth that shoulde helpe me I goe backeward and fayle in my doinge I knowe the waye to perfection and howe I shoulde do I see it euidentlye but for that I am so oppressed with the heauye burden of this corrupt bodye of synne I lye still and ryse not to perfection O Lorde howe necessarye therefore is thy grace to me to beginne well to continue well and to ende well for without thee I maye nothinge doe that good is O heauenlye grace without whom our merites are nought woorth nor the giftes of nature nothinge to be pondred neither craftes or riches any thinge to be regarded nor beautie strength wit nor eloquence nothinge maye auayle come thou shortlye and helpe me The gyftes of nature be common to good men and bad but grace and loue are the giftes of electe and chosen people whereby they be marked and made able and worthy to haue the kingedome of heauen This grace is of suche worthynes that â—eyther the gyfte of prophecie nor the workinge of miracles nor yet the gyfte of cunninge and knowledge maye nothinge auayle wihout it ne yet fayth hope or other vertues be not acceptable to thee without grace and charitie O blessed grace that maketh the poore in spirite to be ryche in vertue and hym that is ryche in worldlye goodes maketh meeke and lowe in heart come and descende into my soule and fulfill me with thy ghostlie comfortes that it fayle not nor faynt for werines drynes of it selfe I beseeche thee Lord that I may finde grace in thy sight for thy grace shal suffice to me though I doe wante that nature desireth For although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery side yet shall I not neede to drede whiles thy grace is with me for she is my strength she is my comfort and she is my counsayle and helpe she is stronger then all mine enemies and wiser then all the wisest of this worlde She is the maystres of truth the teacher in discpline the light of the hart the comfort of trouble the driuer awaye of heauines the auoyder of dreade the nourisher of deuotion and the bringer of sweete teares and deuoute weepinges VVhat am I theÌ„ without grace but a drie stocke to caste awaye Graunt me therefore that thy grace maye preuent me and folowe me and that It may make me euer busie and diligent in good workes vnto my death So may it be Amen That vve ought to forsake our selfe and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse The 61. Chapter My sonne as much as thou canst go out fro thy selfe and frothine owne will so much as thou mayest enter into me and as to desire nothing outwardlie bringeth peace inwardlie into mans soule so a man by an inwarde forsakinge of him selfe ioyneth him to God I will therefore that thou learne to haue a perfect forsaking and a full resigning of thy selfe into my hands without withsaying and complayninge and that thou folowe me for I am the waye I am the truth and I am the life VVithout a waye no man maye go and without truth no man maye knowe and without life no man maye lyue I am the waye which thou oughtest to goe the truth which thou oughtest to beleue the life which thou shalt hope to haue I am the waye that can not be defyled the truth which can not be deceyued and the life that neuer shall haue ende I am the waye moste straite the truth most perfect and the life most soothfast A blessed life and a life vnmade that made all things If thou dwell and abide in my waye thou shalt knowe the truth and truth shal deliuer thee and thou shalt come to euerlastinge life If thou wilte come to that lyfe kepe my coÌ„maundementes If thou wilt knowe the truth beleeue my teachinges If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou haste If thou wilt be my Disciple forsake thy selfe If thou wilt haue the blessed lyfe despise this present life If thou wilt be exalted in heauen meeke thee here in earth And if thou wilt reigne with me beare the Crosse with me for truely only the seruauntes of the Crosse shall finde the life of blessednes and of euerlastinge light O Lorde Iesu forasmuche as thy waye is narowe and straite and is also muche despised in the worlde geue me grace to beare gladlye the despisinges of the worlde There is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde nor any Disciple aboue his master Let thy seruaunt therefore be exercised in thy wayes for therein is the health and the very perfection of lyfe whatsoeuer I reade or heare beside that way it refresheth me not nor delighteth me not fullye My sonne forasmnche as thou knowest these thinges hast reade them all thou shalt be blessed if thou fulfil them He that hath my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I shall loue him I shall shewe my selfe vnto him and shall make him sitte with me in the kingdome of my father Lorde as thou hast sayde and promised so be it done to me I haue taken the Crosse of penaunce at thy hand and I shall beare it vnto my death as thou haste put it to me to doe For the lyfe of euery good man is the Crosse and it is also the way and leader to Paradise and nowe it is begonne it is not lawfull for me to go backe fro it ne it is not behouefull for me to leaue it Haue done therefore my welbeloued brethren go we forth together Iesu shall be with vs for Iesu we haue taken this Crosse for Iesu let vs perseuer and he shal be our helpe that is our guyde and leader â—â— our kinge goeth before vs that shall fyght for vs folowe we hym stronglye dreade we no perils but be we readye to dye stronglye with hym in battayle that we put no blot into our glorye nor minishe not our rewarde by flyinge cowardlye awaye from the Crosse That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes though he happen to fall into some defaulâ—es The .62 Chapter My sonne patience and mekenes in aduersitie please me more then
fruit and highest remedie to be in receauinge of this biessed Sacrament inforceth him by all the wayes that he can to let and withdrawe all faythfull and deuout people from it as muche as he can and therefore some men whē they dispose them selues to it haue more greater temptations then they had before for as it is written in Iob the wicked spirit commeth amonge the children of God that he maye by his olde malice and wickednes trouble them or make them ouermuch fearefull and perplexed so that he maye diminishe their affection or take awaye their fayth if happilie he maye thereby make them eyther vtterlye to ceasse from beinge houseled or els that they goe to it with litle deuotion But it is not any thing to care for al his craftes and phantasies howe vyle and vgglye soeuer they be but all phantasies are to be throwen agayne at is owne head and he so far to be despised that for all his assaults and cōmotions that he can stirre vp the holy communion be not omitted Sometime ouer much curiousnes to haue deuotion or ouer great doubt of making confession letteth muche this holye purpose Doe therefore after the counsayle of wise men and put awaye all doubtfulnes and scrupulousnes for they let the grace of God and destroy whollie the deuotion of the minde Also it is not good that for any litle trouble or griefe that thou leaue this holie worke but go lightlie and be confessed and forgeue gladlye all that haue offended thee And if thou haue offēded any other meekelie aske of them forgeueues and God shall right mercifully forgeue thee VVhat profiteth it longe to tarie from confession or to deferre this holie Communion Purge thee first and quickelie cast out thy venim and haste thee after to take the medicine and thou shalt feele more profite thereby then yf thou tariedst lōger for it If thou deferre it to daye for this thinge or that to morowe we may happen to come a greater and so thou mayest be let longe from thy good purpose and be made afterwarde more vnapt vnto it Therfore as soone as thou canst discharge thy selfe from suche heauines and dulnes of minde and fro all slouth for it nothing profiteth long to be anguished long to go with trouble to sequester him selfe for suche dayly obstacles fro the diuine misteries but it doeth great hurt and cōmonly bringeth in greath slouth and lacke of deuotion But alas for sorowe some slouthfull and dissolute persons gladlye seeke causes to tarye from confession and so defer the longer this holye Communion and that they doe to the intent that they shoulde not be bounde to geue them selues to any more sure kepinge of them selues in time to come then they haue done before But alas howe litle charitie and slender deuotion haue they that so lightly leaue of so holie a thing howe happie is he and howe acceptable to God that so liueth and that so keepeth his cōscience in such cleannes that he is euerie daye readie hath good affection to be housled if it were lawfull vnto him that he might doe it without note or slaunder He that sometime abstaineth of meekenes or for any other lawfull impediment is to be praysed for his reuerence but yf it be through slouthfulnes he ought to quicken him selfe and to doe that in him is and our Lorde shall strengthen his desire for his good will for to a good will our Lorde hath alwaye a speciall respect and when he is lawfullie let he shall haue a good will and a meeke intent to it and so he shall not want the fruite of the Sacrament And verilie euerie deuout man maye euerye daye and euerye houre go healthfullie and without prohibition vnto the spirituall Cōmunion of Christe that is to saye in remembringe of his passion and neuerthelesse in certaine dayes and times he is bounde to receaue Sacramentally the bodie of his Redemer with a great reuerēce and rather to pretende therein the laude and honour of God then his owne consolation For so ofte a man is housled misticallye and inuisibly as he remembreth deuoutly the misterie of the incarnation of Christ and his passion and is thereby kindled into his loue He that doeth prepare him selfe for none other cause but because the feast is comminge or the custome compelleth him therto he shall cōmonlie be vnready to it Blessed is he therefore that as ofte as he sayth Masse or is housled offereth him selfe vnto our Lorde in holie Sacrifice Be not in sayinge Masse ouer longe nor ouer short but keepe the good common waye as they doe with whom thou liuest for thou oughtest not do that shoulde greeue other or make them tedious but to keepe the common waye after the ordinance of the holie fathers and rather to confirme thy selfe to that that shall be profitable to other then to folowe thine owne deuotion or priuate pleasure That the bodye of Christe and holye Scripture are moste necessarye for the health of mans soule The .11 Chapter O Moste sweetest Iesu howe great sweetenes is it to a deuout soule when he is fedde with thee at thy heauenlie feast where there is none other meate brought forth to eate but thou his onely beloued and that art most desirable to him aboue all the desires of his heart And verilie it shoulde be sweete and pleasaunt to me by an inwarde and meeke affection to weepe before thee and with the blessed woman Marie Magdalene to washe thy feete with the teares of mine eyes But where is that deuotion where is that plenteous sheddinge out of holie teares Certainlie all my heart ought to breune and to weepe for ioye in the sight of thee and of thy holye Angels for I haue thee verilye present with me though thou be hid vnderr another likenesse for to behold thee in thy proper and diuine cleerenes mine eyes might not beare it neither all the worlde might susteyne to see thee in the cleerenes and glorye of thy maiestie Therefore thou greatly helpest my weaknes in that thou hidest thy selfe vnder this blessed Sacrament I haue him verily worship him whom Angels worship in heauen but I onely in faith and they in open sight and in thine owne likenes without any couerture It behoueth me to be content in the light of true faith and therein to walke till the day of euerlasting eleerenes shall appeare and that the shadowe of figures shall go awaye VVhen that that is perfect shall come all vse of Sacramentes shall ceasse for they that be blessed in the heauēly glorie haue no neede of this Sacramental medicine for they ioye without end in the presence of God beholding his glory face to face so transformed fro clerenes to clerenes of the godhead they tast the glorye of the sonne of God made man as he was in his godhead fro the beginninge and shall be euerlasting VVhen I remember all these maruailous comfortes whatsoeuer solace I haue in this world though it be
vnwoorthy al comfort I blesse thee and glorifye thee alwaye with thy onelye begotten sonne and the holy Ghoste without endinge Amen O my Lord God moste faythfull louer when thou commest into my heart all mine inwarde partes doe ioye Thou art my glorie and the ioye of my heart my hope and wholle refuge in all my troubles But forasmuche as I am yet feeble in loue vnperfect in vertue therefore I haue neede of more comforte and helpe of thee Vouchsafe therefore ofte times to visite and instruct me with thy holye teachinges Deliuer me from all euill passions and heale my sicke hart from all inordinate affections that I may be inwardlie healed and purged from all inordinate affections and vices and be made apte and able to loue thee stronge to suffer for thee and stable to perseuer in thee Loue is a great thinge and a good and onelie maketh heauye burdens light and beareth in like balaunce things pleasaūt and displeasant it beareth a heauie burden and feeleth it not and maketh bitter thinges to be sauerie and sweete Also the noble loue of Iesu perfectlie printed in mans soule maketh a man to doe great thinges and stirreth him alwaye to desire perfection and to growe more and more in grace and goodnes Loue will alwaye haue his minde vpwarde to god and will not be occupied with loue of the worlde Loue will also be free from all worldlie affections that the inwarde sight of the soule be not darked or let nor that his affectiō to heauenly thinges be put from his free libertie by inordinat winninge or losinge of worldly thinges Nothinge therefore is more sweete then loue nothinge higher nothinge stronger nothinge larger nothinge ioyfuller nothinge fuller nor any thinge better in heauen or in earth for loue descendeth from God and may not rest finallie in anye thinge lower then God Suche a louer flieth high he runneth swiftlie he is merie in God he is free in soule he geneth all for all and hath all in all for he resteth in one high goodnes aboue all thinges of whom all goodnes floweth and proceedeth the beholdeth not onelee the gifte but the geuer aboue all giftes Loue knoweth no measure but is feruent without measure It feeleth no burden it regardeth no labour it desireth more thē it may attaine it complaineth of none impossibilitie for it thinketh all thinge that maye be done for his beloued possible and lawfull vnto him Loue therefore doth many great thinges and bringeth them to effect wherein he that is no louer fainteth and faileth Loue waketh muche and sleepeth litle and sleepinge sleepeth not it fainteth and is not werie is restrained of libertie and is in great freedome He seeth causes of feare and feareth not but as a quicke bronde or sparkle of fire flameth alwaye vpwarde by feruoure of loue into God through the especiall helpe of grace is deliuered from all perils and daungers He that is thus a ghostlie louer knoweth well what his voyce meanes which sayeth thus Thou Lorde God art my wholle loue and my desire thou art all mine and I all thine Spreade thou my heart into thy loue that I may taste and feele howe sweete it is to serue thee and how ioyful it is to laude thee aud to be as I were all molten into thy loue O I am bounden in loue and go farre aboue my selfe for the wonderfull great feruour that I feele of thy vnspeakeable goodnes I shall singe to thee the songe of loue and I shall folowe thee my beloued by highnes of thought wheresoeuer thou go and my soule shall neuer be werie to prayse thee with the ioyfull songe of ghostlie loue that I shall sing to thee I shall loue thee more then my selfe and not my selfe but for thee and all other in thee and for thee as the lawe of loue commaundeth which is geuen by thee Loue is swifte pure meeke ioyous and glad stronge patient faythfull wise forbearing manlye neuer seeking him selfe nor his owne will for whensoeuer a man seeketh him selfe he falleth fro loue Also loue is circumspect meeke righteous not tender not light nor heedinge vayne thinges sober chaste stable quiet and well stabled in his outwarde wittes Also loue is subiect and obedient to his prelate vile and despisable in his owne sight deuout and thankfull to God trusting and alwaye hoping in him and that whē he hath but litle deuotion or litle sauor in him for without some sorowe or payne no man may lyue in loue He that is not alwaye redy to suffer and to stand fullye at the will of his beloued is not woorthy to be called a louer for it behoueth a louer to suffer gladlye all harde and bitter thinges for his beloued and not to decline from his loue for no contrariou thing that may befall vnto him Of the proufe of a true louer of God The 7. Chapter MY sonne saith our Sauiour Christe thou art not yet a stronge and a wyse louer for whye for a litle aduersitie thou leauest anone that thou haste begon in my seruice and with great desire thou seekest outward consolatiōs But a strong and a faithful louer of God standeth stable in all aduersities and geueth litle heede to the deceitfull persuasions of the enemy and as he pleseth him in prosperitie so he displeaseth him not in aduersitie A wise louer cōsidereth not so much the gifte of his louer as he doth the loue of the geuer He regardeth more the loue then the gifte and accompteth all giftes litle in comparison of his beloued who geueth them to him A noble louer resteth not in the gifte but in me aboue all giftes Furthermore it is not all lost though thou sometime feele lesse deuotion to me and to my Saintes then thou wouldest doe on that other syde the sweete ghostly desire that thou feelest sometime to thy Lord Iesu is the feleable gift of grace geuen to thy comfort in this life a taste of the heauenly glory in the lyfe to come but it is not good that thou leane ouermuch to such cōfortes for they ligthly come and go after the will of the geuer but to striue alwaye without ceassing against all euill motiōs of sinne and to despise all the suggestions of the enemy is a token of perfect loue of great merite singuler grace Let no vanities nor no strange fantasies trouble thee of what matter soeuer they be Keepe thine intent and thy purpose alway whole and strong to me and thinke not that it is an illusion that thou art sodenlie rauished into excesse of minde and that thou art soone after turned agayne to thy fyrst lightnesse of hart for thou suffrest suche lightnesse rather against thy will than with thy will And therefore if thou be displeased therewith it shal be to thee great merite and no perdition I knowe sayth our Lorde that the olde auncient enimie the feende will assay to let thy good wil and to extinct the good desire that thou hast to