or communication Men are here tryed as golde in the fornace No man can stand vpright in this life but such a one as wysheth to kéepe downe himselfe in his heart for Gods sake Of the examples of godly Fathers The .xviij. Chapter BEholde the seruent and zelous examples of those godlye Fathers in whom very perfection godlinesse of lyfe did glister and thou shalt sée how slender and in a maner nothing at all it is that we our selues doe performe Alack what is our lyfe if it be compared with theires Those godlye men and friendes of Christ did serue the Lorde in hunger and thirst in colde and nakednesse in traueyle and wearynesse in watchings and fastings in prayers and vertuous cogitacions in many persecutions and spytefull oblaquies or reproches How many and how gréeuous miseries did first the Apostles suffer after them the Martirs Confessors Virgins and in fine all the other that euer desired to follow the steps of Christ For they hated euen their owne soules in this life that they might kéepe the same for lyfe euerlasting O how seuere how vnpleasant a life did those holy Fathers passe ouer in solitarinesse How long and gréeuous temptacions did they paciently abide How many tymes were they vexed of the enimy Howe many and how feruent prayers did they offer vnto God With how great seuerity did they shew themselues continent and chast With how great studie and excéeding loue did they trauayle to come forwarde in ghostly thinges howe sharpe warre did they kéepe in taming of their vices Of howe syncere and vpright minde towarde God were the same endued Whilest the daye did last they laboured in their vocation in the night tyme they gaue themselues to prayer vnto almighty God yet whilst they were at labour they dyd not ceasse from the prayers of the minde to be short they employed the whole tyme to profitable vses and euery houre occupyed in the contemplation of God séemed but short insomuch that for the very swéetenesse they had to thinke on heauenly things they did euen forget the necessitie of regarding and looking to their bodies They renounced all riches authorities honours friends kinsfolke neyther did they couet to enioye anye worldlye thing To be short they scarsely applied necessarie things to the maintenaunce of theyr life in so much that they were sorye also through very necessitie to become slaues vnto their bodies Therefore they were poore in earthly things but in the fauour of God and vertues they were very riche and being néedy outwardly were inwardly refreshed with the grace and comforts of god They were deuided from the worlde but very neare and familiar friends vnto God They were both in their owne iudgement of no regarde and in the sight of the world despised persons and abiects but of God they were accounted very great and excellent They were constant in true modestie they liued in simple obedience they abode still in charity and pacience and did therefore profite dayly in the spirite and had great fauour at Gods hand In fine they ought to be an example and spectacle to all godly persons and more to prouoke vs to go forwarde manfully then the multitude of such as are but warme in vertuous life ought for to hinder vs How great was the feruencie of all the godlye at the beginning of that holy profession of theirs How great deuotion of prayers How great emulation of vertue How streight and seuere discipline dyd raigne among them How great reuerence and obedience did flourish in them all vnder the rule of their maister The monuments yet remayning doe witnesse that those men were holy and perfite in déede who subdued the worlde in fighting so stoutly And now he is accōpted great so that he offend no lawes so that he can pacientlye beare the wrongs that are done vnto him O the sluggithnesse of our time and state that so soone doe decline from the olde zeale and are wearie of life for faintnesse and warmenesse Woulde to God the profiting in vertues did not wholy sléepe in vs which haue many times séene so many examples of the godly Of the exercises of one that is the childe of God in deede The .xix. Chapter THe life of the godly man ought wholye to excell in all kynde or vertues that he may be such a one inwardly as he séemeth to the worlde outwardly nay rather he ought for good cause to be much more inwardlye then he is séene outwardly For that God is he that doth behold vs whom we ought highly to reuerence in what place so euer we be and to walke in purity and cleannesse of lyfe in his sight after the maner of Aungels We ought euery day to renue our determined purpose of good lyfe as though we were turned from sinne vnto good life but this day first of all euen so to quicken stirre vp our selues vnto earnest desire and to say as followeth Help me O my Lord and God in my good purpose and holy worshipping or seruing of the and graunt vnto me to make a perfite entrance and beginning this present day For that which I haue hitherto done is nothing at all Great diligence is néedefull for this our purpose of running comming forwarde in case we will rightly bring to an ende that thing which we haue begun For if he which taketh this businesse in hande valiantly is yet many times tired withall what shal that man doe which beginneth the same but seldome or vnconstantly Surelye the forsaking of our purpose doth chance diuers waies and the least omitting of spirituall exercises that can be scarse hapneth without some hinderance and losse The determination or decrée of the iust dependeth vpon Gods fauour and not vpon their owne wisedome vnto whome they alwayes trust whatsoeuer they take in hand For man in déede doth propose but God doth dispose Neither is it in mans hands how the thing that he doth shall fall out in the ende If the acustomed exercise of our decrée or purpose be at anye tyme let passe eyther for pittie or brotherly profit the same may soone be called back againe but if it be sleightly giuen ouer for a time eyther for tediousnesse or necligence of minde then is the same a great fault in vs and is cause of hurt Though we endeuour to the vttermost of our power yet shall we quickly offende in many thinges Neuerthelesse some certaintie must alway be appointed especially against those vices which be a let vnto vs aboue the rest We must aswell search and set in good order and frame the outwarde as the inward things bicause they are both necessarie to our comming forwarde in godlynesse But if thou canst not incontinently call for an accoumpt of thy selfe yet doe it sometime at the least wise and once euery day at the least namely either at the morning or at night At night decrée with thy selfe what thou wilt doe in the morning At night examine thy maners howe thou hast borne
there is falling into the huge and vnmeasurable sea as it were of ioyes wyth which the Godly doe flow and are alway replenished all that is by and by quenched and vanisheth to naught For there is neuer any place left open for heauinesse there where Christ the fountaine of true gladnesse is To make short howsoeuer the worlde goeth with them the godly doe alway either simply and without stop reioyce in the Lorde or else doe take things to hart but for a tyme for other mens sakes or in fine if they conceyue anye sorrowe in their mind for God and his glory which it gréeueth them to see defaced yet they forth with féele al that same to be exchaunged for incredible gladnesse and to be taken away cleane with spiritual comfort And herevnto maketh that saying of Paule to the Corinthians I wrote to you quoth he this same thing least if I had come vnto you I shoulde take sorow by those things of which it behoued mee to take pleasure hauing this trust toward you all that my ioy is all your ioyes For I haue written vnto you out of much afflictiō and anguish of hart by many teares not that you should be cast into heauinesse but that ye might know the loue which I haue somewhat abundantly towarde you And agayne Whē we were come into Macedonia our fleshe had no reliefe but we were afflicted in all thinges Outwardly we had fights or contentions inwardly terrours Howbeit the God that comforteth the humble hath comforted vs by the comming of Titus c. The same Paule writeth also to the Philippians touching his sorow And surely he was weake sayth he so that he was at deaths doore But God tooke pittie vpon him and not on him onelye but also on mee least I shoulde haue one sorowe vpon an other Therefore haue I sent him the more deligently that when ye sawe him yee might agayne reioyce I might be the more voyd of sorow And to the Thessalonians likewyse Therefore haue we receyued comfort bretherne by you in each of our afflictions necessities thorow your fayth by cause we do now liue if you stande in the lord For what thankesgiuing can we repayre vnto God for you in all our ioy which we reioyce for you in the sight of our God praying both day and night incessantly that we may see your face may supply those things which are lacking vnto your faith Here hast thou nowe howe the godly are woont both to be sory oftētimes and yet for all that to reioyce in the Lorde Such is that saying of Paule also vnto the Romaynes I say the truth in Christ I lye not mine owne conscience bearing mee witnesse withall by the holy ghost that I haue exceeding great sorow and continuall torment in mine heart For I my selfe woulde wish to become an excommunicated or cursed thing frō Christ for my brethren my kinsfolke as pertayning to the flesh This in déede is the sorrow of loue towarde our neyghbour or brother and may stand very well togither with the reioyce of fayth towarde God so that he which thus mourneth doth neuerthelesse alwayes reioyce in the Lord euen touching the ciuill or outwarde forme and conuersation of lyfe also For the godly by the Apostles saying doe liue alway without carke and care rest still content with their state or calling take in good woorth thinges present doe not greatly torment themselues with the lacke of thinges to come doe reioyce and cheare vp their owne soule in their owne trauaile as sayeth the Preacher doe take their meate with thankesgiuing doe vse or occupye such commodities as they haue at hande for their necessitie and that reuerently as the gifts of God being ioyfull doe leade an honest and quiet life neuer carefull for the morrow with thought and pensiuenesse bycause Christ teacheth that euery dayes affliction is sufficient for it selfe doe not wilfully worke their owne sorow or harme or procure themselues vexations and troubles doe not reiect and refuse such goods as God hath giuen them doe not créepe into some solitarie corner to liue the more at their ease and quiet Neuerthelesse the same doe take the troubles that God hath sent them paciently and are nothing agréeued with the losse of their goods and doe alwayes giue thankes vnto God for all weale and wo whatsoeuer shall hap To be short they depende wholy vpon God they haue all their dainties and all that they count good setled in God onely they euery where looke vpon the minde or will of God alone they frame apply themselues altogither to gods pleasure and commaundement doe ioyfully rest in the loue and good will of God towarde them with all their heart enioye things present gape not gréedily after things to come Thus doe they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde To this belong those sayings out of Salomons booke entituled the Preacher I knowe quoth he that there is nothing better for euery man than to be glad and to delight hys owne lyfe and to eate and to drinke and to be made mery or frolicke with his owne labour This is Gods gift Salomon doth not here like some Epicure exhort and encourage to excesse gluttonie surfeite nor to a voluptuous and Sybariticall life as they call it but to vse and enioy Gods present benefits and good gifts with chearfulnesse and thankesgiuing who abundauntly giueth all things to enioy as the Apostle sayth and filleth euery liuing thing with his blessing as the Psalmist Dauid sayth The same Salomō thus teacheth When God hath giuen wealth and riches vnto a man sayth he this is the gift to God that he may eate and drincke of them for his portion and may haue delight in his owne labor For such a man is not carefullye mindefull of the dayes of his life bycause God doth fill his heart with gladnesse Yea many tymes elsewhere also the same Salomon biddeth vs to let vnprofitable cares and vayne thought of mynde go to be of good cheare to be quiet and pacient in what case so euer we stande Her vnto maketh that saying of the same Salomon wherein he exhorteth lyke as he dyd before the faythfull and the louers of God Go sayth he and eate thy breade in gladnes and drincke thy wine with a chearefull hart bycause thy workes doe now please God Let thy garments be whyte at all tymes and annoynt thy head with oyle c. In so manye troubles and infinite cares and miseries of this lyfe Salomon will yet haue the godly to be of good chéere and courage and not to bée carefull and take thought to reioyce alway in the Lord not to fret and vexe themselues That thing can come to no man but through the blessing of God like as he also doth many tymes testifie as when he sayth God giueth wisedome and knowledge and gladnesse to the man that pleaseth him But to the sinner he giueth carefulnesse that he may encrease gather togither and so it
may be giuen to him that pleaseth God. But if perhaps ought fall out as the fashion of worldly affayres is that galleth him and stayneth his gladnesse with some griefe of minde by by the godly and faithfull Christians doe resort or flie vnto their heauenly father and hauing as it were familiar communication with him doe lay open their cares troubles before him and whatsoeuer it be that grieueth them do earnestly desire ayde helpe comfort wyth most earnest inuocation and prayer with humble méekenesse call for mercy in fine whatsoeuer aduersities they suffer doe bewayle the same as it were in the bosome of their most excellent and most tender louing father ▪ they craue for to haue the same either lestened and asswaged or else cleane taken away and that with a most sure fayth and affiaunce and yet in such sort that they wholy doe resigne themselues vnto Gods will and committe themselues vnto his goodnesse as men readye to beare paciently whatsoeuer God will haue them And if in the meane tyme they shall féele their affiance or trust toward God to quayle or be ouerthrowne of the deuill if they shall perceyue any scruple of conscience to arise within them if in any point they shal through mischaunce and vnaduisednesse by the meanes of mannes infirmitie swarue and forget themselues then doe they repayre to their Curate or Minister whatsoeuer is a griefe or trouble vnto them doe there open and disclose it without shamefastnesse or feare and doe heare with gladnesse the sentence of the Gospell pronounced vnto them by the Minister of the Church and doe lay it vp déepely in their hearts and mindes as if it were pronounced by Christ himselfe who is in déede our high Bishop and Priest yea and doe rest therevpon with full intent and meaning most hartily and most willingly Besides they doe many tymes also resort to the Lords Table to the ende that their faith may be the more kindled strengthned touching the mercifull loue and heauenly fauour of God towarde them and that the same ioy in the Lorde may be by this meanes repayred againe as it were which our ghostly enimie the deuill did go about to quench or darcken Hervnto may be added a continuall and diligent reading of holy Scripture Wherein the Children of God wyth vnspeakeable pleasure doe harde by heare God talking wyth them familiarly comforting the heauy hearted raysing vp the afflicted strengthening the weake and doubtfull calling men from dispaire Ioyne to this Sermons and godlye Exhortacions which the Preachers of the Worde of Saluacion doe make wherwith also the mindes of the godly are marueilously refreshed that Reioyce of the Lorde here treated of is so oftentymes renewed For God here doth worke ioye and gladnesse to the hearers in déed and the bones that are brought lowe doe triumphantly reioyce as the Prophet sayth Of like effect are the pryuate communications of the godly one wyth an other also touching God and Christ the Sauiour whiles that according to Paules doctrine they teach admonish one another wyth Psalmes Hymmes and Spirituall songs with ioye singing in their hearts vnto the Lorde whiles I say the worde of Christ is among them plentifully with al wisdome as Paule sayeth to the Collossians Besides thys the very times and holy daies doe often renew the Reioyce of the Godly that more is doe rather augment it make it greater than it was For they stirre vs vp vnto the remembrance of Gods woonderfull actes miracles wrought for the saluation of mankinde and by that occasion doe fill the harts of the godly with spiritual ioyes in the lord Such are our Easter Holydayes which are kept to cōtinue the remembrance of Christs Resurrection of Pentecost or Whitsontyde to call the sending downe of the holy ghost vpon the Apostles to minde the feastfull daies of Christs birth when the worde being made fleshe is celebrated Likewise the feast of the Circumcision of the Epiphanie of the Purification Palmes Annunciation Visitacion Ascension such other like At which times that spirituall ioye in the Lorde which the Godly haue is marueylously much increased with a certaine heape as a man woulde saye I meane in the remembring and recounting of things done by almightie God as I sayde afore Hereof commeth that saying in the Psalmes touching Christes Resurrection This is the daye which the Lorde hath made Let vs triumph and be glad therin And in the Apostle also Christ our passeouer was offered vp for vs. Hereof is that saying in the Gospel read in the Church for Christmasse day Beholde I declare vnto you exceeding great ioy which shall be vnto al the people that a Sauiour this day is borne vnto you which is Christ the Lorde And also that in Esay A childe is borne vnto vs and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. These and such other like sayings which are song in the congregation vpon feastful and solemne dayes howe excéedingly thinke you doe they reioyce and cheare vp the heartes of the faithull Christians This euen thys I abide by is to reioyce in the Lord and not as others at such times are woont to do to make feasts and bankettes one with an other and séeke after pleasures and belly chéere but to spend the holy dayes in godly and deuout meditacions and to giue thankes to God for his benefites to sing Psalmes and Hymmes vnto almightie god What doth not that frequent or populous resort and assembly of the congregation Christian men in the Church at all seasons to heare the worde of God to make inuocation and prayer to giue thanks cause a large encrease of gladnesse in the godly What is he that can say nay to it Therfore the faithful do most willingly come forth to be present with other at that most holy and alwayes to God most pleasaunt and acceptable sacrifice of praise inuocation worship giuing of thanks Hymmes prayers which at the comming togither of the whole congregation is vsed ordinarily to be made with very great ceremonie or reuerence And it is not the least ioy of al that they here tell how any of their brethren haue happily and in assured and strong fayth towarde God departed out of this transitorie life Wherevpon they being also glad doe yéelde thanks to the goodnesse of God and praye that they maye haue the like departure and doe followe the corse with a good wil. And in thus doing they are not onely brought in minde of their owne mortality but also their most swéete and plesant desire touching the heauenly dwelling is renewed and the memory to liue there in the fellowship of Aungels and to enioye that most blessed familiaritie in time to come with all the Saintes in the life eternall is with singular pleasure stirred vp Likewyse at the baptisme of an Infant newly borne the ioy of the Godly is also amplified and made more than it was whiles they thinke and cōsider not onelye of the number of Christians
wyth our whole heart and mouth and to doe his commaundements Would to God we being frée from all worldly affaires would care only for heauenly things for after that man is once come to that point that he séeketh for comfort of no worldly thing then at the length it commeth to passe that GOD doth begin in déede to smatter and sauour vnto him and that hée taketh all things in good woorth howsoeuer they fall out and neyther in prosperitie is puffed vp with gladnesse nor yet in afflictyons is disgraced with heauinesse but committeth himselfe altogither wyth confidence vnto God which is all in all vnto whome nothing perisheth or dyeth but all things doe liue and are obedient at his beck or call without any delay Looke euer to thine ende and remember well that lost time shall neuer returne againe thou shalt neuer attaine vnto vertue surely wythout carefulnesse and dilygence And if it shall chaunce thée to waxe warme thou shalt styll be in case woorse and woorse but if thou wilte applie thy worke wyth a zealous Soule thou shalt finde perfit peace and shalt féele thy labour to bée more slight both for the fauor of God towards thée also for thyne own loue of vertue A feruent and diligent man is readye to all thinges It is greater labor to resist vices troublesome affections of the mynde than to sweate with bodily labors And he that auoydeth not small offences the same by lyttle and lyttle falleth into greater faultes Thou shalt alwayes reioyce at night if thou hast bestowed the daye fruitefully watch vnto thine owne selfe stirre vp and admonish thine owne self despise not thyne one selfe whatsoeuer at any time doth happen vnto other men So much good shalt thou doe herein after as thou shall enforce and compell thy selfe The seconde Booke Of the Inwarde life of man The first Chapter THE Kingdome of GOD is within you saith the lord Turne thy selfe wyth thy whole hart to the Lorde forsaking this wretched worlde and thy soule shall finde rest Leare to contemne outward thinges and to giue thy selfe to the inwarde things so shalt thou sée the Kingdome of God to come into thée For the Kingdome of God is peace and ioye in the holy Ghost which is not gyuen to the godlesse or wicked Christ will come vnto thée to giue thée his comfort so that thou wilt prouide him a dwelling place méete for hym within thée For the whole beautie and brauerie thereof remayneth within there is hée willingly conuersaunt he maketh often repaire to the inwarde man To the inwarde man he hath swéete communication acceptable comfort much peace singuler familiaritie Come of thou faithfull soule prepare thy heart vnto thys Bridegrome to thintent he may vouchsafe to come vnto thée and inhabite within thée For thus he sayth If any man loue me the same will keepe my sayings and I and my father will come vnto him and dwell wyth him Therefore giue a place vnto Christ denying to all other any entraunce vnto thée If thou shalt haue him thy guest thou shalt then be ryche and welthie He will looke vnto thée and so faithfully doe all thine affayres that there shall be no néede for thée to put thy hope in men for men are quickly altered and swiftly breake frendship but Christ abideth stil by it for euer and is a constaunt helpe vnto his seruaunts vnto the verye ende There is neither great trust nor affiance to bée put in a frayle mortall man though he be profitable and thy deare fryend neither must thou greatly be sory if the same at sometime withstande thée gaine say thée Possible it is that those which be on thy side to daye be to morrow against thée and so cōtrarilye bicause they are often altred like the winde Put thy whole trust and confidence in the Lorde so demeane thy selfe that thou mayest feare him and that thou mayest loue him He it is that wil handle thy cause aright set the same in verye good order Thou hast no permament dwelling place and aboade in this life but whersoeuer thou become thou art but a forreiner and a traueiler that shall neuer attaine to rest vntil thou be nighly ioyned with Christ. Why dost thou gaze about thee here séeyng thys is not the place of thy rest Thy dwellyng ought to bée in heauenlye thinges and all thynges earthly must be looked vpon by the way onely that is how al things doe passe and vanishe and thou lykewyse wyth the same Beholde them in such wise that thou doe not cleaue fast vnto them least thou being entrapped doe perishe Let thy thoughts be directed vnto almighty God call vpon Christ Iesus wyth praiers wythout intermission and ceassing If thou canst not tell how to occupie thy minde in the contemplacion of hygh and heauenlye thynges yet rest or staye in the passion of Christ and dwell gladly vpon his woundes For if thou shalt relygiouslye flye to those healthsome wounds and stripes of Christ thou shalt féele a great strengthning in thy aduersitie and shalt not much passe vppon the contempt of men but shalt with facilitie beare their false and craftie accusations Christ himself in the worlde was taken but for an abiecte among men and was in the middest of his rebukes forsaken of his acquaintaunce and friends at his greatest néede Christ hymselfe woulde suffer and be despised and wilt thou dare to complaine and moane for any thing Christ had aduersaries and euill reporters wylt thou haue all men to be thy friends speake well of thée Howe shall thy pacience bée exercised if no aduersitye shall happen vnto thée If thou wylte suffer nothyng that is contrarye vnto thée howe wylt thou be the friend of Christ Thou must suffer aduersitye both wyth Christ and for Christ if thou wilt raigne wyth christ If thou hast truely entred but once into the bowels of Chryst and hadst but a little tasted of the feruentcie of hys loue thou wouldest not onely nothyng passe vppon thine owne commodities or incommodityes but also wouldest reioyce at thyne infamye or slaunder For the loue of Iesus causeth a man to contemne hymselfe I say the louer of Iesus and the true inward man and one voyde of inordinate desires is able fréely to turne himselfe vnto God being lifted vp in spirite aboue himselfe to enioy the same God quietly He which wayeth all things as they be in déede and not as they be called or supposed the same is truely wise and rather taught at Gods hande than of men Hée that can tell how to lyue inwardelye and lyttle to waye outwarde thynges the same doth neyther requyre places nor yet looke after tymes to practyse hys religious or Godly exercyses The inwarde man doth quickely call home hymselfe bycause he neuer outwardely sheweth what hée is altogyther The outewarde labour is no iet vnto him or hys necessarie businesse for the tyme But rather as all thyngs doe
thée I am thy most pore slaue and vile worme much more poore more vile than I eyther know my selfe or dare tell vnto thée And yet O Lorde be thou mindefull euen of this same thing the I am nothing that I haue nothing that I am nothing worth Thou only art good thou iust thou holy thou art able to doe all things thou perfourmest all thyngs thou fulfillest al things leauing the sinful only voyd emptie Remember thy mercy O Lord and fill my soule wyth thy fauor which wilt not haue thy workes to be good for nothing For howe maye I continue in thys wretched life vnlesse thy mercy fauor do strengthen me Turne not thy face away from me Deferre not thy curing of me from day to day Withdraw not thy cōfort from me least my soule doe sée me in thy sight like vnto the earth that is voyde of moysture Lorde teach me to doe thy will teach mée to walke worthilye and humblye before thée For thou art my wysedome and doest both know and hast knowne me perfectly aswell before that I was borne into the worlde as also before the worlde it selfe was made That truth and modestie in the sight of God is to be exercised The .v. Chapter LORDE SOnne practise thou truth in my sight and alwaies séeke me in singlenesse of heart He that exerciseth truth in my sight the same shal be defended from the inuasions of euill and him shall truth deliuer from deceiuers and siaunderers of the wycked Now if the truth shall deliuer thee thou shalt be frée in déede and shalt not passe vpon the vayne wordes of men SERVANT It is as thou sayest Lord and let me be so delt withall I pray thée to wéet that thy truth may teach me may kéepe me and maye bring me vnto an happie ende Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lust and from inordinate loue So shall it be brought to passe that I maye vse great libertie and freedome of soule towardes thée TRVTH And I will teach thée what is right what is acceptable vnto me Call thy sinnes to remembraunce with great sorrow and heauinesse of hart and doe thou chalenge any thing vnto thy selfe for thy good déedes For in verye déede thou art sinfull and endaungered and inwrapped in many diseases of the minde which goest euermore of thyne owne nature vnto nothing and soone fallest art soone ouercome art soone troubled and throwne downe headlong Finally thou hast nothing wherin thou mayst glory and boast but rather many things for which thou oughtest to set litle by thy selfe For thou art much more weake than that thou art able to perceyue the same Wherfore sée that none of all thy workes séeme great vnto thée Sée thou think nothing of thy loftinesse nothing precious woonderfull nothing to be reuerenced nothing high nothing prayse woorthy and to be desired in déede sauing that which is euerlasting Let the euerlasting truth please théé aboue all thinges and let thy excéeding vylenesse displease thée Feare nothing so much dispraise and flie from nothyng so much as thy vices and sinnes which ought more to myslyke thée then the losse of anye manner thing besides Some doe not behaue themselues towardes me purely and sincerely but rather being led with a certaine curiosity and arrogancie doe studiously search out my secrets and high mysteries neglecting themselues and their owne saluation These folowers doe many times fal into gréeuous tēptacions and sinnes for their owne curiositie and pryde bicause I am against them But being timerous doe thou stande in awe of the sentence and wrath of almightie GOD and search not out the works of the almighty but search thorowly thine own faults either how much euill thou hast done or else howe much good thou hast neglected Some doe beare about their whole religion and Godlinesse in beekes onely some in pictures some in outewarde signes and figures Other carye mée in their mouth but not so in theyr heart Contrariwise there are which being of perfite vnderstanding in minde and pure in hart doe euermore breath and couet after euerlasting things doe heare of earthly things against their willes do that which nature necessarily requireth with griefe sorrow and these in déede doe féele what the spirite of truth doth speake within them as they which doe teach them to loue heauenly thinges despising the earthlye and both daye and night doe couet heauen the worlde being contemned The praise of God and thankesgiuing for benefites and likewise of the force of the loue of god The .vi. Chapter SERVANT I Prayse thée O heauenly Father the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hast vouchsafed to remember mée néedie Soule O father of mercy and God of al comfort I giue thée thanks which refreshest me being vnworthy of al comfort sometime with thy comfort I praise magnifie thée euermore and also thy onely begotten Sonne and thy holy ghost the comforter worlde without ende Oh my Lorde God O the holy louer of me when thou shalt come into my soule I will reioyce with my whole heart Thou art my glory and the reioyce of my heart Thou art my hope and refuge in the time of my calamitie and trouble But bicause I am yet of weake loue and vnperfite vertue I recken it necessary to be confirmed of thée and to be comforted at thy handes Wherefore visite me oftentimes instruct me with holy discipline Deliuer mée from wicked affections of the Soule and heale my minde from all the vnruly desires and vices that being healed inwardly and well purged I maye be made fit to loue strong to suffer constant to perseuere Loue is a great matter no doubt a great good thing which onely doth make light each thing that is heauy and beareth equally whatsoeuer is vnequall For it beareth a burthē without any burthen and doth turne all bitter thinges into swéete and sauorie The same Iesus I saye beyng our Noble Loue doth inforce to doe great things and euermore stirreth vp to desire the things that are more perfite Loue will be aboue and not kept still with any low things Loue will be frée and voyde from all worldly affection least hir inwarde sight be hindered or least it bée enwrapped eyther wyth some temporall commoditie or ouercome with incommoditie Nothing is more swéete than Loue nothing more strong nothyng more déepe nothing more broade nothing more pleasant nothing more full Nothing better eyther in Heauen or in earth bycause it is sprong of God and can not rest but in God aboue all the creatures The louer flyeth runneth reioyceth is frée and is not holden It giueth all thinges for all things and hath all things in all thinges as the which resteth in one highest thyng aboue all thynges out of which floweth and spryngeth all goodnesse It looketh not vppon hys gyftes but turneth it selfe vnto the gyuer aboue all good gyftes Loue canne not tell howe to kéepe measure but is feruente
to morrow is no where Feare God and thou shalt not feare men What hurt can any man doe with his words or wrongs He hurteth himself rather than thée and cannot escape the iudgement of God whosoeuer hée be Haue thou God before thine eies striue not with quareling words If thou think thou be oppressed presently with infamy vndeserued take not the same heauilye or diminishe thy crowne with impacience but rather looke vp vnto me in heauen which am able to deliuer man from all rebuke and wrong and rewarde euery man according to his dooings Of the pure and entire yeelding vp of himselfe to the attaining of the libertie of minde The .xlij. Chapter LORDE SOnne forsake thy selfe and thou shalt finde me Sée that thou chalenge nothing vnto thy selfe sée thou haue nothing peculiare and proper vnto thy selfe and so shalt thou be alwayes a gainer For ouer and aboue this thou shalt haue greater giftes giuen thée as soone as thou shalt yéelde vp thy selfe neuer to looke backe againe SERVANT Lorde how oftentimes shall I yéelde vp my selfe and wherein shall I forsake my selfe LORDE Alwaies and at all howres both in smal and great matters I except nothing but that I wil haue thée founde naked made bare in all things Else how couldest thou bée mine and I thine vnlesse thou were spoyled of all thine owne will both within without The more spedily thou shalt thus do so much the better shall it go with thée and the fullier and more sincerely that thou go about it both so much the more shalt thou please me the more shalt thou gaine by it Some in déede do yéelde vp themselues vnto me but yet they doe it with some exception For they doe not put their trust in me fully and wholy therefore endeuor to sée prouide for themselues Other also at the first doe yeelde themselues altogither but afterwards when temptacion once knocketh they come to their olde condicions againe and therefore doe very litle profite in vertue These men shall neuer aspyre vnto the true lybertie of a pure hart to the most pleasant benefite of my familiaritie vnlesse an entire yéelding vp and a daily offring and sacrificing of themselues haue gone before without the which it happeneth not nor will be that thou mayest enioy the coniunctiō of god I haue sayde many times vnto thée and nowe I say againe Forsake yéelde vp thy selfe and thou shalt enioy déepe peace of minde Giue all for all require nothing aske nothing againe abide in me méerely without sticking at it and so shalt thou haue me shalt be frée of minde and voyd of darknesse Endeuor this praye for this labor to wish for this that being wholy turned out of thy selfe thou maiest being naked follow Iesus naked and mortified vnto thy selfe liue vnto me for euermore Then both vaine imaginations and wicked troubles and superfluous cares depart awaye Then also shall immoderate feare be gone and loue inordinate die Of conuenient dealing in outward things and flying vnto God in daungers The .xliij. Chapter SOnne thou must looke vnto this diligentlye that in euery place and outwarde action and businesse thou haue a frée mind and maister ouer it self and do put all things vnder thy subiection not thy self vnder them and be not the slaue or bondman of thine owne déedes but a Lord but a Ruler but one truely set at libertie an Hebrue translated into the lot and libertie of the children of God who despising present things doe beholde things euerlasting and looke vpon mortal things with the left eie but things heauenly with the right eye whome temporall things doe not draw to cleaue vnto them but they themselues doe rather draw them to serue their tourne aright according as they were made of God and the chiefest workmā who did leaue no disordred thing in thinges of his creation Now if in euery chaunce thou shalt not cleaue vnto the outwarde shewe of the matter nor behold the thing séene or hard within a carnall eye but in euery thing shalt forthwith enter with Moyses into the tabernacle to aske counsell of the Lorde thou shalt sometime heare God make thée an answere and shalt returne as one taught in manye things both present and to come For Moyses did alwaies repaire to the tabernacle in assoiling of doubts and questions and he fled vnto the helpe of prayer to driue away the perils wickednesse of men Euen so oughtest thou to flie into the secret place of thy hart in calling earnestly vpon Gods help For it is recorded in the scriptures that Iosua the other Israelites were therefore deceyued of the Gabaonytes bicause they did not first aske counsell of the Lord but were deluded with the swéetnesse of words as men light of credite vnder the shewe or pretence of godlinesse That man be not importunate in his businesse The .xliiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne commyt thy cause vnto me alwaies I wyll frame the same aright Looke for my decrée and determination thou shalt féele a profiting thereby SERVANT Lorde I commit euery thing vnto thée with a good wil bicause my thought doth little preuaile about it And woulde to God I were not carefull thus for the chaunces to come but did submit my selfe without stay vnto thy will and pleasure LORDE Sonne man oftentimes desirous of some thing doth couet the same and then hauing once gotten it hée beginneth to bée of another mynde bycause the desires of one thing are not dureable but force you to dyuers and sundrie things Therefore it is not the least thing of all to forsake himselfe in the least things and the true profiting of a man consisteth in the denying of himself so that he that hath done that once the same is most frée and in most safety But that olde enimy aduersarie to all good men doth neuer cease frō temptacion but day and night worketh high treasons or deceytes if perchaunce he maye thereby throwe downe the vnwary headlong into the snare of guile Wherfore watch pray saith the Lord lest you enter into temptation That man hath no goodnesse of himselfe nor that he can boast of any thing The .xlv. Chapter SERVANT LOrd what is man that thou art mindefull of him What is the sonne of man that thou earest for him what hath he deserued to be had in fauor of thée Lord what can I complain of if thou shalt forsake me Or wherein can I iustly blame thée if thou graunt me for my requestes Surely this may I rightly thinke and say to my self Lorde I am nothing I haue no goodnesse of my self but being voyd of all things doe euer tende vnto nothing And if I be not holpen of thée and instructed of thée wythin my minde I am made altogither warme and dissolute But thou O Lorde art alwayes one and doest abide one for euer more alway good iust holy bicause thou doest
that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty
or lacke O when shall there be an ende of these so many trauailes When shall I at the length bée deliuered from this wretched slauery of sins When shall I be mindefull of thée onely O Lorde When shall I reioyce in thée at the full When shall I voyde of all let enioye true libertie without any griefe eyther of mind or of body When shall there be sound perfite peace peace without trouble and safe peace within and without Peace substantiall on all sides O good Iesu when shall I sée thée face to face When shall I beholde the glory of thy kingdom When wilt thou be al things in all things vnto me Or when shall I leade my life with thée in thy kingdome which before al beginning thou hast prepared to them that are beloued of thée I am left here as one succourlesse a banished man in the lande of mine enimy where daily warrs right great misfortunes doe raigne rifely Cōfort my banishment mitigate my sorrow séeing that I breath vnto thée with excéeding great desire of mind For whatsoeuer of this world is offred for comfort the same is to me but a burden I am wholy desirous to enioy thée but I can not take holde of thée I wish to dwell vpon heauenly things but things temporall my affections not mortified doe thrust mée downe I am willing to clime aboue al things with my minde but I am compelled to be in subiection to my fleshe whether I will or no. Thus I wretched man do fight and struggle with my self am tedious or yrcksome vnto mine owne self whilest the spirite tendeth vpward and the flesh bendeth downward How great stryfe or fight doe I suffer inwardlye that whilest with my mind I am occupyed on heauenly thinges by and by the trouble some multitude of carnal things doth come against me being in prayer O my God depart not far from me nor refuse me not through wrath anger Dispearse through the brightnesse of thy lyghtning all the imaginations that are ministred mee of the enimie disappoint thē with thine arrowes shot against them Call home my senses vnto thée make me to forget al worldly things and quickly to cast away contemne the imaginations of vices Succor me O euerlasting truth that no vanity may mooue my heart Come vnto me O heauenly swéetenesse for that thy comming flieth from al impuritie Forgiue me that thing also mercifully and graunt me pardon so often as I thinke vpon any thing else beside thée in praiers For to confesse the truth I am woont very much to be distracted and many times am not there wherewith my body I doe stand or sit but rather there vnto which I am caryed with my thoughts There I say I am wher my thought is where my thought manye times resteth there is that which I doe loue And that which either delighteth me naturally or liketh me by the means of custome the same doth soone come vnto my mind For this cause thou O truth hast plainely saide Where thy treasure is there is thy heart also If I loue Heauen I ponder heauenly things willingly But if I loue the worlde I reioyce in the behalfe of the worlds prosperitie am sory for the aduersities of the same If I loue the flesh I imagine fleshly things many times but if I loue the spirite it delighteth me to thynke vppon spirituall thinges For what thing soeuer I doe loue I doe both speake and heare of the same gladlye and doe carye the Images or representacyons of the same home with me in my head Surely he is blessed O Lord which for thy sake doth let passe all worldly things doth vse violence or compulsion to his own body and doth crucifie the desires of the fleshe with the heate of the spyrite to the intent that his conscience beyng quieted he may offer vnto thee pure or cleane praiers and may be méete to liue in the company of Aungels all earthly things being excluded both without and within Of the desire of life euerlasting how great good things are promised to thē that fight The Liiij Chapter LORDE SOnne séeing thou féelest a desire of euerlasting blessednesse to be poured into thée from aboue doest couet to depart out of the tabernacle of the bodye that thou maiest behold my brightnesse without shadow of alteration Open thy minde receiue this holye inspiration of mine most gréedily Giue excéeding great thanks to the almighty goodnesse which doth deale so lyberallye wyth thée doth come to sée thée so mercifully doth stirre thée vp so vehemently doth ease or comforte thée so mightily least thou shouldest fall downe vnto earthlye thinges through thine owne waight pronesse For thou shalt not attaine thervnto through thine owne musing or endeuoring but by the onely vouchsafing of supernall grace and of Gods countenaunce to the intent that thou mayest come forward aswell in other vertues as especially in modesty or lowlinesse and mayest prepare thy selfe to the bickerings to come maiest endeuor to cleaue fast vnto me with al the whole strength of thy soule and mayest serue me wyth an earnest and ardent will. Sonne the fire many tymes burneth but smoke is alwaies the companiō of the flame Euen so some also doe burne wyth desire of heauenly things and yet are not frée from the temptacion of carnal affections and therfore they do not those things altogither for Gods glory onely to the bearing wherof they craue his helpe so desirously Such is thy desire many times also whose sinceritie notwythstanding thou pretendest to bée excéeding great Neyther is it little perfite which is infected with priuate commoditie Craue not for that which is pleasaunt profitable vnto thée but for that which is acceptable glorious vnto me For if thou iudge aright thou oughtest to preferre and folow my decrée and lawe both before thine owne desire and also before all things which are desired I knowe thy desire or lacke I haue hearde thy often sigthings Thou wouldest now be in that glorious libertie of the children of god The euerlastyng mansion the heauenly countrey that is full of ioye doth now delite thée but the howre is not yet come Nay the time is yet otherwyse to wéet of warre of labor of tryall Thou wishest to be replenished with the chiefest felicitie but thou mayst not yet attaine thervnto I am he saith the Lord whom thou oughtest to awayte for till the kingdome of God do come Thou must be searched yet vpon the earth and be exercised in many thinges In déede comfort shal be graunted thée somtime but full sacietie thereof shall not likewise be graunted Wherfore shew thy selfe constant valiant both in dooing and also in suffering things cōtrary vnto the flesh Thou must put vpon thée the newe man be changed into a nother man and thou must many times doe those things which thou wouldest not do and let
thy self the néerer thou shalt approche onto mée Lyke as to couet nothyng outwardly is the cause of inwarde peace euen so to forsake himself inwardelye doth ioyne a man vnto God I will haue thée to learne à perfite denial of thy self in my wil without any gaynesaying complaint Follow me I am the way the truth and the lyfe Without way there is no traueyling without truth the way is vnknowne without life we liue not I am the way by which thou must goe the truth which thou must beléeue the life which thou must hope for I am the ready way the truth neuer deceiuing the life without ende I am the most straight waye the highest truth the true life the blessed the increated or vnmade If thou wilt perseuere in my way thou shalt knowe the truth and the truth shall so deliuer thée that thou mayst attaine euerlasting life If thou wilt get life obay my commaundements If thou wilt follow the truth beléeue in me If thou wylt bée perfite sell all thinges If thou wilt be my Disciple denie thy selfe If thou wilt attaine to the blessed life despise the life present If thou wilt be exalted in Heauen thrust downe thy selfe vpon the earth If thou wilt raygne with me then be are my Crosse with me For the seruaunts of the Crosse onely doe find the way of blessednesse and true lyght SERVANT O Lorde Iesu Christ forasmuch as thy way is narrow and hatefull to the worlde make me with thée to despyse the worlde For the seruant is not greater then the Lorde nor the 〈◊〉 aboue his Mayster Let thy seruaunt be exercised in thy way séeing that my sauing health and true holinesse is there to be founde of me Beside that whatsoeuer I eyther reade or heare the same doth not fully refreshe or delight me LORDE Sonne séeing thou both hast read knowest al those things thou shalt be blessed if thou wilt practise and perfourme them Hée that both knoweth doth my commaundements the same loueth me and I will likewise loue him will open my selfe vnto him and will cause that he may sit wyth me in the kingdome of my father SERVANT Lorde bring to passe therefore that these thinges maye happen vnto mée which thou hast sayde and promysed I haue receyued a Crosse at thy handes I will paciently beare the same euen to the very death according as thou haste enioyned vnto mée Surely the lyfe of the Chrystian man is a Crosse but by this waye men go into Paradise We may not go backe againe or leaue off our enterprise To it nowe chéerefully Brethren let vs go on togither Iesus wyll bée present wyth vs For Iesus sake haue we taken vp this crosse For Iesus sake let vs perseuer and continue in the crosse The same Iesus shall be our helper which is both our guide and leader and goeth also before vs Beholde oure Kyng which shall fight for vs doth goe before vs Let vs follow like men Let no man be striken with feare let vs be readye manfullye to dye in battayle and let vs not staine our glorie by running away backe agayne from the Crosse. That man be not ouermuch discouraged if at any time he haue fallen into any offense The Lxij Chapter LORDE SOnne pacience and humblenesse of mind in aduersitie doth more please mée then much cōfort and godlinesse in prosperitie Why art thou vexed wyth so small a thing spoken against thée which though it were greater yet oughtest thou not to be mooued to impacience Passe not vpon this thing it is neyther first nor strang nor it shal not be last if thou liue longer Thou art man like inough so long as no aduersity doth come against thée yea thou canst giue good counsel to other and canst tel how to confirm chéere them vp with thy words but when sodaine calamitie is at thy doore then art thou destitute of counsel strength Consider how great thy frailtie is which thou makest profe of many times in smal and trifling matters Howbeit both these things al other like vnto these doe make for thy saluation Cast these things out of thy minde accordyng as thou knowest thou must do But if they nippe thée endeuor that they either cast thée not downe or do long time kéepe thée troubled and if thou canst not take them ioyfully at the least wise beare thē paciently But if thou heare such things vnwillingly and doest féele indignation in thy selfe represse and kéepe in thy selfe and suffer nothing once to come one of thy mouth wherby the litle ones should bée offended By thys meanes shall it be brought to passe that both this affection may be forthwith setled and the gréese of the minde waxe swéete the fauor of God returning to thée againe I am yet aliue saith the Lord ready to helpe thée to comfort thée more then I was woont if puttyng thy trust in me thou wilt cal vpon me deuoutly Be of a more pacient minde prepare thy selfe to greater sufferaunce Thou must not therefore be discouraged if thou sée thy self to be oftentimes afflicted and grieuously tempted Thou art a man and not a God Thou art flesh thou art no Angell Mayest thou be able alwayes to abyde still in one state of vertue when the same hath béene wanting both to the Aungel in heauen and to the first man in Paradise as the which did not long remayne in perfite case I am he that will both raise vp the mourners vnto health will lift vp vnto my dignitie those men that doe acknowledge their owne infirmity SERVANT Lord I giue thée thankes for thy sayings which to me are more swéete thā honie and the hony combe What could I doe in so great calamities and anguishes vnlesse thou didst strengthen me with this thy holy talk So that I may at the last come vnto the hauē of saluation what matter maketh it what and how great things I do suffer Giue me a good ende graunt me a happye departure out of this life be mindefull of me O my God and directe or setle me in the straight way of thy kingdome Amen Of leauing the deeper things the hid iudgements of God vnsearched The Lxiij Chapter LORDE SOnne beware thou doe not dispute about highe matters and the hidde or secret iudgements of God why this man is thus forsaken left to himselfe that other man is increased with so great fauour this man so much tormēted that man so highly aduanced These things do surmout mans capacity neither is any reason of disputacion full ynough to search out the bottome of gods meaning purpose Therefore if at any time the enimy do minister these things vnto thée or else some curious persons aske thée the question make answere with that saying of the Prophet Thou art iust O Lorde and thy iudgement is right And likewise that saying The iudgementes of the Lorde are true and agreeable to equitie My iudgementes must be
refuseth not to beare pacientlye suffer whatsoeuer it pleaseth God he shall and he taketh in very good part what so euer hath happened He knoweth that all thynges doe turne vnto good to such as be Godly and feare the lord He knoweth that those are reprooued corrected and chastised whome the Lorde loueth He knoweth that euery sonne is scourged of the Lord whome he receyueth He knoweth that he is touched with such vexations to the ende he shoulde repent amend that he shoulde make his inuocation prayer vnto God the more feruentlie that he should despise wordly things vtterly and trauaile to the heauenly things with the greater desires and sighes He knoweth that the Godly are tried with aduersitie as gold is with the fire and that the same is giuen of God as it were for a matter to kéepe his obedience in exercise He knoweth that the affliction that endureth but a moment and is but light doth worke in vs a glory that is euerlasting and more heauy than al poise or weight as the Apostle saith that the troubles of this present worlde are not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall be reuealed towarde vs Therefore he reioyceth euen in the middest of his calamities and afflictions he acknowledgeth the goodnesse of God being mery and chearefull he giueth the Lorde thanks for all things Euen thus forsooth Paule the blessed Apostle of God reioiceth alwaies in the Lord in so many vexations trauailes aduersities so many miseries so huge euilles as he paciently beareth for the Gospels sake Euen vnto this time sayth he we are both a hungry a thirst and are naked and are beaten or buffeted with fistes and doe go vp and down without any certaine dwelling place doe labour working with our owne hands being reuiled yet we blesse being euill spoken of yet wee praye wee are become as one woulde saye the excrements of the worlde being the refuse of all things euen vnto this daye The same Paule saith Now I reioyce ouer my afflictions for you and I supply that which was wanting of Christes afflictions in mine owne fleshe The Apostle also in another place doth declare this same ioy of his Blessed saith he be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of mercies and God of al cōfort cōforting vs in al our affliction to the intent that we may cōfort them that are in any kind of affliction through the comfort wherwith God doth comfort vs c. To this purpose maketh that place As it were sorrowing yet alwayes reioycing as it were poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges And againe I was filled with comfort I am full and abound excedingly with ioy in al our afflictiō The same Paule writing to the Thessalonians sayth You also haue become followers of vs and of the Lorde receyuing the worde with much affliction with ioy of the holy ghost in so much as ye haue beene an example to all the beleeuers in Macedonia Achaia Séest thou here how with the affliction of the Thessalonians he knitteth the spirituall gladnesse of the same And to this belongeth that which is in the Epistle to the Hebrues whereas it doth testifie that the beléeuers at Hierusalem did heare tell of the spoyle of their goods with ioy or gladnes And now how great cherefulnesse how great gladnesse how great boasting in the Lord do we take at Paules wordes whilest he reckeneth vp his trauailes stripes prisonments stonings shipwrackes watchinges hunger thirst colde nakednesse finallye infinite perilles often deathes And whiles at the ende he addeth Wherefore I please my selfe sayth he in infirmities in reprochful words in necessities in persecutions in anxieties for christ For when I am weake then am I strong Likewise our Sauiour Christ himselfe also biddeth them to reioyce and excéedingly to be gladde whosoeuer for the Gospels sake and for the confessing of his name are afflicted And why so I praye you Bicause sayth hee your rewarde is plenteous in heauen Herevpon also Apostles being beaten the as it is in s. Luke in the Actes what doe they They went quoth he reioycing frō the sight of the counsayle for that they were accounted worthy to suffer Contumelie for the name of Iesu. Hence commeth that excéeding great triumph of the Martyrs in their extréeme passions and torments which was not a token of any desperate fiercenesse in the minde or lacke of féele in the bodye but of the vertue and power of Christ dwelling wythin them as Paule speaketh it Howbeit some man will saye it is a swéete thing and full of comfort to suffer for Christ his sake so that a man may well haue cause to reioice at such a tyme But what Is it possible for any man to reioyce in these calamities and miseries which doe happen to vs for some other cause To answere the matter briefly and in few words The very true christiā man in the common vsual troubles of this life in sorowe sickenesse weakenesse of the bodye in banishment néede pouerty mourning losse of children losse of dignity in the perils trauailes of all sortes mens wronges infortunate successe in counsales losses and detriments of thyngs if wée wyll iudge thereof aright doth alwaye reioyce in the Lorde and that sincerely without doubt and euen from the very bottome of his heart For when he knoweth for certayntie by thé doctrine of the Gospell that God is fauourable well pleased with him for Christes sake when he knoweth that his sinnes be forgiuen him through Christ when he knoweth that he is reconciled vnto God adopted or chosen to be the sonne of God and that the inheritance of life euerlasting is promised him with this same onely thing he is in such wise delighted and hereof taketh so much most true pleasantnesse so much ioy and gladnesse that whatsoeuer calamitie doth happē in this life it is quickly ouerwhelmed with the excéeding greatnesse of this same ioy and doth scarslye séeme to be any thing at all in so much that if the worlde being dissolued might fall vpon him as a certayne Poet writeth yet shoulde the weight of it slaye him being no whit afearde therof For so far it is from the Christen or godly man to feare to quake or tremble and abhorre euen death it selfe or not to reioyce thereat as oft as it comes to remembraunce that rather he wisheth for it with all his hart which onely he is perswaded not to bée the end of lyfe but the beginning of euerlasting blisse not continuall destruction but a short passage out of this worlde vnto the father Therefore he desireth both to be dissolued with the Apostle and with Simeon to bée dimissed in peace So excéeding great is the ioy in the heart of the godly man through the knowledge of God and of hys sonne Iesu christ Hath he by some mishap lost his goods or children He cryeth with Iob The Lorde hath giuen
swéetely solace themselues with most pleasant thoughts and thinke themselues present among the companies of angels farre otherwyse than the world thinketh of them Their cogitacions are alwayes busied in the misterie of mans redemption in that Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world in the forgiuenesse of sins reuealed and promised by almightie God for the deliuerer to come in that séede of the woman dreading downe the head of the serpent in the séed of Abraham which is Christ as the apostle saith in that Prophet of whom Moses maketh mention in Deuteron briefly in our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ promised vnto the fathers alreadie giuen vnto vs that is in him onely to whome all the Prophetes doe beare witnes that who so euer doth put trust of his saluatiō in him shal obtain forgiuenesse of sins by his name who came into the world to saue sinners to séeke out saue that which was lost to giue his life for the redemption of many who was sent to bring the glad wished message or Gospel vnto the poore afflicted to heale the contrite of hart to preach deliueraunce to the captiue to comfort them that mourne to deliuer the oppressed who in fine is our aduocate with the father our enterpretour and pacifier betwéene God and men the throne of grace the high bishop the greatest priest to make intercession cōtinually for vs the propitiacion for the sinnes of the world our hope lyfe righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The cōsideration of these things abandoneth heauynesse out of the mindes of the Godly and maketh them to reioyce at all tymes more than one woulde beléeue And now howe great gladnesse doe they at large enioy whiles they set before theyr eyes the holy Catholyke apostolyke right beléeuing true Christian Church or cōgreation whiles they remember that communion or felowship of saints which being euen from the very beginning of the worlde after the promise giuen touching the Messias or Sauiour to come doth continue on still euen to this daye spreade first abroade in the fathers and Prophetes afterwards in the Apostles and Martyrs then by and dyuers degrées orders of Christians professing all one faith displayed throughout the whole worlde Whyles they waye and consider that Christ the sonne of God our Lorde and Redéemer doth rule this same spouse or congregation of his with his worde and Gospell doth helpe it with the holy Ghost defende and maintaine it continually against the Deuill whiles they plesantly and swéetely remember that they are adioyned vnto this fellowship of the Godly true Christian congregation by fayth wyll meaning inuocation prayer and by confession which hath the sonne of God for heade principall Aungels for defenders the holye Ghost for a sanctifier the godly and chosen of all ages for companions I say whiles they remember that they are the members of the people of God and mysticall bodye whose chiefe captaine is Christ Whiles they occupie their heades about thinking vppon that most blessed familiarity in time to come with all the Saintes in the kingdome of Heauen vnto the which they trauaile and labour tooth and nayle with excéeding great desire Therfore howe great ioye thinkest thou that they haue large fruition of whiles they are fixed vpon these and such other cogitacions And surely it behooued Christians alwayes to occupie their mindes about such things and being as it were astonied with the consider atiō of them to brast out into the prayses of God into Psalmes and Hymmes into spirituall songs singing and making melodie in theyr harts vnto the Lord giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth And bycause the Godly doe this contynually what woonder is it if they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde And what then is there that can euer make heauy and sad can trouble or faare one that in such wise reioyceth Is it the breache of the lawe But the Apostle doth comfort vs Christ sayth he hath he redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe becomming himselfe a curse for vs. Is it sinne But S. Iohn doth comfort vs If anye man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate wyth the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiacion for our sinnes Is it death The Godly wote full well that it is the gate of life euerlasting a certaine passage out to thys worlde vnto the Father Is it the wrath and the iudgement of God But we are reconcyled vnto God through Christ as Paule sayth Is it Satan Christ hath conquered him already and hath triumphed ouer him being conquered as sayth the same Paule Is it hell fire and the tormentos of hell Nay Christ when he had ouercome hell dyd open a waye vnto Heauen to the Godly And in the Prophet Osea the Lorde sayth I wil be thy death O death I wil be thy destruction O hell Likewise Dauid also in his Psalmes doth testifie that Christ did leade Captiuitie captiue when he ascended into heauen that is as much to say did as a man woulde saye leade the enymies of mankinde prisoners in hys shewe of Triumph the deuill I meane sinne death hell Briefly in all terrours and temptacions of Sathan in all heauinesse in the most sorrowfull cogitacions many tymes of death of the last iudgement of the iudgement seate of the Lorde among the other comfortes of the holy Ghost the godly doe chiefely stay themselues with the wordes of the Apostles Créede I beleeue say they the Communion or fellowship of Saints the remission of sinnes the resurrection of this fleshe and the life euerlasting They leaning vpon this fayth chasing all feare and heauinesse from them if that the deuill doe minister any doe reioyce alwayes in the Lorde Howbeit some man will here obiect that considering they are men it can not be otherwyse chosen but that they should be troubled with passions mourne and be sorowfull oftentimes For they can not lay the nature of mankinde from them renounce as it were the féele of flesh and bloude which all men haue in them I graunt that the godly are distressed with heauinesse many a time and oft and that their minds are sometimes troubled and mazed and that it can not bée otherwise in these tumults of worldly affaires Howbeit the same doe foorthwith come to themselues againe and disquietnesse of mind being setled or appeased they so facion themselues in Gods regard and prouident care toward them that with ioy they take all things very quietly and reioyce in their afflictions reposing themselues in thapprooued loue of God towarde them doe conceyue such gladnesse and pleasure in their minds therof that the same sorrow of theirs is soone ouerwhelmed withall if happily these outwarde things as commonly it comes to passe haue caused any in them For like as a very little sparkle falling into a great riuer is forthwith quenched and come to nothing euen so whatsoeuer euill
thy selfe in wordes in déedes and in thoughtes for in these thinges perhaps thou hast oftentymes offended both God and the Worlde Arme thy selfe against the wickednesse of the deuill as becommeth a stoute fellowe Brydle thy gluttonous appetite and so shalt thou brydle all desire of the flesh the better Be neuer altogither ydle but alwaies either reade or wryte praye or thinke or doe somethyng to the common profite Wée must haue respect in vsing of the exercises and tamings of the body neither are they to be practised of al men alike They ought not to be done abrode which are not common For things priuate are exercised with more safetie at home Neuerthelesse thou must beware least thou bée slowe in things that be to be done abroade more ready to thy priuate things but rather hauing done thy duetie and vocation if there be any further leysure restore thy selfe home according as thy professiō in godlinesse doth require All men cannot haue one kinde of exercise but diuers exercises be conuenient for diuers persons Againe diuers exercises doe please according to the diuersitie of times as that some shoulde more like on the holidaiest and some other againe on the working daies Some wée haue néede of at the time of oure spirituall sight some againe in the tyme of our peace and rest It doth vs good to thynke vpon some thinges whilest we are in heauinesse And some other thinges it liketh vs to occupie our mindes vpon whilst we are ioyfull in the Lorde Good exercises are to be renued oftentimes especially vppon the holye daies as though at that time we were departing out of this life and going to the euerlasting holydaies Therefore ought we at that time to prepare our selues with carefulnesse and to shewe our selues more Godly and to doe Gods commaundements more straightly as men that shall receyue rewarde of our traueyle at Gods hande ere it be long But if our departure be deferred let vs beléeue that wée are not well prepared and that wée are yet vnworthie of so great glorie that is to be giuen vnto vs at the certaine and appoynted time let vs endeuour to prepare our selues more diligently to our ende Blessed is that seruaunt sayth Luke the Euangelist whome the Lorde at his comming shall finde watching Knowe yée this for a certaintie that hée shall be made chiefe ouer all his goodes Of the loue of solitarinesse and silence The .xx. Chapter SEke for an apt and conuenient time to be at leysure and think oftentimes vppon Gods benefites and letting passe curious things be oftentimes reading of such matters as the minde may rather be pricked or stirred vp withall than occupyed For if thou shalt withdraw thy selfe from superfluous cōmunication and from ydle gaddings about also from hearing of straunge things and rumors thou shalt finde both leysure sufficient and also conuenient ynough for the exercising of good thoughts Euen so the godlyest sort did shun the conuersation of the worlde when they might conueniently and did desire rather to lyue seperatelye or apart vnto god A certaine man sayd As oft as I haue beene among men I haue returned home a man lesse than I was before For wée haue proofe of this thing manye times when we babble togither anye long time It is an easier matter altogither to hold ones peace than not to passe a measure in his wordes It is an easier matter to kéepe at home closely than to kéepe him vprightlye abroade from sinning Therefore who so striueth to come to inwarde and spirituall things he must decline from prease and multitude with Christ Iesus No man commeth abroade safely but he which kéepeth at home willingly No man ruleth safely but he which is subiect willinglye No man commaundeth safely but hée which hath learned to obey gladly No man reioyceth safely but he which hath the testimonye of a good conscience No man speaketh safelye but he which kéepeth silence gladly Neuerthelesse the securitie and quietnesse of the vertuous hath alwayes béene full of the feare of God neither haue they béene the lesse carefull and humble of spirite although they did excell in great vertues heauenlye gifts But the securitie of the wicked doth come of pride and hawtinesse and at length is turned to the deceyuing of themselues Neuer promise vnto thy selfe safety in all things whilst thou liuest in this worlde though thou séeme godly and a despiser of worldly things Many times hath it happened that they haue bene in great daunger for their ouermuch confidence and presumption which by the iudgement of the worlde were counted better than other men By which it is brought to passe that for many it is more profitable not wholly to bée void of temptacions but often to be tempted least perhaps they being to carelesse should be puffed vp with pride or least thereby they shoulde run the more licenciously to outward comforts But if a man woulde neuer séeke ioye at the worlde if he woulde neuer make nor meddle with the worlde Good LORD how vnspotted a conscience shoulde he euermore retaine and kéepe If a man would cut off all vaine carefulnesse and thinke only vpon soule health and heauenly matters put his whole trust in God onely O Lorde how great peace and quietnesse shoulde the same partie enioy No man is worthie of heauenlye comfort but he which shall exercise hymselfe diligently in the godly taming of hymselfe which taming of thy selfe if thou wouldest come vnto get into thy Chamber and shut out the tumults or stirres of the worlde like as it is written Fonder ye vppon these thinges in your Chambers closely and secretlye Thou shalte manye tymes fynde in thy Cell or Closet that which thou shalt forgoe abrode Thy Cell being continually frequented wareth swéete the same againe being negligently vsed is cause of tediousnesse But if at the beginning of the amendment of lyfe thou shalt rightlye frequent the same and shalt kéepe thy selfe therein at length it wyll fall out that nothing shall be more pleasaunt vnto thée nothing more full of comfort In silence and quietnesse doth the Godly soule goe forwarde and doth learne the mysteries of the Scriptures In them he findeth whole fluds of teares with the which he may euery night washe and make cleane himselfe to become so much the more familiar to hys Creator the farther of he liueth from all carefulnesse of the worlde Therefore that person that withdraweth himselfe from his acquaintance and friendes is resorted vnto of God himselfe and of his holy Aungels It is better to liue closely and to haue regarde vnto a mans owne saluation than with the cōtempt of himself euen to worke miracles Laudable it is to the godly person seldome to go abrode to flie to be séene to bée vnwillyng also to sée other menne Why desirest thou to sée that which is not lawfull for thée to haue and enioye The worlde perisheth and the desire thereof the lastes of pleasure doe allure to
but fewe followe him to drinke of the Cup of his passion Manye men worship his miracles but fewe doe followe the Ignominy of his Crosse. Many doe loue Iesus so long as aduersitie doth not happen vnto them Many doe prayse the same Iesus and giue him thankes so long as they receyue some comfort at his handes If the same Iesus doe hide himselfe from them and forsake them a litle while they fall either into complaynts and moanings or else into ouermuch dispayre of soule But they which loue Iesus for Iesus owne sake and not for any comfort that they receyue of him the same doe magnifie and prayse him as wel in the calamities and anguishes of the mind as in their greatest comfortes readie to doe no lesse although he should denie and barre them of all comfort for euermore So much is the méere loue of Iesus able to do being blended with no priuate commoditie or loue of hymselfe Therefore they are to be called hirelings which doe euermore séeke after comforts Plaine it is that they are rather louers of themselues than of Christ which doe alwayes ponder theyr owne commodities and gaine How many are there of a great number that will serue God fréely and without al respectes or which are so spirituall that they are left bare and destytute of all worldelye thyngs I say againe who can fynde one poore in spirite naked of all worldly things and that precious fellow that must be fetched from the furthermost coastes of the worlde Though a man doe bestowe all hys goodes he hath yet done nothing and though he chastise himselfe with a streight and earnest repentaunce of hys sinnes yet is it but a small matter and though he vnderstand all knowledge he is yet a great way off and though he be indued with singular vertue and most earnest zeale of religion he hath as yet a gret deale lacking namely this one which is marueylous necessary for him But what is that I praye you Namely that forsaking al other things he forsake himselfe to and departyng wholy out of himselfe doe keepe still no pryuate or selfe loue When hée hath done all things that he knoweth shoulde be done let him thinke that he hath done nothing and let him not estéeme it much that he may be counted great but let him pronounce himselfe an vnprofitable seruaunt in déede like as the truth saith When you haue done all thinges which are commaunded you yet say you thus we are vnprofitable seruaunts Then shall he at the length be néedie and naked in soule shall be able to say with that Prophet Solitarie and needie am I. And yet is no man richer then hée no man more frée no man more mightie which both knoweth how to forsake himselfe and all other thinges and to debase himselfe to the verie basest things Of bearing of Christ his Crosse. The .xij. Chapter THis séemeth a harde saying to manye men Denie thy selfe take vp thy Crosse and followe Iesus But much more harde is that saying in the latter daye Get you hence ye curssed into fire euerlasting For they which now willingly heare and follow the saying of the Crosse the same then shall not feare that heauy sentence of euerlasting damnation And this signe of the Crosse shall be in heauen when the Lord shall come to iudge the worlde Then all the seruants of the Crosse which haue led a life agréeable vnto Christ that was nailed vpon the crosse shal come vnto Christ the iudge with great fayth and trust Why then doubtest thou to take vp thy Crosse by the which thou goest to a kingdome Saluacion is in the Crosse In the Crosse is life In the Crosse is ayde against thyne enymies there is infusion of supernaturall pleasure in the crosse there is strength of mynde in the Crosse there is ioye of spirite in the Crosse in the Crosse there is excéeding vertue in the Crosse there is perfection of Godlinesse To bée short without the Crosse there is neyther health of soule nor yet hope of euerlasting life Therfore take vp thy Crosse and follow Iesus and thou shalt go into life euerlasting He went forth beareing his Crosse and died vpon a crosse for thy sake that thou mightest beare a Crosse also and couet to die vpon the Crosse. For if thou shalt die togither with him thou shalt also liue togither with him and if thou shalt be a companion of his passion thou shalt also be a companion of his glory For that thou maiest vnderstande thus much al things doe consist in the Crosse in dying neither is there any other waye vnto life and true peace of soule than the way of the Crosse and of daily mortifing thy selfe Whither soeuer thou tourne thy selfe on which side soeuer thou cast thine eyes thou shalt find no way any where aboue or beneath neither more high or more safe then is the way of the Crosse. Although thou order and fashion al things according to thine owne wyll and iudgement yet shall it not bée possible but that thou must euermore suffer somethyng eyther willinglye or against thy will and alwayes incurre the Crosse. For eyther thou shalt féele paine of bodye or bée tormented wyth griefe of minde Sometime thou shalt be forsaken of GOD sometyme thou shalt be exercised of an other man and which is more gryeuous thou shalt be tedyous and yrkesome vnto thine owne selfe many times and that so farre that thou mayest be deliuered by no remedie or comfort but that thou must pacientlye beare the same so long as it is Gods will and pleasure that it shall so be For God will haue thée learne to suffer miserie without comfort and to submit thy selfe wholy vnto him that thou mayest become the more modest in calamitie No man féeleth the passiō of Christ so much in his hart as he vnto whome it chaunceth to suffer the like thinges Therefore the Crosse is alwayes ready tarieth for thée euery where neyther canst thou escape it whether soeuer thou runne For whether soeuer thou go thou caryest thy selfe with thée and shalt alwayes finde thy selfe Turne thy selfe vpward turne thy selfe downeward turne thy self outward turne thy selfe inwarde thou shalt finde the Crosse any maner of way and necessary it is that at all times thou keepe pacience if thou wilt enioy peace of minde and obtaine a perpetuall Crowne If thou wilt wyllinglye beare the Crosse the same shall likewyse beare and stay thée and shal bryng thée to the desired ende namely whereas there shall be an ende of suffering which ende vndoubtedly shall not be in this life If thou shalt beare it against thy wyll thou shalte cause a burthen vnto thy selfe and shalte agréeue and waye down thy selfe the more and yet must néedes beare it for all that If thou shalt cast awaye one Crosse thou shalt surely incurre another and the same perhaps more heauy Dost thou hope that thou shalt escape that which no man liuing could euer decline or turne from
marke that we shoote at The .x. Chapter LORDE SOnne I must be thy highest fardest ende if thou desire to be blessed and happy By this intent of thine shall thy witte bée purged being wickedly prone many times to it selfe also to the creatures For as soone as in any thing thou studiest for thine owne commodity thou fallest and wytherest as dry by and by in thy selfe Therefore thou must referre and direct all thinges to mée onely bicause I haue giuen al things and thou knowest that euery thing doth flowe from me as from the highest and most principall goodnesse and that therefore they are to be reduced vnto me againe as to their own fountaynē and spring As well the small as the great as well the riche as the poore doe draw liuely water out of me as out of a liuely fountaine and they which serue me of their owne accord and after a frée and honest sort shall be laden with benefites vpon benefites But if any will glory out of me or be delighted with any priuate goodnesse the same shall not obtaine parpetuall true ioye with gladnesse of heart but shall incurre diuers incommodities and anguishes of minde Therefore oughtest thou to ascribe and impute no goodnesse nor no vertue eyther to thy selfe or to any man liuing but to acknowledge althings for Gods benefites without whom man hath nothing It is I that haue giuen all thing it is euen I also that doe chalenge all things vnto my selfe by good right and with great seueritie doe require giuing of thanks This is the truth by which the vanity of mans glory is chased away And who so shall be indued with heauenly fauour true loue the same shall neither be attached with enuie nor discouraged in hart nor shall be holden with the loue of himself For Gods loue ouercommeth al things and displayeth or spreadeth abroad all the powers of the soule Nowe if thou bée rightly wise thou shalt reioyce in me onely thou shalt put thy trust in mée onely according as GOD onely is good to bée praysed aboue all thinges and to be magnified in all things That it is a sweete thing to serue God and to despise the worlde The .xi. Chapter SERVAVNT NOwe will I speake againe O Lorde will not kéepe silence and will speake after this sorte in the eares both of my God my Lorde and my king inhabiting the high heauen O how great is that pleasure O Lord which thou hast reposed or layed vp for them that feare thée not onely for them that loue thée but also for them that serue thée with their whole heart The swéetenesse of the beholding of thée is certainelye vnspeakable which thou giuest vnto thy Louers and in that point hast thou specially shewed forth the swéetnesse of thy loue that when I had no being thou then diddest make me and afterwarde when I went far astray from thée diddest bring me againe into the waye that I might serue thée and didst giue me in commaundement to loue thée O fountaine of continuall loue what may I say to thée or how may I forget thée which hast vouchsafed to remember me which contrary to all hope hast vied mercy toward me thine owne and after that I was corrupted and perished and hast wonne my heart vnto thée with thy fauor friendship when I did sée no plesure at all For which liberalitie of thine what thanks shal I render vnto thée againe I will euen serue thée But what great matter is it to serue thée whome the whole worlde ought to serue That rather séemeth great and woonderfull in thy sight that thou vouchsafest to admit and take into thy seruice so néedie so vnworthy a person and to choose him into the number of thy beloued seruants Beholde all things are thine whatsoeuer I haue or possesse and by which I doe thée seruice But howe is this that thou doest more serue mée than I doe serue thée Sée the heauen and the earth which thou hast made for mans commodities are at hande and doe euery daye whatsoeuer thou cōmandest them to doe Nay thou hast made and ordained the Aungels also for mans vses But the verye greatest matter of all is that thou thy selfe hast vouchsafed to serue man and hast promised that thou wilt giue thine owne selfe vnto him For which thy infinite benefites what thanke shall I yéelde thée againe I praye GOD I maye bée able to serue thée in all my life long I praye God I may be such a one as may serue thée but euen one day as I ought to doe Thou in déede art worthye of al seruice of all honor and euerlasting praise Thou in déede art my Lorde and I am thy simple seruant which am bound to serue thée wyth all my strength and neuer to be filled or satisfied wyth thy praises And surely so I will so I doe desire and whatsoeuer is wanting vnto me doe thou vouchsafe to supplye it Great honor great glory it is to serue thée and to despise al things for thy sake For they shall carie with them great rewarde that of their owne accorde haue put themselues in subiection vnto this most holy seruice shall finde the most pleasant comfort of the holye Ghost that haue renounced and cast awaye worldely pleasures for thy loue sake Great libertie of soule shall they attaine vnto that entring into the straight or narrow way for thy name sake haue contemned all worldely carkes and cares O acceptable and pleasant seruice of god by the which man is made frée and holy in déede O sacred state of Godlye seruice which maketh man equall to Angels accepted of GOD terrible to Deuils and commended of all faithfull O seruice to bée imbraced and alwayes to be wished for by which both the chiefest felicitie is procured and ioy gotten euerlastingly That the desires of the minde are to be examined and ordered The .xij. Chapter LORDE SOnne there yet remayne a great many thinges that thou must learne SERVANT What be those Lorde LORDE That thou submit thy desire altogither to my will and pleasure and be not now a louer of thy selfe but one coueting to doe as I will and commaunde Desires doe kindle thée oftentimes vehemently inforce ordriue thée In this case consider thou whether thou be mooued with my honor or stirred rather with thine owne commoditie For if thou couet ought for my sake thou wilt take in good woorth whatsoeuer I shall determine but if there lie hid any desire of priuate gaine euen the very same it is that doth hinder and way thée downe Therfore beware that thou rest not to much vpon thy conceiued desire without asking counsell of me least perhappes it repent thée afterwardes and that doe then displease thée which at the first did like thée and which thou diddest séeke after as the very best thing For neither euery affection that séemeth good is by and by to be followed nor yet the
with thy iudgements doest shake all my lims with feare trembling doest out of measure terrifie my hart This doe I ponder vpon amazedly that the very Heauens are not cleane in thy sight And if thou haue founde sinne in the very aungels themselues hast not spared them what shal then become of me If the Starres themselues haue fallen from heauen what may I being dust hope for They haue fallen down to the lowest places whose works did séeme laudable and praise worthy and they that did eate the bread of Aungels those sawe I to be delighted with Hogs meate and draffe Therefore Lorde there is no holinesse if thou once plucke backe thy hande No wisedome preuaileth if thou cease to gouerne No strength helpeth if thou leauest to kéepe and preserue No chastitie is in safetie vnlesse thou defende it No kéeping of a mans selfe doth profite vnlesse thy holye watching go withall For being once forsaken we are drowned and doe perysh and when thou doest take care ouer vs then we liue erected and lyfted vp We are in our owne respect but vnconstant Of thée we be confirmed and strengthned we are but warme of our selues of thée we are kindled Surely I must thinke of my selfe most humbly and basely must altogither way my selfe at nothing if that I séeme to haue any goodnesse in me I say again that I ought to submit my selfe most lowlye vnto those thy vnsearchable iudgments wherin I find that I am nought else but nothing of nothing O waight without mesure O sea that cannot be passed thorow wherein I finde my self to be nothing but altogither of nothing Where is then the couert of glory Where is then the confidence of glorie for the which thou hast bargayned Al vaine glory is swallowed vp in the gulfe of thy iudgements that thou hast of me What are all mortal men in thy sight Clay may boast it selfe against the Potter belike Can he ware prowd with vaine praises whose mind is subiect vnto god in the truth No though the whole worlde doe extol him after that the truth hath once made him subiect vnto it I say he shal be mooued with no bodies prayses that hath fixed his whole hope in god For euen al they that do speake are but nothing and shall fade away with the sounde of their owne wordes But the truth of the Lorde abideth for euer How we must be minded and what we ought to saye in such things as we desire to haue The .xvi. Chapter LORDE SOnne thus must thou saye in all thinges Lorde if it shall please thee let it bee euen so Lord if this shal be to thine honour bee it done in thy name Lorde if thou see that this shall be expedient and profitable for me bring it to passe that I maye vse it to thine honour but in case thou know that it shall not be for the health of my soule but hurtfull therevnto take this desire from me For euery desire is not of the holye spirite although it séeme right and good vnto man but harde it is to iudge whether a good or a wicked spirite doe enforce thée to couet after this or that or whether thou bée mooued rather within thine owne spirite Many men haue béene deceyued at the last which dyd séeme to be stirred at the first with a good spirit Therefore we must alwayes couet with the feare of God lowlinesse of mind whatsoeuer commeth into our heads by occasion to wishe for and the whole matter must bée committed to God with vnfained chiding of our selues and thus must we say Lord thou knowest whether of both is more expediēt for me do thou whether of both thou wilt thy self Giue me that thou wilt and as much as thou wilt and at what time thou wilt Deale with me as thou knowest it méete for me to be delt with al and as it liketh thée and as the thing may procure greatest glorie vnto thée Place me there where thou wilt deale fréely with me in al things I am in thy hands turne me and tosse me euery way Beholde I thy seruant am prest vnto al things for as much as I desire to liue I pray God accordingly and perfitely not vnto my selfe but vnto thee Pryaers to performe Gods will. The .xvij. Chapter SERVANT GRaunt vnto me O most bountifull Iesu thy fauour which may be assistant vnto me may labour with me may continue wyth mée to the verye ende Graunt vnto me euermore to will and couet the thinges which are acceptable and deare vnto thée Let thy will be my wil and let my will away follow thine and iustly agrée with thine Let one willing one nilling be common vnto vs both in such wise that I maye will or nill nothing but that which thou wyllest or nillest Graunt me to die vnto al things that are in the worlde and to loue to be contemned and not knowne in this world for thy sake Graunt me aboue all my wishes to repose and rest my self in thée and to haue a quiet and contented minde Thou art the true peace of the heart Thou art the onely rest out of thée are al things difficult and vnquiet In this peace that is to say in thée onely being the chiefest and euerlasting goodnesse will I sléepe and take my rest That true comfort must be sought for in God onely The xviij Chapter WHatsoeuer comfort I can wish for or imagine the same doe I not looke for here in this world but in the world to come Now if I alone had euen all the comforts that are any where and coulde enioy all maner delicates and dainties certaine it is that the same could not long continue or endure Therfore O my soule thou canst not attaine full comfort be perfitely refreshed sauing onely in God the comforter of the néedie and the helper of the modest Looke a litle while O my soule looke a little while after Gods promise and then thou shalt attaine plentie of all good things in heauen Now if thou wilt somewhat inordinately couet these present things thou shalt léese the euerlasting and heauenly things Let temporall thinges be in vse and occupying but let the euerlasting things be in thy desire Thou canst not be filled with anye temporall good thing bycause thou wast not created to enioye the same Albeit thou haddest all good things that are created yet couldest thou not be blessed notwithstanding Nay thy felicitie consisteth in God the creator of all things I meane not such as is thought so and praised of the folish worldlings but such as the good faithfull Disciples of Christ doe looke after such as the spiritual and cleane of hart whose conuersation is in heauen do sometime foretaste in this life Vaine and short is all mans comfort blessed and true is that which is receyued inwardly from the truth The godly person both euery where cary Iesus Christ hys comforter about
some singuler things to some againe I appeare pleasantly in signes and figures to other I open my secrets with much light The saying or voyce of Bookes is all one which instructeth not all men alike But I am the teacher of the truth within the searcher of minds the vnderstander of thoughts the setter forward of déedes and the giuer of so much to euery man as I doe thinke right and reasonable Of not drawing outward things vnto a man The .xlix. Chapter LORDE SOnne thou must in manye things be ignorant and vnskilfull and accoūt thy selfe but for a dead man vpon the earth and for hym to whome the whole worlde is crucified For many things must be passed by with a deafe care those must be pondered and thought vpon which do belong vnto thy peace It is more profitable to turne thine eyes from those things which mislyke thée to let euery man haue his own saying than to follow contencious talking of words If thou agrée well with God and looke vpon his owne iudgement thou shalt beare it the bett 〈…〉 r to be ouercome in such things SERVANT O Lorde to what passe is it come Beholde a short dammage or losse is lamented men trauell and runne for a little gaine and scantly are able to come home againe at night but the spirituall losse is quite and cleane forgotten Men apply themselues to this that profiteth little or nothing at all negligently passe ouer that which is most necessarie of all So greatly both a man wholly wast his time about outward things vnlesse he spéedily repent doth willingly welter still in outward things That we must not beleeue all men that we soone fall and offende in wordes The L. Chapter HElpe me O Lorde in this calamitie For the ayde of men is surely but vaine How manye tymes haue I not founde faith there where I thought to haue had it And againe haue there found it where I would not haue looked for it So greatly is that hope in men and vaine and in thée only O God is the health of the iust standing We giue thée thanks O Lord God for all things which doe happen vnto vs weakelings vnstable which are soone deceyued and chaunged What is he that can behaue himselfe so warily circumspectly in all things that the same doth not somtime come into some snare and distresse But Lorde he that putteth his trust in thée and doth study to haue a simple minde he doth not offende so soone or if he do fall into any calamity with how great diffycultie and distresse soeuer he be wrapped and entangled he is either quickely deliuered frō it by thée or else strengthned with comfort bicause thou doest not forsake them at the last which haue their hope in thée Surely faithful friendes are rare such as will bide still by a man in al kind of aduersities thou O Lord thou onely art most faithfull in all things there is none like vnto thée O howe wise was that holy soule which saide My mind is confirmed hath his foundation in Christ. If it went so well with me worldely feare shoulde not so soone trouble me nor the darts of words moue me But who can foresée all things who can beware of euils that come after Nowe if things fore séene do yet oftentimes hurt one how much more gréeuously will things neuer thought on come néere vnto the heart But why haue I not better looked vnto my selfe siely wretch Or why haue I beléeued other men so soone Howbeit we are men and that frayle brittle though we be iudged called angels of many And whome shalt I beleeue Lord Whom but thée which art the selfe truth and neuer deceyuest nor canst be dececeyued For in déede all men are but liers weake vnstable fraile most of all in words so that it ought not forthwith to be beléeued rashly whatsoeuer pretendeth a colour shew of truth wherby it hapneth that thou wisely hast premonished to take héede of men that euery one of a mans houshold are his enimies and that we must not beléeue them that saye Here he is or there he is I am taught to my cost I praye God I be made the more warye therby not the more foolish Be wary saith one be wary and kéepe it close to your selfe that I tell you Afterward when I helde my tong and thought that the same was counsel he on the other side coulde not kéepe silence in that which he bade no words to be made off but forth with betraying both me himselfe went his wayes From such counterfaites vnwary persons deliuer me O Lord that I neuer fal into their hands or commit such follies Minister true and stedfast sayings vnto my mouth and put far from me a wyly and deceitfull tong For I ought altogither to beware that I do not the same to another man which I woulde not haue done vnto my selfe How good how quiet a thing is it to saye nothing of others and not to beléeue all things without any respect or readily to speak much and to vtter or open himselfe but to few alwayes to séeke for thée that knowest the minds not to be caried about with blast of wordes but to desire that all inwarde and outwarde things may be done according to thy pleasure and commaundement How safe is it to the kéeping still of the fauor of God to flie worldly brauery not to coueth those things which with their gay shewe are had in admiration but rather to folowe those things with all diligence which doe bring amendement of life zeale of godlinesse How many hath vertue known ouer hastily praised done hurt vnto Again how many hath so the same done good to being kept in silēce in this fraile life which is said to be nothing but tēptacion warfare Of putting thy trust in God if thou be assayled with the darts of euill tongues The Li. Chapter LORDE SOnne shewe thy selfe constant haue thy hope set in me For what are wordes but wordes which flying through the ayre doe not hurt a stone if thou bée guiltie or sinfull sée thou be willing to correct thy self If thou be guiltie of no sin endeuor to beare paciently slaūderous reports for Gods sake and at the leastwise beare words sometymes though thou canst not yet abyde the sharpenesse of strypes And why doé so small things mooue thy minde disquieted it but bicause thou art as yet carnall hast greater regarde of men then thou oughtest to haue For bicause thou fearest to be dispised thou wilt not be reprooued for thy faultes séekest for starting holes of excuses But looke somewhat narrowly vpon thy selfe and thou shalt well perceiue that the worlde is yet alyue in thée a vaine loue to please men For when thou refusest to be bored and shamed for thy faults thereby it is plaine
me thy rod doth teach me Behold most deare father I doe submit my selfe to the rod of thy correction Strike at my back and my necke that I may bow my naturall corruption vnder thy will Make me a godly modest scholer according as thou art woont rightly to do that I may alwaies be obedient to thée at a beck I commit my selfe all that I haue to thy correction séeing it is better to be corrected here nowe than hereafter in an other place Thou knowest all and euery thing and nothing is hid from thée in mans conscience Thou knowest the things to come before they be done neither is there any cause also why any man shoulde tell or admonish thée of the things that are done in the world Thou knowest what is profitable for me to come forewarde with how much aduersities do helpe or preuaile to wype away as it were the rust of sinnes Vse thy iudgement and pleasure towards me and despise me not for my wycked life which is better or more clearely knowen to no body Nay it is not knowen at al to any man but to thée onely Graunt me O Lorde to know those things that are to be knowen to loue those thinges that are to be loued to prayse those things that doe most of al please thée to take in hand those things which are precious in thy iudgemēt to dispraise those things which are vile in thy sight Suffer not me to iudge either with the sight of my outward eies or to giue sentence by the hearing of my vnskilful eares but with true iudgemēt to discerne both visible and spirituall things aboue al things to search out the pleasure of thy will euermore Mens senses are manye times deceiued in iudging of things The louers of this world also are deceiued in louing visible things onely Is a man so much the better as he is accounted the greater of men The deceitfull deceiueth the deceitfull the vaine the vaine the blind the blind the weak the weake whilst he extolleth or aduaunteth him and he doth him reproch in déede whilest hée vaynelye prayseth hym For looke how great euery man is in thy iudgement so great he is in déede and no greater as one ryghtly sayde That we must rest vpon base or course works when we depart from the highest works The Lvi Chapter LRODE SOnne thou caust not continue still in the most feruent desire of vertues in the highest degrée of beholding heauenly thyngs but that thou must néedes for originall corruption come downe sometime to the lower things beare also with wearinesse the burthen of this mortall life whether thou wilt or no. So long as thou shalt beare about a mortall body thou shalt féele the yrckesomnesse and waight of thy body Therefore thou must often sigh sorrowe in thy fleshe for the burthen of thy flesh bicause thou art not able without ceassing for a time to dwell stil vpon spirituall studies and heauenly contemplatiō In this case it is expedient for thée to flie vnto the base and outwarde workes and to recreate thy selfe in good déedes and to awayte with sure confidence and faith till I come frō aboue to visite thée and paciently to beare thy banishment and drynesse or dulnesse of mind til thou be visited of me againe and deliuered from all anguishes For I will make thée to forget thy labours and throughly to enioye inward rest I will open vnto thée the Field of the Scriptures that thou mayest begin to run through the way of my cōmaundements with a ioly chéerefull minde and mayest say thus The calamities of this worlde are not to be compared with the glory to come that shal be giuen vnto vs. That man ought to thinke himself worthy not of comfort but of stripes The Lvij. Chapter SERVANT LOrd I am not worthy of comfort or of any spirituall care of thine therefore thou declarest thy self but righteous vnto me whilst thou forsakest me being helpelesse and voyd of comfort For though I shoulde poure foorth a whole sea of teares yet should I not be therfore worthy of thy comfort Nay rather I am worthy of naught else but stripes punishments which haue offended thée so grieuously so many times haue done amisse so often in so many things Therfore if the matter be wayed accordinglye I am not worthye of the least comfort that is And yet thou mercifull gentle God which wilt not haue thy workes to perish to declare shewe forth the richesse of thy goodnesse towardes the vessels of thy mercy doest vouchsafe to cōfort me without any desert of mine aboue all mans reach Neither are thy comforts like vnto mens bablinges And what haue I done that thou shouldest endue me wyth any heauenly comfort Surely I remember that I haue done no good at all but that I haue alwayes béene both prone vnto sinne slow to amendement Which thing is so true of it selfe that if I shoulde denie it thou canst shew the contrary no man is able to stande in my defense What haue I deserued by my sinnes but hell fire euerlasting Truely I doe vnfeynedly confesse that I am worthy of all mockerie and contempt and that it is not séemely for me to leade my life among thy godly seruants Truly I am hardly perswaded so to doe but bicause it is true I will so doe that I my selfe may reprooue mine owne sinnes to the intent that I may the sooner obtaine thy mercy And what shal I sinful man one fuil of all reproche say vnto thée Surelye I haue nothing else to say but this one thing I haue sinned O Lorde I haue sinned haue mercy vpon me Forgiue me suffer me a little while to lament my calamitie before I flit into the land that is darke couered ouer with the dryrinesse of death And what else dooest thou require of the sinfull wretched man but straightly to punishe thrust downe himselfe for his faults For in the true punishing of a mans selfe pressing downe of the soule hope of pardon commeth foorth the troubled conscience is reconciled to God the lost fauor of God is recouered man is kept from the wrath to come God and the penitent soule of man doe one méete an other with a holye kisse I say the humble sorrow of sinnes that the sinful man hath is an acceptable sacrifice vnto thée O Lorde and of farre more swéete smelling sauor than is the perfume of Frankinsence The same is that swéete oyntment with the which thou wouldest haue thy holye féete to be enoiled who neuer despisest the afflicted and the pressed soule of man This is the place of refuge against the wrath of the enimie In this is corrected rinsed whatsoeuer is corrupted and defiled any other way That Gods fauour hath nothing to doe wyth those men whose mindes are earthly The lviij Chapter LORDE SOnne my fauor is more
feared and not discussed as they which doe passe mans vnderstanding capacity Desire not so much as to search or dispute about the merits of the saints and Godly who shall bée more holy or greater then other in the kingdome of heauen For these things doe manye times cause vnprofitable debates contentions doe also mainetaine pride and ambicion whereof aryseth enuyinges and dissentions whilest one stryueth prowdly that an other is holier than the rest The desire to learne these things the searching of them out are fruitlesse Nay rather doe displease the godly sort For I am not God of dissension but of peace which peace consisteth in true modestty and lowlinesse not in arrogancy and pryd Some for the affection of loue doe cast more fauour vnto these then to those but they do it rather vpon their carnall affection then that God is so affected I am he that haue created all the saints that haue endued the same wyth gifts haue giuen them honor I know the merites of euery man I prouoked them with moste pleasant gifts and benefits I knew that they were to be loued before the beginning of the worlde I did choose them out of the worlde not they me I called thē w my fauor I drew them to me with my mercy I led thē through diuers temptacions and did poure vpon them notable comforts I gaue them perseuerance and did crowne their pacience I knowe both the first and the last I embrace all men with loue incredible I am to be praysed in all my saintes ioyntly and to be magnified and honored in all particularly aboue all thinges which saints being appointed by me to saluation I haue so gloriously lifted vp without any of their deserts going before Therfore he that despiseth euen the least of my seruaunts the same doth neither honor the great in as much as I haue made aswell the small as the great so that he the doth derogate from any on of the saints the same doth both derogate frō me from al the parteners of the heauenly kingdome For they are al but one in the bonde of loue thinking all one thing willing all one thing also louing al one another with mutuall loue Nay rather which is a much more high matter they more loue me than themselues their owne merits For being rauished aboue themselues drawne beside the loue of themselues they do go forward altogither vnto the loue of me do repose themselues in the fruition therof in so much that nothing can turne thē from it or thrust them down as the which being full of euerlasting truth doe burne w the fire of vnquenchable loue Therfore let the carnall sensuall men leaue of to reasō about the state of the saints which knowe not to do ought else but to loue their priuat ioies Many as yet by their naturall affection and worldly loue are bent to these or to those and euen as their iudgement is in the inferior things so doe they likewise imagine of the heauenly things Without doubt it cannot be vttered in words in how great vnlikelynesse in those things do differ the one from the other which the vnperfit men do think with themselues which the men that by God are lightned doe behold as made open vnto them frō aboue Wherfore beware Sonne that thou occupie not thy self somewhat curiously about those things which passe the capacitie of thy wit but rather apply thy selfe vnto that that thou mayest bée found euen the least in the kingdome of god Now in case a man did know who were accounted more holye or greater than other in the heauenly kingdome what should the knoledge thereof auaile him vnlesse he did humble himselfe so much the more vnto me and rise vp higher vnto the greater prayse of my name He doth a much more acceptable thing vnto God which doth thinke vpon the greatnesse of his sinnes and the slendernesse of hys vertues and how farre of he is from the perfection of the saintes then he which reasoneth about the greatnesse lownesse of the saints and godly They do not boast of their merits which doe ascrybe no goodnesse at all vnto themselues but acknowledge that all cōmeth from me which they haue bicause I haue bestowed al those things vpon them accordyng to my excéeding great loue of Godlinesse and surely they are enuironed with so great loue of Godlynesse and so great ioy of mynd that no glory at all no maner of felicitie is wanting vnto them The more high in honor and glory that all the saints are so much the more modest and the nygher and eke the more déere the same are vnto mée And for this cause that same in the Apocalips is wrytten That they did cast their Crownes before God and with a groueling countenance before the lambe did worship him liuing for euermore Many doe séeke who is greatest in the kingthe kingdome of God and cannot tell whether that they themselues shall bée reckened in the number of those that are least It is a great thing to be the verye least in Heauen whereas all be great for all shall be called and shall so be in déede the children of God. The least shall growe into a thousande and the hundreth person that shall be punished of me shall dye a yoong man For when the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of God they had this same aunswere Vnlesse yee be altered in manners and become like vnto the little ones yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore who so shall humble hymselfe lyke to this little chylde he shall be greatest in the Kyngdome of heauen Wo be to them that disdaine to submitte themselues wyth the little ones for the gate of the Heauenly Kingdome is to lowe for them to enter in at Wo bée to the ryche also that haue their comfortes here in thys Worlde For when the poore doe enter the Kingdome of GOD they shall stande wythout crying and howling Keioyce yée lowly and méeke Triumph ye poore for the kingdome of God is yours in case yée doe obey the truth That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone The Lxiiij Chapter SERVANT LOrde in whome is my trust set in this life or what is my greatest comfort among all things that are vnder the cope of heauen Art not thou O my Lord GOD being endued with infinite mercye When was I eyther in good case wythout thée or in euill plight whilest thou wast present with me Surely I had lieffer to be poore for thy sake then to be rych wythout thée and had rather to be a traueyler with thée vpō the earth than wythout thée to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen And again where thou art not there is death and Hell. Thou art my longing and wishe therfore doe I recken it necessarye to sigh to cry to praye vnto thée In fine I can fully put
my trust in no man to helpe mée in myne necessyties when tyme requyres but in thée onely O my god Thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforter and in all things most faithfull All menne doe applye themselues vnto their owne affaires busily but thou desirest nothing sauing my saluation and comming forwarde and vnto me turnest all vnto good And wheras thou doest throwe me abroade vnto sundry temptacions and aduersities all that doest thou appoint out to my commoditie and profite who art woont to make tryall of thy beloued children after a thousande wayes in which proofe and tryall of thine thou oughtest no lesse to be beloued than if thou shouldest replenish me with heauenly comfortes Therefore O Lorde GOD I place my whole hope and refuge in thée in thée doe I settle all my calamities and sorrowes For whatsoeuer I doe beholde without thée all that doe I find to be but weake and vnstable For neyther fryends can doe one good nor strong men helpe at néede nor wise giue profitable counsell nor bookes of the learned comforte nor any abundance of wealth deliuer nor hid place defend except thou thy selfe be present doe helpe strengthen comfort instruct and kéepe For all things that séeme to make to the attaining of peace felicitie are nothing at all in thy absence and in effect doe brynge no maner felicity Therfore art thou the ende of all good things and the toppe of life the depth of all speach and to haue a hope in thée aboue al things is the most sure coÌ„fort of thy seruants I haue mine eies cast vpon thée in thée I trust O my God the Father of mercy Make happy make holy my soule with heauenlye felicitie that the same maye become thy holy habitacioÌ„s and seate of euerlasting glory and that no soyle or filth be found in thy temple to offende the eyes of thy maiestie According to the greatnesse of thy goodnesse multitude of thy mercy looke thou vpon me giue eare to the prayers of thy néedie seruant liuing a great waye off in exile in a wilde and sauage Countrey Defende and preserue the Soule of thy poore seruaunt in the middest of so many daungers of thys lyfe and direct me with the guiding of thy fauour through the waye of peace into the countrey of euerlasting bryghtenesse FINIS A short and pretie Treatise touching the perpetuall Reioyce of the godly euen in this lyfe Seene and allowed according to the order appoynted Imprinted at London by Henry Denham dwelling in Pater noster Row at the signe of the Starre Anno. 1568. Hieronymi Wolfij Carmen ad Lectorem SI quis ab assidua premitur grauitate laborum Commoda letitiae perpetis vnde petat Ipsa vetat natura malis gaudere dolores Siue sedent animo corpore siue sedent Siue ea dispereunt per quae traducere vitam Cogimur absque quibus mors magis apta foret Sed quis in immenso tam foelix cernitur or be Quem non fortunae praegrauet acre iugum Spes metus ira dolor luctus frustratio culpa Innumeris agitant pectora fessa modis Vndique tot cingunt horrenda pericula vitam Vt locus effugij vix superesse queat Haec inter quae laetitiae datur ergo facultas Materiam potius quisque doloris habet Praecipuè tamen his seges est infausta querendi Non ficta Christum qui pietate colunt Saeuit in hos semper tenebrarum dira potestas Corpora fortunas pectora fraude petens Quae si fraude minus valeat iam Martis aperti Praelia terribili mole cruenta ciet Armat in hos quoscunque potest requiete negata Quid mihi laetitiae nomina vana refers Num paradoxa iuuant quibus olim Stoica lusia Secta Poetarum ceu furiosa cohors Dij meliora sumus veri sine fraude colentes Nec sine re nobis nomen inane placet Sunt tamen haec fateor crassae minus obuia blebi Quae defixa gerit lumina semper humi Nil nisi quod videant oculi quod brachia tangant Brutaque precipiant corpora credit enim Sed quibus in coelos mens est errecta Deumque In Christo summum qui posuere bonum Hi nos vera loqui syncero pectore norunt Munere â—etitiae nam didicere frui Quippe graui munit nos experientia teste Huic est praecipuè semper habenda fides Quae nisi te doceat nostri decreta libelli Haud mirer moueant si mea verba parum Sed faciat deus vt pietatis amore subactus Gaudia magnanimus non peritura geras Sic quoduis leue fiet onus dolor omnis abibit Semper erit ciuis mens generosa poli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Of the Reioyce and gladnesse of the Godly euen in this lyfe IN as much as mans frayletye lyeth open continually to so great miseries paynefull labors and calamities and séeing that as one sayeth it is left for all men to passe ouer so great euiles or troubles in thys mortall life as there is none but woteth it well inough surely we may iustly marueyle what it shoulde meane that the holye Apostle of GOD blessed Saint Paule in hys fyrst Epystle wrytten to the Thessalonians byddeth vs to reioyce alwaies For thus among other matters hée sayth Bee glad alwayes pray incessantly gyue thankes in all thyngs And in déede if a man call to remembrance that contynuall wrestelynge togyther that menne haue wyth the Fleshe the Worlde and the Deuyll if hée looke vppon the heauye tormentes of conscyence touchyng hys dyssolute lyfe past and the anguyshes the cares the feares of hys mynde if he consider the most gréeuous féele of Gods wrath and the inward mournings for sinne if he thinke of the iudgement daye to come of the Lords iudgement seat of the punishment of the godlesse in Hell to let other things passe beside the same person may suppose that the Apostle doth in a manner but in vayne exhorte vs alwayes to reioyce and be glad For what leysure can we haue to ioy among so infinite eeuils as doe enuiron or compasse vs about among so many rough stormes heauy haps as betide vs Neuerthelesse if we remember that the Apostle giueth
the Lorde for all things I beseech thee the euerlasting father of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ for thy sonnes sake our Mediator high priest and aduocate that pouring forth plentifully into vs thy holy spirite thou wouldest stirre vppe encrease and keepe this same faith in our heartes For it is not in mans power to beleeue trust but commeth from aboue from almighty god neither haue we the same of our selues but we haue it as a gift from thee O most mercyfull father and we ought at all times to acknowledge our faith to come from thee to render hartie thanks vnto thee for the same Thus much had I in maner to declare touching the continuall Reioyce of the Godlye being mooued vppon occasion therevnto through that place of the Apostle to the Thessalonians where he sayth Be gladde alwayes pray without cessing giue thanks in al things And with that likewise to the Philippians Reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and againe I say reioyce By which words the Apostle biddeth the godly sort and them that doe cleane fast to him with full trust and affiance to be of good chéere spiritually iocund at all times in the memory and recounting of Gods good wil toward them and in the sure hope of atteyning saluation through our Lorde sauiour Iesus Christ howsoeuer that the worlde go Nowe happy is that man and happy in déede whatsoeuer he be that reposing himself onely at al times in God who taketh care for the Godly being mooued therevnto thorowe a certayne woonderfull and true fatherly loue and tender affection towarde vs as is the naturall father to his children whosoeuer I saye beléeuing the sonne of God to be our righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and fully perswaded with him selfe that there in no condemnation at all to be feared of thē that are ingraffed in Christ Iesu doth passe ouer the whole time of his life in spiritual ioy taking things present in good woorth nothing carefull with thought and pensiuenesse for things to come seruing alwayes in feare and exceedingly reioysing with trembling as that holy Prophet Dauid the Psalmograph doth admonish This therefore that we may doe in déede and without counterfeyting from the very bottome of our harts howsoeuer things go both in prosperitie and aduersity I praye the same our Lorde and God to graunt without whome there is neuer any syncere ioye and in whom onely the scripture biddeth vs to reioyce and bee excéeding glad alwayes to whom be prayse honor and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS Learning without true religion nothing woorth Noscere ipsum we ought not to aduaunce our selues of learning but rather to acknow ledge our ignorance and want of skyll There is no combat more xecellent then for a man to conquer himselfe An vpright conscience ought to be preferred before worldly knowledge The coūsayle of wisemen rather to be followed then thine owne fantasies A couetous mind neuer satisfied but an humble spirite leadeth his life in peace A poynt of lightnesse to trust in man or any other creature No hurt to make himselfe inferior to al men but to preferre himselfe before other it is hurtfull A harde thing to iudge wel of a man before he be tryed knowne To liue in subiection of other and not at a mans owne libertie doth very much auayle To stand to much in his owne opinion although it be good betokeneth pride and wilfull stubburnesse To much babling causeth sinne and hindeethr God is the searcher of the heart Mā ought to depende wholy vpon God. Comfort th
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to let passe the store plenty and varietie of other things beside almost wythout number Ioyne vnto these also the hyd riches in the bowels of the earth the secrete veynes of gold siluer the metals of brasse iron and lead precious stones and pearles of price woonderfull to beholde fortheir greatnesse for their beautie and for a certaine secret vertue and operation hid in them They knowe well that all these thinges are gyuen them of their most louing father not onelye for necessitie but also for honest delectacyon pleasure This now doth delight woonderfully maketh the godly to reioyce more than a man canne beléeue As often as they sée the corne in the fieldes the fruits vpon the trées the grapes on the vine the herbs and swéete smelling floures as the Violet the Rose and the Lillie in the gardens so many tymes doe they take the fruition vse of the same things with a singular pleasure besides yéeld vnto the goodnesse of their most gracious tender louing father excéeding great thanks extol praise his goodnesse haue his wisdome in due admiration in fine doe testifie the ioy of their mynd their thankful wil toward god by singing of Himmes or praises And how do the same persons reioyce as often as they by occasion sée their cattel come from the pasturs their Goates Ewes Kine drawing home apace with strouting vdders as oft as they sée the labors and trauailes of the little Bées in which God hath left so great miracles of hys wisdom in fine as oftē as they sée their poultry bringing vp their little Chickens with so great charinesse defending them frō the Kite and other Vermine huckling them vnder their wings why will some man say that thing doth also delight the wicked Godlesse men I graunt in deede that the wicked do take some kinde of pleasure by the same but yet not in the Lord. For they doe not acknowledg Gods goodnesse towarde vs that is the giuer of al those things nor render thanks to Gods bountifulnesse nor offer vppe the sacrifice of praise nor triumphing with spiritual ioy doe sing make melodie in their harts to the Lord like as the Godly are vsed to do who are perswaded that all these aforesayde thinges doe serue for mans vses that these things are the gifts of God who euermore hath a care ouer vs for vs a prouidence after a fatherly sort according to that saying in the Booke of the Psalmes Thou hast put all things vnder hys feete all sheep and oxen beside the beasts of the field the foules of the aire and the fishes of the sea For that power right which we lost in our first father Adam the same haue we recouered again by Christ so that we haue rule dominion ouer the creatures al things be in subiection vnto vs flockes or herds of smal cattell droaues of Neate and other great beasts wilde beasts and all foules that flie in the aire all fish and liuing things swimming in the sea The Godly doe therfore know that all these things doe serue their turnes and occupyings as vnto whom the father hath gyuen all things togither with his sonne Christ Iesus Wherefore they are not troubled in their minds as mē casting how to liue what to eate and what to drinke when they sée so great care of their heauenly father for them Neyther doe they make scruple to vse those meats fréely which God hath created for the faithfull to take with thankesgyuing and for them that know aright that whatsoeuer god hath made the same is good and in no wise to be reiected if it be taken with giuing of thāks as Paule saith to Tymothe Besides this that gladnesse or Reioyce of the godly to come againe to our purpose is wholy cléere sincere in euery respect sound true and vnfeyned But the pleasure of the Godlesse by such things if they doe take any is not pure and perfite or substantiall but marueylously polluted or defiled bicause infinite scruples doe remaine in their consciences that vexe and trouble them and continually prick and sting them Those reioyce euen from the very bottome of their harts take incredible fruit of most true delight But these do cast of a vaine trifling delight I know not what my selfe dreamingly imagine a gladnesse with the superficiall part of their heartes onelye after a sleight maner and as it were with a dulled féeling Howbeit I wade further in the matter then I had thought to doe at the first and therefore nowe at the length let vs make an ende It is faith therefore Fayth I saye in Christ whereby we are fully and wholy perswaded that God the father moued with loue incredible towarde men hath preferred our saluation before the deare loue of his onelye sonne for all our sakes hath deliuered hym into the hands of the enimy that through him we might recouer that which wée had lost in the first parent of mankinde Adam I meane innocency righteousnesse holynesse might be deliuered from sinne death the deuyll and euerlasting damnation and being adopted to the sonnes of God might be made heires of the immortall good things of the kingdome of heauē This same faith in Christ doth both lift vp and comfort the afflicted and terrified minds and also maketh a man alway to reioyce incredibly This faith enforceth a man to cry out with the Apostle If God be with vs who can be against vs He that hath not spared his own sonne but hath deliuered him for vs all how can it be that with the same sonne he shoulde not giue vs all things who shal lay crimes against the elect of God it is God that iustifieth who is it that can condemne It is Christ that dyed nay that was also raysed againe which is also at the right hand of God which also maketh intercession for vs who shall separate vs from the loue of God toward vs c. This Faith being instructed by the worde of God confirmed by his sacraments settled in vs with the holy Ghost resting and reposing it selfe in the onely good wil and loue of God towarde vs for Christs sake putting the hope of attayning saluation in the frée goodnesse clemency benignity mercy grace of God for Christ depending wholly vppon God alone hauing his onely respect vnto god and casting all his care thought vpon God both asking and looking for all good things at Gods onely hande as of a most louing tender father flying to the onely ayde and helpe of God in aduersity studying from the verye heart to please God onely fearyng to offende through a certaine honest frée bashfulnesse finally occupyed in a continuall daily contemplation of heauenly thinges with all hys minde thought care and desire despising worldly things beholding the celestial things this same Faith I say maketh vs to reioyce alway in the Lorde and with gladnesse mery chéere to giue thanks to