vnkynde the elate persone I desire nat to haue that consolacoÌ„n by the whiche the compunccion of hert may be minysshed or remoued ne that desire or loue that with drawyth coÌ„teÌ„placion inciteth my frayle soule to elacyon Euery excellency is nat holy ne euery desyre pure ne enery swetnes good holsome There be diuers thynges full dere to man that be nat accepte to god we shulde accepte gladly the grace wherby we mai be made humble and tymerous to god and more prompte to forsake our propre appetites wylles That soule that is perfytelye enfourmed wyth the rewarde of grace lerned with the rod of subtraccâ—on of grace hath none audacite to ascribe any vertue or grace to it selfe but rather it reputeth coÌ„fesseth it selfe pore and naked yelde thou to god that is his to thy selfe that is thyne that is to say thanke our lorde for his graces thy selfe for thy synne for the whiche iuge thy selfe worthy for to haue peine sub traccion of grace There may no soule attaye thys hyghe degree of grace or perfeccion ne stande theriÌ„ without it grounde it selfe in humilyte obedyence Tho that be moste precious highe in the sighte of god be moste vyle lowe in theyr ê“pre consideracion the more precious that they be in grace the more meke they be full of trouthe of heuenly glory nat auidious of wordly vanite Tho that be roted ê‘fitly fixed in the drede loue of god may nat of no wise be obstynate or proude And tho that ascribe al the goodes that they receyue to almighty god they be nat desirous of the vayne coÌ„mendacyon of man but they rather desire the glory coÌ„meÌ„dacion whyche is of god alone and they labour that god be honoured loued of all his sayntes they refarre all theyr labours to the same ende Be thou kiÌ„de iÌ„ yeldynge thankes to god for the smale benefaytes that therby thou maiste deserue more greate ê“fitable graces Repute the lest giftes of god gret the naturall dyfformytees and specyall tokyns of loue for they be medycyns meanes to meke oureselfe If we wolde consider perfitly the honour and dignite of the lorde that grauÌ„teth vs those gyftes we shuld exsteme no gyft lytell ne vyle Howe may we Iuge that thynge lytell in acceptacion that is gyuen of yâ— great kiÌ„ge maker gouerner of yâ— worlde without whose wyl ê“uidence there fallethe no lefe â—to the tre And therfore he gyueth to diuers of hys electe people peynes tribulacions bodely gostly as me anes of euerlastynge ê“mocion who soeuer desyre to retayne the grace of god let hym be diligent iÌ„ yel dynge thankes for the graces that he hath receyued And euer applie thyselfe to wisdom mekenes lyst that thou lese the grace that thou haste receyued If yt fortune by teÌ„ptacioÌ„ or frailte to be withdra wen froÌ„ the. say inly in thy soule that thou haste deserued yâ— subtraccion therof paciently humbly pray for yâ— recoueringe therof thou maist nat by thy ê“pre merites be restored to the mercy grace loste by sinne but by the meane of faderly pyte and moste mercifull passion of Iesu criste ¶ The .xi. chaptre of the smalle noumbre of the louers of the crosse of Iesu IHesus the heuenly kynge hath many louers of his heuenly kyngdome but there be fewe that wyll take his crosse and folow hym There be many desirers of hys consolacion nat of his trybulacion he hath many redy to be parteners of his table repaste but none of his abstinence penaunce All men wolde be glad to haue ioye with hym but there be nat many that desire peyne tribulacion for his loue Many foloweth hym to be parteners of the fraccyon of his brede but there be fewe that wyll paciently driÌ„ke with hym of hys chalice of trybulacion And many meruelously commende hym for his great meracles but many of them be lothe to folowe the shame vilete of his crosse There be many that folowe hym in prosperite loue blesse hym as loÌ„ge as they receyue of hym prosperite and consolacion And if he withdrawe hym selfe for a season fro them by shewynge no tokyns of pleasure or consolacion they fall soone to lamentable coÌ„playnynge desperacion Tho that loue that lorde nat for ê“sperite ne coÌ„solacion of mynde alonly but principally for hym selfe they blesse hym as hertly iÌ„ teÌ„ptacion tribulacioÌ„ or any other necessite as they do in theyr perfite prosperite And if he shulde gyue to them euer in this worlde aduersite yet they shulde euer loue and thanke hym O howe myghty is the pure loue of Iesu nat ê‘mixed with any inordinauÌ„s of fauour or affeccion Tho that seche of god pryncipally by prayer or any other vertuous pleasure bodely or gostly may be called rather couetouse marchauntes than liberall louers the reason hereof we may perceyue for tho ê‘sons applie theyr seruice loue to our lorde for his benefaites they serue loue the benefaites afore god they loue the benefait â–ª gyftes in that they be profitable to theyr selfe so suiÌ„gly they may ryghtfully be called louers of their self rather thaÌ„ of god It is full hard to fiÌ„de any ê‘soÌ„ so spirituall that is ê‘fitly fre from all inordinate affeccions That ê‘sone shulde nat be ê“fitable or desirer only of those that be nere hym but of the farr extremites of yâ— worlde If a ê‘son were so vertuoê° that he wold leue all the worldes substaunce do gret penaunce had all knowlege and were feruent in deuocyon yet he shulde nat atteyne the most excellent great ê‘feccion in lyuynge to the whiche he may nat aproche without al other thynges forsaken he vtterly renounce his owne selfe holy forsake his owne wyll lyuynge beinge at liberte fre frome all priuate seuerall affeccions desires whan thou hast done all that thou knowest to be done exteme and iuge thy selfe as thou hadest of thy selfe no thynge done as the auctour of truthe our sauyour saith whan we haue done that is possible to be done yet we be of ourselfe vnprofitable seruauntes nat worthi to be rewarded but of his grace than we beynge pore frayle in body soule voyde of all meritorious vertue may coÌ„ueniently say with the ê“phete Dauid I am disolate pore There is none more ryche none more fre ne at liberte nor more of power than that soule that knoweth itselfe wyl be redy to forsake nat all worly thynges but also itselfe repute and iuge itselfe most vyle of al other ¶ The .xii. chaptre is of the royall victorioê° way of the holy crosse THere be many that repute yâ— wordes of our sauyour harde and peynefull whan he saythe we may nat be his disciples without we denie reuounce our owne wyll and take the crosse and folowe hym But it shal be more peynefull and sorowfull withoute comparison
thou shalt wel perceyue that if thou haue those thiÌ„ges aforsaid thou hast nat them of thy selfe but if thou wylt applie thy selfe haue coÌ„fidence in god he shall sende the fro heuen that thou shalt haue these vertues also thy sensuall part â–ª with the worlde shal be made subiectes to the yf thou wylt arme thy selfe with yâ— quycke feith the crosse of iesu cryst thou shalt nat nede to fere the enuious subtylte of the fyende than prepare thy selfe as a feithfull seruaunt of iesu criste to bere his crosse coÌ„staÌ„tly coÌ„sideringe howe he thy lorde dyd bere it for the peinfully mercifully order thy selfe to suffre mani aduersitees iÌ„iuries wroÌ„ges iÌ„ this miserable life so thou shalt haue hym with the where so euer thou be also thou shalt fynbe hym where so euer thou hide yâ— Than if thou desire to be dere a frende to thy redemer haue ê‘te of his coÌ„solacion desire affectually to driÌ„ke with hym of his chalys of trybulacion desire no coÌ„solacion ne ê“sperite but at the wyll of god order thy self to suffre tribulacions repute them as the moste speciall consolacyons for they be yâ— redy meanes to come tho the heuenly ê‘petuall coÌ„solacions whan thou comest to that degre of pacyeÌ„ce that tribulacion is swete pleasaunt to the for yâ— loue of god than exteme thy selfe in goode state and that thou hast founde paradise in erthe And as loÌ„ge as it is greuous to the to suffre enforceth thy selse to fle tribulacion so longe thou arte nat in the ê‘fite state of pacience whersoeuer thou fleest thou shalt fynde trybulacion nere folowethe If thou order thy selfe euer to suffre paciently to haue remeÌ„braÌ„ce of thy dethe than thou shalt ê‘ceyue thy selfe iÌ„ good state also in qÌ„etnes reste If thou were so ê‘fite that thou were rauysshed spiritually with Paule into yâ— thyrde heuen thou shuldeste nat be sure therbye to be without aduersyte For owre sauy our spekyng of Paule saythe I shall shewe hym howe manye thynges he shall suffre for my name Than if thou wilt serue and loue thy lorde perpetually thou must nowe suffre saye manye tymes to thy selfe wolde to god I were able for to suffre for the name of my swâ—te lorde Iesu For therby thou shuldest gyue occasion of specyall edificacion of thy neyghbour great glory to thy selfe exaltacion of gladnes to the holy aungels All people in maner recoÌ„mende pacience but there be fewe that wyll vse it Thou that takest great labours suffereste moche for the loue of the worlde and wordly thinges by greate reason thou shuldeste be glad to suffre a lytell for the loue of the moste true louer criste And euer the more thou mortifie discretly thy selfe the more thou begiÌ„nest to lyue in the sighte of god There is no ê‘sone apt to coÌ„prehende heuenly thiÌ„ges withuot they submit their selfe to suffre aduersite for the loue of criste There is no thinge more ê“fitable for thy selfe acceptable to god thaÌ„ to be pacient glad to suffre for the loue of hym And if ê“sperite aduersite were put in thy eleccion thou shuldest rather chese aduersite than desire to be recreate with many coÌ„solacions For bi aduersite thou arte made conformable vnto cryste all his seyntes Our meryte ê‘feccion of state staÌ„deth nat in great plesaunt delectable coÌ„solacions but rather iÌ„ greuous teÌ„ptacions tribulacions and penalyte of life If there had be any more expedient meane to the helthe of man than to suffre peyne tribulacion our lorde criste wolde haue shewed it bi wordes examples But he exorted hys disciples all other that wolde folowe hym to heuen to take yâ— crosse as the moste mediate meane to folowe hym sayinge who that will folow me to heuen thei must denye theyr owne selfe forsakiÌ„ge theyr ê“pre wyll take the crosse of peuaunce folow me Afâ— all these thiÌ„ges redde perfitly serched it foloweth as a fynall coÌ„clusion that it is behouable to vs ta entre into the kyngdome of heuen by wany tribulacions ¶ Here begynneth the .iii. boke ¶ The fyrste chaptre coÌ„teyneth the inward spekeynge of our lorde Iesu criste to maÌ„nis soule that he hath specially chosen _â—Oo saith suche a feithful soule I shall atteÌ„de here what our lorde shal speke iÌ„ me blessed is yâ— soule which herith our lorde god speke iÌ„ it that conceyueth of his mouth a worde of rsolacioÌ„ Blessed be the eris that here the styll spekynge or rownynge of almyghty god and pondereth nat yâ— disceytefull callynge or priue mouynge of the worlde blessed be the ere 's that rest nat in the flaterynge or wordly voyce outwarde flowynge But rather heringe trouthe that speketh enformeth maÌ„nis soule in wardlye Blessed be the iyen that be shytt to the delectable syght of outwarde or wordly thynges that gyue hede deuoutly to gostely thynges Blessed be they that by grace by the lyght of soule perceyue the true inly entent of scripture that â—pare them dayly by exercise os soule to conceyue the celestiall priuetees Blessed be they that labour besilye iÌ„ soule to beholde loue god almyghty his plesure iÌ„ all thynges for that auoyde frome them al wordly besines or desires that let suche deuocioÌ„ O thou my soule attende gyue hede to the premysses and shyt thy senses or sensuall partes that thou mayste here gostely what thy lorde speketh in the in warde inspiracion The lorde louer saith to the I am thi helthe peas lyfe euerlastynge Ioyne and knytte the suerly to me thou shalt fynde rest and peas of conscience and after this euerlassynge peas lyfe Forsake the loue of foule transetory erthly thinges and dilygently seche euerlastiÌ„ge thiÌ„ges what be all temporall thynges but disceiuable and what may any creature helpe the if thy lorde god that made the forsake the wharfore refusest thou al wordli thynges ioyne and cleue by clene and stidfast loue and seruice to almighty god thy redemer that thou maist hereafter attayne the eternall felicite i heueÌ„ ¶ The seconde chaptre howe treuthe spekerhe inwardly to mannes soule without noyse A Deuoute soule after that it hathe herde the swete instyllaunt spekynge of his lorde god as a man inflamed with loue desireth more longer speche with our lorde sayinge withe the Prophete Samuel thus Speke good lorde for thy seruauÌ„t is redy to here the I am thy seruaunt gyue me vuderstandynge to knowe thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tes sayinges Bowe make my hert soule to fele folow thy wordes instyll in to my soule thy holy techige wordes as the dewe droppethe vpon the grasse I say nat as the chyldren of Israell sayd to Moyses Speke thou to vs we shall here the gladly let nat our lorde speke to vs lyste we dye for drede So be it nat with me good lorde But rather I besech the humbly desirously
from the detraccyon of yll men And if trouthe delyuer the thou shalt be very fre from the vayne wordes of men in this worlde shall nat set by them It is true sayth a deuout soule to god that thou sayste be it done after thy saynge thy trouthe teche me kepe me brynge me to saluacyoÌ„ good ende delyuer me froÌ„ all euyll affeccyoÌ„ froÌ„ all inordynate loue so that I may walke with the good lorde in lyberte fredome of hert Truth sayth agayne to such a soule I shall teche the thynges that be rightwyse plesauÌ„te before me RemeÌ„ber thy synnes past with great dyspleasure and heuynes and repute the nat any thyng of valoure for any good dede that thou haste done Thynke verely thou arte a synner by wrapped and bouÌ„de iÌ„ many passyons synnes thynke that of thyne owne selfe thou arte nought soone turnest to that that nought is thou art soone ouercome with synne thou art soone trobled ofte broken with passyoÌ„s of syn thou haste nothynge of thy selfe that thou mayst magnyfy thy selfe of but many thynges thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to vylypeÌ„de the for thou art more feble thaÌ„ thou knowest thy selfe Therefore let nothynge that thou doste seme to the great of pryce of all thyngê that thou doest esteme nothynge pÌ„cious or in valour or iÌ„ reputacyoÌ„ laudable but that thynge that is eternall so that the euerlastynge trouth be pleasauÌ„t to the before any thiÌ„ge ellys that allvylyte or synÌ„e specially thyne owne synne foulenes dysplease the so that nothyng be to the so odyous as synne wyckednes the whiche ought to displease the more thaÌ„ the damage or losse of any other worldlye thynge Some there be that walke nat clerey before me but they be led by pryde curyosyte to serche knowe my secretys the hye thyngê of my godhede so they be neclygent about themselfe to know theyr synnes gostly helthe such ê‘sons fall ofteÌ„ tymes into teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s greuous synnes left to theÌ„ selfe for theyr pryde curiosite that they folowe drede thou therfore the iugemeÌ„tes of God the iÌ„portable wrath of god almyghty Dyscusse nat ne enserche the meruaylous werkes of god but ê¯syder thou well thy synnes wyckednes how ofte in how many great thynges thou hast offeÌ„dyd trespassyd ayenst god how many good thynges thou hast left vndone of rechelesnes some folke ther be that bere theyr deuocyon all in bokes some in Images and some in outwarde tokens fygures some ther be that bere me in mouthe ofte namynge me in worde but lytell in hert and some other there be that haue theyr intelleccyon or reason clerely illumyned with the lyght of vnderstandynge theyr affecte so pour ged of erthely thyngê that they alway aspyre to eternall thynges greuously berynge to here coÌ„menyng of erthely thynges takyng but scarsly of suche thynges as be necessaryly requyred to natural lyfe such knowe what the spyryte of trouthe speketh in theym the which techeth them to despyse erthely thynges to loue heuenly goodes and to despyse the worlde worldly thynges and to desyre euer heuen and celestyall thynges ¶ The .vi. chapyter of the marueylous desyre and affecte of the loue of God O Thou fader celestiall the eternall fader of my lorde iesu criste I loue the blesse the for thou hast vouchesaue to remembre beholde me louiÌ„gely with thy gracious consolacion O thou fader of mercy god of consolacion I thanke the that thou coÌ„fortest me vnworthy to haue anye consolacion I blesse prayse the alwey with thy only begoteÌ„ sone the holy goste whithout ende whan thou good lorde my louer as thou arte of al man kynde shal come into my herte all my inwarde ê‘tes shall ioye Thou art my ioy thou art my hope refuge iÌ„ the tyme of my tribulacion but for asmoche as I am iÌ„perfite of vertue feble in loue Therfore I haue nede to be coÌ„forted helped of the. Wherfore I beseche thy endeles goodnes to vysete me oftymes and iÌ„structe me with thy holy disciplenes and techynges Delyuer me from passions he le my herte fro all inordinat desires affeccyons Se that I inwardely be purged eleuate frome wordly affeccions and may be made apte and able to loue the good lorde spiritually stronge in pacience to suffre for the and stable by ê‘seueraunce in goodnes Loue is a great thinge an excellent vertue that maketh euerye greuous harde thynge light swete importyble thiÌ„ge easye to bere and bitter thynges swete sauorable The loue of iesu perfyghtly imprynted in mannes soule makethe a man to do great thynges and exortethe hym therafter alweye to desire more and more perfight thynges Goostly loue desyreth euer to ascende to heuenly goodes vily pendeth al erthly thiÌ„ges his necessaries saued Suche gostely loue coueteth to be fre and alyenate frome all wordly occupacioÌ„s lyste that his inwarde syghte of soule be derked or letted ne his affeccion to gostely and heuenlye thiÌ„ges be letted frome his liberte by wordly thynges Nothynge is more swete than is loue no thiÌ„ge ys more stronge than loue no thynge hygher larger meryer fuller ne better in heuen or erthe For loue cometh of god ne it may nat reste fynally iÌ„ any creature lower than god It maketh a man renewe ioye It maketh a man fre in hys soule wythout any retaininge of synne It maketh a maÌ„ set nought by wordly goodes but to departe with all that he hath to relyue the indignes and myserye of other folke Also it maketh a man content with that lytell that god sendeth hym noughttd desire that ê‘teineth to other for he resteth aboue all thynge erthely in one perfite goodnes that is to say iÌ„ god almighty of whome all other goodnes floweth ê“cedeth Suche a persone beholdeth not only the gyftes that be gyuen to hym but he attendeth aboue al thinges with loue and drede vnto god the giuer Loue knoweth no measure but it incendethe the louer out of measure Loue makethe man to fele no hardnes ne other burden layde vpon hym and it maketh a maÌ„nat repute any labour that is impute to hym it maketh any man to desire ouer his power and might It complaynethe nat of impotencye any tyme For it makethe a man to thynke alle thynhes possyble to hym and lefull Loue therfore dothe and may do great thynges where the louer lieth nat nor defayleth nat It maketh a man gladly to wake whan he is dulle and disposed to slepe Whan a man is wery it maketh hym nat to accompte it Whan a man ys arted or troubled it chassethe aweye all trouble feere inwarde For as a quycke bronde or flame of fyre if it be moued or blowen it flamethe vpwarde so a gostely louer in troubles is lyfte vp by feruour of loue to god and so by the helpe of god almighty he ouerpassethe all suche peynes and trybulacions He that is a
gostely louer knoweth that the ardent desyre of mannes soule is a greate crye in the ere of almyghty god the whiche crye sayth inwardly to almyghty god Thou good lorde art my loue thou art al my desire and I am thy creature delate my herte in thy loue that I may lerne to taste by the inwarde mouche of my soule howe swete thou arte in loue and what is to man to be lyquyfyed and molten in loue or to swymme therin I am holden and bounde in loue so that I go aboue my selfe for great meruayle feruour of lone I beseche the good lorde that I may synge the songe of loue folowe the my louer by vertuous lyuinge euer to ascende to yâ— in perfitnes oflyuiÌ„ge so that my soule may be streÌ„gthed in praysynge of thy maiestye by ioyfyll loue of thy goodnes I besyke the alwey that I maye loue the more than my selfe that I maye euer loue my selfe all other that loue the for the in the as yâ— law of loue that thou coÌ„maÌ„ded monissheth loue is swifte clere pyteous mery and iocounde it is stronge pacient wyse feithfull longe abydynge manlye neuer hyd but alwey redy Whereso a man sekethe hymselfe there he falleth fro loue for loue is circumspecte very meke religious nat lyght ne gyuinge hede to vayne thynges Very loue is sobre chaste stable quyet and kept in his bondes Also loue maketh a man subiecte and obedient to hys prelate It maketh a man ferme and stable in vertuous life to seme vyle and despecte or vn worthy in his owne sight Also it maketh a man deuoute to god kinde alway to beleue trust in him though he haue nat souche sauoure or approximacion to hys goodnes that perfighte folke haue For noman here lyuynge maye in loue withoute langour heuynes He that is nat alwey redy to suffre to applie hymselfe to the wil of god almyghty his louer he is nat worthy to be called a louer for it perteynethe to a louer to suffre gladly al hard bitter thiÌ„ges for his louer nat to decline fro hym for any coÌ„trarious thinge ¶ The .viii. chaptre howe a true louer is proued HE that leueth or forsaketh the loue or the vertue that he hath begonne with for a lytell aduersyte or trouble or that in suche tyme seketh lightly wordly consolacion he is nat prudent ne stronge louer for a stronge louer standeth stably in teÌ„ptacion he gyueth nat hede ne place to the deceytfull ê‘suasions of the enemye he is nat broken by iÌ„pacyence by aduersitees ne illuded or disceyued by prosperoê° thinges A wyse a prudent louer ponderith nat the gyfte that is gyuen so moche as the loue of the gyuer He conceyueth rather the loue of the gyuer than the gyft that is gyuen prepondereth the gyuer before all thynges gyuen A noble veray louer resteth nat in the gift that god almighty giueth but in god that is the gyuer of all goodes that maÌ„ is nat all disordred that somtyme lesse coÌ„ceiueth or pondereth god almyghty or his sayntis thaÌ„ he wolde do For that good swete desire that a man somtyme ê‘ceyueth in his soule is the effecte of grace gyuen to man in this present lyfe a taste sauour of heuenly glory to the whiche we may nat rest ouermoche by coÌ„fidence or trust of soule for it goethe coÌ„eth mouable is natê‘manent A man to fight or striue agaist the euyll mocioÌ„s of his soule to ouercome the suggestions of the deuyll is a token of vertue of great merite See therfore what soeuer thou art that no stronge fantasies of any matter trouble the. Kepe still thy purpose right intencion of soule to god thou shalt nat fall Thinke nat that it is illusion that thou art somtyme rauisshed in extasy or excesse of mynde so retorned again to customable lightnes of hert For thou sufferest rather such discens against thy wyll than wylfully As loÌ„ge as suche coÌ„trarious disordred or vaine thoughtes disple se the thou striueste against them whan they rise iÌ„ yâ— it is to thy merite no losse or hinderauÌ„ce I knowe saith our lorde iesu to his louer that the old enemie to maÌ„ doth alwey his power to let thy wyl desyre iÌ„ goodnes to hynder lett the from all good deuoute exersise as fro the worship that thou art bound to honour me with my saintes fro the meditacyon or remembrauÌ„ce of my passion fro the rememberaunce of synnes with bitternesse of soule fro the pÌ„seruacion of thy berte fro euyll from wyll to ê“fite iÌ„ goodnes vertue Many ydell euyll thaught is he suggesteth to maÌ„nis soule to make hym both lothe wery with prayer other vertuous exercises lowe coÌ„fessyon displeseth hym greatly if he may he wil let a man of his coÌ„munion Set nat by hym ne beleue hym nat for he ley the before the many snares of disceyte Whan he she weth to thy soule euyll thiÌ„ges or vnclene Dispiteously say to hym go fro me thou foule wycked spirite Thowe workes that bringist suche foule thinges to entyse me Be thou ashamed for thou arte foule of thy selfe go fro me thou false disceyuer of mankynde thou shalt haue no parte in me For my sauyour iesu shall stande with me iÌ„ my defence as a stroÌ„ge warriour to thy coÌ„fusion I had leuer dye suffre almaner peyne than to coÌ„sent to yâ— Holde peas cese of thy teÌ„ptacions I wyl no more here ne gyue hede to the thoughe thou vexe me neuer so moche For almighty god is my helper whome I drede He is the defender of my lyfe vpoÌ„ whome I truste ye if the strengthe of castels withstand me I shall nat drede For our lorde is my helper redemer Fight striue ageynste suche intisemeÌ„tes as a good knight if thou somtyme be ouercome by thy feblenes or frailte take thaÌ„ more coÌ„fort streÌ„gthe of soule than thou didest before trustige therby to haue the more large grace coÌ„fort of god beware the after of pryde vaine glory for therby be many led into erroneous wayes fall ito vncurable blidnes of soule So that thou therfore beware humble the ageynst the presuÌ„pcion ot suche ê‘sones ¶ The .viii. chaptre how grace is to be hyd vnder the palle of humylyte SOnne sayth the wise man it is more sure ê“fitable to the to hyde the grace of deuocion gyuen to the than to shewe it out wordly Auaunce nat the of it ne speke nat of suche grace to other nor magnifie thy selfe therby but thou shuldest rather dispise thy selfe and drede lyst thou be vnworthy to haue it or sone by thy neclygence to lese it MaÌ„ shulde nat cleue or trust to moche to suche affeccioÌ„ whiche may sone be torned to the coÌ„trarie CoÌ„sider wel whan thou hast suche grace howe wretched nedy thou were before thou hadest grace nor
shall fully rewarde all that suffre or do for me ¶ The .xli. chapiter agaynste the vayne iugementes of men SOn sayth our lorde to his louer cast thy hert loue vpon thy lorde god stedfastly dredre nat what man iugeth in the where thy conscyence yeldeth the deuout innoceÌ„t it is good blessyd to suffer to be heuy to an humble ê‘sone that trusteth more in god than in hym selfe many folke saye many thynges therfore lytle feyth is to be gyuen but to satysfye all men it is iÌ„possyble and though saynt Powle yâ— apostell laboured to please all folke iÌ„ god makyng hym selfe mete apte to all meÌ„nys ê¯dicioÌ„s for theyr saluacioÌ„ lucre yet he set lytle by meÌ„nes iu gemeÌ„t that is to say meÌ„nys dyscoÌ„meÌ„dacioÌ„ or coÌ„meÌ„dacyon ayenst hym he dyd laboure dylygetlye for other mennes edyficacion saluacion but he suffered other men to iuge or despyse hym he coulde nat let and therfore he commytted hym selfe all his labours to god almyghty that knoweth all thynge what is best for man he defendyd hym selfe by pacyence humylyte agaynst all his aduersaries lesynge makers he answered soÌ„tyme by worde wrytynge agaynst his detractours that he shuld nat be sclauÌ„der to other what art thou that dredest a mor tall man which is to day the morowe apereth nat drede god thou shalte nat drede mannes terrours whaÌ„ may any man worke iÌ„ the by wordes or iniuryes heshall rather noy hym selfe than the ne heshall nat eschewe the iugementes of god who euer he be haue thou god alway before the stryue nat agayn suche coÌ„playnyng wordes thoughe thou seme for the tyme ouerthrowen and suffer ê¯fusyon ê¯trary to thy deseruynges disdayn nat therwith lest thou my nysshe the crowne of glory by iÌ„pacieÌ„s but rather be holde me that may delyuer euery man fro coÌ„fusyon iniurye rewarde euery man after his merytys trauayles ¶ The .xlii. chapter if man wyll opteyn fredom of hert he must holy forsake hymselfe OUr lorde god sayth to his seruauÌ„t sone forsake thy selfe thoushalt fynde me stande thou without the ellecâ—yoÌ„ of thy fre wyll without all ê“pryete thou shalte alway wyn for if thou leue thy selfe vtterly without pÌ„suÌ„pcioÌ„ of the same more abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of grace than thou had shall be gyuen to the Lorde sayth the dyscyple to his lorde god how ofte in what thyngê shall I forsake my selfe I saye to the sone that thou shalt euery hour in euery thiÌ„ge great small forsake make thy selfe naked ellys Howe may thou be myne I â–ª thyne but if thou for sake thy proper wyll iÌ„ all thyngê within without the soner thou so do the better it shal be with the the more fully thou forsakest thy selfe with all other thiÌ„ges the better thou shalt please me the more thou shalt wyn some relygyous folke with other forsake them selfe nat fully but with some excepcyon suche trust nat to god almyghty therfore they endeuer them to prouyde for them selfe in some thyngê some other at the fyrst doth offer them selfe and all theyrs to god but at a teÌ„ptacion soone after arysynge they returâ—e to theyr owne wyll the whiche they had forsake and therfore they profyte nat in vertue suche ê‘sones shall nat come to very cleÌ„nes of hert ne to the grace of my ioyfull famylyaryte but if they make a hole resygnacioÌ„ a dayly oblacyoÌ„ of them selfe all theyrs fyrste without whiche thevnyoÌ„ that longeth to my fruycion may nat be had I haue sayd ofte to the forsake thy selfe and resyne the ê‘fytely and thou shalt enioy inwarde peace gyue all for aske ne seke nothynge agayn of them that thou hast forsake for me but stande holy fermelye in me nat doutynge any thynge thou shalt haue me thou shalt be fre iÌ„ soule derkenes shall nat possesse yâ— ne any spyryt of derkenes shall haue power of the indeuoure the to this pray study with all thy desyre that thou may be delyuered fro all maner of ê“perte with nakydnes of all ambicioÌ„ possessyon folowe naked iesu cryst thy sauyour that thou dye to thy selfe the world lyue to me eternally thaÌ„ all vayne fantasyes wycked troubles suê‘fluous busynes shall fayle Also thaÌ„ shall all iÌ„moderate drede loue iÌ„ordynate dye ¶ The .xliii. Chapyter howe man shulde gouerne hym in outwarde thynges renne to god for helpe and socour in parels and daungers SOne sayth our lorde to his louer thou oughtest with all dylygence gyue hede that iÌ„ euery occupacioÌ„ outwarde dede thou be fre wtinforth iÌ„ thy soule hauynge power of thy selfe so that all thyngê be vnder the thou nat vnder them that thou be lorde leder of thy werkes nat seruauÌ„t but as a true hebrew or cristeÌ„ maÌ„ goynge iÌ„to the sorte lyberte of chyldreÌ„ of god the which staÌ„de vpoÌ„ the pÌ„sent thynges of the worlde beholde the eternall godes of heueÌ„ yâ— which also beholde the traÌ„sytory thynges of the worlde with theyr left iye heueÌ„ly thynges with theyr right iye suche folke be nat drawen by worldly goodes to inordynate loue of them but rather they drawe suche teÌ„porall goodes as god sendeth them order theÌ„ to good dedes lyke as god almyghty yâ— hye artyfycer hath ordeygned theÌ„ yâ— lefte nothynge vnordred iÌ„ all the worlde also if thou â— euery aueÌ„ture or chauÌ„ce staÌ„de nat iÌ„ the outwarde apparauÌ„ce that is to say if thou staÌ„de nat to the iugemeÌ„t of thy bodyly iye or ere but a none as thou ê‘ceyuest such thyngê if thou enter with moyses iÌ„to the table of thy soule by deuoute prayer to couÌ„cell our lorde yâ— shalte here sometyme the swete answere of god almyghty and thou shalt returne agayne to thy selfe iÌ„structe of many thynges bothe pÌ„sent for to come moyses euer had a recours to the tabernacle of god for doubtis qÌ„styons to be assoyled and he fled to the subsydye of prayer for perelles the vnresonable vyolâ—cis and sautis of men to be fled so thou shuldest fle into the secret tabernacle of thy soule in such doutis or parels there callynge on the helpe of god by deuout prayer we rede yâ— Iosue with the chyldren of israel was deceyued of the Gabaonytis because they gaue lyght credens to theyr swete wordes dyd nat couÌ„ceyll with our lorde by oracle as they shuld haue don before they had grauÌ„ted them any thynge ¶ The .xliiii. chapter a man shuld nat be importune in his wayes or nedys SOne sayth our lorde to his louer coÌ„myt thy cause to me alwey I shall well dyspose for the whan tyme behouable shall be abyde myn ordydynauÌ„ce thou shalte fynde ê“fyte therby my lorde god sayth he I gladly coÌ„mytte to thy goodnes my selfe all my desyres necessytes for my prouydeÌ„ce may lytle auayle I beseke the yâ— I cleue nat moche to aueÌ„tures here after ensuynge but that I
wyll be withe the. And I shall answere hym blessed lorde I beseche the dwelle with me for all the desyre of my herte ys to be with the inseê‘able without departynge ¶ Of the breÌ„nynge desire that some creatures haue in yâ— blessed body of our lorde iesu crist Ca .xiiii. O Lorde howe great is the multytude of thy swetnesse whiche thou hast hyd for them that drede the. whan I remeÌ„bre me of many deuoute ê‘sones that haue come to this thy holy sacrameÌ„t with so great ferueÌ„t affeccoÌ„n deuocyon I am than many tymes iÌ„ myselfe coÌ„fused a haue great shame that I go vnto the aulter table of that holy communyon so rudely with so colde deuocion am so drye without affeccion of hert I am abasshed that I am nat all hole iÌ„flamed iÌ„ thy pÌ„seÌ„ce so stroÌ„gly draweÌ„ establesshed as many good deuoute persones haue ben whyche by the greate desyre of thys holy sacrament sensible loue of hert myght nat coÌ„teyne ne witholde them from wepynge But effectuously wyth mouthe hert body came vnto that good lorde as to the lyuynge fountayne of all bountye may nat attayne to fulfyll theyr hungre but if they take thy holy body whiche they so de siorously affeccoÌ„nally spiritually may receyue O true benygne feythe of theym that pÌ„uably sheweth the ornament of thy holy pÌ„sence To them ys verely kno wen theyr god in brekynge of brede whiche brenneth and broileth so strongly the herter of them in the loue of Iesu Crist Certeynly suche affeccion deuocoÌ„n vehement brennynge loue is farâ— from me O good swete benygne Iesu be vnto me pyteous and redy to gyue and graunt to thy pore begger somtyme to fele a lytell of that hertely loue and affeccion in the receyuinge of thy holy body to the ende that my feythe may be more ferme my hope more ê‘fight in thy bountye and my charite somtyme so ê‘fightly inflamed that I maye experiently haue the heuenly mannat hat neuer may fayle I knowe certeinly the myght of thy mercy may leÌ„de me thy grace so moche desired and vysete me benygly with a brennynge spyryte whan the day of thy good pleasure shall come And â–ª though I be nat iÌ„flamed with so great desyre of thy specy all deuout thynges yet haue I desyre by thy grace to be iÌ„flamed with that brennynge loue Prayinge the good lorde that I may be made â— tyner with all suche thy feruent louers that I may be nouÌ„bred in theyr deuout company Amen ¶ Howe mekely thou oughtest to beseche the grace of deuocion and to renounce thy selfe Cap .xv. IT behoueth the instauntly to seche the grace of deuocyon to aske incessauÌ„tly to abyde it paciently feithfully ioyously to receiue it mekely to conserue with that studiously to remytt vnto god the tyme the maner of his so uerayne vysitacoÌ„n vnto the tyme his pleasure be to come vnto the. priÌ„cipally thou oughtest to meke the wheÌ„ thou felyst but litell deuocion within the. for all that thou oughtest nat to late thy selfe to fall or sorowe to moche iÌ„ordinatly For full often our blessed lorde in a short momeÌ„t gyueth the which be fore he hath longe tyme denyed Also somtyme he gyuethe at the ende of praiours that he dyd deferre at yâ— begynniÌ„ge of yâ— same If alwey grace were so sone gyuen yâ— a maÌ„ might haue it at his wyll or wysche it shulde nat be easely borne of a weyk inê‘fect soule And therfore in good hope meke pacience the grace of deuocion ought to be abyden thou oughteste to iÌ„pute it vnto thy selfe to thy sinnes when it is nat gyuen vnto the or when it is secretly take awey frome the somtyme a litell thynge it is that may let or hyde thy grace if that may be called litell that letteth so great a vaile But be it litel or great if thou take that same awey ê‘fectly ouercome it thou shalt obteyne that thou desyrest or incoÌ„tyneÌ„t that thou with all thy herte hast geuen thy selfe to god And therfore seche nat this nor yâ— at thy pleasure but put the hole in the handes of god Thou shalt certenly fynde thy selfe vnyght vnto hym and in great peas of thy soule For ther is no thynge yâ— ought to be so sauery pleasauÌ„t as is the pleasure deuyne wyll of god Than who someuer lyft vp his intent vnto god with a symple perfecte herte so voyde hym make hym naked from all disordinat loue or pleasure to any creat thynges of al yâ— worlde he is most mete to receyue the gyft of deuocion Forowre lorde gaue his blessynge there where he fouÌ„de the vessels clene voide And the more perfectly that any renouÌ„ce mortifie despise contempne theymselfe all the lowe thynges the soner grace shall entre copiously abouÌ„d so that he shall fele his hert lyfte vp as though it were set in a fredom and theÌ„ he shall se his hert largely habounde meruelously Ioy wyth in hym selfe for that the hand of god shal be ouer wym and he shall submytte hym perpetually into hys holy handes And so shall the man be blessed that secheth god with all his herte his soule shall be taken in vayne werkes But suche one certeynly in the receyuynge the holy body of Iesu Criste meryteth and deserueth the grace of deuyne vnyon vnto god ¶ For he beholdeth nat only hys propre deuocion coÌ„solacyon but the great honoure glory of god ¶ Howe we ought to she we our necessites vnto iesu crist and aske hym benygne grace Cap .xvi. O Ryght swete most beloued lorde whiche I nowe desire to receyue Thou good lorde knowest the sikenes of soule and necessyte that I suffre In what euylles and vices I slepynge am put Howe often greued temptyd troubled and dyssolute I come vnto the lorde to haue consolacyon and comfort I speke to the lorde thou knowest all my secrete and inwarde thoughtes whiche be â–ª manyfeste open vnto the. It is thou only that perfectly mayeste helpe me for thou knoweste what vnto me necessarye and of what goodes aboue all other I haue moostenede ¶ Albeit I am poore in vertue alas yet mercyfull lorde beholde me beynge here before the pore and naked demaundynge pyteously thy swete grace mercy And geue thy pore begger that dyeth for hunger some of thy heueÌ„ly refeccoÌ„n and chafe my colde herte wyth the brenninge flame of thy loue And illumyne me that amblyndede and maye nat see with that clerenes of thy presence ¶ Take awaye from my thought al the erthely and inwardelye thynges and turne theym vnto me and make me thynke theym foule and bytter and all greuous and contrarye thynges vnto me ¶ And they that maye please the I maye take also in pleasure And all erthely creat thynges to haue in oblyuyon and redresse my herte toward is the into heuen And late me nat wauer nor erre vpon erthe but thou only
there is no knowlege in thys worlde but it is myxt with some derkenesse of ignoraunce The humble knowelege of thy selfe ys more sure wey to heuen than the curious iÌ„quisicion of ê“founde knowlege of thynges vn ê“fytable the science of euery thiÌ„ge well ordred is good but a clere conscience a good lyfe is moche better And there be diuers that study rather for excellence of cunnynge than good lyuynge therfore they fall in errour brynge for the litell frute or none O wolde god they wolde indeuour themselfe as dylygently to auoyde vice plant vertue in theyr sowles as they be to moue curious questions multiply suê‘fluê° langage than there shulde nat be so moche occasion of sine shewed to the people ne so moche dyssolute lyuiÌ„ge iÌ„ religion At yâ— day of iugemeÌ„t it shall nat be laide to our charge what we haue red or lerned or how pleasauÌ„tly we haue lyued but what we haue done how religiously we haue lyued where be now all yâ— royal poetes with theyr crafty coÌ„ucied poemes elegant oratours with their oracioÌ„s garnisshed with eligancy the philosophers with theyr pregnaunt reasons seÌ„tences Diuers of these maner of clerkes we haue knowen in our dayes nowe theyr curiosite is passed and other meÌ„ occupie their prebendes promocions that they possed If they were here nowe ageyne I suppose they wolde neuer labour so bysily for curiosite in knowlege ne teÌ„porall promocions Nowe they had leuer thann all this worlde that theyr enteÌ„t had ben accordynge to the holy doctryne of scripture than the study had beÌ„ happy O howe many in manere of euery state perisshith in this worlde by vayne glory that more desire to please prynces prelates other patrons for a temporall promocion than truly in wardly to serue god for the promocions eternall These desire rather by pompe pryde to be great in the worlde thaÌ„ by mekenes charite to be in fauoure with god therfore they vanissh iÌ„ their thaughtis desires as the smoke that euer the more it asceÌ„deth the more yt fadeth faileth That persone may be named great in grace that is incended wyth charite is ê‘fytly obedient by humylyte contempnynge the inordinat desire of preemynens or of dignite And he ys prudent that reputeth all worldely pleasures goodes as vile dunge in comparison of the celestial goodis whiche we shall haue in the perfite possession of the loue of iesu crist And yâ— ê‘son is verely well thaught that euer inforceth hym selfe to forsake his own will and foloweth the wyll of god ¶ The forthe Chaptre ys of credence in byleuynge IT is nat expedient ne wysdom to beleue euery worde or inly mocioÌ„ of our mynde but we must consider that it is accordynge to the scripture of god in no wyse contrary therto But I lament for sorowe the lyght frayle disposicion of the iÌ„perfite people that be swifte to beleue specially those thynges that be the hurt of theyr owne soules and the detÌ„ment of theyr neyghboure But the wyse perfyte men knowynge the fraylte of man more ê“ne to euyll than to good be nat so lyght to beleue euery worde that they here It is great wisdom and also discrescion to be sober in iugement other delynge nat to haue ouermoche confidence in our ê“pre dedes ne to reherse other thynges lyghtly belened herde euer to gyue hede to take councell of a wise a well conscience man euer gladder to be instructe of a nother than to folowe thy ê“pre intencyon or mynde A good lyfe maketh the to be reputed wise in the syght of god to haue in many thynges experience Euer the more meke obedient a maÌ„ be to god the more wise quyete shall he be ¶ The .v. Chaptre is of the rediÌ„ge of holy scripture The principall thynge that we shall iÌ„quyre iÌ„ scipture is charite nat elygance in speche we shulde endeuour ourselfe to rede the scripture with as greate feruour of sprete as it was receyued first And wisdome wolde we shulde folowe those autores and bokes where we may haue most swete ê“fitable fedynge for owre sowle The fame of sotell phylosophers the knowlege of poetes reforike as asmoke or fume vanissheth awey but the truthe of god abydeth withoute ende And as our lorde speketh to vs without excepcion of persone most expe diently to vs so we shall withoute any excepcion of feithfull ê‘sone or werke study rede those werkes that most we thinke shulde please god to vs most ê“fytable If thou wolde drawe the spirituall water of wisdome out of the well of scripture iÌ„cline the vessel of thy soule by mekenes confidence without desire of curiosite or name of excellence Inquyre dilygently quietly receyue the holy sentensis of seintis let nat the ê“uerbes holy wyse similytudes of blissed faders displese yâ— for thei were nat spokeÌ„ wtout cause ¶ The .vi. Chaptre of affeccoÌ„ns iÌ„ordynate wHan someuer a man hath inordinate desyre to any thinge than he is made inqâ—ete in him selfe the proude maÌ„ and the couetouse be neuer quiete in theyr myndes But a meke and a pore man in spyryte be conseruaunt in greate quyetnes of miÌ„de That persone that ys nat mortyfyed perfytly is sone ouercome in lytell vile temptacions sone inclined to sensible pleasures And if he shall withdrawe his mynde fro erthly thynges it is with great difficulte And therfore they haue great heuynes iÌ„ herte sone be miscoÌ„tent if they be resisted And if they folowe theyr sensuall appetite anone they be greuedâ— with rumours of coÌ„scieÌ„ce in as moche as they haue folowed the sensuall passioÌ„s that rather dispose to inquietnes of mynde thaÌ„ rest in resistiÌ„ge sensuall passioÌ„s plesours we shall come to ê‘fyte rest infolowynge them to great iniquietnes There may nat be coÌ„teyned rest in the herte of man that gyueth hym selfe to execute his carnall desires or moche is conuersaunt with outwarde thynges but in the sowle that hathe most delyte to god in inly godys of thy soule may be founde true reste ¶ The .vii. chaptre of vanite elacioÌ„ to be auoided THat ê‘sone may be called vayne that putthe hys hope in any man or creature Tak it nat for no repreue to do seruice to other or to be reputed pore for the loue of Ihesu Cryste haue lytell confydence in thy selfe but that thy hole hope and trust be in god Do that is in the to plese hys grace and god with hys gracious assistence shall be with the in thy wyll and dyrecte thy werkes Haue neuer confideÌ„ce in thyne owne runnynge ne in any worldly subtilte of any lyuynge creature but in the mercyfull grace of god that neuer suffreth creature fynally to be withoute comforte that hade thyr full confidence in hym and those that haue full affyaunce or hope in thyr selfe he maketh or suffreth to fall and so subdueth them Auaunce nat thy selfe iÌ„
the abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of ryches ne of great powere of thy temporall friÌ„des but alonely in god in whome is all abundaunce of ryches and puyssannce of myghte And he aboue all thynge desyreth to gyue his owne selfe to those that dyspose them selfe to receyue hym by grace Exalte nat thy selfe of any bodyly vertue for all suche sone he corrupte and vanisshe awey by a lytell infirmyte Inhaunce nat thy selfe of any naturall habilite lest god of nature be myscontente with the. Repute nat thy selfe better than other lyste that thou be founde worse in the syght of god that beholdeth the enlye dyposicyon of euery soule and diuers tymes dyscoÌ„mendeth those thynges that men in this worlde coÌ„mendeth And therfore if thy werkes please men fere lyst they displease god And if there be any goodnes or vertue in the byleue that there is more in other And euer desire of god that the vertue of mekenes may abyde in the. It shall neuer hurte the yf thou iuge thy selfe the leste most vile of all other in preferrynge of thy selfe afore other thou mayste lyghtly offende There is true and sure pease in a meke soule And in aproude herte contynuall enuye and indignacyon ¶ The .viii. Chaptre of moche famyliarite to be auoyded SHewe nat thy secrete counselle to euery man but to hym that ys wyse secrete and dredeth god Inhaunt nat moche the company of yonge ê‘sons and strangers Vse no adulacyon for to come to any temporall promocion nor for that consyderacyon exercise nat moche the company of myghty greate men that be contynually besy in worldly thiÌ„ges Be desirous to be accompaned with meke charytable men with those that be of good maners and â—tuous trete with them of those thiÌ„ges that mayedifye strength thy soule be nat familier with any ê‘son wherby thou maist lightly be tempted or in famed It is necessary to haue charyte with euerye persone but nat familiarite but with those that mai helpe to promote the to the famyliarite of god of his aungels Somtime we se that som men beinge of great fame and yet theyr bodyly presence ys nat moche profitable there be som that with their bodely preseÌ„ce wene to ê“fit other whan they by theyr indiscression euell maners rather discomfort and hurte those that they wene to helpe comforte ¶ The .ix. Chaptre of meke subieccoÌ„n obedieÌ„ce IT is full great merite to stande in obedience forsake thy ê“pre wyll ê‘fectly to obeye to the wyll of a nother It ys moche more sure to stande in the way of obedience than in pÌ„lacy But there be many that be rather in subieccyon of necessyte than of charyte they haue therin peyne lyghtly gruges and haue nat liberte of minde without they for the loue of god submitte theym selfe ReÌ„ne hider or thyder or where thou wylte but it shal be harde for the to fynde perfite rest but vnder make subieccion of a discrete Prelate The ymaginacion ymytacions of diuersytees of habitacions places hath â—â—sceyued many a religyous persone Euery body in maner is glade to do that that they re mynde sheweth them It shulde be more to theyr profite to forsake theyr appetite than if they condiscende therto But if we wolle that god shall abyde withe vs we must forsake our ê“pre wyll for the exaÌ„ple psesure of god the profitable peas of our neyghbour Sy then no man hath all cunnynge therfore it is sitting that no body haue to moche confideÌ„ce in their owne councell And if thy vnderstandynge be good sufficient yet if thou wylt by example of our sauyâ—ure leue thy ê“pre councell or direccion folow a noder for thy mekenes thou shalt more profyt than if thou folowed thy ne owne wyll As we here the comone prouerbe It is moche more sure the wyse discrete counsell of a nother than to gyue theym counsell that wyll nat folowe it It is a synne of ê‘tynacite pride any persone inportunly to offre theyr counsel specially where they can lytell profite ¶ The .x. Chaptre of superfluous wordes to be auoyed THat soule that desireth inli perfeccioÌ„ of their mynde must specially auoide the tumultuê° behauyour of wordly people The besines of wordly actes thought they be done with a good entente yet they lett hyndereth the mynde of his great perfeccion Nowe I repent my suê‘fluous langage frequent inhauntynge of wordely company for â–ª by these .ii. meanes we be often tymes hurte in our coÌ„science If it be expedyeÌ„t and also you be disposed to speke lett it be ê“fitable other to the honour of god yâ— edificacion of thy soule or thy neyghbour Also consider that all our good wordes be wryten of yâ— aungels of god our euyll wordes of our enemy yâ— deuyll to our accusacion And therfore it is moche more profytable whanne good folkes be assembled of onemynde to the mouynge of goodnes As the hole colys vnite to gyder eche of them receyuethe of other influence of hete So good soules assemblede togyder for the encrease of vertue echone of theym receyuethe of other influence of grace encrease of vertue goodnes ¶ The .xi. Chaptre of the desire to profite spiritually pease to be purchased IT is one speciall meane to acquire pease nat to intermytt vs of the wordes and werkes of those that atteyne nat to vs. Howe maye that persone be in gostely quyetnesse that moche intermytteth hym selfe of those thynges that he hath no cure of Or syketh occasyons outwarde and hath but litell recourse to inlye habytacyon of hys conscyence Blessede be the true symple fowles wythoute any dysceyueable mynde that in all theyr lyfe and laboures truely entendeth for they shall come to the rest of mynde and conscyence ¶ The holy seyntes by mortyfiynge and subduynge they re sensualyte to reason all erthely thynges sette a parte they wythe all theyr inly delectable desyresfrely haue had their hole meditacyon in oure lorde But we be besy moche in thynges transetorye and folowe oure passyons that we maye nat ouercome in maner perfytly one vyce ¶ And therfore we be nat accended in the dayly profite deuocion therfore we remayne remysse and voyde of deuocion The most pryncipal cause why we haue no inly delectacyon or desire of heuenly contemplacyon ys for we be nat fre or delyuered from our senssuall passyons coÌ„cupisceÌ„sis ne inforce nat oure selfe into the holy waye that the blyssed faders haue gone afore vs. whan a litell aduersite cometh to vs we besone ouercome redy to returne to the consolacyons of man Where yf we wolde mightily stande in bataile for the loue of our lorde we shulde se the goodnes of his gracius helpe sent towarde vs. Hys grace is euer redy to gyde helpe those that in spirituall batayle haue full confidence in hym And he procurith occasions of batel to the ende that we shulde increase the crowne of ê‘petuall ioye by
lorde to assist vs iÌ„ our trouble is perfite mekens for as Dauidsaith he shall saue exalte those that be meke in spirite in teÌ„ptacioÌ„ tribulacion man is ê“ued howe moche he ê“fiteth his vertue is more manifeste It is no gret mÌ„uell if a deuout maÌ„ without teÌ„ptacioÌ„ haue feruor of spirite But they that in tyme of aduersite can aplye theymselfe to haue feruour of spirite it is a signe of stablenes grace for to come There be some that be kept fro great teÌ„ptacion yet iÌ„ smale dayly teÌ„ptacions they be oftymes ouercome with lytell teÌ„ptacion Therfore in great teÌ„ptacioÌ„ they euer fere to be ouercome ¶ The .xiiii. Chaptre of vndiscrete iugement to be auoyded Gyue hede that thou consyder well thy propre warkes be nat redy to iuge the dedes of another that ê‘teynethe nat to the ne for whome thou shalt gyue none accoÌ„pt at thy dethe Man laboreth in vayne oftymes in iugeynge other men sone offendeth but in serchynge hys owne defautes considerynge them he euer laboreth frutfully And we comonly be redy to iuge after oure affeccion many tymes we erre frome the truthe in iugement for our pryde synguler loue And good were oure entent desire we shulde nat be so greatly troubled in the resistence of oure sensuall desires But there ys some inwarde inclynacion or outwarde affeccyon that withdraweth vs fro the very affeccion desire that we shulde haue There be many that in thiÌ„ges that they do rather seche theyr owne lucre than the pleasure of god or the comon ê“fyte of many other they thynke theyr mynde is set patyfyed if they obteyne theyr purpose if the coÌ„trarye fortune they be moued with â—pacieÌ„ce be miscoÌ„teÌ„t And for diuer sites of affeccions desyres opinions that be amoÌ„ge the people oftymes be some dissencions debatys amonge frendes cytezins deuout religious peple It is harde to leue a custome of longe continuauÌ„ce no man is glade to forsake his ê“pre appetite vnderstaÌ„dynge desire And thou be more redy to applie to thyne owne reason vnderstandinge than to the holy doctrine of seruaunt â–ª of iesy crist It shal be longe or thou be gostly lyghtned for our lorde sendeth nat the great habundauÌ„ce of spirituall lyghte but to them that forsake their owne ê“pre appetites resons folow hym by mekenes ¶ The .xv. chaptÌ„ of yâ— ê“fite of warkis oÌ„de iÌ„ charite THou shuldest nat do a mortall sinne for loue fauour of any creature ne for no erthly creture or worldly ê“mocion For therby thou shuldest put thy selfe out of the loue of our lorde ieopderdy of the losse of euerlastynge promocyon And sometyme it is expedieÌ„t to leue a good dede for the great necessite of our neyghbour or elles for a better dede to be done wherby we be nat hyndered in vertue but rather promoted The outwarde operacyon be yt neuer so commendable in the syght of the people without charyte it auaylethe nat in the syghte of god whyche accepteth more the faythful entent and feruour of mynde than the many folde multipliynge of great warkes or of wordes Tho persones done moche that ordreth theyr lyfe to the honoure of god rather to the profite of the comoÌ„ wele than to their owne synguler ê“fyte There be many worldly people that thynke they doo many thynges of charyte but they be rather done of carnalyte as all tho that do theyr workes by the meane of carnall affeccyon ê“pre wyll hope of ê“mocion alwey haue an iye to theyr owne synguler auayle But charite euer iÌ„clyneth to do that that princypally may do honour to god obteyne the goodes goostly rather than temporall in bodely goodes it preserueth the comone wele afore a priuate synguler wele the charitable man enuyeth no man for any pryuate ioye or pleasure ne he lyketh nat to magnifie hym selfe but to magnyfie glorifie god in hym to be blessed He coÌ„maundeth no man by adulacyon but he referreth al coÌ„mendacion honour goodnes to god finally of whome cometh al grace in whome al blessed creatures resteth perpetuall in finall felicite O he that had but one sparkle of charite wolde repute al wordly plesures loue but vanyte ¶ The .xvi. Chaptre howe a man shulde suffre the defautes of his neyghbour THose fautes that we may nat ameÌ„de in our selfe nor in other we must pacieÌ„tly sussre tyll that we se what our lorde wyll worke or order therin thinke that it is ordeyned of our lorde for to ê“ue our pacyence without whiche our merytes be lytell to be pondered And it is expedieÌ„t for vs to pray to owre lorde that we by his grace may pacientely suffre owre necessary defautes ¶ If thou monisshe by broderly correccyon thy broder or suster ones or twyse of they re defaute If they receyue nat thy monicion striue nat with theym but commyte it to god that his wyll and honour be done in al his seruauÌ„tes there is no euyll in this world but he knowith how he shall order it to some well goodnes study paciently to suffre the defautes iÌ„firmites of other for thou hast many imperfeccions in thy selfe whiche other suffre in the If thou canste nat make thy selfe as thou woldest be iÌ„ euery condicion howe than shuldest thou desire to haue an other to thy pleasure we wolde gladly haue other perfite yet we labour nat to amende our owne offencis we wolde that other that offendeth shulde be straitly correcte our selfe more coulpable vncorrecte It displesithe vs to see other haue great liberte priuelege disirig that they shulde be restreyned by lawe statut and we desire oure selfe to be at liberte without lawe or statute so it appereth that we full seldoÌ„e praise our neyghbour as our selfe the whiche we shulde do yf we were ê‘fite Our lorde hath so ordeyned that we shall lerne echone of other to bere paciently the burden of an other for i this worlde there is no man without defaute no man without burdeÌ„ no man sufficient of hym selfe in wisdome or prudence therfore must echone of vs helpe to bere the burdeÌ„ of other echone to comfort other helpe other istructe theym monisshe them And who is of more vertue it aperith by the occasioÌ„s af aduersite OccasioÌ„s makith nat a ê‘sone fraile but they shewe whether he be vertuous or vycyous ¶ The .xvii. chaptre how a ê‘sone shulde order him IF thou wylt haue peas selfe to come to pease and concorde withe other thou muste make a restraynige in many thynges of thyne owne wyll â—ys no lytell vertue to contynue in a company with out dissencion or debate so to continue Blessed be tho persons that whether they be religious or seculer that fereth to offende god in theyr coÌ„uersacion hurteth no soule so endeth theyr lyfe in the loue of god of their neighbour And thou wylt surely staÌ„de in vertue repute
rather we deserue moche trybulacion The vertuous soule wheder it consyder it selfe or another it fyndeth mater of compunccion and sorowe for it knoweth that none lyueth in thys worlde without tribulacion The mater of true coÌ„tricion compuncion euer be our synnes vyces wherby we be so disposed that we may seldome beholde perfitly heuenly thynges And thou woldeste as besily remeÌ„bre thy dethe as thou doest yâ— length of thy lyfe thou shuldest more ferueÌ„tly applie thyselfe to amende the. And if thou woldest ê‘fitely remeÌ„bre the outragious peynes of hell pourgatory I suppose thou woldest be glad to suffre tribulacyon peyne labour here in this worlde with that thou mightest auoide those outragious peynes of euerlastynge damnacyon But for those thinges be nat iÌ„ our consideracion for we applie ourselfe for wordly pleasure therfore we continue remysse colde for lacke of grace inly deuocion And for the miÌ„de of man is nat constant in vertue therfore the bodye is more fraile lightly offeÌ„deth Therfore praie deuoutly mekely to our lorde that it wold plese him of his grace to gyue vs the spirite of coÌ„punccion say with the ê“â—hite Good lorde fede me with the brede of coÌ„tricioÌ„ with the habuÌ„dauÌ„ce of teris for my driÌ„ke ¶ The .xxii. chaptre of the consideracyon of the mysery of man w Here soeuer thou be or where soeuer thou coÌ„uerte the thou arte but a wretch without thou conuerte thy selfe vnto almyghty god where fore arte thou troubled if that any thynge happene nat to thy pleasure what creature in all this worlde hath all his plesure Se nat we that almighty god suffered many iniuries wronges and that ê‘sone hath most auauntage in hope that most suffreth paciently for the loue of our lorde The frayle worldly people beholdynge only outwarde thynges say thê° Beholde howe good a lyfe thys man hath howe riche howe greate possessions howe myghty power how stronge and fayre a nature But those goodes be of lytell certente euer in mouiÌ„ge and they be possssed euer with labour and feere Therfore beholde the heuenly goodes that shal be possessed with al pleasure and neuer fade The felicite of man standeth nat in the habundaunce of wordly goodes but it requireth thynges necessary for thys worlde Euer the more spirituall a man desireth to be the more byttnes he ê‘ceyueth in this worlde more clerely ê‘ceyueth the fautes of our corruptible kynde therfore the prophite Dauid desired of our lorde to be deliuered from all suche necessarie defautes that iÌ„ maner let men to come to ê‘feccion But wo be to them that knowe nat theyr myserie wo be to them that haue their greatest pleasure in this miserie corruptyble lyfe for and suche might euer lyue here they were rtent dispysynge in maner the true felicyte to come where euery man that cometh is most ê‘fytly suffysed O how vnhappy vnfeithfull creature that by inordinate desire of transetory erthly thiÌ„gdes arte so blynde that thou hast no spirituall tast but of car â—all thynges But at the houre of thy deth thyn iyen shal be opened with peynes than thou shalt know howe vyle litell of reputacion these thynges were wherin thou dydest put thyn vnhappy felicite But the holy sayntes and the deuoute louers of god haue nat pryncypally attended to those thynges that were pleasaunt to the flesshe or those thynges that haue temporally florysshed in thys worlde but all theyr hope entent was in thys worlde to possesse the goodes eternall All theyr desyre was exalted to the mooste hye and inuysible good leste it shulde be drawen to erthely thynges by the meane of thinges vysible O thou dulle sowle that perseuereste in out warde trybulacyon or inly temptacion and in both ouercome remembre that in tyme of trybulacion or temptacion is the most frutefull tyme of merite For thou muste go throught fyre and water before thou come in to the place of fynall consolacyion and rest And thou shalte neuer ouercome vyce but by vyolence we may nat longe be without synne tideousnes or sorow as loÌ„ge as we bere this fraile body oboute with vs we wolde be gladde to haue quyetnes from all synne and mysere but for asmoche as we haue looste innocencye by synne we be nat worthy to haue here the place of ioy and felycite Therfore we muste by pacyence abyde the mercy of our lorde vnto the tyme that our myserable mortalyte be perfitly chaunged in to the lyfe perdurable and immortalle O howe frayle is oure humayne lynage euer prone and redy to vyce This day thou art confessed of thy synnes the next day thou retornest vnkyndely to the same synne Nowe thou pourposest to cesse fro thy synne and within the space of an houre thou fallest vnto the same as thoughe thou haddest made no promise ne purpose contrary and therfore we haue sufficient occasion of humiliacoÌ„n wherby we may manifestly perceyue our owne iÌ„firmites vnstablenes And that vertue that we long tyme laboured for by grace obteyned is sone lost by necligence And we be remysse necligent nowe whan we be moste mighty to labour what shall we do whan we waxe dull in wytte feble in bodye O howe vnhappy be those that repute them selfe sure cessynge to labour ageynst vyce as they were sure iÌ„ good lyfe yet there is no token in maner of ê‘feccion in their lyfe they that thinke themselfe ê‘fite as I haue rehersyd it were expedient that they were iÌ„structe as Nouices begynners to growe in more ê‘fyte vertues ¶ The .xxiii. Chaptre of the meditacion of dethe PRouyde for thy selfe whyles thou arte here for thou seest that thys day a man is and the morowe he apperethe nat And whan he is wythdrawen frome the bodely syght he ys sone forgoteÌ„ gostely O the great dulnes and hardnes of manes herte that more myndeth prouydeth for transetory thynges present than eternall thynges for to come If thou woldest in euery worde warke thoughte remembre as thou shuldest sone dye than thou hauynge a good conscience shuldest nat so inordynatly fere deth It is more profitable to auoide synne than to flee dethe If thou be nat redy this day to dye by the same reson thou shalt nat be redy to morowe For to morowe is a day vncerteyne and thou knoeste nat whether thou shalte contynue therto or nay What auayleth yt to lyue longe thy lyfe to be lytell or nothynge amended A longe lyfe encreseth nat alweye vertue but dyuers tymes sinne and vice Wolde god we myght be conuersaunt eueriday in thys worlde withoute any offence ¶ There be many that counte many yeres of conuersacion but full fewe of frutfull lyuynge O it ys ferefull to dye but perauenture it is more ieoperdyous to lyue lenger Blessed be tho persons that contynually haue the houre of deth before theyr syght and that euery daye dispose them selfe to dye Reduce to thy remeÌ„braunce some persone that thou haste seene
departe and thynke that lyke wyse thou must nedes departe Whan thou rysest in the mornynge doute whether thou shalte contynue in bodely helthe vnto nyghte And therfore euer dispose thy selfe to be redye that dethe neuer may fynde the vnredy ne a slepar and remembre howe many do departe sodaynlye and whan they leest haue beleued they haue gone The sonne of man both god and man our Iuge shal come that tyme whan we leest wene as he saythe hym selfe Whan thy last houre comethe than shalte thou repent full sore of thy remysse and neclygente lyfe Howe gracyous and happy is that soule that now in his lyfe laboreth to be in that state that it desireth to be founde in hys dethe To contempne the worlde ê‘fytely ys a greate desyre to profyttein vertue loâ—e of dysciplene labour in penaunce a prompte wyll to obedience redy to forsake theyr owne wyll the supportacion of euery trybulacyon for the loue of oure lorde these shall enduce vs to haue a greate confydence to departe happyly out of thys worlde It ys moche better by tyme to prouyde for thy selfe and fynde thy goodes before the than to truste to other that perauenture shall uought or lytell ê“uyde for the. And thou labour nat nowe besily for thy selfe who shal be besy for the in tyme to come Now the tyme is very precious But it is lamentable to spende that tyme vnprofitably where we myght de serue goodes of the whiche we shulde lyue and ioy eternally the tyme shall come that thou woldeste be gladde to haue one day or houre to amende thyselfe in but I knowe nat whether thou shalt obteyne yt ornaye O thou vncircuÌ„specte soule of howe greate ê‘yll fere myghtest thou delyuer thyselfe of now yf thou woldest nowe fere to offende god suspecte that comynge of deth Study nowe to lyue so that iÌ„ the houre of thy dethe thou mayste rather ioye than fere Lerne nowe to dye frome the worlde that thann thou maist begynne to lyue with criste Lerne now to contempne all wordly thynges that than â— u maist frely without any impediment goo to criste Chasti sâ—thy body nowe by penaunce than thou maist haue certen confidence of reward O thou vnwise maÌ„â—â—hy makist thou so great and sure prouysioÌ„ for the â—â—me to come whanne thou arte nat sure that thou â—â—alte nat lyue o one daye to the ende Howe manye haue be deceyued thinkynge to lyue longe sodenly haue decessed Howe of tymes hast thou herde of those that be departed howe some haue be slaine with swerde some drowned some fallynge fro hie place haue broken theyr necke some etynge haue be straÌ„gled some with fire some with yron some with the ues haue be distroyed so the ende of euery man in thys worlde ys dethe the lyfe of man in this worlde as a shadowe vanisshe aweye Who shall remeÌ„bre or praie for the after thy dethe thou knowest nat Therfore nowe instore thy selfe of ryches iÌ„mortall that shall continue after thy dethe Euer laboure for that thynge that may honour god helpe thy sowle attende therto studye to make the sayntes of heueÌ„ the frendes of god thy frendes they shall receyue the into euerlastynge tabernacles Thou religious soule behaue thy selfe vpon erthe as a pylgrim a straunger For it perteyneth no thynge to the to intermyt of the besines of this worlde Preserue thi herte fre directe it to our lorde for thou hast no cite here abidynge therfore directe thy dayly mournynge prayer vpwarde that after thy spirite deê‘te fro thy bodye it may be worthy to be graciously translated into that celestiall perpetuall Cyte ¶ The .xxiiii. Chaptre is of the last iugenent peynes deputed for synne IN all thy labours beholde the ende howe thou shalt stande before yâ— iuge to whome no thiÌ„ge can be hyd he that day shall nother be moued with rewardes nor praier nor any other cause that may be alegid but he shall iuge that is rightwis O thou myeserable vnwyse synner what shalt thou answere that day to that lorde knowiÌ„ge all that euer thou haste done If thou fere somtyme in this worlde the face of a mortall man whiche thou haste dyspleased howe moche more shuldeste thou feere the face of thys thy eternall Iuge why prouydest thou nat forthe daye of iugement whan there maye no man be accepted or defended by another But euery man shall answere for hys owne selfe Nowe thy welle ordered laboure is frutefull thy wepynge acceptable thy mornynge worthye to be herde thy sorowe purgethe is satisfactorye The pacyent man that more lamentethe for the malyce of synners Than for hys owne iniurye hath an holsome pourgatory And lykewyse they that praye fore theyr ennemyes and in theyr herte forgiue their offences they that tarye nat to aske forgyuenes of other for they re offences And be more redye to remytte thanne to be wrothe And they that by vyolence restrayne theyr selfe fro synne and euer be besy to make the bodye obedyent to the soule All those haue an holsomme pourgatory in thys lyfe It is moche more profitable nowe to pourge oure synne and kytte it awaye than to abyde the pourgacion therof with the fyre of Pourgatory Verely we deceyue our selfe by inordynat loue that we haue to owre selfe what shall the fyre come to deuoure but thy siÌ„ne Euer the moâ—â—e thou sparyste thy selfe nowe And so folowyste the sensuall appetite more greuouse shal be thy peyne afterwarde and more greuouse the fyre And therfore loke what thynge man more greuously offendeth in and therin shal be his more peyne ¶ The flouthfull persone shal be punysshed with brenniÌ„ge broundes The glottone that hathe consumed metys and drynkes superfluously to the detryment of theyr body and the iniurie of the pore that famysshed for hunger than shall they famysshe for hunger in so moche that yf they wolde desire a drope of water to mytage that excedynge ardore that they shall suffre than it shall nat be possyble to theym to obteyne it ¶ The lecherous people and the inordynat louers of theyr lustys shal be coÌ„pelled to drinke the stynkynge and abhomynable inflamed pyche and brymstone And the enuyous people shall wayle and howle as wode hundes And so euery sine shall haue his propre torment peyne corespondynge to hym And the obstinate prowde couetife persons shal be replenysshed with al confusion penury There shal be one houre more peynful and greuous than here a hundred yere in bitter penauÌ„ce There shall neuer be consolacion ne rest to those that be dampned or shal be dampned but here the troubled persons haue somtyme aleuiaunce of their peynes and consolacion of their frendes Be nowe besie sorye for thy synne that in yâ— day of iugement thou maiste haue suerty with holy sayntes wheche than shall stande in great constaunce ageynst those that haue vnryghtously vexed theym And loke as they be nowe iuged of other men so than
shall they â—â—ge other Than the pore obedient soule shal haue greate confidence and the obstinate prowde man shall quake and fere on euery syde Than shal they be reputed wyse that haue lerned in thys worlde of our lorde to be abiecte and dispised Than shall all tribulacy on pacyently suffered be full profitable euery iniquyte shall trouble the auctor therof ThaÌ„ shall euery deuoute soule ioye and euery wiked creature shall wayle and mourne than shal the flesshe that hath ben with reason chastised be more gladde than if it had ben alweye in delectacion and plesure than the vyle vesture shall shene the glisteriÌ„ge gar mentis shal be derke and vyle and the pore cotage more of pryce than the great gloryous palys edified for pompe and pryde than shal be more allowable a constant pacience than allvsurped power than shall the true obedience of a meke religious soule be more exalted than any worldly cautelous prudence than shall a clere conscience be more ioyfull than the arrogance of poetis or philosophers than the contempt of riches be more of price than the treasoure of all the erthe Than thou shalt haue more delectacion in deuoute prayer than in the delectable fediÌ„ge And thou shalt more reioyce of the sylence that thou haste kepte than of thy longe suê‘fluoê° spech Than shall thy hooly werk is be moche more of pryce than the faire and plesaunt wordes Than shal a strayte life peynfull be more ê“fitable than al wordly delectacoÌ„n lerne nowe to suffre smale tribulacyons that than thou maist be deliuered from greate tribulations It thou wylte in any wise by continuaunce of thy synne order thyselfe to the fire make experience Putte thy hande in the fyre If thou may nat suffre thys lytell peyne howe shalte thou endure to suffre thy hole body perpetually to be putte in the fyre If nowe a lytell possyon make the so pacyeÌ„t what shal the intollerable peynes of helle do to the. Than gyue hede thou mayste nat haue the full pleasure bodily here and in the lyfe to come the habundaunce of spyrytuall ioye Therfore if thou wylte afterward regne withe Cryste in perpetuall pleasure folowe hym here in thys lyfe with penaunce It thou haddest lyued frome the begynnynge of the worlde to thys daye in all honour and pleasure that were possyble to be hadde in this lyfe they shulde nowe be al paste as a dreme that shortly apperethe and soone ys forgotten And if thou shuldeste lyue nowe lykewyse to the worldes ende and than departe what shulde remayne of these pleasures nothinge Than we maye conclude that all wordly pleasure ys but vanyte and all other thynge in thys worlde ys vanyte sauynge the loue of god and hys seruyce or a thynge ordred to these That sowle that loueth god with all hys herte nouther fereth dethe inordynatly tormentes iugement ne helle For persyte loue hath sure passage to owre lorde who someuer hath delyte to offende it is no meruayle if they drede dethe and theyr Iugement ¶ yet yf the loue of god maye nat wythdrawe the frome synne than yt ys good expedient that thou cesse of synne for the fere of the peynes of helle And that ê‘sone that pÌ„ferreth any wordly loue before the loue of god can not loÌ„ge stande in the state of grace but he shall sone be tied in the snare of the deuyll ¶ The .xxv. chaptre of the feruent emandacyon of all the life of man LOke that thou be wakynge dilygent iÌ„ the seruice of god thou relygious soule remeÌ„bre bysely whether thou arte come why thou hast forsaken the worlde was it nat for that intent that thou shuldest become a spirituall man or woman and to loue serue god only Therfore incyte thy selfe to haue feruoure to spirituall profite For thou shalte shortly receiue thy rewarde for all thy labours and in that heuenly inheritaunce shal be nouther sorowe ne fere Nowe labour a lytell than thou shalt fide great reste perpetuall gladnes if thou wylt feithfully feruently abide in vertuous labour thou shalt fynde without dowte that our lorde shall feythfully habundauntly rewarde the and haue hope that thou shalt come to victory But it is expedient that thou therin haue nat to great suerty lest thou be necligeÌ„t or exalted therby in thy mynde There was a certayne persone that was oftymes folowynge in hys mynde betwene fere hope and on a tyme beynge full of anguysshe sorowe in a churche fell prostrat to the grounde seyinge these wordes O if I myght knowe whether I shall perseuer ouercome thys great temptacion that I am in he herde anone the answere of our lorde shewed to hym in his soule saiynge What woldeste thou do if thou kneweste that Do nowe that as thou woldest do than and therby thou mayste haue suerte And so anone he was reconforted and commytted hym selfe to the wyll of god and of his flowynge and vnstedfast mynde was paysed and wolde nomore by curious inquysicy on desyre to knowe what shulde befalle to hym in tyme to come but rather he studyed to know the wyll of god he studyed to conferme hys wyll to the wyll of god as well in the begynnynge as in the endynge of euery dede that he shulde do The ê“phet Dauid exortynge euery man to vertue saythe Do well and hope in god Inhabyte the erthe and thou shalte be fedde with frutes therof The contynuall gruge and laboure of temptacy on and trybulacion wythdra weth ryghte many frome profyte and feruent emendacy on Verely they that inforce they re selfe wyth myghty apply cacyon to ouercome those thynges that be greuous and contrarye to the helthe of theyr soules they profite in excedynge other and man in mortyfiynge of hys sensuall partes and ouercomynge of hymselfe therin specially he profyteteh cometh to more habundaunce of grace but euery man hath nat in lyke to ouercome or to mortyfie A feruent louer of god if he haue mo and greati passions or lettynge shall more spyritually profyte than the vertuous ê‘sone that hath lesse feruour to vertue There betwo thynges that specyally helpe a soule to come to vertue to withdrawe it selfe violently fro those thynges that corrupte nature is enclyned to â—eruently to labour for that grace or vertue that we ê‘â—eyue we haue moste nede to Gyue hede in any wise that thou auoide those vyces in thyselfe that thou arte moste greued or myscontent within other meÌ„ and be glade to gether vertue of euery vertuoê° creature as the hony Be gadrethe hys hony of diuers floures so consider all those that thou arte coÌ„uersaÌ„t with Chese of echone of them some vertue refusige theyr vyce take the fayre floure frome the brambell and hurte nat thy hande of the thorne And it happeÌ„ the to be hurte indeuoure thy selfe to be recouerede without delaye as thyn iye considereth the warkes of other so thou arte noted of other O howe iocunde and mery is it to be
laÌ„gage of the people man beholdeth yâ— outwarde ê‘te of the but god beholdeth the hert man coÌ„sidereth the warkes but god the enteÌ„t of euery dede It is a good signe of a meke soule that euer dothe yet extemeth it self to do but litel or nought That soule that inquireth nat nor desireth nat outwarde testymony for it selfe it is a sigue that it hath coÌ„mit it selfe holy to god the probacioÌ„ of a vertuous soule standeth nat in the coÌ„mendacion of their selfe but of god The state of the inly vertuous man is princypally to order his myude to god by obedience loue be at liberte from all outwarde iÌ„ordinate affeccions and desires ¶ The .vii. chapt of yâ— loue of Iesu aboue al thiÌ„ges BLessed is that soule that perfitly knowinge Iesu crist loueth hym aboue all thynge and for his loue contempneth itselfe as it is syttiÌ„ge that a kynge be most princypall in his owne reame So it is according that Iesu be ordred as princypall in the soule of man the whiche is his reame as he saith hym selfe in the gospell of Luke The kyngdome of god is within you that is to saye in the sowle of a feythfull louer of Iesu The loue of a creature ys vayne and vnstable but the loue of iesu is feythfull and perseueraunt That ê‘sone that wyll rest or be supported of a disceyuable or roton staffe muste of necessite fall therwith and coÌ„trary wise be a sowle neuer so feble or frayle if it wyll rest or applie it self with all spirituall strengthe therof to Iesu criste yt shal be ê‘fitly stablisshed made stroÌ„ge in him Loue hym kepe hym before all other For if al other freÌ„des forsake the he wyll nat leue the ne suffre the fynally to perisshe And thou must somtyme of necessyte be departed from all thy frendes of this world But indeuour thy selfe to kepe this great trend iesu thou shalt nat be seperated frome hym neyther lyuynge nor diynge thou shalt fynde hym so feithful to the that whan all other fayle ofsocour helpe towarde the he shall neuer fayle And if thou wylt auoyde all iordinate loue of creatures Iesu wil gladly iÌ„habite abyde with the. What so euer thou do to man or receyue of hym nat ordred to icsus is asvaine loste Be nat adherent ne put nat thy coÌ„fidence in that thynge that is as an holowe stocke or a rede hauynge no substaunce to susteyne the euery man lyuynge in a mortall body sayth our lorde is resembled to hay And all his bodely pleasure shall sone fade fall as doth the flowres in the medowe â–ª If thou attende gyue hede to outwarde apparance of maÌ„ thou shalt sone be disceyued If thou wylt besily seche solace lucre thou shalt fynde many tymes displeasure detryment If thou seche thy lorde iesu iÌ„ euery thynge thou shalt truly fynde hym And i like wise if thou seche thy selfe thou shalt fynde thyselfe but to thy distruccyon For he that laboreth to haue all other thinges iesu coÌ„teÌ„pne is more ennemye to hiÌ„selfe than al his aduersaries ouer al the worlde mai ¶ The .viii. chaptre of the famylyer amyte be and loue of Iesu criste WHat soule that hath the gracious preseÌ„ce of iesus hath all thiÌ„ge that is good without any difficultes ê“ne redy to euery vertuous operacion where iesus is nat present by his grace there is euery dede of vertue i maner peynfull There is no perfite inly and goostely consolacyon but whan iesu speketh in the religius soule Did nat mary Mawdeleyne arise sone whan Martha had shewed hir that hir mayster cryste iesu was nyghe and cleped hir That may be called an happy houre whan criste calleth a soule from lamentacyon and wepynge and specially of minde O thou soule how harde vndeuoute arte thou whan iesu is nat with the by assistence of his grace It is nat more domage to lese his grace than all the worlde what maye the worlde auayle the without the grace of the maker therof It is in maner a peyne of helle to be seperate fro iesu it is a plesaunt paradise to be vnytte and knitte with hym by grace And there shal none aduersite neo ther enemye ouercome the as longe as Iesu is with the and that soule that syketh hym and fyndeth hym hath founde the tresour of all tresoures and if thou lese hym thou haste more domage than thoughe thon shuldeste lese all the worlde That persone may be called moste poore that hath nat iesus and he is mooste ryche that hath hym by grace it is great wisdome and cunnynge to be conuersaunt with iesus to kepe hym with the. Labour to haue ê‘fite mekenes and to be quiet deuoute iesu shall abide with the. If thou applie thy desires inordinatly to outwarde thynges thou reiectis the inwarde grace of iesus and than thou shalte be full disolate of true amite and frenhshyp for wythoute his grace gostely conforte thou shalte neuer haue ê‘fytly gostely gladnes in hym afore all other And also we shulde rather wyll to haue all the worlde coÌ„trarie to vs than to offende hym AmoÌ„ge all thy de re speciall frendes chese iesu as most dere feithful speciall whome thou shuldest loue for hym selfe all other in ordre to hym For ther is none other but he that hath all degrees of goodes amyte but he alone therfore in hym for hym loue both thy frendes also thyn enemyes praie for them that they may knowe god ê‘fitly loue hym Neuer coueit to be coÌ„mended loued singulerly For that of ryghte belongeth to our lorde to whome none maye be coÌ„pared Mixe neuer thy loue with any inordinat loue of creatures if thou wilt know how swete Iesus is But none maye taste of his swetenes without he be pÌ„uente with grace specially called of our lorde all other callynges sett aparte so that thou siÌ„glerly abyde with hym alone Whan the grace of our lord cometh to a soule than it is made stronge to euerye thinge that vertue reqreth whan grace deê‘teth fro the soule it is faint frayle vnapte to do or to suffre that vertue coÌ„mauÌ„deth but it be with great difficulte peyne but yet leue nat those dedâ— of vertue dispaire nat but coÌ„forme thy wyll to the pleasure of Iesu criste For after wynter folowethe somer after the night the day after the tempest the fayre wether ¶ The .ix. Chaptre of the dysolacyon of wordly coÌ„solacyon IT is no great maistry to contempne the coÌ„solacyon of man whan that the soule is preuent with heuenly comforte but sothely that soule is ful herde bested that is disolate of conforte both of god and man and yet yf it can pacyently suffre this for the loue of our lorde it deseruethe to be conforted of hym what great mysterye is it to be mery and deuoute Whan thou perceyueste the grace of god in thy soule
redy to helpe the. That soule rydeth full pleasauntly whome the grace of oure lorde supportethe and bereth vp What meruayle is yf that soule be nat ouer charged with trybulacyon that is supported of hym that is omnypotente and ys conueyed by hys infynyte wysdome we be gladde to haue consolacion and supportacion in all our lyfe and labours and sory to be without them or to forsake our owne ê“pre appetyte and pleasure The holy martyr seynt Laurens was so feruent in the loue of our lorde that he gladly forsoke nat alonly the worlde his speciall beloued frende and preste Sixtus but also his mortall lyfe by passion moste terryble and ferefull he ouer came the loue of man by the loue of his maker he made coÌ„mutacion of transetory consolacion lyfe for euerlastiÌ„ge solacyous life Here we may lerne to coÌ„fourme our will to the wyl pleasure of god whan he of his grace taketh to his mercy any of our frendes be they neuer so dere specyal to vs. For lyke as we come to the worlde by hys will coÌ„mandement so we must deê‘te fro this mortall lyfe teÌ„porall cohabitacioÌ„ It is no lytell ne shorte batayle a man to ouercome him selfe and to ordre all his affeccions to the pleasure of god The veray true louer of god studyê° desire of vertue is nat besy to acquyre wordly consolacion or sensuall pleasurs ne bodely delectacions but rather glad for the loue of god to exercise theyr selfe in harde and payntfull labours whan the spirituall deuyne consolacioÌ„ is grauÌ„ted to yâ— for a tyme repute that of his goodnes nat of thy deseruynge be nat therof ioyfull to moche ne pÌ„sume therof vaynly but be therof meke and circuÌ„specte timerous iÌ„ all thy actis for that houre shall passe teÌ„ptacion tribulacion shal come And whan they come take nat iÌ„moderate thought or sorow ne in no wise dispeyre nat but mekely pacieÌ„tly abide the deuine coÌ„solacion for he ys of power to graunt to the more habuÌ„dauÌ„ce coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce of spirituall consolacion swetnes than thou hadest before And merueyle nat of suche altercacion in thy mide for thou art nat the first that hath had experiens of these for the holy seyntes ê“phetes prÌ„iarkes and appostels haue had like altercacions of minde somtyme mery by deuyne consolacions somtymes ê“ued by withdrawiÌ„ge of coÌ„solacion belapped with tribulacion vexacion The ê“phete Dauid hauig yâ— coÌ„solacious â—sence of the deuyne grace sayde he shulde neuer be remoued therfro without ende anone whan he had experieÌ„ce of yâ— abseÌ„ce of this grace he saide to our lorde thou hast withdrawen thy delectable chere of thy presence I am made disolate troabled betwene those .ii. extremites of ioy trybulacion take we no defeÌ„ce but rather prai we with Dauid sayiÌ„ge I shalnat cesse to crye to yâ— formÌ„ey I shall mekeli pray to yâ— my lord god so finally he ê“curid â— frute effecte of his prayer as he testifieth sayinge Our lorde hath harde me hath mercy of me ys made my helper after saith Good lorde thou hast tourned my sorowe iÌ„to ioy thou hast belapped me with ioye If almyghty god hath in this wise delt with the great excellent seyntes we that be of smale reputacion may take therof confidence in god thoughe we haue somtime feruour of spirite somtyme lacke of deuocion spirituall coÌ„solacion for his spirite of holy coÌ„solacion cometh deê‘teth at his pleasure as yâ— holy man Iob sayth Thou graciously visetest him in the morowtyde and shortlye afterwarde thou ê“uydest hym by mater of pacieÌ„ce And therfore wher in shall I truste or in whome shall I haue coÌ„fidence but in the great mercy of god hope of the heuenly helpe If I myghte haue the assistence of good deuoute men the helpe of holy bokes and the roiall noble processe of scrypture also incited to deuocion by the meane of swete melodyous soÌ„ge all those thiÌ„ges may lytell auayle whan I am lafte to my frailte and pouerte without grace than there is no betâ— remedye but by pacience to remoue owre owne wil conforme vs to the wyll of god IohnÌ„ Gerson the auctour of this treatese sayth he neuer had knoweâ—ege of religious persone but he had at somtime subtraccion demynucion of gostly swetnes feruoure deuocion There was neuer religious soule so ilumined orso rauisshed in yâ— visioÌ„ of our lorde but it was ê“ued by teÌ„ptacioÌ„ other afore or afterward For ther be none worthy to haue yâ— hye deuine ê¯teÌ„placioÌ„ but if be they be exercised firste with some tribulacion for the loue god it is ê“uyded by the greate wysdome of god to the electe soules to haue temptacioÌ„s as a signe or token of coÌ„solacion to come For to those that be prouyded pacyently by tribulacions be ê“mysed of our lorde heuenly rewarde coÌ„solacoÌ„n as it appereth by the seÌ„tence of the holy gost shewed bi the mouthe of the holy euangeliste IohnÌ„ seyiÌ„ge who souer ouercometh tribulacioÌ„ by pacieÌ„ce vice sinne by resisteÌ„ce shal be fed with the frute of yâ— tree of lyfe yâ— is with the clere deuine vision vnspekable fruicion of yâ— blessed godhed also the deuine ê¯solacion is grauÌ„ted vnto man for to make hym more stroÌ„ge to suffre aduersite And anone folo with teÌ„ptacioÌ„ list that maÌ„ take any elacion of yâ— gostly ê¯solacioÌ„ The deuil slepith nat ne yâ— flesshely appetitis be nat yet morfied therfore pÌ„pare thyselfe to batell for thou hast ennemies on euery side he that neuer sesith to assaile y◠¶ The .x. chaptre of yeldiÌ„ge thaÌ„kes to god for hys graces wHy secheste thou reste whan thou arte ordeined in thys lyfe to labour Applye thyselfe more to pacience than to consolacyon or pleasure to the crosse of penaunce rather than to temporall ioye pleasure There ys none so seculer or wordly but if they might haue coÌ„tinuaunce of spirituall coÌ„solacoÌ„n they wolde gladly accepte yt For the spyrytuall ioyes excede all other wordly coÌ„solacioos bodely pleasures All wordly bobely plesurs be transetori mixte with somdele of vnclenes But the spitritual plesurs desyres be pure honest ioyfull ê“cedynge of vertues grauÌ„ted of our lorde alonlye to pure and clene myndes But this tranquylyte of gostely coÌ„solacions is many tymes ouerflowen by the outragious teÌ„pestis of teÌ„ptacion The false lyberte of lyuynge greate coÌ„fidence in our owneselfe be two thinges moche coÌ„trary to heuenly visitacion consolacion Our lord shewith his goodnes to man grauntinge to hym yâ— grace of gostely consolacion But man sheweth his vnwise neclygence whan he withdraweth coÌ„digne thanke ne iÌ„puteth nat this grace only to oure lorde and therfore we be nat worthye to haue his mercyfull grace to abyde with vs. Grace is euer grauÌ„ted to the meke soules that euer be rede to yelde thaÌ„kes to god for his mercyfull benefaites and coÌ„trariwise grace is withdrawen fro the
for to here the wordes of mouthe in the extreme and last iugement whan he shall pronownce the wordee of perpetuall dampnacyon sayinge to the reprobate creatures Go ye fro me for euer to be perpetuall fire that is ordeined for the deuyll his angels Tho that now here the worde of god and be gladde to folowe it than they shall nat be astonyed of they re owne partye herynge the wordes of dampnacion of the reproued peple whaÌ„ our Lorde shall come to deme all the worlde the sygne of the crosse shal be heueÌ„ and so those that be true seruauntes of the lorde that was crucified at that day hauynge his conisaunce or signe that is to say the crosse of penauÌ„ce than maye they haue full sure accesse to hym theyr maister Iuge Why fereste thou to take the crosse of short penaunce whereby thou maist comesuerly to the perpetuall ioyfull kyngdome in that vertue of the crosse is spuÌ„all helthe lyfe proteccion from our enemye infusion of heuenly swetnes the strength of mynde the ioy of the spirite there is ê“fitable excellent vertue with ê‘feccioÌ„ of holynes of liuiÌ„ge There is no helthe of the soule ne hope of heuenly life but by te vertue of the crosse and therfore take yâ— crosse of penaunce folowe Iesu thy leder into euer lastynge blysse He hath gone before the beringe the crosse therupon for thy loue suffred deth than take the crosse of tribulacion sikenes or other disases desire to suffre deth for his loue if thou wylt be assembled to hym in paciently sufferynge peyne trybulacion dethe than thou shalt be ê‘tener of his plesure coÌ„solacion ê‘petuall lyfe ioy Than beholde what vertue cometh by the holy crosse what habundauÌ„ce of grace by the ardeÌ„t desire to suffre deth for that loue of our lorde There ys none other way to come to life and inly peas but by the way of the crosse of penaunce coÌ„tynuall mortificacoÌ„n of our rebellioê° sensuall partis Go whether soeuer thou wylt enquyre whatsoeuer thou desirest but thou shalt nener abowe the vnder the fende a more excellent sure way than by the way of imitacioÌ„ of the holy cros Dispose thy selfe order euery thynge after thy propre wyll desire thou shalt fynde thou must euer suffre other frely by thy wyl or violently ageinst thy wyll so thou shalt nat auoide the crosse outher sikenes peynein thy body orellis by tribulacyon in thy soule Somtyme our lorde deleth with that as he wolde forsake the and somtyme by his wisdome he suffre the to be iniured vexed of thy neyghbour somtyme of thyn owne selfe and there is no remedye ne alienation but thou must paciently suffre tyll it plese the great phisicion to sende alegians remedye to the. For he wyll that thou lerne to suffre trybulacion that therby thou mayst be made more huÌ„ble holy conuerte thy selfe to hym There be none that perceyueth or inly or hertly foloweth yâ— gloryê° passion of crist as tho that for his loue or the ê“fit of theyr soules hath had coÌ„formable peyne This cros of tribulacioÌ„ is euer redy abideth the in euery place therfore thou maist nat auoyde it iÌ„ any place for if thou were secluded fro all the world yet thou shul dest haue experience of this crosse of tribulacion in thyselfe CoÌ„uerte thyselfe to those aboue the orellis to those that ben vnder yâ— and aboute the and loke wythin the. And in all those thou shalte fynde the crosse of temptacyon ad tribulacion and therfore it is expedyent to the euer to arme thy selfe with pacience yf thou wylthaue inly peas and the crowne of perpetuall tryumphe and ioye Endeuoure thyselfe to bere this crosse of tribulacion pacyently and it shall susteyne the myghtyly and lede the to a ioyfull ende where thou shalt neuer bere the burdeÌ„ of any kiÌ„de of tribulacioÌ„ or teÌ„ptacion If thou bere this cros ageinst thy wyll than thou berest a burden that more chargeth thy selfe therfore in asmoche as thou must of necessite bere it applie thy selfe that thou pacieÌ„tly susteyne it and doute the nat if thou abiecte it put it away but thou shalt haue another peraueÌ„ture a more heuy and greuous to susteyne thynkest thou to auoyde that neuer mortall creature yet mighte escape What saynt fro the begynnynge of the worlde to thys daye hath come to heuen wythoute this crosse of trybulacion No nat the sonne of god our sauyour the whiche from his fyrste comynge iÌ„to this worlde vnto his departynge was nat the space of one houre alyenate from the peyne of the cros and trybulacion It was behouable that crist shuld suffre dethe and arise agayne and so to entre iÌ„to his glorye Howe shuldest thou synfull creature thynke that thou shuldeste go to heuen by any other waye than by the playne ryght and hygh kynges waye that is to saye the way of the crosse Desyreste thou to come to heuen by pleasure and ioye Nowe sithe the ledar of lyfe with all hys martyrs haue paste by the way of trybulacion and the crosse Who so euer intende to come to heuen withoute the way of trybulacion the crosse they erre from the ryght waye for all the way of this mortall lyfe is full of meseres crosses of tribulacion And euer the more a soule ê“fiteth in vertue the more peinfull crosses greuous tribyulacions it shall fynde ê‘tly for the fende assayleth more fersly those ê‘sons whome he seeth encrese more in vertue The seconde cause is for the more strongly a soule encreaseth in vertue the more desyre it hath to be eleuate frome the incommoditees of thys temporall exyle to be at lyberte in the perpetuall ioy ê“pre countrey But the soule thus vexed with many folde affeccions may syngulerlye be recoÌ„forted whan it perceyueth that for euery trybulacyon pacyeÌ„tly by grace ouercome it shal be rewarded with the frute of euerlastynge lyfe And euer the body is punysshed with peyne and tribulaciou the more shall the soule receyue of spiritual strengthe consolacion And somtyme the soule is so reconforted in aduersite and tribulacion that it wolde nat be without them consyderynge that therby it ys made coformable to oure sauyoure cryste And also it consyderethe well that the more peyne and tribulacyon it may suffre for his loue the more acceptable it shal be in hys sight Howe may this be that man by pacience suffereth and desireth that nature fleethe and hateth nat by no vertue in man but by the synguler grace of Iesu criste It is nat the naturall appetite of man to loue and suffre a peynefull crosse to chaslyse the bodye and subdue it to the seruyce of the spirite to flee honours gladly accepte repreues iniuries to dispise hymselfe desire to be dispised paciently to suffre all aduersitees with shames repreues to desire no ê“sperite in this worlde Beholde thy selfe well
the profyte or encrease of spuÌ„al lyfe is nat only whan thou hast the coÌ„solacion of grace but whan thou with humylyte sufferest the subtraccion of the same so that thou leue nat thy prayer ne other good dedes but wyth al thy vnderstandynge dylygeÌ„ce do thy best whaÌ„ thou felest suche subtraccion or dulnes in the to recouer the consolacion of grace Many there be that be very dulle iÌ„pacient whan aduersyte fallethe to them the way lyfe of fortune of man is nat euer in his power eleccion but of the goodnes of god ys al that we haue the whiche doth conforte whan we wyll asmoche as he wyll and whom he wil as his plesure is no more somê‘sons haue distroyed theÌ„selfe by indiscrete desire of grace of deuocioÌ„ for they haue disordred theyr strengthe of soule ouer moche nat ponderinge theyr exyle pore lymytes of reson but rather folowed the desire of herte therfore for asmoche as they presumed higher thinges thaÌ„ goddes pleasure was that they shulde attayne to therfore they lost theyr grace before had And so they be made lefte nedy vyle that presumed to entre the secretes of heuen that they may lerne nat to presume vpon themselfe but alweye with true humylyte to trust to god almyghty Suche ê‘sones as be beginners be nat yet ê‘fite in the way of vertue in our lorde god may lightly erre be deceyued but if they folowe the counsell of discrescion or discrete persones Suche ê‘sones as lene to theyr owne wytt so folowe it refuse the discrete wayes of suche as haue longe exersised the wayes of vertue fall into greate iÌ„coÌ„uenientis fynally Such ê‘sons as be wise iÌ„ their owne sight wyl seldome be ruled humbly by other Better it is to a man to haue lytell wisdome or cunnynge with humylyte than to haue great cuÌ„nynge with pryd or vaine glory Better it is to the to haue lytell than to haue moche with pryde daÌ„pnacyon He lyueth nat discretly that gyueth hym al to lightnes vayne gladnes forgetynge hym selfe yâ— dred of god nat dredynge to lese grace Also he is nat wise ne vertuous that in tyme of aduersyte or other hardnes dispayreth trusteth nat stidfastly in god He that in tyme of pease wyll lyue to sykerlye withoute drede of all paryles he shal be founde to dredfull and vnredy in tyme of batayle man wolde alway abyde humble lytell in his owne syght dyly geÌ„tly a wayte on hymselfe he shuld nat so soone fall to synne offence of god good holsom couÌ„ceyll is a man after that he hath rceyued the spyryt of deuocioÌ„ and charyte to thynke howe shulde he do what shulde falle to hym in the absens of suche deuocyon whan such a case happeth let a man gader that such grace and lyght may returne agayne to hym by the honour of god whiche withdre we fro his coÌ„solacyoÌ„ a season to shew his power for mannes we le it is more profytable to man somtyme to be lefte to hym selfe and to lacke suche grace coÌ„forte than alwaye to haue such prosperous thynges at his wyll For a man is nat reputed to be of more meryte or vertu in they syght of god if he haue many vysyons or consolacions gyueÌ„ hym or if he haue clere vnderstaÌ„dyng of scrypture or if he be auauÌ„sed by great hye ê“mocyon but than he is of great meryte greatly in the fauoure of god almyghty if he be perfyte iÌ„ mekenes fylled with charyte alway sekynge the honoure of god in his dedes with coÌ„teÌ„pte despysynge of hymselfe as well iÌ„ the syghte of other men as in his owne couetynge more in humyliacioÌ„ thaÌ„ to be honoured ¶ The .ix. chapter how a maÌ„ shuld nat repute hymselfe of any valour but vylypende hym GOod lorde I speke to the of my pressipcioÌ„ nat withstaÌ„dynge that I am but puluer asshes if I repute my selfe any better thou thy wordes a gaynstaÌ„de me Also my synnes bere true testymony agayne me ne I can nat agayn say theym and if I wyll vylypende despyse my selfe nat repute me any thynge worthe as trouth apereth in me thaÌ„ the grace of my lorde god shal be to me mercyfull his lyght nere me and my humyly acyon and obedyeÌ„ce shal be turned after this lyfe into euerlastynge exaltacyon and auauncement There good lorde thou shalt shewe me to my selfe verely what I am what I was and wherof I came For I was I am noughte and know it nat if I be lefte to my selfe without thy helpe good lorde thaÌ„ I know my selfe to be nought and full of infyrmyte and if thou good lorde wylte beholde me with thy grace and consolacyoÌ„ anon I shal be made stronge be fulfyllyd with a newe Ioy great marueyle it is that I a wretche that alwaye of my selfe fall downe warde may nat ryse agayne by thy grace so sodaynly araysed agayne and so be nygnely lyfte vp and halsed of the This is thy charyte grace which pÌ„uenteth helpeth me iÌ„ many ne cessytes kepeth me busyly from greuous peryls many euyllys I lost my selfe by inordynate loue of my selfe in sekynge the agayne in louynge the agayne I haue bothe founde the me and of thy clene profounde depe loue I am lyquyfyed knowe verely my selfe nought For thou swete lorde doest to me ouer my merytê ouer all that I coulde hope to haue of the blessed be thou good lorde for though I be vnworthy to any goodes yet thy iÌ„fynyte goodnes cesseth neuer of well doynge ye to suche persons as be vnkynge and farre fro the make vs to be holy conuerted to the good lorde that we may be kynde humble meke and deuout to the for thou alone art our helthe vertu and strengthe ¶ The .x. chapter all that we haue or do is to be referred to god as to the ende of euery thynge SOne sayth our lorde to vs I ought to be thy last souerayn ende if thou desyre to be blessyd and by this intencyon shal be purged thyn affeccion that is ofte tymes euyll bowed downe to it selfe to other creatures if thou seke thy selfe iÌ„ any thynge anon thou faylest iÌ„ thy selfe waxest drye where fore to me refarre all thynges for I am he that haue gyueÌ„ all thyngê coÌ„syder all thingê as wellyng sprigynge out of the hyest moost souerayne god therfore they to be reduced to me as to theyr orygynall begynnynge of me lytell great pore ryche draw quycke water as of the well of lyfe who seruith me wellynglye shall receyue grace for grace But who that hath glory without me or hath delectacyon in any pryuate good shall neuer be stablysshid invery Ioy ne delyted in hert but shal be lette in many maner of wyse anguysshed wherfore thou oughtist to ascryue to thy selfe no waner of good Thou shulde nat
coÌ„mende nor more repute thy selfe for any goodnes that thou hast who euer thou be but refarre all goodnes that thou hast to god almyghty withoute whome we haue nothynge god of his goodenes gaue vs what we haue therefore he requyreth the same to be consydered of vs with thankes to be gyuen agayne vnto hym This is the very way to exchew from vs the synne of vaynglorye if so be that trewe charyte and heuenly grace enter into man no enuyne dysdayne of any person nor pryuate of mannes selfe shall haue place iÌ„ hym For grace and very charyte ouercometh all suche byces and it dylateth enflameth mannes soule to god to our neyghbour if we perceyue and vnderstaÌ„de well we shuld only ioy hope in our lorde god and in no wyse in our selfe for no maÌ„ is good of hym selfe but god alone which is to be loued and blessyd ouer all ¶ The .xi. chapter how it is full swete to serue god to hym that forsaketh the worlde truly NOwe good lorde I shall repete my speche to the and nat cesse I shall speke in the erys of my lorde god and kynge that is in heueÌ„ how great is the multytude of thy swetnes whiche thou haste hyd and hydest good lorde for the tyme from them that lyueth here vnder thy drede and to thy perfyte louers and seruauntes thou shewest the Ineffable coÌ„templatyue swetnes of thy godhede in this thou good lorde hast shewed thy great charyte that whaÌ„ I was nat thou madest me and whan I erryd and went out of the waye thou broughtest me agayn coÌ„maundynge me to serue and to loue the O welle of perpetuall loue what shall I say of the howe may I forgette the whiche so louyngely doste remember me and where I haue perysshed thou good Lorde hast shewed thy mercye to me ouer my hope and rewarded me aboue my meryte what thankes shall I gyue to the for this grace gyuen me It is nat gyueÌ„ to all men to forsake the worlde to take vpon them a solytary lyfe It is no great thynge me to serue yâ— good lorde to whome al thy creatures be bound to serue plese But rather thys is to me a great thiÌ„g meruelous that it pleseth thy goodnes to receiue me to thy seruice to ioyne so pore vnworthye as I am to thy welbeloued seruauÌ„tes Lo all thynge that I haue that I may do the seruice of is thyn therfore I can gyue the nothiÌ„ge but thyn owne HeueÌ„ erthe with theyr coÌ„tentes that thou hast ordeyned to helpe man doeth dayly fulfyl thy coÌ„maundment after the ordre forme that thou hast ordeined them to Also thou hast ordeyned angels to helpe confort man But aboue al this thy selfe hast vouchesaue to serue man ê“mittynge to gyue the to man What shall I gyue agayne to the for those for a thousandefolde benefaites that thou of thy grace goodnes hast giueÌ„ to me GrauÌ„t me helpe grace to serue the good lorde al the dayes of my life at the leste that I may one daye serue the worthyly Thou arte worthy to haue all seruice all honour eternall laude praysige Thou art my very lorde god I am vnworthy and pore seruaunt I am bouÌ„de to serue the with all my strengthes neuer to be wery of thy seruyce praysynge so I desire wolde it shulde be Thou good lorde fulfyll that I want of my partye Great honoure glory is to serue the to forsake al erthli thynges for the. They that gladlye wyllyngly do submytte theÌ„ to thy seruice shall haue greate grace and they that forsake all wordly besynes do chese the harde strayte waye for thy loue shal be refresshed with the swete coÌ„solacion of the holy goste shal haue great liberte of soule O thou thankfull ioyfull subieccion seruice of god wherby man is made fre from synne holy in the sight of god O thou holy hye state of religion whiche maketh a man egall to angels pleasaunt to almyghty god dredfull to dyuels honourable to all feytheful folke O thou seruice worthye alwaye to be desired halsed wherby almighty god is gotten euerlastinge ioy gladnes gotteÌ„ ¶ The .xii. chaptre The desire of herte is to be examined modered SOnne saith our lorde to his louer thou must yet lerne many thynges yâ— thou hast nat yet well lerued that is to say that thou order thy desyre affeccion alway after my pleasure so that thou loue nat thyn owne desire or ê“fite but that thou iÌ„ al thiÌ„ges a couetous louer a folower of my wyll thou haste many desirous risinge mouynge the but coÌ„sider well whither thou art moued in them for myn honour only or more for thy owne auaile or ê“fite if I be the cause of thy mouinge thou shalt be well coÌ„tent what so euer I sende vnto the. if any thiÌ„ge be hyd in thy desire of thyn owne will or sechynge so that thynge is it that anoyeth and greueth the outwardely and within forth both beware therof that thou lene nat to moche to thyne owne desire me nat counseled yâ— same thiÌ„ge that before pleased the displeseth the afterwarde Euery thinge that man desireth is nat to be folowed shortly ne euery coÌ„trarious affeccion yâ— man lotheth or hateth is to be fled at the firste It is expedient somtyme to vse a bridell restraynynge in good affeccions cuÌ„nynge or other besinesses of idiscrete behauiour folowe the distraccioÌ„ or brekiÌ„ge of maÌ„nis mynde that thou by thy iÌ„discrecioÌ„ be nat an occasion or sklaunder to other Also that thou be nat sodaynly troubled or inquyete by other meÌ„nes resistence It is somtyme behofull to a man that he vse violeÌ„ce resist his sensual appetite nat to giue he de what it desireth what nat but rather iÌ„deuor hym that it be subiecte by vyolence to the soule this sensuall appetite is to be subdued by disciplene to yâ— soule vnto it be made redy to obeye in all thiÌ„ges to reason vnto it haue lerned to be content with fewe thynges necessarye without al grutchiÌ„ge ageiÌ„ste any incoÌ„uenyent thynge ¶ The .xiii. chapâ— of the informacion of pacience of stryfe ageynst sensualite LOrde god sayth the deuoute soule vnto god as I fele vnderstande pacience is full necessary vnto me for many coÌ„trarious chauÌ„ces fall iÌ„ this lyfe howe soeuer I order my selfe for pease to be hadde I can nat haue it withoute batayle ne my lyfe can nat be without sorowe and trouble wherto our lorde sayth SoÌ„ne thou sayest truely I wil nat that thou seke suche peas as wanteth teÌ„ptacion and trowble or coÌ„tradiccion but couÌ„te the than to haue fouÌ„de peas whaÌ„ yâ— art exercised with diuers trowbles ê“ued with diuers aduersitees if thou saye that thou maist nat suffre such peynes How maist thou suffre the fell peynes of Purgatory of .ii. euils the lesse is alweye to
other sodaynlye ryse Howe may this lyfe be beloued that hath so many bytternes and is so full of myseryes how may it be called a lyfe that gendreth so many dethes gostely infeccions and yet it is beloued and with great gladnes delyted idyed in The worlde is ofte reproued for that it is disceytfull and vayne And yet it is nat soone forfake whyle the coÌ„cupysceÌ„ce of the flesshe reygneth some thynges iÌ„ the worlde induceth man to loue the worlde some other to despyse it the coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce of mannes flesshe the desyre of maÌ„nes eye pryde of yâ— hert But the peynes and the myseryes folowynge gendre hate and coÌ„tempte of the worlde yet for all suche myseryes the euyll delectacion of mynde that is geuen to the worldly pleasure ouercometh the heuenly desyre suche carnall delyte reputeth felycyte to bevnder such sensuall pleasure For such neyther sauer ne taste the swetnes of god ne yâ— inwarde ioy of vertue They that despyse the worlde study to lyue serue god vnder holy discyplyne they taste yâ— sauour of heueÌ„ly thyngê ê“mised to such gostly lyuers they also se verely yâ— errour dysceyte of yâ— worlde ¶ The .xxiii. chapiter how man shuld rest in god aboue all gyftes and goodes erthely O Thou my soule rest thou aboue all thynge in our lorde God for he is the eternall rest of sayntes Gyue me swete Iesu moost louable of all other grace for to reste in the aboue all other creatures a boue all helth and beawte aboue all glory honour power dygnyte aboue all ryces cuÌ„nyng subtylite or craftes aboue all gladnes ioy fame or laude aboue all swetnes coÌ„solacion hope or promyse aboue all meryte desyre or gyftes that thou mayst gyue to me body or soule aboue all ioy or iubylacyon that mannys mynde may fele and compryse And aboue all heueÌ„ly spyrytes with all other thynges vysible iÌ„uysible that is nat thy selfe for thou good lorde amoÌ„ge all thyngê art best hyest moste myghty moost suffycieÌ„t thou art moost swete fayrest moost louable moost noble gloryoê° aboue all iÌ„ whom all other godes be ê‘fytely haue be shal be And therfore what euer hit be that thou gyuest me thy selfe except it is insuffycient For my hert may nat verely rest ne holly be coÌ„tent but in the that surmouÌ„test euery creature or thiÌ„ge O my moste amyable spouse cryste iesu moost pure louer lorde of euery creature graunt me I pray the wynges of very lyberte that I may fle rest in the my feruent loue desyre O whaÌ„ shall it be gyuen to me fully to vnderstande se howe swete and good my lorde God is whan shall I fully gader me in the so that for thy loue I shall nat fele my selfe but yâ— alonly that excedest all knowlege mesure Nowe I ofte sorowe morne bere me in felycite lamentable myserye yâ— I am in with great heuynes For many euyls assayle me in this vale of mysery they sore trouble me and also ofte blynde me dystroyeth and letteth me that I maye nat haue fre accesse to the ne haue thy swete enbrasynge that the blessyd spyrytes haue ê¯tynually with all iocuÌ„dyte ioy I pray yâ— that my syghes inly desyres with my manyfolde desolacyoÌ„s may moue thy goodnes to enclyne to my desyres o iesu the lyght clertye of euerlastyng glory the solace conforte of wayfarynge soules my soule speketh to the with styll desyre and my mouth without voyce Howe loÌ„ge taryeth my lorde god to come â–ª I beseke hym to come to me his pore seruauÌ„t to my coÌ„solacyon gladnes Sende he his hande power to delyuer me from all anguysshe Come good lorde for with out the I can haue no gladde day or hour thou art my ioye without the my mynde borde is voyde I am a wretche and as a prysoner fetred withoute all ê¯fort agreued tyll tyme that I may be refresshid with thy presens so restored to lyberte shewe me therfore I beseke the thy fauour gracious pÌ„sens Let other seke for yâ— what so euer they wyll no thynge pleaseth me ne shall do but thou my lorde god yâ— art my hope eternal helth I shall nat cesse to pray call to yâ— tyll thou returne to me by thy grace speke to me inwardly saying lo I am here come to the for thou called me thy terys the desyre of thy soul thy huÌ„yliacioÌ„ ê¯tricion of hert hath made me enclyne brought me to the. And I agayne to my lorde good lorde I called the haue desyred to ioy in the all other thynges left forsakeÌ„ for the. Thou lorde dyd fyrst excyte me to seke the blessyd be thou that hast wrought such goodnes with thy seruauÌ„t after thy great mercy what shuld thy seruauÌ„t more do or say before the goodlorde but to huÌ„ble hym to thy mageste alway myndefull of his proper fraylte wyekednes None is lyke to the good lorde in all yâ— meruelous creatures iÌ„ heueÌ„ erthe all thy workes that thou hast wrought be very god thy domes ryght wyse trewe by thy ê“uydeÌ„s all thynges be gouerned Laude glory be to the that arte the wysdome of the fader celestyall My soule my mouthe with all partyes may loue the and prayse the with all other creatures wtout ende Amen ¶ The .xxiiii. chapter a remeÌ„brauÌ„ce or repetynge of the bnÌ„faytê of god GOodlorde open my herte in thy lawe and in thy pÌ„ceptes make me to walke Make me al way to vnderstande thy wyll and pleasure dylygently to ê¯syder with reuereÌ„ce thy bnÌ„faites both in generall in specyall yâ— I may dewly thanke the I knowe and confesse for trothe that I may nat gyue to the due thaÌ„kes for the leste benefyte that thou gyuest and am vnworthy thereof whaÌ„ I consyder thy excellence and noblenesse my spyryte fayleth in me for the great magnytude therof All thynges that we haue in body or soule within or without naturallye or suê‘naturally we haue of thy gyfte all they commende the of whom all goodnes cometh though some perceyue of thy larges mo graces or bnÌ„faites and some fewer yet all that we haue cometh of the the leest gyft may nat be had without the he that receyueth more bounteously of thy graces may nat toy therin as he had them of his owne merytes nor he maye nat very worthely exalte hym selfe aboue other ne vylypende his infery oure or the poure for he that ascrybeth nat to hym selfe ne to his merytes but onely to the goodnes of god is more meke and in gyuynge thankes vnto god more deuout and he that for all suche prerogatyues repreueth hym selfe moost vyle and vnworthy of other he is more apte to ê‘ceyue of the hande of almyghty God more larger gyftes he that perceyueth fewer gyftes of god ought nat therfore to be heuy ne wroth ne enuyous ayenst his rycher but he ought rather thaÌ„ke yâ—
goodnes of god that so frely so abuÌ„daÌ„tly gyueth to his creatures wtout any ê‘sonall coÌ„cepcioÌ„ all thiÌ„gê come of yâ— therfore thou art to be magny fyed praysed in all thyngê thou knowest good lorde what thyng is expedyent to be gyuen vnto euery man and why this ê‘sone receyueth of thy larges more an other lesse it ê‘teygneth not vnto vs but to the to discerne the whiche alonly knowest euery mannys merytes I repute it for a great benefyte gyuen to me of thy goodnes that I haue nat great gyftis wherby I shuld haue any vayne laude or praysynge outwardlye of the people so if man coÌ„syder well his vylite pouerte great indygence he wolde nat be heuy troubled in hym selfe but he wolde rather take therof great consolacyon gladnes of soule for thou good lorde chose and do contynuallye chose poore and humble such as the worlde dispyseth to thy seruyce famy lyaryte as is shewed manyfestly by the apostles syngulerly chosen of yâ— whom thou made prynces of all the worlde that nat withstaÌ„dynge theyr ê¯uersacioÌ„ lyuynge was without reprefe amoÌ„ge men of huÌ„ble symple without deceyte malyce that they suffred gladly for thy name repÌ„uynge scourgyngê greuous peynes with deth at the last the which all be horryble and dispytfull to worldly folke wherefore there oughte nothynge so glad thy louer knower of thy bnÌ„fytes as thy wyll to be fulfylled in hym the pleasure of thy eternall disposycion wherof he ought to be so well ê¯teÌ„te pleased as at the ordynauÌ„ce of god it is to hym as lefe to be yâ— leste lowest as an other desyreth to be hyest moost repute to be content pleased with the lowest place as an other with the hyest to be as gladly abiecte dyspycable as other doth desyre to be hye aboue other in the worlde for thy loue wyll good lorde ought to pÌ„cell all other thynges more to please man thaÌ„ all other bnÌ„fytes gyuen or to be gyuen to man ¶ The .xxv. chapyter howe .iiii. thynges brynge pease to man â—Oure thingê sone therbe that make a man to be in great pease lyberte of soule fyrst is that a man shall study rather to do and folowe an other mannys wyll than his owne an other is to chose to haue lesse of teÌ„porall goodes or worshyppes rather thaÌ„ more the thyrde is to chose euer the lower sete or place to bevnder alway nat aboue the .iiii. is to desyre that he wyll of god be holy done in the suche a ê‘sone entreth the endis of pease rest lorde sayth the deuout soule thy worde forsayd is short coÌ„teyner of great ê‘feccyon on it is lytell and short in ê“nunciacioÌ„ full in sence vertue If I coulde well kepe it I shuld nat be so soone troubled as I am for as ofte as I am greued dyspleasyd I fynde in me that I goo so ofte from this doctryne but thou good lorde that all may also loueth well and profyte of mannes soule encreace thy grace in me that I may accoÌ„plysshe thy worde vnto my saluacyon ¶ The .xxvi. chapyter a prayer agayne euyll thoughtes LOrde god I beseke the nat to be loÌ„ge absent fro me but gyue alway hede to me iÌ„ helping me vayne thoughtes haue rysen agayne me with many terrous that haue troubled me howe shall I passe vnhurte and howe shall I breke them and escape but if thou helpe thou sayst to thy seruaunt I shall go before the I shall huÌ„ble them that Ioy trust in erthely glorye I shall open to the the gatys of darkenes I shall shew the my secretis do good lorde as thou ê“myses dwell in me chase fro me all wycked euyll thoughtes my hope refuge siguler is to fle to the in euery trybulacion to call vpoÌ„ the with inwarde coÌ„fydeÌ„ce to be helped pacyeÌ„tly abydiÌ„ge thy consolacyon ¶ The .xxvii. chapter a deuout prayer for the illumynacyon of maÌ„nes mynde O Thou good thesu claryfy me with the clerete of euerlastynge lyght chase fro myn hert all maner darkenes stablysshe the great vagacions of my mynde that I suffer breke destroy the vyoleÌ„t teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s that I am acoÌ„bred with fyght stroÌ„gly for me fere awaye the euyll bestes that is to say my lecherous coÌ„cupyssens that I am moued teÌ„pted by yâ— peace may be iÌ„ me by thy vertue myght so that laude may souÌ„de to the in the hall of my soule coÌ„mauÌ„de the wyndys teÌ„pestis of trouble teÌ„ptacioÌ„ the see full of moÌ„stres parellys to cease say to the north wynde that it blowe nat and than shall be a great traÌ„quilite sende out thy lyght of truthe that it may shyne vpoÌ„ erthe for I am as the erthe vayne bareÌ„ vnto thou illumyne me sende out thy grace from a boue anoynte my hert with thy grace celesty all sende in to me the terys of deuocyon to make moyste and wete my dry soule that it may brynge for the good frute the frute of god warkynge rayse vp my mynde the which is oppÌ„ssyd with the burden of syn suspeÌ„de my desyre holy to heueÌ„ly thynges so that the swetnes of heuenly felycyte tasted I may lothe to thynke of erthely thynges rauysshe me from the vnstedfast coÌ„solacioÌ„ of all creatures for no creat thing may fully satysfye myn appetyte Ioyne me good lorde to the with the baÌ„de of in seperable loue for thou alone suffy syst to thy louer and without the all other thynges be vayne and of no valure ¶ The .xxviii. chapter howe a man shuld eschewe to enquyre busyly of an other mannes dedes SOne sayth God to his louer be thou nat curious to seke vanites or euyll questioÌ„s of other mennys coÌ„uersacyon in worde or dede folowe thou me what ê‘teyneth to the this or that or what this man is or that or ellys what this man doth or sayth and what that thou shalt nat gyue accoÌ„pt for other meÌ„nys dedys but for thyn owne selfe wherfore thaÌ„ doste thou wrap the in suchevayne questyons I knowe euery man with his coÌ„uersacyon I se euery thynge vnder the sonÌ„e I know euery man what he thâ—keth willeth sayeth or doeth and to what ende he entendeth his werke thou shuld therfore coÌ„myt all tkyngê to me to my iugemeÌ„t and to kepe thy selfe in good pease let hym that waÌ„dreth wander and dryue as he wyll At the last shall fall vnto hym that he hath deserued in worde or dede for he may nat deceyue me Desyre thou nat great fame outwarde ne great famylyary te with folke no pryuate loue of any ê‘son for these thin ges geÌ„drith distraccoÌ„s of maÌ„nes soule gret erours derknes of maÌ„nes hert I wolde speke to the gladly my wordes my couÌ„ceyles secretê I wolde she we yâ— if thou wolde dylygeÌ„tly obâ—ue my coÌ„miÌ„g openynge the dore of thy hert to me be thou
prouydent wakynge in prayers humblynge the iÌ„ all thynges ¶ The .xxix. chapiter In what thynges standeth very peace and profyte of man SOne I sayde ones to my dyscyples I leue peace with you gyue you my pease I gyue you my peace nat as the worlde doth that nowe gyueth peace now troubles warre all folke desyre peace but all doth nat seke the very thynges yâ— ê‘â—ayne to peace My peace is with huÌ„ble ê‘sones innocent thy peace shall be iÌ„ moche pacieÌ„s if thou wylt here me folowemy worde thou shalt haue moche peace iÌ„ all thy werkes take hede what thou dost say or intâ—dâ—g alwey to please me only nothynge without me to desyre or seke also be thou nat curioê° or besy to discerue or iuge other meÌ„nys wordes or dedes ne mell nat of thynges that be nat perteynynge to the and thus doynge thou shalt lytle or seldome be troubled neuer to suffer any heuynes or perturbacyon of body or soule longeth nat to this lyfe but to the estate of the lyfe to come where euer quyetnes peace is suppose nat therefore yâ— thou hast fouÌ„de very peace for yâ— thou felest no heuynes ne grauyte ne thynke nat that all is well about the if thou haue no aduersary ne suffer coÌ„tradyccyon nor repute nat the therfore ê‘fyte for yâ— all thynges be done after thy mynde desyre nor thou shalt nat repute the to be beloued or to be in the fauour or grace with almyghty God if thou haue any gyfte of swetnes or deuocion for a true louer of vertue is nat knoweÌ„ in such thynges nor the profyte or ê‘feccion of man standeth nat in suche but in that rather that thou offredest thy selfe with all thyn hert vnto the wyll of god nat sekynge thy goodys or thyne owne wyll to be done in lytle or moche so that thou take euenly with thaÌ„kes prosperous thynges and aduersytees weyinge all in a lyke balaunce if thou be so stronge in hope that when thou lackest in warde consolacyon than thou prepayrest thy herte to suffer gretter thynges than before nat reputynge thy selfe rightwyse or holy theÌ„ thou walkest in the true and right way of peace without doubte then thou shalte se my face in euer lastynge ioy and if thou come to the full contempte of thy selfe then thou shalte haue the habuÌ„daunce oâ— pese after thy possybâ—lyte as a â—ayâ—erer may haue ¶ The .xxx. Chapiter of the preemynence of a fre mynde and howe prayers precellyth lesson LOrde this is the warke of a perfyte man neuer to lose his soule from the speculacyon or of the syght of heueÌ„ly thynges to go amonge many busynesses as wtout all busynes nat as an ydell man but by a preâ—ogatyue offre mynde nat lyuynge by iÌ„ordynate affeccyoÌ„ to any creature I beseke the moost good almyghty god pÌ„serue me froÌ„ the busynes of this lyfe yâ— I be nat wrapt ouermoche by the manyfolde necessaryes of my body that I be nat caught by lust of body delyuer me I beseke the froÌ„ all maner of iÌ„pedymeÌ„tes enemyes to my soule to saue me that I be nat cast downe broke by outragyous heuynes nat by such vanites as the worlde busyly desyreth but by such myseries as of yâ— comoÌ„ male diccioÌ„ of maÌ„kynde doth greue peynfully thy â—uauÌ„tes that they may nat haue lyberte of soule to be ioyned to yâ— as they wolde good lorde turne all carnall â—solacioÌ„ iÌ„ me into bytternes that shuld entyse drawe me by fals pÌ„tens of goodnes froÌ„ yâ— coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ loue of euerlastynge thynges let me nat be ouercome of flesshly luste Let me nat be dysceyued by the worlde or by the shorte glory pompe therof nor let me be supplanted or be bygyled by the cawtels deceytes of the deuyll gyue me I beseke the streÌ„gth to resyst all euyll pacyeÌ„s to suffer aduersytes stablenes of ê‘seuerauÌ„ce grauÌ„t me for all worldly consolacyons the swete gracyous vnccyon of the holy goost for all carnall loue yet into my soule the loue of thyne holy name Mete drynke and clothe other necessaries to the body be peynfull onerous to a ferueÌ„t spyryte grauÌ„t me good lorde to vse suche bodely coÌ„fortes teÌ„peratly so that I be nat wrapped in outragyous desyre of such thynges to forsake all such bodely necessytes I may nat lefully for nature must be sustayned but to seke suche thynges in suê‘fluyte or such thynges as be more delectable thaÌ„ ê“fytable the holy lawe forbedeth it for elles the flesshe of man shuld rebell ayenst the soule amonge all such thynges good lorde I beseke the that thy haÌ„de of grace may teche and gouerne me euer that I admyt no suche thynges in superfluyte ¶ The .xxxi. chapiter the loue of pryuat thynges of mannys selfe letteth the perfyte goodnes of mannys soule SOne if thou wylt possesse god almyghtye to dwell iÌ„ thy soule thou must eschew forsake all thy wyll for hym so yâ— onely thou gyue thy wyll holy vnto his wyll for the propre loue of thy selfe is more dysauauÌ„tage to yâ— than any erthly thynge after thyne affeccioÌ„ loue yâ— enclynest to euery thyng more or lesse if thy loue be pure symple and well ordered thou shalte nat be ouercomen by inordynate desyre of such erthely thynges Couet nat such thynges as it is vnlefull the to haue Nor yet haue thou nat indede nor in desyre that thynge that shall lette the or thy inwardly lyberte of thy soule I haue meruayle sayeth God to his louer that man gyueth nat hymselfe to me with all his herte to gether withall other thynges that he hath or desyreth to haue why art thou fatygate with superfluous busynes or desyer why is man wasted by vayne heuynes Lette hym stande to my pleasure and wyll and than he shall fele no heuynes ne harme if thou seke this thiÌ„ge or that or to be here or there for thy profyte or coÌ„modyte thou shalt neuer be quyte ne fre from busynes of mynde For in euery thynge besyde me is some defaute of goodnes and no place is voyde of all aduersyte wherefore seth transytory and worldlye thynges rychesses or worshyppes multiplyed in dede or in desyre doth nat helpe mannes soule but rather the contempte and hate of suche thynges profyteth in the acceptacion ayenst god for all suche shall passe with the worlde The place that a man desyreth shall lytell helpe hym if the spyryte of charite grace be nat with hym such peace as man seketh without forthe shall nat longe stande if it lacke the very foundament of stabylnes that is to say if man stande nat in god almyghty which is grouÌ„de of all stablenes he may well chauÌ„ge his place but he shal nat be auauÌ„taged iÌ„ soule for whyther so euer a man fleyth he shall fynde suche occasyon as he fleyth ¶ The .xxxii. chapyter an oreson for the pourgynge of mannes soule and for grace COnferme me good lorde by thy grace make me sad in
vertue inwardly in soule make my hert voyde of all vnprofytable besynes nat to be draweÌ„ or led by the vnstable desyre of any thynge what euer it be vyle or pÌ„cioê° but to ê¯ceyue al thiÌ„gê togeder with my selfe as transytory nothynge vnder the sone is stable ê‘maneÌ„t but all is vanyte afflyccyon to mannes soule howe wyse is he that so vnderstondeth and perceyueth graunt me good lorde heuenly wysedome yâ— I may lerne to seke to fynde the aboue all other thynge to coÌ„ceyue and loue the aboue all thynges to vnderstande all other thyngê as they be after the order of thy wysedome gyue me grace to bere prudently the ê“speryte pleasure of the worlde pacieÌ„tly to suffer aduersyte for it is great wysdome nat to be moued with any blast of wynde ne to entende to any flaterynge tale ¶ The .xxxiii. chapt how a man shuld behaue hiÌ„ ayenst detraccioÌ„ SOne sayth our lorde to his louer thou shalte nat be heuy if a man say yll or haue an yll opynyon of the that thou wolde nat gladlye here for thou ought to iuge thy selfe to be worse more vyle of coÌ„dycion than other people be if thou gader thy selfe so iÌ„wardly thou shalt nat greatly poÌ„der fleyng wordes it is nat a lytell argumeÌ„t prudeÌ„s or wysdoÌ„ a man to kepe scylens in tyme of yll sayd or done to hym to ê¯uert hym selfe iÌ„wardly to god nat to be inquyete of mannes iugemeÌ„t let nat thy peace be in maÌ„nes worde whether they say well of yâ— or yll thou art one and nat chauÌ„ged by theyr wordes where is true peace true glory but in god he that desyreth neyther to please men nor drede the nat to dysplease them he shall fynally haue great peace for of iÌ„ordy nat loue vayne drede cometh all inâ—etnes of herte and dystruccyon of soule ¶ The .xxxiiii. chapiter god almyghty is to be inwardly called and blessyd in tyme of tribulacyon THy holy name good lorde â—e alwaâ— blessyd that hast wylled this trouble â—â— teÌ„ptacyoÌ„ to fall vpon meâ— I may nat â—â—e â—â—â—â—che â—s it but I haue nede to fle to thy goodnes for helpe and socoure that thou may turne it to my well good lorde I am nowe in trowble and â—â— acordeth nat to well to my herte for I am greatly vered â—f this present passyoÌ„ what shall I say that am tached thus with trybulacions saue me good lorde in this houre I come to the in this houre of trowble that thy goodnes may be knowen whan I shall be delyuered by the of my great humylyacyon trowble that I am in please it thy goodnes lorde god to delâ—uerme therof for I knowe nat what may do to my dyscharge well whyther I may go without the graunt me pacyeÌ„s good lorde also now helpe me good lorde I shall nat drede what euer fall tome what shall I say iÌ„ all my aduersytes but that thy wyll be done iÌ„ me I haue well deserued to be troubled vexed wherfore I must suffer wolde god I myght so do with pacyeÌ„ce tyll the tempest be past better fortune folowe god almyghty thou may take fro me this teÌ„ptacion if it be thy pleasure that I be nat ouercome thereof as thou hast ofte done â–ª for the more harde it semeth to me to suffer suche temptacyon the more nere is thy right haÌ„de to chauÌ„ge it ¶ The .xxxv. chapter how man shuld aske the helpe of God trustynge in hym to recouer grace loste by deuout prayer SOne sayth our Lorde to his louer I am thy lorde god that do conforte my setuauntes in the daye of trouble come therfore to me whan it is nat well with the it doth lette the to haue coÌ„solacyon from aboue that thou slowly fallest to prayer for a remedye for before thon prayest to me deuoutly for helpe and consolacyon thou sekest many inwarde consolacyons for thy refresshynge whiche all auayleth the lytell vnto thou conceyue in wardlye that I alonly delyuer and helpe in nede them that trust in me without me there is novaylable or profytable couÌ„ceyll ne remedye durable abydynge but resume thy spyryt be recoÌ„forted iÌ„ the lyght of my mercyes for I am â—ere redy to repayre all thynges that be ruynous nat onely to the state that they were of before but also to theyr perfercioÌ„ no thyng is to me harde or impossyble I am nat lyke to the that sayste more than thou doste i dede for my worde dede is alone where is thy fayth staÌ„de fermely ê‘seueraÌ„tly iÌ„ thy fayth my seruyce be stroÌ„gely abydynge in me thou shalt haue coÌ„fort iÌ„ tyme coÌ„uenyeÌ„t abyde me I shall come sone he le the it is a lytell teÌ„ptacyon that doth vere the a vayne drede that dothe fere the why art thou busy about thynges or chaunces nat yet beynge but for to come the which encreaseth thy heuynes it is suffycyent to the day his wyckednes it is but vanyte or Idlenes to be troubled or to be glad at yâ— aueÌ„ture of thyngê to come whiche ê‘auenture shall neuer fall but manys coÌ„dycyon is to be disceyued by such ImagynacioÌ„s it is a tokeÌ„ of an vnstable soule that is so soone led fro god by suggestion of the enemy for he poÌ„derith nat wheder he deceyue by true suggestyons or fals wheder he throw downe by the blynde loue of thiÌ„gê pÌ„sent or by drede of thyngê for to come be thou nat aferde ne trowbled in soule trust in my mercy whan thou trowest to be farre fro me I am ofte more nere the whan thou wenest to be holly lost than thou moost deseruest rewarde all this is nat lost whaÌ„ thou felest ê¯trariousnes in thy mynde thou shulde nat iuge after thy seÌ„suall felynge ne take euery veracyoÌ„ hopynge neuer to escape it repute the nat all forsake whaÌ„ I seÌ„de the any trybulacioÌ„ for by such trybulacyoÌ„ it is come to the kyngedome of heueÌ„ it is more expedyeÌ„t to the to my other seruauÌ„tes for to be ê“ued in aduersitees than to haue eche thynge after theyr wyll I knowe the hyd thoughtes of maÌ„ it is expedyeÌ„t to thy helth saluacyon to be lefte some tyme to thy selfe wtoute gostly sauer that thou be nat inflate by pryde lyft vp aboue thy selfe thiÌ„kyng the to be better thaÌ„ thou art in dede I may take away whaÌ„ my lyste that I gyue to any man restore it to them whan I wyll whaÌ„ I gyue any gyft or grace to any ê‘soÌ„ it is myne that I gyue and whan I withdra we it I take but myn owne for al goodes euery ê‘fyte gyft is myn if I sende yâ— any trouble bodely or gostly dysdeyne nat therof ne let nat thyn hert fall therby into great heuynes for I may sone lyfte the vp agayn chauÌ„ge thy heuynes into ioy neuertheles I am rightwyse moche to be recoÌ„meÌ„ded loued whan I sende the such aduersyte or scourges if thou
or of what party the wynde of thy stablenes bloweth but rather that all the intente of his soule mynde may come ê“fyte to the due and best ende and in this wyse may a man alway one a byde holy as longe as the symple enteÌ„t of his soule amoÌ„ge all suche varyacyons is nat vndered but dyrecte to me coÌ„tynually the more pure and clene the inteÌ„cioÌ„ of maÌ„nys soule is yâ— more stedfastly he goth amoÌ„ge such stormes troubles but iÌ„ many thyngê is the pure iye of mannes soule made darke a man lyghtely beholdeth a delectable obiecte that is pÌ„sented to hym and anone the soule is infecte by vnlefull defyre for seldome suche ê‘sones be all fre and vnfecte of the venym of theyr owne sekynge as we rede by exaumple of the Iewes the whiche came in to betanie to Marcha Mary nat to IohnÌ„ only but for to se Lazar wherfore the iye of maÌ„nys intencion is to be clensed so that it be rightwys aboue allvary an t meanys derecte to me ¶ The .xxxix. chapiter howe god almyghty sauoureth to his louer aboue all thynges BEholde my lorde god beholde all thynges what thyng may I more graciously better to my beatytude desyre o thou sauery swete wode to thy louers my lorde god all thynges I say nat that he is the worlde ne the traÌ„sytory goodes of the worlde which is nat to beloued but god iÌ„ all thyng the which worde often repeted gyueth a great gladnes to the louer of god whan thou art present good lorde all thynges be plesauÌ„t to man and if thou absent the from hym thyngê be tedyous to hym thou good lorde alone makest a peasyble herte and also a great gladnesse soleÌ„pne ioyfulnes iÌ„ maÌ„nis soule thou makest a man fele wele of all thynges to loue the in all tynge and without thy goodnes nothyng may longe please man but if any thynge shall be thankefull well sauory to man thy grace must be present and wysdome if thou good lorde sauour plesauÌ„tly to any man what thynge shall nat be delectable to hym if thy goodnes sauour nat to maÌ„ what may be ioyfull to hym sothely nothynge but world lye wysemen fawteth in thy wysdome good lorde and they lyke wyse that sauoureth flesshly desyres for in such wysdome and noughty wayes be many vanytes and spyrytuell dethe foloweth And they that folowe the swete and blessyd lorde by conteÌ„pte of the worlde and by mortyfyinge of theyr body or bodely lustys be knowen to bevery wyse for they be traÌ„sfourmed from vanyte to trouth and from carnalyte to spiritualte to such persones doth almyghty God swetely sauour and what some euer goodnesse or delectacioÌ„ they fynde iÌ„ any creature they referre all to the laude praysynge of the creature of al Great dyffereÌ„ce dyssymylytude is betwyxt the sauour swetnes of alinyghty god the maker of all the sauoure of the thyng that is made of hym as is also betwyxt eternyte and tyme and betwyxt lyghte increate light illumined of god o thou light eâ—nal pÌ„cellynge traÌ„sceÌ„dynge all lightes create perse the towarde partes of myn hert with thy ioyfull shynyng puryfye glad claryfy and quyken my spyryte with his powers to enclyne be ioyned to yâ— from vnpro fytable excesses o whan shall that blessyd houre come moost to be desyred whaÌ„ I shal be sacyat reple nysshed with thy blesfull pÌ„seÌ„ce that thou may be to me iÌ„ all pleasures possyble to be desyred for as loÌ„ge as that gyfte is nat gyuen to me my full Ioye shall nat be it is myne olde man that is to say my bodye lyuynge in me by his venemoê° ê¯cupiscence not fully crucyfyed or mortyfyed in me as yet my body couetyth stroÌ„gly agaynst my soule it moueth inwarde batayles and sufferyth nat yâ— reygne of my soule to be iÌ„ rest but thou good lorde that hast dâ—iacyon vpoÌ„ the see dost mytty gate his mouynges flowiÌ„ges aryse help me queÌ„che destroy these outragioê° me uyngê of my flesshe â–ª wherwith I am sore troubled destroy them iÌ„ thy vertue myght shewe I beseke the thy power declare yâ— right haÌ„d vpoÌ„ me for I haue no other hope but the that art my lorde sauyoure ¶ The .xl. chapiter how no man may be sure from temptacyon whyles he lyueth here SOne sayth our lorde God to his louer thou shalt neuer be syker or surer iÌ„ this lyfe but as longe as thou shalt lyue here spuÌ„all armour shal be necessary to the thou art coÌ„uersauÌ„t amonge thy ene myes on euery syde thou arte troubled vexed therefore if thou vse nat on euery haÌ„de the shylde of pacyeÌ„ce thou shalt nat be longe vn wounded more ouer if thou put nat thy hert stable in me to suffer with good deuout wylle all maner of thynges for the loue of me thou mayste nat suffer this ardoure nor come vnto the crowne rewarde of blessyd sou les thou must therefore passe manlye ouer all suche thynges vse a myghty haÌ„de ayenst thynges coÌ„trary to the for to a coÌ„querour is promysed grauÌ„ted in rewarde auÌ„gels fode to a sleuthfull an Idell man is ordeygned great mysery if thou seke here reste how shalt thou come to euerlastyng rest qâ—etacioÌ„ iÌ„ heueÌ„ gyue the nat here iÌ„ the worlde to great rest but rather to great pacyeÌ„ce ayenst aduersytes ê¯tynually insuynge seke nat therfore true peace here iÌ„ erthe but in heuen where it is nat in man nor in other creatures but iÌ„ god alone thou oughtest for the loue of god suffer gladly all laboures sorowes teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s vexacyoÌ„s aduersytes necessytes infyrmytes in iurye oblyqâ—es repÌ„ues all tokens of mekenes coÌ„fusyons correccyons despytes these thyngê helpe to purches vertues these thyngê ê“ueth the knyght of cryste maketh hym worthy the celesty all crowne I shall sayth our lorde god yelde to my seruaunt yâ— serueth me in suche wyse as is spoken euerlastynge rewarde for a lytell short labour glorye infynyte for a lytle confusyoÌ„ trowest thou sayth our lorde to his seruauÌ„t that thou shalt haue alway spuÌ„all coÌ„solacioÌ„s at thy wyll my sayntes had nat such ê¯solacions ê¯tynuall but many dyuers teÌ„ptacioÌ„s great ê‘secucioÌ„s but with paciens they ouercame all such troubles trustynge more in me than in them selfe in such peynes knowynge with the apostle that the peynys of this present lyfe be nat worthy to deserue the glory of heueÌ„ woldest thou haue that anon that many afore haue scarsly opteyned after many wepyng terys great labour abyde pacyeÌ„tly the gracyous comynge of our lorde labour maÌ„ly iÌ„ hisvyneyarde the werkes of right wysenes put thy ê¯fort iÌ„ god mys truste hym nat but stande stroÌ„gly in fayth go nat fro his seruyce that he hath called the to expouÌ„de thy body and soule stable stroÌ„gely for the loue of god and I shal be with the iÌ„ all thy troubles
theê¯syderacyon loue of thy creature take fro the loke that thou lerne to ouercome thy selfe i all thynges for the possessyon of thy creature than thou mayst come to the knowlege of thy lorde god what so euer thynge thou louest in ordiatly be it neuer so lytell yet it defoylith thy soule letteth the to come to the knowlege loue of god ¶ The .xlviii. chapt ageynevayne seculerscyeÌ„ce SOne saythe our lorde to his louer beware that thou be nat moued by the fayre subtyll wordes or sayinges of men the reygne of god standeth nat in worde but in vertue attende my wordes for they illumyne maÌ„nes mynde iÌ„flameth with the ardure of loue maÌ„nys herte they make coÌ„puÌ„ccyon iÌ„ man to be sory for his synnes with that they brynge to maÌ„nys soule great ê¯solacioÌ„ gyue the nat to lecture or study for that thou woldest be sene cunnynge or wyse before other but study therby to mortyfye thy vyces vicioê° lyuynge i the other for that shall more ê“fyte the thaÌ„ the knowlege of many qÌ„stions for whaÌ„ thou haste red knowen many thynges thou must at last come to one pryncypall begynÌ„yng of all other I am he that techeth man cuÌ„nynge I gyue more clerevnderstaÌ„dige to huÌ„ble ê‘sones thaÌ„ any man techith loke whom I speke to he shal be wyse ê“fyte i soule who shall be them that seke of men curyous thynges and lytell ponder the wey how they shuld serue and please me the tyme shall come whaÌ„ that Cryste the mayster of all maysters and Lorde of auÌ„gels shall apere redy to here euery maÌ„nes lesson that is to say to examyne euery maÌ„nes coÌ„scyeÌ„s than shall IherusaleÌ„ be lyghtened enserched with lanternes lyghtes and the hyd warke cogitacyons of men shal be manyfestly opened all vayne excuses shal be fordone layd a syde I am he sayth god that sodeynly ryse vp and illumyneth an humble mynde that he may take and perceyue mo reasons of eternall trouth soner thaÌ„ he that studyeth .x. yere in the scolys I teche without souÌ„de of wordes without confusyon of opynyons without pryde of worshyp without fyght of argumeÌ„tacyoÌ„ I teche to dispyse erthely thynges and thynges present I make my louers to seke to sauoure thynges eternall to fle honours paciently to suffer sclaunders and aduersytes nothyng without me to desyre but all theyr hope to put in me and to loue me ardently aboue all thynges some in louynge me inwardlye haue dyuyne and godle thynges cuÌ„nyng to speke marueylous thyngê suche hath more ê“fyted iÌ„ forsa kynge all thyngê thaÌ„ iÌ„ studyinge about subtyle thiges but I speke to some comon thynges to other specyall thyngê I appere to some swetely in hyd synes fyguers to other I shewe great mysteryes with great lyght of vnderstaÌ„dynge there is onevoyce one letter in the bokes that they beholde but that voyce or letter informeth nat all in lyke for I am yâ— inwarde techer of trouthe serchar of maÌ„nes hert yâ— vnderstander of maÌ„nes thought ê“moter of his dedis gyuynge to euery man as I thynke worthy ¶ The .xlix. chapiter howe we shuld despyse nat greatly desyre outwarde worldly thynges SOne thou must be ignoraÌ„t vnknowing many thiÌ„gê thou must accoÌ„pte thy selfe as dede vpon erthe seke one that all the worlde is crucyfyed to thou muste ouer passe many thynges that thou shalt parauenture ayenste the or thy frende with a deffe ere nat answerynge to such but to such rather those thyngê that be to thy peace it is better a man to turne a way his iyen fro thynges of dyspleasure to let euery man to thynke loke as he wyll Also to withdraw thyn erys fro vnprofytable fables thaÌ„ to deserne to ê¯tencious wordes if thou wylt stande enclyne to god dylygently beholde his iugemeÌ„t the meke answers in his reproues thou shuldest suffer the more easely to be ouercome o lorde God what be we lo we wepe lament greatly for a lytell teÌ„porall harme or losse we renne ayenst myght and laboure bodely for a lytell teÌ„porall auauntage but our spuÌ„all losses detrymeÌ„tis that we suffre be soone forgote withvs scarsly we returne agayne therto any tyme after our losse to that thyng that is lytell or noughte worth we gyue great attendaunce and that thynge that is of great pryce moost necessary to vs we set nat by it for all mankynde in maner reÌ„neth towarde outwarde thynges but they soone aryse fro suche dysposycyon they shall gladly lye delyte euer in outwarde thynges ¶ The .l. chapyter howe euery tale or worde is nat to be beleued howe mannes worde soone slydeth GOod lorde gyue grauÌ„t me helpe of my trouble that I suffer for maÌ„nes helpe is but vayne vnuaylable in such nedis I haue ofte fayled of helpe socoure where I trusted to haue founde it and ofte haue I founde faythfulnes where I trusted leest to haue fouÌ„de it wherfore I say that man laboureth invayne that putteth his hope in man thou good lorde art the very hope helth of man blessyd be thou iÌ„ all thynges for all thynges that happeth to vs we be sicke vnstable of our selfe we be soone chaunged fro goodnes disceyued who is he that can so warely wysely kepe hym selfe in all thyngê that he fall nat sometyme into a snare of dysceyte of some ê‘plexite but he that trusteth in the good lorde and seketh the with symple herte dothe nat so soone remeue from the and if it hap hym to fall into anye tribulacyon howe so euer he be wrapped therin he shall soone be delyuered therof by yâ— or ellys soone receyue coÌ„fort of thy goodnes for thou good lorde forsakest them neuer that truly truste in the it is harde to fynde a faythfull a trusty frende that so perseueryth in all the trybulacyons of his frende thou good lorde art moost faythfull iÌ„ all such nedys lyke vnto the none is nor may be fouÌ„de o full well felte sauoured that soule in god the which sayde my mynde is grouÌ„ded stablysshed iÌ„ my lorde god if it were so with me I shuld nat so soone drede man ne be moued at his wordes who may ê“uyde all thynges for to come or who may eschewe yâ— perelles or euyls here after ensuynge if chauÌ„ces or thiÌ„ges before sene ofte anoyeth hurteth man what shall I saye than of thyngê vnprouyded but that they more greuously hurt but wherfore haue nat I wretche better prouyded or purueyed why gaue I so soone credeÌ„s to other mennes sayinge but we be men ye thoughe we be reputed and extemed aungels of many folke to whom shall I gyue credeÌ„s but to the good lorde for thou art very trouthe that nother dysceyuest ne may be disceyued and euery other man is a lyervn stable soone dysceyuyng moost in wordes so that vneth it can or may be beleued that semeth ryghtwyse
that but alonly to be vylypeÌ„ded or despysed iÌ„ my pleasure honour ouer all desyre that whether thou lyue or dye god alwey be gloryfyed iÌ„ the or by the. ¶ The .lv. chapt a man beynge in heuynes desolacioÌ„ shulde coÌ„mytte hym into the handes of god to his grace sayinge LOrde god holy fader blessyd be thou now euer for after thy holy pleasure so thou hast done to me and all that thou dost is good I besech the good lorde that thy seruauÌ„t may ioy in the and nat in my selfe ne in none other thynge but in the or ordred to the for thou alone art verye gladnesse thou art my hope my crowne of reward thou good lorde arte my ioy honoure what haue I or any of thy seruauÌ„tis that we haue nat receyued of thy goodnes ye without our meryte all be thyne that thou haste gyuen and made I am but pore haue be in trauayle fro my youth often my soule is heuy vn to wepyng some tyme it is troubled agayn it selfe for passyoÌ„s fersly inrysynge I desyre good lorde the ioy of peace I aske yâ— peace of thy chosen chyldreÌ„ the which be norysshed fed of the iÌ„ the lyght of iÌ„ warde eternall ê¯solacyoÌ„ if thou good lorde grauÌ„t me peace if thou graunt me in wardly holy ioy than shall the soule of thy seruauÌ„t be full of louynge and deuoute praysynge of thy infynyte goodnes if thou withdrawe the fro me as thou haste often wonte to doo than I may nat ren the way of thy commaundemeÌ„tys that is to say fulfyll them but more thy seruauÌ„t is then arted to knocke his breste to knele for grace and consolacyon afore had for that it is nat with hym nowe as yesterday the daye before whan thy lanterne of lyghte shone vpon hym illumyned his soule and was defended fro the inwarde temptacyons vnder the shadowe shylde of thy wynges right wyse fader euer worthy to be most loued the hour is come that thy seruaunt shulde be proued in it is worthy father that thy seruauÌ„t suffer this hour som what for the Thou knew in thy eternall presens an houre for to come in the whiche for a lytell tyme thy seruauÌ„t shuld outwardly be ouercome yet withinforth be euer lyuynge ayenst the that he shuld be vy lypended centeÌ„pned and despysed for a tyme in the syght of men by sorys peynes passyon that he a ryse agayne with the in the morne of a new lyght of grace after that be gloryfyed in heuen for allsuch humylyacions holy father thou haste so ordeyned wylled after thy coÌ„maundement so be it fulfylled iÌ„ me This is thy grace yâ— thou good lorde shewest to thy frende to suffer troubles here in this worlde for thy loue as ofte whaÌ„ so euer in what so euer wyse thou dysposest or suffrest it to fall without thy counceyle and prouydence And also without cause nothynge is done here in erthe It is good to me good lorde that thou hast humbled me that I maye thex by lerne the ryghtwyse iugementes and therby caste fro me all pryde and presumpcyon of hert It is very ê“fitable to me that I haue suffred or had such coÌ„fusyon that I by the erudycyon of it shuld rather seke thy consolacyon than mannes in such aduersy te I haue lerned also therby to drede thy inscrutable iugemeÌ„tes whereby thou prouest scourgest the ryght wyse man and the wycked and that nat with out equyte and rightwysnes I thaÌ„ke the that thou haste nat spared my synnes but punysshed me with scourges of loue ye bothe within and without with sores and anguysshes no creature vnder heueÌ„ may coÌ„forte me in myne aduersytes but thou good lorde the very and heueÌ„ly leche of mannes soule that smytest and helyst agayne Thou ledest vs into sharpe peynes of body suffrest vs to be ledde into dedely synne sometyme and thou bryngest vs out therof agayne by thy great grace Thy dyscyplyne be vpoÌ„ me and thy scourge shall teche me the wayes of vertue and mekenes Lo fader I am here in and vnder thy handes I enclyne me vnder thy rodde of correccyon smyte my backe and my necke that I may bowe and refourme my crokydnes vnto thy wyll Make me meke and lowly that I may lyue alway at thy wyll I commyt me to the good lorde with all myne for to be correcte For better it is to be punysshed and correcte here than after this lyfe thou knowest all thynges and nothynge is hydde in mannes soule or concyens fro the afore any thynges be made thy wysdome knoweth theym for to be it is nat nedefull that any man teche or warne the of any thyng that is done here in erthe Thou knowest what profyte or peyne is expedyent to me and moche trybula cyon auayleth to pourge the fylthe and ruste of my horryble Synne and vyces therefore do thou with me after thy pleasure and despyse nat I beseke thy grace my synfull lyfe for thou knowest it best grauÌ„t me good lorde grace to knowe that I am bounde to knowe and to loue that I ought to loue to prayse yâ— thou wolde I shulde prayse and to repute that is pÌ„ cyous iÌ„ thy syght and to refuse all that is vyle afore the gyue me grace good lorde nat to Iuge thynges after myne outwarde syghte ne after the herynge or the relacyon of vncunnynge folke but truly to dyscerne of vysyble thynges spyrituall and aboue all thynges to enquyre and folowe thy wyll pleasure mannes wyttes be often dysceyued in iugement also the louers of the worlde be often dysceyued in louynge all onely thynges vysyble what is a man the better that men repute hym more or better thaÌ„ he is iÌ„ dede a deceyuer deceyueth another one vayne maÌ„ another one blynde man another one sycke persone another whyle he so exalteth hym And yet in trouthe he more confoundeth hym than auaunceth whyles he so vaynly dothe laude or prayse hym for howe great coÌ„mendable holy euery man is in thy syght so worthy great he is and no more ¶ The .lvi. chapter A man shulde gyue hym to huÌ„ble warkes whan he is nat inclyned or dysposed to hye warkes SOne thou mayst nat alway stande in feruent desyre of vertue nor in the hyghe degre of coÌ„temptacion but it is nedefull to the sometyme for the fyrst corrupcion of mankynde to descende to lower thynges and to bere the burden of this corruptyble lyfe with tedyousnes agaynst thy wyll for as loÌ„ge as thou berest thy mortall body thou shalt fele werynes heuynes of thy herte thou must therfore whyles thou lyuest in this mortall lyfe ofte mourne and sorowe of the burden and contradyccyon of thy bodye to thy soule for that thou mayst nat contynually and without cessynge gyue hede and cleue to spuÌ„all studyes and to godly coÌ„teÌ„placyon then it is expedyent to the to fle to lowe and outwarde
loue pryuate Ioye They do away and put to as they fauoure nat after the pleasure of the hye truthe of our Lorde cryste iesu In many folke is IgnorauÌ„ce but moost in theym that haue but lytell vnderstandynge and therfore they but seldome loue any persone perfytly or ghostly many men be drawen by naturell affeccion loue nowe to this saynt or man nowe to that some to this some to that and as they behaue them in these erthely thynges here so they Imagen to be of heuenly thynges But great dyffereÌ„ce is betwyxt the thynges that Imperfyte folke do Imagyn or coÌ„syder and these thyngê that deuout and illumynyd persones seeth by heueÌ„ly illustracyon therfore sone be ware to treate vpon suche thynges curiously that excedeth thy knowlege but labour thou rather and indeuour thy selfe that thou may be sorted with the leest or lowest that is in heuen thorowe the merytes of good lyfe what auayleth it a maÌ„ to knowe which Saynt is more worthye in heuen than other but if he wolde humble hym selfe the more or wolde gyue more laude and praysynge vnto God therefore He pleasyth god more that thynketh busyly with repentaunce of the greatnesse and grefe of his synnes of the want of vertue that he hath wherby he dyffereth from the holynesse of sayntes than he that dysputeth of theyr degre in heuen more or lesse Better it is a man with deuoute prayers and wepynges to praye to sayntes and with humylyte of soule to adquyre and purchas theyr helpe than to enquyre by vayne inquysycyon theyr secretes They be well coÌ„tent euery chone with hys ioy If men here lyuynge were content and wolde refrayne theyr vayne spekynge and conteucyon a boute theym They haue no glorye or exaltacyon in theyr owne merytes for they assygne no maner of goodnesse vnto theyr owne selfe but to God all onely the whiche hath gyuen theym all thynges of his infynyte grace and charyte they be replenysshed with so great loue of God and with so abundaunt and folowynge Ioye there vpon that no glorye norfelycyte maye decreace or fayle them All the Sayntes in heuen the hyer they be in glorye the more humble and lowe they be in theyr owne syght and more nere and dere to me in loue It is wryten in the apocalyps that the Sayntys in heueÌ„ of humblenes dyd submytte theyr crownes before God and they fell on theyr faces before the humble lambe Cryste Ihesu adhowrynge and worshyppynge hym as theyr lorde God euermore lyuynge withouten ende Many folke enquyre busylye whiche Saynt is more preferred in the kyngedome of almyghtye God that knowe nat yf theyr selfe shall be worthye to be accompted with the leest Saynt in that kyngedome It is not a lytell but a great thynge and grace to be in the leest sorte in heuen where all that be there are greatlye magnyfyed of God For all that be there be called and are the chyldren of god almyghtye whan the apostellys of God questyoned amonge theym whiche of theym shulde be more preferryd in the kyngedome of Heuen They herde agayne the answere of our Lorde But if ye be conuertyd and made meke pure and withoute malyce as chyldren be ye shall nat enter the kyngedome of euerlastynge lyfe and he that huÌ„ bleth hym as this chylde he is more worthy iÌ„ yâ— kyngedome of heueÌ„ wo be to them that dysdayne to huÌ„ble themselfe with chyldreÌ„ for they for theyr presuÌ„pcioÌ„ pryde shall nat be suffred to enter the humble yate of heueÌ„ the which admyttyth none but humble and meke folke wo also be to ryche folke the which be ouercomen by Inordynate loue of theyr ryches For suche ryche folke haue here theyr consolacyons and Ioye And therfore at the last poore folke that be here humble of herte and content with theyr poore degre shall enter into the glorye of God for suche penury and hardenes wronges and other ylles as they haue suffred here lyuynge in this vale of myserye where ryche folke lyuynge here in welthe and pleasoure shal be shyt out with great sorowe and lamencion for that they haue loste so Inestymable a Ioy for a short worldly delectacyon that they had here lyuynge ioy therefore ye humble folke and also poore for ye shall enheryte the euerlastynge ioy and kyng dome of God if ye lyue well here in this mortall lyfe with perseueraunce ¶ The .lxiiii. chapiter All hope and truste that maÌ„ hath is to be fyxed in God all onely LOrde god what is my truste yâ— I haue iÌ„ this lyfe and what is my moost solace coÌ„forte of all thynges vysyble yâ— I se vnder heueÌ„ Is it nat thou whose mercy is iÌ„numerable yes sothely whaÌ„ hath it be well with me at any tyme without the or whan myght any yll happe or come to me thou beynge present Sothely neuer I had leuer be poore with the than to be ryche without thy presens I had leuer be a pylgryme here in erth with thy presens thaÌ„ to possesse heuen without the For where thou arte there is heueÌ„ and where thou arte nat there is dethe and also hell Thou arte all my desyre and therfore I haue nede to lament to pray and crye contynually after the I may trust fully in none but in the for there may be no helpe in cases of nede but in the only my lorde god thou arte my hope my trust my moost faythfull conforte and helpe in all thyngâ— all other persones seke theyr owne profyte and auayle but thou alonly pÌ„tendest and sekest my profyte and helthe eternall also thou turnest all thynges to my well ye whan thou sendest me troubles afflyccioÌ„s and temptacyoÌ„s all such thou good lorde ordeynest for my wele and profyte that by a thousande wayes arte wont to proue thy chosen and beloued seruauntes in which probacioÌ„s thou art nat lesse to be pray sed than if thou had replenysshed vs with heueÌ„ly coÌ„solacions In the good lorde I put all my hope so cour I sette all my trybulacyons and anguysshe in the for all that I beholde se without the I haue ê“ued it infyrme and vnstable The multytude of carnall frendys auayleth nat nor stronge helpers shall nat may helpe ne wyse couÌ„ceylers may gyue any ê“fytable answer or counceyll ne the bokes of doctoures may confort ne any pÌ„cyous substauÌ„ce may delyuer fro thy hande ne any secrete place may defende man but if thou lorde god wyll assyst helpe coÌ„forte couÌ„ceyl instructe kepe hym all thynges that â—eme for to be ordeyned to mannes pease and felycyte If thou be absent they be nat worthye ne they haue or gyue any true felycyte to any crature thou my lorde god therfore arte the ende of all goodnes the hye lyfe of all the profouÌ„de spekyng of all eloqueÌ„ce the moost stronge hope solace of thy seruauÌ„tes Myniyen intendynge into the I truste fullye in the my lorde god father of mercyes Blesse and saÌ„ctyfy my soule with heuenlye blessynge that it may be made
thy holy tabernacle and dwellynge place and the sâ—te of thy eternall glorye No thynge be fouÌ„de in me at any tyme that shulde offende thy hye maieste after the greatnes of thy goodnes and thy manyfolde mercyes beholde me and here gracyosly the prayer of me thy poore seruauÌ„t beynge farre exyled iÌ„ the regyon of the shadowe of deth defende and conserue the soule of me thy seruaunt good lorde whyle I laboure amonge the manyfolde perels of this corruptyble lyfe and dyrecte it by thy grace coÌ„tynuallye in this lyfe vnto yâ— fynall couÌ„trey of euerlastyng peace and claryte Amen ¶ Here endeth the thyrde booke of IhonÌ„ Gerson Emprynted in London by Rycharde Pynson in Flete strete at the Sygne of the george at the commaundement and instaunce of the right noble excelleÌ„t princes Margarete moder to our soueraygne lorde Kyng Henry the. vii couÌ„tesse of RychmouÌ„t Derby the yere of our lorde god M. CCCCC and xvii The .vii. day of October ¶ Here beginethe the forthe boke of the folowynge Iesu cryst of the conteÌ„pniÌ„ge of the world In prynted at the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the most excelleÌ„t prices Margarete moder vnto our souereine lorde kinge HeÌ„ry the .vii. Countes of RychemouÌ„t Derby And by the same Prynces it was traÌ„slated out of freÌ„che into Englysshe in fourme maner ensuynge The yere of our lorde god M. D. iiii ¶ Prologus COme to me saythe our mercyfull lorde all that laboreth and be charged and I shall gyue vnto you refeccyon And the bredde that I shall gyue vnto you shal be my flesshe for the lyfe of yâ— worlde Take ete it for it is my body that for you shal be gyuen â— sacryfice Do ye this in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me For who soeteth my flesse drynketh my blode he shall dwell in me â— in hym ¶ These wordes that I haue sayde vnto you belyfeâ— and spiryte of helthe ¶ In what great reuerence and feruent desyre we ought to receyue our lorde Iesu crist Capitulo primo O My lorde Iesu crist eternall trouthe these wordes beforesayde be thy wordes Albeit they haue nat ben sayde in one selfe tyme nor wrytten i one selfe place yet for that they be thy wordes I ought feythefully agreably to vnderstande theym They be thy wordes and thou hast ê“ferred them And they be now myn for thou hast sayde theym for my helthe I wyll gladly receythem of thy mouthe to th ende they may be the better so wen planted in my herte Thy wordes of so great pyte full of loue swetnes dileccion greatly excyteth me but lorde my ê“per synes fereth draweth backe my conscience nat pure to receyue so great a mystery The swetnes of thy wordes inciteth ê“uokethe me but the multytude of my synnes charge the sore greueth me Thou coÌ„mauÌ„dest that I shal come vn to the feythfully if I wyll haue parte with the to the ende I may receyue the norysshynge of imortalyte if I desyre to opteyne the Ioy and lyfe eternall Thou sayst lorde come ye to me that labour be charged I shall refresshe you O how swete amyable a worde is that in the Gre of a synner that thou my lorde my god lysleth of thy benygne grace to byd me that am so pore haue so moche nede of the holy coÌ„muny on of thy precyous body O good lorde what am I to presume to desyre yâ— that the heuen erthe may nat coÌ„prehende thou saist com ye all to me who asketh wylleth this right meke worthynesse and amyable byddynge Howe shall I dare come vnto the whiche feele nat that I haue done any good How shall I enterteine yâ— into my how 's whiche so often haue offended before thy glorious ryght benygne face The auÌ„gels arkasâ—gels honour the the holy iuste creatures drede the. thou sayst good lorde yet come ye allvnto me Lorde who shulde byleue thys thynge to be true if thy selfe sayd it nat And who is he that durste approche there vnto If thou dydest not coÌ„maunde it Noe that iust man labored by an hundreth yere to make the arke to the ende be myght be saued with a fewe of his people Howe may I preprayre me than in an howre to receyne the withe due reuerence coÌ„posour and creatour of all thys worlde Moyses thy greate famylier and speciall frende made tharke of tymber nat corruptyble whiche he couered with right pure gold put in the tables of the lawe I a corrupt creature howe shall I nowe dare receyue the that arte conditour of the Lawe and gyuer of grace and lyfe vnto all creatures The right wyse Salamankynge of Israeledifyed a ryche Temple to the praysig of thy name by the space of .vii. yere and by .viii. dayes halowed the feest of the dedicacoÌ„n of the same he offred a thousande hostys to pacifye thy goodnes with and put the arke of alyaunce in the place made redy for the same with the souÌ„ de of claryons and trumpettys Howe dare I than cursed and right pore amonge other creatures receyue the into my howse whiche vnnethe can knowe that I haue well passed and enployed one howre of tyme nouther to my knowelege that I haue deuoutely passed one halfe howre Do my god howe many haue there ben before me that haue studyede to do any thynge that myght please the. Alas howe lytell thing ys that I do albe it the tyme ys shorte Aud yet whan I despose me to receyue thy holy coÌ„munyon I am but losely gadred to gether and full coldly purged from all distraccioÌ„s of mynde And certeinly no cogitacions vnprofitable ought to come into the holy presence of thy deyte Also I ought nat to occupye me with any creature for I shall nat receyue an auÌ„gel but the lorde of aungels in to the secrete of my herte ¶ For there is a greate dyfference betwene the Arke of alyaunce with his relyques and the ryght pure and precious body with hys vertues nat faylynge but euermore duryng ¶ And betwene yâ— sacryfyce of the prefyguratyue lawe that was to come and the true hostye of thy precyous body that ys thaccomplesshement of all the olde sacryfyce ¶ Wherfore than shulde nat I be more inflamed in thy venerable presence and by more solycytude prepayre me to receyue the sacred and holy gyftes and benyfyttes of the. In so moche the holy auncyent patryarkes and prophettes kinges and prynces with all the people hath shewedeso greate affeccion towardes thyne honoure and dyuyne seruyce ityme passed ¶ The ryght deuout kynge Dauid inclyned to the arke of god with all his strengthe knowlegeynge remeÌ„berynge yâ— benefytes don vnto his faders he made orgayns of dyuers maners he composed psalmes instytute that they shulde be songen and he hym selfe sange theym with gladnes of ten tymes with the harpe of the holy goost Thys kynge inspired with the grace of hod hath taught the people of Israel to prayse god with all theyr hertes blessynge
charyte and to deface and put awey all the condysyons of my synnes Clense my conscyence from all synne and restore it vnto thy grace that by synne I haue loste And perfectly pardone me of all myne offences that I may receyue perfightly the swete kyssynge of peas what may I do more for me synne but mekely confesse theym with sorowfull wepig and incessauntly prayinge the of thy pyte ous mercy ¶ I beseche the lorde exalte me and be vnto me redy whan I am before the. O my good lorde soueraynly all my synnes dyspleasith me and by thy grace I wyll neuer begiÌ„ne them agayne but euer shall haue sorowe for theym as longe as I shall lyue and shal be redy to do penaunce make satisfaccyon of the best of my lytell power ¶ Wherfore nowe good lorde pardon me of my great and abhomynable synnes and for honour of thy holy name saue my soule whiche thou hast derely bought with thy moost precyous blode And I commytte me good lorde vnto thy great mercy and resigne me hooly vnto thy handes Do with me Lorde after thy bouÌ„te and nat after my malyce and iniquite ¶ Also I offre vnto the all my dedes that I haue done albe it they be full fewe and vnperfight that thou maist sanctyfye amende theym as they be agreable acceptable vnto the. And alweyes good lorde drawe me from better to better and conduyte and lede me slouthfull and vnworthy synner vnto good and laufull ende ¶ In lyke wyse I offre vnto the the desyres of all deuowte persones the necessytes of all good dedes of my kynsefolke and frendes and of all theym that haue done me goode or be dere vnto me and all other for thy loue and they that haue desyred or requyred me to make sacryfyce for theyr frendes lyuynge or passed the worlde So as they may sele helpe Consolacyon Defence And Preseruacyon frome all parels by thy grace delyuerauÌ„ce of peynes so as they may yelde vnto the Ioy gladnes with magnyfyinge praisiÌ„ge of theyr delyueraunce ¶ I offre vnto the also prayers holy oblacions for al them specyally that hath caused vnto me heuyues hurte or any maner of damage ¶ And lyke wyse for theym that I haue troubled greued vexed or sclaundred in wordes or dedes knowyngly ignorauÌ„tly to the ende blessed lorde that we all may be pardoned of our offeÌ„sis don the one agaynst yâ— other And good lorde Iesu take from our hertis all suspecioÌ„ wrathe indignacion and all that may breke or let charyte or dimynysshe vs from thy eternall loue O lorde haue pyte blessed Iesu haue pyte gyue thy mercy vnto all theym that asketh it and thy grace vnto theym that haue nede And make vs so worthy to haue that grace that we may go vnto the lyfe eternall Amen ¶ That the holy sacrament ought nat lyghtely to be forborne CapÌ„ .x. IT behoueth the often to tetourne vnto the fountayne of grace mercy bountye pyte and puryte that thou mayst be clensed from thy vices passions so as thou maist be made more stronge and wakynge agaynst all temptacions and subtyll craftes of the fende For thy ennemye knowynge the greate frute and remedye of receuiÌ„ge of this holy sacrament enforcethe hym by allmaner of accasyons that he may to drawe the vnto hym agayne and letteth the feythfull and deuout people whan any dysposethe theym to the receyuynge of thys holy coÌ„munyon The ennemye Sathan putteth vnto theym the moost greuous temptacions that he may Also it ys wrytten in the hystorye of Iob. thys yuell spiryte cometh amoÌ„ge the chyldren of god to th ende that by his cursed custome he perturbeth ê‘plexeth and maketh theym dredfull dymynysshynge theyr affeccyon and inpugnynge theym of theyr feythe so that ê‘auenture they leue their good purpose of that holy body that they at that tyme come for to receyue but we shulde take no thought nor feare of the crafty cautiellesof that false enemye yâ— be so foule horryble but all suche fantesyes we saulde cast agayne at the hede of that wicked spirite it is a pore myschyuous spirite that so letteth mockety vs. And for any assaultes or coÌ„mocoÌ„ns that he excyteth thys holy sacrament ought nat to be lefte Also often tymes to great solicytude for deuocion to be had letteth and somtyme ceryousnes of confessyon to be made But do after the councell of the wyse and take away this anxietye stryple for it letteth the grace of god and destroyeth deuocyon And leue not the holy receyuynge of Iesu cryst for lytell tribulacoÌ„n or deieccion pusyllanymyte but wyth good wyll go vnto the coÌ„fessour and pardon all other that haue offended the and if thou yaue offended any other mekely aske for gyuenesse And thanne drede not but god wyll pardon the. what ê“fiteth it longe to tary frome confession or to deferre the receyuynge of thy blessed sauyour First pourge the and cast out the venym and than haste the to take the remedye And thou shalte fele the moche better thann yf tyou haddest deferred it For if thou thys day lyue the holy receyuiÌ„ge for coldnes of deuocion feblenes of mynde parauenture to morowe thou shalte fynde thy selfe more slacke and so loÌ„ge wythdrawe that thou shalt fynde thy selfe moche worse more vnable Than as soone as thou maist take awey this feblenesse of mynde and the spyce of slowth For alwey only to be in anguysshe and heuynesse of thy synne passynge the tyme in trybulacyon and for dayly obstacles iÌ„perfeccions to with drawe the from these dyuyne mysteryes wythout tourniÌ„ge vnto the pytyous meryte of our sauyour cryste Iesu it helpeth the nought But greatly the longe taryinge to receyue thy saueour anoeyth and taryethe the shall brynge dayly vnto the a more slouthfulnesse ¶ But alas for sorowe some colde and desolate persones gladely seke causes of taryinge from confession and from the receyuynge of this holy sacra ment and for that they couete many delayes leste they shall be bounde to gyue theym selfe to a straytter maner in the ordre of theyr lyfe Alas howe lytel charyte howe sklender deuocyon haue they that putteth aweye so easely the receyuinge of thys holy sacrament O howe happy be they and agreable vnto almyghty god that ledeth so holy a lyfe that they may kepe their conscience in clene and pure drede so as they may dayly dispose and make theym redy and wyth greate affeccion desyre to receyue that holy sacrament if it were lefull at all tymes Neuertheles somtyme by mekenes to absteyne or for other lefull causes that may lett with reuerence is to be praysed But if slouthe or neclygence holde hym he ought to endeuour hym as far as in hym ys our lorde shall be pÌ„sent at his desyre which wyll specially beholde his good wyll but whan he is lawfully let if ye haue a good wyll pyteous mynde to receyue his maker yet he shall not fayle to haue the frute of
to be my swetnesse consolacoÌ„n my mete drynke my loue and all my ioye so that my wyll be chaunged enflamed and brenne allvnto the So that I may be made a spirite inwardly vnight vnto yâ— by grace brennynge loue and suffre me nat blessed sauyour to deê‘te from the fastynge drye with hunger thurst but do with me mercyfully as often as thou hast done meruelously in thy holy seruauntes what meruele is it vnto me that am nat all enflamed in the seynge that thou arte the breÌ„nynge fyre alwey illumynynge and lyghtnynge the vnderstandynge of thy creatures ¶ Of the breÌ„nynge loue great affeccion that we shulde haue to receyue our sauyour crist iesu CapÌ„ .xvii. O Lorde god iÌ„ soueraine deuocoÌ„n brennynge loue and all feruent offeccion of herte I desyre as many other holy deuoute ê‘sones haue desyred to receyue which hath ben greatly pleasauÌ„t vnto the holynes of their lyfe by great deuocyon O my god and eternall loue my eternall felicyte I by ryght greate desire wysshe to receiue the as worthely and as reuerently as euer dyd any of thy holy seruauÌ„tes All be it that I am nat worthy to haue so greate felynges of deuocion yet offre I vnto the thaffeccions of my hert asverely as though I had all the brennynge flamynge desyres that they had Also I gyue and offre vnto the insoueraine reuerence veneracoÌ„n all that a good debonayer herte maye conteyne And wyll nat nor couete to reserue any thynge to myselfe but offre and make sacryfice vnto the with fre and ê‘fyght wyll myselfe with all my good is Lorde god my cre +ature redemer thys day I desire to receyue the with suche affeccion reuereÌ„ce praisynge honour worthynes and loue suche feith hope puryte as thy right holy moder glorious virgyn Marye conceyued the whanne she answerede mekely deuoutly vnto thauÌ„gell yâ— shewede vnto hir the holy mystery of the incarnacion of the the sonne of god ¶ Se here the hande mayde of god so be it done as thou hast said And the right excellent precursor saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyste that wyth great Ioy sprange in thy presence by inspiracion of yâ— holy goost thanne beynge wythin the wombe of his moder And afterwarde beholdynge the Iesu walkynge mekely amonge men he greatly mekinge hymselfe to the same wyth a deuout mynde sayde The freÌ„de of the spouse standeth and harkeneth wyth coÌ„forte Ioyes for to here the voyce of the spouce And so I wische to be enflamed with great holy desyre with all my herte present me vnto the for that I gyue offre vnto the for me for all theim that be recoÌ„mended vnto my prayers all the IubylacoÌ„ns of deuout hertis wyth brennynge affeccions that excessyue thoughtis the hye and spuÌ„all illumynacoÌ„ns the heuenly vicoÌ„ns wyth all the vertues praisynges as well celebrate as to be celebrate of all yâ— creatures of heuen erthe to th ende that thou lorde be worthely praysed ê‘petually gloryfyed of all creatures besecheynge the lorde to receyue my praiers desyres of thy infinite benediccions praysynges without ende which right wisly be due vnto the after the greate habuÌ„daunce multytude of thy inestymable magnyficence And so my desyre is to yelde vnto the at all houres all momentis of tyme so I desyre beseche all the heuenly spirites with all feithfull cristen creatures for to yelde vnto the praisynges with effectuous prayers all the vniuersall people prayse the. All generacyons kyndes magnyfie the holy and swete name in great Ioye brennynge deuocion that they that celebratys that ryght hye and holy sacrament receyueth it in playne feythe and great reuerence deuocyon may merite towardis the and fynde grace mercy And for me wretchede synner I mekely beseche the whan I shall haue a tast of that swete vnyon deuocoÌ„n so moch wysshed desired that I may be fulfylled fed so meruelously at that heuenly holy table that at my deê‘tinge from thens thou good lorde wyll haue me pore siner in thy pyteous remembraunce ¶ That a man shulde nat be to curious a iÌ„quisitor of yâ— holy sacrameÌ„t but a meke folower of crist iesu in submittynge his reason felynge to the holy feyth Ca .xviii. IT behoues the to kepe the from to curyous iÌ„quysicyon of the ryght profounde sacrameÌ„t if thou wilte nat be coÌ„fouÌ„ded in thy proprevyce and drowned in the deppeth of opinyons For he that wyll inquire of the hye maiestye of god he shall anone be oppressed thrust downe from the glory of the same God may open more than man maye vnderstande The deuoute meke inquisicyon of truthe ys alwey redy to be doctryned and taught And yf thou studye to god by the holy true and entyer seÌ„tences of holy faders it ys nat reprouable but well to be praysed And that symplenesse ys well to be praysed that leuethe the wayes of dyfficultyes question 's and goeth by the playne and ferme pathe of the coÌ„maundementes of god Many haue lost theyr deuocyon in sechynge so besily the hye inspekeable thynges ¶ It ys ynoughe to demaunde of the fast feythe pure and clene lyfe and nat the hye and subtyll profounde mysteryes of god for yf thou may nat comprehende and vnderstande that that is within the howe mayste thou thanne vnderstande thynges that be aboue the. Submytte the thanne mekely vnto god all thy vnderstandynge to the feythe of holy churche and the lyght of true science shall be gyuen vnto the as shal be to the moost necessarie and profytable Some be greatly tempted wyth the feythe of that holy sacrament but that is not to be reputede vnto theym but rather vnto that cursed ennemye the fende And for that lette not thy good wyll nor dyspute nat in thy thowghtes nor answere nat to the doubtes that the ennemye of helle bryngeth before the but fermely trust in the wordes of god and beleue in sayntes and holy prophettes and than shall that cursed ennemye soone â—â—e frome the. It is often ê“fytable that the seruauntes of god suffre susteyne suche assaultes For the ennemy tenpteth nat the mys creauntes vnfeythfull people nor also the greate synners that he surely holdeth possedeth but he tempteth trayuaileth and tormenteth in dyuers maners the good feythefull and crysten creatures And therfore kepe the alweyes wyth meke true feythe doubte the nought but come vnto thys holy sacrament with lowly reuerence And that thou mayst nat vnderstande coÌ„mytte it vnto almighty god for he shal nat disceyue the But he shall be dysceyued that to moche trusteth in hym selfe God walked wythe the symple people and shewed hym selfe openly vnto the meke He gaue vnderstandynge vnto theym that were pore in spyrite And he hyd his grace and secretes from theym that were proude high curious For the humayne reason may lyghtly erre be disceyued but the true feyth may neuer dysceyue nor fayle All reason and naturail inquysicion ought to folowe feythe wtout farther reasonynge ¶ Fast feyth and true loue surmoÌ„teth all curious inquysicion pryncypally in thys mater and meruelously openeth to vnderstandynge in secrete maner of thys holy and ryght excellent sacrament ¶ O eterdall god and withoute mesure of myght and bounte which hast made the infinite greate and wounderfull thinges in the heuen and erthe whiche none ys sufficyent to enquyre vnderstand or fynde the secretes of thy so meruelous werkes and therfore they be called in estymable for mannis reason no wther may nor can comprehende thy werkes To whome god lorde almyghty be gyuen laude and praysynge wytheouten ende Amen ¶ Thus endethe the forthe boke folowinge Iesu Cryst the coÌ„tempnynge of yâ— worlde ¶ This boke Inprinted at londoÌ„ in Fletestrete at the signe of the George by Richard Pynson Prynter vnto the Kynges noble grace Richard Pynson Deo gracias