the world and hath and keepeth his riches and treasures all in his owne handes And yet notwithstanding it is his will and pleasure that we should liue in continuall pouerty to the end we fixe not or settle our loue and affection on any other creature but on himselfe He could if it so pleased him bestow abundance on vs but to his best beloued he doth not because they should loue him only and hate this world and the vanities thereof And wee cannot aske a more manifest token of his loue towardes vs then that he suffereth vs to bee in necessity in this miserable life sendeth vs not those pleasures which fraile flesh would couet And yet farther he will haue vs spend our liues in pouerty least temporall and needles cares should ouercome our weake mindes but will that we should serue him with quiet cōtented thoughts and not be mooued either with losse or gaine of worldly commodities or too much rejoyce or lament in prosperity or aduersity with ouer great mirth or exceeding sorrow but haue our harts still vnited to him in peace and contentation without any mislike For such is the disposition of the Loue of God that he will not inhabit but in still and sequestred places DE. What is the especial vertue that is in you POV To conforme and frame my selfe according to my sisters amongst whome I liue And although I desire to possesse nothing yet to keepe out and expell an enemy of ours that seeketh daily to enter amongst vs and destroy our garden and eate vp our fruit whose name is Singularity our Lady Mother will haue mee liue like my other sisters And yet that I loose not the reward of my vertue shee hath married me to a holy Purpose whose mame is to aske nothing And farther she telleth me if I will attaine to perfection that I must rest content with that which is giuen me be it much or litle and accept as thankfully of grosse and homely diet as of that which shall be prouided at the costliest price and to leaue part of that which is alowed to me and to be content for the Loue of God to take so much only as necessity shal desire DE. That is as if one should desire to be better then good or labour to doe more then he were bound to doe For if I rightly vnderstand it that Lord which hath founded and erected this Monastery commaundeth you to haue the spirit of pouerty as the Prophet saith If thou abound in riches beware thou settle not thy loue on them Whereby I gather that the vertue of pouerty doth not consist in hauing or possessing much or little but in the loue or contempt we take in them POV. I doe not deny but that the spirit of pouerty consisteth in the minde yet notwithstanding it is much safer for the Loue of God to possesse nothing considering our loue and affection to rich and beautifull thinges is so fraile and prone that hardly can wee haue them without fixing our loue on them Least therefore such worldlie riches shoulde gayne some parte of our loue from the Loue of God which is already but smal towards him it is good as the saying is to remoue the strawe farther from the fier For the Loue of God doth chalenge of duety all the loue of man wholy to him selfe and manie there bee that herein flatter themselues saying I doe not immoderatelie loue this or that thing neither would I to much sorrow if it where taken from me But beleeue mee affection and loue is so subtle a thing that hardly are men founde not louing what they possesse Neither can we haue a better example hereof then our SAVIOVR CHRIST himselfe who when he could haue possessed the whole ritches of the world without feare to loue or affect them extraordinarily yet remember how needely and poorely not himselfe liued but also his Blessed Mother and his Holy APOSTLES Which howe can we anie other wayes conceaue but that we must neither affect or possesse any worldly ritches For which cause I haue clearely forsaken all such vnnecessary thinges as I vsed to haue with me in my Cell reteyning nothing els but the Image of my sweete SAVIOVR hanging naked on the ✚ Crosse thereby to remember his great loue to mee I once vsed to keepe many books with mee but nowe possesse only a Bible the life of SAINCTES and the life of my SAVIOVR IESVS with some fewe other for my deuotions And rest fully contented to meditate on sweete Iesus and to busie my selfe with the booke of his holy life CHAPTER 21. Of Obedience DEsire receauing no lesse contentment from this Virgin tooke leaue of her and weas brought to the Cel of an other daughter of Humility called Obedience To her Desire yealded very great reuerence in that she seemed to him to be of high dignity and authority of great estimation with the Loue of God and more beloued of him then her other sisters Now Desire for reuerence sake offering to kisse her hand was denyed of her in regard that being the daughter of Humility she would not allowe either reuerence or honour to be shewed to her but willing Desire to sitte downe by her he asked of her her orders and conditions OBED I am married to a holy Purpose called to omitte nothing I ought to doe Hee is a mighty strong and worthy Knight who alone is able to subdue put to flight the most dangerous beast in all the world called Selfe Will. Which beast doth destroy kill and swallowe vp all that loue and obey her and shee doth with a kinde of flattering allurement entise and drawe to her al obstinate people of which few forsake her vntill she drawe them into hell vtter damnation The greatest part of people and almost all forsake me notwithstanding it is most certaine that without me no man can finde the Loue of God who is a Lord of so great dignity and excellency that the whole world canot be compared with him And in regard it hath pleased almighty God to bestow so good and noble a husband on me I do not any thing but what he shall command me Neither doe I desire to be eased or remitted from that is commanded me except some vrgent necessity constraine me thereunto And in regard of theeues and robbes which lie so secretly amongst vs that hardly they can be discried or discouered by vs I neuer dare to walke alone DE. What companion doe you vse OBED First I take with me my dogge for a companion called as yours is Good will Next I joyne to me my sister Simplicity and my daughters Douotion Chearefulnesse Diligence perseuerance and Purity But chiefely our Lady Mother Humility doth alwaies assotiate her selfe with mee All these of necessitie must I haue with me if I will securely walke to doe that which I am commanded DE. Tell mee I beseech you How doth your Mother HUmility joyne her selfe with you for that as yet I doe not
joyfull and secret misteries whereof they are ignorant that be carelesse thereof and will not enter into his secret chamber with him although they be in his house and attend vpon him DE. Wherefore doe you prayse him with all these high titles LOVE c. Because the more I extoll commend and prayse him the more I displease despise and set at nought my selfe which how acceptable it is to him cannot be declared with tongue And this is his will pleasure that we continually haue set before our eyes his goodnes his excellency and his infinite greatnes and our owne malice our basenes and exceeding misery And farther I am certayne that I cannot be deceaued although I prayse and honour him all that is in my power for he is farre more noble more excellent more potent and greater then either I or all creatures togither both Angelicall and humaine can comprehend with thought CHAPTER 7. Of the office of the Loue of God in an other degree and a contmuation of that which he beganne to declare of the manner of praying LOVE c. After that I haue endeuoured to prayse and exalt him with the vttermost of my power I offer vp to him my whole minde and will with a chiefe Purpose that I haue that for no worldly thing I would offend or displease him and also most earnestly I entreate him that it may please him to keepe and preserue me in this will and minde considering that without him I am no way able to doe it Then aske I forgiuenes of him for all the offences and iniuries I haue done vnto him and beseech him that he will permit me to thinke vpon vnderstand or loue nothing but himself And yet farther I desire of him that considering he hath voutsafed to admit me for his seruant and friend that into a place of so high a function that it will please him to bestowe on mee the holy spirit of Humility which may withdrawe and turne away my minde from all things displeasing and hatefull to him that my seruice be not hatefull but acceptable to him Also I craue of him that he will bestow on me such things as he knoweth I stand in neede of whither they bee such thinges as are necessary for me or such as for his honour and pleasure he will haue me endued with and that for no other cause but that he would suffer me to liue and die in him and not cast me from his sight according to my desert After this I pray for all those that I loue most and to whome either spiritually or corporally I hold my selfe bound for all this society and for all liuing creatures that it will please him to bestowe his grace and mercy on them that according to their dueties they may knowe him loue him honour prayse and worshippe him All this doe I labour to present to him with sincerity and purity of hart DE. How doest thou present thy selfe before him with this purity of heart LoVE c. As neare as I can I keepe a watch ouer my hart and minde and take a care to my soule restrayning as much as I may all my senses and continually setting before my selfe playne simplicity which doth interpret to the best whatsoeuer I behold And if I would bee free and secure from all feare then doe I remayne and abide with my Lord and Master with whome to be present and to talke and conferre and whose counsaill and aduice to demand is my chiefe good and joy my only will and comfort Neither can I enjoy peace quiet or security or finde anie manner of contentement or ease but only when I am present in his company And for this cause haue I determined with my selfe to forsake all worldly pleasures and to dwell with him and cleaue to him neuer to depart from him except hee shall command mee DE. Yet I thinke it very necessary sometimes to be busied in reading good bookes LOVE c. True it is it is good to spend some time in reading but not with a minde to become learned and skilfull but that thereby thou maist finde out GOD and his wayes and once hauing found him maist knowe and loue him For this I shall not neede many bookes This one thing I looke after will and desire that I may settle and fix my whole loue on GOD and may joyne all my affection reason and vnderstanding to him For his loue alone is sufficient for me he will teach me all thinges that shall be conuenient for me to knowe and can open and discouer more secrets and misteries to mee how I shall loue and not offend him then all the books that the whole world doth possessed And I obtayne greater purity of soule feare deuotion reuerence compunction fortitude and strength and seuerity against the flesh by being in his presence then by reading continually Besides I know for certayne hee neuer will aske account how much I haue reade but how much I haue loued amd esteemed him Neither would I altogither exclude or banish reading especially for such as are yet simple and ignorant and knowe not howe to iudge of their thoughts wordes and workes For to such it is requisite to spend much time in reading to learne the exercises of the spirit minde For as it would be thought great follie rashnes and disgrace to a Prince if a rude country fellow not accustomed to speake to a King should presume in the presence of all his nobility to come and bouldly speake his minde and if in speaking he should vse his accustomed rusticall and vndecent termes it could not but be thought so great a disgrace to the Prince that he iustly might commād him to be thrust out from his presence and farre better had it beene he had neuer presumed thither euen so standeth the case in spirituall cases But to those that by reading and hearing haue alredy attayned to the knowledg of God and diuine exercises to such the exercise of praying is more necessary then reading as being alredy expert how to behaue themselues in the spirituall Court Farther when I present my selfe before my Lord and Master I am very carefull that inconstantly I turne not my head or eyes hither or thither For it would be taken a great dishonour to him to looke an other way whilest on should talke with him DE. Tell me your meaning more plainely for as yet I vnderstand not LOVE When I speake to my Master if at such time I busie my thoughts and reason vpon anie thing but only vpon him I speake to then turne I my backe not my face to him For this cause when I perswade my selfe that I am present before him in sight and that he doth behold me and neuer turneth his eyes from me but marketh what I say I vse all reuerence deuotion loue and attention to him that I can Then doe I prayse and thanke him for all his benefits bestowed on mee and all other his creatures calling them
but the least tast of Gods loue in me wherein not my part duety to labour what I cold that he might be knowen honored and loued of all the world to pray that he would bestowe his grace on all men whereby he might of them be continually honored Therefore most accursed Wench flie farre from my sight Thou knowest not what charitable Loue is considering thou art the daughter of that wicked damnable and false Apostata For I would if it pleased God that he depriued me of all spirituall corporall good which of his bountie he hath bestowed on me and giue them to others who with them would honor and prayse him more then I doe who am so barraine and vnfruitfull a soyle and haue receaued his grace and giftes in vaine For I desire nothing in this world but Gods prayse and honor and will daily seeke it how dearely so euer I obtayne it See then wreatched Wench how farre thou art deceaued Markest thou not that God knoweth what he doeth he seeth plainely that these vessels into which so abundantly he infuseth his blessings be farre more pure of a more humble spirit then I my self And therefore iustly hath denyed mee such grace seing right well that I am full of pride a vessell filled with anger and malice which through haughtines of minde would proudely attempt to scale if it cold the heauens themselues which duely pondered I rest contented with the will and pleasure of my sweete Lord IESVS neither desire I to finde ought else but him CHAPTER 13. By what meanes we may expell all Malice from our selues THe third daughter of Malice is called Sloath a most dangerous enemy who is cold and lasie in spirituall exercises and the seruice of GOD Wherein consisteth the summe of our saluation Her am I wonte to answere in this manner Thou desirest Sister and willingly wouldest perswade me neither to frequent the seruice of GOD nor to vse at all anie spirituall exercises And therefore of purpose to conquer and subdue thee I will spende more time in watching and praying and diume contemplation where vnto she thus replyeth Seest not thou thy selfe euen frozen with a cold deuotion and to feele no whitte at all any zeale of Gods seruice in thee but to vse thy exercises against thy owne voluntary disposition which prouoketh iustly the indignation of God Neither doest thou ought els but tempt God therein who desireth no vnwilling or impulsiue seruices but such as proceede from a chearefull and willing minde Then reply I againe Away thou wicked wreatch I perceaue thy meaning Knowest thou not that at such time I shew my loue greater to God when I serue him with my owne will be it neuer so small then when I finde my selfe endued with extraordinary deuotion by him art thou ignorant that God sometimes of purpose withdraweth his grace thereby to try and prooue our strength And then when he perceaueth vs to offer vp and bestowe on him that little deuotion which is remayning in vs he doubleth his grace heauenly consolation in vs. Yet so that finding our selues voide of inwarde sensible grace we cast not cleane away our good will harty desire Therfore whereas thou askest why being so cold and cleane voide of deuotion yet I goe to pray considering as thou sayest that is but to tempt God assure thy selfe although I felt in me farre lesse deuotion and will to serue God yet that not withstanding I would frequent my prayers and would set my selfe in the sight of our Lord neither would I speake or desire ought of him but standing before him would yeeld to him al due honor and reuerence imagining himselfe to be present in my sight and that I beheld him and that there I stoode before his high diuine and fearefull Majesty That he who is the fire of loue would inflame my harte when he should thinke conuenient Therefore submit I my self to his holy will am content with that which it shall please him to graunt me And the weaker fainter and colder I finde my selfe so much the nearer I will come to this fire For if I will depart from it then shall I finde my selfe farre colder then before Therefore depart from me thou naughty Wench For I doe not vse frequent my daily prayers my deuout contemplations and spirituall exercises for my owne contentment comfort or delight but only to this end thereby to serue my Lord God honour him considering I know we it to be his holy will and pleasure that I should do so and that I exercise my selfe in all vertue and holines to the honour prayse of his holy name Now when this wicked mayden with her practises cannot withdrawe me from the Loue of God She taketh a new course and laboureth to winne my loue from my fellow Sisters And taking the assistance of her before named Nouices Suspition and rash iudgmēt assaulteth me againe perswadeth me to hate and malice my sisters and to carry a sinister opinion of them whereby I should either suspect some ill in them or else rashly without some just cause condemne thē hence proceede contempt repining murmuring and detraction But my selfe with the assistance of my Purpose marking her presently answere It beseemeth not so base and so abject a maide as my selfe to judge amisse of my sisters or Superiours neither lawfull for sinners to intermeddle with sacred vesselles or for beastes to come nigh the holy mountaine It best beseemeth me to account all my sisters vertuous and holy but my selfe most wreatched and full of foule sinne For it is a secret to me what all men are in the sight of GOD or in what manner they shall ende this mortall life As for my selfe I knowe right well that my pronesse to sinne and naughty appetites and desires woulde drawe me headlong to the pitte of hell were I not preserued by Gods diuine grace and mercie Therefore knowe I right vvell what I may feare of my selfe and suspect that is whether my conscience my wordes and deedes be good for I know my selfe but am a stranger to others And therefore so much as appertayneth to my fellowes I will choose the safest course that is to thinke and speake all good of them assuring my selfe thereby to gaine but neuer to loose For nothing is more dangerous then to be ruled by our owne will and to refuse a certainty for an vncertainety Charity neuer thinketh amisse And I finde it a charge great enough for me to judge and discerne mine owne conscience my affections my wordes and deedes and not to busie my selfe in censuring these not curiously to intermeddle in others actions For vvho made me a Iudge betweene God and my sisters or betweene them and their owne consciences Truly no man Avoide thou therefore or hast thou ought else to say I plainely see thou art nowe ouercome in seeking to suggest to me a suspition of my sisters vvhich is a most damnable and
my conscience Desire thought this Virgin of rare and singuler vertue and departing from her was brought into the Cell of an other daughter of Humility whose name was Desire of Contēpt who receauing him courteously was asked of Desire both her name and conditions VIR my name is Desire of Coutempt because I desire not to be honoured or esteemed of any man Desire wondered hearing this Virgin desire to be so much contemned considering how different it was from the mindes of most men But admired her vertues finding she did it for the Loue of God And leauing her was brought into the Cel of an other Virgin whose name was To reioyce in being contemned Of whome Desire being entertayned demaded likewise her name and conditions VIR My name is To reioyce to be contemned For I wish to be despised scorned and iniured for the Loue of God DE. Instruct me I beseech you how I may attayne to this vertue for such is the haughtines of my proude minde that I doe not only reioyce but am grieued and repine if I be contemned scorned despised or iniured VIR That proceedeth from want of Humility whose vertue is to contemne and neglect her selfe for the Loue of God And truely this is an apparant token that thou aboundest vvith pride and ouer much selfe loue But seing thou art by GOD conducted hither into this Monastery we will willingly instruct thee in all kinde of vertue and altering thy habit will make thee a newe man and will direct and instruct thee how to speake with the Loue of God for other wayes thou shalt be sure for to loose thy labour Therefore if thou wouldest attayne to my vertue thou must imprinte in thy hart my Sister Desire to bee contemned thinking and determining thus with thy selfe henceforth will I desire to be scorned and contemned and to be neglected of all men for the Loue of God This desire once throughly fixed in thy hart thou shalt by degrees attayne to my vertue through prayer study and diligent endeuour And although at the beginning thou shalt endure some labour and payne by striuing to subdue and master thy owne appetites Yet perseuer to the end and thou shalt gette the victorie In so much that thou shalt rejoyce when any thing is said or done to thee contrary to thy likeing Farther thou must by degrees enforce thy selfe to desire to be scorned despised and contemned For it is most true that no man can be humble that is not just And he that shall not desire to be despised contemned mocked and debased this man cannot be called just DE. How may that be that whosoeuer desireth and wisheth not to bee despised should bee said to bee a man vnjust For by that accompt wee shall finde but fewe just men and in my opinion this cannot be true VIRG. I will easely prooue what I haue said It cannot be denied but that hee is jus which giueth to each man that which is right if therefore man can chalenge nothing else for himselfe but to be contemned scorned mocked and debased hee is not just which desireth not to bee so vsed DE. I would heare you prooue that and shewe plainely how nothing but contempt is due to man VIRG. I will First there is no question but that all that which is good ought be loued honored desired and praysed and how much greater and better it is so much the more it ought to be loued contrarie wayes that what so is naught ought to be despised hated rejected and suppressed Now if it be true that euery men is ill it followeth that of right hee must bee contemned and despised DE. Tell mee how all men are to be said to be naught VIRG. Only GOD is good therefore all men are naught DE. I cannot yeald to that conclusion VIRG. Logitians shall proue that none is good but God and whatsoeuer is not God is not good but ill And if man be ill that all shame reproach and contempt is due to him CHAPTER 16. How all creatures are good and yet none is good but God himselfe DESIRE I am not yet resolued by thy alleadged reasons considering thou saist that God is good and that whatsoeuer is not God is not to be said good And the holy Scripture saith that God sawe all thinges that he had made that they were not only good but very good Farther considering God is good as indeede he is the chiefe goodnesse it selfe and the efficient cause and beginning of all thinges created all things that he hath made must of necessity be good that the worke be answerable to the workeman that made it Whereupon it followeth that whatsoeuer God hath made must of necessitie be very good Besides considering man is the most excellent of all corporal creatures it is plaine that he is not only good but very good And then if he be good by thy owne rule it followeth that both honour and loue are due to him VIRG. I will not maintaine a long disputation with thee for that disagreeth with the rules of Humility only I will open what I haue said more at large that thou maist better vnderstand my meaning The scripture sayeth that none is good but only God Which is thus to be vnderstood that only God is essentially good to be good is only proper to him And what soeuer he hath made may be said to be good participating in goodnes giuē to them by God For whatsoeuer goodnes they haue is Gods not their owne So when thou seest good giftes bestowed on any creature from aboue thou must honor and loue such a creature But this honor and loue must be referred to God and not to the creature Therefore our selues and all creatures are to be loued of vs because they be good in their essence or being as the creatures of God this is to loue God in his creatures Let not therefore any man desire to be praysed or honored for his owne sake but for the goodnesse which God hath bestowed on him attributing and referring it all to GOD. For it is one thing that man hath from God but an other which he hath of him selfe From God he hath what good soeuer is but from him selfe whatsoeuer is ill He hath from God that he representeth and carrieth his Image likenesse But of him selfe through wicked life and euell manners he is made altogither dislike to God Also it is giuen to him by the grace of God to desire to be good and endued with vertue but of himselfe hee desireth ill and doeth those thinges that most displease God From hence we learne that those thinges which are bestowed on man from aboue are greatly to be honoured and highly to be loued which are the cōditions of his creation his natural blessings yet not to be loued for his owne sake but for the honor of God cōtrary those things to be hated which are in man himselfe as his vices offences al other imperfections So
thy selfe Desire meruailed to heare her say he was a voyce and answered DE. How can you say that I am a voyce SIMP Thou as all other creatures wast created by Gods word it is plaine that a voyce doth follow a word considering therefore that so sone as God had spoke the word presently all creatures were made it followeth that all creatures are voyces DE. Explayne this yet more plainely SIMP Speech and the word are but one thing For speech is not that which is deliuered with the mouth but which being conceaued in the minde is reteyned within But that which is expressed with the mouth is a voyce declaring the speech or word conceaued in the hart As for example if I conceaue such a thought in my minde that thou art a man this is a word or speech and although I vtter it not yet I hold it within mee But if I shall expresse it with my mouth say thou art a man this is a voyce explayning the secret conceyte of my minde De. If I be a voyce whose voyce am I. SIMP Thou art the voice of God by whome thou wast created to this prayse honor glory DE. What thing then do I speake of my selfe if I be a voyce SIMP Thou sayest God is good by the goodnes of that essence which thou hast of God euen so by thy owne beauty thou giuest a witnesse that he is beautifull through whose beauty thou hast attayned to such goodnes and beauty to conclude whatsoeuer God hath created in thee it is but a certayne voyce explayning the vertue goodnes of him De. How can you say that whatsoeuer is in me created by God is a voyce not absolutely whatsoeuer is in me is a voyce SIMP Thus this sins and wickednes which God hath not made are not his voyces but thy owne which speake and declare that thou art filthy nought impure and wicked For as by the creatures of God we are ledde and brought to the knowledge of him so by those things which we do our selues we may attaine to the knowledge of our selues CHAPTER 2. How God may be knowne by his creatures DEsire noted this discourse of Simplicity not without great admiration who although she seemed in shew but simple yet found he her most wise in these high and secret misteries and said to her DE. To what end wold you haue vs to sing SIMP To the end we may forgett the difficulties and sorrowes of this miserable banishment we liue in and loose not our hope to come to the house of Gods Charitie Wherevnto to attayne we shall finde no small helpe in meditating vpon Gods creatures which purposely I haue placed in this journey of Patiēce that thou maiest the soner come to the Loue of God if thou shalt be cōuersant in this booke of his creatures For by Patience we conceaue a greater hope of the diuine scripture which is the whole world which is no other thing then the booke of God DE. Considering then that we must sing let vs do that for which cause we are made voices that is let vs prayse God SIM I am well contented for so many voyces will joine with vs in singing Sometime desfcāt some time the Tenor sometime the treble wil meete vs in the beginning the Basse in the middest the Tenor descant in the end the Treble all sortes of voyces according to the multitute and variety of creatures farther it is necessary if we will doe according to the prescript of musicke that we endeuoure to bee skilfull in our song for considering we haue voyces we must learne vnderstand the knowledge of singing DE. Who shal teach vs that SIM Our owne voyces For some creatures shall declare his power and highnes others his goodnes others his wisdome others his gētlenes others his beauty others his sweetnes others his greatnes others his iustice others his liberality to this end God hath bestowed on vs a kind of knowledge of him selfe according to euery mans capacity and nature that thereby we may sing deliuer his prayse For which cause I entreate thee endeuour in this thy journey to become as expert in singing as thou cāst the rather because in the house of the Loue of God to which thou doest trauaile there is nothing but singing whither when thou shalt come I would haue thee sufficiētly instructed in this arte For whosoeuer shall haue a good voyce in this jorney shall often exercise it it is thereby so amended that it cānot change And as euery mā through daily exercise shall learne to sing in this life so shall he bee there more excellent then others DE. Teach me I pray you how I must sing by Gods creatures for of my selfe I shall not easely learne it SIMP I will willingly do it Now meane time Desire hauing trauailed far through the desert learned and proued many vertues and excellencies of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ and the better by the ayde assistance and direction of his guide Simplicitie Yet was he to passe many great dangerous and hard labours ofte did he stumble but Simplicity supported him that he could not fall Notwithstanding sometimes he fell but presently Simplicity gaue him her hand Sometimes he fell so dangerously that except he had beene lifted vp againe by the helpe of the Feare of God hee neuer woulde or coulde haue rose againe Sometimes when he should goe forwarde he retyred backe and when he should haue receaued benefit by Gods creatures he became much worse For he was not sufficient careful to try out the secret vertues of voyces neither did he greatly regard his song but suffered him selfe to growe hoarse vntill being pricked and put forward with the Feare of God he laboured to goe forward Oft times did thornes and bushes run into his feete but Simplicitie held him vp and the Feare of God plucked them out againe Sometime was he mch oppressed with sleepe but the Feare of God awaked him againe Oft times being weary he sate downe to rest him but Good Will his dogge neuer left barking vntill he arose againe Sometime we he so weary that through inconstancie of mind he determined to goe backe but presently eating of the fruite in his pocket he recouered strength and kept on his way Sometimes as he trauailed in the darknes of the night hee lost both the Feare of God and Simplicity so that he wandered out of the right way of his journey but so sone as the sunne beganne to shine by the help of his dogge he found his way againe Now after they had trauailed thus many dayes they came to a pleasant delightful meadow in the middest whereof was seated a princely Palace called the house of Charitie the Porter whereof was the Loue of God THE THIRD PART CHAPTER 1. Of the probation and exercise of the Loue of God WHen Desire had beheld this goodly Palace he rejoyced much that his long wearysome and painefull
is compounded of many herbes The chiefe whereof are Chearefulnesse Loue and Diligence When thou shalt bring me these three sawces to eate then shall our friendship and familiarity be firme and soone after will I bring thee to the speach of my M. Desire much delighted with this direction of this boy said to him DE. Considering you haue acquainted me with your condition desire I wil labour to make these sawces giue them to you Thus Desire continued long in cōference with this Boy treating discoursing many matters with him be gā to be familiar with him deliuering to him the fornamed sawce at last he desired him to opē the gate that thereby he might haue accesse to his M. LOVE Thy request is reasonable cō sidering thou doest what lyeth in thy power stay but a little I will goe call my M. and see if he will come forth to speake with thee CHAPTER 3. Of the Loue of God and our Neighbour and of an other degree of loue and of the of fiee and exercise thereof NOw Desire began to thinke thus with him selfe whether the Loue of God would come forth to talke with him or no cōsidering he was so vile miserable wretched altogither vnworthy with whome so great a Lord shoulde voutsafe to talke and whilst he weas thus debating with himselfe he perceaued one comming towards him who asked him what he would or with whom he would speake DE. Sir I seeke to speak with the loue of God LO I am he which so soone as Desire heard he fell to the ground hauing lost his strength Then the Loue of God taking him by the hand raised him from the ground which made Desire to weepe so abundantly for joy that hardly could he pronounce any word Whereat the Loue of God being tender of hart through the compassion he had of him beganne to weepe also noting the great loue and good will which Desire had towardes him sai LOVE c. Cease off to weepe for I cannot without griefe behold the teares of him that loueth me but tell me who told thee that I was abiding in this house DE. A certaine sheepheard that I mette on the way who directed me to this place where I should finde you LOVE c. What did he tell thee concerning me what is the cause why thou louest me so greatly and hast so great a desire to finde me out Is it because thou hast heard of others that I bestowe many great giftes on my friendes and vse to rewarde with greate benefittes such as serue and obey mee DE. No. But for this cause doe I loue you because you are a good a noble and a famous Lord. And because you bring your friendes and serauntes to the place where they may see and beholde God then the which there is no greater happinesse and felicity in the world The Loue of god hearing what Desire had said was much plesed to heare his holy purpose intēt began to loue him now more then before to whome Desire said I cannot sufficiently meruaile my Lord that you being so mighty and potent a Lord and the Sonne of so great a King admit such as follow and seeke after you to finde you with so great labour difficulty LOVE c. Doe not so For this is a mistery not knowne to all men For many there be that thinke they haue not found or knowe not me when not withstanding I am neare vnto them and then themselues abounde with me And againe there be others that perswade themselues that they haue found and obteyned me when notwithstanding they be farre from me and haue not the least knowledge and vnderstanding of me DE. I beseech you acquainte me with your conditions and office that I may vnderstand whither I be neare or farre of from you for I hould and esteeme of you as of my Lord and friends LOVE c. My office and duety is to loue God for I am called the Sonne of the Knowledge of God DE. How do you loue God LOVE c. I haue a vehement desire to loue him with all my hart with all my strength and with all my power and with assaying any thing whereby I may feele him in such manner as may please him in referring all thinges to his honour prayse and glory and the health and benefitte of mine owne soule And likewise doe I wish that the whole world may know vnderstād him for his exceeding great goodnesse and that all creatures may honour him and yeeld him daily thankes And I enforce my selfe with my earnest desire that neither in great or small thinges much or little I offend or displease him or that I doe any thing contrary to his pleasure And if through mine owne frailety and imbecillity I chaunce to offend him I presently craue and aske forgiuenesse of him and by that meanes our loue is repayred againe And although my Lord and Master be so good so noble and so gratious to me yet am I not content with this first steppe and degree but yet proceede farther and according to my power and ability endeuour to execute nor only what hee commandeth but whatsoeuer the meanest in this Monastery shall commaunde mee in his name And this accustome I my selfe to doe with all reuerence denotion loue joy humility and ready will and that euer in all places and in euery good action And hereby doe I knowe how greatly I loue him when I doe that thing which hee commaundeth mee For thus I perswade my selfe that nothing in the worlde is so gratefull to him bee it to talke with him doe him reuerence or to shewe all seruice to him as to doe that thing which either himselfe or someother shall command me in his name For my Lord and Master saith thus to me How thinkest thou that thy seruices can be acceptable to me or that thou canst bee loued of mee if thou doest not that which I shall commaund thee to doe Or how canst thou say thou louest me For this knowe for certaine that in no other thing thou canst so vnite thy selfe to me or conforme thy will so neare to mine as if thou willingly and gladly execute what I commaund thee CHAPTER 4. The Loue of God proceedeth in his discourse IN this degree of loue I haue resolued with my selfe to performe whatsoeuer I holde my selfe bound to by my vocation and office For since I first professed my selfe of which I neuer repent me I holde my selfe by vow bound to performe that which before I might either haue done or omitted And for that cause I vse diligently to thinke vpon my duety and office resoluting and determining still with my selfe to execute and discharge whatsoeuer I am bound to by vertue of it according to the direction of holy write and learned men Being most assured that many offende through ignorance of that which they are boūd to by duty And if they know what they ought to doe and
DESIDERIVS A MOST GODLY RELIGIOVS AND delectable Dialogue teaching the true and ready way by which we may attayne to the perfect Loue of God FIRST WRITTEN IN SPAnish and since translated by diuers persons into the Italian French Dutch and Latin tongue and now lastly into the English Imprinted at ROANE by the permission of Superiours Anno 1604. A MOST GODLY RELIGIOVS and delectable Dialogue teaching the true and ready way by which we may attayne to the perfect loue of God CHAPTER 1. Desire goeth on Pilgrimage THere liued sometimes in a vast and solitarie desert a holy Religious Father whose chiefest care and daylie exercise was with fasting watching and praying continually to serue God This holy Father was moued on a time with a zealous and hartie desire to finde out the true ready way if possibly he cold to true wisdome and the loue of God Therefore he resolued with himselfe to trauaile ouer the whole world if happely he could finde a Master able to instruct and direct him herein With this resolution he departed from his Cell and then first beganne his determined journey Now after this holy Father whome we will call Desiderius or Desire had measured the desert with a long and wearisome trauaile he first encountred a reuerende old sheepheard who fedde his flocke in a pleasant greene meddow beautified with variety of sweet smelling flowers with the sight of whome being greatly comforted hauing long trauailed yet mette with no man he saluted him in manner following My louing Brother now thanked be God who hath directed me to meete you here To whome the sheepheard returned answere I likewise am gladde of this our meeting tel me what seeke you in this solitary desert I seeke quoth Desire a certayne Knight who as I vnderstand is trauailed this way CHAPTER 2. He instructeth Prelates and spirituall Pastors THis Pilgrim this Pastor thus mette togither Desire attentiuely noted with admiration the great care and diligence which this good sheepheard vsed towards the flocke committed to his charge first he had in his hand a rodde or wande on his right side there hong a scrippe or bagge on his feete he weare wodden pattens his garment was a long coate on his lefte side at his girdle there hong a little horne and on his right side an other somewhat greater two great dogges followed him on each side and fast by was his homely cottage fensed compassed about with bushes and thornes The sheepheard perseauing how attentiuely Desire beheld and noted him asked of him the cause thereof and if he neuer had seene a sheepheard before DE. Truely Brother I haue oft seene manie but neuer one so well prouided as your selfe wherefore pardon me and if it be nto troublesome to you answeare me to that I shall aske of you SH You shall not be offensiue to me if your demandes be but such as I may answere DE. Wherefore doe you carrie this staffe in your hande SH I meruaile not a little why you aske me that for considering your selfe are a Sheepheard as I am howe can you be ignorant of the vse of it I vse this staffe both for my ayde and stay that going vp and downe with my sheepe I stumble not and fall and also therewith I order and rule my flocke directing them therewith to keepe their right way and prohibiting them to wander and stray but to keepe togither not allowing each one to goe seuerall wayes for if anie one chance to seuer from my flocke or to follow after anie other then my selfe with this staffe enforce him driue him vntill he vnite himselfe againe to his fellowes DE. What doe you carry in this Scrippe that you weare SH Foure thinges A tinder boxe to strike fire wherewith in colde winter I may warme my selfe and dresse such meate as serueth my fellowes and me also bread onyons a box of oyntment and salt whereof especially I oft giue my shepe DE. Why doe you weare wodden pattens on your feete SH To keepe me warme in Winter when it is Frost and Snow for if I should weare more costly or curious they would soone be worne out with much going about DE. What signifieth this long garment that you weare SH This is my habit without which no man would know me to be a sheephearde DE. Whereof is this garment made SH of sheepe skinnes DE. Might it not bee made of Wolues or other beasts skinnes No for my sheepe would easilie finde that by the smell and so woulde presently fly away from me but seeing me cladde in their owne skinnes they loue and followe me continually DE. What haue you in the horne that hangeth on your left side SH An oyntment wherewith I dresse my sheepe that be infected with the scabbe DE. What in the bigger that hangeth on the right side SH A marking stone whereby I know them from other mens sheepe DE. For what vse doe you keepe these dogges SH They barke in the night and keep away the wolues whereby both my sheepe be in more safety and I my selfe take my rest more quietly DE. Why are you so carefull ouer this your charge SH Because I haue a kinde and bountifull Master who hath promised me a great rewarde although I doe it not in regarde of rewarde but rather for the loue I beare to him CHAPTER 3. Of the same Argument DESIRE now grewe into great admiration with him selfe and was greatly pleased hearing that this sheepheard did vndertake this charge for loue and said to him My brother considering you cōuerse for the most part in these pleasant fieldes can you certifie me of a certayne Knight which wandereth solitarily vp and downe alone by reason that being expelled his possession by his owne subjectes he is constrayned to seeke some place of abode where he may rest and settle him selfe SH What is the name of this Knight you enquire after DE. He is called the Loue of God SH I knowe right well the place of his abode And if thou hadst experience to keepe my flocke as I haue and werte euery way sufficient for such a charge I would my selfe bring thee to him that thou mightest not as heretofore wander vp and downe to seeke him hee loueth sheepheardes and willingly conuerseth with them And although he be a noble and renowmed knight yet is he notwithstāding the soune of a sheepheard But perceauing thee to be a man of a weake and tender constitution and vnfitte of thy selfe to vndertake the charge of my flocke not able to follow them though this solitarie desert I thinke it meete thou shouldest assay an other journey DE. What other journey doe you aduise me to take SH First must you passe through this solitarie desert and not farre hence shall you finde a faire and stately Monasterie this Monasterie is inhabited only with Virgins of whome you shal learne the abode of this Knight for such is the curtesie affabilitie and honest carriage of him that willingly he
conuerseth with all that seeke after him This descourse of the sheepheard pleased Desire not a little and the rather being put in hope by him to finde out the Loue of God Who said to him teach me I pray you the ready way that I must take least that perhaps through ignorance I happe to goe awry SH I may not my selfe forsake my flocke yet will I appoint thee a conuenient companion in this thy journey who accompaning thee that by the assistance of God thou shalt not easely goe out of thy way take here with thee this my dogge DE. What is his name SH Good will DE. Farewell my Brother SH And you also to whome I wish a prosperous journey CHAPTER 4. Of the house of Humilitie HEre Desire leauing the Sheepheard vndertoke his journey accōpanied with his dogge running by his side which was no little comfort to him on the way and now hauing trauailed many dayes and nights he entred on a Sonday into a most pleasant greene medow seated in a dry and rocky soyle whereat Desire meruailed not a little to see so pleasant and so greene a meddow lying in so stony and so barraine a place ouergrowne aboute with bushes and thornes And entring farther in he found there builte a stately faire Monasterie the sight whereof pleased him much But comming neare he found the gates shut and a certayne Virgin standing without modest as to him seemed both in her attire and behauiour who at the sight of Desires dogge beganne to be afrayd Whome Desire comforted and hidde not to feare assuring her his dogge would not hurte her And meruailing to see her stand thus alone without he demanded of her why shee stoode there who answeared him that shee expected the opening of the gates to goe in Then demanding farther her name of her she answered saying I am cal-called Vaine-glorie Now Desire hauing long expected the opening of the gates and perceuing his attendance to be all in vaine beganne to call and knocke at the gate with a hammer hanging thereat called Longanimitie presently came forth can auncient reuerende man who opened the gate This man was called the Feare of God who was both porter and keeper of all this Monasterie whome Desire seing and finding a graue and wise reuerende man was greatly cheared in beholding him and after due reuerence done to him spake to him in manner following Good Sir quoth he my comming hither is to seeke out a Knight called the Loue of God Who as I am tolde is trauailed through this desert and hath his abode now in this Monastery wherefore I humbly desire of you to know if he be here within or no. At this demand of his the porter rejoyced for he loued the Loue of God euen as his owne Brother asked of him why h sought ofter this Knight DE. I seeke him not only because I am greatly delighted with him but also because it is very behouefull for me to finde him FEARE OF GOD. What haue you any thing so secret that you dare not reveale it DE. Truely Sir only I desire his company and conuersation and wish I were his seruant to attend on him coueting nothing more than such a Master and instructer for in all this country I cannot finde a Master answerable to my minde although many haue bin willing to entertayne me But I haue learned from many that the Loue of god is a most noble gentle and bountifull Master who in that he is rich often bestoweth great preferments on his seruāts FEARE OF GOD. True it is he passed his way accōpanied but with fewe who at this present is not within but haue patience a while I will call a Virgin to you who is able to direct you where you shall finde him out CHAPTER 5. How Vaine-glory watcheth at the gate MEane time now Desire joyfully expected the comming of the Porter and Virgin he spake of not weighting long there came to him a modest and seemely Virgin who saluting him curteously was in like manner resaluted againe of whome Desire craued her name who answered my name is called Nihili-pensio because I entermedle not in superfluous vnnecessary thinges and demanding farther the name of the Monasterie shee told him it was the house of Humilitie because within there dwelt many virgins who liued vnder the obedience and rule of humilitie he againe asked what maide is that which standeth without the gate her name quoth she is called Vaine-glory who sitteth continually at this gate vntill it be opened and then if the Porter be negligent looke not strictly to his office but leaue open the gates shee presently entreth Why do you not admit her in said Desire considering both in speech habit gesture she seemeth modest vertuous honest You know not quoth the Virgin her conditions I perceaue For I assure you shee is a most dangerous beaste for how much the more modest religious she semeth by her externall carriage so much I holde her to be more dangerous What saith Desire doth she at any time hurt you yea truly said the Virgin so farre as lieth in her power her father is a wicked man called Selfe Loue her mother as ill called Selfe Estimation neither haue we three greater enemies in all the world and farther they are enemies to the Loue of God a Knight who is Master of this Monastery in which we liue And that you may farther know what hurt Vaine-glory doeth vs I say so soone as shee entereth in shee is so gluttenous and rauening that first shee goeth into our Orchards there deuoureth and eateth vp al our fruite which is both faire good which is the fruite wee haue to liue with neyther haue we more than one tree of it which carrieth so litle that hardly are we susteyned therewith which being taken away from vs by Vaine-glory we remaine so poore that nothing is left vs. And yet worse than this after shee is once come in shee is so crafty and deceitfull that we cannot expell her labour we neuer so much vntill wee call the assistance of our Mother at whose only sight shee runneth away wherefore wee thinke it good not to admitte her at all which to preuent wee purposely keepe this Porter continually at our gate who is a seuere and sterne man and still shutteth the gate that shee cannot enter whome wee intreate to be circumspect that when hee admitteth any hee through negligence leaue not open the gate Desire stoode amased at the discourse of this Virgin and replied considering shee is so dangerous an enemy to you you cannot be too carefull to keepe her out of your house CHAPTER 6. By what meanes we may attame to Humilitie DEsire continuing his speech with this Virgin asked her who brought her into that goodly and Religious Monastery adorned and shining with so rare vertues Two Virgins quoth shee guided me hither whereof the one is called Contempt of the world a Virgin endued with singuler
done first humble and debase himselfe HVM It is true my Son as by experience thou mayest finde it DE. And how may I try it HV By seeing those that humble themselues to be exalted yet to take heede that thou humble not thy selfe to that end that thereby thou desire to be exalted for so thou shalt sinne in pride And pride humility are open enemies and euer oppose themselues one against the other For what so euer thou doest if thou truely humble thy selfe thou canst not in the same action exalte thy selfe But if thou humble thy selfe because thou wouldest be exalted thy shewe is humble but thy acte is proud And because the action is to be taken according to the intent of the mind such humility is called pride By which reason humilitie may diuersly be termed pride For if wee haue respect to the action of such a man outwardly he carrieth a shew of humility but looking to the end of his humble action wee shall finde it wholy to proceed from pride And to speake properly humility it selfe contendeth not with pride but the spirit of humility and it is impossible to haue these two agree in one for humility is but an act but the spirit of humility conteyneth both the act and the cause and intention of humbling and dejecting our selues CHAPTER 9. Humility continueth her discourse and teacheth how to striue against vice NOw my forenamed husbād I meane my purpose I vndertooke to humble my self like a labouring beaste and the seruant of all men assisted me faithfully in a certayne conflict I had with an other Lady and her maidens of the house of Pride whose gouernesse was called Pride of life which daily endeuoureth to scrach out mine eyes and still brauleth with me An she bringeth with her both the vnder gouernesse of her house called Concupiscence of the flesh and her steward Concupiscence of the eyes To these three associates her selfe a lewde maide both mother and nurse of them called Negligence who beinge often weake and feeble is easily ouercome but sometime she so filleth her selfe with eating drinking that shee becommeth fatte strong and then is shee very dangerous Shee hath attending on her a certayne maide dull foolish and will brought vp called Malice with whome come hither three other Maides Anger Sloath Enuy. And vnto the three last associate them selues two other that is Naughty Suspition and Rash Iudgement All these are at mortall enmity with me and still oppose them selues against me with whome I am daily to contende and fight Therefore so oft as they enter in here I with the assistance of my husband straite driue them out and force them to flie And then haue we can other feare least the Maide which cōtinually watcheth at the gates I meane Vaine-glory presently steppe in For if once we giu her opportunity to enter she robbeth vs of the fruite and benefit which we got by expelling our other forenamed enemyes so that then we are barraine of all goodnes and loose the labour we tooke in our former conflicte DE. How then chanceth it that when these other your enemies enter in here she standing at the gates doth not also enter HVM This is the reason those other Maydens vse the benefit of winges enter not by the gate but flie ouer the walles often they hide them selues so secretly in some corner of the house that when we least suspect them they walke wander vp and downe amongst vs wherefore we are of necessity to keepe a carefull watch least suddainly they come vpon vs and spoile vs vnlooked for DE. Let vs discourse yet longer of this matter and tel me why You are at such debate contention with them considering how il a thing it is to giue such example to worldly mē when they shal see such discord dissention amongst Religious persons who they knowe should be gentle pittiful milde for the Loue of God to all men HVM The cause of our strife and dissension with them is al only for that cause we expel them our house because they are open and professed enemies to the Loue of God who is our chiefe Lord Master and whosoeuer is an enemy to the Loue of God we wil haue neither friendshippe or familiarity by any meanes with him CHAPTER 10. Of Concupiscence of the flesh DESIRE was greatly pleased to heare how great confidence Humility had in the Loue of God and desired of her to instruct him by what meanes and helpes they ouercame and expelled those dangerous Maydens their professed enemies HVM I would willingly doe it but because I am not yet fully acquainted with thy nature life conditions and minde but only goe vpon conjectures and imaginations I rest yet doubtfull whither I may instruct thee herein or no. For considering the contrariety and difference of mens natures the sweetest hony tasteth not sweet to all men DE. What soeuer I seeme in shewe to your iudgement or what opinion soeuer you haue of me yet I wholy submit my selfe to your will and yeelde me to be ordered by your direction only desiring to be instructed by you what meanes to vse to finde the Loue of God HVM Vpon that condition I will satisfie your desire and will impart and make knowen to you my exercises and course of life First that holy purpose and determination of myne which I spake of before hath made me Mistris of the whole world so long as I shall contemne and despise it And Mistris ouer my owne body by fasting and discipline and by my voluntary and willing humility I say not only Mistris and commandresse ouer my ghostly enemy but ouer all the world and yet farther which is greatest Mistris and commandresse ouer my selfe for when the world seeth me to labour and endeuour with all my diligence to please the Loue of God it repugneth me and all my family yet I still reteyne peace and tranquillity with my forenamed husband Now Desire greatly admired the vertue and force of him whome Humility so often had named her husband and said DE. I beseech you Lady Mother instruct mee by similitudes that I may more playnely conceaue your meaning For I am but of dull and slowe concepte and by examples I shall better conceaue your sayings This request of Desire pleased Humility well finding that by acknowledging this owne dulnesse he was now become both modest and humble wherevpon she saide to him HVM So soone as I see any of my before named enemies enter in hither I thus behaue my selfe if it be the first which is Concupiscence of the flesh I foreknowe already her conditions and behauiours which are to be exceedingly giuen to gluttony and to pamper her body by excesse of eating drinking Therefore first I take from her all kinde of delicate diet neither do I allowe her her fill of ordinary meate and drinke And because I am not strong enough of my selfe to tame and master her in regarde that my
domesticall seruants assist her I vse others helpe and place on my right hand Gods grace which may strengthen and defende me from this dangerous enemy I also craue the ayde and assistance of my husband and then say to her Sister I haue my selfe despised my flesh and make no better accompte of my selfe than of a labouring beast and beasts seeke not after dairity and decliate fare but only that as may be sufficient to sustayne nature and are content with that which is allowed them by the discretion of their Master And if the Master finde him to be wanton and deuouring he musleth him that he neuer eateth but when what in his discretion he shall like of And so Sister in this respect I am content to be vsed and ruled like a beast besides the Loue of God hath giuen me a bridell which is made of Sobriety that I cannot eate but at wonted times and that I desire not or looke to haue any other meate or more daintely dressed then such as ordinariley is set before me and therewith I satisfie and content my selfe Farther the Loue of God hath enjoyned me to this also if I will serue and please him as I ought to eate temperately and moderately and only for necessary sustenance of that what soeuer it be that is set before me that for good manners I alwayes leaue some what in the dish thereby to shewe that more is allowed me then I can well eate For when all is eaten that is sett before vs it is as much as if you shoud say my allowance is not sufficient for mee neither am I content therewith therefore I desire to haue more set on the table And yet farther this rule is giuen mee to obserue for the Loue of God That I would and should desire lesse to bee allowed mee and the same worse dressed then the allowance of my Sisters and alwaies to wish something to be wanting about me therein to rejoyce for the Loue of God By these like meanes this malepert wanton maide is ouercome and driuen away from olesting me But when againe shee shall prouoke and sturre me to wanton pleasure not only by my owne flesh but also by others I then fly from her as fast as I can secluding my selfe frō al such company as may allure or entice me to pleasure or concupiscence And against this assault I find that to seclude my selfe from cōpany is a present remedy and most soueraigne preseruatiue Neither doth this enemy assault me only in my body but in my soule also by suggesting many ill thoughts Against which also I vse the remedy of flight and hide my selfe either in some corner of a rocke or els in some vnfrequented and solitary place and there settle all my thoughts and cogitations vpon my most sweete Sauiour IESVS calling to minde his most holy life his passion torments and most bitter death Also meditating vpon the cruell torments of Hell the seuere and iust Iudgement of Almighty GOD. My owne departure from this miserable world and that of necessity I must appeere before the Iudgement seate of God there to giue accompt of al my thoughts wordes and deeds By these and like means I ouercome and put to flight this forenamed maiden who is the Lieuetenant of the castle of Pride CHPATER 11. Of the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life YEt farther to ouercome and cleane subdue this enemy it is also requisite to vanquish and conquer her companion I meane Cocupiscence of the eyes the steward or gouernour of the house of Pride who alwaies giueth winges to Concupiscence of the flesh For continually shee ministreth occasion to her companion who not-withstanding I ouercome with my holy purpose For so soone as shee commeth I say thus to her Sister I am no better then a labouring beaste who neuer desireth superfluities or more then is allowed him but alwaies is contented with so much as is necessary neither expecteth curiosity in that which is to be had of necessity litle regarding whether his saddell and bridle be guilded or imbrodered or whether the stable be curiosly adorned but content if conueniently he may stand lie Considering then that for the Loue of God I account my selfe no better then a beaste I will also vse my body as if it were a beast And as the breaker and rider of a stiffe necked horse with the raines of a bridle enforceth him to stoppe turne so the Loue of God hath briddeled and tide me with the bridell and chayne of Schamefastnes and Bashfulnes that I shall not curiuously see couet the vanities of the world For I ought not behold that I ought not desire And the Loue of God hath taught me to say when I see a thing beautiful pleasing rare singuler or curious I neuer will settle my loue on thee but refuse thee and hold thee but as a meere vanity therefore remebring the worthines of my creation I will not bestowe my loue or fix my affection on so vile so base so transitory a thing but on that which in it selfe is the only treasure and goodnes and a beauty which neither age or sickenes can blemish I meane on my sweete Sauiour and Redeemer IESVS who demandeth of me my loue and affection and may iustly chalenge the same as his owne By these and like meanes this other Maide is ouercome Now these two being vanquished in manner as I haue told you there yet remayneth the last which is Mistris of these one more terrible crafty and more suttle than the other euer lying in wayte to hinder good actions her name is called Pride of Life who when soeuer shee commeth in hither amongst vs is alwayes attended with one or other hand-maide and still bringeth with her either Good or euell estimation But straight I say to her a beast is no better to be accompted of than a beast neither is to be thought worthy of honour or estimation but rather ignominy and base contempt Then sometime she commeth complayning to me and saith see how my superiours behaue themselues towardes me and vse me both in age witte and judgment I am not their inferiors yet they vse such and such a one with better respect then me But presently I finde out her craft and subtelty and preuenting her reply A beast is not to be vsed but basely and according to his Masters discretion to be whipped and beaten For If at any time his Master shall vse him but gently and play with him he presently will kicke and forgette the duety due to him Therefore a wise Master and men of good gouernment although they loue their beastes neuer so well yet will neuer vse extroardinary and vndue familiarity to them but alwayes carry themselues with a kinde of seuere grauity considering such familiarit6y is neuer attributed to humility curtesie loue or affability but rather to simplicity and meere fondnesse For such familiarity doth rather hurt then benefitte a beast
regarded aboue the Master No. Away then Negligence For I must be busied in those thinges which are my fathers Smale is the merit we shall receaue here if we be not free from all wearinesse of the place For cursed is he that doeth the workes of God sloathfully and negligently For God seeketh not seruice that is done him by compultion neither is he delighted with vnwilling sacrifices but with that which is done with a willing minde and proceedeth from a sincere perfect hart Now this old accursed Wench being put to her flight we must also banish her foolish hadmaydes who by how much the more they be wicked and dangerous by so much the more are they vehemente and strong and the lesse we labour to mortifie and subdue them the harder shall we finde it to banish and expell them The first of them which is Malice accompaned with her daughter Anger I answere in this manner so sone as shee assaulteth me Sister Charity is patient and gentle then taking the assistance of my husbande my Purpose I suppresse her againe Nothing can be inflicted to this beast so seueare but that she hath deserued farre greater correction If then I haue deserued greater punishments I may justly say I am fauourably spared not being vsed in rigor according to my deserts And it is the part of a gentle beast not to behaue himself stubbournly or rudely to his master his whole family but farre cōtrary to that quietly modestly gently to all men For although perhaps to day his Master beate him Yet to morrowe againe he will feede him wātonly wil behaue himselfe toward him like a louing kinde Master And although perhaps outwardly he make no shewes of affection Yet inwardly doubtles he esteemeth him hightly but yet dissembleth his affection and loue least hee take stomacke being pampered and so kicke against his Master BEsides a beast doth sone forget any wrong or iniury is pleased againe if his master but stroke him on the head or the necke So I my selfe being iniured by any one of my Sisters imagining I am a beast a base vassall beare it paciently for the Loue of God and suffer them to vse me according to their pleasures assuing my selfe that I cannot endure so many iniuries from them as my owne vnworthines doth daily deserue And knowing farther that our lord permitteth for the heynousnes of my sins that I be afflicted of them here in this life so to learne to suffer afflictions for his sake And now se this maide who thou sayest doth wish me nothing but hurt offence that other who thou sayest doth secretly backbite me al these other of whom I am so hated as thou sayest These I say hate not or malice me but my vices faultes defectes my malice my ill manners and conditions most of al my obstinate stubbourne will Therefore I haue cause rather to thinke they loue me for what herein they do proceedeth from zeale and a most holy purpose neither haue they any agreement with Malice or thinke her meete to comfort with Vertue Let vs now therefore consider more iudicially If I be or would be thought the hādmaide of God I must hate detest euen from my hart al my sins defectes offences imperfections the pronesse of my fraylty which draweth me to these which being true why should I malice or stomacke those which doe but that which my selfe am bound to To conclude Know that these who thou sayest speake ill of me and detract me yet not withstanding are my sisters whom I am cōmanded to loue not to hate And therfore wil I do that which I am enioyned Yet meane while let them consider and weigh with themselues why and to what end they afflict iniure me Now againe at some other time she trieth me with Enuie a maide who vseth a two edged sword hurteth her Sisters both in body and soule This Wench is indeede a dangerous enemie whose chiefest felicitie is in her Sisters hurt and is neuer more grieued then at there vertue and good life Therefore when shee commeth to assault me I say Sister you complaine and seeme to be grieued that others in this world possesse greater riches that others are endued with more rare bewtie that others haue more abundantly the giftes of nature then your selfe but I take comfort and reioyce euen in that and think my selfe happy in wanting them For neither in this life or the life to come Desire I any thing but IESVS Christ my Sauiour he is my treasure and the treasure of Angels he is my beauty and the beauty of all creatures he is my gayne and the fountayne of all goodnes Let others fix their loue where best it shall like them I desire only my Sauiour IESVS and his loue euer doe I thirst after with him is no difference twixt ritch and poore he neuer distinguisheth twixt beautifull and fowle Yet here thou complaniest sayest to me this and that body abounde and excell in wealth and beauty such such happines is giuen them and not me But on the contrary this I reply Although these parties are possessed of these pleasures yet haue I my selfe thinges of greater esteeme For so noble and so great is the minde that I carry that it skorneth to bestowe loue or affection on so base so abject and so transitory pleasures And considering that my name is called HUmility by humility meane I to conquer my selfe And I finde the seruants and children of God to abounde with these and greater blessinges but not my selfe who am a base vassall and no way worthy to be partaker thereof Now Enuie seeing shee preuayleth little with her former objections vrgeth in an enuious manner the gift of spirituall vertues saying beholde such a sister who thou knowest right well is more giuen to vertue and deuotion then thou art is more conuersant with God and more exercised in contemplation and is a Virgin of noted sobriety and modesty To whome I streight answere For what cause desire I to be religious or to be vertuous and deuoted to prayer because others should thinke better of me then they doe of my sisters praise me honour me or admire my vertues or else because I would be more daintely fedde cladde more costly or abound in worldly pleasures No truely but for this cause only that I may serue and please God and that my sweete Sauiour Iesus may by me and in me be praysed and honoured Therefore is it my dutie and that which I am bound to rejoyce in when I see that my most louing Lord and Master hath such vertuous deuout seruants that be wholy giuen to his seruice and prayer and endued with most rare holines of life and spende their time in Religious exercises And I hold it my duety to pray to God to giue them greater perfection more abundat grace whereby he may be more highly honored of them For if I had
sin in couetousnes according to the intētion for which he shal desire them yet can there be no sin in possessing these Iewels in regarde that we desire keepe preserue them only for the Loue of God therwith to honor serue him at such time as it shal please him to come hither amongst vs or when we conuerse with him in his holy house Rust and canker consume and spoile other worldly Iewels But these that are kept layde vp in our harts no rust no cāker no corruption can consume For no man can se them but he which doth possesse them DE. If he shall lay them open cannot rust then hurt them SIMP No for if purposely hee snew them that others should see them then doth not he possesse them any longer For he that hath them doth not thinke he hath them but laboureth still that he may get them And many times our Sauiour doth so bestow them that he that hath them doth not know he hath them Which our most louing Lord doth to this intent that presumption and selfe liking which lurke in mens harts should not secretly steale them and take them away Therefore whosoeuer doth most of all other possesse them doth with al secrecy that he can conceale them and hide them CHAPTER 19. How Purity of hart and Innocency may be preserued DESIRE much delighted with this discourse of Simplicitie said to her DE. tell me by what meanes these pretious Iewels may be preserued SIMP There is one thing amongst others very necessary for nouices and young folkes and the same not vnprofitable for those that be of more yeares which is to fly and to locke and to keepe close our gates from much company For if a man will vse the familiarity and fellowshippe of many and take delight to heare and to see many things he shal hardly be able to preserue these Iewels for our mindes many wel be compared to a looking glasse which representeth the likenesse of anie thing set before it or to wax which reteyneth the impression of a zeale DE. But how can one fly or shut the dores that liueth continually in a Religious society for such a person hath occasion to goe into many places and the Superiour cōmandeth sometimes one thing some times an other and such a party is enforced to talke with many often commanded to conuerse with all sortes of people For other wayes he shall be accompted singuler and singularity although it be couered with a shew of holines and vertue Yet is it hatefull and ought to be eschewed and shunned SIMP It is true as thou sayest we must heare see and say manie thinges for obedience which if we did of our owne accorde and desire we should offende But when obedience and charity doe moue vs there vnto prouided we be not negligent but doe our best endeuours there is no doubt to be had for loosing these Iewels DE. What must we doe in doing our endeuours SIMP It is needful that whosoeuer would keepe these Iewels of Puritie Innocencie either for obedience or necessity cannot be secluded nor liue in solitary or vnfrequēted places it is necessary I say that he make me his companion who trusting to my fellowshippe he trauaile all the world about yet needeth not feare to loose these Iewels DE. I desire you to explaine your meaning by similitudes for so such as be but simple shal the better vnderstand you SIMP It is requisite for a man that will haue Puritte of hart and Innocencie which are the especiall manes to attayne to all vertues and by which meanes to attayne to all vertues and by which we may readily come to all perfection perfect charity and the chiefe marke which we stoote at that is the Loue of God It is necessary as I haue said to attayne to these vertues to fly conuersation shut the gates against cōpany If he cannot do so then let him take me a cōpanion and in all thinges that he shall heare or see still keepe me in his right eye And when the left eye shall seeke to behold any thing that may tast of couetousnes or of foolish or of rash judgement then let him behold the same with the right eye of Simplicitie thinking perswading thus simply with himself That euery man and woman brother sister c. is the Angell and Sonne of Almighty God that all other thinges are certayne instruments or Organnes which without intermission doe laude praise their Creator And by the same rule what ill so euer he shal heare or se of his neighbour let the right eye excuse it cōster it to the best And let him prayse glorifie God for all his creatures which the last eye of couetousnes shall allure him to desire calling to minde the beauty comlines goodnes of his Creator and all other his proprieties saying thus to him selfe I will not desire or loue any thing created to any other end but that in them and with them I may loue and prayse God likewise in all his wordes and actions it is very necessary that he associate himself with me DE. How shall we say all the actions of mē are done in simplicity SIMP When their intention shal be simple pure and right and all that they doe being of it selfe good shall be also just right in all circumstances of time place person shal not do any thing but either for the honor prayse of God or for the good of the soule or body of himselfe or his neighbour or els for the benefit of the whole cōmon wealth he that doth thus walketh simply in al his actions And whosoeuer shal choose keepe Simplicity for his cōpanion he liueth walketh securely happily CHAPTER 20. Of Pouertie DEsire much pleased with this discourse of Simplicitie taking his leaue of her was brought to the Cell of an other of Humilities daughters whose name was Pouerty of whome being louinglie entertayned he spake to her as followeth DE. I am not a little delighted with your fellowship acquaintance assuring my selfe how dearely you are beloued of the Loue of God therefore desire to know your conditions and course of life POV. I contemne refuse for the Loue of God to haue or possesse any worldly or transitory goods DE. In what thing then consisteth your joy and only comfort POV. My only treasure and riches is for the Loue of God to be poore and possesse nothing DE. I cannot but greatly meruaile thereat considering that as I haue heard of others this Monastery was first founded and built by a Lord that is the most noble rich and bountifull of al the world What then should be the reason or his intention that the inhabitantes of it should be so poore and needy neither vnderstand I how your pouertie can be so acceptable to him POV. I will tell you That Lord which is founder builder of this Monastery is King and Master of all
I haue conuersed sometime with the Loue of God who hath instructed me of all things that are necessary for me to doe Which I hope through Gods helpe to be able to execute But I cannot assure you making no doubt whether I am endued with the Loue of God or no considering it is a thing known only to him selfe who loue or doe not loue him Therefore herein I humble my selfe to his wisdome Neither can I assure you I haue any thing of my selfe one thing excepted which is Good will my dogge whome neither I dare presume to chalenge as my owne considering I haue him by the gifte of another These wordes of Desire pleased Desire of God the rather considering he perceaued that Desire durst not attribute to him self his loue of God DE. Now Sir let me craue to knowe your conditions office DESIRE Euen as a man through true knowledge of him selfe attayneth to great contempt and hatred of himselfe as through true knowledge of God a man likewise cōmeth to perfect loue of God So by much louing of God a man is brought to the greater desire of God And whosoeuer he be that getteth me he desireth nothing els that this world can yeeld For with such vertue and worthines doe I adorne his minde that he thinketh himselfe vnmeete to desire any thing besides that most excellent most rare most to be desired good Which is only our lord Iesus Christ I say I make him the most excellent of the world For although he be borne but of meane parentage yet do I make him a mighty King For whosoeuer is trulie endued with me he thinketh on nothing but only on God he speaketh nothing but only on God because that whersoeuer his treasure is there he setteth his hart And whatsoeuer the hart profoundly thinketh that especially the mouth vttereth And those thinges which are deliuered by the consent of the mouth apparantly declare the thought of the hart I am the foode and repast of that minde which liueth and is nourisned by good desire in this house of Charitie I am of highest dignity and keepe the dore of the secret chamber of the foresaid Charity and haue authority to admit such friendes as I allowe of Here vse I the office of a Cryer or a Trumpetter and walking about this Monastery make certaine cries and soundes vntill such time as I awake and stirre vp my Master and cause him to come forth to speake with such as seek him Who does thou thinke awaked me euen now when thou stoodest calling so long at the gate knockedst with the hammers of teares and sighes truly the barking of thy dog I am the truest messenger of Charitie come first to the gate speake first to my Mam nearest to him am soonest heard of him Farther it is in me to distribute the fruit of a most rare tree which we haue called the sight of God I do giue it to others to eate DE. Is this fruit plesant in tast For in the house of Humilitie an other fruit was giuen me most bitter to eate especially at the first it coulde hardly be swallowed DESIRE OF GOD. This fruit is most sweete yet far sweeter in the tast of some men then of others according as men are more desirous and hungry after it as they haue their tast mouthes most perfect Some there be whose teeth are but dul or blunt with whome this fruit agreeth not because they cannot hold it Other some eate it without hunger or appetite hauing their stomakes ful ouercharged with other meates to these men likewise it tasteth not pleasantly neither is it lightly disgested of them yet neuer thelesse it doth not hurt them Some others there be which by reason of some ague or some immoderate heate haue not their tast so good as others and these cannot judge the goodnes of this fruit but only according as they shall heare by others DE. I beseech you giue me leaue to tast a little of this fruit DESIRE OF GOD. It pleaseth me that thou sayest to tast a little thereof for in this mortall life no man may eate thereof his fill only he may tas and trie how sweete it is DE. Why so DESIRE OF GOD. If any man might enjoy it here to the full of his desire he would neuer desire to depart from this world and to goe to heauen Know therefore that liuing here in this value of misery almost dead through hunger and depriued of strength by reason of long penury we ought longly to watch and desire that day wherein we may enter into that great supper of our King and Master desiring and thirsting after him in no other manner then doth the hart thirst for the cleare fountaine in the hotest Sōmer And such is the vertue and force of this fruit that one little morsell be it neuer so small doth satiate a mans stomacke bee hee neuer so great an eater But being once come to the presence of this King and Master hee will make our stomacke better and stronger that wee shall bee able to eate of this fruit so much as we will and neuer receaue hurt or preiudice by it But here if any one eate more of it then his stomacke can beare he shall rather receaue hurt then good thereby Therefore must we moderately eate of this fruit vntill we arriue at that place of happines where for euer we shall be filled all measure with that same fruit which here we doe but only taste CHAPTER 11. How Desire of God prepared Desire to eate of this fruit DE. Now then Sir I beseech you bestowe vpon me to eate so much of this fruit as your selfe shall thinke good DESIRE OF GOD. First then considering this fruit is not conteyned but in a most cleane vessell it behooueth that thou clense and make cleane thy teeth and that thou wash thy mouth thy eyes thy face thyhandes and feete DE. Where may I finde water wherwith to do it DESIRE OF GOD. I will bring thee to a liuing fountayne that continually runneth both night and day called Holie Religion also I will assemble the Virgins of this Monastery who shall assist to wash and purifie thee This much contented Desire and gladly did he expect the comming of these Virgins when behould he sawe Desire of GOD come and bring them with him saying these be the Virgins that shall wash thee The first is called Sweetnes The second Concord The third Pitty or Compassion The fourth Grace The fift Clemencie The sixt Indulgence The seuenth Mercy The eight Beneuolence The ninth Gentlenes The tenth Sufferance The eleuenth Tranquility The twelfe Securitie The thirtenth Ior. The fourtenth Discretion or Moderation The fiftenth Deuotion Who will giue thee a certayne sawce that shall procure thee an appetite whereby more willingly pleasingly thou shalt eat this fruit For it is only giuen to such a hunger after it but others are sent away empty without it The sixtenth Virgin is
Religion The seuententh is Perseuerance The eightenth is Prayer The nintenth is Honestie and my selfe Desire of God am the last who am euer present at this holy Monastery of Virgins And if thou wilt likewise associate thy selfe with them it will prepare thee not a little to eate this fruit which so sone as thou hast eaten thou shalt euer after haue these Virgins thy companions who neuer will forsake thee except thou first abandon them For they be very greedy to eate of this meate and so sone as they espie this fruit They flie to it as bees will doe to honny and we cannot better knowe when a man hath this fruit then if we see these Virgins flocking about his gates Now Desire being washed and well recreated with eating this fruit was wonderfully comforted to whome Desire of God said considering Brother that thou hast eaten of this fruit it is nowe expedient that thou doe sing also For the seruants of GOD after they haue eate their meate vse to sing giuing thankes and prayse to GOD and none abideth in this house that is not expert in singing DE. After what manner shall I sing DESIRE OF GOD. Wee will goe to the quyer where all the singers abide The firs is called Benediction or Blessing The second Honour The third Praysing The fourth Thankesgiuing amongst these must thou sing who are excellent Musitions and haue singuler sweete voyces DE. What part must I sing DESIRE OF GOD. The first as I haue said is called Beneduction he singeth the treble and prayseth God for his high omnipotency The second Honur he singeth the Contertenor prayseth God for his infinite wisedome The third Praysing he singeth the Tenor and extolleth the wonderfull goodnes of God and all his vertues his noblenes and excellency all that is in him The fourth Thankesgiuing he singeth the Basse and giueth thankes to GOD for all his creatures for al the benefits which he hath bestowed on them CHAPTER 12. How Desire learned to sing DEsire was now much delighted both with the manner of singing and also with the song to whom Desire of God said now be think the selfe whither thou wilt returne from hence or no. DE. Whither can I goe that I may better my selfe especially considering I am come hither with so great labour difficulty For findingmy selfe to be well entertayned here and to liue in peace and all contentement by no meanes will I depart from hence for the old Prouerbe sayeth he that is well let him not chaunge his place therefore Sir I cannot be perswaded to depart except you will by violence expell expell me DESIRE OF GOD. It is not our custome to expell any against their willes rather doe we entreate such as enter in hither that they will maketheir abodes here amongst vs. Yet that they may knowe that wee admit none for our owne necessity sometimes we aske of them whither they will depart But seing thou hast determined to continue here thou must not liue and be idle here For no idle body dwelleth here or that doth not spend his time in good exercises DE. What must I doe DESIRE OF GOD. Whatsoeuer is commanded to thee DE. If I am commanded nothing shall I be idie DESIRE OF GOD. Thou shalt sing and giue thankes and prayse to God for thou art admitted hither especially to sing And whilest thou art in doing that which thou art commaded thou maiest sing to thy self lest tho be trobled with idle thoughts But if thou desire to profit much and greatly to please our Lord and Master and to insinuate thy selfe into his friendshippe as much as thou canst if nothing else be commanded to thee conuerse and conferre with him alone Then shalt thou heare what he will speake in thee thou shalt learnemany secretes that he will reueale to thee andthou shalt become his most inwarde frend DE. May any enter into his chamber and speake with him DESIRE OF GOD. Yea truely so that he be accompanied with Humility And farther I assure thee he taketh especiall delight when any will come to him and seeke to awake him For it is his nature not to desire to be alone and be a man neuer so meane or base yet doth he delight to haue him desire his presence And so great is his dignity worthines that he regardeth not his person or maketh any diference of their birthes that sue to him regarding only the humility of their mindes One man is as deare to him as an other and he created them all of one and the same matter Yea more the more base and vile the person is so that he debase and deject himselfe the greater doth he declare his loue towardes him And to say truth those which dwell in this Monastery amongst vs the greatest part of them some fewe excepted are borne but of meane base parentage For such as the world contemneth as abjects those doth God choose for his faithfullest seruantes that none of this society should flatter themselues that they deserued of themselues to be admitted hither and not through the speciall grace and goodnes of God If therefore thou desire to continue amongst vs and to sing amongst our other signers and desire farther that thy singing may be pleasing and acceptable to God thou must labour to obserue these foure things The first is A good will The second Humility The third Patience The fourth Charity Which if thou doest thou shalt neuer erre in singing And although sometimes thou chance to neglect some part yet by diligēt obseruation thou shalt easely come into measure againe With the first measure or tune which is A good will thou shalt sing the plaine song which is as it were he ground fondation of the others With the second and third I meane Humility Patience thou shalt sing the Contertenor for Humility Patience are contrary to selfe will With the fourth which is Charity thou shalt explayne and declare the sound and tune of the Organs and that with exceeding sweetnes harmony of thy soule spirit And if it fortune that thou be out of tune presently haue recourse to the first note or measure Also if thou chaunce to sing contrary to thy fellowes obserue him that directeth thee who will bring thee sone into tune againe through his helpe and assistance and with the loue of our Lord Master And in all thy singing obserue this one thing diligently that thou forget not to eate the fruit which thou didest gather in the house of Humility I meane Distrust of thy selfe for the more thou attaynest to the Loue and Desire of God the better thou shalt knowe him and sweeter shalt thou finde him To conclude the more thou shalt offer of this fruit to my Lord and Master the greater shalt thou finde his loue and friendshippe towardes thee for willingly doth he eate of it and most pleasing is it to him CHAPTER 13. How Desire of God brought Desire into the
often to my minde and rehearsing them being most certayne that he woul not haue me in-grate and vnmindefull of his giftes CHAPTER 8. Of the third degree of Loue. LOVE c. Now although I haue shewed the first degree or steppe of my loue which is to loue my Lord and Master and neuer to offend him and also the second which is to performe and put in practise all his commandements yet doe I not content my selfe herewith in regarde my loue is so great to him but that I adde yet a third degree or steppe to his loue which is to doe all those thinges that I knowe are pleasing to him or whatsoeuer I can imagine he would I should doe DE. How knowe you that you doe those thinges that please him LOVE c. There be two thinges whereby I may knowe that easely which are if I loue that which he loueth and likewise hate what is hatefull to him Concerning the first which is to loue what he loueth I loue his Sonne the most beautifull sweete and noble of all that euer were and most like his Father and so obedient to him as neuer was or shall be Sonne more obedient to a Father Whome the Father loueth euen as himselfe because he is more like to him then euer Sonne vvas to a Father And so greate is the loue and vnion which is betweene them that they two be but one of one will like power and the selfe same knoweledge Who although they be distinct in persons yet are they both one in essence For this Sonne the Father hath made a garment with the handes of his goodnes like to that which Sheepheardes doe weare which the Sonne hauing put on departed out of the priuy Chamber of his princely Father and yet for euer remayneth with him And thus he liueth here in this Monastery and conuerseth with vs. For otherwise we could not behold him Moreouer when his Father would send him ouer all the world cladde with this garment a little traueling scrippe he entred also into this desert to seeke out his sheepe that were wandered and strayed And as hee trauailed through this desert the Father permitted that he should be killed of wolues and deuoured of dogs and would giue him no helpe although he could but would haue him endure a most cruell death by these wolues more painefull to him then euer any sffered being his flesh most tender in that he weas the Son of a King All this did our Lord of his exceeding loue towardes vs that all we that dwell and abide in his house might know and trie his charity and thereby might loue him againe considering that first he loued vs so greatly that he spared not his one only Son but deliuered him to die for the loue he bare to vs al. Whilest the Loue of God was relating this discourse Desire being wholy wounded to the hart could not refraine from vehement weeping But the Loue of God going on with his discourse said farther And although God the Father hath suffered his Son to be killed yet notwithstanding he loueth him so exceedingly that by his great omnipotency he soone raysed him from death much more beautifull and gloriously triumphing bringing with him the sheep which he came to seeke others being left in this wildernesse that they might be fedde and become fat with the knowledge of him he hauing a perpetual and watchfull care ouer them So at length returning againe to his Princely Father he sitteth nowe on his right hand speaking and making intercession for vs al being ouercome with to great a loue towardes vs. For I am of this opinion that except we were spared for his sake long since had we beene driuen cleane out of this Monasterie so wicked and miserable we are and so negligently and sloathfully wee serue him wholy forgette him and contemne him and so little care and remembrance we haue of him But the Omnipotēt father loueth this Son so greatly that in my opinion nothing can be more acceptable to him in this world then that we should loue this his Sonne with him For which cause I endeuour labour to loue him to do those thinges which I thinke pleasing to him DE. What is it that you can doe acceptable to him LOVE c In remembring and speaking of his most holy life his paines laboures his most bitter death and Passion his holy commandements and as neare as I can conformity my self according to his manners For who soeuer my Lord Master seeth most carefully to imitate the life of his Son him doth he most loue and holde deare to him And for this cause was it his holy will and pleasure that he should come liue here amongst vs that by that meanes he might teach vs how we should liue who before liued no better then bruite beasts Therefore hath our ord set him before our eyes as a mirrour or looking glasse that euery one may knowe whether he doe or omit what his pleasure is and may see and behold in the life of his Sonne as in a glasse whether his works be good or badde Neither is there any thing in all the world by which we may more trulie come to the knowledge thereof And yet besides this there is one thing more which my Lord and M. loueth that is my Boy called the loue of our Neighbour whome he esteemeth so much and holdeth so deare that whatsoeuer we doe to him be it good or bad he taketh as if it were done to himselfe DE. How doe you loue this Boy LOVE c. Euen as my selfe And first I perswade my selfe that he is better then I am and although I execute a higher place yet in all thinges that are agreeable to vertue I obey him I farther am carefull that by no meanes I afflict him or giue him occasion of sorrowe but shewe all loue and kindnesse to him that I can I neuer haue sinister conceite of him but rather excuse him all that I may I neuer call him by anie name of disgrace I most willingly dissemble and hide his naturall defectes and imperfections In distreste and aduersitie I lament and bewaile him In his absence I detract him not neither suffer others to doe if I may hinder it I wish and desire that my Lord and Master be better beloued of him then of my selfe and that it would please God to make him as good or better then I my selfe am I enuie him nothing either for corporall or spirituall giftes bestowed on him by God or for any thing which he enjoyeth in this world but rejoyce in his prosperity and lament in his aduersity Farther I thinke him to be the Angell of God and my selfe to be vnworthy to be his seruant This doe I for that I knowe him to be beloued of my Master Also I loue those thinges vvhich appertaine to our societie towardes which I carry a very great zeale in regarde that they appertaine to the worshippe honour of