Soone may it be lost through negligence that with much labour and speciall grace was hardlie gotten But what shall become of vs in the ende whē we so soone waxe dull and slow Sothlie sorowe and woe shall be to vs if we fail to bodilie rest nowe as though we were in ghostly sikernes whē there appeareth not as yet neither signe nor token of vertue nor of good liuing in our conuersation VVherefore it were expedient to vs that we were yet againe instructed as Nouices to learne good maners it happly there might by that meanes be founde hereafter any trust of amendment and spirituall profite in our conuersation Of the remembraunce of death The .23 Chapter THe hour of death wil shortly come therefore take heede how thou orderest thy selfe for the common prouerbe is true To daye a man to morowe none And when thou arte out of sight thou arte anone out of minde and soone shalt thou be forgottē O the great dulnes and hardnes of mans heart that only thinketh on thinges present litle prouideth for the life to come If thou diddest well thou shouldest so behaue thy selfe in euery deede and in euery thought as thou shouldest in this instant dye If thou haddest a good conscience thou shouldest not muche feare death It were better for thee to leaue sinne then feare death O my deere brother if thou be not readie this daye how shalt thou be readie to morow To morow is a daye vncertaine and thou canste not tel whether thou shalt liue so longe VVhat profite is it to vs to liue longe when we therby so litle amende our life Longe life doth not alwaye bringe vs to amendment but ofte times increaseth more sinne VVoulde to God that we might be one daye well cōuersant in this world Manie recken their yeares of conuersion and yet there is but litle fruite of amendment nor of any good example seene in their conuersation If it be fearefull to die peraduenture it is more perillous to liue long Blessed be those persons that euer haue the houre of death before their eyes and that euerie daye dispose themselues to die If thou euer sawest anye man die remember that thou must needelie goe the same waye In the morninge doubt whether thou shalt liue to night at night thinke not thy selfe sure to liue till to morowe Be alwaye readie and liue in such maner that death finde thee not vnprouided Remember howe many haue died sodenlie and vnprouided for our Lorde hath called them in such an houre as they leaste thought And when that last hour shall come thou shalt begin to feele all otherwise of thy life passed then thou haste done before and thou shalt then sorowe greatlie that thou hast beene so slowe and negligent in the seruice of God as thou haste beene O how happie and wise is he therfore that laboreth nowe to stand in such state in this lyfe as he would be founde in at his death Truely a perfect despising of the worlde and a feruent desire to profite in vertue a loue to be taught a fruitfull labour in workes of penaunce a readie will to obey a forsaking of our selfe and a willing suffering of all aduersities for the loue of God shall geue vs a great truste that we shall die wel Now whilest thou art in health thou mayest doo many good deedes but if thou be sicke I can not tell what thou mayest doe For why fewe be amended through sicknes And likewise they that go muche on pilgrimage be seldome thereby made perfect holye Put not thy trust in thy frendes and thy neighbours neither deferre thy good deedes till after thy death for thou shalt soonet be forgotten then thou weenest Better it is to prouide for thy selfe betime and to send some good deedes before thee then to trust to other who peraduēture will lightly forget thee if thou be not nowe busie for thy selfe for thine owne soule health who shall be busie for thee after thy death Nowe is the time very precious but alas for sorowe that thou spēdest the time so vnprofitablie in the which thou shouldest winne the life euerlasting The time shal come whē thou shalt desire one daye or one houre to amende thee but I wot not whether it shalbe graunted vnto thee O my deere brother from how great perill dreade mightest thou now deliuer thy selfe yf thou wouldest alwaye in this lyfe dreade to offend God and alwaye haue the comminge of death suspect Therefore studye nowe to liue so that at the houre of death thou mayest rather ioye then dreade Learue nowe to dye to the worlde that thou mayest then liue with Christ Learnt also to despise all worldlie thinges that thou mayest then freelye go to Christe Chastise nowe thy bodye with penance that thou mayest then haue a sure and a stedfast hope of saluatiō Thou art a fosle if thou thinke to liue longe sith thou art not sure to lyue one daye to the ende Now many haue beene deceaued through trust of longe life sodenlie haue beene taken out of this worlde or they had thought Nowe ofte hast thou heard say that suche a man was slayne and suche a man was drowned and suche a man fell and brake his necke This man as he eate his meat was strangled and this man as he played tooke his death one with fyre another with yron another with sicknes and some by theft haue sodenly perished And so the ende of all men is death for the life of man as a shadowe sodenly slideth and passeth away Thinke ofte who shall remember thee after thy death and who shall praye for thee Doe nowe forthy selfe all that thou canst for thou wottest not when thou shalt dye nor what shall folowe after thy death VVhilest thou hast time gather thee riches immortall thinke nothing abidingly but on thy ghostly health Set thy study onely on thinges that be of God and that belonge to his honor Make thee frendes against that time worship his Saintes and folowe their steppes that when thou shalt go out of this worlde they may receaue thee into the euerlasting tabernacles Keepe thee as a pilgrime as a strāger here in this world to whom nothing belongeth of worldlye busines Keepe thy hearte alwaye free and lifted vp to God for thou hast no cittie here long abiding Sende thy desires and thy daylie prayers alwaye vpwarde to God and praye perseuerantly that thy soule at the houre of death may blessedly depart out of this world and goe to Christe Of the last iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne The 24. Chapter IN all thinges beholde the ende and ofte remember howe thou shalt stande before the high Iudge to whom nothing is hidde who will not be pleased with rew ardes nor receaue any maner excuses but in all thinges wil iudge that is righteous and true O moste vnwise moste wretched sinner what shalt thou then answere to God who knoweth all thy
haste vouchedsafe to serue man thy selfe and haste promised to geue thy selfe vnto hym VVhat shall I then geue to thee agayne for this thousand folde goodnes woulde to God that I might serue thee all the dayes of my lyfe or at the least that I might one daye be able to doe thee faythfull seruice for thou art woorthye all honour seruice and praysinge for euer Thou art my Lorde and my God and I thy poorest seruant most bounde before all other to loue thee and prayse thee and I neuer ought to ware werye of the praysinge of thee And that is it that I aske and that I desire that is to say that I may alway laude and prayse thee Vouchsafe therfore moste mercifull Lord to supply that wanteth in me for it is great honour to serue thee all earthly thinges to despise for the loue of thee They shal haue great grace that freely submit theÌ„ selues to thy holye seruice And they shall finde also the moste sweete consolation of the holye ghoste and shall haue great freedome of spirit that here forsake all worldlye busines and choose a harde and straite lyfe in this worlde for thy name O free and ioyfull seruice of God by the which a man is made free holy and also blessed in the sight of God O holye state of religion which maketh a man lyke to aungels pleasant to God dreadefull to wicked spirites and to all faythfull people right highlye commendable O seruice much to be embraced and alwaye to be desired by whom the high goodnes is wonne and the euerlasting ioye and gladnes is gotten without ende That the desires of the heart ought to be vvell examined and moderated The 12. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde it behoueth thee to learne many thinges that thou haste not yet well lerned VVhat be they Lorde that thou order thy desires and affections wholly after my pleasure and that thou be not a louer of thy selfe but a desirous folower of my wil in all things I knowe well that desires ofte moue to this thing or to that but coÌ„sider well whether thou be moued principally for mine honour or for thine owne If I be in the cause thou shalt be wel contented whatsoeuer I doe with thee but if any thinge remayne in thy harte of thine owne will that is it that letteth and hindreth thee Beware therefore that thou leane not muche to thine owne desire without my councell least happly it repent thee and displease thee in the ende that firste pleased thee Euerye affection and desyre of mans hart that seemeth good and holye is not forthwith to be folowed nor euery contrarious affection or desire is not hastily to be refused It is sometime right expedient that a man refraine his affections and desires though they be good least happlye by his importunitie he fall into vnquietnes of minde or that he be a let to other or be letted by other and so faile in his doinge and sometime it behoueth vs to vse as it were a violence to our selfe and stronglye to resist and breake downe our sensuall appetite and not to regard what the fleshe will or will not but alwaye to take hede that it be made subiect to the will of the spirite and that it be so long chastised and compelled to serue till it be ready to all thing that the soule commaundeth that it can learne to be coÌ„tent with a litle and can delight in simple thinges and not to murmure nor to grudge for any coÌ„trarious thinges that may befall vnto it Hovv vve should keepe patience and continually stryue agaynst all concupiscence The .13 Chapter O My Lord God as I heare say patience is muche necessarie vnto me because of many contrarious thinges which in this life daylie chaunce I see well that howesoeuer I doe order my selfe for peace yet can not my life be without some battaile and sorowe My sonne it is true that thou sayest wherfore I will not that thou seeke to haue suche peace as wanteth temptations or as feeleth not some coÌ„tradictioÌ„ But that thou trow beleue that thou hast found peace wheÌ„ that thou hast many troubles and art proued with many coÌ„trarious thinges in this worlde And if thou saye thou mayest not suffer suche thinges how shalt thou then suffer the fire of Purgatory Of two euils the lesse euill is to be taken Suffer therefore patientlie the litle paines of this world that thou mayest hereafter escape the greater in the worlde to come Trowest thou that worldlye men suffer litle or nothing yes truely thou shalt find none without some trouble though thou seeke the most delicat persons that be But percase thou sayest to me againe they haue many delectations folowe their owne pleasures so much that they ponder but litle all their aduersities VVell I will it be as thou sayest that they haue all that they can desire but howe longe trowest thou that it shall endure Soothly it shal sodenlye vanish awaye as smoke in the ayre so that there shall not be lefte anye remembraunce of their ioyes passed yet when they liued they were not without great bitternes and griefe for ofte times of the same thing wherein they had their greatest pleasure receaued they after great trouble and payne righteouslie came that vnto them that forasmuche as they sought delectations and pleasures inordinatelye that they shoulde not fulfill their desire therein but with greate bitternes and sorowe O howe shorte howe false and howe inordinate be all the pleasures of this worlde Soothlye for dronkenship and blindnes of hearte the worldlye people perceaue it not nor wil not perceaue it but as dombe beastes for a lytle plesure of this corruptible life they runne headlonge into euerlastinge death Therefore my sonne go not after thy concupiscence but turne thee lightly from thine owne wil. Delite thee in god and fixe thy loue stronglye in him and he shall geue thee the asking of thine heart And if thou wilt haue coÌ„solation aboundantlye and wilt receaue the soothfast comfort that commeth of God dispose thy selfe fullye to despise this world and put from thee whollye all inordinate delectations and thou shalt haue pleÌ„teously the comfort of God And the more that thou with drawest thee from the consolation of all creatures the more sweete blessed consolations shalte thou receaue of thy creatoure But soothlye thou canst not at the first come to such coÌ„solations but with heauines and laboure goinge before thy olde custome will somewhat withstande thee but with a better custome it may be ouercome The flesh will murmure against thee but with feruour of spirite it shall be restrained The olde auncient enemy thee freende wil â—et thee if he can but with deuout prayer He shall be driuen awaye and with good bodilye and ghostlye laboures his waye shalbe stopped so that he shall not dare come nigh vnto thee Of the obedience of a meeke subiect after the example of our Lorde Iesu Christe The 14.
loue to God when it is rather done of carnalitie and of a fleshly loue then of a charitable loue for cōmonlie some carnall inclinatiō to our frēdes or some inordinate loue to our selfe or some hope of a temperall reward or a desire of some other profite moueth vs to doe the deede and not the pure loue of charitie Charitie seeketh not him selfe in that he doth but he desireth to doe onlie that which shalbe honour and praysinge to God He enuieth no man for he loueth no priuate loue neither wil he ioy in him selfe but he couereth aboue all thinges to be blessed in God He knoweth well that no goodnes beginneth originallie of mā and therefore he referreth all goodnes to God of whom all thinges proceede and in whom all blessed Saintes doe rest in euerlasting fruition Oh he that had but a lytle sparkle of this perfect charitie should feele sooth fastlie in his soule that all earthlie thinges be full of vanitie Of the suffering of other mens defaultes The .16 Chapter SVche defaultes as we can not amende in our selues nor in other we must patientlye suffer til our Lord of his goodnes wil other wise dispose And we shall thinke that happlye it is so best for to be for prouinge of our patience without which our merites are but litle to be pōdred Neuerthelesse thou shalte pray hartilye for such impedimētes that our Lorde of his great mercye and goodnes vouchsafe to helpe vs that we may patientlye beare them If thou admonishe any person once or twise and he will not take it striue not ouermuche with him but commit al to God that his wil be done and his honour in al his seruauntes for he can wel by his goodnes turne euil into good Study alway that thou maiest be patient in suffering of other mens defaultes for thou haste many thinges in thee that other doe suffer of thee and if thou canste not make thy selfe to be as thou wouldest how mayest thou then looke to haue another to be ordered in al thinges after thy wil VVe woulde gladlye haue other perfect but wil not amēde our owne defaultes VVe would that other should be straitly corrected for their offences but we will not be corrected It misliketh vs that other haue libertie but we will not be denyed of that we aske VVe wolde also that other should be restrained according to the statutes but we in no wise wilbe restrayned Thus it appeareth euidentlye that we seldome ponder our neighbour as we doe our selfe If al men were perfect what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God Therfore God hath so ordeyned that one of vs shal learne to beare anothers burden for in this world no man is without default no man without burden no man sufficiente to him selfe nor no man wise ynough of him selfe VVherefore it behoueth eche one of vs to beare the burden of other to comfort other to helpe other to enforme other and to instruct and admonish other in all charitie who is of most vertue appeareth beste in time of aduersitie Occasions make not a man frayle but they shewe openly what he is VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person The .17 Chapter IT be hooueth thee to breake thine owne wil in many thinges if thou wilte haue peace and concorde with other It is no litle thing to be in monasteries or in congregations and to continue there without complayning or missaying faithfully to perseuer there vnto the ende Blessed are they that there liue well and make a good ende If thou wilt stand surely in grace and muche profite in vertue holde thy selfe as an outlaw and as a pilgrime here in this life and be glad for the loue of God to be holden as a foole and as a vile person in the worlde as thou art The habite and tonsure helpe litle but the chaunging of life and the mortifying of passiōs make a person perfect and true religious He that seeketh any other thing in religion then purely god and the health of his soule shal finde nothing there but trouble and sorowe and he may not lōg stand there in peace and quietnes that laboreth not to be least and subiect to all It is good therfore that thou remember ofte that thou camste to religion to serue and not to be serued and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour not to be ydle or to tel vayn tales In religion a man shal be proued as gold in a fornace and no man may stand long there in grace and vertue but he wil with al his heart meeke him selfe for the loue of God Of the examples of holy fathers The .18 Chapter BEholde the liuely examples of holy fathers and blessed Saintes in whom flourished and shined all true perfection of life and perfecte religion And thou shalt see howe litle it is and welnigh as nothing that we doe nowe in these dayes in comparison of them O what is our life if it be to them cōpared They serued our Lorde in hunger and thirste in heate in colde in nakednes in laboure and in werines in vigiles and fastinges in prayers in holy meditations in persecutions and in many reproufes O how manye and howe greeuous tribulations suffered the Apostles Martyrs Confessours virgins other holy Saintes that would folowe the steppes of Christe They refused honours and all bodily pleasures here in this life that they might alway haue the euerlasting life O howe straite and abiecte a life led the holy fathers in wildernes how greeuous temptatiōs suffred they howe fiersly were they with their ghostly enemies assailed and how feruent prayer offered they dailye to God VVhat rigorous abstinence vsed they howe great zeale and feruour had they to spirituall profite how strong battayle helde they against all sinne and howe pure whole intent had they to God in all their deedes On the day they labored in the night they prayed And though they labored on the day bodily yet they prayed in minde and so they spent their time alway fruitfullye and thought euery houre shorte for the seruice of God and for the great sweetenes that they had in heauenly contemplatiō they forgot ofte times their bodily refection All riches honour dignities kinsemen and frendes they renounced for the Ioue of god They coueted to haue nothing in the world scarsely they would take that was necessary for the bodily kinde They were poore in worldly goodes but they were riche in grace vertue They were needy outwardly but inwardly in their soules they were replenished with grace and ghostly eōfortes To the world they were alienes and strangers but to God they were right deere and familier frendes In the sight of the world and in their owne sight they weare vile abiecte but in the sight of God and his Saintes they were precious singulerlye electe In the shined all perfection of vertue true meekenes simple obedience charitie patiēce
with other like vertues gracious giftes of God VVherefore they profited dayly in spirit obteyned great grace of God They be lefte as an exaÌ„ple to al religious persons and more ought their examples to stirre them to deuotioÌ„ and to profite more and more in vertue and grace then the great multitude of dissolute ydle persons shoulde anye thing drawe them abacke O what feruour was in religious persons at the beginning of their religion what deuotion in prayers what zeale to vertue what loue to ghostlye discipline and what reuerence and meeke obedience fiourished in theÌ„ vnder the rule of their superiour Truely their deedes yet beare witnes that they were holy and perfect so mightily subdued the world and thruste it vnder foote Nowe a dayes he is accoÌ„pted vertuous that is no offender and that may with patience keepe some litle sparcle of that vertue and feruor that he had firste But alas for sorowe it is through our owne slouth and negligence and through losing of time that we be so soone fallen from our first feruour into such a ghostly weaknes and dulnes of spirite that in maner it is to tedious to vs for to liue But woulde to God that the desire to profite in vertue slepte not so vtterly in thee that so ofte haste seene the holy examples of blessed Saintes Of the exercises of a good religious person The 19. Chapter THe lyfe of a good religious man should shine in all vertue and be inward as it appereth outwarde and that much more inwarde for almightie God beholdeth the heart VVhom we should alwaye honour and reuerence as if we were euer in his bodilye presence and appere afore him as Angels clene and pure shining in all vertue we ought euery daye to renewe our purpose in God and to stirre our heart do feruor and deuotioÌ„ as though it were the firste daye of our conuersion dayly we shall pray and say thus Helpe me my Lorde Iesu that I may perseuer in good purpose and in thy holy seruice vnto my death that I may nowe this present daye perfectly beginne for it is nothinge that I haue done in time past After our purpose and after our intent shalbe our reward And though our intent be neuer so good yet it is necessarie that we put therto a good will and a great diligence For if he that often times purposeth to doe well and to profite in vertue yet fayleth in his doing what shall he doe then who seldome or neuer taketh such purpose Let vs intend to doe the best we can and yet our good purpose may happeÌ„ to be hindred and letted in diuers maners And our speciall hinderaunce is this that we so lihgtly leaue of our good exercises that we haue vsed to doe before time for it is seldome seene that a good purpose wilfully broken may be recouered agayne without great spirituall hinderance The purpose of righteous men dependeth in the grace of God more then in theÌ„selues or in their owne wisedome for man purposeth but God disposeth ne the waye that man shall walke in this worlde is not in himselfe but in the grace of God If a good custome be sometime left of for helpe of our neighbour it may soone be recouered but if it be left of through slouth or through our owne negligence it will greatlie hinder vs and hardly will it be recouered agayne Thus it appereth that though we incorage our selues all that we can to doe well yet it is good that we alwaye take such good purpose especiallie against such thinges as hinder vs moste VVe must also make diligent searche both within vs without vs that we leaue nothing inordinate vnterformed in vs as nigh as our frailtie may suffer And if thou can not for frayltie of thy selfe doe thus continualâ—ie yet at the least that thou doe it once on the day euening or morning In the morning thou shalt take a good purpose for that daye folowinge and at night thou shalte discusse diligentlie how thou hast behaued thee the daye before in worde in deede and in thought for in them we doe ofte offend God aud our neighbour Arme thee as Christes true knyght with meeknes and charitie against all the malice of the enemie Refraine glotonie and thou shalt the more lightlie refrayne all carnall desires Let not the ghostly enemy finde thee all ylde but that thou be readinge writing prayinge deuoutlie thinkinge or some other good labour doinge for the comminaltie Bodily exercises are to be done discretelie for that that is profitable to one is sometime hurtfull to another and also spirituall labours done of denotion are more sure done in priuitie then in open place And thou must beware that thou be not more readie to priuate deuotioÌ„s then to them that thou arte bounde to by duetie of thy religion But wheÌ„ thy duetie is fulfilled theÌ„ adde thereto after as thy deuotion gyueth All may not vse one maner of exercise but one in one maner another in another maner as they shall feele to be most profitable to theÌ„ Also as the time requireth so diuers exercises are to be vsed for one maner of exercise is necessary on the holy daye another on the feriall daye one in time of temptation another in time of Peace and coÌ„solation one when we haue sweetenes in deuotion another when deuotion withdraweth Also against principall feastes we ought to be more diligeÌ„t in good workes and deuoutlie to call for helpe to the blessed Saintes that then be worshipped in the Churche of God then in other times and to dispose our selues in like maner as if we shoulde then be taken out of this world and be brought into the euerlastinge feast in heauen And fith that blisse is yet differred from vs for a time we may well thinke that we be not yet readye nor worthye to come therto And therefore we ought to prepare our selues to be more readie another time For as S. Luke saith Blessed is that seruaunt whom our Lorde when he shall come at the hour of death shall finde readie for he shall take him and lifte him vp high aboue all earthlie thinges into the euerlastinge ioye and blisse in the kingdome of heauen Amen Of the loue of onelines and silence The .20 Chapter SEeke for a coÌ„uenient time to searche thine owne coÌ„science and thinke ofte on the benefites of god Leaue of all curious thinges and reade such matters as shal stirre thee to compunctioÌ„ of heart for thy sinnes rather then to reade onelie for occupyinge of the time If thou wilt withdrawe thy selfe from superfluous wordes and from vnprofitable runninges about and from the hearinge of rumours and vayne tales thou shalt finde time eonuenient to be occupied in holy meditations The moste holie men and women that euer were fled the company of worldlie liuing men with all their power chose to serue god in secrete of their heart And one holye maÌ„ sayde As ofte as I haue beene amoÌ„ge
sinnes and wretchednes sith thou dreadest here sometime the face of a mortal man VVhy doest thou not nowe prouide for thy selfe against that daye sith thou mayest not then be excused nor defended by none other But euery man shall then haue ynough to doe to answere for him selfe Nowe thy labor is fruitfull and weeping is acceptable thy mourning is worthye to be hearde and thy sorowe also is satisfactory purging of sinnes The pariēt man who suffereth iniuryes and wronges of other and yet neuerthelesse soroweth more for their malice then for the wrong done to him selfe hath a wholsome and blessed purgatory in this worlde and so haue they that gladly can praye for their enemies and for them that be contrarious vnto them and that in their heart can forgeue those that offend them and tary not Idge to aske forgeuenes And so haue they also that more lightly be stirred to mercye then to vengeance and that can as it were by a violēce breake downe their owne will and strongly resist sinne and labour alway to subdue their body to the spirite It is better nowe to purge sinne and to put away vsce then to reserue it to be purged hereafter But verilye we deceaue our selues by inordinate loue that we haue to our bodily kinde VVhat shall the fyre of purgatorye deuoure but thy sinne truelye nothing Therefore the more thou sparest thy selfe nowe and the more thou folowest thy fleshly liking the more greeuouslye shalt thou wayle hereafter and the more matter thou resch seruest for the fire of purgatory In suche thinges as a man moste hath offended shall he moste be punished The slouthful persons shall be there pricked with burning prickes of yron and gluttons shall be tormented with great hunger thirste The lecherous persons and louers of voluptuous pleasures shal be filled ful with brenning pitche and brimstone and enuious persons shall wayle and howle as doe madde dogges There shal no sinne be without his proper torment The proude man shal be filled full with all shame and confusion and the couetous man shall be pined with penurie neede One houre there in paine shall be more greuous then here a hundred yece in moste sharpest penaunce There shall be no rest nor consolation to the damned soules but here sometime we feele reliefe of our paynes and haue sometime consolation of our frendes Be now sorowful for thy sinnes that at the day of iudgemēt thou mayest be saued with blessed Saintes Then shall righteous men stande in great constancie against them that haue wronged them and oppressed them here Then shall he stande as a Iudge that here submitted himselfe meekelye to the iudgement of man Then shall the meeke poore man haue great confidence and trust in God the obstinate proude man shal quake breade Thē shall it appeere that he was wise in this worlde that for the loue of God was content to be taken as a foole and to be despised and set at nought Then shall it also please him muche the tribulation that he suffereth patiently in this world and all wickednes shall stop his mouth Then euery deuout person shall be ioyful and glad and the vnreligious persons shall wayle and dreade Then shall the fleshe that hath beene with discretion chastised ioy more then if it had beene nourished with all delectation and pleasure Then shall the vile habite shine cleere in the sight of God and the precious garmentes shall xare foule and lothsome to beholde Then the poore cottage shall be more allowed thē the pallace ouer gilted with golde Then shall more helpe a constant patience thē all worldly power and riches Then shall meeke obedience be exalted more high then all worldly wisedome and pollicie and then shall a good cleane conscience make vs more gladsome and mery then the cunning of all philsophye Then the despising of worldly goodes shalbe more of valure then all worldly riches treasure Then shalt thou haue more comfort for thy deuout prayinge then for all thy delicate feedinge Then shalt thou also ioye more for thy silence keepinge then for thy long talkinge and iangling Then good deedes shall plenteouslie be rewarded and faire wordes shall litle be regarded Then shall it please more a straite life and hard penance here then all worldlie delectation and pleasure Learne nowe therefore to suffer the small tribulations in this worlde that thou mayest then be deliuered from the greater there ordeyned for sinne Firste proue here what thou mayest suffer hereafter And yf thou mayest not nowe suffer so lytle a payne howe shalt thou then suffer the euerlastinge tormentes And yf nowe so litle a passion make thee impatient what shall then doe the intolerable fire of purgatorie or of hell Thou mayest not haue two heauens that is to saye to ioye here and to haue delectation here and after to ioye also with Christe in heauen Moreouer if thou haddest lyued alwaye vnto this daye in honours and fleshlye delectations what should it profite thee nowe if thou shouldest this present instant departe the worlde Therefore all thing is vanitie but to loue God and to serue him He that loueth God with all his heart dreadeth neither death torment iudgement nor hell for a perfect loue maketh a sure passage to God but if a mā yet delite in sinne it is no meruaile though he dreade both death and hell And though suche a dreade be but a thral dread yet neuerthelesse it is good that if the loue of God withdrawe vs not from sinne that the drede of hell constraine vs therto He that setteth apart the drede of God may not longe stand in the state of grace but soone shall he run into the snare of the deuill and lightlye shall he therewith be deceaued Of the feruent amendinge of all our life and that vve shall speciallie take heede of our ovvne soule health before all other The .25 Chapter MY sonne be wakinge and diligent in the seruice of God and thinke ofte wherfore thou art come and why thou haste forsakē the world was it not that thou shouldest liue to God and be made a spirituall man yes truelie Therefore stirre thy selfe to perfection for in short time thou shalt receaue the full rewarde of all thy laboures and from thenceforth shall neuer come to thee neither sorowe nor dreade Thy labour shalbe litle and short and thou shalt receaue therefore againe euerlastinge rest and comfort If thou abide faythfull and feruent in good deedes without doubt our Lorde will be faythfull and liberall to thee in his rewardes Thou shalt alwaye haue a good trust that thou shalt come to the palme of victorie but thou shalt not set thee in a full suretie thereof least happlie thou waxe dul and proude in heart A certaine person which often times doubted whether he where in the state of grace or not on a time fell prostrate in the Churche and sayde thus O that I might knowe whether I shoulde perseuer in vertue to the
at the first No man feeleth the passion of Christe so effectuouslie as he that feeleth like paine as Christe did This Crosse is alway readie and euery where it abideth thee and thou mayest not flee nor fullie escape it whersoeuer thou become for in what place soeuer thou art thou shalt beare thy selfe about with thee and so alwaye shalt thou finde thy selfe Turne thee where thou wilt aboue thee beneath thee within thee and without thee and thou shalt finde this crosse on euery side so that it shall be necessarie for thee that thou alwaye keepe thee in patience and that it behoueth thee to doe if thou wilt haue inwarde peace and deserue the perpetuall crowne in heauen If thou wilt gladlie beare this Crosse it shall beare thee and bringe thee to the ende that thou desirest where thou shalt neuer after haue any thinge to suffer And if thou beare this Crosse against thy will thou makest a great burden to thy selfe and it will be the more greeuous to thee and yet it behoueth thee to beare it And if it happen thee to put away one crosse that is to saye one tribulatioÌ„ yet surely another will come and happlie more greeuous then the first was Trowest thou to escape that neuer yet any mortal man might escaped VVhat Saint in this world hath beene without this Crosse without some trouble Trulie our Lorde Iesu was not one houre without some sorowe and payne as longe as he liued here for it behoued him to suffer death and to rise againe and so to enter into his glorie and how is it then that thou seekest any other waye to heauen then this plaine high waye of the Crosse All the life of Christ was Crosse and martyrdome and thou seekest pleasure and ioy Thou errest greatlie if thou seeke anye other thinge then to suffer For all this mortall life is full of miseries and is all beset about and marked with Crosses the more highlie that a man profiteth in soiâ—ite the more painfull Crosses shall he finde For by the sooth fastnes of Christes loue wherein he daylie increaseth daylie appeareth vnto him more and more the paine of this exile But neuerthelesse a man thus vexed with paine is not left whollie without all comfort for he seeth well that great fruite and high rewarde shall growe vnto him by the bearinge of his Crosse And when a man freelie submitteth him selfe to such tribulatioÌ„ then all the burden of tribulation is sodenlie turned into a great trust of heauenlye consolation And the more the fleshe is punished with tribulation the more is the soule strengthned daylie by inwarde consolation And sometime the soule shall feele such comfort in aduersities that for the loue and desire that it hath to be conformed to Christe crucified it woulde not be without sorowe and trouble for it considereth well that the more that it may suffer for his loue here the more acceptable shall he be to him in the life to come But this workinge is not in the power of man but through the grace of God that is to saye that a frayle man should take and loue that which his bodilie kinde so much abhorreth and flieth for it is not in the power of man gladlie to beare the Crosse to loue the Crosse to chastise the bodie and to make it obedieÌ„t to the will of the spirite to flee honours gladlie to sustayne reproufes to despise him selfe and to couet to be despised patientlie to suffer aduersities with al displeasures thereof and not to desire any maner of profite in this worlde If thou trust in thy selfe thou shaltneuer bringe this matter about but yf thou trust in God he shall send thee strength from heauen and the worlde and the fleshe shalbe made subiect to thee yea and if thou be strongly armed with faith and be marked with the Crosse of Christ as his housholde seruant thou shalt not neede to feare thy ghostlie enemie for he shall also be made subiect to thee so that he shall haue no power against thee Purpose thy selfe therefore as a true faythfull seruant of God manfullye to beare the Crosse of thy Lorde Iesu that for thy loue was crucified on the Crosse prepare thy selfe to suffer all maner of aduersities and discommodities in this wretched life for so shall it be with thee whersoeuer thou hide thee and there is no remedie to escape but that thou must keepe thy selfe alwaye in patience If thou desire to be a deare and well beloued frende of Christ drinke effectuouslie with him a draught of the chalice of his tribulation As for consolations commit them to his will that he order them as he knoweth most expedieÌ„t for thee but as for thy selfe for as much as in thee is dispose thee to suffer when tribulatioÌ„s come take them as speciall consolations sayinge with the Apostle thus The passioÌ„s of this world be not worthy of them selues to bringe vs to the glorye that is ordeined for vs in the life to come yea though thou thy selfe mightest suffer asmuch as all men do VVheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest to that degree of patience that tribulatioÌ„ is sweete to thee for the loue of God is sauoury pleasauÌ„t in thy sight then maiest thou trust that it is wel with thee that thou art in good estate for thou haste founde paradise in earth But as long as it is greeuous to thee to suffer and thou seekest to flee so long it is not well with thee neither art thou in the perfect way of patieÌ„ce but if thou couldest bringe thy selfe to that estate that thou shouldest be at that is to suffer gladly for God and to dye fully to the worlde then shoulde it shortlye be better with thee and thou shouldest finde great peace but yet although thou were rapt with Paule into the third heaueÌ„ thou shouldest not therefore be sure without all aduersitie for our Sauiour speaking of S. Paul after he had bene rapt into heauen sayd thus of him I shall shewe him howe many thinges he shall suffer for me To suffer therefore to thee remayneth if thou wilt loue thy Lorde Iesu and serue him perpetually VVould to god that thou wexe worthy to suffer somewhat for his loue O howe great ioye shoulde it be to thee to suffer for him what gladnes to all the Saintes of heauen and howe great edifying to thy neighbour All men coÌ„mend patience and yet fewe men will suffer Righteously thou oughtest to suffer some litle thing for God that sufferest much more for the worlde And knowe this for certaine that after this bodily death thou shalte yet lyue the more that thou canst dye to thy selfe here the more thou beginnest to liue to God No man is apt to receyue the heauenlie rewarde but he haue first learned to beare aduersities for the loue of Christe for nothinge is more acceptable to God nor more profitable to man in this worlde then to be glad to suffer for Christ in somuch that if
God in nothing regardeth him selfe but fullie in his heart can despise him selfe also coueteth to be despised of other then maye he haue good trust that he hath somewhat profited in grace and that he shall in the ende haue great rewarde of God for his good trauaile Amen Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God The 9. Chapter SHall I Lorde Iesu dare speake to thee that am but duste and ashes verilie yf I thinke my selfe any better then ashes duste thou standest against me also myne owne sinnes beare witnes against me that I may not withsaye it but if I despise my selfe and set my selfe at naught and thinke my selfe but ashes and dust as I am then thy geace shall be nigh vnto me and the light of true vnderstandinge shall enter into my heart so that all presumption pride in me shall be drowned in the vale of meekenes through perfect knowinge of my wretchednes Thorough meekenes thou shalt shewe vnto me what I am what I haue bene and from whence I came for I am nought and knewe it not If I be left to my selfe theÌ„ am I nought and all is feeblenes and imperfection But if thou vouchesafe a litle to beholde me anone I am made stronge and am â—illed with a newe ioye and meruaile it is that I wretch am so soone lift vp from my vnstablenes into the beholdinge of heauenlie thinges and that I am so louinglie lifted vp of thee that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to earthlie likinges But thy loue Lorde causeth all this which preuenteth me and helpeth me in all my necessities and keepeth me warily from all perils daungers that I daylye am like to fall into I haue lost thee and also my selfe by inordinate loue that I haue had to my selfe and in seekinge of thee againe I haue founde both thee and me and therefore I will more deeply from henceforth set my selfe at naught and more diligentlye seeke thee then in time paste I haue done for thou Lorde Iesu thou doest to me aboue all my merites aboue all that I can aske or desire But blessed be thou in all thy workes for though I be vnworthy any good things yet thy goodnes neuer ceasseth to doe well to me also to manye other which be vnkind to thee and that are turned right farre from thee Turne vs Lorde therefore to thee agayne that we maye heÌ„ceforward be louing thankfull meeke deuout to thee for thou act our health thou art our vertue and all our strength in body and soule and none but thou to thee therfore be ioy and glory euerlastingly in the blisse of heauen Amen Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God as ende of euery vvorke The .10 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ I must be the ende of all thy workes if thou desire to be happy and blessed And if thou referre all goodnes to me from whom all goodnes commeth then shall be purged and made cleane in thee thine inwarde affections which els would be euill inclined to thy selfe and to other creatures If thou seeke thy selfe in any thing as ende of thy worke anone thou faylest in thy doinge and waxest drie and barrein froÌ„ all moysture of grace VVherfore thou must referre all thinges to me for I geue all Behold therfore all things as they be flowinge and springinge out of my soueraine goodnes and reduce all thinges to me as to their originall beginninge for of me both small and great poore and riche as of a quicke springinge wall drawe water of life He that serueth me freelie and with good will shall receaue grace for grace But he that will glorifie him selfe in him selfe or willfully ioye in any thinge beside me shall not be stablished in perfect ioye nor be delated in soule but he shalbe letted anguished many wayes from the true freedome of spirite Thou shalt therefore ascribe no goodnes to thy selfe nor thou shalt not thinke that any person hath anye goodnes of him selfe but that thou yeelde alwaye the goodnes to me without whom man hath nothing I haue geuen all and all will I haue againe and with great straitnes will I looke to haue thankings therefore This is the truth whereby is driuen awaye all maner of vaine glorye and pride of heart If heauenly grace and perfect charitie enter into thy hart then shall there no enuie nor vnquietnes of mind neither any priuate loue haue rule in thee For the charity of God shal ouercome all thinges and shall dilate and inflame all the powers of thy soule VVherfore if thou vnderstandest a right thou shalt neuer ioye but in me and in me onelie thou shalt haue trust for no man is good but God alone who is aboue all thinges to be honoured and in all thinges to be blessed That it is svveete and delectable to serue God and to forsake the vvorlde The 11. Chapter NOw shall I speake againe to thee my Lorde Iesu and not ceasse And I shall say in the eares of my Lord my God and king that is in heauen O howe great is the aboundance of thy sweetenes which thou haste hidde and kept for theÌ„ that dreade thee But what is it then to them that loue thee that with all their hart do serue thee verily it is the vnspeakeable swetenes of contemplation that thou geuest to them that loue thee In this Lord thou hast moste shewed the swetenes of thy charitie to me that wheÌ„ I was not thou madest me and when I erred farre from thee thou broughtest me againe to serue thee and thou coÌ„maundest me also that I shall loue thee O fountaine of loue euerlasting what shal I say of thee howe maye I forget thee that hast vouchedsafe to louinglye to remember me VVheÌ„ I was like to haue perished thou shewedst thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde thinke and desyre and hast sent me of thy grace and loue aboue my merites But what shall I geue thee againe for all this goodnes It is not geuen to all men to forsake the worlde to take a solitarye life and only to serue thee yet it is no great thing to serue thee whom euery creature is bounde to serue It ought not therefore to seeme any great thing to me to serue thee but rather it should seeme maruel and wonder to me that thou wilt vouchsafe to receaue so poore and so vnworthy a creature as I am into thy seruice and that thou wilt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruantes Lo Lorde all thinges that I haue all that I doe thee seruice with is thine and yet thy goodnes is suche that thou rather seruest me then I thee for lo heauen earth planets and starres with their contents which thou hast created to serue man be readye at thy biddinge and doe daylye that thou haste commaunded And thou haste also ordeyned aungels to the minysterie of man But aboue all this thou
your deedes in charitie teÌ„ptations resiste stronglie breake his heade shortlie weepe bitterlie haue compassion tenderlie doe good workes busilie loue perseuerantlie loue hartelie loue faythfullie loue God alonelie and all other for hym charitablie loue in aduersitie loue in prosperitie thinke alway of loue for loue is none other but God him selfe Thus to loue bringeth the louer to loue without ende Amen THE RVLES OF A CHRISTIAN lyfe made by Iohn Picus the elder Erle of Mirandula FIrst if to man or woman the waye of vertue doth seeme harde or painefull bycause we must nedes fight against the fleshe diueâ—l and the worlde let him or hir call to remembraunce that whatsoeuer life they will chose accordinge to the world many aduersities incommodities muche heauines and labour are to be suffred Moreouer let them haue in remembraunce that in wealth and worldlye possessions is muche and longe contencion laborious also and therwith vnfruitfull wherein trauaile is the conclusion or ende of labour and finallye paine euerlasting if those thinges be not well ordered and charitablie disposed Remembre also that it is very folishenes to thinke to come vnto heauen by any other meane than by the sayed battaile consideringe that our heade and maister Christe did not ascende vnto heanen but by his passion And the seruaunt ought not to be in better estate or condicion than his mayster or soueraine Furthermore consider that this battayle ought not to be grudged at but to be desired and wished for all though thereof no price or rewarde myght ensue or happen but onelie that thereby we might be comfourmed or ioyned to Christ out God maister VVherefore as often as in resistinge any tyÌ„ptacion thou doest withstande any of thy sences or wittes thinke vnto what part of Christes passioÌ„ thou mayest applie thy selfe or make thy selfe like As resistinge glotonie whiles thou doest punishe thy tast or appetite remembre that Christe receyued in his drinke aysell mixte with the gall of a beaste a drinke most vnsauerie and lothsome VVhan thou withdrawest thy hand from vnlawfull takinge or keepinge of any thinge which liketh thine appetite remembre Christes handes as they were faste nayled vnto the tree of the Crosse And resistinge of pride thinke on hym who beinge verie God almightie for thy sake receyued the fourme of a subiecte and humbled hym selfe vnto the moste vile and reprochefull death of the Crosse And whan thou arte teÌ„pted with wrath Remembre that he whiche was God and of all men the most iust or righteous whan he behelde him selfe mocked spitte on scourged and punished with all dispites and rebukes and set on the Crosse amonge errant theues as if he hym selfe were a false harlot he not withstandinge shewed neuer token of indignation or that he were greeued but sufferinge all thinges with wonderfull pacience aunswered all men moste gentillie In this wise if thou peruse all thinges one after an other thou mayest finde that there is no passion or trouble that shall not make the in some parte conformable or lyke vnto Christe Also put not thy truste in mans helpe but in the onelie vertue of Christe Iesu which sayed Trust well for I haue vainquished the worlde And in an other place he sayth The prince of this worlde is caste out therof VVherfore lette vs trust by his onelie vertue to vainquishe the worlde and to subdue the diuell And therefore ought we to aske his helpe by our owne prayers and by the prayers of his blessed Sainctes Remembre also that as sone as thou hast vainquished one temptacion alwaye an other is to be loked for The diuell goeth alwaye about and seeketh for hym whom he would deuoure VVherefore we ought to serue diligentlie and be euer in feare and to saye with the prophete I will stande alwaye at my defence Take heede moreouer that not onely thou be not vainquished of the diuell that teÌ„pteth the but also that thou vainquishe and ouercome him And that is not onelie whan thou doest no sinne but also whan of that thinge wherein he tempted thee thou takest occasioÌ„ for to doe good As if he offreth to the some good acte to be done to the intent that thereby thou mayest fall into vainglorie forthwith thou thinkynge it not to be thy deede or worke but the benefite or rewarde of God humble thou thy selfe and iudge the to be vnkinde vnto God in respecte of his manifolde benefites As often as thou doest fight fight as in hope to vainquishe and to haue at the last perpetuall peace For that paraduenture God of his abundant grace shall gyue vnto the and the diuell beinge confused of thy victorie shall retourne no more againe But yet whan thou haste vainquished beare thy selfe so as if thou shouldest fight againe shortelie Thus alwaye in bataile thou muste thinke on victorie after victorie thou must prepare the to bataile immediatlie againe Allthough thou feelest thy selfe well armed and readie yet flee not withstandinge all occasions to sinne For as the wise man saith VVho loueth perille shal therein perishe In all temptacions resist the beginninge and beate the Children of Babilon against the stone whiche stone is Christe and the children be euill thoughtes and imaginacions For in longe continuynce of sinne seldome worketh any medicine or remedie Remembre that although in the saied conflict of temptacion the bataile semeth to be verie daungerous yet consider how muche sweter it is to vainquishe temptacion than to folowe sinne whereto she inclineth the whereof the ende is repentaunce And herein many be foule deceiued whiche compare not the swetenes of victorie to the swetenes of sinne but onelye compareth bataile to pleasure Notwithstandinge a man or woman whiche hath a thousande times knowen what it is to gyue place to temptacion shoulde ones assaie what it is to vainquishe temptacion If thou be tempted thinke thou not therefore that God hath forsaken the or that he setteth but littell by the or that thou arte not in the sight of God good or perfecte but remeÌ„bre that after Saint Paule had seene God as he was in his diuinitie and suche secreate misteries as be not lawfull for any man to speake or reherce he for all that suffred temptacion of the flesh wherewith God suffred him to be tempted least be shoulde be assaulted with pride VVherein a man ought to consider that Saint Paule whiche was the pure vessell of election and rapt into the thirde heauen was notwithstaÌ„dinge in perill to be proude of his vertues as he sayth of him selfe VVherfore aboue all temptacions man or woman ought to arme theÌ„ moste stronglie against the teÌ„ptacion of pride since pride is the rote of all mischiefe against the which the onelie remedie is to thinke alwaye that God humbled him selfe for vs vnto the Crosse And moreouer that death hath so humbled vs whether we will or no that our bodies shall be the meate of wormes lothsome and venimouse FINIS
the bodie of Christe cap. 6. fo 142. Of the discussing of our owne conscience of the purpose of amendement cap. 7. fo 142. Of the oblation of Christ on the Crosse and of a full forsaking of our selfe cap. 8. fo 144. That we ought to offer our selfe all ours to God and to praye for all people cap. 9. fo 144. That the holye communion is not lightly to be forborne cap. 10. fo 146. That the body of Christ and holy Scripture are moste necessarie for the health of mans soule cap. 11. fo 148. That he that shall be housled ought to prepare him selfe thereto with great diligence cap. 12. fo 150. That a deuoute soule shoulde greatlie desire with all his hart to be vnited to Christ in this bâ—essed Sacrament cap. 13. fo 151. Of the burning desire that some deuout persons haue had to the body of Christ cap. 14. fo 153. That the grace of deuotion is gotten through mekenes forsaking of our selfe cap. 15. fo 154 That we shoulde open all our necessities to Christ and aske his grace cap. 16. fo 155. Of the burning loue and great affection that we should haue to receyue Christ cap. 19. fo 161 That a man shall not be a curious searcher of this holye Sacrament but a meeke folower of Christ subduing alwaye his reason to the fayth cap. 18. fo 157. Here endeth the Table Of the Imitation or folovving of Christe and of the despising of all vanities of the vvorlde The firste Chapter HE that foloweth me sayeth Christe our Sauiour walketh not in darknes but he shall haue the light of life These be the words of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby we be admonished and warned that we shall folowe his teachinges and his maner of lyuing if wee will truely be illumined be deliuered from all blindnes of hearte Let all the study of our heart be therfore from heÌ„ceforth to haue our meditation wholly fixed in the lyfe in the holy teachinges of Iesus Christe for his teach inges are of more vertue of more ghostlye strength then are the teachinges of all Angels and Saintes And he that thorough grace might haue the inner eye of his soule opened into the soothfast beholdinge of the Gospels of Christe should finde in theÌ„ Manna that is to say spirituall foode of the soule but it is often times seene that some persons which ofte heare the Gospelles of Christ haue litle sweetenes therein and that is for that they haue not the spirite of Christe VVherefore if we will haue the true vnderstanding of Christes Gospels we must study to conforme our life to his life as nigh as we can VVhat auaileth it a man to reason high secrete misteries of the Trinitie if he lack meekenes wherby he displeaseth the Trinitie Truely nothinge For high curious reasons make not a man holie nor rightwise but a good lyfe maketh hym beloued with God I had rather feele compunction of hearte for my sinnes then onely to knowe the diffinitioÌ„ of compunctioÌ„ If thou couldest all the Bible without the booke and also the sayinges of all Philosophers by hart what should it profite thee without grace and charitie All that is in this worlde is vanitie but to loue God and onely to serue him This is the most noble and the moste excellent wisdome that may be in any creature by despisinge of this world to drawe daylie neerer and neerer to the kingedome of heauen It is therefore a great vanitie to labour inordinatlie for worldly riches which shortlye shall perishe and to couet honor or any other inordinate pleasures or fleshlie delightes in this lyfe wherby a man after this lyfe shall be sore and greeuouslye punished Howe great a vanitie is it also to desire a longe life and litle to care for a good life to heede thinges present and not to prouide for thinges that are to come to loue thinges that shortlie shall passe away and not to haste thither where is ioy euerlastinge Also haue this common prouerbe ofte in thy minde That the eye is not satisfied nor fullye pleased with the sight of any bodilye thinge ne the eare with hearing and therfore studye to withdrawe the loue of thy soule from all thinges that be visible and turne it to thinges that be inuisible For they that folowe their sensualitie hurt their owne conscience and leese the grace of God Against vayne seculer cunning and of a meeke knovvinge of our selfe The 2. Chapter EVery man naturallye desireth to knowe but what auaileth knowledge without the dreade of God A meeke husbaÌ„d man that serueth god is muche more acceptable to him theÌ„ is a curious Philosopher which consideringe the course of heauen wilfully forgetteth him selfe He that wel knoweth him selfe is vile and abiect in his owne sight and hath no delight in the vaine praisinges of man If I knewe all thinges that be in this world without charitie what should it auaile me before God that iudgeth euery man after his deedes Let vs therfore cease from the desire of suche vaine knowledge for ofteÌ„ times is founde therin great distruction and deceipt of the enemy wherby the soule is muche hindred and let from the perfect and true loue of God They that haue great cunninge desire commonly to be seene and to be holden wyse in the worlde and there be many thinges that the knowledge of them bringe but litle profite and fruit to the soule and he is verye vnwyse that taketh heede to any other thinge then to that which shall profite hym to the health of his soule VVordes feede not the soule but a good life refresheth the minde and a cleane conscience bringeth a man to a firme and stable trust in God The more cunninge thou haste if thou liue not thereafter the more greeuouslie shalte thou therefore be iudged for the misusinge thereof Therefore raise not thy selfe into pride for any crafte or cunninge that is geuen vnto thee but haue therefore the more feare and dreade in thy heart for certayne it is that thou must hereafter yeelde therefore the strayter accompt If thou thinke that thou knowest many thinges and hast great cunninge yet knowe it for certaine that there be many mo things that thou knowest not and so thou mayest not rightwisely thinke thy selfe cunning but oughtest rather to coÌ„fesse thine ignoraunce and vncunninge VVhy wilt thou preferre thy felfe in cuÌ„ning before other sith there be many other more excellent and more cunning then thou and better learned in the law If thou wilt any thinge learne and knowe profitably to the health of thy soule learne to be vnknowen and be glad to be holden vile nought vncunninge as thou art The most high and the moste profitable cunninge is this a man to haue a soothfast knowledge and a full despisinge of him selfe Also a man not to presume of himselfe but alwaye to iudge and thinke wel and blessedly of other is a signe a token of great wisdome and of great perfectioÌ„
passe lightlye awaye but the truth of God euer abideth Almightie God speaketh to vs in his Scripture in diuers maners without acceptinge of persons but our curiositie ofte letteth vs in reading of Scripture when we will reason and argue thinges that we should meekely and simply passe ouer If thou wilt profite by readinge of Scripture reade meekely simply and faithfullye neuer desire to haue thereby the name of cunning Aske gladlye and heare meekely the sayinges of Saintes mislike not the parables of ancient fathers for they were not spoken without great cause Of inordinate affections The 6. Chapter VVhen a man desireth any thinge inordinatelye forthwith he is vnquiet in him selfe The proude man the couetous man neuer haue rest but thee meeke man and the poore in spirite liueth in greate aboundance of rest peace A man that is not yet mortified to himselfe is lightly tempted and ouercome in lietl and small temptations And he that is weake in spirite and is yet some what carnall and inclined to sensible thinges maye hardly withdrawe himselfe from worldly desires And therfore he hath oft greate griefe heauines in heart when he withdraweth him from them and he disdayneth anone if any man resist him and if he obteyne that he desireth yet is he vnquieted with grudge of conscience for he hath folowed his passion which nothinge helpeth to the getting of that peace be desired Then by resisting of passions is gotten the very true peace of heart and not by folowing of them There is therfore no peace in the heart of a earnall man nor in the hearte of a man that geueth him selfe all to outward thinges but in the heart of a ghostli man or woman which haue their delite in God is founde great peace and inwarde quietnes That vayne hope and elation of mynde are to be fled and auoyded The .7 Chapter HE is vayne that putteth his trust in man or in any creature Be not ashamed to serue other for the loue of Iesu Christe and to be poore in this worlde for his sake trust not thy selfe but all thy trust set in God doo that in the is to please him he shall well helpe forth thy good will Trust not in thine owne cunning neither in the cunning or pollicie of any creature liuinge but rather in the grace of God which helpeth meeke persons and those that presume of them selues he suffereth to fall till they be meeke Glorify not thy selfe in thy riches nor in thy worldlie freends for that they be mightie but let all thy glorie be in god onelie that geueth all thinges and that desireth to geue himselfe aboue all thinges Exalt not thy selfe for the largenes or fayrenes of bodie for with a litle sickenes it may be soone defouled Ioy not in thy selfe for thy habilitie or readines of wit least thou displease God of whose gifte it is all that thou haste Holde not thy selfe better then other least happlye thou be thereby impaired in the sight of God who knoweth all that is in man Be not proude of thy good deedes for the iudgementes of God be other then the iudgementes of man to whom it displeaseth ofte times that pleaseth man If thou haue any goodnes or vertue in thee beleeue yet that there is much more goodnes vertue in other so that thou maiest alwaye keepe thee in meeknes It hurteth not though thou holde thy selfe worse then any other though it be not so in deede but it hurteth much if thou preferre thy selfe aboue any other be he neuer so great a sinner Great peace is with the meeke mā but in the heart of a proud man is alwaye enuye and indignation That muche familiaritie is to be auoyded The .8 Chapter OPen not thy heart to euery person but to him that is wise secrete and dreadinge God Be seldome with yonge folkes and straūgers Harter not riche men and afore great men do not lightly appeare Accompanie thy selfe with meeke persons and simple in heart who be deuoute of good gouernaunce and treate with them of things that may edify and strength the soule Be not familier to any woman but all good women commend to God Couete to be familier onelie with God and with his Angels but the familiaritie of man as much as thou mayest looke thou eschewe Charitie is to be had to all but familiaritie is not expedient Sometime it happeneth that a person vnknowen thorough his good fame is much commendable whose presence after liketh vs not so muche VVe weene sometyme with our presence to please other when we rather displease them through the euill maners and euil conditions that they see and will consider in vs. Of meeke subiection and obedience and that vve shall gladly folovve the counsayle of others The 9. Chapter IT is a great thing to be obedient to lyue vnder a prelate and in nothing to seeke our owne libertie It is much more surer waye to stande in the state of obedience then in the state of prelacie Many be vnder obedience more of necessitie then of charitie and they haue great paine and lightlye murmure and grudge and they shall neuer haue libertie and freedome of spirite till they whollye submit them selues vnto their superiour Go here and there where thou wilt and thou shall neuer finde perfect rest but in meeke obedience vnder the gouernance of thy prelate The imagining and chaunging of place hath deceaued many a religious person Truth it is that euery man is disposed to doe after his owne will and best can agree with them that folowe his wayes But if we will that God be amonge vs we must sometime leue our owne will though it seeme good that we may haue loue and peace with other VVho is so wise that he can fully knowe all thinges truely none Therefore trust not to muche to thyne owne witt but heare gladlye the counsayle of other And if percase the thinge which thou wouldest haue done be good and profitable and yet neuerthlesse thou leauest thine owne will therein and folowest other thou shalt finde much profite therby I haue often times heare say that it is the more surer waye to heare and take counsell then it is to geue it It is good to heare euerie mans counsel but not to agree when reason requireth it is a signe of a great singularitie of minde and of much inward pride That vve shoulde auoyde superfluitie of vvordes and the company of vvorldly liuinge people The .10 Chapter FLee the company of wordly liuinge people as much as thou maiest for the treatinge of wordlie matters letteth greatlie the feruour of spirite though it be done with a good intent we be anone deceiued with vanitie of the world and in maner are made as thral vnto it if we take not good heede I would I had helde my peace many times when I haue spoken and that I had not beene so much amōge worldly company as I haue beene But why are we so glad to speake
perpetuall prisoners in hell There is no order so holy ne no place so secrete that is fully without temptatiō and there is no man that is fully free from it here in this life for in our corrupt body we beare the matter whereby we be tempted that is our inordinate concupiscence wherein we were borne As one temptation goeth another commeth and so we shall alway haue somewhat to suffer and the cause is for we haue lost our innocencie Many folke seeke to flee temptation and they fall the more greeuouslie into it For by onely fleeing we may not haue victory but by meekenes patience we be made stronger then al our enemies He that only flieth the outward occasiòns and cutteth not away the inordinate desires hid inwardly in the heart shal litle profite and temptations shal lightly come to him againe and greeue him more then they did fyrste by litle and litle with patience and sufferaunce with the helpe of God thou shal sooner ouercome temptations then with thine owne strength and importunitie In thy temptation it is good that thou ofte aske counsayle that thou be not rigorous to no person that is tempted but be glad to comfort him as thou wouldest be comforted The beginning of all euil temptatiōs is incōstancie of mind to litle a trust in God For as a ship without guide is driuen hither and thither with euery storme so an vnstable man that anone leaueth his good purpose in God is diuerslye tempted The fyre proueth gold and temptation proueth the righteous man VVe know not many times what we can suffer but temptation sheweth plainely what we are and what vertue is in vs. It is necessary in the beginning of euery temptation to be wel ware for then the enemy is soone ouercome if he be not suffered to enter into the heart but that he be resisted and shut out assoone as he proffereth to enter For as a bodily medicine is verie late ministred when the sickenes hath bene suffred to increase by longe continuance so is it of temptation Firste commeth to the minde an vncleane thought and after foloweth a stronge imagination and then delectation and diuers euill motions and in the ende foloweth a full assent and so by litle litle the enemy hath ful entrie for he was not wisely resisted in the beginninge and the more slowe that a man is in resisting the more weake he is to resist the enemye is daylie the more stronger against him Some persons haue their greatest temptations in the beginninge of their conuersion some in the ende and some in maner all their lyfe tyme be troubled therewith and there be many that be but lightlie tempted and all this commeth of the great wisedome and righteousnes of God which knoweth the state merite of euery person ordeineth all thinges for the best and to the euerlastinge health and saluation of his elect chosen people Therefore we shal not dispayre when we be tempted but shall the more feruētlye praye vnto God that he of his infinite goodnes and fatherlie pitie vouchefase to helpe vs in euery ende and that he according to the sayinge of S Pauie so preuent vs with his grace in euerye temptation that we may be able to sustayne Let vs then meeken our soules vnder the stronge hand of allmyghtie God for he will saue all them and exalt all them that be here meeke and lowly in spirite In temptations and tribulatiōs a man is proued howe much he hath profited and his merite is thereby the greater before God and his vertues are the more openlie shewed It is no great meruaile if a man be feruent and deuoute when he feeleth no griefe but if he can suffer patientlie in time of temptation or other aduersitie and therewithall can also stirre himselfe to feruour of spirite it is a token that he shall greatly profite hereafter in vertue and grace Some persons be kept from many great temptations and yet daylie they be ouercome through litle and small occasions and that is of the great goodnes and sufferance of God to keepe them in meeknes that they shall not trust ne presume of them selues that see them selues so lightlye and in so lytle thinges daylie ouercome That vve shall not iudge lightly other mens deedes nor cleaue much to our ovvne vvill The 14. Chapter HAue alwaye a good eye to thy selfe and beware thou iudge not lightlye other men In iudging other men a man ofte laboureth in vaine ofte erreth and lightly offendeth God but in iudging him selfe and his owne deedes he alwayes laboreth fruitfully and to his ghostly profite VVe iudge oftentimes after our owne hart and affections not after the truth for we ofte lose the true iudgmēt through our priuate loue But if God were alwaye the whole intent of our desire we should not so lightly erre in our iudgementes nor so lightly be troubled for that we be resisted of our will But commonly there is in vs some inward inclinatiō or some outward affection that draweth our heart with them from the true iudgemēt Many persōs through a secrete loue that they haue to their selfe worke vndiscretelye after their owne will not after the will of God and yet they weene not so and they seeme to stand in great inwarde peace when thinges folowe after their minde but if it folowe otherwise then they would anone they be moued with impatiente and be right heauy and pensife By diuersities of opinions be sprong many times dissentions betwene frendes and neighboures and also betweene religious and deuoute persons An olde custome is hardly broken no man will lightly be remoued from his owne will but yf thou cleaue more to thine owne will or to thine owne reason then to the meeke obedience of Iesus Christe it will be long or thou be a man illumined with grace For almightie God will that we be perfectlie subiect and obedient to him that we ascend and rise high aboue our owne will and aboue our owne reason by a greate brenning loue and a whole desire to him Of vvorkes done in charitie The 15. Chapter FOr nothing in the world nor for the loue of any creature is euill to be done but sometime for the neede and comfort of our neighbour a good deede may be deferred or be turned into another good deede for thereby the good deede is not destroyed but is chaunged into better VVithout charitie the outwarde deede is litle to be praysed but whatsoeuer is done of charitie be it neuer so litle or neuer so despisable in sight of the worlde it is right profitable before God who iudgeth all thing after the intent of the doer not after the greatnes or worthines of the deede He doth much that much loueth God he doth much that doeth his deede well and he doeth his deede well that doth it rather for the comminaltie then for his owne will A deede sometime seemeth to be done of charitie and of
worldlie coÌ„panie I haue departed with lesse feruour of spirite then I came and that we know well when we talke long for it is not so harde to keepe allwaye silence as it is not to exceede in wordes when we speake much It is also more light to be alwaye solitarti at home then to go forth into the world and not offeÌ„d Therefore he that intendeth to come to an inwarde setting of his heart in God and to haue the grace of deuotion must with our Sauiour Christe withdrawe him from the people No man maye surelie appeace amoÌ„ge the people but he that woulde gladlie be solitarie if he might nor no man is sure in prelacie but he that would gladlie be a subiect no none maye surelie commaunde but he that hath learned gladlie to obey and none ioyeth trulie but he whose heart witnesseth that he hath a cleane conscience ne none speaketh surelie but he that would gladlie keepe silence if he might And alwaye the suretie of good men and blessed men hath beene in meekenes dreade of God And though such blessed men shined in all vertue yet they were not therfore lifte vp into pride but were therfore the more diligent in the seruice of God and the more meeke in all their doeings And on the contrarywise the suretie of euill men riseth of pride and of presumption and in the ende it deceaueth them Therefore thinke thy selfe neuer sure in this life whether thou be religions or seculer for ofte times they that haue beene holden in the sight of the people moste perfecte haue beene suffered to fall more greeuouslye for their presumption Also it is muche more profitable to many persons that they haue sometimes temptations least happlye they thinke them selues ouermuch safe and be thereby lift vp into pride or run to seeking of outward consolation then that they be alwayes without temptations O how pure a conscience should he haue that would despise all transitorie ioye neuer would meddle with worldlie busines And what peace inward quietnes should he haue that would cut away froÌ„ him all busines of minde and onelye to thinke on heauenlye thinges No man is worthy to haue ghostlye coÌ„fortes vnlesse he haue fieâ— beene well exercised in holy coÌ„punctioÌ„ And if thou wilt haue coÌ„punctioÌ„ goe into a secret place put froÌ„ thee all the clamorous noyse of the worlde for the prophete Dauid saith Let the sorowe for thy sinnes be done in thy secrete chaÌ„ber iÌ„ thy â—elle thou shalt finde great grace which thou maiest lightlye lose without Thy Celle wel coÌ„tinued shal waxe sweete pleasaunt to thee shall be to thee hereafter a right deere frende if it be but euill kept it shall growe verie tedious yrkesome to thee But if in the beginning thou be ofte therein and keepe it well in good prayers holy meditations it shall be after to thee a speciall frende and one of thy moste speciall comfortes in silence and quietnes of hearte A deuout soule profiteth much and learneth the hidde senteÌ„ces of Scripture and findeth there also manye sweete teares in deuotion wherewith euery night she washeth her mightilie from all filth of sinne that she may be so much the more familiar with God as she is disseuered from the clamorous noyse of wordly busines Therefore they that for the loue of vertue withdrawe them from their acquaintaÌ„ce and froÌ„ their worldlie frendes our Lord with his aungels shall drawe nigh to them and shall abide with them It is better that a man be solitarie and well take heede of him selfe then that he doe miracles in the world forgettinge himselfe It is also a laudable thinge in a religious person seldome to goe forth seldome to see other seldome to be seene of other VVhy wilt thou see that the which it is not lawefull for thee to haue The worlde passeth awaye with all his concupiscence and deceuable pleasures Thy sensuall appetite moueth thee to go abrode but when the time is past what bearest thou home againe but remorse of conscience and vnquietnes of hart It is ofte seene that after a mery goinge forth foloweth a heauy returninge and that a glad euentide causeth a heauie morning and so all fleshly ioy entreth pleasantlie but in the ende it biteth slayeth VVhat maiest thou see without thy Celle that thou maiest not see within Lo heauen earth and all the elementes whereof all earthly thinges be made and what maiest thou elsewhere see vnder the sunne that may long endure And if thou might see all earthly thinges and also haue all bodilie pleasures preseÌ„t at once before thee what were it but a vaine sight Lyfte vp thine eyes therfore to God in heaueÌ„ and praye hartily that thou maiest haue forgeuenes of thine offences Leaue vayne thinges to them that wilde vaine take thou heede onelye to those thinges that our Lorde commaundeth thee Shet fast the doore of thy soule that is to saye thy ymagination and keepe it warilye from beholding of any bodilie thing as muche as thou maiest and then lift vp thy mind to thy Lorde Iesu and open thy heart faithfullie to him and abide with him in thy Celle for thou shalt not finde so much peace without If thou haddest not gone forth so muche as thou haste done nor haddest geuen hearinge to vaine tales thou shouldest haue beene in muche more inward peace theÌ„ thou art but forasmuch as it delighteth thee to heare newe thinges it behoueth thee therefore to suffer sometime both trouble of heart and vnquietnes of minde Of compunction of the heart The .21 Chapter IF thou wilt any thinge profite to the health of thy soule keepe thee alwaye in the dreade of God and neuer desire to be fullie at libertie but keepe thee alwaye vnder some wholsome discipline Neuer geue thy selfe to vndiscrete mirth for no maner of thinge as nigh as thou mayest Haue perfect compunction and sorowe for thy sinnes and thou shalt finde therby great inwarde deuotioÌ„ Compunction openeth to the syght of the soule manye good thinges which lightnes of heart vaine mirth soone driueth awaye It is meruaile that any man can be merye in this life if he consider well howe farre he is exiled out of his couÌ„trey and how great perill his soule daylie standeth in but through lightnes of heart and negligeÌ„ce of our defaultes we feele not nor we will not feele the sorowe of our owne soule but often times we laugh when we ought rather to weepe and mourne for there is no perfect libertie nor true ioye but in the dreade of God and in a good conscience That person is right happie that hath grace to auoyde from him all thinges that letteth him from beholdinge of his owne sinnes and that can turne him selfe to God by inward compunction and he is happie also that auoideth from him all thinges that may offend or greeue his conscience Fight stronglie therefore against all sinnes and dreade not ouermuch although thou he
this wretched worlde and thy soule shall finde great inwarde rest Learne to despise outwarde thinges and geue thy selfe to inward thinges and thou shalt see the kyngdome of God come into thy soule The kingdome of God is peace ioy in the holy ghoste that is not graunted to wicked people Our Lord Iesus Christ wil come to thee and will shew to thee his consolations If thou wilt make ready for him in thy heart a dwelling place that is all that he desireth to haue in thee and there is his pleasure to be There is betwixt almightie God and a deuout soule manye ghostly visitinges sweete inwarde speaking great giftes of grace many consolations muche heauenly peace wonderous familiaritie of the blessed presence of God Therefore thou faythfull soule prepare thy heart to Christe thy spouse that he maye come to thee and dwell in thee for he sayth him selfe VVho so loueth me will keepe my commaundement And my father and I the holy Ghoste shall come to him and we shall make in him our dwelling place Geue therfore to Christ free entrie into thy heart and keepe out all thinges that may let his entrye and when thou haste him thou arte riche ynough and he only shall suffise to thee and then he shalbe thy prouider and defender and thy faythful helper in euery necessitie so that thou shalt not neede to put thy trust in any other without him Man is soone changed lightly falleth away but Christe abideth for euer and stādeth strongly with his louer vnto the ende There is no great trust to be put in man that is but mortall frayle though he be right muche profitable and also much beloued vnto thee nor any great heauines to be taken though he sometime turne and be against thee for they that this day be with thee to morowe may happen to be against thee and may ofte turne as doth the winde Put thy full trust therfore in God and let him be thy loue and dreade aboue all thinges and he will answere for thee and will doe for thee in all thinges as shall be moste needeful and expedient for thee Thou haste here no place of long abiding for wheresoeuer thou become thou arte but a straunger and a pilgrime and neuer shalt thou finde perfect rest til thou be fullye vnited to God VVhy doest thou looke to haue rest here sith this is not thy resisting place Thy ful rest must be in heauenly thinges and all earthly thinges thou mnst beholde as thinges transitorye and shortly passing awaye and be well ware thou cleaue not ouermuche to them least thou be taken with loue of them and in the ende perishe thereby Let thy thought be alway vpward to god direct thy prayers to Christe continually and if thou maye not for frayltie of thy selfe alwaye occupye thy minde in contemplation of the godhead be then occupied with minde of his passion in his blessed woundes make thee a dwelling place And if thou flie deuoutly to the wound of Christes side and to the markes of his passion thou shalt feele great comforte in euery trouble and shalt litle force though thou be openly despised in the world what euil wordes soeuer be spoken of thee they shall litle greeue thee Our maister Christe was despised in the worlde of all men and in his most neede was forsaken of his acquaintaunce and frendes and lefte among shames and rebukes He would suffer wrongs and be nought set by in the world we will not that any person doe vs wrong nor disprayse our deedes Christ had many aduersaryes and backbiters and we would haue all to be our freendes and louers How should thy patience be crowned in heuen if no aduersitie shoulde be fall to thee in earth If thou wilt suffer none aduersitie howe mayest thou be the frende of Christe It behoueth thee to suffer with Christe for Christ if thou wilt reigne with Christ Truely if thou haddest once entred into the bloudy woundes of Iesu and haddest there tasted a litle of his loue thou shouldest litle care for lykinges or mislikinges of the worlde but thou shouldest rather haue greate ioye when wronges and reproufes were done vnto thee for perfecte loue of God maketh a man perfectlye to despise him selfe The true inwarde loue of God that is free from all inordinate affections maye anone turne him selfe freelye to God and lyfte him selfe vp in spirite in contemplation and fruitfullye rest him in Christe Also he to whom all thinges be esteemed as they be and not as they be taken and thought to be of wordly people is very wise and is rather taught of God then of man And he that can inwardly lifte his minde vpwarde to God and litle regard outward thinges needeth not for to seeke for time or place to goe to prayers or to doe other good deedes or vertuous occupations For the ghostlye man may soone gather him selfe together and fixe his minde in God for he neuer suffereth it to be fullye occupied in outward thinges And therefore his outward laboures his worlddlye occupations necessary for the time hinder him not but litle for as they come so he applieth him selfe to them and referreth them alwaye to the will of God Moreouer a man that is well ordred in his soule forceth litle the vnkind demeanour of worldlye people ne yet their proude behauiour As muche as a man loueth anye worldly thinge more then it should be beloued so muche his minde is hindred letted from the true ordinate loue that he should haue to God If thou wexe well purged from all inordinate affections then whatsoeuer should befall to thee should goe to thy ghostlie profite and to the great increasing of grace and vertue in thy soule But the cause why so many thinges displease thee and trouble thee is for that thou art not yet perfectlie dead to the worlde nor thou art not yet fullie seuered from the loue of earthly thinges and nothinge so much defileth the soule as an vncleane loue to creatures if thou forsake to be comforted by worldly thinges outwardlie thou mayest beholde more perfectly heauenlie things and thou shalt then singe continuallie laudes and praysinges to him with great ioye and inwarde gladnes of heart The whiche graunt thee and me the blessed Trinitie Amen Of a meeke knovving of our ovvne defaultes The second Chapter REgarde not muche who is with thee nor who is against thee but be this thy greatest studye that God may be with thee In euery thing that thou doest haue a good conscience and he shall well defende thee and whomsoeuer he will helpe and defende there may no malice hinder ne greeue If thou can be still and suffer a while thou shalt without doubt see the helpe of God come in thy neede He knoweth the time and place howe to deliuer thee and therefore thou must resigne thy selfe wholye to him It pertayneth to him to helpe and deliuer from all confusion Neuerthelesse
how vnwise how vayne and how vncunning thou art when thou desirest any thing beside Iesu truely that desire is more hurtfull to thee than if thou haddest lost all the worlde VVhat may this worlde gene thee but through the helpe of Iesu To be without Iesu is a payne of hel and to be with Iesu is a pleasaunte Paradise If Iesu be with thee there maye no enimie greue thee he that findeth Iesu findeth a great treasure that is best aboue all other treasures and he that Ioseth Iesu loseth verie muche and more than all the world He is most poore that liueth without Iesu and he his moste riche that is with Iesu It is great cunning to be well cōuersaunt with Iesu and to keepe him is right great wisedome Be meke peacefull and Iesu shall be with thee be deuout and quiet and Iesu will abyde with thee Thou mayest anone dryue awaye thy Lorde Iesu and loose his grace if thou applye thy selfe to outwarde thinges and if through negligence of thy selfe thou loose him what freende shalte thou thē haue VVithout a freende thou mayest not long endure and if Iesu be not thy freende moste before all other thou shalt be verie heauye and desolate and be lefte without all perfect frendship And therefore thou doest not wisely if thou trust or ioye in any other thinge beside him VVe shoulde rather choose to haue all the worlde against vs then to offende God and therefore of all that be to thee lefe and dere let thy Lorde Iesu be to thee moste lefe and dere and moste specially beloued to thee aboue all other and let all other be beloued for him and he onelie for him selfe Iesu is onelie to be beloued for him selfe for he onelie is proued good and faythfull before all other freendes In him and for him both enimies and freendes are to be beloued and before all things we ought meekely with all diligence to praye to him that he may be beloued and honoured of all his creatures Neuer couer to be singulerly loued or commended for that belongeth onelye to God which hath none lyke vnto him and desire not that any thinge be occupied with thee in thy harte ne that thou be occupied with loue of any creature but that thy Lorde Iesu may be in thee and in euery good man and woman Be pure cleane inwardly without letting of any creature as nigh as thou canste for it behoueth thee to haue a right cleane and a pure hart to Iesu if thou wilt knowe and feele howe swete he is And verily thou mayst not come to that puritie vnlesse thou be preuēted and drawen through his grace that all other things set apart thou be inwardlye knyt and vnited to him VVhen the grace of God cōmeth to a man then is he made mightie and stronge to doe euery thinge that belongeth to vertue and when grace withdraweth then is he made weake feeble to doe any good deede and is in maner as he were lefte onely to payne and punishmentes And yf it happen so with thee yet dispaire not ouermuch therfore nor leaue not thy good deedes vndone but stande alwaye strōglye after the will of God and turne all thinges that shall come to thee to the laude and praysinges of his name For after winter commeth somer and after the night commeth the daye and after a great tempest sheweth agayne right cleare and pleasaunt weather Of the vvanting of all solace and comfort The 9. Chapter IT is no great thinge to despise mans comfort when the cōfort of God is present but it is a great thinge and that a right great thinge a man to be so stronge in spirit that he may beare the wantinge of them both and for the loue of God and to his honour to haue a readie will to beare as it were a desolation of spirite and yet in nothinge to seeke him selfe nor his owne merites VVhat proofe of vertue is it if a man be mery and deuout in God when grace commeth and visiteth the soule for that houre is desired of euery creature He rideth right safely whom the grace of God beareth supporteth and what maruell is it if he feele no burden that is borne vp by him that is almightie and that is led by the soueraigne guide that is God him selfe VVe be alwaye glad to haue solace consolation but we would hane no tribulation nor we will not lightly cast from vs the false loue of our selfe The blessed Martyr Saint Laurence through the loue of God mightily ouercame the loue of the worlde and of him selfe for he despised all that was likinge and delectable in the worlde And Sixtus the Pope whom he most loued for the loue of God he suffred meekelie to be taken frō him so through the loue of God he ouercame the loue of man for mans comfort he chose rather to folow the will of God Doe thou in like wise and learne to forsake some necessary and welbeloued freende for the loue of God and take it not greeuouslie when thou art left or forsaken of thy freende for of necessitie it behoueth worldlie frendes to be disseuered It behoueth a man to fight long and mightilye to striue with him selfe before he shall learne fully to ouercome him selfe or be able freely and readlly to set all his desires in God VVhen a man loueth him selfe and much trusteth to him self he falleth anone to mans comfortes but the verie true louer of Christe and the diligēt folower of vertue falleth not so lightlye to them neither seeketh much such sensible sweetenes ne such bodely delites but rather is glad to suffer great harde labours paine for the loue of Christ Neuerthelesse when ghostlye comfort is sent to thee of God take to meeklye and geue humble thankes for it but knowe it for certain that it is of the great goodnes of God that sendeth it to thee and not of thy deseruing and looke thou be not therefore lift vp into pride nor that thou ioye much thereof neither presume vainely therein but rather that thou be the more meeke for so noble a gifte and the more warie and fearefull in all thy workes for that time will passe awaye and the time of temptation will shortlye folowe after VVhen comfort is withdrawen dispayre not therefore but meekelye and patiently abide the visitation of God for he is able and of power to geue thee more grace and more ghostly comfort then thou haddest first Suche alteratiō of grace is no new nor straunge thinge to them that haue had experience in the waye of God for in great Saintes and holye prophetes was many times founde like alteration VVherefore the prophete Dauid sayth Ego dixi in abundantia mea non mouebor in aeternum That is to saye VVhen Dauid had aboundance of ghostly comfort he saide to our Lorde that he trusted he should neuer be remoued from such comfort But after when grace withdrewe he saide Auertisti faciem
vnwoorthy al comfort I blesse thee and glorifye thee alwaye with thy onelye begotten sonne and the holy Ghoste without endinge Amen O my Lord God moste faythfull louer when thou commest into my heart all mine inwarde partes doe ioye Thou art my glorie and the ioye of my heart my hope and wholle refuge in all my troubles But forasmuche as I am yet feeble in loue vnperfect in vertue therefore I haue neede of more comforte and helpe of thee Vouchsafe therefore ofte times to visite and instruct me with thy holye teachinges Deliuer me from all euill passions and heale my sicke hart from all inordinate affections that I may be inwardlie healed and purged from all inordinate affections and vices and be made apte and able to loue thee stronge to suffer for thee and stable to perseuer in thee Loue is a great thinge and a good and onelie maketh heauye burdens light and beareth in like balaunce things pleasaūt and displeasant it beareth a heauie burden and feeleth it not and maketh bitter thinges to be sauerie and sweete Also the noble loue of Iesu perfectlie printed in mans soule maketh a man to doe great thinges and stirreth him alwaye to desire perfection and to growe more and more in grace and goodnes Loue will alwaye haue his minde vpwarde to god and will not be occupied with loue of the worlde Loue will also be free from all worldlie affections that the inwarde sight of the soule be not darked or let nor that his affectiō to heauenly thinges be put from his free libertie by inordinat winninge or losinge of worldly thinges Nothinge therefore is more sweete then loue nothinge higher nothinge stronger nothinge larger nothinge ioyfuller nothinge fuller nor any thinge better in heauen or in earth for loue descendeth from God and may not rest finallie in anye thinge lower then God Suche a louer flieth high he runneth swiftlie he is merie in God he is free in soule he geneth all for all and hath all in all for he resteth in one high goodnes aboue all thinges of whom all goodnes floweth and proceedeth the beholdeth not onelee the gifte but the geuer aboue all giftes Loue knoweth no measure but is feruent without measure It feeleth no burden it regardeth no labour it desireth more thē it may attaine it complaineth of none impossibilitie for it thinketh all thinge that maye be done for his beloued possible and lawfull vnto him Loue therefore doth many great thinges and bringeth them to effect wherein he that is no louer fainteth and faileth Loue waketh muche and sleepeth litle and sleepinge sleepeth not it fainteth and is not werie is restrained of libertie and is in great freedome He seeth causes of feare and feareth not but as a quicke bronde or sparkle of fire flameth alwaye vpwarde by feruoure of loue into God through the especiall helpe of grace is deliuered from all perils and daungers He that is thus a ghostlie louer knoweth well what his voyce meanes which sayeth thus Thou Lorde God art my wholle loue and my desire thou art all mine and I all thine Spreade thou my heart into thy loue that I may taste and feele howe sweete it is to serue thee and how ioyful it is to laude thee aud to be as I were all molten into thy loue O I am bounden in loue and go farre aboue my selfe for the wonderfull great feruour that I feele of thy vnspeakeable goodnes I shall singe to thee the songe of loue and I shall folowe thee my beloued by highnes of thought wheresoeuer thou go and my soule shall neuer be werie to prayse thee with the ioyfull songe of ghostlie loue that I shall sing to thee I shall loue thee more then my selfe and not my selfe but for thee and all other in thee and for thee as the lawe of loue commaundeth which is geuen by thee Loue is swifte pure meeke ioyous and glad stronge patient faythfull wise forbearing manlye neuer seeking him selfe nor his owne will for whensoeuer a man seeketh him selfe he falleth fro loue Also loue is circumspect meeke righteous not tender not light nor heedinge vayne thinges sober chaste stable quiet and well stabled in his outwarde wittes Also loue is subiect and obedient to his prelate vile and despisable in his owne sight deuout and thankfull to God trusting and alwaye hoping in him and that whē he hath but litle deuotion or litle sauor in him for without some sorowe or payne no man may lyue in loue He that is not alwaye redy to suffer and to stand fullye at the will of his beloued is not woorthy to be called a louer for it behoueth a louer to suffer gladlye all harde and bitter thinges for his beloued and not to decline from his loue for no contrariou thing that may befall vnto him Of the proufe of a true louer of God The 7. Chapter MY sonne saith our Sauiour Christe thou art not yet a stronge and a wyse louer for whye for a litle aduersitie thou leauest anone that thou haste begon in my seruice and with great desire thou seekest outward consolatiōs But a strong and a faithful louer of God standeth stable in all aduersities and geueth litle heede to the deceitfull persuasions of the enemy and as he pleseth him in prosperitie so he displeaseth him not in aduersitie A wise louer cōsidereth not so much the gifte of his louer as he doth the loue of the geuer He regardeth more the loue then the gifte and accompteth all giftes litle in comparison of his beloued who geueth them to him A noble louer resteth not in the gifte but in me aboue all giftes Furthermore it is not all lost though thou sometime feele lesse deuotion to me and to my Saintes then thou wouldest doe on that other syde the sweete ghostly desire that thou feelest sometime to thy Lord Iesu is the feleable gift of grace geuen to thy comfort in this life a taste of the heauenly glory in the lyfe to come but it is not good that thou leane ouermuch to such cōfortes for they ligthly come and go after the will of the geuer but to striue alwaye without ceassing against all euill motiōs of sinne and to despise all the suggestions of the enemy is a token of perfect loue of great merite singuler grace Let no vanities nor no strange fantasies trouble thee of what matter soeuer they be Keepe thine intent and thy purpose alway whole and strong to me and thinke not that it is an illusion that thou art sodenlie rauished into excesse of minde and that thou art soone after turned agayne to thy fyrst lightnesse of hart for thou suffrest suche lightnesse rather against thy will than with thy will And therefore if thou be displeased therewith it shal be to thee great merite and no perdition I knowe sayth our Lorde that the olde auncient enimie the feende will assay to let thy good wil and to extinct the good desire that thou hast to
but for thine owne deedes thou must needly aunswere VVhy then doest thou medle where it needeth not I see and know euery man and euery thinge vnder the sunne I see and beholde and howe it is with euery person what he thinketh what he willeth and to what ende his worke draweth is open to me And therefore all thinges are to be referred to me Keepe thy selfe alwaye in good peace and suffer him that will alwayes searche another mans life be as busye as he will and in the ende shall fall vpon him as he hath done and sayde for he can not deceaue me whatsoeuer he be If thou admonishe anye person for his soule health looke thou do it not to get the thereby anye name or fame in the worlde nor to haue the familiaritie or pryuate loue of any person for suche thinges cause much vnquietnes of minde and will make thee also to lose the rewarde that thou shouldest haue of God and will bring greate darkenes into thy soule I woulde gladly speake to thee my wordes open to thee the secrete misteries of fraternall correction yf thou wouldest prepare thy soule ready against my cōminge and that thou wouldest open the mouth of thy hearte faithfullye to me Be thou prouident wake diligentlye in prayer humble thy selfe in euery thing and thou shalt finde great comfort in God and litle resistence in thy euen christen In vvhat thing the peace of heart and greatest profite of man standeth The 29. Chapter My sonne saith our Lord Iesu I sayd to my disciples thus My peace I leaue with you my peace I geue you not as the worlde geueth but much more then it maye geue All men desire peace but all men will not do that belongeth to peace My peace is with the meeke and milde in hart and thy peace shall be in much paciēce if thou wilt heare me and folowe my wordes thou shalt haue great plentie of peace O Lorde what shall I doe to come to that peace Thou shalt in all thy workes take good heede what thou doest and sayest and thou shalte set all thy whole intent to please me and nothing shalt thou couet or seeke without me and of other mens deedes thou shalt not iudge presumptuously nor thou shalt not medle with thinges that perteine not to thee if thou do thus it maye be that thou shalt litle or seldome be troubled but neuerthelesse to fele at no time any maner of trouble nor to suffer any heauines in body nor in soule is not the state of this lyfe but of the lyfe to come Thinke not therefore that thou haste found the true peace when thou feelest no greefe nor that all is well with thee when thou hast none aduersitie nor that all is perfect for that euery thing cōmeth after thy minde Nor yet that thou arte great in godds sight or specially beloued of him because thou hast great feruour in deuotion and great sweetnes in contemplation for a true louer of vertue is not knowen by all these thinges nor the true perfection of man standeth not in them VVherein then Lorde In offering of a man with all his hart wholly to God not seking him selfe nor his owne will neyther in greate thinges nor in small in tyme nor in eternitie but that he abide alwaye one and yeelde alwaye like thankes to God for things pleasant and displeasant waying them all in one like balance as in his loue Also if he be strong in God that when inwarde consolation is withdrawen he can yet stirre his harte to suffer more if God so will and yet iustifieth not him selfe nor prayseth him selfe therefore as holye and righteous then he walketh in the very true waye of peace and then he may well haue a sure and a perfect hope and trust that he shall see me face to face in euerlasting ioy and fruition in the kingdome of heauen And if he can come to a perfect and a full contempt and despisinge of him selfe then shall he haue full habundance of rest and peace in the ioye euerlastinge after the measure of his gifte Amen Of the libertie excellencie and vvorthinesse of a free mynde The .30 Chapter LOrde it is the worke of a perfect man not to sequester his minde from the beholding of heauenly thinges and among many cares to go as he were without care not in the maner of an ydle or of a desolate person but by the speciall prerogatiue of a free minde alwaye busy in goddes seruice not cleuinge by inordinate affection to any creature I beseeche thee therefore my Lord Iesu most meeke and mercifull that thou keepe me from the busines and cares of the worlde and that I be not ouermuch inquieted with the necessities of the bodilie kinde nor that I be not taken with the voluptuous pleasures of the worlde and the fleshe and that in likewise thou preserue me from all hinderance of the soule that I be not broken with ouermuch heauines sorow nor worldlye dreade And by these petitions I aske not onelie to be deliuered from such vanities as the world desireth but also from suche miseries as greeue the soule of me thy seruant with the common malediction of mankinde that is with corruption of the bodilie feelinge where with I am so greeued and letted that I maye not haue libertie of spirite to beholde thee when I would O Lorde God that art sweetnes vnspeakeable turne into bitternes to me all fleshlie delites which would drawe me from the loue of eternall thinges to the loue of a short and a vile delectable pleasure Let not the fleshe and bloude ouercome me nor the worlde with his short glory deceyue me nor the fiend with his thousand folde craftes supplant me but geue me ghostlie strength in resistinge patience in sufferinge and constancie in perseueringe Geue me also for all worldlie consolatiōs the most sweete consolations of the holy ghost and for al fleshly loue sende into my soule the loue of thy holy name Lo meat drinke cloathinge and all other necessaries for the body be painefull and troublesome to a feruent spirite which if it might woulde alwaye rest in God in ghostly thinges Graunt me therefore grace to vse such bodilye necessaries temperatlye and that I be not deceaued with ouermuch desire to them To forsake all thinges it is not lawfull for the bodilye kinde must be preserued but to seeke superfluous thinges more for pleasure then for necessitie thy holye lawe prohibiteth for so the fleshe woulde rebel against the spirite VVherfore Lord I beseech thee that thy hande of grace maye so gouerne and teache me that I exceede not by any maner of superfluitie Amen That priuate loue most letteth a man from God The .31 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde it behoueth thee to geue all for all and nothing to keepe to thee of thine owne loue for the loue of thy selfe more hurteth thee then any other thing in this world After thy loue and after thine affection euery thinge
cleaneth to thee more or lesse If thy loue be pure simple and well ordered thou shalte be without inordinate affection to any creature Couete therefore nothing that is not lawfull for thee to haue and haue nothing that may let thee from ghostlye trauayle or that maye take from thee inwarde libertie of soule It is meruail that thou committest not thy selfe fullye to me with all thy heart with all thinges that thou mayest haue or desire VVhye art thou thus consumed with vaine sorowe why art thou weried with superfluous cares Stande at my will and thou shalt finde nothing that shall hurt or hinder thee but if thou seeke this thing or that or wouldest be in this place or in that for thine owne profite and for thine owne pleasure thou shalt neuer be in rest nor euer free from some trouble of minde for in euery place shal be found something that will mislike thee Transitorie thinges when they be had and greatly multiplied in the world do not alway helpe mans soule to peace but rather when they be despysed and fullie cut out of the loue and desire of the hart and that not to be vnderstand onely of golde and siluer and other worldlye riches but also of desire of honours and praysinges of the worlde which shortlye vanisheth and passeth awaye as doth the smoke with the winde the place helpeth little yf the spirite of feruour be awaye Also the peace that a man getteth outwardelye shall not long stande whoâ—e if it be voyde from the true inward peace of hart that is to say though thou chaunge thy place yet it shall litle amende thee vnlesse thou stande stedfast in me for by newe occasions that shall daylie rise thou shalte finde that thou hast fled percase muche more perillous and muche more greuous thinges than the first were A prayer for the purginge of mans soule and for heauenlye vvisdome and the grace of God to be obteyned and had The 32. Chapter COnfirme me Lorde by the grace of the holye ghost and geue me grace to be stronge inwardlye in soule and auoyde out thereof all vnprofitable busines of the worlde and of the fleshe that it may not be led by vnstable desires of earthlie thinges And that I maye beholde all thinges as they be transitorie and of short abidinge and me also to go with them for nothinge vnder the Sun may longe abide but all is vanitie and affliction of spirite O howe wise is he that feeleth and vnderstandeth this to be true that I haue sayde Geue me Lord therefore heauenlye wisedome that I maye learne to seeke thee and to finde thee and aboue all thinges to loue thee and all other thinges to vnderstande and knowe as they be after thorder of my wisedome and none otherwise and geue me grace also wiselie to withdrawe me from them that flatter me and patiently to suffer theÌ„ that greue me for it is great wisedome not to be moued with euery blast of wordes nor to geue eare to him that flattereth as doth the mairmayde The waye that is thus begon shall bring him that walketh in it to a good and a blessed ending Agaynst the euill sayinges of detractours The 33. Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christ thou shalt not take it to griefe because some persons thinke euill or say euill of thee that thou wouldest not gladlye heare for thou shalt yet thinke worse of thy selfe and that no man is so euill as thou arte If thou be well ordred inwardlye in thy soule thou shalt not muche care for suche flyinge wordes And it is no litle wisedome a man to keepe him selfe in silence and in good peace when euill wordes be spoken to him and to turne his heart to God and not to be troubled with mans iudgement Let not thy peace be in the heartes of men for whatsoeuer they say of thee good or bad thou art not therefore a nother man but as thou art thou art VVhere is the true peace and glorie is it not in me yes truely Therefore he that neither desireth to please man nor dreadeth not to displease him shall haue great plentie of peace for of inordinate loue and vaine dread commeth all vnquietnes of heart and vnrestfulnes of minde Hovve almightie God is to be invvarldlye called vnto in time of tribulation The 34. Chapter LOrde thy name be blessed for euer that thou wouldest this temptation and tribulation should fal vpon me I maye not escape it but of necessitie I am driuen to flee to thee that thou vouchsafe to helde me and to turne all into gohstlye profite O Lorde I am nowe in trouble it is not well with me for I am greatly vexed with this present passion And nowe moste best beloued father what shall I say I am nowe taken with anguishes and troubles on euerye side saue me in this houre but I trust that I am come into this houre that thou shalt be lauded and praysed when I am perfectlye made meeke before thee and that I am clerely deliuered by thee be it therfore pleasaunt to thee to deliuer me For what may I most sinneful wretch doe or whither may I goe without thee Giue me patieÌ„ce nowe at this time in all my troubles helpe me my Lord God and I shall not feare ne dread what troubles soeuer fall vpon me And nowe what shal I say but that thy will be done in me I haue deserued to be troubled greeued and therefore it behoueth that I suffer as long as it shall please thee but woulde to God that I might suffer gladlye till the furious tempestes were ouerpassed and that quietnes of hart might come againe Thy mightie hande Lorde is stronge ynough to take this trouble from me and to aswage the cruel assaults thereof that I doe not vtterly fayle as thou hast ofte times done to me before this time the more harde that it is to me the more light it is to thee And when I am clerely deliuered by thee then shall I saye This is the changing of the right hande of him that is highest that is the blessed Trinitie to whom be ioye honour and glorye euerlastingly Amen Of the helpe of God to be asked and of a full trust to recouer through deuout prayer our former grace The .35 Chapter My sonne I am the Lorde that sendeth comfort in tyme of tribulation come therefore to me when it is not well with thee This is it that letteth thee most that thou turnest thee ouer slowlie to me for before thou pray hartilie to me thou seekest many other comforts and refreshest thy spirites in outwarde thinges And therefore all that thou doest litle auayleth thee til thou canst beholde and see that I am he that sendeth comfort to all that faithfully doe call to me and that there is not without me any profitable counsayle nor perfect remedie But nowe take a good spirite to thee and after thy troubles be thou comforted in me in the light of my mercie
thee naked and verie poore and voyde of thine owne will els howe maiest thou be mine and I thine but if thou be cleerely berefte within and without of thine owne will And the sooner that thou canst bringe it about so muche the sooner shall it be better with thee the more perfectlye and the more cleerely that thou canst doe it the more fully shalt thou please me and the more shalt thou winne Some persons resigne theÌ„ selues vnto me but it is with some exception for they trust not fullye to me and therefore they studye to prouide for theÌ„ selues And some at the beginning offer thous to me but after when any temptation commeth they soone turne agayne to their owne will and to that which they promised to forsake and therefore they profite litle in vertue And truely such persons shall neuer come to perfect clennes and to freedome of heart nor to the grace of familiaritie with me but through a perfect forsakinge of them selues and through a dayly offering of them and all that they haue wholly to me for without that maye no man haue perfect fruition and vnitinge with me I haue sayde to thee many times before and yet I say to thee againe forsake thy selfe and resigne thy selfe whollye to me and thou shalt haue great inward peace in me Geue all for all and nothinge keepe to thy selfe of thine owne will but stand purelye and stably in me and thou shalt haue me and thou shalt be so free in heart and in soule that darkenes of conscience nor thraldome of sinne shall euer haue power in thee Endeuour thy selfe therefore to get this freedome of spirite that I speake of pray for it studie for it and alwaye desire in thy harte that is to saye that thou mayest clerely be spoyled and bereft of all propertie and of thine owne will that thou beeing naked of all wordly thinges mayest folowe me that honge naked for thee vpon the Crosse that thou mayest dye to thy selfe to all worldlye thinges also as in thy loue and blessedly to liue to me Then if thou doe thus al vanities all vaine fantasies and all superfluous cares of the world and of the fleshe shall faile and fade and go awaye Then also immoderate dread and inordinate loue shall dye in thee and thou shalt blessedly lyue in me and I in thee Amen Hovve a man shall rule him selfe in outvvarde things and hovve he ought to call to God for helpe in all perils aud daungers The .43 Chapter OVr Lorde Iesu sayeth to his seruant thus Thou oughtest to take heede diligentlye that in euery place in euery deede and in euery outwarde occupation that thou doest thou be inwardlye free in thy soule and haue the rule ouer thy selfe and that all thinges be vnder thee as in thy loue and thou not vnder them but that thou be the Lorde gouernoure ouer thy deedes not as a seruaÌ„t or a bond man but rather exempted as a true Hebrewe that is to saye as a true christien man goinge into the number and into the freedome of the children of God which stand vpoÌ„ things present and looke towardes thinges euerlasting and beholde thinges transitorye with their lefte eye and thinges euerlastinge with their right eye whome worldlie goodes can not drawe downe to the loue of them but they rather drawe worldlie goodes to serue in suche wise as they be ordeyned to of God and as they be instituted to doe by the high maker of all thinges which leaueth nothing inordinate in his creatures Also if thou stande in euery aduenture and doubt that shal happen to thee not to the iudgment of thy outwarde apperance but anone in euery suche doubt thou entrest into thine owne soule by deuout prayer as Moyses did into the tabernacle to aske counsell of God thou shalte heare anone the aunswere of our Lorde which shall instruct thee sufficientlye in many thinges both present that are to come It is reade that Moyses had alwaye recourse to the tabernacle of God for doubtes and questions to be assolied and that he there asked the helpe of God through deuout prayer for the perils and daungers aswell of him selfe as of the people So shouldest thou enter into the secrete tabernacle of thine owne heart there aske inwardlie with good deuotion the helpe of God in all such doubtes perils VVe reade that Iosue and the children of Israel were deceaued of the Gabaonites because they gaue light credence to their sayinges did not firste aske counsaile of God as they should haue done and so by the fayre wordes of the Gabaonites and thorough a false pitie Iosue and the children of Israel were illuded and greatlie deceaued That a man shoulde not be importune in his busines The .44 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde coÌ„mit alwaye thy cause to me and I shall well dispose it for thee wheÌ„ time shal come Abide mine ordinaunce and direction and thou shalte finde thereby great profite and helpe O Lorde gladlie will I commit all thinges to thee for it is litie that I can doe for my selfe VVould to God that I did not cleaue to desires of worldlie thinges but that I might alwaye offer my selfe whollye to thy will and pleasure My sonne so it is good for thee to doe for often times a man that trusteth muche in him selfe and in his owne will setteth his minde muche to bringe about this thinge or that as he desireth but when he hath attayned that he desireth theÌ„ beginneth he to feele all otherwise of it then he did before for the affections and desires of man be not alwaye one but ofte driue a man from one thinge to another Therefore it is no small thinge a man fullie to forsake him selfe though it be in right litle and small thinges For truelie the verie perfection of man is a perfect denyinge and a full forsakinge of himselfe And suche a man is verie free beloued for God But the olde auncient enemye the fiende which resisteth goodnes all that he maye ceasseth not longe from temptation but daye and night he maketh greeuous assaultes to see if he maye catche any vnware person into his snare of deceit Therefore wake ye and praye that ye be not deceaued by temptation That man hath no goodnes of him selfe and that he may not rightfully glorifye him selfe in any thing The 45. Chapter O Lorde what is man that thou doest vouchsafe to haue minde on him Or what hath he done for thee that thou wilt visit him with grace And what may he coÌ„playne although thou sometime forsake him Or what maye I righteouslye saye though thou graunt me not that I aske Truely I may well thinke and say thus I am nought nor I haue no goodnes of my selfe but in all thinges I am of my selfe al insufficieÌ„t and go to nought and but if I be holpen of thee and be inwardlie informed and taught by thee I shall be altogether sâ—outhfull and to all
thinge vnprofitable O Lorde thou arte alwaye one euer shalt be one alway good alway righteous and holy well righteously and blessedly disposing all thinges after thy wisedome but I wretche that alway am more redy prone to euill then to good am not alwaye abidinge in one for seuen times be chaunged vpon me Neuerthelesse it shall be better with me when it shall please thee to put to thy helpinge hand for thou onely act he that without man mayest helpe me and so coÌ„firme and stable me in thee that mine heart shall not so lightlie be changed from thee but that it maye be wholly fired in thee and finallye to rest in thee And verilye if I coulde cast awaye from me all mans comfort either for getting of deuotion or for that I am compelled therto of necessitie for that I finde no comfort in man then might I well trust in thy grace to haue of thee newe visitations newe heauenlie consolation But I confesse it for truth that I am vnworthy to haue anye suche consolations and I thanke thee as ofte as anye good thinge commeth to me for all that is good coÌ„meth of thee I am but vanitie and nought before thee an vnconstant man and a feeble and therefore whereof maye I righteously glorifie my selfe or why should I looke to be magnified Truelye vaine glorie is a perillous sickenes a greeuous pestilence a right great vanitie for it draweth a man from the true ioy that he should haue in God and robbeth him cleerelye of all heauenly grace For when a man pleaseth him selfe he displeaseth thee when he delighteth in mans praysinges he is depriued from the true vertues for the true stedfast ioye gladnes is to ioye in thee not in him selfe in thy name and not in his owne vertue nor in anye creature Therefore thy name be praysed and not mine thy workes be magnified and not mine and thy goodnes be alwaye blessed so that nothing be geuen to me of the laude and praysing of man Thou art my glory and the ioy of my hart in thee shall I be glorified and alway shall I ioy in thee and in my selfe nothinge but in my infirmities Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge them selues but I will seeke none but that is onely of thee for all mans glory all temporall honour and all worldlye highnes to thy eternall glorye compared is but as foolishnes and a great vanitie O truth O mercy O blessed trinitie to thee be laude honour and glory euerlastingly Amen Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised The 46. Chapter My sonne take it not to greefe though thou see other men honoured and exalted and thy selfe despised set at nought If thou raise vp thine hart to me in heaueÌ„ the despites of man in earth shall litle greeue thee O Lord we be here in great darknes and are soone deceyued with vanities but verilie if I beheld my selfe well I should openlie see that there was neuer any wrong done to me by any creature nor that I haue nothing wherof I maye righteoussie complayne But for as muche as I haue ofte sinned and greeuouslie offended against thee therefore all creatures be armed against me To me therefore is due confusion and despite to thee lande honour and glorye And vnlesse I can bring my selfe to this point that I woulde gladlye be despised and forsaken of all creatures vtterlye to seeme as nought in the worlde I may not be inwardlye pacified nor stablished in thee nor spirituallie be illumined nor yet fully vnited to thee That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people The 47. Chapter My sonne if thou set thy peace with anye person for thyne owne pleasure or worldlye frendshippe thou shalt alway be vnstable and neuer shalte thou be coÌ„tented but if thou haue alway recourse to the truth euerlasting that is God himselfe then the death or goinge awaye of thy dearest freende whatsoeuer he be shall litle greue thee The loue of thy frend ought alwaye to be referted to me and for me he is to be beloued howe good and howe profitable soeuer he seme vnto thee in this life VVithout me freÌ„dship is nought worth nor maye not long endure nor that loue is not true and cleane that is not knit by me Thou oughtest therefore to be so mortified in all such affections of worldlie men that in as much as in thee is thou wouldest couete to be without all mans comfort So muche a man draweth nerer to God as he can withdrawe hym selfe from the worlde and from all worldlie comfort and so muche the more he ascendeth higher to God as he can descend lower in him selfe and as he can waxe vile and abiect in his owne sight He that ascribeth any goodnes to him selfe withstandeth the grace of God and letteth it to liue in him for the grace of the holye ghoste seeketh alwaye a meeke and an humble heart If thou couldest perfectly annihilate thy selfe and whollie put out of thy heart all humane and create loue then shoulde I sayth our Lorde dwell in thee with great aboundaunce of my grace But when thou lookest to creatures then is righteouslie drawen from thee the sight of thy Creator Learne therefore to ouercome thy selfe for the loue of him that made thee like to hym selfe and thou shalt anone come to great ghostlie knowledge Howe lytle soeuer the thinge be that a man loueth yf he loue it inordinatlie it hindreth and letteth him greatlie from the true and perfect loue that he shoulde haue to God That vve should eschevv vayne seculer cunninge The .48 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde let not fayre and subtil wordes moue thee for the kingdome of heauen standeth not in wordes but in good vertuous workes Take hede to my wordes for they enflame the harte and lighten the vnderstandinge and bringe in also compunction of harte for sinnes past and cause also ofte times great heauenlie comfort sodenly to come into the soule Reade neuer in any scieÌ„ce to the inteÌ„t thou wouldest be called wise but studie rather to mortifie in thee all stirringes of sinnes as much as in thee is that shall be more profitable to thee than the knowledge of many harde and subtill questions VVhen thou hast reade and vnderstoode many doubtes yet neuerthelesse it behoueth thee to come to one that is beginninge of all thinges that is God him selfe and els thy knowledge shall litle auayle thee I am he that teacheth a maÌ„ cuÌ„ning do giue more vnderstaÌ„ding to meeke persons than can be taught by maÌ„s teaching And he to whom I speake sâ—al soone be made wise much shall he profit in spirite when payne and wo shall be to them that onelie seeke for curious learninge takinge litle heede to the waye to serue God The time shall come when Christ Lorde of Angels and master of all masters shall appere to heare the lesson of euery creature and to examine the conscience of euery person and then shall
other all that we heare or see nor to open our hart fullye but to very fewe and to seeke thee alway that art the beholder of mans hart not so be moued with euery flake of wordes but to desire in harte that all thinges in vs inwardly and outwardlye may be fulfilled after thy will howe sure a thinge is it also for the keepinge of heauenlye grace to flee the conuersation of worldly people all that we may and not to desire thinges that seeme outwardly to be pleasaunt and liking but with all the studye of our hart to seeke such thinges as bring in feruour of spirit and amendement of life It hath bene truelie a great hurte to many persons a vertue knowen ouer timelie praysed and contrariwise it hath beene right profitable to some a grace kept in silence and not lightlie reported to other in this frayle life that is full of temptation and priule enuie That vve shall put all our confidence in God vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord stande stronglie and truste faythfully in me VVhat be wordes but winde they flye in the ayre out they hurte neuer a stone on the grounde And if thou knowe thy selfe not giltie thinke that thou wilt suffer gladlie suche wordes for God It is but a litle thinge for thee to suffer sometime a hastie worde sith thou art not yet able to suffer harde strokes But why is it that so litle a thinge goeth so nigh thy heart but that thou art yet fleshelie and carnall and heedest to please men more then thou shouldest And because thou dreadest to be despised thou wilt not gladlie be reproued of thine offences and thou searchest therefore busilie and with great studie how thou mayest be excuâ—ed But behoulde thy selfe well and thou shalt see that the worlde yet liueth in thee and a vaine loue also to please man VVhen thou refusest to be rebuked and punished for thy defaultes it appereth euidentlie that thou art not yet soothfastlie meeke nor that thou art not yet deade to the worlde nor the worlde to thee yet truelye crucified But heare my wordes and thou shalt not neede to eare for the wordes of ten thousand men Loe yf all thinges were sayde against thee that might be most maliciouslie and vntruelie fayned against thee what shoulde they huit if thou suffered them to ouerpasse goe awaye truelie no more then a strawe vnder thy foote one heare of thy head they might not take from thee But he that hath not a manâ— heart inwardly nor setteth not God before the eye of his soule is soone moued with a sharpe word wheÌ„ he that trusteth in me will not stand to his owne iudgement shall be free froÌ„ all mans dreade for I am the Iudge that knoweth all secrettes I knowe howe euery thinge is done and I know also both him that doth the wroÌ„g and him that it is done to Of me this thinge is wrought and by my sufferaÌ„ce it is come about that the thoughtes of mennes heartes maye be knowen and when the time commeth I shall iudge both the innocent and hym that is giltie But firste through my righteous examination I will proue them bothe The witnes of man ofte times deceaueth but my iudgement alwaye is true and shall not be subuerted And howbeit it is sometime hid and not knowen but to fewe yet it is euer true and erreth not neither may erre though in the sigâ—â— of some persons it seemeth not so Therefore in euery doubt it behoueth to runne to me and not to leane muche to thine owne reason but with euery thinge that I shall sende thee to be content for a righteous man is neuer troubled with any thinge that I shall suffer to fall vnto him insomuch that though a thing were vntruelie spoken against him he shoulde not muche care for it neither shoulde he muche ioye though he were sometyme reasonablye excused for he thinketh alwayeâ— that I am he that searcheth mans hart and that I iudge not after the outwarde apperance for ofte times it shall be founde in my sight woorthy to be blamed that in mans sight seemeth muche woorthy to be praysed O Lord God most righteous Iudge stronge and patient which knowest the frayltie and malice of man be thou my strength and wholle coÌ„fort in all my necessities for mine owne conscience Lorde suffiseth me not for thou knowest in me that I knowe not And therefore in euery reproufe I ought alway to meeken my selfe and patiently to suffer all thinges in charitie after thy pleasure Forgeue me Lorde as ofte as I haue not so done and geue me grace of greater sufferaunce in time to come Thy mercy is more profitable and more sure maye for me to the gettinge of pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes then a trust in mine owne workes through defence of my darke conscience And though I dreede not my conscience yet I may not therefore iustifie my selfe for thy mercie remoued and taken awaye no man maye be iustified nor appere righteous in thy syght Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come The .52 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord be not broken by impatieÌ„ce with the labour that thou hast taken for my sake nor suffer thou not tribulatioÌ„ to cast thee in dispaire nor into vnreasonable heauines or anguishe in any wise but be thou comforted strengthed in euery chaunce by my promises behests for I am able and of power to rewarde thee and other my seruauntes aboundantlie more then ye can thinke or desire Thou shalt not laboure long here nor alwaye be greeued with heauines tary a while my promises and thou shalt shortlye see an ende of all thy troubles One hour shall come when all thy labours and troubles shall ceasse and truely that hour will shortlye come for all is short that passeth with time Doe therefore as thou doest labour busily and faithfullye in my vineyarde and I shal shortly be thy reward VVrite reade singe mourne be still and pray and suffer gladlye aduersitye for the kingdome of heauen is more woorth then all these thinges and much more greater thinges then they are Peace shall come one daye which is to me knowen and that shall not be the day of this lyfe but a day euerlastinge with infinite cleerenes stedfast peace and sure rest without ending And then thou shalt not saye VVho shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death neither shalt thou neede to crie woe is me that my comming to the kingdome of heauen is thus prolonged For death shal then de destroyed and health shall be without ende of bodye soule insomuch that no maner of vnrestfulnes shall be but blessed ioye and moste sweetest and fayrest companye O if thou sawest the euerlastinge crownes of my Saintes in heauen in howe great ioye and glorye they are that sometime seemed to be vile persons and as
like to mens fables for they be in them selues soothfast true But what haue I done Lorde that thou wilt vouchsafe to geue me any heauenly consolation I knowe not that I haue done anye thing well as I should haue done but that I haue bene prone and readie to sinne and slowe to amendment This is true and I can not deny it for if I would deny it thou shouldest stand against me and no man might defend me VVhat haue I then deserued but hell and euerlastinge fire I confesse for truth that I am woorthy in this worlde of shame and despite and that it becommeth not me to be conuersant with deuout people And though it be greeuous to me to say thus yet sith the truth is so I wil confesse the truth as it is and openlye will reproue my selfe of my defaultes that I may the rather obteine of thee mercy forgeuenes But what maye I then say Lorde that thus am giltie and full of cōfusion truely I haue no mouth nor tonge to speake but onely this word I haue sinned Lorde I haue sinned haue mercy on me forgeue me and forget my trespasse suffer me a litle that I maye weepe waile my sinnes or that I passe hence to the lande of darknes couered with the shadowe of death And what doest thou Lord aske most of such a wretched sinner but that he be contrite and meeken him selfe for his sinne for in true contrition meekenes of heart is found the very hope of forgeuenes of sinne and the troubled conscience is therby cleered and the grace before lost is recouered agayne Man also is thereby defended fro the wrath to come almightie God and the penitente soule mete louinglie together in holie kissinges of heauenlye loue A meeke contrition of heart is to thee Lorde a right acceptable Sacrifice more sweetlie sauouringe in thy sight then burnynge incence It is also the precious oyntment that thou wouldest should be shed vpon thy blessed feete for a meeke and contrite heart thou neuer despisest This contrition is the place of refuge from the dreade and wrath of the enemie and therby is washed clensed whatsoeuer is before misdone or that is defiled through sinne in any maner That grace vvill not be mixt vvith loue of vvorldlye thinges The .58 Chapter My sonne grace is a precious thing and will not be mixte with anye priuate loue nor with worldlye comfortes It behoueth thee therefore to caste awaye all lettinges of grace if thou wilt haue the gratious gift thereof Those therefore a secrete place and loue to be alone and keepe thee from hearinge of vayne tales and fables and offer to God deuout prayers and praye hartily that thou mayest haue a contrite hart and a pure conscience Thinke al the world as naught and preferre my seruice before all other thinges for thou mayest not haue minde on me and therwithall delite thee in transitorie pleasures It behoueth thee therefore to withdrawe thee from thy deerest freendes and from all thine acquaintaunce and to sequester thy minde whollie fro the inordinate desire of all worldlye comfort as muche as thou mayest Thus prayed Saint Peter that all Christien people might holde them selues as strangers and as pilgrimes vpō earth for then they shoulde not set but litle price by the comfort thereof O howe suce a trust shall it be to a man at his departinge out of this world to feele inwardlie in his soule that no worldlie loue nor yet the affection of no passinge or trāsitorie thinge hath any rule in him But a weake feeble person newlie turned to God may not so lightlie haue his hart seuered from earthlie likinge nor the beastlie man knoweth not the freedome of a man that is inwardly turned to god And therefore if a man will perfectlie be spirituall and ghostlie he must aswell renounce strangers as kinsfolke and speciallie before all other that he be moste ware of him selfe for if he ouercome him selfe perfectlie he shall the sooner ouercome all other enimies The moste noble and most perfecte victorie is a man to haue the victorie of him selfe He therefore that holdeth him selfe so muche subiect that the sensualitie obeyeth to reason and reason in all thinges obeyeth to me he is the true ouercommer of hym selfe and the Lorde of the worlde But if thou couet to come to that point thou must beginne manfullie and set thy axe to the roote of the tree and fullie to cut awaye and to destroye in thee all the inordinate inclination that thou haste to thy selfe or to any priuate or materiall thinge for of that vice that a man loueth him selfe inordinatlie well nigh dependeth all that ought groundlie to be destroyed in man And if that be truely ouercome anone shall folowe great tranquilitie and peace of conscience But forasmuch as there be but fewe that labour to die to them selues nor to ouercome them selues perfectlie therefore they lye still in their fleshlie feelinges and worldlie comfortes and may in no wise rise vp in spirite aboue them selues for it behoueth him that will be free in heart haue cōtēplatiō of me to mortifie all his euill inclinations that he hath to him selfe to the world not to be bounde to any creature by any inordinate or priuate loue Of the diuersities and diuers mouinges betvvene nature and grace The 59. Chapter My sonne take good heede of the motions of nature and grace for they be verie subtil and much contrary the one to the other and hardlie may they be knowen asonder but it be by a ghostly man that through spirituall grace is inwardlye lightned in soule Euerye man desireth some goodnes and pretendeth somewhat of goodnes in all his wordes and deedes and therfore vnder pretence of goodnes many be deceaued Nature is wylie and full of deceit and draweth many to her whom she often times snareth and deceyueth euer beholdeth her owne wealth as the ende of her worke But grace walketh simplye without dereyte she declineth from all euill she pretendeth no gyle but all thinges she doth purelye for God in whom finallye she resteth Nature will not gladlye dye nor gladlye be oppressed or ouercome neither will she gladlye be vnder other ne be kept in subiection but grace studieth howe she may be mortified to the world and to the flesh She resisteth sensualitie she seeketh to be subiecte she desireth to be ouercome she will not vse her owne libertie she loueth to be holden vnder holy discipline and coueteth not to haue lordship ouer anye one creature but to lyue and to stande alway vnder the dreade of God and for his loue is alwaye readie to bowe her selfe meekely to euery creature Nature laboureth for her owne profite and aduantage muche beholdeth what winning commeth to her by other But grace beholdeth not what is profitable to her selfe but what is profytable to manye Nature receaueth gladlye honour and reuerence but grace referreth all honour and reuerence to God Nature dreadeth
reprouinges and despising but grace ioyeth for the name of god to suffer theÌ„ both and take them when they come as speciall giftes of God Nature loueth idlenes and fleshlie rest but grace can not be ydle without doeinge some good deede and therefore she seeketh gladlye some profitable labours Nature desireth faire thinges and curious and abhorreth vile thinges and grosse but grace delighteth in meke and simple thinges she despiseth not harde thinges nor refuseth not to be clad in poore olde clothing and simple garmentes Nature beholdeth gladlie thinges temporall she ioyeth at worldlie winninges is heauie for worldlie leesinges and anone is moued with a sharpe word but grace beholdeth things euerlastinge and trusteth not in thinges temporall nor is not troubled with the losse of theÌ„ nor she is not grreeued with a frowarde worde for she hath layde her treasure in God and in ghostlie thinges whiche may not perishe Nature is couetous more gladlie taketh than geueth and loueth muche to haue propertie and priuate thinges but grace is pitifull and liberall to the poore she flieth singuler profite she is content with litle and iudgeth it more blessed to geue then to take Nature inclineth to the loue of creatures to the loue of the fleshe and to vanities and runnings about and to see newe thinges in the worlde but grace draweth a man to the loue of God and to the loue of vertues she renounceth all creatures she flieth the world she hateth desires of the fleshe restrayneth libertie and wandringes about and escheweth asmuch as she may to be seene among recourse of people Nature hath gladlye some outwarde solace wherein she maye faylably delight in her outwarde wittes but grace seeketh onelie to be comforted in God and to delight her in his goodnes aboue all thinges Nature doth all thinges for her owne winninge and singuler profite she may doe nothinge free but hopeth alwaye to haue like profite or better or laude or fauour of the people and coueteth much that her deedes and workes be greatlie pondred and praysed but grace seeketh no temporall thing nor none other reward for her hire but onely God she will no more of teÌ„porall goodes then shall neede for the gettinge of the goodes euerlastinge and careth not for the vayne prayse of the worlde Nature ioyeth greatlie in many freendes kinsfolkes and is glorified much of a noble place of birth and of her noble bloud and kinred she ioyeth with mightie men she flattereth riche men and is merie with them that she thinketh like to her in noblenes of the worlde but grace maketh a man to loue his enemies she hath no pride in worldlie freendes she regardeth not the noblenes of kynne ne the house of her father but if the more vertue be there she fauoureth more the poore then the riche she hath more compassion of an innoceÌ„t then of a mightie man she ioyeth euer in truth and not is falsehoode and alwaye comforteth good men more and more to profite and growe in vertue and goodnes and to seeke daylie more higher giftes of grace that they may through good vertuous workes be made like to the sonne of God Nature complayneth anone for wantinge of a right litle thing that she woulde haue or for a litle worldlie heauines but grace beareth gladlie all needines and wantinges of the worlde Nature inclynethe all thinges to her selfe and to her owne profite as much as she maye she argueth for her selfe and striueth and fighteth for her selfe but grace rendreth all thinges to God of whom all thinges doe flowe and springe originallie She ascribeth no goodnes to her selfe nor presumeth of her selfe she striueth not nor preferâ—eth her opinion before other mens but in euery sentence she submitteth her meeklie â—o the eternall wisedome and iudgement of God Nature coueteth to knowe and to here newe secret thinges she will that her workes be shewed outwarldlie and will haue experience of manye thinges in the worlde by her outwarde wittes she desyreth also to be knowen and to doe great thinges in the worlde whereof laude and praysinge maye folowe but grace careth not for anye newe thinges nor for anye curyous thinges whatsoeuer they be for she knoweth well that all suche vanities commeth of the corruption of sinne and that no newe thinge maye longe endure vpon earth She teacheth also to restraine the outwarde wittes and to eschewe all vayne pleasure and outwarde shewinge and meekelie keepeth secrete thinges that in the worlde were greatlie to be meruayled and praysed And in euerie thinge and in euerie science she seeketh some spirituall profite to her selfe and laude and honour to almightie God She will not that her good deedes nor her inwarde deuotion be outwardly knowen but most desireth that our Lorde be blessed in all his workes which geueth all thinges freelie of his high excellent charitie This grace is a light supernaturall and a spirituall gifte of God and it is the proper marke and token of elect people and an earnest penie of the euerlastinge life for it rauisheth a man fro loue of earthlie thinges to the loue of heauenlie thinges and of a fleshlie liuer maketh an heauenlie person and the more that nature is oppressed and ouercome the more grace is geuen and the soule thorough newe gratious visitations is daylye reformed more and more to the image of God Of the corruption of nature and the vvorthynes of grace The .60 Chapter O Lorde which haste made me to thine image and likenes graunt me this grace that thou haste shewed to me to be so great and so necessarye to the health of my soule that I may ouercome this wretched nature which draweth me alwaye to sinne and to the losinge of mine owne soule I feele in my fleshe the lawe of sinne fighting strongly against the lawe of my spirite which leadeth me as a thral or bondman to obey to sensualitye in manye thinges and I may not resist the passioÌ„s therof but if thy grace doe assist me therin I haue therefore great neede of thy grace and that of the great aboundaunce of thy grace If I should ouercome this wretched nature which alwaye fro my youth hath bene readie prone to sinne For after that nature was vitiate befiled by the sinne of the first man Adam the payne thereof descended into all his posteritie so that that nature which in the first creatioÌ„ was good righteous is nowe taken for sinne and corruption so farre forth that the motioÌ„s that are now lefte vnto nature drawe man alwaye vnto euill And that is for this reason for that the litle strength and mouinge to goodnes that yet remayneth in it is as a litle sparcle of fire that is hid and ouerhilled with ashes that is to saye the naturall reason of man which is all about belapped and ouerhilled with darkenes of ignoraunce whiche neuerthelesse hath power yet to iudge betwixt good and bad and to shewe the distance and diuersitie betwixt true and false Howbeit that
beautie that was deformed through sinne returneth agayne and the grace of this Sacrament sometime is so much that of the fulnes of deuotion that commeth thereby not onelie the minde but also the feeâ—le bodye recouer their former strength But verilye it is greatlie to be sorowed that we be so slowe and negligent and that we be stirred with no more affection to receyue Christ then we be for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued He is our health and our redemption he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen And it is also greatly to be sorowed that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie which gladdeth the heauen and preserueth all the world Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent and taketh litle heede thereto If this blessed Sacrament were ministred onelie in one place coÌ„secrate but by one priest in the world with how great desire thinkest thou the people would runne to that place and to that Priest that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries Nowe there be manye priestes and Christe is offred in many places that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde thankinges be to thee therefore my Lord Iesu that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie sayinge come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament The second Chapter O My Lorde Iesu trustinge in thy great goodnes mercye I come to the as a sicke man to him that shall heale him and as he that is hungrye thirstie to the fountayne of life that is needie to the Kinge of heauen as a seruaunt to his Lord a creature to his creator and as a desolate persoÌ„ to his meeke and blessed comfortour But howe is it that thou commest to me who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature Thou knowest thy seruant and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him seâ—â—e whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him I confesse therefore mine owne vnworthines and I knowledge thy goodnes I prayse thy pietie and yeelde thee thankings for thy great charitie Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes not for my merites that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare thy charitie the more largelie be shewed and thy meekenes the more highlie be commeÌ„ded Therefore because this pleaseth thee and thou hast coÌ„maunded that it shoulde thus be done thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not O my Lorde Iesu howe great reuerence and thankinges with perpetuall praysinges of thy name ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie whose dignitie no man is able to expresse But what shall I thinke in this communion and in goeinge to my Lorde God whom I can not worship as I ought to doe and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly But what may I think better or more healthfull to me then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee exaltinge thy infinite goodnes farre aboue me I laude thee my Lord God and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie I despise my selfe and submit me to thee and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie Thou arte the Saint of all Saints and I am the filth of all sinners and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me that am not worthye to looke towarde thee Thou commest to me thou wilt be with me thou biddest me to thy feast thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate and this Angelles foode to eate which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which desceÌ„dest from heauen and geuest lyfe to the worlde Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth and howe great goodnes shineth vpon vs and howe great thankes prayses are due to thee therfore O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it wheÌ„ thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten O Lorde howe meruailous is thy worke howe mightie is thy vertue and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth By thy worde all thinges were made and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded It is a meruaylous thinge worthy to be beleeued and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man that thou Lorde that art God and very man art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine and art eaten without consuminge of him that taketh thee and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges and that needest nothing in this world wouldest by this glorious Sacrament dwell in vs kepe thou mine heart my body immaculate that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times celebrate thy misteries and receiue them to my euerlastinge health which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour perpetuall memory O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift and so singuler a coÌ„fort left to thee in this vale of misery for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery takest the body of Christe so ofte thou workest the worke of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished the greatnes of his mercy is neuer consumed and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health It shoulde seeme to thee as newe and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort when thou singest masse or hearest it as if Christe the same daye first entred into the wombe of the virgin and were made man or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse for the health of mankinde That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled The .3 Chapter LOrde I come to the to theÌ„de that it maye be well with me through thy gifte and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great goodnes haste made redy for me In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire for thou art my health my redemption my hope my strength my honour and glorie Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house that I may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee and to be accompanied amonge the children