conuersaunt with company of honest name and fame feythfull and ferueâ— in the loue of god And contrarye wyse it is grâ—â—oê° to be accompanyed with tho that be disordered bothe to god and man that nouther as louerâ—â—â— feithfull subiectes haue complenisshed those 〈◊〉 that thei be called to Howe inconuenient 〈◊〉 is a ê‘sone to be neclygent in those thynges that he is called to of our lorde and to gyue hede to those thynges that he is nat bounde to Reduce to thy remembraunce the state of thy perfeccion that thou â—â—t called to the ymitacion of iesu criste or seruice CoÌ„sider well his life how ferre thy life discordeth therfro thou shalt fide thy selfe no good dyscyple nor scoler hut rather a â—â—uynde or a postata That relygious soule that deuoutly exercyseth it selfe iÌ„ the lyse and passioÌ„ of oure lorde shall fynde therin all thynges ê‘fitable necessarie for it habundauntly shall nat nede to seche any better thinge than in thys lyfe is conteined O that soule that myght alweye haue the remembraÌ„ce of Iesu crucifyed how sone sufficiently shulde yt be enfourmed with knowlege necessarie A feruent rely gius soule paciently suffreth obserueth those thynges that be coÌ„maunded to it And a necligente a remysse religious soule hath tribulacy on vpon trybulacion and suffreth anguy sshe tribulacy on on euery party that is for it lacketh inly coÌ„solvcyon and is cestrayned from ourwarde coÌ„fort That relyyious persone that lyuethe without discyplene is redy to fall to ruyne And that man that euer seketh more large maner ane liberte in his lyfe shall be alwey in anguyss he trouble and euershal dysplese hym outher that lyfe that he hath begonne or elles for he hath lefte a better Take hede howe many religious people for the loue of god euerlastiÌ„ge ioye liberte nowe obediently lyueth vnder the rule of strayte religion They be withdrawen from the worlde and desyre nat to be greatly conuersaunte with the worlde they be porely fedde content wyth vyle grosse clochynge they labour moche speke but lytell superfluously they watche longe and sone ryse longe in prayer and holy redynge of frutfull doctrine and that they may come to euerlastynge liberte They kepe theyr selfe fro the space of thys shorte lyfe vnder obedience and in pryson CoÌ„syder the holy orders of relygyon bothe of men women as those of the charterhouse obseruauntis minors â—â—minores holy ankours ankeres how besily thei â—bouâ— nyght day to plese serue our lorde These quicke examples of so great multitude shulde induce the to be a shamed to be so indeuoute remysse in the seruyce of god O howe iocunde plesaunt a lyfe shulde it be to a soule that had no wordly thiÌ„ge to do but loue god contynually with all hys herte in warkes and wordes O if we myghte contynue in this lyfe without bodely refeccion as etynge drin â—yngeslepynge or any other bodely necessires and gyue hede only to holy medytacion gostly fediÌ„ge ceâ—eccion of oâ—re soule than we shulde be moche happy than we be nowe in seruynge attendynge more for bodely thynges than gostly ê“â—ite whann man cometh ones to that perfeccion that he secheth consolacion of no creature than begineth he to haue a spirituall tallage in god and whan he is conteÌ„t with euery fortune as well with aduersite as ê“speryte conformynge and referrynge al his warkis to god to serue obey to his will Euer remembre the ende of euery thynge that thou begynnest and also that tyme loste can nat be recouered and thou shalt neuer obteyne vertue without labour diligence whan thou begynnest to be remysse in spirituall labours than thou begynneste to waxe euyll If thou applye thy selfe spiritually to more vertu thou shalt fynde greate pease and than by grace of god loue that thou hast to vertue thou shalt fiÌ„de the spiritual exercyse in vertue euermore delectable lyghter A feruent louynge soule is euer redy to all thynges that be expedient to the plesure of god spiritual ê“fite of it selfe It is more labour to resist vyce and iordinate passions than to be occupied in bobely labours if thou wilt nat gyue hede to auoide the lesse synne thou shalte sone be enduced to the more And whan thou hast brought the day to the euyntyde in vertuous occupacion without any gret displesure to to our lorde than thou maiste be glad suerlyetake thy rest in hym And euer before all other soules giue hede to thyn owue soule excite moue thy self to vertue what so euer thou doest be neruer neclygeÌ„ti those thynges that be necessary for thy soule loke howe moche thou desirest to ê“fite so moche aplie thy selfe vyolently to gostly spiritual labours and thus endeth the first boke of IohnÌ„ Gerson of the Imytacion of Criste ¶ Here begynneth the .ii. boke of IohnÌ„ Gerson of the inwarde deuoute conuersacion of the soule of man AFter the sentence of our sauyour Iesu crist the inwarde regne of god is in the soule of man Returne thy self with all thy hert to our lorde forsake the inordi nat loue of the worlde thy soule shall fynde rest lerne to ê¯teÌ„pne outward thiÌ„gâ— aplie thy miÌ„de to inwarde thiÌ„ges thou shalt ê‘ceiue that the kyngdome of god shall come to the wherwithe comith peas ioye in the holy goost that is nat grauÌ„ted to no wicked man If yâ— wylte prepare iÌ„ thy soule a condynge mansion criste shall come and abyde there to thy inly consolacyon All the pryncipall ioy and delite that god hath in man is in the obedyence and vertue of the sowle there he is customeably with merueylous swetnesse and great famyliaryte comfortably fedynge it with goostely speche doctryne O thou feythefull sowle prepare thy herte to Criste thy spouse that he may come therto and by his goodnes make therin a mansyon For he sayth in the gospell of IohnÌ„ who so loueth me he shall obserue my coÌ„maundementes and my fader I with the holy gost shall come to hym and make with him inhabitacioÌ„ by grace vntyll we briÌ„ge hym to yâ— celestiall habitacion of glorye Make redy a place iÌ„ thy soule to hym that create it andlette nothynge haue interesse therin that maye offende hym If he abide with the that is lorde of all rychesse how maist thou â—e poore he shal be a sufficient and a feythefull prouysoure for the in all thynge expedient for the iÌ„ who me thou muste more constauntly hope and byleue than in euery creature for all creatures mortall be mutable for thoughe they promise neuer so suerlye â—et they may besone chaunged But crist that is the â—â—ete firmament euer in one abydynge may uat of â—â—y wyse breke hys absolute promyse Be a frende that is mortall neuer so feythefull or beloued yet in â—â—at that he is mortall frayle he may be chauÌ„ged They that this day be thy frendes
laÌ„gage of the people man beholdeth yâ— outwarde ê‘te of the but god beholdeth the hert man coÌ„sidereth the warkes but god the enteÌ„t of euery dede It is a good signe of a meke soule that euer dothe yet extemeth it self to do but litel or nought That soule that inquireth nat nor desireth nat outwarde testymony for it selfe it is a sigue that it hath coÌ„mit it selfe holy to god the probacioÌ„ of a vertuous soule standeth nat in the coÌ„mendacion of their selfe but of god The state of the inly vertuous man is princypally to order his myude to god by obedience loue be at liberte from all outwarde iÌ„ordinate affeccions and desires ¶ The .vii. chapt of yâ— loue of Iesu aboue al thiÌ„ges BLessed is that soule that perfitly knowinge Iesu crist loueth hym aboue all thynge and for his loue contempneth itselfe as it is syttiÌ„ge that a kynge be most princypall in his owne reame So it is according that Iesu be ordred as princypall in the soule of man the whiche is his reame as he saith hym selfe in the gospell of Luke The kyngdome of god is within you that is to saye in the sowle of a feythfull louer of Iesu The loue of a creature ys vayne and vnstable but the loue of iesu is feythfull and perseueraunt That ê‘sone that wyll rest or be supported of a disceyuable or roton staffe muste of necessite fall therwith and coÌ„trary wise be a sowle neuer so feble or frayle if it wyll rest or applie it self with all spirituall strengthe therof to Iesu criste yt shal be ê‘fitly stablisshed made stroÌ„ge in him Loue hym kepe hym before all other For if al other freÌ„des forsake the he wyll nat leue the ne suffre the fynally to perisshe And thou must somtyme of necessyte be departed from all thy frendes of this world But indeuour thy selfe to kepe this great trend iesu thou shalt nat be seperated frome hym neyther lyuynge nor diynge thou shalt fynde hym so feithful to the that whan all other fayle ofsocour helpe towarde the he shall neuer fayle And if thou wylt auoyde all iordinate loue of creatures Iesu wil gladly iÌ„habite abyde with the. What so euer thou do to man or receyue of hym nat ordred to icsus is asvaine loste Be nat adherent ne put nat thy coÌ„fidence in that thynge that is as an holowe stocke or a rede hauynge no substaunce to susteyne the euery man lyuynge in a mortall body sayth our lorde is resembled to hay And all his bodely pleasure shall sone fade fall as doth the flowres in the medowe â–ª If thou attende gyue hede to outwarde apparance of maÌ„ thou shalt sone be disceyued If thou wylt besily seche solace lucre thou shalt fynde many tymes displeasure detryment If thou seche thy lorde iesu iÌ„ euery thynge thou shalt truly fynde hym And i like wise if thou seche thy selfe thou shalt fynde thyselfe but to thy distruccyon For he that laboreth to haue all other thinges iesu coÌ„teÌ„pne is more ennemye to hiÌ„selfe than al his aduersaries ouer al the worlde mai ¶ The .viii. chaptre of the famylyer amyte be and loue of Iesu criste WHat soule that hath the gracious preseÌ„ce of iesus hath all thiÌ„ge that is good without any difficultes ê“ne redy to euery vertuous operacion where iesus is nat present by his grace there is euery dede of vertue i maner peynfull There is no perfite inly and goostely consolacyon but whan iesu speketh in the religius soule Did nat mary Mawdeleyne arise sone whan Martha had shewed hir that hir mayster cryste iesu was nyghe and cleped hir That may be called an happy houre whan criste calleth a soule from lamentacyon and wepynge and specially of minde O thou soule how harde vndeuoute arte thou whan iesu is nat with the by assistence of his grace It is nat more domage to lese his grace than all the worlde what maye the worlde auayle the without the grace of the maker therof It is in maner a peyne of helle to be seperate fro iesu it is a plesaunt paradise to be vnytte and knitte with hym by grace And there shal none aduersite neo ther enemye ouercome the as longe as Iesu is with the and that soule that syketh hym and fyndeth hym hath founde the tresour of all tresoures and if thou lese hym thou haste more domage than thoughe thon shuldeste lese all the worlde That persone may be called moste poore that hath nat iesus and he is mooste ryche that hath hym by grace it is great wisdome and cunnynge to be conuersaunt with iesus to kepe hym with the. Labour to haue ê‘fite mekenes and to be quiet deuoute iesu shall abide with the. If thou applie thy desires inordinatly to outwarde thynges thou reiectis the inwarde grace of iesus and than thou shalte be full disolate of true amite and frenhshyp for wythoute his grace gostely conforte thou shalte neuer haue ê‘fytly gostely gladnes in hym afore all other And also we shulde rather wyll to haue all the worlde coÌ„trarie to vs than to offende hym AmoÌ„ge all thy de re speciall frendes chese iesu as most dere feithful speciall whome thou shuldest loue for hym selfe all other in ordre to hym For ther is none other but he that hath all degrees of goodes amyte but he alone therfore in hym for hym loue both thy frendes also thyn enemyes praie for them that they may knowe god ê‘fitly loue hym Neuer coueit to be coÌ„mended loued singulerly For that of ryghte belongeth to our lorde to whome none maye be coÌ„pared Mixe neuer thy loue with any inordinat loue of creatures if thou wilt know how swete Iesus is But none maye taste of his swetenes without he be pÌ„uente with grace specially called of our lorde all other callynges sett aparte so that thou siÌ„glerly abyde with hym alone Whan the grace of our lord cometh to a soule than it is made stronge to euerye thinge that vertue reqreth whan grace deê‘teth fro the soule it is faint frayle vnapte to do or to suffre that vertue coÌ„mauÌ„deth but it be with great difficulte peyne but yet leue nat those dedâ— of vertue dispaire nat but coÌ„forme thy wyll to the pleasure of Iesu criste For after wynter folowethe somer after the night the day after the tempest the fayre wether ¶ The .ix. Chaptre of the dysolacyon of wordly coÌ„solacyon IT is no great maistry to contempne the coÌ„solacyon of man whan that the soule is preuent with heuenly comforte but sothely that soule is ful herde bested that is disolate of conforte both of god and man and yet yf it can pacyently suffre this for the loue of our lorde it deseruethe to be conforted of hym what great mysterye is it to be mery and deuoute Whan thou perceyueste the grace of god in thy soule
redy to helpe the. That soule rydeth full pleasauntly whome the grace of oure lorde supportethe and bereth vp What meruayle is yf that soule be nat ouer charged with trybulacyon that is supported of hym that is omnypotente and ys conueyed by hys infynyte wysdome we be gladde to haue consolacion and supportacion in all our lyfe and labours and sory to be without them or to forsake our owne ê“pre appetyte and pleasure The holy martyr seynt Laurens was so feruent in the loue of our lorde that he gladly forsoke nat alonly the worlde his speciall beloued frende and preste Sixtus but also his mortall lyfe by passion moste terryble and ferefull he ouer came the loue of man by the loue of his maker he made coÌ„mutacion of transetory consolacion lyfe for euerlastiÌ„ge solacyous life Here we may lerne to coÌ„fourme our will to the wyl pleasure of god whan he of his grace taketh to his mercy any of our frendes be they neuer so dere specyal to vs. For lyke as we come to the worlde by hys will coÌ„mandement so we must deê‘te fro this mortall lyfe teÌ„porall cohabitacioÌ„ It is no lytell ne shorte batayle a man to ouercome him selfe and to ordre all his affeccions to the pleasure of god The veray true louer of god studyê° desire of vertue is nat besy to acquyre wordly consolacion or sensuall pleasurs ne bodely delectacions but rather glad for the loue of god to exercise theyr selfe in harde and payntfull labours whan the spirituall deuyne consolacioÌ„ is grauÌ„ted to yâ— for a tyme repute that of his goodnes nat of thy deseruynge be nat therof ioyfull to moche ne pÌ„sume therof vaynly but be therof meke and circuÌ„specte timerous iÌ„ all thy actis for that houre shall passe teÌ„ptacion tribulacion shal come And whan they come take nat iÌ„moderate thought or sorow ne in no wise dispeyre nat but mekely pacieÌ„tly abide the deuine coÌ„solacion for he ys of power to graunt to the more habuÌ„dauÌ„ce coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce of spirituall consolacion swetnes than thou hadest before And merueyle nat of suche altercacion in thy mide for thou art nat the first that hath had experiens of these for the holy seyntes ê“phetes prÌ„iarkes and appostels haue had like altercacions of minde somtyme mery by deuyne consolacions somtymes ê“ued by withdrawiÌ„ge of coÌ„solacion belapped with tribulacion vexacion The ê“phete Dauid hauig yâ— coÌ„solacious â—sence of the deuyne grace sayde he shulde neuer be remoued therfro without ende anone whan he had experieÌ„ce of yâ— abseÌ„ce of this grace he saide to our lorde thou hast withdrawen thy delectable chere of thy presence I am made disolate troabled betwene those .ii. extremites of ioy trybulacion take we no defeÌ„ce but rather prai we with Dauid sayiÌ„ge I shalnat cesse to crye to yâ— formÌ„ey I shall mekeli pray to yâ— my lord god so finally he ê“curid â— frute effecte of his prayer as he testifieth sayinge Our lorde hath harde me hath mercy of me ys made my helper after saith Good lorde thou hast tourned my sorowe iÌ„to ioy thou hast belapped me with ioye If almyghty god hath in this wise delt with the great excellent seyntes we that be of smale reputacion may take therof confidence in god thoughe we haue somtime feruour of spirite somtyme lacke of deuocion spirituall coÌ„solacion for his spirite of holy coÌ„solacion cometh deê‘teth at his pleasure as yâ— holy man Iob sayth Thou graciously visetest him in the morowtyde and shortlye afterwarde thou ê“uydest hym by mater of pacieÌ„ce And therfore wher in shall I truste or in whome shall I haue coÌ„fidence but in the great mercy of god hope of the heuenly helpe If I myghte haue the assistence of good deuoute men the helpe of holy bokes and the roiall noble processe of scrypture also incited to deuocion by the meane of swete melodyous soÌ„ge all those thiÌ„ges may lytell auayle whan I am lafte to my frailte and pouerte without grace than there is no betâ— remedye but by pacience to remoue owre owne wil conforme vs to the wyll of god IohnÌ„ Gerson the auctour of this treatese sayth he neuer had knoweâ—ege of religious persone but he had at somtime subtraccion demynucion of gostly swetnes feruoure deuocion There was neuer religious soule so ilumined orso rauisshed in yâ— visioÌ„ of our lorde but it was ê“ued by teÌ„ptacioÌ„ other afore or afterward For ther be none worthy to haue yâ— hye deuine ê¯teÌ„placioÌ„ but if be they be exercised firste with some tribulacion for the loue god it is ê“uyded by the greate wysdome of god to the electe soules to haue temptacioÌ„s as a signe or token of coÌ„solacion to come For to those that be prouyded pacyently by tribulacions be ê“mysed of our lorde heuenly rewarde coÌ„solacoÌ„n as it appereth by the seÌ„tence of the holy gost shewed bi the mouthe of the holy euangeliste IohnÌ„ seyiÌ„ge who souer ouercometh tribulacioÌ„ by pacieÌ„ce vice sinne by resisteÌ„ce shal be fed with the frute of yâ— tree of lyfe yâ— is with the clere deuine vision vnspekable fruicion of yâ— blessed godhed also the deuine ê¯solacion is grauÌ„ted vnto man for to make hym more stroÌ„ge to suffre aduersite And anone folo with teÌ„ptacioÌ„ list that maÌ„ take any elacion of yâ— gostly ê¯solacioÌ„ The deuil slepith nat ne yâ— flesshely appetitis be nat yet morfied therfore pÌ„pare thyselfe to batell for thou hast ennemies on euery side he that neuer sesith to assaile y◠¶ The .x. chaptre of yeldiÌ„ge thaÌ„kes to god for hys graces wHy secheste thou reste whan thou arte ordeined in thys lyfe to labour Applye thyselfe more to pacience than to consolacyon or pleasure to the crosse of penaunce rather than to temporall ioye pleasure There ys none so seculer or wordly but if they might haue coÌ„tinuaunce of spirituall coÌ„solacoÌ„n they wolde gladly accepte yt For the spyrytuall ioyes excede all other wordly coÌ„solacioos bodely pleasures All wordly bobely plesurs be transetori mixte with somdele of vnclenes But the spitritual plesurs desyres be pure honest ioyfull ê“cedynge of vertues grauÌ„ted of our lorde alonlye to pure and clene myndes But this tranquylyte of gostely coÌ„solacions is many tymes ouerflowen by the outragious teÌ„pestis of teÌ„ptacion The false lyberte of lyuynge greate coÌ„fidence in our owneselfe be two thinges moche coÌ„trary to heuenly visitacion consolacion Our lord shewith his goodnes to man grauntinge to hym yâ— grace of gostely consolacion But man sheweth his vnwise neclygence whan he withdraweth coÌ„digne thanke ne iÌ„puteth nat this grace only to oure lorde and therfore we be nat worthye to haue his mercyfull grace to abyde with vs. Grace is euer grauÌ„ted to the meke soules that euer be rede to yelde thaÌ„kes to god for his mercyfull benefaites and coÌ„trariwise grace is withdrawen fro the
vnkynde the elate persone I desire nat to haue that consolacoÌ„n by the whiche the compunccion of hert may be minysshed or remoued ne that desire or loue that with drawyth coÌ„teÌ„placion inciteth my frayle soule to elacyon Euery excellency is nat holy ne euery desyre pure ne enery swetnes good holsome There be diuers thynges full dere to man that be nat accepte to god we shulde accepte gladly the grace wherby we mai be made humble and tymerous to god and more prompte to forsake our propre appetites wylles That soule that is perfytelye enfourmed wyth the rewarde of grace lerned with the rod of subtraccâ—on of grace hath none audacite to ascribe any vertue or grace to it selfe but rather it reputeth coÌ„fesseth it selfe pore and naked yelde thou to god that is his to thy selfe that is thyne that is to say thanke our lorde for his graces thy selfe for thy synne for the whiche iuge thy selfe worthy for to haue peine sub traccion of grace There may no soule attaye thys hyghe degree of grace or perfeccion ne stande theriÌ„ without it grounde it selfe in humilyte obedyence Tho that be moste precious highe in the sighte of god be moste vyle lowe in theyr ê“pre consideracion the more precious that they be in grace the more meke they be full of trouthe of heuenly glory nat auidious of wordly vanite Tho that be roted ê‘fitly fixed in the drede loue of god may nat of no wise be obstynate or proude And tho that ascribe al the goodes that they receyue to almighty god they be nat desirous of the vayne coÌ„mendacyon of man but they rather desire the glory coÌ„meÌ„dacion whyche is of god alone and they labour that god be honoured loued of all his sayntes they refarre all theyr labours to the same ende Be thou kiÌ„de iÌ„ yeldynge thankes to god for the smale benefaytes that therby thou maiste deserue more greate ê“fitable graces Repute the lest giftes of god gret the naturall dyfformytees and specyall tokyns of loue for they be medycyns meanes to meke oureselfe If we wolde consider perfitly the honour and dignite of the lorde that grauÌ„teth vs those gyftes we shuld exsteme no gyft lytell ne vyle Howe may we Iuge that thynge lytell in acceptacion that is gyuen of yâ— great kiÌ„ge maker gouerner of yâ— worlde without whose wyl ê“uidence there fallethe no lefe â—to the tre And therfore he gyueth to diuers of hys electe people peynes tribulacions bodely gostly as me anes of euerlastynge ê“mocion who soeuer desyre to retayne the grace of god let hym be diligent iÌ„ yel dynge thankes for the graces that he hath receyued And euer applie thyselfe to wisdom mekenes lyst that thou lese the grace that thou haste receyued If yt fortune by teÌ„ptacioÌ„ or frailte to be withdra wen froÌ„ the. say inly in thy soule that thou haste deserued yâ— subtraccion therof paciently humbly pray for yâ— recoueringe therof thou maist nat by thy ê“pre merites be restored to the mercy grace loste by sinne but by the meane of faderly pyte and moste mercifull passion of Iesu criste ¶ The .xi. chaptre of the smalle noumbre of the louers of the crosse of Iesu IHesus the heuenly kynge hath many louers of his heuenly kyngdome but there be fewe that wyll take his crosse and folow hym There be many desirers of hys consolacion nat of his trybulacion he hath many redy to be parteners of his table repaste but none of his abstinence penaunce All men wolde be glad to haue ioye with hym but there be nat many that desire peyne tribulacion for his loue Many foloweth hym to be parteners of the fraccyon of his brede but there be fewe that wyll paciently driÌ„ke with hym of hys chalice of trybulacion And many meruelously commende hym for his great meracles but many of them be lothe to folowe the shame vilete of his crosse There be many that folowe hym in prosperite loue blesse hym as loÌ„ge as they receyue of hym prosperite and consolacion And if he withdrawe hym selfe for a season fro them by shewynge no tokyns of pleasure or consolacion they fall soone to lamentable coÌ„playnynge desperacion Tho that loue that lorde nat for ê“sperite ne coÌ„solacion of mynde alonly but principally for hym selfe they blesse hym as hertly iÌ„ teÌ„ptacion tribulacioÌ„ or any other necessite as they do in theyr perfite prosperite And if he shulde gyue to them euer in this worlde aduersite yet they shulde euer loue and thanke hym O howe myghty is the pure loue of Iesu nat ê‘mixed with any inordinauÌ„s of fauour or affeccion Tho that seche of god pryncipally by prayer or any other vertuous pleasure bodely or gostly may be called rather couetouse marchauntes than liberall louers the reason hereof we may perceyue for tho ê‘sons applie theyr seruice loue to our lorde for his benefaites they serue loue the benefaites afore god they loue the benefait â–ª gyftes in that they be profitable to theyr selfe so suiÌ„gly they may ryghtfully be called louers of their self rather thaÌ„ of god It is full hard to fiÌ„de any ê‘soÌ„ so spirituall that is ê‘fitly fre from all inordinate affeccions That ê‘sone shulde nat be ê“fitable or desirer only of those that be nere hym but of the farr extremites of yâ— worlde If a ê‘son were so vertuoê° that he wold leue all the worldes substaunce do gret penaunce had all knowlege and were feruent in deuocyon yet he shulde nat atteyne the most excellent great ê‘feccion in lyuynge to the whiche he may nat aproche without al other thynges forsaken he vtterly renounce his owne selfe holy forsake his owne wyll lyuynge beinge at liberte fre frome all priuate seuerall affeccions desires whan thou hast done all that thou knowest to be done exteme and iuge thy selfe as thou hadest of thy selfe no thynge done as the auctour of truthe our sauyour saith whan we haue done that is possible to be done yet we be of ourselfe vnprofitable seruauntes nat worthi to be rewarded but of his grace than we beynge pore frayle in body soule voyde of all meritorious vertue may coÌ„ueniently say with the ê“phete Dauid I am disolate pore There is none more ryche none more fre ne at liberte nor more of power than that soule that knoweth itselfe wyl be redy to forsake nat all worly thynges but also itselfe repute and iuge itselfe most vyle of al other ¶ The .xii. chaptre is of the royall victorioê° way of the holy crosse THere be many that repute yâ— wordes of our sauyour harde and peynefull whan he saythe we may nat be his disciples without we denie reuounce our owne wyll and take the crosse and folowe hym But it shal be more peynefull and sorowfull withoute comparison
coÌ„mende nor more repute thy selfe for any goodnes that thou hast who euer thou be but refarre all goodnes that thou hast to god almyghty withoute whome we haue nothynge god of his goodenes gaue vs what we haue therefore he requyreth the same to be consydered of vs with thankes to be gyuen agayne vnto hym This is the very way to exchew from vs the synne of vaynglorye if so be that trewe charyte and heuenly grace enter into man no enuyne dysdayne of any person nor pryuate of mannes selfe shall haue place iÌ„ hym For grace and very charyte ouercometh all suche byces and it dylateth enflameth mannes soule to god to our neyghbour if we perceyue and vnderstaÌ„de well we shuld only ioy hope in our lorde god and in no wyse in our selfe for no maÌ„ is good of hym selfe but god alone which is to be loued and blessyd ouer all ¶ The .xi. chapter how it is full swete to serue god to hym that forsaketh the worlde truly NOwe good lorde I shall repete my speche to the and nat cesse I shall speke in the erys of my lorde god and kynge that is in heueÌ„ how great is the multytude of thy swetnes whiche thou haste hyd and hydest good lorde for the tyme from them that lyueth here vnder thy drede and to thy perfyte louers and seruauntes thou shewest the Ineffable coÌ„templatyue swetnes of thy godhede in this thou good lorde hast shewed thy great charyte that whaÌ„ I was nat thou madest me and whan I erryd and went out of the waye thou broughtest me agayn coÌ„maundynge me to serue and to loue the O welle of perpetuall loue what shall I say of the howe may I forgette the whiche so louyngely doste remember me and where I haue perysshed thou good Lorde hast shewed thy mercye to me ouer my hope and rewarded me aboue my meryte what thankes shall I gyue to the for this grace gyuen me It is nat gyueÌ„ to all men to forsake the worlde to take vpon them a solytary lyfe It is no great thynge me to serue yâ— good lorde to whome al thy creatures be bound to serue plese But rather thys is to me a great thiÌ„g meruelous that it pleseth thy goodnes to receiue me to thy seruice to ioyne so pore vnworthye as I am to thy welbeloued seruauÌ„tes Lo all thynge that I haue that I may do the seruice of is thyn therfore I can gyue the nothiÌ„ge but thyn owne HeueÌ„ erthe with theyr coÌ„tentes that thou hast ordeyned to helpe man doeth dayly fulfyl thy coÌ„maundment after the ordre forme that thou hast ordeined them to Also thou hast ordeyned angels to helpe confort man But aboue al this thy selfe hast vouchesaue to serue man ê“mittynge to gyue the to man What shall I gyue agayne to the for those for a thousandefolde benefaites that thou of thy grace goodnes hast giueÌ„ to me GrauÌ„t me helpe grace to serue the good lorde al the dayes of my life at the leste that I may one daye serue the worthyly Thou arte worthy to haue all seruice all honour eternall laude praysige Thou art my very lorde god I am vnworthy and pore seruaunt I am bouÌ„de to serue the with all my strengthes neuer to be wery of thy seruyce praysynge so I desire wolde it shulde be Thou good lorde fulfyll that I want of my partye Great honoure glory is to serue the to forsake al erthli thynges for the. They that gladlye wyllyngly do submytte theÌ„ to thy seruice shall haue greate grace and they that forsake all wordly besynes do chese the harde strayte waye for thy loue shal be refresshed with the swete coÌ„solacion of the holy goste shal haue great liberte of soule O thou thankfull ioyfull subieccion seruice of god wherby man is made fre from synne holy in the sight of god O thou holy hye state of religion whiche maketh a man egall to angels pleasaunt to almyghty god dredfull to dyuels honourable to all feytheful folke O thou seruice worthye alwaye to be desired halsed wherby almighty god is gotten euerlastinge ioy gladnes gotteÌ„ ¶ The .xii. chaptre The desire of herte is to be examined modered SOnne saith our lorde to his louer thou must yet lerne many thynges yâ— thou hast nat yet well lerued that is to say that thou order thy desyre affeccion alway after my pleasure so that thou loue nat thyn owne desire or ê“fite but that thou iÌ„ al thiÌ„ges a couetous louer a folower of my wyll thou haste many desirous risinge mouynge the but coÌ„sider well whither thou art moued in them for myn honour only or more for thy owne auaile or ê“fite if I be the cause of thy mouinge thou shalt be well coÌ„tent what so euer I sende vnto the. if any thiÌ„ge be hyd in thy desire of thyn owne will or sechynge so that thynge is it that anoyeth and greueth the outwardely and within forth both beware therof that thou lene nat to moche to thyne owne desire me nat counseled yâ— same thiÌ„ge that before pleased the displeseth the afterwarde Euery thinge that man desireth is nat to be folowed shortly ne euery coÌ„trarious affeccion yâ— man lotheth or hateth is to be fled at the firste It is expedient somtyme to vse a bridell restraynynge in good affeccions cuÌ„nynge or other besinesses of idiscrete behauiour folowe the distraccioÌ„ or brekiÌ„ge of maÌ„nis mynde that thou by thy iÌ„discrecioÌ„ be nat an occasion or sklaunder to other Also that thou be nat sodaynly troubled or inquyete by other meÌ„nes resistence It is somtyme behofull to a man that he vse violeÌ„ce resist his sensual appetite nat to giue he de what it desireth what nat but rather iÌ„deuor hym that it be subiecte by vyolence to the soule this sensuall appetite is to be subdued by disciplene to yâ— soule vnto it be made redy to obeye in all thiÌ„ges to reason vnto it haue lerned to be content with fewe thynges necessarye without al grutchiÌ„ge ageiÌ„ste any incoÌ„uenyent thynge ¶ The .xiii. chapâ— of the informacion of pacience of stryfe ageynst sensualite LOrde god sayth the deuoute soule vnto god as I fele vnderstande pacience is full necessary vnto me for many coÌ„trarious chauÌ„ces fall iÌ„ this lyfe howe soeuer I order my selfe for pease to be hadde I can nat haue it withoute batayle ne my lyfe can nat be without sorowe and trouble wherto our lorde sayth SoÌ„ne thou sayest truely I wil nat that thou seke suche peas as wanteth teÌ„ptacion and trowble or coÌ„tradiccion but couÌ„te the than to haue fouÌ„de peas whaÌ„ yâ— art exercised with diuers trowbles ê“ued with diuers aduersitees if thou saye that thou maist nat suffre such peynes How maist thou suffre the fell peynes of Purgatory of .ii. euils the lesse is alweye to
thy coÌ„maundement withe meke hope an reuerence And truely I belyue that thou arte here presente in thys holy sacramente very god and man And thou wylte I shall receyue the and Ioyne me vnto the by charyte wherfore I humbly pray and requyre that it may plese the to gyuevnto me thy specy all grace so that I may be all relented and flowe in thy loue in suche wyse that I shall not desyre any other consolacyon For thys hygh worthye sacrament ys the helthe of soule and body It ys the medycyne of all spyrytuall sekenes in the whyche my synnes be heyleed passyons be refrayned temptacioÌ„s be ouercome and mynysshed more greate graces be gyuyn the vertue begonne increased faythe ys enestabysshed hope ys made stronge and fortyfyed charyte ys brannynge spred abrode ¶ O my god the defender of my soule and the repayrer of the weykenesse of man and the sender of all Inwarde comforte Thou hast gyuen and dayly gyueth vnto thy well beloued frendes in thys holy sacrament deuoutly receyuynge it many commodites For thou infusest into theyr soules grete comfort agaynst dyuers trybulacions and frome the depnesse of theyr owne ouerthrowynge thou areysyst them to the hope of thy dyuyne helpe And with a newe grace thou inwardely renewest and lyghtnest theym in suche wyse as they that fele theym before the receyuynge of the Sacrament heuy and dull and ouerthrowen and without affeccyon and moyster of deuocyon ¶ After that they haue ben fedde wythe thys heuenly mete and brynke they haue founde them selfe chauÌ„ged into a merueylous Ioye whiche thynges thou doest vnto thy chosen people by dispensacion of thy pure bounte so that they mayeveryly knowe by open experyence that nothynge they haue nor may haue of them selfe and what grace or goodnes they haue it cometh of the. For of theym selfe they be colde harde vndeuoute but of the they be made feruent Ioyous deuoute For who ys he that cometh mykely vnto the fountâ—yne of swetnes and shall not brynge some litell quantite of swetnes therfrom I shall alwey put my mouthe vnto the hole of the heuenly pype of that founteyne that I maye at the lest take a lytell droppe to satysfie my thyrste so that I be nat all drye And though I may nat be heuenly enflamed as yâ— cherubiÌ„s ceraphyns yet wyll I enforce me to deuocioÌ„ and prepare my herte mykely to receyue thys holy louynge sacrament shall desyre to be enbraced with a lytell flame of that goodly loue O good Iesu holy right pyteous sauior what so euer vertue or goodnes yâ— fayleth in me I benigly beseche the graciously of thy pyte to supplye it by thy greate mercy Thou that hast called all feithfull creatures iÌ„sayiÌ„ge vnto theym â–ª come ye all vnto me that labour be charged I shall refresshe you But alas good lorde I pore synnerlabour in theswette of my vysage am tormented with sorow of my hert I am charged with siÌ„nes and trauailed with teÌ„p tacyons entryked and oppressed with many yuell passions And lorde there is none that may delyuer me or make me safe but thou my only god and sauyour to whome I commytt me and all my causes to th ende thou kepe me and lede me to the lyfe eternall Receyue me vnto the praisynges of thy name that hast made redy vnto me thy precyous body blode to mete and drynke My lorde god and sauyour grauÌ„te vnto me by thy greate bounte that in customable receyuynge of thy holy mysterye the affetcyon and desyre of my deuocyon may be encreased ¶ Of the dygnite of the sacrament of the aulter of thordre of presthod CapÌ„ .v. IF thou haddest the puryte of aungels and the holines ofsaynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst thou shuldest nat be worthye to receyue or trete of that holy sacrament for that is nat due to the merites of men that a man shulde consecrate treate of the sacrament of thys blessed body of Iesu crist aud take in mete the brede of aungels O great mysterye and the meruelous dignyte of prestys vnto whome is gyuen that that is nat graunted vnto the aungels For the prestis only duely ordred in the churche of crist haue power to do and to consecrate the holy dody of Iesu criste Certeynly the preest is the mynyster of god vsynge the worde of god by the coÌ„maundement and ordynaunce of god But god is the pryncipall iÌ„uysible werker to whome be submytted all creatures to be ordred after his wyll and all to obey vnto hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t Than thou oughtest more to beleue in almyghty god i yâ— right excellent sacrameÌ„t than to thy ê“pre will or any othervisible tokeÌ„ And therfore to thys holy werke thou oughtest to come with great drede and reuerence Take hede than and se from whome thys mysterye is gyuenvnto the and that is by the puttynge to of the handes of the Bysshoppe thou arte admyttede vnto that hye cometh Beholde nowe thou arte made a preste and sacreyd to do this holy mistery Se than that feithfully and deuoutly and in due tyme thou offre thy sacryfice vnto god and shewe thy selfe irreprouable wyth oute defaute Thou hast nat loused thy charge of lyuynge but hast bounde the wyth a more strayte bonde of discyplyne and arte holden to a more great parfeccyon of holynes The preeste ought to be adnowrded wyth all vertues and gyue all theyr example of good and holy lyfe Hys conuersacyon ought nat to be wyth comon people or the weyes of comon men but with the aungelles in heuen or wyth the perfight men in the erthe ¶ The preeste clothede wythe holy vestymentes occupyeth the cometh of Iesu criste to th ende that he may humbly praye vnto god for hym selfe for all other For he hath bothe before hym and behynde hym the sygne of the crosse that he may contynually remembre the passion of our lorde iesu crist Before hym he bereth the crosse to the ende that he dilygently beholde the traces and the examples of our lorde Iesu criste and that he feruently studye to folow theym Behynde hym also is signed with the crosse to the entent he shuldesuffre for the honoure of god all aduersytyes Iniuries done vnto hym of other Before hym he bereth the crosse for that he shulde be wayle ê“pre hys sines And behiÌ„de hym lyke wyse by great compassyon to sorowe the sinnes of other and to knowe hymselfe that he is a man betwene god and the synner And that he depart nat from oryson and froÌ„ yâ— holy oblacion to the tyme the he deserue to purchase the grace of god whan the preste sayth masse he honoureth god he gyueth ioy vnto the aungels he edyfieth the churche he hel peth the louiÌ„ge people he gyueth rest to them chat be passed and maketh hym selfe partyner of all good werkes ¶ A inwarde remembraunce and excercyse that a man ought to haue afore the receyuiÌ„ge of the body of our lorde Iesu crist CapÌ„ .vi. LOrde whan I thynke
sayde in the lawe be ye holy for I your lorde god am holy O god omnipotent thy grace be vn to vs helpynge so that we whiche haue taken the office of pÌ„st hode may reuerently deuoutly serue the with all puryte good ê¯scieÌ„ce if we may not lyue iÌ„ so great innocency of life as we ought to do giue vs grace at the leest that we may we pe sorowe the euylles that we haue commytted and don so that in spirituall mekenes purpose of good wyll we maye from hensforth strongly serue the with feruent corage ¶ With howe great diligence he ought to prepayre hym selfe that shulde receiue the sacrameÌ„t of iesu crist Ca .xii. OVre lorde sayth I the louer of puryte the liberal gyuer of all holynes I serche the pure clene herte there wyll I rest Make redy than for me thy herte I shal be with the than as I was with my discyples At Ester I shall come dwell with the if thou wylte but thanne it behouethe the to muÌ„difye clense the habitacoÌ„n of thy herte fro all synnes leue all brute noyse of the worlde with all thy vyces inclose and shet the in thy chambre as dooth a solytary byrde vnder the euesynges of an hous remembre all the excesses all thi defauttes commytted with all thy soule bitternes of herte For a good frende wyll make redy to his welbeloued frende a good and a plesauÌ„t place to dwell in in that doynge is well knowen with what good affeccion he receyuethe his sayde frende It is for trouthe that thou oughteste to vnderstande that thou mayste nat satyfye by any meryte or labour of thy selfe nat and thou dydest labour with the beste of thy power by a hole yere thought thou hadest none other thynge to do But thou shalt vnderstande that by my only power and grace is ê‘mytted grauÌ„ted vnto the to come vnto my table if a pore man were called vnto the table of a ryche lorde and the pore man had none other thynge to gyue ageyne for the benefytes of that ryche man but swetely mekely to thanke hym he wolde do it so oughtest thou to do diligently as moche as is in the nat by custome or necestite But wyth all drede reuerence affeccyon Thou oughtest to take the blessyd body of our lorde god sythe that it lyste the hym to come vnto the. Certeynly I am he that callethe the I haue commauÌ„ded it so to be done I shall supplye that faylethe in the wherfore come and receyue me whan in that doiÌ„ge I giue vnto the the grace of deuocoÌ„n yeld thou thankes vnto me thiÌ„god Nat thynkynge that thou art worthy therof of thyselfe but that I haue had mercy of the. and yf thou haue nat that grace whan thou woldest but fele thy selfe drye vnlusty yet contynue thy orysou with sorowfull wepynge and smyte at my dore wythoute ceasynge vnto the tyme thou maye receyue alytell crome or drope of helthefull grace know it of trouth thou hast moche nede of me and I haue none of the. Thou comest nat to sanctifye me but I am he that shall santyfye the make the better to the ende that thou mayste be vnight with me to receyue newe grace purpose ameÌ„demeÌ„t Be nat in wyll to deferre me grace but with all dilygence pÌ„prayre thy herte to receyue withiÌ„ the thy louynge lorde nat only thys prepayre the before thy coÌ„munyon but also maynteyne kepe the after the receyuynge of thy said holy sacrament iÌ„ that same deuocioÌ„ iÌ„ as moche as thou maist For thou oughtest to haue no lesse dylygeÌ„ce than thou haddest afore For the good dilygent kepynge of thy soule after the receiuynge of the blessed sacrameÌ„t is a good pÌ„paracoÌ„n to obteine the more great grace And they that so donat shewe theÌ„ selfe greatly euyll disposed whan they habandowne them selfe so soone so largely to outwarde solace in warde pleasures wherfore kepe the from great brute spekinge abyde in the secrete graces frutes of thy god for thou hast hym that all the worlde may nat take awey I am he to whome thou oughtest to gyue the by suche maner that from hensforth thou liue nomore in thy selfe but in me only ¶ Howe the deuout soule ought effectuously with al his herte to be vnight vnto Iesu crist Ca .xiii. O Lorde who shall yelde vnto me that I may fynde the sole that I may open to the all my hert ioy with yâ— as my pore soule desyreth that here be no creature to beholde me but thou alone to speke to me I to the goode lord as of custome one frende speketh to a nother secretly here of I desire praie yâ— lorde iesu to th ende that I may fully be vnyght vnto yâ— withdraw my hert fro all other creat thiÌ„ges that I may the soner lerne the etÌ„nall heueÌ„ly thiÌ„ges by yâ— meane of the receiuiÌ„ge of this holy sacrameÌ„t Alas my good lord whaÌ„ shal I be vnight gadred all hole iÌ„ yâ— vtterly forgete my selfe thou art iÌ„ me I with the. thus assembled make vs dwell togeder I prai the truly thou arte my chosen beloued lorde and it hath pleased thy benygne grace to be inhabited in my soule all the dayes of my lyfe Thou arte my peseable well in whome ys souereyne peas and true rest without the there ys no thinge but labour sorow infinyte mysery Thou my god art closed hyd in councel of thy famyliars whiche be nat comune to the euyll folkes ¶ But thy familiar speakynge is with the meke symple folkes O lorde howe goode benygne swete ys thy spirite whiche to the ende thou maiste she we vnto yâ— sonnes chyldren thy swetnes hast vouchedsaue to refressh theym agayne gyues to theym refeccion of thy ryght swete brede descended from heuen Certeynly there ys none other so great a nacion lackynge cristis feithe that hath their goddis so nere vnto them as thou arte our god lorde to all thy feithfull crysten people to whome thou gyuest thy blesed body to ete for theyr dayly coÌ„forte and to reyse theyr hertes to hyghe celestiall thynges O what other folkes be there so noble as be the cristen people or what creature is there so stroÌ„gly beloued vnder heuen as is the deuoute soule iÌ„ whom god entreth and gyueth fedynge with his owne glorious flesshe and blode O grace inestymable merueylous worthynesse O loue without mesure syngulerly shewede vnto man But what shall I yelde vnto god wherwith shall I recoÌ„pence thys so great grace charite Truely there is no thiÌ„ge I mai gyue more agreable to his mercy than to ioyne my hert perfytely vnto hym And whan my soule shal be perfitely vnight with hym Thanshall my inwarde parties ioy And thanne my lorde wyll say vnto me If thou wylt be with me I
the as an outlawe a pylgrym vpon erthe repute thy selfe vile for the loue of criste if thou wylt be his disciple folow hym who so euer sekith in this worlde any thynge but god the helthe of their soules they shal fynde nothiÌ„ge but tribulacion sorow that ê‘sone can nat longe stande iÌ„â—etnes that laboreth nat to meke hym selfe iÌ„ his ê“pre reputacion to be subiecte to other remeÌ„bre that thou camist to this worlde to serue nat to rule aft thy ê“pre plesure know thou that god of hys goodnes hath called the to the relygion of cristis feythe that by pacieÌ„ce vertuê° labour thou maist be made apte to reigne in ioy rest For as golde is ê“ued in the fournes so man by tribulacion iÌ„ the whiche no man may longe ê¯tinue without he meke hymselfe with all his herte by the example of our sauy our rote of all mekenes ¶ The .xviii. chaptre of the examples of holy seitis Thou dulle soule beholde the quike examples of the holy seyntes that haue beÌ„ afore vs in whome florysshed the perfeccyon of relygyon and fey the and consyder nowe lytell thou â—oeste in the respecte of theym and thou maye repute â–ª thy lyfe in vayne ¶ These sayntes and louers of our lorde haue serued god in great abstineÌ„ce huÌ„ger thyrst colde in pore aray in labour fatigacioÌ„ in watchinge restinge holy medytacion persecucion great oppression many repreues O how gret greuous tribulacions suffred the holy appostyls martyrs coÌ„fessours virgyns all other holy soules that haue folowed the stepis of our sauiour they haue hated the impedimentes of the lyfe of grace this worlde that they myght possesse the frute of euerlastynge lyfe for to come O how straite abiecte lyfe ledde the holy faders in wyldernes how loÌ„ge greuous temptacions suffred they And how fersly haue they be assayled with the gostly ennemye how many continued ferueÌ„t praier haue they offred to our lorde O to consider the great rigours abstynence that they haue takeÌ„ what zele feruour they had to spirituall ê“fite how great continuall batel they had to ouercome vice in all theyr lyfe and labour how pure rightwis was theyr entent euer to god On the day they laboured iÌ„ the night they rested in praier yf they in the day ladoured bodyly yet they praied in theyr mynde deuoutly so spent they al theyr tyme ê“fitably had so great pleasure in the seruice of god that they thought euery howre was shorte hade litell mynde or none oftymes of theyr bodily reffeccion ¶ The .xix. Chaptre of the good relygious exercyse of a religiou soule LIke as a ê‘sone of honour is more preciusly besene in bodely vesturs that apereth to maÌ„ outwardly so they shulde ideuour them selfe accordynge to excede other with vertue in theyr soules conscience wherin almighty god lokethe deliteth whan it is endued with faire vertues specially spyrituall men women whiche shulde studye to endeuoure theyr selse to appere in the sight of oure lorde pure as aungels And euery daye we shulde inforse our selfe to deuocion feruoure of feith as if we were newly conuerted to the law feithe of iesu crist for as moche as we of our selfe may nother do well ne yet begynne to do well than lete vs euerye daye with all oure inly strength and myght beseche oure lorde that we may so deuoutly begynne the seruice of hym that therby we may continue to hys plesure and our perpetuall saluacion we be many tymes in mynde to do well and by a lytell occasion we be letted The purpose of rightwismen dependeth more of the grace and dyreccyon of god than in they re â—â—ne prouydence For man entendeth but god disposethe Lette vs inforse owre selfe in that we may to the contynuaunce of our good purpose and yet we be lyghtly lettyde therof And though we maye nat contynually be in the feruent loue and medytacyon of god yet lette vs determe owre selfe to vse it at the leste ones or twyse in the daye and applie vs to vertue And annexe to this pourpose a feruent in â—ocacion praier to god for his natural pite fader ly compacion to gyue vs grace to coÌ„plenisshe fulfyll this purpose And at night goinge to rest than let vs discusse the dedis that we haue done that dai in wordes workes thought wherin we comonly offende god if we fynde that we haue made traÌ„sgression in any offence aske we mercy with all our herte As it is great ieoperdy an enemy or traitour to a prynce or to a kynge that knoweth the cryme for yf that man shulde slepe in the kynges palayes amonge the true seruauntes of the kynge he shulde rest in great ieopardye So that ê‘sone that in thys worlde resteth in siÌ„ne amonge the seruauÌ„tes of god of the which if some be charitably disposed as good auÌ„gels vertuous men yet there be many euyll as fédes euyll people that euer be redy to do veÌ„geauÌ„ce euyl therfore ageynst these we must coÌ„tynually be armed with vertue meke restreyninge ageynst glotony thou shalt ouercome all other vices and in any wyse beware of ouer moche ocyosyte but other be exercysed with rediÌ„ge wryttynge praiynge or amendynge some ê“fitable thynge for the comone well And spirituall labours be more surely done in secrete place than in comon be we nat slowe iÌ„ those thiÌ„ges that shulde redonde to the houour of god comon ê“fite of man redy to those thiÌ„ges that retorne to our siÌ„guler ê“pre auaÌ„tage And it is nat expedient to continue alwey in one labour but in one maner on the holy day another on the feriall day one the tyme of tribulacion and teÌ„ptacion another iÌ„ the tyme of pease And of the festyual day we ought to soleÌ„pnyse it accordynge to the soleÌ„pnite so that the more highe fest solempne the more inly deuocyon by ryght shulde we haue And whan one feeste ys â—â—ne we shulde order our selfe to another feeste as the fygure of the euerlastynge feest of heuen which as for a time is delaide till we be more redy anourned with charite other vertues our merites complenisshed for the whiche our lorde hath pÌ„fixed a tyme in the whiche we ought to be cyrcuÌ„specte watchynge iÌ„ vertuous labour of yâ— which speketh our sauyour iÌ„ the gospell of Luke Blessed be yâ— seruaunt that is fouÌ„de wakiÌ„ge in the comiÌ„ge of our lorde I say surely to you saith the euangelyst that our lorde shall promote hym to the place of eternalle felycite where he shall haue all pleasure goodnes that ani creature may of reason desire ¶ The .xxi. Chaptre is moche coÌ„uenieÌ„t for religious people how thei shulde kepe theyr solytary lyfe syleÌ„ce ANd thou wilt withdrawe thyselfe from curyous super fluous wordes from ociosite vnprofitable langage than thou shalt fynde tyme
to morowe may be thyne ennemyes therfore put no sure confideÌ„ce but in god whome thou shalte loue and fere aboue all thynge Here we haue no certen habytacyon but wheresoeuer we be in thys worlde we be as pilgryms and strangers and shall neuer haue rest wtout we be vnyte to crist Fyxe thyne iye of thy soule of the present thynges in this worlde of the pylgris that goone by the way whiche be nat taried by the beaute of those thynges that ben in their waye but theyr mynde renne moost of the ende of theyr iourney So lette the iye of your soule be fixed perfitly in heuen where be true iyes than shall we be lesse taryed in the vse of erthely thynges Beware that thou enclyne nat so moche vnto erthly thinges that thin appetite be nat therwith attached thou made subiecte to the great enemy the worlde so spiritually perisshe Lete thy medifacion be alwey of hym that is most highe directe thy coÌ„tynuall prayer to crist if thou can nat occupie thy miÌ„de iÌ„ the high contemplacion of god rest than in the possession of our sauiour lete thy contemplacion rest in his blessed woundes there thou shalt ê‘ceyue siÌ„guler comforte in all tribulacions bodely gostly And feere nat moche of the detraccion of euyll speche of the worldely people if thou gyue no cause therto For we haue example of oure maister crist that was most vile reputed and in hys moste necessite forsaken of his frendes and a queyntaunce Criste our leder wolde suffre and be dispised we desyre to be magnifyed loth to suffre iniure or wronge Criste had aduersaries detractours and we wolde haue all to be our freÌ„des and benefactours Howe shulne thy paâ—â—ence be crowned without aduersite And thou wylte suffre none aduersite howe shuldeste thou be the louer of criste If thou wylt regne with hym in perpetuall pleasure suffre with hym here temporall tribulacyons If thou my ghtest ones perfitely entre iÌ„ the â—â—ly deuocion of iesu cryste and perceyue a litell of hys feruent loue than thou shuldest but litell force all wordly auauntage or disauantage but shuldest rather ioye iÌ„ iÌ„iuries conteÌ„ptes shewed to the. For the perfite loue of god incyteth man to coÌ„tynue hym selfe in the inly loue of god that is free frome all inordynate affeccions and may without defaute holy conuerte hym selfe to criste and in hym haue perfyte reste fruycion He that praysethe the good of the worlde nat as they be extemed of the wordly peple but as they be of price in theyr selfe that ê‘son ys very wyse and rather instructed of god than of maÌ„ That soule that hath at lyberte the inwarde mocions of vertue pondereth but lytell the outwarde thinges he abidethe nother place nor tyme to haue vertuous exercise in good lyfe The inly man may soâ—e vnite calle to geder his inly powers vertues of his soule for they be neuer holy occupied with outwarde thiÌ„ges The outwarde labour or exercise is â—ecessarye for a tyme it letteth his soule but lytell of â—â—s ê‘feccions for euery thynge that behaÌ„ppith to hym â—heter it be aduersite or prosperyte he referreth yt to the wyll of god Loke howe moche more a maÌ„ loueth any wordly thynge than it shulde be loued so moche his mynde ys distracte lete fro the tru ordinate loue of god If thy soule were ê‘fytly pourged from all inordynate affeccions euery auenture and fortune comynge to the shulde be the augmentacion of vertue grace to thy soule The cause why manye thynges displease or trouble the is that thou art nat yet perfitly mortified in thy selfe ne pourged frome all iÌ„ordinate loue of erthly thiÌ„ges There is nothiÌ„ge that disordreth or fyleth the soule of man as in pure disordred loue of creatures If thou woldest syke no worly consolacion outwarde thou mightest haue thy meditacion and heuenly coÌ„solacion iÌ„ thy soule the whych excedeth all wordly traÌ„setory coÌ„fort as heuen excedeth erthe ¶ The seconde chaptre of the humble subieccyon of the subiecte to the prelate wHo so euer be with yâ— or contrary to the laboure with all thy myght to haue thy lorde god with the in euery viage or thiÌ„g that thou doeste and than thou mayste saye wythe Dauid the profite god is my helper I shall nat fere the ennemye of man The most immediate meane to god with the is to haue a good clene conscience And loke to who so euer god putteth furth his hande to helpe ther can no aduersite hurte hym And if thou canst kepe scylence and pacyence thou shalt without doute perceyue the helpe of god in thy nede He knowethe the tyme and the wayes of delyueraunce therfore refrayne committe thy selfe to hym It ê‘teineth to hym to helpe delyuer yâ— feythfull obedient soules fro ê‘yll ieopardie It ys expedyent for our humylyacion meryie that somtime other people knowe our defautes synnes that they may correcte repreue vs. whan man for hys owne defautes humyleth hym selfe thaÌ„ he hath more compassyon of the fraylte of other reconsylethe hym selfe to those that haue offended hym coÌ„trariwese he reconsileth them to hym Almighty god ê“tecteth defendeth the meke man obedyeÌ„t hym he knoweth counselleth enclineth hym selfe to hym sendeth great habundaunce of grace to hym she weth his secrete counsel to hym Also he inuiteth hiÌ„ draweth hym by grace benigly after his humyliacion depression he enhaunteth him to glory The meke obedyent soule ê“ued by iniury confusyon maye rest in peas For in asmoche it is coÌ„teÌ„pned of the worlde it is in maner coÌ„strained to fle reste in god neuer estimate thy selfe to haue ê‘fite ê“fite without thou repute thy selfe most vile of all other ¶ The .iii. chaptre of the restfull quyet persone TOke thou first be quiet thy selfe than thou mayste the better pacifie other A pacyeÌ„t maÌ„ more coÌ„mendable ê“fitable than a great lettred â—ipacyent A persone that is passionate lightely â—eueth the worst party coÌ„monly in euery thynge â—â—at ê‘sone that is content applyeth euery thynge â—t and that soule that is nat well content is inqÌ„et by diuerse suspicions nother quite in hymselfe ne yet suffereth other to be in pease speketh oftimes those thynges that be nat syttynge omyttethe to speke of those thynges that were expedieÌ„t to be spoken of He considereth what other be bounde to do is necligent in that that perteyneth to hym selfe Haue first a zele a respecte to thy selfe than thou maist better attende to the dedes of other Thou art redy to excuse thy ê“pre errour defautes wylte nat ê¯sider the fraylte of thy neyghbour But it were more accordiÌ„ge to equite to excuse thy neighbour to accuse thyselfe If thou wylt that other support suffre the thou must somtyme charitably support suffre other meÌ„ how ferre art thou from ê‘fite humylyte charite by the
for to here the wordes of mouthe in the extreme and last iugement whan he shall pronownce the wordee of perpetuall dampnacyon sayinge to the reprobate creatures Go ye fro me for euer to be perpetuall fire that is ordeined for the deuyll his angels Tho that now here the worde of god and be gladde to folowe it than they shall nat be astonyed of they re owne partye herynge the wordes of dampnacion of the reproued peple whaÌ„ our Lorde shall come to deme all the worlde the sygne of the crosse shal be heueÌ„ and so those that be true seruauntes of the lorde that was crucified at that day hauynge his conisaunce or signe that is to say the crosse of penauÌ„ce than maye they haue full sure accesse to hym theyr maister Iuge Why fereste thou to take the crosse of short penaunce whereby thou maist comesuerly to the perpetuall ioyfull kyngdome in that vertue of the crosse is spuÌ„all helthe lyfe proteccion from our enemye infusion of heuenly swetnes the strength of mynde the ioy of the spirite there is ê“fitable excellent vertue with ê‘feccioÌ„ of holynes of liuiÌ„ge There is no helthe of the soule ne hope of heuenly life but by te vertue of the crosse and therfore take yâ— crosse of penaunce folowe Iesu thy leder into euer lastynge blysse He hath gone before the beringe the crosse therupon for thy loue suffred deth than take the crosse of tribulacion sikenes or other disases desire to suffre deth for his loue if thou wylt be assembled to hym in paciently sufferynge peyne trybulacion dethe than thou shalt be ê‘tener of his plesure coÌ„solacion ê‘petuall lyfe ioy Than beholde what vertue cometh by the holy crosse what habundauÌ„ce of grace by the ardeÌ„t desire to suffre deth for that loue of our lorde There ys none other way to come to life and inly peas but by the way of the crosse of penaunce coÌ„tynuall mortificacoÌ„n of our rebellioê° sensuall partis Go whether soeuer thou wylt enquyre whatsoeuer thou desirest but thou shalt nener abowe the vnder the fende a more excellent sure way than by the way of imitacioÌ„ of the holy cros Dispose thy selfe order euery thynge after thy propre wyll desire thou shalt fynde thou must euer suffre other frely by thy wyl or violently ageinst thy wyll so thou shalt nat auoide the crosse outher sikenes peynein thy body orellis by tribulacyon in thy soule Somtyme our lorde deleth with that as he wolde forsake the and somtyme by his wisdome he suffre the to be iniured vexed of thy neyghbour somtyme of thyn owne selfe and there is no remedye ne alienation but thou must paciently suffre tyll it plese the great phisicion to sende alegians remedye to the. For he wyll that thou lerne to suffre trybulacion that therby thou mayst be made more huÌ„ble holy conuerte thy selfe to hym There be none that perceyueth or inly or hertly foloweth yâ— gloryê° passion of crist as tho that for his loue or the ê“fit of theyr soules hath had coÌ„formable peyne This cros of tribulacioÌ„ is euer redy abideth the in euery place therfore thou maist nat auoyde it iÌ„ any place for if thou were secluded fro all the world yet thou shul dest haue experience of this crosse of tribulacion in thyselfe CoÌ„uerte thyselfe to those aboue the orellis to those that ben vnder yâ— and aboute the and loke wythin the. And in all those thou shalte fynde the crosse of temptacyon ad tribulacion and therfore it is expedyent to the euer to arme thy selfe with pacience yf thou wylthaue inly peas and the crowne of perpetuall tryumphe and ioye Endeuoure thyselfe to bere this crosse of tribulacion pacyently and it shall susteyne the myghtyly and lede the to a ioyfull ende where thou shalt neuer bere the burdeÌ„ of any kiÌ„de of tribulacioÌ„ or teÌ„ptacion If thou bere this cros ageinst thy wyll than thou berest a burden that more chargeth thy selfe therfore in asmoche as thou must of necessite bere it applie thy selfe that thou pacieÌ„tly susteyne it and doute the nat if thou abiecte it put it away but thou shalt haue another peraueÌ„ture a more heuy and greuous to susteyne thynkest thou to auoyde that neuer mortall creature yet mighte escape What saynt fro the begynnynge of the worlde to thys daye hath come to heuen wythoute this crosse of trybulacion No nat the sonne of god our sauyour the whiche from his fyrste comynge iÌ„to this worlde vnto his departynge was nat the space of one houre alyenate from the peyne of the cros and trybulacion It was behouable that crist shuld suffre dethe and arise agayne and so to entre iÌ„to his glorye Howe shuldest thou synfull creature thynke that thou shuldeste go to heuen by any other waye than by the playne ryght and hygh kynges waye that is to saye the way of the crosse Desyreste thou to come to heuen by pleasure and ioye Nowe sithe the ledar of lyfe with all hys martyrs haue paste by the way of trybulacion and the crosse Who so euer intende to come to heuen withoute the way of trybulacion the crosse they erre from the ryght waye for all the way of this mortall lyfe is full of meseres crosses of tribulacion And euer the more a soule ê“fiteth in vertue the more peinfull crosses greuous tribyulacions it shall fynde ê‘tly for the fende assayleth more fersly those ê‘sons whome he seeth encrese more in vertue The seconde cause is for the more strongly a soule encreaseth in vertue the more desyre it hath to be eleuate frome the incommoditees of thys temporall exyle to be at lyberte in the perpetuall ioy ê“pre countrey But the soule thus vexed with many folde affeccions may syngulerlye be recoÌ„forted whan it perceyueth that for euery trybulacyon pacyeÌ„tly by grace ouercome it shal be rewarded with the frute of euerlastynge lyfe And euer the body is punysshed with peyne and tribulaciou the more shall the soule receyue of spiritual strengthe consolacion And somtyme the soule is so reconforted in aduersite and tribulacion that it wolde nat be without them consyderynge that therby it ys made coformable to oure sauyoure cryste And also it consyderethe well that the more peyne and tribulacyon it may suffre for his loue the more acceptable it shal be in hys sight Howe may this be that man by pacience suffereth and desireth that nature fleethe and hateth nat by no vertue in man but by the synguler grace of Iesu criste It is nat the naturall appetite of man to loue and suffre a peynefull crosse to chaslyse the bodye and subdue it to the seruyce of the spirite to flee honours gladly accepte repreues iniuries to dispise hymselfe desire to be dispised paciently to suffre all aduersitees with shames repreues to desire no ê“sperite in this worlde Beholde thy selfe well
from the detraccyon of yll men And if trouthe delyuer the thou shalt be very fre from the vayne wordes of men in this worlde shall nat set by them It is true sayth a deuout soule to god that thou sayste be it done after thy saynge thy trouthe teche me kepe me brynge me to saluacyoÌ„ good ende delyuer me froÌ„ all euyll affeccyoÌ„ froÌ„ all inordynate loue so that I may walke with the good lorde in lyberte fredome of hert Truth sayth agayne to such a soule I shall teche the thynges that be rightwyse plesauÌ„te before me RemeÌ„ber thy synnes past with great dyspleasure and heuynes and repute the nat any thyng of valoure for any good dede that thou haste done Thynke verely thou arte a synner by wrapped and bouÌ„de iÌ„ many passyons synnes thynke that of thyne owne selfe thou arte nought soone turnest to that that nought is thou art soone ouercome with synne thou art soone trobled ofte broken with passyoÌ„s of syn thou haste nothynge of thy selfe that thou mayst magnyfy thy selfe of but many thynges thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to vylypeÌ„de the for thou art more feble thaÌ„ thou knowest thy selfe Therefore let nothynge that thou doste seme to the great of pryce of all thyngê that thou doest esteme nothynge pÌ„cious or in valour or iÌ„ reputacyoÌ„ laudable but that thynge that is eternall so that the euerlastynge trouth be pleasauÌ„t to the before any thiÌ„ge ellys that allvylyte or synÌ„e specially thyne owne synne foulenes dysplease the so that nothyng be to the so odyous as synne wyckednes the whiche ought to displease the more thaÌ„ the damage or losse of any other worldlye thynge Some there be that walke nat clerey before me but they be led by pryde curyosyte to serche knowe my secretys the hye thyngê of my godhede so they be neclygent about themselfe to know theyr synnes gostly helthe such ê‘sons fall ofteÌ„ tymes into teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s greuous synnes left to theÌ„ selfe for theyr pryde curiosite that they folowe drede thou therfore the iugemeÌ„tes of God the iÌ„portable wrath of god almyghty Dyscusse nat ne enserche the meruaylous werkes of god but ê¯syder thou well thy synnes wyckednes how ofte in how many great thynges thou hast offeÌ„dyd trespassyd ayenst god how many good thynges thou hast left vndone of rechelesnes some folke ther be that bere theyr deuocyon all in bokes some in Images and some in outwarde tokens fygures some ther be that bere me in mouthe ofte namynge me in worde but lytell in hert and some other there be that haue theyr intelleccyon or reason clerely illumyned with the lyght of vnderstandynge theyr affecte so pour ged of erthely thyngê that they alway aspyre to eternall thynges greuously berynge to here coÌ„menyng of erthely thynges takyng but scarsly of suche thynges as be necessaryly requyred to natural lyfe such knowe what the spyryte of trouthe speketh in theym the which techeth them to despyse erthely thynges to loue heuenly goodes and to despyse the worlde worldly thynges and to desyre euer heuen and celestyall thynges ¶ The .vi. chapyter of the marueylous desyre and affecte of the loue of God O Thou fader celestiall the eternall fader of my lorde iesu criste I loue the blesse the for thou hast vouchesaue to remembre beholde me louiÌ„gely with thy gracious consolacion O thou fader of mercy god of consolacion I thanke the that thou coÌ„fortest me vnworthy to haue anye consolacion I blesse prayse the alwey with thy only begoteÌ„ sone the holy goste whithout ende whan thou good lorde my louer as thou arte of al man kynde shal come into my herte all my inwarde ê‘tes shall ioye Thou art my ioy thou art my hope refuge iÌ„ the tyme of my tribulacion but for asmoche as I am iÌ„perfite of vertue feble in loue Therfore I haue nede to be coÌ„forted helped of the. Wherfore I beseche thy endeles goodnes to vysete me oftymes and iÌ„structe me with thy holy disciplenes and techynges Delyuer me from passions he le my herte fro all inordinat desires affeccyons Se that I inwardely be purged eleuate frome wordly affeccions and may be made apte and able to loue the good lorde spiritually stronge in pacience to suffre for the and stable by ê‘seueraunce in goodnes Loue is a great thinge an excellent vertue that maketh euerye greuous harde thynge light swete importyble thiÌ„ge easye to bere and bitter thynges swete sauorable The loue of iesu perfyghtly imprynted in mannes soule makethe a man to do great thynges and exortethe hym therafter alweye to desire more and more perfight thynges Goostly loue desyreth euer to ascende to heuenly goodes vily pendeth al erthly thiÌ„ges his necessaries saued Suche gostely loue coueteth to be fre and alyenate frome all wordly occupacioÌ„s lyste that his inwarde syghte of soule be derked or letted ne his affeccion to gostely and heuenlye thiÌ„ges be letted frome his liberte by wordly thynges Nothynge is more swete than is loue no thiÌ„ge ys more stronge than loue no thynge hygher larger meryer fuller ne better in heuen or erthe For loue cometh of god ne it may nat reste fynally iÌ„ any creature lower than god It maketh a man renewe ioye It maketh a man fre in hys soule wythout any retaininge of synne It maketh a maÌ„ set nought by wordly goodes but to departe with all that he hath to relyue the indignes and myserye of other folke Also it maketh a man content with that lytell that god sendeth hym noughttd desire that ê‘teineth to other for he resteth aboue all thynge erthely in one perfite goodnes that is to say iÌ„ god almighty of whome all other goodnes floweth ê“cedeth Suche a persone beholdeth not only the gyftes that be gyuen to hym but he attendeth aboue al thinges with loue and drede vnto god the giuer Loue knoweth no measure but it incendethe the louer out of measure Loue makethe man to fele no hardnes ne other burden layde vpon hym and it maketh a maÌ„nat repute any labour that is impute to hym it maketh any man to desire ouer his power and might It complaynethe nat of impotencye any tyme For it makethe a man to thynke alle thynhes possyble to hym and lefull Loue therfore dothe and may do great thynges where the louer lieth nat nor defayleth nat It maketh a man gladly to wake whan he is dulle and disposed to slepe Whan a man is wery it maketh hym nat to accompte it Whan a man ys arted or troubled it chassethe aweye all trouble feere inwarde For as a quycke bronde or flame of fyre if it be moued or blowen it flamethe vpwarde so a gostely louer in troubles is lyfte vp by feruour of loue to god and so by the helpe of god almighty he ouerpassethe all suche peynes and trybulacions He that is a
gostely louer knoweth that the ardent desyre of mannes soule is a greate crye in the ere of almyghty god the whiche crye sayth inwardly to almyghty god Thou good lorde art my loue thou art al my desire and I am thy creature delate my herte in thy loue that I may lerne to taste by the inwarde mouche of my soule howe swete thou arte in loue and what is to man to be lyquyfyed and molten in loue or to swymme therin I am holden and bounde in loue so that I go aboue my selfe for great meruayle feruour of lone I beseche the good lorde that I may synge the songe of loue folowe the my louer by vertuous lyuinge euer to ascende to yâ— in perfitnes oflyuiÌ„ge so that my soule may be streÌ„gthed in praysynge of thy maiestye by ioyfyll loue of thy goodnes I besyke the alwey that I maye loue the more than my selfe that I maye euer loue my selfe all other that loue the for the in the as yâ— law of loue that thou coÌ„maÌ„ded monissheth loue is swifte clere pyteous mery and iocounde it is stronge pacient wyse feithfull longe abydynge manlye neuer hyd but alwey redy Whereso a man sekethe hymselfe there he falleth fro loue for loue is circumspecte very meke religious nat lyght ne gyuinge hede to vayne thynges Very loue is sobre chaste stable quyet and kept in his bondes Also loue maketh a man subiecte and obedient to hys prelate It maketh a man ferme and stable in vertuous life to seme vyle and despecte or vn worthy in his owne sight Also it maketh a man deuoute to god kinde alway to beleue trust in him though he haue nat souche sauoure or approximacion to hys goodnes that perfighte folke haue For noman here lyuynge maye in loue withoute langour heuynes He that is nat alwey redy to suffre to applie hymselfe to the wil of god almyghty his louer he is nat worthy to be called a louer for it perteynethe to a louer to suffre gladly al hard bitter thiÌ„ges for his louer nat to decline fro hym for any coÌ„trarious thinge ¶ The .viii. chaptre howe a true louer is proued HE that leueth or forsaketh the loue or the vertue that he hath begonne with for a lytell aduersyte or trouble or that in suche tyme seketh lightly wordly consolacion he is nat prudent ne stronge louer for a stronge louer standeth stably in teÌ„ptacion he gyueth nat hede ne place to the deceytfull ê‘suasions of the enemye he is nat broken by iÌ„pacyence by aduersitees ne illuded or disceyued by prosperoê° thinges A wyse a prudent louer ponderith nat the gyfte that is gyuen so moche as the loue of the gyuer He conceyueth rather the loue of the gyuer than the gyft that is gyuen prepondereth the gyuer before all thynges gyuen A noble veray louer resteth nat in the gift that god almighty giueth but in god that is the gyuer of all goodes that maÌ„ is nat all disordred that somtyme lesse coÌ„ceiueth or pondereth god almyghty or his sayntis thaÌ„ he wolde do For that good swete desire that a man somtyme ê‘ceyueth in his soule is the effecte of grace gyuen to man in this present lyfe a taste sauour of heuenly glory to the whiche we may nat rest ouermoche by coÌ„fidence or trust of soule for it goethe coÌ„eth mouable is natê‘manent A man to fight or striue agaist the euyll mocioÌ„s of his soule to ouercome the suggestions of the deuyll is a token of vertue of great merite See therfore what soeuer thou art that no stronge fantasies of any matter trouble the. Kepe still thy purpose right intencion of soule to god thou shalt nat fall Thinke nat that it is illusion that thou art somtyme rauisshed in extasy or excesse of mynde so retorned again to customable lightnes of hert For thou sufferest rather such discens against thy wyll than wylfully As loÌ„ge as suche coÌ„trarious disordred or vaine thoughtes disple se the thou striueste against them whan they rise iÌ„ yâ— it is to thy merite no losse or hinderauÌ„ce I knowe saith our lorde iesu to his louer that the old enemie to maÌ„ doth alwey his power to let thy wyl desyre iÌ„ goodnes to hynder lett the from all good deuoute exersise as fro the worship that thou art bound to honour me with my saintes fro the meditacyon or remembrauÌ„ce of my passion fro the rememberaunce of synnes with bitternesse of soule fro the pÌ„seruacion of thy berte fro euyll from wyll to ê“fite iÌ„ goodnes vertue Many ydell euyll thaught is he suggesteth to maÌ„nis soule to make hym both lothe wery with prayer other vertuous exercises lowe coÌ„fessyon displeseth hym greatly if he may he wil let a man of his coÌ„munion Set nat by hym ne beleue hym nat for he ley the before the many snares of disceyte Whan he she weth to thy soule euyll thiÌ„ges or vnclene Dispiteously say to hym go fro me thou foule wycked spirite Thowe workes that bringist suche foule thinges to entyse me Be thou ashamed for thou arte foule of thy selfe go fro me thou false disceyuer of mankynde thou shalt haue no parte in me For my sauyour iesu shall stande with me iÌ„ my defence as a stroÌ„ge warriour to thy coÌ„fusion I had leuer dye suffre almaner peyne than to coÌ„sent to yâ— Holde peas cese of thy teÌ„ptacions I wyl no more here ne gyue hede to the thoughe thou vexe me neuer so moche For almighty god is my helper whome I drede He is the defender of my lyfe vpoÌ„ whome I truste ye if the strengthe of castels withstand me I shall nat drede For our lorde is my helper redemer Fight striue ageynste suche intisemeÌ„tes as a good knight if thou somtyme be ouercome by thy feblenes or frailte take thaÌ„ more coÌ„fort streÌ„gthe of soule than thou didest before trustige therby to haue the more large grace coÌ„fort of god beware the after of pryde vaine glory for therby be many led into erroneous wayes fall ito vncurable blidnes of soule So that thou therfore beware humble the ageynst the presuÌ„pcion ot suche ê‘sones ¶ The .viii. chaptre how grace is to be hyd vnder the palle of humylyte SOnne sayth the wise man it is more sure ê“fitable to the to hyde the grace of deuocion gyuen to the than to shewe it out wordly Auaunce nat the of it ne speke nat of suche grace to other nor magnifie thy selfe therby but thou shuldest rather dispise thy selfe and drede lyst thou be vnworthy to haue it or sone by thy neclygence to lese it MaÌ„ shulde nat cleue or trust to moche to suche affeccioÌ„ whiche may sone be torned to the coÌ„trarie CoÌ„sider wel whan thou hast suche grace howe wretched nedy thou were before thou hadest grace nor
goodnes of god that so frely so abuÌ„daÌ„tly gyueth to his creatures wtout any ê‘sonall coÌ„cepcioÌ„ all thiÌ„gê come of yâ— therfore thou art to be magny fyed praysed in all thyngê thou knowest good lorde what thyng is expedyent to be gyuen vnto euery man and why this ê‘sone receyueth of thy larges more an other lesse it ê‘teygneth not vnto vs but to the to discerne the whiche alonly knowest euery mannys merytes I repute it for a great benefyte gyuen to me of thy goodnes that I haue nat great gyftis wherby I shuld haue any vayne laude or praysynge outwardlye of the people so if man coÌ„syder well his vylite pouerte great indygence he wolde nat be heuy troubled in hym selfe but he wolde rather take therof great consolacyon gladnes of soule for thou good lorde chose and do contynuallye chose poore and humble such as the worlde dispyseth to thy seruyce famy lyaryte as is shewed manyfestly by the apostles syngulerly chosen of yâ— whom thou made prynces of all the worlde that nat withstaÌ„dynge theyr ê¯uersacioÌ„ lyuynge was without reprefe amoÌ„ge men of huÌ„ble symple without deceyte malyce that they suffred gladly for thy name repÌ„uynge scourgyngê greuous peynes with deth at the last the which all be horryble and dispytfull to worldly folke wherefore there oughte nothynge so glad thy louer knower of thy bnÌ„fytes as thy wyll to be fulfylled in hym the pleasure of thy eternall disposycion wherof he ought to be so well ê¯teÌ„te pleased as at the ordynauÌ„ce of god it is to hym as lefe to be yâ— leste lowest as an other desyreth to be hyest moost repute to be content pleased with the lowest place as an other with the hyest to be as gladly abiecte dyspycable as other doth desyre to be hye aboue other in the worlde for thy loue wyll good lorde ought to pÌ„cell all other thynges more to please man thaÌ„ all other bnÌ„fytes gyuen or to be gyuen to man ¶ The .xxv. chapyter howe .iiii. thynges brynge pease to man â—Oure thingê sone therbe that make a man to be in great pease lyberte of soule fyrst is that a man shall study rather to do and folowe an other mannys wyll than his owne an other is to chose to haue lesse of teÌ„porall goodes or worshyppes rather thaÌ„ more the thyrde is to chose euer the lower sete or place to bevnder alway nat aboue the .iiii. is to desyre that he wyll of god be holy done in the suche a ê‘sone entreth the endis of pease rest lorde sayth the deuout soule thy worde forsayd is short coÌ„teyner of great ê‘feccyon on it is lytell and short in ê“nunciacioÌ„ full in sence vertue If I coulde well kepe it I shuld nat be so soone troubled as I am for as ofte as I am greued dyspleasyd I fynde in me that I goo so ofte from this doctryne but thou good lorde that all may also loueth well and profyte of mannes soule encreace thy grace in me that I may accoÌ„plysshe thy worde vnto my saluacyon ¶ The .xxvi. chapyter a prayer agayne euyll thoughtes LOrde god I beseke the nat to be loÌ„ge absent fro me but gyue alway hede to me iÌ„ helping me vayne thoughtes haue rysen agayne me with many terrous that haue troubled me howe shall I passe vnhurte and howe shall I breke them and escape but if thou helpe thou sayst to thy seruaunt I shall go before the I shall huÌ„ble them that Ioy trust in erthely glorye I shall open to the the gatys of darkenes I shall shew the my secretis do good lorde as thou ê“myses dwell in me chase fro me all wycked euyll thoughtes my hope refuge siguler is to fle to the in euery trybulacion to call vpoÌ„ the with inwarde coÌ„fydeÌ„ce to be helped pacyeÌ„tly abydiÌ„ge thy consolacyon ¶ The .xxvii. chapter a deuout prayer for the illumynacyon of maÌ„nes mynde O Thou good thesu claryfy me with the clerete of euerlastynge lyght chase fro myn hert all maner darkenes stablysshe the great vagacions of my mynde that I suffer breke destroy the vyoleÌ„t teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s that I am acoÌ„bred with fyght stroÌ„gly for me fere awaye the euyll bestes that is to say my lecherous coÌ„cupyssens that I am moued teÌ„pted by yâ— peace may be iÌ„ me by thy vertue myght so that laude may souÌ„de to the in the hall of my soule coÌ„mauÌ„de the wyndys teÌ„pestis of trouble teÌ„ptacioÌ„ the see full of moÌ„stres parellys to cease say to the north wynde that it blowe nat and than shall be a great traÌ„quilite sende out thy lyght of truthe that it may shyne vpoÌ„ erthe for I am as the erthe vayne bareÌ„ vnto thou illumyne me sende out thy grace from a boue anoynte my hert with thy grace celesty all sende in to me the terys of deuocyon to make moyste and wete my dry soule that it may brynge for the good frute the frute of god warkynge rayse vp my mynde the which is oppÌ„ssyd with the burden of syn suspeÌ„de my desyre holy to heueÌ„ly thynges so that the swetnes of heuenly felycyte tasted I may lothe to thynke of erthely thynges rauysshe me from the vnstedfast coÌ„solacioÌ„ of all creatures for no creat thing may fully satysfye myn appetyte Ioyne me good lorde to the with the baÌ„de of in seperable loue for thou alone suffy syst to thy louer and without the all other thynges be vayne and of no valure ¶ The .xxviii. chapter howe a man shuld eschewe to enquyre busyly of an other mannes dedes SOne sayth God to his louer be thou nat curious to seke vanites or euyll questioÌ„s of other mennys coÌ„uersacyon in worde or dede folowe thou me what ê‘teyneth to the this or that or what this man is or that or ellys what this man doth or sayth and what that thou shalt nat gyue accoÌ„pt for other meÌ„nys dedys but for thyn owne selfe wherfore thaÌ„ doste thou wrap the in suchevayne questyons I knowe euery man with his coÌ„uersacyon I se euery thynge vnder the sonÌ„e I know euery man what he thâ—keth willeth sayeth or doeth and to what ende he entendeth his werke thou shuld therfore coÌ„myt all tkyngê to me to my iugemeÌ„t and to kepe thy selfe in good pease let hym that waÌ„dreth wander and dryue as he wyll At the last shall fall vnto hym that he hath deserued in worde or dede for he may nat deceyue me Desyre thou nat great fame outwarde ne great famylyary te with folke no pryuate loue of any ê‘son for these thin ges geÌ„drith distraccoÌ„s of maÌ„nes soule gret erours derknes of maÌ„nes hert I wolde speke to the gladly my wordes my couÌ„ceyles secretê I wolde she we yâ— if thou wolde dylygeÌ„tly obâ—ue my coÌ„miÌ„g openynge the dore of thy hert to me be thou
prouydent wakynge in prayers humblynge the iÌ„ all thynges ¶ The .xxix. chapiter In what thynges standeth very peace and profyte of man SOne I sayde ones to my dyscyples I leue peace with you gyue you my pease I gyue you my peace nat as the worlde doth that nowe gyueth peace now troubles warre all folke desyre peace but all doth nat seke the very thynges yâ— ê‘â—ayne to peace My peace is with huÌ„ble ê‘sones innocent thy peace shall be iÌ„ moche pacieÌ„s if thou wylt here me folowemy worde thou shalt haue moche peace iÌ„ all thy werkes take hede what thou dost say or intâ—dâ—g alwey to please me only nothynge without me to desyre or seke also be thou nat curioê° or besy to discerue or iuge other meÌ„nys wordes or dedes ne mell nat of thynges that be nat perteynynge to the and thus doynge thou shalt lytle or seldome be troubled neuer to suffer any heuynes or perturbacyon of body or soule longeth nat to this lyfe but to the estate of the lyfe to come where euer quyetnes peace is suppose nat therefore yâ— thou hast fouÌ„de very peace for yâ— thou felest no heuynes ne grauyte ne thynke nat that all is well about the if thou haue no aduersary ne suffer coÌ„tradyccyon nor repute nat the therfore ê‘fyte for yâ— all thynges be done after thy mynde desyre nor thou shalt nat repute the to be beloued or to be in the fauour or grace with almyghty God if thou haue any gyfte of swetnes or deuocion for a true louer of vertue is nat knoweÌ„ in such thynges nor the profyte or ê‘feccion of man standeth nat in suche but in that rather that thou offredest thy selfe with all thyn hert vnto the wyll of god nat sekynge thy goodys or thyne owne wyll to be done in lytle or moche so that thou take euenly with thaÌ„kes prosperous thynges and aduersytees weyinge all in a lyke balaunce if thou be so stronge in hope that when thou lackest in warde consolacyon than thou prepayrest thy herte to suffer gretter thynges than before nat reputynge thy selfe rightwyse or holy theÌ„ thou walkest in the true and right way of peace without doubte then thou shalte se my face in euer lastynge ioy and if thou come to the full contempte of thy selfe then thou shalte haue the habuÌ„daunce oâ— pese after thy possybâ—lyte as a â—ayâ—erer may haue ¶ The .xxx. Chapiter of the preemynence of a fre mynde and howe prayers precellyth lesson LOrde this is the warke of a perfyte man neuer to lose his soule from the speculacyon or of the syght of heueÌ„ly thynges to go amonge many busynesses as wtout all busynes nat as an ydell man but by a preâ—ogatyue offre mynde nat lyuynge by iÌ„ordynate affeccyoÌ„ to any creature I beseke the moost good almyghty god pÌ„serue me froÌ„ the busynes of this lyfe yâ— I be nat wrapt ouermoche by the manyfolde necessaryes of my body that I be nat caught by lust of body delyuer me I beseke the froÌ„ all maner of iÌ„pedymeÌ„tes enemyes to my soule to saue me that I be nat cast downe broke by outragyous heuynes nat by such vanites as the worlde busyly desyreth but by such myseries as of yâ— comoÌ„ male diccioÌ„ of maÌ„kynde doth greue peynfully thy â—uauÌ„tes that they may nat haue lyberte of soule to be ioyned to yâ— as they wolde good lorde turne all carnall â—solacioÌ„ iÌ„ me into bytternes that shuld entyse drawe me by fals pÌ„tens of goodnes froÌ„ yâ— coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ loue of euerlastynge thynges let me nat be ouercome of flesshly luste Let me nat be dysceyued by the worlde or by the shorte glory pompe therof nor let me be supplanted or be bygyled by the cawtels deceytes of the deuyll gyue me I beseke the streÌ„gth to resyst all euyll pacyeÌ„s to suffer aduersytes stablenes of ê‘seuerauÌ„ce grauÌ„t me for all worldly consolacyons the swete gracyous vnccyon of the holy goost for all carnall loue yet into my soule the loue of thyne holy name Mete drynke and clothe other necessaries to the body be peynfull onerous to a ferueÌ„t spyryte grauÌ„t me good lorde to vse suche bodely coÌ„fortes teÌ„peratly so that I be nat wrapped in outragyous desyre of such thynges to forsake all such bodely necessytes I may nat lefully for nature must be sustayned but to seke suche thynges in suê‘fluyte or such thynges as be more delectable thaÌ„ ê“fytable the holy lawe forbedeth it for elles the flesshe of man shuld rebell ayenst the soule amonge all such thynges good lorde I beseke the that thy haÌ„de of grace may teche and gouerne me euer that I admyt no suche thynges in superfluyte ¶ The .xxxi. chapiter the loue of pryuat thynges of mannys selfe letteth the perfyte goodnes of mannys soule SOne if thou wylt possesse god almyghtye to dwell iÌ„ thy soule thou must eschew forsake all thy wyll for hym so yâ— onely thou gyue thy wyll holy vnto his wyll for the propre loue of thy selfe is more dysauauÌ„tage to yâ— than any erthly thynge after thyne affeccioÌ„ loue yâ— enclynest to euery thyng more or lesse if thy loue be pure symple and well ordered thou shalte nat be ouercomen by inordynate desyre of such erthely thynges Couet nat such thynges as it is vnlefull the to haue Nor yet haue thou nat indede nor in desyre that thynge that shall lette the or thy inwardly lyberte of thy soule I haue meruayle sayeth God to his louer that man gyueth nat hymselfe to me with all his herte to gether withall other thynges that he hath or desyreth to haue why art thou fatygate with superfluous busynes or desyer why is man wasted by vayne heuynes Lette hym stande to my pleasure and wyll and than he shall fele no heuynes ne harme if thou seke this thiÌ„ge or that or to be here or there for thy profyte or coÌ„modyte thou shalt neuer be quyte ne fre from busynes of mynde For in euery thynge besyde me is some defaute of goodnes and no place is voyde of all aduersyte wherefore seth transytory and worldlye thynges rychesses or worshyppes multiplyed in dede or in desyre doth nat helpe mannes soule but rather the contempte and hate of suche thynges profyteth in the acceptacion ayenst god for all suche shall passe with the worlde The place that a man desyreth shall lytell helpe hym if the spyryte of charite grace be nat with hym such peace as man seketh without forthe shall nat longe stande if it lacke the very foundament of stabylnes that is to say if man stande nat in god almyghty which is grouÌ„de of all stablenes he may well chauÌ„ge his place but he shal nat be auauÌ„taged iÌ„ soule for whyther so euer a man fleyth he shall fynde suche occasyon as he fleyth ¶ The .xxxii. chapyter an oreson for the pourgynge of mannes soule and for grace COnferme me good lorde by thy grace make me sad in
theê¯syderacyon loue of thy creature take fro the loke that thou lerne to ouercome thy selfe i all thynges for the possessyon of thy creature than thou mayst come to the knowlege of thy lorde god what so euer thynge thou louest in ordiatly be it neuer so lytell yet it defoylith thy soule letteth the to come to the knowlege loue of god ¶ The .xlviii. chapt ageynevayne seculerscyeÌ„ce SOne saythe our lorde to his louer beware that thou be nat moued by the fayre subtyll wordes or sayinges of men the reygne of god standeth nat in worde but in vertue attende my wordes for they illumyne maÌ„nes mynde iÌ„flameth with the ardure of loue maÌ„nys herte they make coÌ„puÌ„ccyon iÌ„ man to be sory for his synnes with that they brynge to maÌ„nys soule great ê¯solacioÌ„ gyue the nat to lecture or study for that thou woldest be sene cunnynge or wyse before other but study therby to mortyfye thy vyces vicioê° lyuynge i the other for that shall more ê“fyte the thaÌ„ the knowlege of many qÌ„stions for whaÌ„ thou haste red knowen many thynges thou must at last come to one pryncypall begynÌ„yng of all other I am he that techeth man cuÌ„nynge I gyue more clerevnderstaÌ„dige to huÌ„ble ê‘sones thaÌ„ any man techith loke whom I speke to he shal be wyse ê“fyte i soule who shall be them that seke of men curyous thynges and lytell ponder the wey how they shuld serue and please me the tyme shall come whaÌ„ that Cryste the mayster of all maysters and Lorde of auÌ„gels shall apere redy to here euery maÌ„nes lesson that is to say to examyne euery maÌ„nes coÌ„scyeÌ„s than shall IherusaleÌ„ be lyghtened enserched with lanternes lyghtes and the hyd warke cogitacyons of men shal be manyfestly opened all vayne excuses shal be fordone layd a syde I am he sayth god that sodeynly ryse vp and illumyneth an humble mynde that he may take and perceyue mo reasons of eternall trouth soner thaÌ„ he that studyeth .x. yere in the scolys I teche without souÌ„de of wordes without confusyon of opynyons without pryde of worshyp without fyght of argumeÌ„tacyoÌ„ I teche to dispyse erthely thynges and thynges present I make my louers to seke to sauoure thynges eternall to fle honours paciently to suffer sclaunders and aduersytes nothyng without me to desyre but all theyr hope to put in me and to loue me ardently aboue all thynges some in louynge me inwardlye haue dyuyne and godle thynges cuÌ„nyng to speke marueylous thyngê suche hath more ê“fyted iÌ„ forsa kynge all thyngê thaÌ„ iÌ„ studyinge about subtyle thiges but I speke to some comon thynges to other specyall thyngê I appere to some swetely in hyd synes fyguers to other I shewe great mysteryes with great lyght of vnderstaÌ„dynge there is onevoyce one letter in the bokes that they beholde but that voyce or letter informeth nat all in lyke for I am yâ— inwarde techer of trouthe serchar of maÌ„nes hert yâ— vnderstander of maÌ„nes thought ê“moter of his dedis gyuynge to euery man as I thynke worthy ¶ The .xlix. chapiter howe we shuld despyse nat greatly desyre outwarde worldly thynges SOne thou must be ignoraÌ„t vnknowing many thiÌ„gê thou must accoÌ„pte thy selfe as dede vpon erthe seke one that all the worlde is crucyfyed to thou muste ouer passe many thynges that thou shalt parauenture ayenste the or thy frende with a deffe ere nat answerynge to such but to such rather those thyngê that be to thy peace it is better a man to turne a way his iyen fro thynges of dyspleasure to let euery man to thynke loke as he wyll Also to withdraw thyn erys fro vnprofytable fables thaÌ„ to deserne to ê¯tencious wordes if thou wylt stande enclyne to god dylygently beholde his iugemeÌ„t the meke answers in his reproues thou shuldest suffer the more easely to be ouercome o lorde God what be we lo we wepe lament greatly for a lytell teÌ„porall harme or losse we renne ayenst myght and laboure bodely for a lytell teÌ„porall auauntage but our spuÌ„all losses detrymeÌ„tis that we suffre be soone forgote withvs scarsly we returne agayne therto any tyme after our losse to that thyng that is lytell or noughte worth we gyue great attendaunce and that thynge that is of great pryce moost necessary to vs we set nat by it for all mankynde in maner reÌ„neth towarde outwarde thynges but they soone aryse fro suche dysposycyon they shall gladly lye delyte euer in outwarde thynges ¶ The .l. chapyter howe euery tale or worde is nat to be beleued howe mannes worde soone slydeth GOod lorde gyue grauÌ„t me helpe of my trouble that I suffer for maÌ„nes helpe is but vayne vnuaylable in such nedis I haue ofte fayled of helpe socoure where I trusted to haue founde it and ofte haue I founde faythfulnes where I trusted leest to haue fouÌ„de it wherfore I say that man laboureth invayne that putteth his hope in man thou good lorde art the very hope helth of man blessyd be thou iÌ„ all thynges for all thynges that happeth to vs we be sicke vnstable of our selfe we be soone chaunged fro goodnes disceyued who is he that can so warely wysely kepe hym selfe in all thyngê that he fall nat sometyme into a snare of dysceyte of some ê‘plexite but he that trusteth in the good lorde and seketh the with symple herte dothe nat so soone remeue from the and if it hap hym to fall into anye tribulacyon howe so euer he be wrapped therin he shall soone be delyuered therof by yâ— or ellys soone receyue coÌ„fort of thy goodnes for thou good lorde forsakest them neuer that truly truste in the it is harde to fynde a faythfull a trusty frende that so perseueryth in all the trybulacyons of his frende thou good lorde art moost faythfull iÌ„ all such nedys lyke vnto the none is nor may be fouÌ„de o full well felte sauoured that soule in god the which sayde my mynde is grouÌ„ded stablysshed iÌ„ my lorde god if it were so with me I shuld nat so soone drede man ne be moued at his wordes who may ê“uyde all thynges for to come or who may eschewe yâ— perelles or euyls here after ensuynge if chauÌ„ces or thiÌ„ges before sene ofte anoyeth hurteth man what shall I saye than of thyngê vnprouyded but that they more greuously hurt but wherfore haue nat I wretche better prouyded or purueyed why gaue I so soone credeÌ„s to other mennes sayinge but we be men ye thoughe we be reputed and extemed aungels of many folke to whom shall I gyue credeÌ„s but to the good lorde for thou art very trouthe that nother dysceyuest ne may be disceyued and euery other man is a lyervn stable soone dysceyuyng moost in wordes so that vneth it can or may be beleued that semeth ryghtwyse
that but alonly to be vylypeÌ„ded or despysed iÌ„ my pleasure honour ouer all desyre that whether thou lyue or dye god alwey be gloryfyed iÌ„ the or by the. ¶ The .lv. chapt a man beynge in heuynes desolacioÌ„ shulde coÌ„mytte hym into the handes of god to his grace sayinge LOrde god holy fader blessyd be thou now euer for after thy holy pleasure so thou hast done to me and all that thou dost is good I besech the good lorde that thy seruauÌ„t may ioy in the and nat in my selfe ne in none other thynge but in the or ordred to the for thou alone art verye gladnesse thou art my hope my crowne of reward thou good lorde arte my ioy honoure what haue I or any of thy seruauÌ„tis that we haue nat receyued of thy goodnes ye without our meryte all be thyne that thou haste gyuen and made I am but pore haue be in trauayle fro my youth often my soule is heuy vn to wepyng some tyme it is troubled agayn it selfe for passyoÌ„s fersly inrysynge I desyre good lorde the ioy of peace I aske yâ— peace of thy chosen chyldreÌ„ the which be norysshed fed of the iÌ„ the lyght of iÌ„ warde eternall ê¯solacyoÌ„ if thou good lorde grauÌ„t me peace if thou graunt me in wardly holy ioy than shall the soule of thy seruauÌ„t be full of louynge and deuoute praysynge of thy infynyte goodnes if thou withdrawe the fro me as thou haste often wonte to doo than I may nat ren the way of thy commaundemeÌ„tys that is to say fulfyll them but more thy seruauÌ„t is then arted to knocke his breste to knele for grace and consolacyon afore had for that it is nat with hym nowe as yesterday the daye before whan thy lanterne of lyghte shone vpon hym illumyned his soule and was defended fro the inwarde temptacyons vnder the shadowe shylde of thy wynges right wyse fader euer worthy to be most loued the hour is come that thy seruaunt shulde be proued in it is worthy father that thy seruauÌ„t suffer this hour som what for the Thou knew in thy eternall presens an houre for to come in the whiche for a lytell tyme thy seruauÌ„t shuld outwardly be ouercome yet withinforth be euer lyuynge ayenst the that he shuld be vy lypended centeÌ„pned and despysed for a tyme in the syght of men by sorys peynes passyon that he a ryse agayne with the in the morne of a new lyght of grace after that be gloryfyed in heuen for allsuch humylyacions holy father thou haste so ordeyned wylled after thy coÌ„maundement so be it fulfylled iÌ„ me This is thy grace yâ— thou good lorde shewest to thy frende to suffer troubles here in this worlde for thy loue as ofte whaÌ„ so euer in what so euer wyse thou dysposest or suffrest it to fall without thy counceyle and prouydence And also without cause nothynge is done here in erthe It is good to me good lorde that thou hast humbled me that I maye thex by lerne the ryghtwyse iugementes and therby caste fro me all pryde and presumpcyon of hert It is very ê“fitable to me that I haue suffred or had such coÌ„fusyon that I by the erudycyon of it shuld rather seke thy consolacyon than mannes in such aduersy te I haue lerned also therby to drede thy inscrutable iugemeÌ„tes whereby thou prouest scourgest the ryght wyse man and the wycked and that nat with out equyte and rightwysnes I thaÌ„ke the that thou haste nat spared my synnes but punysshed me with scourges of loue ye bothe within and without with sores and anguysshes no creature vnder heueÌ„ may coÌ„forte me in myne aduersytes but thou good lorde the very and heueÌ„ly leche of mannes soule that smytest and helyst agayne Thou ledest vs into sharpe peynes of body suffrest vs to be ledde into dedely synne sometyme and thou bryngest vs out therof agayne by thy great grace Thy dyscyplyne be vpoÌ„ me and thy scourge shall teche me the wayes of vertue and mekenes Lo fader I am here in and vnder thy handes I enclyne me vnder thy rodde of correccyon smyte my backe and my necke that I may bowe and refourme my crokydnes vnto thy wyll Make me meke and lowly that I may lyue alway at thy wyll I commyt me to the good lorde with all myne for to be correcte For better it is to be punysshed and correcte here than after this lyfe thou knowest all thynges and nothynge is hydde in mannes soule or concyens fro the afore any thynges be made thy wysdome knoweth theym for to be it is nat nedefull that any man teche or warne the of any thyng that is done here in erthe Thou knowest what profyte or peyne is expedyent to me and moche trybula cyon auayleth to pourge the fylthe and ruste of my horryble Synne and vyces therefore do thou with me after thy pleasure and despyse nat I beseke thy grace my synfull lyfe for thou knowest it best grauÌ„t me good lorde grace to knowe that I am bounde to knowe and to loue that I ought to loue to prayse yâ— thou wolde I shulde prayse and to repute that is pÌ„ cyous iÌ„ thy syght and to refuse all that is vyle afore the gyue me grace good lorde nat to Iuge thynges after myne outwarde syghte ne after the herynge or the relacyon of vncunnynge folke but truly to dyscerne of vysyble thynges spyrituall and aboue all thynges to enquyre and folowe thy wyll pleasure mannes wyttes be often dysceyued in iugement also the louers of the worlde be often dysceyued in louynge all onely thynges vysyble what is a man the better that men repute hym more or better thaÌ„ he is iÌ„ dede a deceyuer deceyueth another one vayne maÌ„ another one blynde man another one sycke persone another whyle he so exalteth hym And yet in trouthe he more confoundeth hym than auaunceth whyles he so vaynly dothe laude or prayse hym for howe great coÌ„mendable holy euery man is in thy syght so worthy great he is and no more ¶ The .lvi. chapter A man shulde gyue hym to huÌ„ble warkes whan he is nat inclyned or dysposed to hye warkes SOne thou mayst nat alway stande in feruent desyre of vertue nor in the hyghe degre of coÌ„temptacion but it is nedefull to the sometyme for the fyrst corrupcion of mankynde to descende to lower thynges and to bere the burden of this corruptyble lyfe with tedyousnes agaynst thy wyll for as loÌ„ge as thou berest thy mortall body thou shalt fele werynes heuynes of thy herte thou must therfore whyles thou lyuest in this mortall lyfe ofte mourne and sorowe of the burden and contradyccyon of thy bodye to thy soule for that thou mayst nat contynually and without cessynge gyue hede and cleue to spuÌ„all studyes and to godly coÌ„teÌ„placyon then it is expedyent to the to fle to lowe and outwarde
loue pryuate Ioye They do away and put to as they fauoure nat after the pleasure of the hye truthe of our Lorde cryste iesu In many folke is IgnorauÌ„ce but moost in theym that haue but lytell vnderstandynge and therfore they but seldome loue any persone perfytly or ghostly many men be drawen by naturell affeccion loue nowe to this saynt or man nowe to that some to this some to that and as they behaue them in these erthely thynges here so they Imagen to be of heuenly thynges But great dyffereÌ„ce is betwyxt the thynges that Imperfyte folke do Imagyn or coÌ„syder and these thyngê that deuout and illumynyd persones seeth by heueÌ„ly illustracyon therfore sone be ware to treate vpon suche thynges curiously that excedeth thy knowlege but labour thou rather and indeuour thy selfe that thou may be sorted with the leest or lowest that is in heuen thorowe the merytes of good lyfe what auayleth it a maÌ„ to knowe which Saynt is more worthye in heuen than other but if he wolde humble hym selfe the more or wolde gyue more laude and praysynge vnto God therefore He pleasyth god more that thynketh busyly with repentaunce of the greatnesse and grefe of his synnes of the want of vertue that he hath wherby he dyffereth from the holynesse of sayntes than he that dysputeth of theyr degre in heuen more or lesse Better it is a man with deuoute prayers and wepynges to praye to sayntes and with humylyte of soule to adquyre and purchas theyr helpe than to enquyre by vayne inquysycyon theyr secretes They be well coÌ„tent euery chone with hys ioy If men here lyuynge were content and wolde refrayne theyr vayne spekynge and conteucyon a boute theym They haue no glorye or exaltacyon in theyr owne merytes for they assygne no maner of goodnesse vnto theyr owne selfe but to God all onely the whiche hath gyuen theym all thynges of his infynyte grace and charyte they be replenysshed with so great loue of God and with so abundaunt and folowynge Ioye there vpon that no glorye norfelycyte maye decreace or fayle them All the Sayntes in heuen the hyer they be in glorye the more humble and lowe they be in theyr owne syght and more nere and dere to me in loue It is wryten in the apocalyps that the Sayntys in heueÌ„ of humblenes dyd submytte theyr crownes before God and they fell on theyr faces before the humble lambe Cryste Ihesu adhowrynge and worshyppynge hym as theyr lorde God euermore lyuynge withouten ende Many folke enquyre busylye whiche Saynt is more preferred in the kyngedome of almyghtye God that knowe nat yf theyr selfe shall be worthye to be accompted with the leest Saynt in that kyngedome It is not a lytell but a great thynge and grace to be in the leest sorte in heuen where all that be there are greatlye magnyfyed of God For all that be there be called and are the chyldren of god almyghtye whan the apostellys of God questyoned amonge theym whiche of theym shulde be more preferryd in the kyngedome of Heuen They herde agayne the answere of our Lorde But if ye be conuertyd and made meke pure and withoute malyce as chyldren be ye shall nat enter the kyngedome of euerlastynge lyfe and he that huÌ„ bleth hym as this chylde he is more worthy iÌ„ yâ— kyngedome of heueÌ„ wo be to them that dysdayne to huÌ„ble themselfe with chyldreÌ„ for they for theyr presuÌ„pcioÌ„ pryde shall nat be suffred to enter the humble yate of heueÌ„ the which admyttyth none but humble and meke folke wo also be to ryche folke the which be ouercomen by Inordynate loue of theyr ryches For suche ryche folke haue here theyr consolacyons and Ioye And therfore at the last poore folke that be here humble of herte and content with theyr poore degre shall enter into the glorye of God for suche penury and hardenes wronges and other ylles as they haue suffred here lyuynge in this vale of myserye where ryche folke lyuynge here in welthe and pleasoure shal be shyt out with great sorowe and lamencion for that they haue loste so Inestymable a Ioy for a short worldly delectacyon that they had here lyuynge ioy therefore ye humble folke and also poore for ye shall enheryte the euerlastynge ioy and kyng dome of God if ye lyue well here in this mortall lyfe with perseueraunce ¶ The .lxiiii. chapiter All hope and truste that maÌ„ hath is to be fyxed in God all onely LOrde god what is my truste yâ— I haue iÌ„ this lyfe and what is my moost solace coÌ„forte of all thynges vysyble yâ— I se vnder heueÌ„ Is it nat thou whose mercy is iÌ„numerable yes sothely whaÌ„ hath it be well with me at any tyme without the or whan myght any yll happe or come to me thou beynge present Sothely neuer I had leuer be poore with the than to be ryche without thy presens I had leuer be a pylgryme here in erth with thy presens thaÌ„ to possesse heuen without the For where thou arte there is heueÌ„ and where thou arte nat there is dethe and also hell Thou arte all my desyre and therfore I haue nede to lament to pray and crye contynually after the I may trust fully in none but in the for there may be no helpe in cases of nede but in the only my lorde god thou arte my hope my trust my moost faythfull conforte and helpe in all thyngâ— all other persones seke theyr owne profyte and auayle but thou alonly pÌ„tendest and sekest my profyte and helthe eternall also thou turnest all thynges to my well ye whan thou sendest me troubles afflyccioÌ„s and temptacyoÌ„s all such thou good lorde ordeynest for my wele and profyte that by a thousande wayes arte wont to proue thy chosen and beloued seruauntes in which probacioÌ„s thou art nat lesse to be pray sed than if thou had replenysshed vs with heueÌ„ly coÌ„solacions In the good lorde I put all my hope so cour I sette all my trybulacyons and anguysshe in the for all that I beholde se without the I haue ê“ued it infyrme and vnstable The multytude of carnall frendys auayleth nat nor stronge helpers shall nat may helpe ne wyse couÌ„ceylers may gyue any ê“fytable answer or counceyll ne the bokes of doctoures may confort ne any pÌ„cyous substauÌ„ce may delyuer fro thy hande ne any secrete place may defende man but if thou lorde god wyll assyst helpe coÌ„forte couÌ„ceyl instructe kepe hym all thynges that â—eme for to be ordeyned to mannes pease and felycyte If thou be absent they be nat worthye ne they haue or gyue any true felycyte to any crature thou my lorde god therfore arte the ende of all goodnes the hye lyfe of all the profouÌ„de spekyng of all eloqueÌ„ce the moost stronge hope solace of thy seruauÌ„tes Myniyen intendynge into the I truste fullye in the my lorde god father of mercyes Blesse and saÌ„ctyfy my soule with heuenlye blessynge that it may be made
honourynge prechynge dayly his holy name If so greate deuocoÌ„n remembrauÌ„ce was done with dyuyne seruice and praysynges before tharke of his testament howe great reuerence and deuocion ought we thanne to haue in the presence of the sacrament and en the sumpcoÌ„n of the ryght excellent body of â–ª our lorde Iesucrist Also all cristen people vse for to renne to dyuers places for to vysyte the relyques of sayntes and merueyleth to here the merueylous dedes and werkes of theym They beholde the great edyfyces or byldynges of temples and kesses the sacrefyed bones ofsayntes wrapped â— clothes ofsylke and golde and thou my lorde god saynt of all sayntes creature of all thynges lorde of all auÌ„gels thou arte here present on thys aulter before me Often tymes the curyosyte of men and noueltyes of thynges nat sene be of lytell â–ª frute and lesse to be setby pryncypally where there ys so light recours and great wauerynge wythoute ony contricyon â–ª but my god thou arte all present in thys blessed sacrament of the aulter very god and man iesus cryste in the whiche the frute eternall of helthe aboundethe and is perceyued all the tymes that thou art worthely receyued And to thys here draweth nat any lyghtnes of sensuall cuâ—yosyte but ferme feith deuoute hope and pure charyte O god inuysyble creatour of all the worlde Howe merueylously doeste thou wyth vs howe feythfull doest thou with theym that purposeth to receyue thy selfe in thys blessed sacrament ¶ Certeynly it suâ— mounteth all vnderstandynge draweth specyally the hertes of deuoute people to dyuocion and enbraceth their affeccion For thy true and feythfull freÌ„des that disposeth al their lyfe to amende theym receyueth often great grace of deuocyon and vertue of that moost worthyest sacrament O maruelous hidde grace whych the feythfull crysten people of our lorde only knoweth But the infideles and subgettes vnto synne may therof haue no experyence In that sacrament yâ— spirytuall graces be confermed and the vertue that was lost in the soule ys repayred and beautye by synne wasted is recouered Somtyme thys grace that often wyth the pleny tude of deuocyon gyuen nat only vnto the thought but also vnto the feble body the myght and strengthe is augmented wherfore it behoueth vs to haue sorowe and pyte of our slouthe and neâ—lygence that we be nat drawen with so great desyre and affeccyon to receyue our lorde iesu crist in whome is all hope and the meryte of theym that ought to be sauede For he is our helthe and redempcyoÌ„ and the consolacion of vyatours and the eternall fruycyon of sayntes ¶ Also we ought to haue sorowe of that so many vnderstandeth sauereth reuerenceth so lytell this holy sacrament which Ioyeth the heuen and kepethe all the worlde Alas thys blyndnes and hardnes of mennes hertes that wyll nat consydre so synguleâ— and inestymable a gyft as is giuen vnto vs but falleth inaduertence by dayly vsage For if the sacryfyce of thys holy sacrament were done only but in one place but of one preest in all the worlde wyth howe great desyre weneye the people wolde go to that plase and to that prrest to here the godly mysteryes done of hym But no we be made many preestys and in many places this holy sacrament â–ª ys ofofred to th ende that the grace and loue of god to man may the more appere and for so moche as thys holy communion ys sprede thorough oute the worlde Thankynges be vnto the good pastour eternall that hast vouchedsaue to refressh fede vs pore banysshed creatures wyth thy ryght precious body blode and also by thy wordes of thy ê“pre mouthe hast desyred vs to receyue thys holy mysterye sayinge com ye all vnto me that be charged and I shall refressh you ¶ Howe the great charyte bounte of god is shewede vnto man in the holy sacrament CapÌ„ .ii. OMy god I come vnto the puttynge my confidence in thy mercy and bountye I syke and. come vnto my sauyour I hungry and thursty vnto the fountayne of lyfe pore and nedy vnto the kynge of heuen the seruaunt vnto hys lorde the creature vnto his maker a persone desolate vnto hys pyteous comforter But wherof is thys that thou thus comest vnto me who am I that thou wylte gyue thus thyne owne selfe to Howe dare I a synner beholde to appere before the. And howe may it please the to come vnto suche a wretche Thou knowest thy seruaunt and well vnderstandeste that no thynge good ys in hym wherfore thou shuldeste do thys grace vnto me ¶ Than I confesse myne vnworthynesse and knowlege thy bountye and prayseth thy pyte and gyue vnto the thankes for thyne so moche great charyte Thou doest thys for thy â–ª selfe good lorde and nat for my me ryte to the ende that thy bountye may the more be knowen vnto me Thy charyte is more largely verifyed thy mekenesse commended more perfetely sythen that it thus pleaseth the and so thou hast commaunded it to be done this thy pleasure contenteth me and wyth my wyll my wyckednes shall nat resyste the. ¶ O swete and benyâ—â—e Ihesu howe great reuerence and gynynge thankes with perpetuall praysynges be due vnto the my goode Lorde Iesu Crist that by thy pleasure and wyll I may receyue thy blessed body whose worthynes no man is founde able to declare or expÌ„sse But what shall I thynke of this communion whane I shall come vnto the my lorde god whiche I can not duly honoure and yet I desyre deuoutly to receyue the. what maye I thynke better and more profytable for me thane to meke my selfe holy before the and to prayse thyne infynyte bounte aboue all thynge I prayse the me lorde god euerlastingly and dysprayse my selfe and submytte me vnto the depnesse of my wretchydnes ¶ O my god thou arte saynt of all sayntes and I the fylthe of all synners yet thou inclynest thy selfe vnto me that am nat worthy to beholde the. ¶ Alas my swete creature that so mekely comest vnto me and wylleth to be wyth me and desyrest me vnto thy dyner and gyueth vnto me the mete of heuen and the brede of aungels which is brede of lyfe and no lesse thynge than thyselfe whych is descended from heuen and gyue lyfe vnto yâ— worlde Lete vs se here what great loue procedeth frome the and what gentylnes doth shyne â–ª vpon vs. ¶ Howe great yeldynges of thankes and louynges be due vnto the of vs synners O howe profytable and howe helthe full was thy councell whanne thou instytute and ordeyned thys gracious gyfte ¶ O howe swete and Ioyous ys that feste wherin thou haste gynen vnto vs the fedynge of thy pÌ„cyons body ¶ O good lorde howe merueylous be thy operacyons and howe myghty is thy vertue and thy trouthe vnable be tolde Thou hast sayde and all thynges were don and all that thou haste commaunded hathe taken effecte A merueylous thynge to be beleued and ferre aboue yâ— understandynge of maÌ„
wyll be withe the. And I shall answere hym blessed lorde I beseche the dwelle with me for all the desyre of my herte ys to be with the inseê‘able without departynge ¶ Of the breÌ„nynge desire that some creatures haue in yâ— blessed body of our lorde iesu crist Ca .xiiii. O Lorde howe great is the multytude of thy swetnesse whiche thou hast hyd for them that drede the. whan I remeÌ„bre me of many deuoute ê‘sones that haue come to this thy holy sacrameÌ„t with so great ferueÌ„t affeccoÌ„n deuocyon I am than many tymes iÌ„ myselfe coÌ„fused a haue great shame that I go vnto the aulter table of that holy communyon so rudely with so colde deuocion am so drye without affeccion of hert I am abasshed that I am nat all hole iÌ„flamed iÌ„ thy pÌ„seÌ„ce so stroÌ„gly draweÌ„ establesshed as many good deuoute persones haue ben whyche by the greate desyre of thys holy sacrament sensible loue of hert myght nat coÌ„teyne ne witholde them from wepynge But effectuously wyth mouthe hert body came vnto that good lorde as to the lyuynge fountayne of all bountye may nat attayne to fulfyll theyr hungre but if they take thy holy body whiche they so de siorously affeccoÌ„nally spiritually may receyue O true benygne feythe of theym that pÌ„uably sheweth the ornament of thy holy pÌ„sence To them ys verely kno wen theyr god in brekynge of brede whiche brenneth and broileth so strongly the herter of them in the loue of Iesu Crist Certeynly suche affeccion deuocoÌ„n vehement brennynge loue is farâ— from me O good swete benygne Iesu be vnto me pyteous and redy to gyue and graunt to thy pore begger somtyme to fele a lytell of that hertely loue and affeccion in the receyuinge of thy holy body to the ende that my feythe may be more ferme my hope more ê‘fight in thy bountye and my charite somtyme so ê‘fightly inflamed that I maye experiently haue the heuenly mannat hat neuer may fayle I knowe certeinly the myght of thy mercy may leÌ„de me thy grace so moche desired and vysete me benygly with a brennynge spyryte whan the day of thy good pleasure shall come And â–ª though I be nat iÌ„flamed with so great desyre of thy specy all deuout thynges yet haue I desyre by thy grace to be iÌ„flamed with that brennynge loue Prayinge the good lorde that I may be made â— tyner with all suche thy feruent louers that I may be nouÌ„bred in theyr deuout company Amen ¶ Howe mekely thou oughtest to beseche the grace of deuocion and to renounce thy selfe Cap .xv. IT behoueth the instauntly to seche the grace of deuocyon to aske incessauÌ„tly to abyde it paciently feithfully ioyously to receiue it mekely to conserue with that studiously to remytt vnto god the tyme the maner of his so uerayne vysitacoÌ„n vnto the tyme his pleasure be to come vnto the. priÌ„cipally thou oughtest to meke the wheÌ„ thou felyst but litell deuocion within the. for all that thou oughtest nat to late thy selfe to fall or sorowe to moche iÌ„ordinatly For full often our blessed lorde in a short momeÌ„t gyueth the which be fore he hath longe tyme denyed Also somtyme he gyuethe at the ende of praiours that he dyd deferre at yâ— begynniÌ„ge of yâ— same If alwey grace were so sone gyuen yâ— a maÌ„ might haue it at his wyll or wysche it shulde nat be easely borne of a weyk inê‘fect soule And therfore in good hope meke pacience the grace of deuocion ought to be abyden thou oughteste to iÌ„pute it vnto thy selfe to thy sinnes when it is nat gyuen vnto the or when it is secretly take awey frome the somtyme a litell thynge it is that may let or hyde thy grace if that may be called litell that letteth so great a vaile But be it litel or great if thou take that same awey ê‘fectly ouercome it thou shalt obteyne that thou desyrest or incoÌ„tyneÌ„t that thou with all thy herte hast geuen thy selfe to god And therfore seche nat this nor yâ— at thy pleasure but put the hole in the handes of god Thou shalt certenly fynde thy selfe vnyght vnto hym and in great peas of thy soule For ther is no thynge yâ— ought to be so sauery pleasauÌ„t as is the pleasure deuyne wyll of god Than who someuer lyft vp his intent vnto god with a symple perfecte herte so voyde hym make hym naked from all disordinat loue or pleasure to any creat thynges of al yâ— worlde he is most mete to receyue the gyft of deuocion Forowre lorde gaue his blessynge there where he fouÌ„de the vessels clene voide And the more perfectly that any renouÌ„ce mortifie despise contempne theymselfe all the lowe thynges the soner grace shall entre copiously abouÌ„d so that he shall fele his hert lyfte vp as though it were set in a fredom and theÌ„ he shall se his hert largely habounde meruelously Ioy wyth in hym selfe for that the hand of god shal be ouer wym and he shall submytte hym perpetually into hys holy handes And so shall the man be blessed that secheth god with all his herte his soule shall be taken in vayne werkes But suche one certeynly in the receyuynge the holy body of Iesu Criste meryteth and deserueth the grace of deuyne vnyon vnto god ¶ For he beholdeth nat only hys propre deuocion coÌ„solacyon but the great honoure glory of god ¶ Howe we ought to she we our necessites vnto iesu crist and aske hym benygne grace Cap .xvi. O Ryght swete most beloued lorde whiche I nowe desire to receyue Thou good lorde knowest the sikenes of soule and necessyte that I suffre In what euylles and vices I slepynge am put Howe often greued temptyd troubled and dyssolute I come vnto the lorde to haue consolacyon and comfort I speke to the lorde thou knowest all my secrete and inwarde thoughtes whiche be â–ª manyfeste open vnto the. It is thou only that perfectly mayeste helpe me for thou knoweste what vnto me necessarye and of what goodes aboue all other I haue moostenede ¶ Albeit I am poore in vertue alas yet mercyfull lorde beholde me beynge here before the pore and naked demaundynge pyteously thy swete grace mercy And geue thy pore begger that dyeth for hunger some of thy heueÌ„ly refeccoÌ„n and chafe my colde herte wyth the brenninge flame of thy loue And illumyne me that amblyndede and maye nat see with that clerenes of thy presence ¶ Take awaye from my thought al the erthely and inwardelye thynges and turne theym vnto me and make me thynke theym foule and bytter and all greuous and contrarye thynges vnto me ¶ And they that maye please the I maye take also in pleasure And all erthely creat thynges to haue in oblyuyon and redresse my herte toward is the into heuen And late me nat wauer nor erre vpon erthe but thou only
¶ A full deuoute and gostely treatyse of the Imytacyon and folowynge the blessed lyfe of our moste mercyfull Sauyour cryste compyled in Laten by the right worshypful Doctor Mayster IohnÌ„ Gerson and translate into Englisshe The yere of owre Lorde M. d. ii By maister William Atkynson Doctor of diuinite at the speciall request coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the full excellent Pryncesse Margarete moder to oure souerayne lorde Kynge Henry the .vii. and Countesse of Rychemount and Derby ¶ Here begynneth the boke of IohnÌ„ GersoÌ„ chauÌ„celer of Paris ê¯teyniÌ„g yâ— holy doctrine of crist how â—e shulde folowe hym ê¯teÌ„pne all wordly vanites ¶ The first Chaptre WHo so folo with me saith crist our sauiour walketh nat iÌ„ derkenes These be the wordes of iesucrist wherby we be exorted to folow his lore doctrine if we will truely be lightned auoided from all bliÌ„nes of ignorauÌ„ce of mynde Let our full affeccion be to haue our study meditacion iÌ„ yâ— doctrine lyfe of iesucrist whiche excelleth the doctrine of all seyntes And who so may haue the iey of theyr soule sequestrate in wordly thynges in this scripture of our lorde may fynde swere manna spiritual fode of the soule But there be many oft tymes heriÌ„ge the worde of god that hath litell swetnes or deuocion therin for their inwarde affeccyons desyres be rather of bodyly thynges than of gostly Therfore if we wyll haue true perfyte vnderstandynge of yâ— wordes of god we must dylygently studye to conforme our lyfe to hys preceptis what auaylethe a man to haue subtyll reasons or argumentys of the Trinite curious subtyll reasons garnissed with elygance maketh nat a man holy but obedyence and vertuous lyfe maketh a man dere to god It is more expedyent to fele the inly compunccion of here than to know the diffinycion therof If a man haue the knowledge of all scripture also the seyiges of all philosophers withoute grace and charite auayleth nat For all thynge that is in thys worlde is vanyte excepte the loue of god his seruyce or to this ende ordred The moste excellent wysdome in any creature is by comtempte of this mutable transetorye worlde to promote them selfe to the worlde ê‘durable it is vanite to labour inordinatly for coruptible cyches transetorious honours false flesshely delites or to desire any inordinate plesure temporall that shall brynge a man to perpetuall pryne Howe vaine thynge is it to desire longe lyfe lytell to fo rs of a good lyfe to gyue hede to thynges present to coÌ„tempne thynges that be to come Also to fixe our loue on that whiche shortly vanessheth away to do no diligence to come thider where be innumerable perpetuall ioyes Haue mynde howe in this worlde nother our iye is sufficyently satisfyed with seiÌ„ge ne our eris with herynge therfore studie we to wtdrawe our herte fro the loue of thynges visible fadynge to applie it to the desires of goodes iÌ„uisible perpetuall for them that folowe senssuall pleasure without restraynynge of reason theyspot their coÌ„science lese the grace of god ¶ The seconde Chaptre of the humble knowelege of mannesselfe EVery man naturally desireth to haue knowlege But what auaileth science withoute the drede of god a pore homely laborynge man drediÌ„ge god is more acceptable in his feythe than a curyous Philosopher that labore the more to knowe the moâ—â—ge of heuen than to order the mocioÌ„s of his body and soule to the plesure of god He that surely knoweth coÌ„sidereth himselfe vnderstaÌ„deth his owne wisdome hath lytell delite in the vayne laude of the worlde If man had knowlege of all thynges in the worlde without charite what shulde it auayle hym in the syght of god that iugeth man after his dedes Refrayne thyn appetite of iÌ„ordinate desire of curyous knowlege of those thynges that rather shal disease thy soule withdrawe it from the vnyte charyte of god than excyte it therto As wese many of this maner of lerned men desire to be reputed and holden wyse in multiplyinge wordes which if they delyte the herynge they refresshe fede nat the soule but litell But a good life pure coÌ„scieÌ„ce refressheth the mynde enduceth man to haue ferme coÌ„fidence in god The more knowlege that man hath worketh nat conformable the more shal be his peyne at the day of dome therfore exalte nat thy self of any craft or cunnynge but rather fere that thou displease nat god iÌ„ abusion therof RemeÌ„bre if thou knowe many thynges excedest other in cunniÌ„ge yet consider that there be many mothynges that thou arte ignoraunt of many that be more wytty excelleÌ„t cunniÌ„ge than thou If thou wylt ê“fitably knowe lerne desire to be vnknowen of smale reputacion This is the moste expedient and profitable lesson the very knowlege coÌ„tempte of thyn owne selfe It is a greate wisdome ê‘feccion to haue of thy selfe lytell confideÌ„ce and estymate well of other If thou seyst any persons openly synne or commytt any greate cryme yet thou shuldest nat iuge thyselfe better than them for thou knowest nat howe longe thou shalt ê‘seuer in goodnes or fro the same crime we be all fraile and thou shulde Iuge no man more frayle than thy selfe ¶ The .iii. Chaptre of the doctryne of truthe THat persone is happy whome truthe diligeÌ„tly informeth nat by fygures or voyces faylynge but by inwarde inspiracion Oure opinion vnderstandynge many tymes dsceyueth vs. what auayleth it vs for to labour bysely for the knowlege of those thynges whyche shall nouther helpe vs yf we knowe theym ne disauauntage vs if we therin be ignoraunt at the day of iugement It ys greate foly to dispice thynges profytable and necessary to labour for those thynges that be curious dampnable Blessed ys that persone whome god techeth for in hym be all good thynges that man may wyll or desyre A good lorde in thy gracious presencelet other doctours and all other creatures kepe silence thou only speke to my soule for the more man ys iÌ„oyned to hym in inwarde mekenes the more he receyueth of spirituall lyght of grace wherby he knowethe many secrete mysteries hyd from other people The pure simple stable mynde is nat ouer come or febled for it referreth euery labour to the honour of god iÌ„forceth it selfe to cesse fro al other thiÌ„ges that be nat in the syght of god acceptable who resisteth and letteth a man more than his owne sensuall affeccion we rede of many Emperours coÌ„querours that conquered kyndoms and empyres and yet neuer ouercame ne subdued theymselfe for that is one of the moste victorious conquestâ— where man perfytely ouercometh hymselfe Thys shulde be our daylye datayle to stryue with oure selfe and the more vyctoryes the soule hath of the bodye the more stronge it ys and more apte to encrese and to growe in grace Euery perfeccyon in thys lyfe hath some perfeccion annxid to it And
lorde to assist vs iÌ„ our trouble is perfite mekens for as Dauidsaith he shall saue exalte those that be meke in spirite in teÌ„ptacioÌ„ tribulacion man is ê“ued howe moche he ê“fiteth his vertue is more manifeste It is no gret mÌ„uell if a deuout maÌ„ without teÌ„ptacioÌ„ haue feruor of spirite But they that in tyme of aduersite can aplye theymselfe to haue feruour of spirite it is a signe of stablenes grace for to come There be some that be kept fro great teÌ„ptacion yet iÌ„ smale dayly teÌ„ptacions they be oftymes ouercome with lytell teÌ„ptacion Therfore in great teÌ„ptacioÌ„ they euer fere to be ouercome ¶ The .xiiii. Chaptre of vndiscrete iugement to be auoyded Gyue hede that thou consyder well thy propre warkes be nat redy to iuge the dedes of another that ê‘teynethe nat to the ne for whome thou shalt gyue none accoÌ„pt at thy dethe Man laboreth in vayne oftymes in iugeynge other men sone offendeth but in serchynge hys owne defautes considerynge them he euer laboreth frutfully And we comonly be redy to iuge after oure affeccion many tymes we erre frome the truthe in iugement for our pryde synguler loue And good were oure entent desire we shulde nat be so greatly troubled in the resistence of oure sensuall desires But there ys some inwarde inclynacion or outwarde affeccyon that withdraweth vs fro the very affeccion desire that we shulde haue There be many that in thiÌ„ges that they do rather seche theyr owne lucre than the pleasure of god or the comon ê“fyte of many other they thynke theyr mynde is set patyfyed if they obteyne theyr purpose if the coÌ„trarye fortune they be moued with â—pacieÌ„ce be miscoÌ„teÌ„t And for diuer sites of affeccions desyres opinions that be amoÌ„ge the people oftymes be some dissencions debatys amonge frendes cytezins deuout religious peple It is harde to leue a custome of longe continuauÌ„ce no man is glade to forsake his ê“pre appetite vnderstaÌ„dynge desire And thou be more redy to applie to thyne owne reason vnderstandinge than to the holy doctrine of seruaunt â–ª of iesy crist It shal be longe or thou be gostly lyghtned for our lorde sendeth nat the great habundauÌ„ce of spirituall lyghte but to them that forsake their owne ê“pre appetites resons folow hym by mekenes ¶ The .xv. chaptÌ„ of yâ— ê“fite of warkis oÌ„de iÌ„ charite THou shuldest nat do a mortall sinne for loue fauour of any creature ne for no erthly creture or worldly ê“mocion For therby thou shuldest put thy selfe out of the loue of our lorde ieopderdy of the losse of euerlastynge promocyon And sometyme it is expedieÌ„t to leue a good dede for the great necessite of our neyghbour or elles for a better dede to be done wherby we be nat hyndered in vertue but rather promoted The outwarde operacyon be yt neuer so commendable in the syght of the people without charyte it auaylethe nat in the syghte of god whyche accepteth more the faythful entent and feruour of mynde than the many folde multipliynge of great warkes or of wordes Tho persones done moche that ordreth theyr lyfe to the honoure of god rather to the profite of the comoÌ„ wele than to their owne synguler ê“fyte There be many worldly people that thynke they doo many thynges of charyte but they be rather done of carnalyte as all tho that do theyr workes by the meane of carnall affeccyon ê“pre wyll hope of ê“mocion alwey haue an iye to theyr owne synguler auayle But charite euer iÌ„clyneth to do that that princypally may do honour to god obteyne the goodes goostly rather than temporall in bodely goodes it preserueth the comone wele afore a priuate synguler wele the charitable man enuyeth no man for any pryuate ioye or pleasure ne he lyketh nat to magnifie hym selfe but to magnyfie glorifie god in hym to be blessed He coÌ„maundeth no man by adulacyon but he referreth al coÌ„mendacion honour goodnes to god finally of whome cometh al grace in whome al blessed creatures resteth perpetuall in finall felicite O he that had but one sparkle of charite wolde repute al wordly plesures loue but vanyte ¶ The .xvi. Chaptre howe a man shulde suffre the defautes of his neyghbour THose fautes that we may nat ameÌ„de in our selfe nor in other we must pacieÌ„tly sussre tyll that we se what our lorde wyll worke or order therin thinke that it is ordeyned of our lorde for to ê“ue our pacyence without whiche our merytes be lytell to be pondered And it is expedieÌ„t for vs to pray to owre lorde that we by his grace may pacientely suffre owre necessary defautes ¶ If thou monisshe by broderly correccyon thy broder or suster ones or twyse of they re defaute If they receyue nat thy monicion striue nat with theym but commyte it to god that his wyll and honour be done in al his seruauÌ„tes there is no euyll in this world but he knowith how he shall order it to some well goodnes study paciently to suffre the defautes iÌ„firmites of other for thou hast many imperfeccions in thy selfe whiche other suffre in the If thou canste nat make thy selfe as thou woldest be iÌ„ euery condicion howe than shuldest thou desire to haue an other to thy pleasure we wolde gladly haue other perfite yet we labour nat to amende our owne offencis we wolde that other that offendeth shulde be straitly correcte our selfe more coulpable vncorrecte It displesithe vs to see other haue great liberte priuelege disirig that they shulde be restreyned by lawe statut and we desire oure selfe to be at liberte without lawe or statute so it appereth that we full seldoÌ„e praise our neyghbour as our selfe the whiche we shulde do yf we were ê‘fite Our lorde hath so ordeyned that we shall lerne echone of other to bere paciently the burden of an other for i this worlde there is no man without defaute no man without burdeÌ„ no man sufficient of hym selfe in wisdome or prudence therfore must echone of vs helpe to bere the burdeÌ„ of other echone to comfort other helpe other istructe theym monisshe them And who is of more vertue it aperith by the occasioÌ„s af aduersite OccasioÌ„s makith nat a ê‘sone fraile but they shewe whether he be vertuous or vycyous ¶ The .xvii. chaptre how a ê‘sone shulde order him IF thou wylt haue peas selfe to come to pease and concorde withe other thou muste make a restraynige in many thynges of thyne owne wyll â—ys no lytell vertue to contynue in a company with out dissencion or debate so to continue Blessed be tho persons that whether they be religious or seculer that fereth to offende god in theyr coÌ„uersacion hurteth no soule so endeth theyr lyfe in the loue of god of their neighbour And thou wylt surely staÌ„de in vertue repute
shall they â—â—ge other Than the pore obedient soule shal haue greate confidence and the obstinate prowde man shall quake and fere on euery syde Than shal they be reputed wyse that haue lerned in thys worlde of our lorde to be abiecte and dispised Than shall all tribulacy on pacyently suffered be full profitable euery iniquyte shall trouble the auctor therof ThaÌ„ shall euery deuoute soule ioye and euery wiked creature shall wayle and mourne than shal the flesshe that hath ben with reason chastised be more gladde than if it had ben alweye in delectacion and plesure than the vyle vesture shall shene the glisteriÌ„ge gar mentis shal be derke and vyle and the pore cotage more of pryce than the great gloryous palys edified for pompe and pryde than shal be more allowable a constant pacience than allvsurped power than shall the true obedience of a meke religious soule be more exalted than any worldly cautelous prudence than shall a clere conscience be more ioyfull than the arrogance of poetis or philosophers than the contempt of riches be more of price than the treasoure of all the erthe Than thou shalt haue more delectacion in deuoute prayer than in the delectable fediÌ„ge And thou shalt more reioyce of the sylence that thou haste kepte than of thy longe suê‘fluoê° spech Than shall thy hooly werk is be moche more of pryce than the faire and plesaunt wordes Than shal a strayte life peynfull be more ê“fitable than al wordly delectacoÌ„n lerne nowe to suffre smale tribulacyons that than thou maist be deliuered from greate tribulations It thou wylte in any wise by continuaunce of thy synne order thyselfe to the fire make experience Putte thy hande in the fyre If thou may nat suffre thys lytell peyne howe shalte thou endure to suffre thy hole body perpetually to be putte in the fyre If nowe a lytell possyon make the so pacyeÌ„t what shal the intollerable peynes of helle do to the. Than gyue hede thou mayste nat haue the full pleasure bodily here and in the lyfe to come the habundaunce of spyrytuall ioye Therfore if thou wylte afterward regne withe Cryste in perpetuall pleasure folowe hym here in thys lyfe with penaunce It thou haddest lyued frome the begynnynge of the worlde to thys daye in all honour and pleasure that were possyble to be hadde in this lyfe they shulde nowe be al paste as a dreme that shortly apperethe and soone ys forgotten And if thou shuldeste lyue nowe lykewyse to the worldes ende and than departe what shulde remayne of these pleasures nothinge Than we maye conclude that all wordly pleasure ys but vanyte and all other thynge in thys worlde ys vanyte sauynge the loue of god and hys seruyce or a thynge ordred to these That sowle that loueth god with all hys herte nouther fereth dethe inordynatly tormentes iugement ne helle For persyte loue hath sure passage to owre lorde who someuer hath delyte to offende it is no meruayle if they drede dethe and theyr Iugement ¶ yet yf the loue of god maye nat wythdrawe the frome synne than yt ys good expedient that thou cesse of synne for the fere of the peynes of helle And that ê‘sone that pÌ„ferreth any wordly loue before the loue of god can not loÌ„ge stande in the state of grace but he shall sone be tied in the snare of the deuyll ¶ The .xxv. chaptre of the feruent emandacyon of all the life of man LOke that thou be wakynge dilygent iÌ„ the seruice of god thou relygious soule remeÌ„bre bysely whether thou arte come why thou hast forsaken the worlde was it nat for that intent that thou shuldest become a spirituall man or woman and to loue serue god only Therfore incyte thy selfe to haue feruoure to spirituall profite For thou shalte shortly receiue thy rewarde for all thy labours and in that heuenly inheritaunce shal be nouther sorowe ne fere Nowe labour a lytell than thou shalt fide great reste perpetuall gladnes if thou wylt feithfully feruently abide in vertuous labour thou shalt fynde without dowte that our lorde shall feythfully habundauntly rewarde the and haue hope that thou shalt come to victory But it is expedient that thou therin haue nat to great suerty lest thou be necligeÌ„t or exalted therby in thy mynde There was a certayne persone that was oftymes folowynge in hys mynde betwene fere hope and on a tyme beynge full of anguysshe sorowe in a churche fell prostrat to the grounde seyinge these wordes O if I myght knowe whether I shall perseuer ouercome thys great temptacion that I am in he herde anone the answere of our lorde shewed to hym in his soule saiynge What woldeste thou do if thou kneweste that Do nowe that as thou woldest do than and therby thou mayste haue suerte And so anone he was reconforted and commytted hym selfe to the wyll of god and of his flowynge and vnstedfast mynde was paysed and wolde nomore by curious inquysicy on desyre to knowe what shulde befalle to hym in tyme to come but rather he studyed to know the wyll of god he studyed to conferme hys wyll to the wyll of god as well in the begynnynge as in the endynge of euery dede that he shulde do The ê“phet Dauid exortynge euery man to vertue saythe Do well and hope in god Inhabyte the erthe and thou shalte be fedde with frutes therof The contynuall gruge and laboure of temptacy on and trybulacion wythdra weth ryghte many frome profyte and feruent emendacy on Verely they that inforce they re selfe wyth myghty apply cacyon to ouercome those thynges that be greuous and contrarye to the helthe of theyr soules they profite in excedynge other and man in mortyfiynge of hys sensuall partes and ouercomynge of hymselfe therin specially he profyteteh cometh to more habundaunce of grace but euery man hath nat in lyke to ouercome or to mortyfie A feruent louer of god if he haue mo and greati passions or lettynge shall more spyritually profyte than the vertuous ê‘sone that hath lesse feruour to vertue There betwo thynges that specyally helpe a soule to come to vertue to withdrawe it selfe violently fro those thynges that corrupte nature is enclyned to â—eruently to labour for that grace or vertue that we ê‘â—eyue we haue moste nede to Gyue hede in any wise that thou auoide those vyces in thyselfe that thou arte moste greued or myscontent within other meÌ„ and be glade to gether vertue of euery vertuoê° creature as the hony Be gadrethe hys hony of diuers floures so consider all those that thou arte coÌ„uersaÌ„t with Chese of echone of them some vertue refusige theyr vyce take the fayre floure frome the brambell and hurte nat thy hande of the thorne And it happeÌ„ the to be hurte indeuoure thy selfe to be recouerede without delaye as thyn iye considereth the warkes of other so thou arte noted of other O howe iocunde and mery is it to be
thou shalt wel perceyue that if thou haue those thiÌ„ges aforsaid thou hast nat them of thy selfe but if thou wylt applie thy selfe haue coÌ„fidence in god he shall sende the fro heuen that thou shalt haue these vertues also thy sensuall part â–ª with the worlde shal be made subiectes to the yf thou wylt arme thy selfe with yâ— quycke feith the crosse of iesu cryst thou shalt nat nede to fere the enuious subtylte of the fyende than prepare thy selfe as a feithfull seruaunt of iesu criste to bere his crosse coÌ„staÌ„tly coÌ„sideringe howe he thy lorde dyd bere it for the peinfully mercifully order thy selfe to suffre mani aduersitees iÌ„iuries wroÌ„ges iÌ„ this miserable life so thou shalt haue hym with the where so euer thou be also thou shalt fynbe hym where so euer thou hide yâ— Than if thou desire to be dere a frende to thy redemer haue ê‘te of his coÌ„solacion desire affectually to driÌ„ke with hym of his chalys of trybulacion desire no coÌ„solacion ne ê“sperite but at the wyll of god order thy self to suffre tribulacions repute them as the moste speciall consolacyons for they be yâ— redy meanes to come tho the heuenly ê‘petuall coÌ„solacions whan thou comest to that degre of pacyeÌ„ce that tribulacion is swete pleasaunt to the for yâ— loue of god than exteme thy selfe in goode state and that thou hast founde paradise in erthe And as loÌ„ge as it is greuous to the to suffre enforceth thy selse to fle tribulacion so longe thou arte nat in the ê‘fite state of pacience whersoeuer thou fleest thou shalt fynde trybulacion nere folowethe If thou order thy selfe euer to suffre paciently to haue remeÌ„braÌ„ce of thy dethe than thou shalt ê‘ceyue thy selfe iÌ„ good state also in qÌ„etnes reste If thou were so ê‘fite that thou were rauysshed spiritually with Paule into yâ— thyrde heuen thou shuldeste nat be sure therbye to be without aduersyte For owre sauy our spekyng of Paule saythe I shall shewe hym howe manye thynges he shall suffre for my name Than if thou wilt serue and loue thy lorde perpetually thou must nowe suffre saye manye tymes to thy selfe wolde to god I were able for to suffre for the name of my swâ—te lorde Iesu For therby thou shuldest gyue occasion of specyall edificacion of thy neyghbour great glory to thy selfe exaltacion of gladnes to the holy aungels All people in maner recoÌ„mende pacience but there be fewe that wyll vse it Thou that takest great labours suffereste moche for the loue of the worlde and wordly thinges by greate reason thou shuldeste be glad to suffre a lytell for the loue of the moste true louer criste And euer the more thou mortifie discretly thy selfe the more thou begiÌ„nest to lyue in the sighte of god There is no ê‘sone apt to coÌ„prehende heuenly thiÌ„ges withuot they submit their selfe to suffre aduersite for the loue of criste There is no thinge more ê“fitable for thy selfe acceptable to god thaÌ„ to be pacient glad to suffre for the loue of hym And if ê“sperite aduersite were put in thy eleccion thou shuldest rather chese aduersite than desire to be recreate with many coÌ„solacions For bi aduersite thou arte made conformable vnto cryste all his seyntes Our meryte ê‘feccion of state staÌ„deth nat in great plesaunt delectable coÌ„solacions but rather iÌ„ greuous teÌ„ptacions tribulacions and penalyte of life If there had be any more expedient meane to the helthe of man than to suffre peyne tribulacion our lorde criste wolde haue shewed it bi wordes examples But he exorted hys disciples all other that wolde folowe hym to heuen to take yâ— crosse as the moste mediate meane to folowe hym sayinge who that will folow me to heuen thei must denye theyr owne selfe forsakiÌ„ge theyr ê“pre wyll take the crosse of peuaunce folow me Afâ— all these thiÌ„ges redde perfitly serched it foloweth as a fynall coÌ„clusion that it is behouable to vs ta entre into the kyngdome of heuen by wany tribulacions ¶ Here begynneth the .iii. boke ¶ The fyrste chaptre coÌ„teyneth the inward spekeynge of our lorde Iesu criste to maÌ„nis soule that he hath specially chosen _â—Oo saith suche a feithful soule I shall atteÌ„de here what our lorde shal speke iÌ„ me blessed is yâ— soule which herith our lorde god speke iÌ„ it that conceyueth of his mouth a worde of rsolacioÌ„ Blessed be the eris that here the styll spekynge or rownynge of almyghty god and pondereth nat yâ— disceytefull callynge or priue mouynge of the worlde blessed be the ere 's that rest nat in the flaterynge or wordly voyce outwarde flowynge But rather heringe trouthe that speketh enformeth maÌ„nis soule in wardlye Blessed be the iyen that be shytt to the delectable syght of outwarde or wordly thynges that gyue hede deuoutly to gostely thynges Blessed be they that by grace by the lyght of soule perceyue the true inly entent of scripture that â—pare them dayly by exercise os soule to conceyue the celestiall priuetees Blessed be they that labour besilye iÌ„ soule to beholde loue god almyghty his plesure iÌ„ all thynges for that auoyde frome them al wordly besines or desires that let suche deuocioÌ„ O thou my soule attende gyue hede to the premysses and shyt thy senses or sensuall partes that thou mayste here gostely what thy lorde speketh in the in warde inspiracion The lorde louer saith to the I am thi helthe peas lyfe euerlastynge Ioyne and knytte the suerly to me thou shalt fynde rest and peas of conscience and after this euerlassynge peas lyfe Forsake the loue of foule transetory erthly thinges and dilygently seche euerlastiÌ„ge thiÌ„ges what be all temporall thynges but disceiuable and what may any creature helpe the if thy lorde god that made the forsake the wharfore refusest thou al wordli thynges ioyne and cleue by clene and stidfast loue and seruice to almighty god thy redemer that thou maist hereafter attayne the eternall felicite i heueÌ„ ¶ The seconde chaptre howe treuthe spekerhe inwardly to mannes soule without noyse A Deuoute soule after that it hathe herde the swete instyllaunt spekynge of his lorde god as a man inflamed with loue desireth more longer speche with our lorde sayinge withe the Prophete Samuel thus Speke good lorde for thy seruauÌ„t is redy to here the I am thy seruaunt gyue me vuderstandynge to knowe thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tes sayinges Bowe make my hert soule to fele folow thy wordes instyll in to my soule thy holy techige wordes as the dewe droppethe vpon the grasse I say nat as the chyldren of Israell sayd to Moyses Speke thou to vs we shall here the gladly let nat our lorde speke to vs lyste we dye for drede So be it nat with me good lorde But rather I besech the humbly desirously
the profyte or encrease of spuÌ„al lyfe is nat only whan thou hast the coÌ„solacion of grace but whan thou with humylyte sufferest the subtraccion of the same so that thou leue nat thy prayer ne other good dedes but wyth al thy vnderstandynge dylygeÌ„ce do thy best whaÌ„ thou felest suche subtraccion or dulnes in the to recouer the consolacion of grace Many there be that be very dulle iÌ„pacient whan aduersyte fallethe to them the way lyfe of fortune of man is nat euer in his power eleccion but of the goodnes of god ys al that we haue the whiche doth conforte whan we wyll asmoche as he wyll and whom he wil as his plesure is no more somê‘sons haue distroyed theÌ„selfe by indiscrete desire of grace of deuocioÌ„ for they haue disordred theyr strengthe of soule ouer moche nat ponderinge theyr exyle pore lymytes of reson but rather folowed the desire of herte therfore for asmoche as they presumed higher thinges thaÌ„ goddes pleasure was that they shulde attayne to therfore they lost theyr grace before had And so they be made lefte nedy vyle that presumed to entre the secretes of heuen that they may lerne nat to presume vpon themselfe but alweye with true humylyte to trust to god almyghty Suche ê‘sones as be beginners be nat yet ê‘fite in the way of vertue in our lorde god may lightly erre be deceyued but if they folowe the counsell of discrescion or discrete persones Suche ê‘sones as lene to theyr owne wytt so folowe it refuse the discrete wayes of suche as haue longe exersised the wayes of vertue fall into greate iÌ„coÌ„uenientis fynally Such ê‘sons as be wise iÌ„ their owne sight wyl seldome be ruled humbly by other Better it is to a man to haue lytell wisdome or cunnynge with humylyte than to haue great cuÌ„nynge with pryd or vaine glory Better it is to the to haue lytell than to haue moche with pryde daÌ„pnacyon He lyueth nat discretly that gyueth hym al to lightnes vayne gladnes forgetynge hym selfe yâ— dred of god nat dredynge to lese grace Also he is nat wise ne vertuous that in tyme of aduersyte or other hardnes dispayreth trusteth nat stidfastly in god He that in tyme of pease wyll lyue to sykerlye withoute drede of all paryles he shal be founde to dredfull and vnredy in tyme of batayle man wolde alway abyde humble lytell in his owne syght dyly geÌ„tly a wayte on hymselfe he shuld nat so soone fall to synne offence of god good holsom couÌ„ceyll is a man after that he hath rceyued the spyryt of deuocioÌ„ and charyte to thynke howe shulde he do what shulde falle to hym in the absens of suche deuocyon whan such a case happeth let a man gader that such grace and lyght may returne agayne to hym by the honour of god whiche withdre we fro his coÌ„solacyoÌ„ a season to shew his power for mannes we le it is more profytable to man somtyme to be lefte to hym selfe and to lacke suche grace coÌ„forte than alwaye to haue such prosperous thynges at his wyll For a man is nat reputed to be of more meryte or vertu in they syght of god if he haue many vysyons or consolacions gyueÌ„ hym or if he haue clere vnderstaÌ„dyng of scrypture or if he be auauÌ„sed by great hye ê“mocyon but than he is of great meryte greatly in the fauoure of god almyghty if he be perfyte iÌ„ mekenes fylled with charyte alway sekynge the honoure of god in his dedes with coÌ„teÌ„pte despysynge of hymselfe as well iÌ„ the syghte of other men as in his owne couetynge more in humyliacioÌ„ thaÌ„ to be honoured ¶ The .ix. chapter how a maÌ„ shuld nat repute hymselfe of any valour but vylypende hym GOod lorde I speke to the of my pressipcioÌ„ nat withstaÌ„dynge that I am but puluer asshes if I repute my selfe any better thou thy wordes a gaynstaÌ„de me Also my synnes bere true testymony agayne me ne I can nat agayn say theym and if I wyll vylypende despyse my selfe nat repute me any thynge worthe as trouth apereth in me thaÌ„ the grace of my lorde god shal be to me mercyfull his lyght nere me and my humyly acyon and obedyeÌ„ce shal be turned after this lyfe into euerlastynge exaltacyon and auauncement There good lorde thou shalt shewe me to my selfe verely what I am what I was and wherof I came For I was I am noughte and know it nat if I be lefte to my selfe without thy helpe good lorde thaÌ„ I know my selfe to be nought and full of infyrmyte and if thou good lorde wylte beholde me with thy grace and consolacyoÌ„ anon I shal be made stronge be fulfyllyd with a newe Ioy great marueyle it is that I a wretche that alwaye of my selfe fall downe warde may nat ryse agayne by thy grace so sodaynly araysed agayne and so be nygnely lyfte vp and halsed of the This is thy charyte grace which pÌ„uenteth helpeth me iÌ„ many ne cessytes kepeth me busyly from greuous peryls many euyllys I lost my selfe by inordynate loue of my selfe in sekynge the agayne in louynge the agayne I haue bothe founde the me and of thy clene profounde depe loue I am lyquyfyed knowe verely my selfe nought For thou swete lorde doest to me ouer my merytê ouer all that I coulde hope to haue of the blessed be thou good lorde for though I be vnworthy to any goodes yet thy iÌ„fynyte goodnes cesseth neuer of well doynge ye to suche persons as be vnkynge and farre fro the make vs to be holy conuerted to the good lorde that we may be kynde humble meke and deuout to the for thou alone art our helthe vertu and strengthe ¶ The .x. chapter all that we haue or do is to be referred to god as to the ende of euery thynge SOne sayth our lorde to vs I ought to be thy last souerayn ende if thou desyre to be blessyd and by this intencyon shal be purged thyn affeccion that is ofte tymes euyll bowed downe to it selfe to other creatures if thou seke thy selfe iÌ„ any thynge anon thou faylest iÌ„ thy selfe waxest drye where fore to me refarre all thynges for I am he that haue gyueÌ„ all thyngê coÌ„syder all thingê as wellyng sprigynge out of the hyest moost souerayne god therfore they to be reduced to me as to theyr orygynall begynnynge of me lytell great pore ryche draw quycke water as of the well of lyfe who seruith me wellynglye shall receyue grace for grace But who that hath glory without me or hath delectacyon in any pryuate good shall neuer be stablysshid invery Ioy ne delyted in hert but shal be lette in many maner of wyse anguysshed wherfore thou oughtist to ascryue to thy selfe no waner of good Thou shulde nat
be suffered chosen wherfore suffre thou paciently the aduersitees euyls of this worlde or lyfe that thou maist auoide the peynes euerlastiÌ„ge folowiÌ„ge hereafter for syne Trowest thou that wordly men yâ— be in welthe wordly besynesse suffre no aduersite thou shalte nat fynde one suche ye if thou present the most delycate ê‘sone that thou caust finde but thou saist to me agayn They haue delectable thinges pleasures they folowe euer theyr owne wyll therfore they ponder nat theyr trowbles But howe be it that they haue theyr desire in ryches wordly pleasures that they besacyatte with howe longe trowest thou it shall last Sothly such folke as abondeth in wordly goodes plesurs shall soone fayle euanysshe as dothe the smoke of fyre No remembraunce lefte of theyr ioyes before had whiche also whan they lyued was nat fynally without great anguysshe tydyousnes drede ofteÌ„ time they receyue great troubles peyne of suche thynges as they haue great solace pleasure in before for of right wisnes it foloweth to suche ê‘sons yâ— they fulfyl nat withoute great coÌ„fusion peyne the delectacions wordly pleasurs that they haue before sought folowed with great iÌ„ordinate delite plesure how short how vyle fals is the wordly glory pleasurs Suerly they be very fals fikil and yet they be nat perceyued for the blyndnes of mannes soule so that man as a beest vnreasonable for a litel plesure or coÌ„modite of this transetory lyfe renneth into euerlastinge dethe of soule wherfore soÌ„ne fle to folowe thyn owne wyll alway folowe nat thy plesure desire Put thy delite fixe thy loue in god he wyll graunt the thy peticion desyre of hert Fle all wordly inordinate pleasures delectacions and thou shalt haue aboundauÌ„t heuenly coÌ„solacion the more thou preseruest the from the solace of erthly creatures the more swete coÌ„solacions thou shalte fynde in almyghty god But fyrst thou must come to suche gostly coÌ„solacions with greate heuynes lamentacion with great labour stryfe iÌ„ thy selfe ageynste thy sensuall ê‘ties Thy olde synfull custome wyll agaynstande the in suche goostely labour but he shal be vanisshed ouercome with a betâ— custome The flesshe wyll murmoure grutch ageiÌ„st suche labours bur the feruour of the miÌ„de maye refrayne hym The olde euemye to maÌ„nes soule wyll let the but thou maist chase hym away by prayer by ê“fitable occupacion he his wayes shal be let ¶ The .xiiii. chaptre howe an huÌ„ble subiect ought to be obedient after the example of criste SOnne he that laboureth to withdrawe hym fro obedience he withdrawe hym fro grace who seketh to attayne pryuate thynges leseth comon graces giftes he that doeth nat obey to his superyor it is a tokeÌ„ that his flesshe or body is nat subdued yet perfitly to his soule but it ofte grutcheth rebelleth ageynste it Therfore yf thou wylte that thy body be no rebel but subdued to thy soule lerne thou to obeye gladly to thy superior Soner ys thy outwarde enemy ouertome if thy inwarde man be nat distroyed or ouercome There is no worse nor more greuous enemie to man than his body if it be nat accordynge or consentynge to his soule thou must vtterly dispise thy selfe yf thou wylt preuaile ageist thy body But thou louest thy selfe yet inordinatly therfore thou dredest to leue thy selfe to subdewe the fully to other mennes wyl What great thynge is it to the that arte but erthe and nought to subdue the to man for godessake Whan I god almyghty that made al thynge of nought did subdue and submitte me humbly to man for thy sake I was made huÌ„ble that thou shuldest lerne to ouercome thy prid by my mekenes Lerne thou asches to obey Lerne thou erth slyme to humble the to ê“strate the vnder euery maÌ„nesfete by true humylite nothing epÌ„sumynge of thy selfe Lerne to brake thyn own will to applye to other meÌ„nes wyll Ryse ageynste thy selfe suffre nat pride to rayne in the but she we the so meke that al men may walke vpon the and trede vpon the as vpon clay in the way What haste thou vayne man vyle synner to complayne or to gaine say them that myssayethe the or vexeth the whiche haste so ofte offended thy lorde god and hast so ofte deserued helle by thy synfull lyuynge but my merciful iye sight hath spared the for loue that I haue to thy soule that thou myghtest knowe howe well I loue the that thou shuld ist be kynde gyue the to true humylyte subieccioÌ„ for my sake pacieÌ„ty sufferynge thy propre contempt despytes ¶ The .xv. chaptre of the hyd iugementes of god to be coÌ„sidered for thou repressyon of vayne glory and magnyfiynge of man in graces receyued THou good lorde saith the deuout soule castiste terrybly thy iugementis vpoÌ„ me so that with great fere thou alterest all my body bonis to gyder my soule is troubled with great fere dred I stande astonied rsider that heuynes be nat clene in thy sight if thou founde thy angels defectyue impure and therfore thou didest nat spare theim what shall fall vpon me that am dust asshes yâ— angels fell from heuen what than maye I presume Suche people as in semynge had workes of commendacion haue fall ful lowe suche as were fede with the mete of angels I haue sene be glad of swines mete There is therfore no holynes in man yf thou lorde withdrawe thy hande Noo wysdome maye auayle yf thou withdrawe thy hande of gouernauÌ„ce No sure chastite is if thou defende it nat ne ê“precustodie may ê“fite man if that the helpe of god be nat there For if we be forsakeÌ„ of god almyghty we be drowned we perisshe And if we be viseted and helped we be raysed vp to lyfe Of oure selfe we be vnstable but by the good lorde we be confermed made stedfaste we be colde of oure selfe but by yâ— we be accended kyndled iÌ„ goodnes O how mekely obiect ought I to coÌ„sider my selfe how siÌ„ple litell be my good dedes if I haue any How ê“fouÌ„dely ought I to submytte me to thy hyâ— depeiugementis good lorde wherin I fynde my selfe nothiÌ„g valeÌ„t nought O thou iÌ„mesurable weght O thou iÌ„passable see wherin I can nat fynde me but al perisshed adnichilat where nowe is become al wordly glory what coÌ„fidende may I haue of al vaine glory yâ— I haue be exalted by before Lo al vayne wordly glory is vanisshed by the depnesse of thy hyd iugementis that thou hast shewed vpoÌ„ me what is any maÌ„ in thy sight good lorde but cley or erth what may clay or erthe haue any gloriacion or pride agaynste his maker he that hath his herte truly roted by loue humbles in god may uat be extolled by no vayne flateriÌ„ge ageynst his pleasure ne he shal nat
vertue inwardly in soule make my hert voyde of all vnprofytable besynes nat to be draweÌ„ or led by the vnstable desyre of any thynge what euer it be vyle or pÌ„cioê° but to ê¯ceyue al thiÌ„gê togeder with my selfe as transytory nothynge vnder the sone is stable ê‘maneÌ„t but all is vanyte afflyccyon to mannes soule howe wyse is he that so vnderstondeth and perceyueth graunt me good lorde heuenly wysedome yâ— I may lerne to seke to fynde the aboue all other thynge to coÌ„ceyue and loue the aboue all thynges to vnderstande all other thyngê as they be after the order of thy wysedome gyue me grace to bere prudently the ê“speryte pleasure of the worlde pacieÌ„tly to suffer aduersyte for it is great wysdome nat to be moued with any blast of wynde ne to entende to any flaterynge tale ¶ The .xxxiii. chapt how a man shuld behaue hiÌ„ ayenst detraccioÌ„ SOne sayth our lorde to his louer thou shalte nat be heuy if a man say yll or haue an yll opynyon of the that thou wolde nat gladlye here for thou ought to iuge thy selfe to be worse more vyle of coÌ„dycion than other people be if thou gader thy selfe so iÌ„wardly thou shalt nat greatly poÌ„der fleyng wordes it is nat a lytell argumeÌ„t prudeÌ„s or wysdoÌ„ a man to kepe scylens in tyme of yll sayd or done to hym to ê¯uert hym selfe iÌ„wardly to god nat to be inquyete of mannes iugemeÌ„t let nat thy peace be in maÌ„nes worde whether they say well of yâ— or yll thou art one and nat chauÌ„ged by theyr wordes where is true peace true glory but in god he that desyreth neyther to please men nor drede the nat to dysplease them he shall fynally haue great peace for of iÌ„ordy nat loue vayne drede cometh all inâ—etnes of herte and dystruccyon of soule ¶ The .xxxiiii. chapiter god almyghty is to be inwardly called and blessyd in tyme of tribulacyon THy holy name good lorde â—e alwaâ— blessyd that hast wylled this trouble â—â— teÌ„ptacyoÌ„ to fall vpon meâ— I may nat â—â—e â—â—â—â—che â—s it but I haue nede to fle to thy goodnes for helpe and socoure that thou may turne it to my well good lorde I am nowe in trowble and â—â— acordeth nat to well to my herte for I am greatly vered â—f this present passyoÌ„ what shall I say that am tached thus with trybulacions saue me good lorde in this houre I come to the in this houre of trowble that thy goodnes may be knowen whan I shall be delyuered by the of my great humylyacyon trowble that I am in please it thy goodnes lorde god to delâ—uerme therof for I knowe nat what may do to my dyscharge well whyther I may go without the graunt me pacyeÌ„s good lorde also now helpe me good lorde I shall nat drede what euer fall tome what shall I say iÌ„ all my aduersytes but that thy wyll be done iÌ„ me I haue well deserued to be troubled vexed wherfore I must suffer wolde god I myght so do with pacyeÌ„ce tyll the tempest be past better fortune folowe god almyghty thou may take fro me this teÌ„ptacion if it be thy pleasure that I be nat ouercome thereof as thou hast ofte done â–ª for the more harde it semeth to me to suffer suche temptacyon the more nere is thy right haÌ„de to chauÌ„ge it ¶ The .xxxv. chapter how man shuld aske the helpe of God trustynge in hym to recouer grace loste by deuout prayer SOne sayth our Lorde to his louer I am thy lorde god that do conforte my setuauntes in the daye of trouble come therfore to me whan it is nat well with the it doth lette the to haue coÌ„solacyon from aboue that thou slowly fallest to prayer for a remedye for before thon prayest to me deuoutly for helpe and consolacyon thou sekest many inwarde consolacyons for thy refresshynge whiche all auayleth the lytell vnto thou conceyue in wardlye that I alonly delyuer and helpe in nede them that trust in me without me there is novaylable or profytable couÌ„ceyll ne remedye durable abydynge but resume thy spyryt be recoÌ„forted iÌ„ the lyght of my mercyes for I am â—ere redy to repayre all thynges that be ruynous nat onely to the state that they were of before but also to theyr perfercioÌ„ no thyng is to me harde or impossyble I am nat lyke to the that sayste more than thou doste i dede for my worde dede is alone where is thy fayth staÌ„de fermely ê‘seueraÌ„tly iÌ„ thy fayth my seruyce be stroÌ„gely abydynge in me thou shalt haue coÌ„fort iÌ„ tyme coÌ„uenyeÌ„t abyde me I shall come sone he le the it is a lytell teÌ„ptacyon that doth vere the a vayne drede that dothe fere the why art thou busy about thynges or chaunces nat yet beynge but for to come the which encreaseth thy heuynes it is suffycyent to the day his wyckednes it is but vanyte or Idlenes to be troubled or to be glad at yâ— aueÌ„ture of thyngê to come whiche ê‘auenture shall neuer fall but manys coÌ„dycyon is to be disceyued by such ImagynacioÌ„s it is a tokeÌ„ of an vnstable soule that is so soone led fro god by suggestion of the enemy for he poÌ„derith nat wheder he deceyue by true suggestyons or fals wheder he throw downe by the blynde loue of thiÌ„gê pÌ„sent or by drede of thyngê for to come be thou nat aferde ne trowbled in soule trust in my mercy whan thou trowest to be farre fro me I am ofte more nere the whan thou wenest to be holly lost than thou moost deseruest rewarde all this is nat lost whaÌ„ thou felest ê¯trariousnes in thy mynde thou shulde nat iuge after thy seÌ„suall felynge ne take euery veracyoÌ„ hopynge neuer to escape it repute the nat all forsake whaÌ„ I seÌ„de the any trybulacioÌ„ for by such trybulacyoÌ„ it is come to the kyngedome of heueÌ„ it is more expedyeÌ„t to the to my other seruauÌ„tes for to be ê“ued in aduersitees than to haue eche thynge after theyr wyll I knowe the hyd thoughtes of maÌ„ it is expedyeÌ„t to thy helth saluacyon to be lefte some tyme to thy selfe wtoute gostly sauer that thou be nat inflate by pryde lyft vp aboue thy selfe thiÌ„kyng the to be better thaÌ„ thou art in dede I may take away whaÌ„ my lyste that I gyue to any man restore it to them whan I wyll whaÌ„ I gyue any gyft or grace to any ê‘soÌ„ it is myne that I gyue and whan I withdra we it I take but myn owne for al goodes euery ê‘fyte gyft is myn if I sende yâ— any trouble bodely or gostly dysdeyne nat therof ne let nat thyn hert fall therby into great heuynes for I may sone lyfte the vp agayn chauÌ„ge thy heuynes into ioy neuertheles I am rightwyse moche to be recoÌ„meÌ„ded loued whan I sende the such aduersyte or scourges if thou
wyltvnderstaÌ„de thou ought neuer to be heuy for the aduersytes that I seÌ„de the but rather to thaÌ„ke me to repute it a synguler ioy that I spare the nat in suche peynfull afflyccioÌ„s that I sende the for I sayde to my dyscyples I loue you as my father dyd me though I seÌ„de you iÌ„to the worlde nat to haue ioyes of the world but great batayles nat to haue worldly honours but despytê nat to be Idle but to labour nat to haue rest but to gader moch frute of saued people into the barne or church of god lyke as I was sent to also haue miÌ„de sone also of these wordê ¶ The .xxxvii. chapt how all creaturis shuld beset a syde that we may fynd god LOrde god sayth a deuout soule to our lorde I haue nede to haue more grace thaÌ„ I haue yet if I shuld come thyder where no man ne creature shall let me for as loÌ„ge as any creature reteyneth me by lokynge of thy loue I may nat fle to the frely He desyred to fle frely that sayde these wordes who shall gyue me wynges as a doue that I may fle rest where perfyte rest is what thynge is more quyete restfull thaÌ„ is a symple iye who fleyth more frelye into the knowelege and loue of God thaÌ„ he that desyreth nothynge here in erthe he therfore that wyll staÌ„de in eleuacyon of mynde so beholde the good lorde maker of all thynge he must ouer passe euery creature forsake hym selfe with other ê¯syderyng his lorde to haue nothynge lyke hym but that he pÌ„cell all creatures in thy loue and but if a man be fre lowsed from mordynate loue of all creaturê he may nat frely lyft hymvp by coÌ„teÌ„placioÌ„ loue of heueÌ„ly thynges therfore fewe folke be fouÌ„de coÌ„templatyue for fewe be fouÌ„de that fully sequestrate theym selfe fro erthly thynges that be but traÌ„sytory to ê¯teÌ„placioÌ„ is great grace requyred for by grace a man must iÌ„ the dede of coÌ„teÌ„placyon be lyft aboue hym selfe but if he be lyft vp in spyryte aboue all creatures erthelye be holly vnyte to god almyghtye what so euer he can or hath of vertue is but of lytle pryce afore god he shall longe be lytle in vertue lye loÌ„ge in erthe that reputyth or prayseth any thynge but onely eternall goodes which he had of god almyghtye and what so euer thynge is nat god almyghty or to hym referred is nought to be acouÌ„ted for nought great differens is betwene the wysdom of a deuout and illumyned ê‘sone of god the cuÌ„nynge of a lettred clerke or a student for that doctryne is more worthye better that cometh by the influence of god than it that cometh by the labour of mannys wyt many desyre to come to ê¯teÌ„placioÌ„ but fewe study for suche thiÌ„ges as be reqÌ„red therto iÌ„ erercyse a great iÌ„pedyment therto is that we stande iÌ„ sygnes in seÌ„syble thyngê labour nat to mortyfye vs fro them ne to despyse theym parfytely before as we shulde do howe is it and with what spyryt be we led I wot nat that be reputed spuÌ„all ê‘sons yet we laboure more about vyle transytory thynges thaÌ„ about spuÌ„all about the which scarsly at any tyme we laboure or thynke inwardly with suspeÌ„synge of our outwarde sensys so that we wey nat our warkes straytlye or euenlye as we ought to do for wherupon our affeccyon resteth we do nat attende ne we lament nat oure vyle and vnclene dedes therupon foloweth that whan our inwarde affeccyon is corrupte that the dede folowynge ê“cedynge therof is necessaryly corrupte for of a clene herte cometh good dedys and vertuous lyuynge euery man seketh the dede of what howe moche he may do or doth but howe vertuous a man is it that is nat so dyly gentlye soughte for a ryche man or a stronge man for a good labourer a good wryter a good synger a fayre man or womaÌ„ or for an able persone euery man dyly gentlye seketh but howe meke in soule is suche a persone how pacyent how deuout or well idsposed inwardly is he no questyon is made nature sheweth the outwarde goodnes of man but grace torneth itselfe to the inwarde vertues of man nature with gyftes naturall is ofte dysceyued but the soule trusteth in God that he be nat disceyued ¶ The .xxxvii. chapiter how man shuld forsake hym selfe and all couetyse SOne sayth our lorde thou may nat haue ê‘fyte lyberte but if thou vtterly forsake thy selfe all ê“prietaries louers of them selfe be fetered and nat fre as couetous folke curious vaynglorious that seke alway ryches honours delectable thiÌ„gê nat suche as ê‘teyne to iesu cryste suche folke ofte feyne coÌ„pouÌ„de suche thynges as be nat stable but faylynge for all thyng shall perysshe that is nat begon caused of god holde well this shorte worde forsake all thynges for god thou shalt fynde all thyngê forsake couetyse thou shall fynde rest degest this thyng in thy mynde busyly thou shalt vnderstaÌ„de all thynges lorde this is nat one dayes werke nor a lyght thynge to attayne for all ê‘feccyon of relygyoÌ„ is coÌ„prysed therin sone thou shuld nat soone be aduerted ne cast downe by dispayre whaÌ„ thou herest yâ— wayes of ê‘fyte folke but rather to be prouoked to hyer thynges at the leest to inforce the by deuoute desyre to theym I wolde thou come there to that thou loued nat carnally thy selfe but that thou wolde folowe my couÌ„ceyll in all thynges than thou shuld be as I sayde all thy lyfe shuld be led with ioy peas thou hast yet many thynges to be forsake lefte the which but if thou holy leue and resygne to me thou shalte nat attayne that thou desyrest I couÌ„ceyll the to bye of my bryght golde the is to say heuenly wysdome the which despyseth all erthely thiÌ„ges that thou may be very ryche lay thou a syde all erthelye wysdom and all inordynate pleasure of thy selfe or any other thou shalt haue heueÌ„ly wysdome therfore the which wysdome though it be reputed lytell worth iÌ„ erthe of erthly folke yet it is a pÌ„cyous margarete hydde fro many greatly desyred of many ¶ The .xxxviii. chapyter of the vnstablenes of the herte of man how man shuld fynally lyfte vp and order his hert and mynde to god SOne sayth our Lorde truste nat to moche to thyn owne wyt affeccion the which is now here now there soone chauÌ„gid from one thing to an other for as longe as thou lyuest thou shalt be chauÌ„geable subiecte of mutabylyte ayeÌ„st thy wyll now shalt thou be glad now heuy now well pleasyd coÌ„tent soone discoÌ„teÌ„t now deuout soone vndeuout now busy in mynde werke now sleuthfull nowe thou arte lyght mery soone after sad troubled but a wyse man well taught in soule standeth stable in all such mutacyons nat attedynge what he felyth in hym selfe
may shortly iÌ„ all such offer my selfe to thy pleasure sone sayth god maÌ„ often prosecuteth the thynge that he desyreth whan he cometh therto he begynneth otherwyse to fele therin for maÌ„nys affeccyons desyres about one thyng be nat durable abydynge but now vppon this thynge sette and now vpon that the very ê“fite of man is to forsake hym selfe to coÌ„myt hym holy to God for suche a man is very fre and syker But our enemy coÌ„trary to all goodnes cesseth nat of his teÌ„ptacyons but day nyght he maketh greuous sautes to vs to catche vs at vnwares by his deceytfull snares wake therfore pray dylygently that thou enter nat into teÌ„ptacioÌ„ ¶ The .xlv. chaptÌ„ man hath no goodnes of hym selfe ne any thyng that he may haue any glory or pryde of but all of the goodnes of god LOrde what is man that thou hast suche mynde of or the sone of man whoÌ„ doest vysyte with thy grace what meryte was or is in man yâ— to gyuest thy grace to what may I complayne if thou forsake me or what may I ryghtwysly saye agayne the if thou grauÌ„t me nat that I aske of the seth thou gyuest all goodnes of thy owne goodnes lyberalyte without the deseruynge of man Surely this I may thynke say of my selfe that I am nothynge of valoure that I haue no goodnesse of my selfe but that I am in suffycyeÌ„t and frayle in all thyngê and go to nought euer and but I be holpen of the good lorde and infourmed within iÌ„ soule by the I shal be made all dyssolute thou good lorde abydest alwey one beynge and euery where good rightwys holy werkynge all thynges we le right wysly holyly dysposynge all thy werkys iÌ„ wisdoÌ„ but I wretche that am alwey more prone and redy to fayle than to ê“fyte in vertue and goodnesse am nat abydynge euer in one state for seuen tymes in the day the rightwis man is troubled of synne Ne the lesse it shal be sone wele with me agayn if it please thy goodnes to helpe me for thou alone good lorde mayste without man helpe in all nedys make meso ferine stable that I shal nat be chauÌ„ged hyder thyder or fro this thynge to that but yâ— my herte maye be turned rest in the alonly if I wolde caste away all maÌ„nes ê¯solacion eyther for deuocioÌ„ for to be had or ellys to seke thy socoure goodnes for such nedes as fall to me that I am coÌ„pellyd by to seke the for no man may helpe or comfort me as thou mayst than I myghte well truste to thy grace to ioye of the gyfte of thy newe consolacyoÌ„ I thaÌ„ke yâ— good lorde the auctour and grouÌ„de of all goodnes as ofte as any good chaunce happeth towarde me I am but vanyte and nothynge in thy syght an vnstable man seke wherof may I than be proude or shulde repute me any thynge ê“fytable wheder nat of nought the whiche is moost vanyte truly vayne glory is an ifectyue pestyleÌ„s and moost vanyte for it draweth a man fro very glory remeueth grace spyrytall whyles a man hath a complacens in hym selfe he dyspleaseth god and whan he desyreth maÌ„nys laude vayne praysynge he forgoth very vertues very glory holy ioy to man is to ioy I god nat in hym selfe to ioy in the name of god almyghty nat in his ê“per vertue or strength nor to haue delectacyon in any creature but for God thy holy name good lord be praysed blessid nat myne thy werk be magnyfyed nat myne no laude ne praysynge be gyuen to me by mannes mouthe for any thynge that I do but all be vnto thy pleasure thou arte my glorye the inwarde ioye of my hert I shall by thy grace euer ioye in the and in nothynge perteynyng to me but in my infyrmytes let Iewes with other vayne louers of the worlde seke glorye of themselfe in other I shall only seke the glory and praysyng of god for all maÌ„nes glory praysynge with worshyp teÌ„porall also worldly hyght ê“mocyoÌ„ coÌ„paryd to thy eternall glorye good lorde is but vanyte foly o thou blessyd trynyte my god my mercy and very truthe to the alone be laude vertue honour glory for euer Amen ¶ The .xlvi. chapter how all teÌ„porall honour is to be dyspysed SOne sayth our lorde to his louer be thou nat confouÌ„ded ne heuy whan thou seest other honoured and auauÌ„ced and thy selfe despysed and humyled rayse vp thyn herte to me in to heuen thou shalte nat be heuy though thou be despysed of man here in erth Lorde sayth the dyscyple we be here in darke blyndenes lackynge the very lyght and therfore we be soone deceyued by vanytes as farre as I can vnderstande I neuer yet suffred any iniurye of any creature wherfore I can nat rightwysely complayne agayne the but for as moche as I haue oftesynÌ„ed agayn the therfore euery creature is worthyly armed ayeÌ„st me i punysshemeÌ„t of my synÌ„es wherfore ê¯fusyon shame to me is dewe with coÌ„teÌ„pte to the good lorde be laude honoure glory and but if I prepare my wyll to be dyspysed forsake gladly of euery man and vtterlye to be reputed noughte I can nat be stablysshed ne pacyfyed wtinforth nor spuÌ„ally to be illumyned ne may nat be fully knytte ioyned to thy goodnes ¶ The .xlvii. chapt how no man ought to put his peas fynally in man SOne if thou put thy peas with any ê‘sone for thy felynge for that they accorde with the yâ— shalt be vnstable vnpeased but if thou haue thy recours to god that is ê‘manent euerlastyng truthe thy frende goynge awey or decessynge fro the shall nat make the inordynatly heuy thou oughtest to loue all thy frendes in me and for me to loue euery ê‘sone that thou accomptyst with good dere to the in this lyfe for I am the begynner the ende of all goodnes without me all freÌ„shyp is nat valent or durable nor no worldly frendshyppe may endure where I ioy nat thou oughtest to be mortyfyed to such carnall affeccyoÌ„s of thy louers that as moche as thou mayst thou shuldest desyre to be without al maÌ„nes coÌ„pany for the more a man wtdraweth hym fro all worldly solace the more he draweth nere to god almyghty the more hye that he ascendeth in loue spuÌ„all ê¯teÌ„placioÌ„ the more ê“fouÌ„dly iwardly he desceÌ„deth in huÌ„ble ê¯syderacioÌ„ of hymselfe vyly peÌ„dynge hym selfe he that ascrybeth or gyueth any goodnes to hym selfe he gaynstaÌ„deth the grace of god letteth it to enter into hym for the grace of god alwey requyreth an huÌ„ble herte if thou man saythe our lorde wolde ê‘fytelye dysprase thy selfe wolde empte clene thy hert fro all erthely loue thaÌ„ wolde I sayth he dystyll entre into the with abuÌ„dauÌ„t grace but the more atteÌ„dauÌ„ce affeccyon thou hast to my creatures the more is
warkes and to take thy recreacyon in the exercyse of good dedis so to abyde fermely my coÌ„mynge and heueÌ„ly vysytacyon and with that pacyenlye to suffer exyle and drynesse of mynde vnto that I vysyte the agayn delyuer the frome all tedyousnes for I shall make the forgete all such anoyes labours to ioy in inwarde quyetacion of soule I shall lay afore the consolacioÌ„s of scrypture that with glad herte thou may begyn to walke in my coÌ„mauÌ„demâ—tes say the peynes and passyons of this worlde be nat worthy to the glory of heuen the which shal be manyfested shewed in vs after this lyfe ¶ The â–ª lvii chapiter a man shuld nat repute hym selfe worthy to haue coÌ„solacyon but rather worthy indygnacyon sayinge LOrde I am nat worthy to haue thy consolacyon nor any spirituall vysytacioÌ„ therfore thou good lorde doste nothynge agayne ryghtwysâ—nes whan thou leuest me in penurye nede and desolacion if I myght yet out fro me teris of contricion to the symylytude of the See yet am I nat worthy thy coÌ„solacion I am nat worthy but to be scourged and punysshed I haue so greuouslyh and manyfoldely synned and offeÌ„ded the in trouthe I am nat worthy thy leest coÌ„solacyoÌ„ but thou good lorde benygne mercifull that wyll nat thy werkes shuld perysshe to shewe the ryches of thy excellent goodnes into the vessell of thy mercy ye without my proper meryte thou with saue to coÌ„fort me thy seruauÌ„t aboue all mannes mesure for thy consolacyons be nat after maÌ„nes fables what haue I done my good Lorde that thou shuldest gyue me any celestyall coÌ„solacyon for I knowe nat that I haue done any good but alway prone to vyce and slowe to ameÌ„de me trewe it is that I saye I can nat saye nay if I shulde any otherwyse saye thou shuldest stande agayne me and no man shulde defende me agayne the what haue I deserued for my synnes but hell fyre eternall In trouthe I confesse that I am worthy all derysyon and contempte it semeth me nat to dwell amonge deuout persones and thoughe I here suche thynges impacyentlye yet shall I lay and reproue my synnes agayn me that I may the soner opteyne thy mercy what may I say that am so gyltye and full of all coÌ„fusyon I haue nothynge to say but only this worde Lorde god â–ª I haue euyll inclynacyons and greuously haue synned Haue mercy on me forgyue me I beseke the suffer me a lytle that I may sorowe and bewayle my synnes afore I passe hens vnto the countrey of darkenes couered with the darkenes of deth and what dost thou aske moost of a wretchyd synner but that he be sorofulll and made meke of his synnes in very coÌ„tricioÌ„ and humyliacion of maÌ„nes herte is very hope of forgyuenesse mannys concience so troubled with contrycyon is reconsyled to god also grace loste by synne is repared and therby man is defendyd fro the wrathe of god there meteth together in holy kyssyng and halsynge of god almyghty the penyteÌ„t soule the humble coÌ„tricioÌ„ of synners is an acceptable sacryfyce to the good lorde gyuynge a more swete odour vnto thy goodnes than incense by fyer it is also the pÌ„cyous acceptable oyntmeÌ„t that thou good lorde wolde to be mynystred to thy fete for thou neuer dyd ne doste despyse but gladlye receyuest vnto thy grace a coÌ„tryte an huÌ„ble herte there is the place of rufuge fro the face of wrathe of the enemye there is clensyd and amendyd what so euer fylthe is otherwyse done ¶ The .lviii. chapter grace is nat myxt with folke that delyteth in erthely thynges SOne my grace is a pÌ„cious thyng it woll nat be myxt with strauÌ„ge thynges nor with erthely coÌ„solacions thou must therfore auoyde from the all the â—pedymâ—tis of grace if thou wylt receyue it aske a secrete place to thy coÌ„teÌ„placion loue to dwell with thy selfe alone seke nat veyne spekynge with other but rather be thou occupyed with deuout prayer to god that thou may haue a coÌ„puÌ„cte mynde a pure coÌ„cyeÌ„ce se thou accoÌ„pte all the worlde of lytell pryce in thy estymacyoÌ„ and afore all worldly thynges prefarre thou the honour medytacioÌ„ of god for thou mayst louyngly thynke on me with that delyte in worldly transytory thynges thou must seperate withdrawe thy selfe fro the knowlege dere freÌ„dys thy mynde fro all bodely solace as saynt peter the apostyll couÌ„ceyleth in his epystyll all crysteÌ„ folke that they as straungers pylgrymes absteyne from all suche flesshely and worldly thynges or pleasures o what sure passynge trust shall he haue in his decesse that is nat than ouercome with any worldlye affeccioÌ„ but hath his herte sadly fixte iÌ„ god almyghty and losed fro all erthely thynges a bestely man knoweth nat the fredome of mannes soule yet if he desyre to be spuÌ„all he must refuse as well his nye freÌ„dys as suche as be far fro hym in consanguynyte also he must be moost ware of hym selfe if man perfytely ouercome hym selfe he shall the soner subdue other ennemyes to hym perfyte vyctory is a man to ouer come fyrste hym selfe he that holdeth hym selfe subiecte so that sensualyte obey to reason and reason obey to God in all thynges Suche a man is the very coÌ„querour of hym selfe and lorde of the worlde if so be that thou fullye desyre to atteyne that degre heyght thou must manlye enforse thy selfe and begynne and to put thyne axe to the rote of thy soule so that thou may plucke vp by the rotis and destroy the hydde and the inordynate Inclynacyon to thy selfe and to all pryuate and worldly goodys of this vyce that a man loueth hym to Inordynatelye all most all cometh that is yll in man whiche loue therfore if it be ouercome we shall haue consequeÌ„tly iÌ„ vs great peace traÌ„quyllyte But for as moch as fewe folke laboreth to dye to themselfe that is to saye to mortyfye suche contrariousnes in themselfe nor goeth nat out of them selfe by contemplacyon or exercyse of vertue therfore they lye wrapped iÌ„ themselfe may nat be lyfte aboue themselfe spuÌ„ally in soule but he that desyreth frely to walke with me it is nedefull that he mortyfye in hym selfe all yll inordynate affeccyoÌ„s so that he do nat enclyne ne cleue to any creature by pryuate loue of ê¯cupysceÌ„s ¶ The lix chapt of dyuers mouynges of nature grace SOne se thou gyue hede dylygentlye vnto the mouyngê of nature grace for theyr mouiÌ„gê be very subtyll ê¯traryous scarcely they may be ê‘ceyued but if a man be in wardlye illumyned euery man loueth desyreth that thynge that is or semeth good and euery man pretedeth in his wordes sayinges some goodnes and therfore many be deceyued vnder the preteÌ„s symylytude of goodnes nature is wyly therefore it draweth snareth and disceyueth many weyes it hath euer it selfe for his ende but grace walketh maketh man
walke symple without colour or deceyte it maketh man to declyne and fle from all yll it pretendeth no snarys of deceyte and it maketh man do his werkys all purely for god in whom also he fynally doth rest nature doth dye agaynst his wyll he wyll nat gladly be oppressyd or ouercome ne he wyll gladly be obedyent or subdued vnder other but with vyolence grace doth the contrary for it maketh man to stodye to mortyfye hym selfe Also it resysteth to sensualyte and so brydeleth hir that she rebell nat grace maketh a maÌ„ to be subiecte to other It maketh hym to desyre to be ouercome It wyll natsuffer man to vse his owne lyberte It maketh man wyllynge to be euer vnder dyscyplyne It maketh man nat to coueyte domynacyon vpon other but alway to be on lyue and stande vnder God and for God to howe humbly to euery man Nature laboureth and studyeth euer to and for his owne profyte and gyueth hede what lucre aâ—auntage he may gette by other but grace attendeth nat to his owne ê“fyte but rather he attendeth what is good profytable to many nature desyreth gladlye honoure reuerence grace gyueth all honour and glory feythfully to god nature dredeth coÌ„fusyon coÌ„teÌ„pte grace ioyneth to suffre coÌ„tynually repreues turment for the name of Iesu Nature loueth Idlenes and bodyly rest and grace can nat be Idell but seketh gladly some profytable labour Nature seketh fayre thynges and curyous and aborreth vyle thynges and gros and grace delyteth in symple humble thynges it despyseth nat harde thynges nor to be idued with olde garmeÌ„tis Nature beholdeth teÌ„porall thynges and ioyeth at erthely lucres It is heuy at harme and anone iÌ„paci ent wrathfull at an iniurious worde but grace be holdeth thyngê eternall it doth nat iÌ„clyne ne cleue to teÌ„porall thyngê wherfore it is nat troubled iÌ„ losse of worldly goodes nevexed at sharpe and harde wordes for he hath put his treasoure ioy iÌ„ heueÌ„ where nothynge may perysshe nature is couetous and it soner gladlyer receyueth than gyueth Also it loueth properte pryuate thynges but grace is pyteous and large to the poore nedy it escheweth syngularyte it is content with fewe thynges it Iugeth that it is better and more blessyd to gyue than take Nature enclyneth a man to the loue of creatures as to his owne body to vayne syghte and mouynges and to such other thyngê but grace draweth to god and to vertues it forsaketh the worlde and creatures therof with allvanytes it hath carnall defyres it restrayneth wauerynge or wandrynge about it maketh man asshamed to be in open place Nature hath soone outwarde solace wherin his sensys delyte grace seketh solace in god only it delyteth in ce lestyall thynges aboue thynges vysyble nature moueth man to do all his dedes and warkes for ê“per auayle it wyll do nothyng frely but trusteth for his good dede eyther as good a dede or a better or at the fauour or laude of man therfore it setteth moche by them be they neuer so exyle but grace seketh nat any temporall thyng nor it asketh none other thyng but alone for towarde nor it asketh no more of temporall thyngê but that he maye be the helpe of them â—omâ— to thynges eternall Nature ioyeth of the multytude of carnall frendys and kynnes folke he hath pryde of noble kynÌ„e or of the noble place that he is borne in it gladdeth to be with myghty men and with his peris but grace maketh man to loue his enemyes nor he is nat proude of the multytude of freÌ„dys ne it reputeth nat nobylyte of freÌ„des or of place that he cometh of but if more vertue be there than with other it fauoureth more the pore thaÌ„ yâ— ryche it hath soner compassyoÌ„ vpoÌ„ an iÌ„nocent than vpon a myghty man it ioyeth euer in trothe nat in falshede it exorteth good folke to encrease of vertue and goodnes to be assymylate to the sone of God by â—tu nature soone coÌ„playneth of defaut or heuynes that he suffreth but grace suffereth pacieÌ„tly all euylles nature maketh all thynges bowe to hym it fyghtethe for hym selfe reproueth but grace referreth all his cause to God it maketh man to ascrybe no goodes that he hath to hym selfe but to god onely of whom all goodnes cometh orygynally it maketh man huÌ„ble nat to boste â–ª hym selfe presuÌ„ptuously it stryues nat nor â—ferreth nat his reason or seÌ„teÌ„ce before another but iÌ„ euery cause or fortune he submyttith hymselfe to the eternall wysedome iugemeÌ„t of god nature desyreth to know to here nouelties he wyll also apere forth warde and haue the syghte and experyens of many thynges by his outwarde senses he desyreth to do such thynges yâ— laude and great pray synge cometh of but grace doth nat desyre to know and perceyue newe or curyous thyngê For all such vayne desyres cometh of the olde corrupcyon of synne syth nâ— newe thynge and durable is vpon erthe graâ—e techeth the senses of man for to contrayn and let the vayâ—e glory â—â—t pleasour of man to eschewe all outwarde auauÌ„tage to hyde mekely such thynges as be laudable marueylous in hym to seke the laude and honour of god a profytable frutfulnes of euery thynge cuÌ„nynge that maÌ„ hath it wyll nat that man coÌ„mede hym selfe ne exalte his vertue but it wyll yâ— god be blessyd in his gyftes the which gyueth euery thynge after his fre charite without our deseruynges This is a supernaturall lyghte a specyall gyfte of God and it is a proper sygne and token of electe chosen persones an ernes of euerlastynge saluacion which lyfteth vp man fro theyse erthely thynges to loue thyngê celestiall it maketh a spuÌ„all person of a carnall the more therefore that nature is ouercome the more grace is yette in man dayly is inwarde man that is to say the soulevysyted renewed with inwarde graces vysytacyoÌ„ after the Image of God ¶ The .lx. chapter of the corrupcyon of nature and the workynge of grace LOrde god that hast made me to thy Image lykenes graunt me thy grace the whiche as thou hast afore shewed is so great necessary to my saluacioÌ„ yâ— I may therby vaynquyssh my right bad nature that draweth me to synÌ„e ê‘dicioÌ„ I fele in my flesshe a lawe of Synne that Impugneth the lawe of my mynde and maketh me thrall to synne to obey to sensualyte in many thynges nor I maye nat resyst the passyons or mocions therof but if thy holy grace infounded ardently to my hert assyst me Thy great abuÌ„daunt grace is nedefull to me that nature therby may be ouercome in me whiche is alwey prone to yll appetyte thought for that nature lynyally descendynge fro our fyrst fader Adam into his successyon after that it was vycyat defoyled by his synne the peyne therof desceÌ„did iÌ„to euery maÌ„ so that that nature the which
was good and rightwys whan it was made of the good lorde is nowe for the vylyte infyrmyte therofso corrupt maÌ„ that the mouynge of it lefte to man draweth euer to yll lowe thynges hye heuenly thynges lefte For the lytell vertue strength of that nature the whiche remayneth there is as who sayth a lytell sparke of fyre wrapped and hyd in asshes This is the naturall reason of maÌ„ belapped with great darkenes yet hauynge discrecion of good yll of truthe falsenesse thoughe it be vnable to fulfyll all that he approueth nor may nat vse yet the full lyghte of truthe nor his affeccyoÌ„s helthfully wherfore it foloweth good lorde that I delyte iÌ„ thy lawe after myne inwarde maÌ„ knowynge thy commaundement to be good ryght wyse and holy arguynge also and fyndynge all yll and Synne to be exchued fledde and yet in myne outwarde man that is to saye my body I do serue to the lawe of synne whyles I obey more to sensualyte than to reason in his mocyons wherof cometh that I woll that which is good but I am of vnpower to ê‘fourme it I purpose iÌ„ my mynde oft tymes many good dedys or werkis but for that grace waÌ„teth that shuld helpe my infyrmyte febylnes therfore I go asyde cesse of good doynge for a lytell resystens Therof cometh that thoughe I knowe the wey of perfeccyon and howe I ought to do yet I aryse nat by deuocyoÌ„ of soule to suche ê‘fytenes I am so oppressyd and lettyd by my dull corrupte body thy grace good lorde is to me theragayne full necessary to begynne goodnes and to profyte therin to fynysshe the same iÌ„ ê‘fytenes for without that grace I can nothynge do and with the helpe of it I maye do all thynges necessary to me o thou heuenly grace without the which no man may be of any meryte or valour before God nor any naturall gyfte is profytable neyther craftes ne rychesse neyther beautye ne strength wytte or eloqueÌ„ce be any thynge worth before the good lorde and grace wante For gyftes of nature be gyuen Indyfferentlye to good folke euyll But the gyfte of electe and good persones is grace and loue of charite wherby they be noble and made worthye euerlastynge lyfe that Grace is of such worthynes that without it neyther the gyfte of prophesy ne the workynge of myracles and sygnes nor hye speculacion or cuÌ„nynge auayleth any thyng Also neyther feyth ne hope nor other vertues be accepte of God without grace and charyte o thou blessyd grace that makest hym that is poore in Soule ryche in vertues and hym that is meke abundaunt of goodes spyrytuall come and dyscende in me replenysshe me soone with thy consalacyon that my soule fayle nat for werynes and drynes of mynde I beseche the good lorde that I may fynde grace and mercy iÌ„ thy syght for thy grace is Inough to me if other thynges wante that nature asketh if I be vexed or troubled with many trybulacyons I shall drede none euyll whyle thy grace is with me that grace is my strength for it gyueth couceyll and helpe to hym that hath it It hath power vpon all iugementes wysedome vpon all wyse men It is the maistres of trouth and the techar of dyscyplyne the lyght of the soule the confort of pressures the chaser away of heuynes the auoyder of drede the norys of deuocyon the brynger forthe of terys what am I wtout grace but as a drye tree without moysture and an vnprofytable stocke to spyrytuall beleuynge wherefore I pray the good lorde that thy grace may euer pÌ„uent me and make me busyly gyuen to good workes by the helpe of Cryste Iesu ¶ The .lxi. chapiter we ought to forsake our selfe folowe Cryste with our crosse SOne as farre as thou mayste forsake loue thy selfe so moche more thou shalt passe into me for lyke as the inwarde peace of mannes soule is to desyre nothynge without forth so a man forsakynge hym selfe inwadly conioyneth hym to God I wyll that thou lerne to forsake or deny thy selfe perfytely in my wyll with all contradyccyon or complaynt folowe thou me for I am the way I am trouth and lyfe without way no man may go and wtout trouthe there is no knowlege And without lyfe no maÌ„ may lyue I am the waye that thou oughtest to folowe trouth to whom thou oughtest to gyue credeÌ„s and am lyfe that thou oughtest to hope in to haue I am the way vnmeuable moost right I am trouthe infallyble moost hye am lyfe withoute ende increat in the which stondeth the very lyfe blysse of spyrytes blessyd soules If thou abyde in my way thou shalt knowe the very trouth and trouthe shall delyuer the and thou shalt fynally come to euerlastyng lyfe If thou wylte come to that lyfe as it is wryten thou must obserue my commaundementes If thou haue knowlege of trouth trust to me and to my wordes If thou wylt be my dyscyple denye and forsake thy selfe and folow me if thou wylt be perfyte sell all that thou hast and gyue it to the poore folke if thou wylt possesse euerlastynge lyfe despyse this present lyfe If thou wylt be auauÌ„ced in heueÌ„ huÌ„ble the here in this worlde If thou wylt reygne with me in heueÌ„ bere thy crosse here with me in erthe For onely the seruauÌ„tes of the crosse fyndeth verely yâ— way of lyght eternall blysse lorde Ihesu for asmoch as thy way is the way of straytnes of hardenes the whiche is odious to worldly folke therfore I beseke the to gyue me with the contempte of the worlde that I may hate it verely as thou dyd It is nat acordyng that a seruaunt be preferred afore his lorde ne a discyple aboue his mayster Thy seruaunt therefore oughte to be exercysed in thy wayes for therin is helth very holynes what euer I rede or here besyde it I am nat refresshed ne I take nat full delectacy on therby sone for that thou haste red knowest these thynges happy art thou and thou shalt be blessyd if thou fulfyll them it is wryten he that hath my coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes in mynde and executeth theym in his conuersacion he is he that loueth me and I shall loue hym I shall shewe open my selfe to hym and I shall do hym to syt with me in the kyngedome of my father good lorde as thou hast sayd and promysed so be it done to me I haue take the crosse of thy haÌ„de I shal bere it by thy helpe grace as thou layde it vpon me whyles I lyue for trulye the lyfe of a good man is the crosse of penaunce the whiche is the verye wey to paradyse the whiche wey I with other haue begonÌ„e it is nat lefull to go backe to leue it haue do bretherne go we together the wey begon Iesus be with vs For his loue we take vpon vs this crosse of hardenesse and therfore let vs abyde therin for his
sake for he shall be our helper that is our leder beholde our kynge goth before vs he shall feyghte for vs folow we hym strongely drede we no parels be we redy to dye with hym goostly iÌ„ the batayle of vyces hardnes ne let vs nat fle from suche exercyse that we confounde nat our selfe ¶ The .lxii. capter a man shuld nat be dyscomforted whan he falleth in any aduersyte or defaute SOne paciens humylyte in aduersytes doth please me more than moch consolacyon and deuocion in prosperyte had why art thou heuy at a lytell worde or dede done or sayd agyne the if more had be sayd or don to the thou oughtest nat to haue be moued at it But lette it nowe ouer passe This thynge that thou haste suffred is nat the fyrste nor shall be the laste trouble or euyll that thou shalte suffer if thou lyue Thou arte stronge and manfull Inoughe where none aduersyte is resystynge agayn the thou dost wele counceyll can well strengthe other with thy wordes But whan sodeyn trybulacy on cometh to thy dore thou faylest than both in couÌ„ceyll and streÌ„gth gyue hede to thy great fraylte the which thou hast experyence of in lytell thynges obiecte agaynste the And for thy helth whaÌ„ such thynges fall lyfte vp thy herte to our Lorde as thou best can and if it touche the yet let it nat throwe the downe ne longe vnbelappe the Suffer such thynges pacyently if thou can nat gladlye and if thon here nat gladly such but thou felest parauenture indygnacy on in the represse the within thy selfe suffer none inordinate worde passe from that wherby other shuld be sclaundered A passyon areysed in a man shall soone be apesyd and inwarde sorowe shal be made swete if grace returne to man ayen yet I lyue sayth our Lorde I am redye to helpe the and to comforte the more than I dyd before if thou wylt truste vnto me and deuoutly callvpoÌ„ me Be thou more quyete and pacyent thaÌ„ thou hast ben It is nat for nought thou art often tymes troubled and teÌ„pted greuousely thou arte a man and nat God thou arte a flasshely creature and none aungell howe mayst thou thaÌ„ thynke alway to abyde in one state of vertue whan that was nat graunted to Aungell in heuen ne vnto the fyrste man in paradyse the whiche bothe felle and stode nat longe in the state of theyr creacyon yâ— they were create and sette in I am he that arayses theym that sorowe for theyr Synnes or that otherwyse suffreth with pacyence aduersyte I auaunce them that knowe theyr infyrmyte into my dyuynyte Lorde God thy holy worde be blessyd it is swetter to me thaÌ„ the hony come what shuld I do in many and great trybulacyons and anguysshes were nat that thou coÌ„forted me with thy holy and swete wordes whyles I shall come to the porte of helthe euer lastynge by pacient suffraunce of aduersytes what nedeth me force what and howe great or many trybulacyons I suffer grauÌ„t me good lorde I beseche the good ende and an happye passynge frome this worlde haue mynde of me good Lorde and dyrecte my lyfe me in the waye of ryght wysenesse to come to thy kyngedome ¶ The .lxiii. chapiter how a man shulde nat serche hye thynges ne seke auentures the which God worketh here in his hyd Iugement SOne beware that thou dispute nat of hye maters or of the hyd iugemeÌ„tes of God as why this man is damned or forsake and he lyfte vp to so great and hye grace Also why this man is so great lye punysshed with Syckenesse pouerte and such other And this other man so greatlye auaunsyd to rychesse and dygnytees Theyse thynges with such other excodeth all mannes consyderacyon or knowlege for no mannys reason or dysputacy on may serche or compasse the Iugementys of God Therfore whan thyn ennemye suffreth temptacyon to the in any suche thyngê or if other curyous ê‘sones enquyreth suche knowelege of the answere agayne vnto them this sayinge of the prophete thou alway blessyd lorde arte euer rightwyse and thy domys are alwaye true rightwyse And also this sayinge of the same prophete the iugemeÌ„tis of our lorde are trewe and iustyfyed in them selfe My iugementes sayth our Lorde are to be dred and nat to be dyscussed by mannes reason for no mannes reason may coÌ„pryse them also thou shalt nat enquyre and despute of the merytes of sayntes whiche are hyer in merytes or blysse Suche vayne busynes gendreth debates stryfes they also norysshe pryde and vaynglory also enuy aryseth of the same whyles he his saynt and another his laboureth to pÌ„ferre to desyre to know or to serche such thynges is but vanyte without all frute and it dyspleaseth the sayntes suche opynyon For I am nat God of dyscencyon but of vnyte and peace the whiche peace is founde more in trewe hu mylyacyon of man than in his exaltacyon Some man hathe more deuocyon to this saynte and some to other Sayntes but that is more of deuocyon of mannes affeccyon than of godlye or gostelye zele or loue I am he that made all sayntes I gaue theym grace and I haue receyued theym to my glorye I euer knewe any mannys merytes preueÌ„tynge them with my swete blessynges I haue knowen before my louers chosen seruauÌ„tes from the begynnyng whom I haue electe callyd by my grace frome the reprobate and damnable coÌ„uersacyon of the worldly people I haue chosen them nat they me and I haue draweÌ„ them to me by my mercy I haue ledde them in temptacyons and safely brought them out therof I haue vysyted them with many and great consolacions I haue gyuen them perseuerauÌ„ce in goodnes and I haue crowned theyr pacyence I knowe the fyrst man and the last that shal be and so of euery other thynge I halse all my chosen seruauÌ„ rys with mestymable loue I am to be loued in all my sayntes to be honoured and blessyd ouer all in eche of them the which I haue so gloriously magny fyed and predestynde without any merytes goynge afore of theyr partye He therfore that despyseth one of my leest sayntis or electe ê‘sones he worshyppeth nat the moost for I made both smal and great and he that blasphemeth detracteth or desprayseth any saynt detracteth me and all my sayntes in heueÌ„ all they be one by the bande of charyte all they coÌ„syder and fele one thynge they woll one thynge and eche of them loueth other and that is more they loue me aboue them selfe and theyr owne merytes for they be rapte often aboue them selfe and drawen oute of theyr proper loue and gyueth theym hooly vnto my loue in the which loue they rest by entyer fruycyon gladnesse nothyng may chauÌ„ge or depresse them For they be full of eternall truth and they brenne in soule with the ardoure of inextynguyble charyte such folke as be carnall cesse to speke or tell of the state glorye of sayntes for they can nat but
to be my swetnesse consolacoÌ„n my mete drynke my loue and all my ioye so that my wyll be chaunged enflamed and brenne allvnto the So that I may be made a spirite inwardly vnight vnto yâ— by grace brennynge loue and suffre me nat blessed sauyour to deê‘te from the fastynge drye with hunger thurst but do with me mercyfully as often as thou hast done meruelously in thy holy seruauntes what meruele is it vnto me that am nat all enflamed in the seynge that thou arte the breÌ„nynge fyre alwey illumynynge and lyghtnynge the vnderstandynge of thy creatures ¶ Of the breÌ„nynge loue great affeccion that we shulde haue to receyue our sauyour crist iesu CapÌ„ .xvii. O Lorde god iÌ„ soueraine deuocoÌ„n brennynge loue and all feruent offeccion of herte I desyre as many other holy deuoute ê‘sones haue desyred to receyue which hath ben greatly pleasauÌ„t vnto the holynes of their lyfe by great deuocyon O my god and eternall loue my eternall felicyte I by ryght greate desire wysshe to receiue the as worthely and as reuerently as euer dyd any of thy holy seruauÌ„tes All be it that I am nat worthy to haue so greate felynges of deuocion yet offre I vnto the thaffeccions of my hert asverely as though I had all the brennynge flamynge desyres that they had Also I gyue and offre vnto the insoueraine reuerence veneracoÌ„n all that a good debonayer herte maye conteyne And wyll nat nor couete to reserue any thynge to myselfe but offre and make sacryfice vnto the with fre and ê‘fyght wyll myselfe with all my good is Lorde god my cre +ature redemer thys day I desire to receyue the with suche affeccion reuereÌ„ce praisynge honour worthynes and loue suche feith hope puryte as thy right holy moder glorious virgyn Marye conceyued the whanne she answerede mekely deuoutly vnto thauÌ„gell yâ— shewede vnto hir the holy mystery of the incarnacion of the the sonne of god ¶ Se here the hande mayde of god so be it done as thou hast said And the right excellent precursor saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyste that wyth great Ioy sprange in thy presence by inspiracion of yâ— holy goost thanne beynge wythin the wombe of his moder And afterwarde beholdynge the Iesu walkynge mekely amonge men he greatly mekinge hymselfe to the same wyth a deuout mynde sayde The freÌ„de of the spouse standeth and harkeneth wyth coÌ„forte Ioyes for to here the voyce of the spouce And so I wische to be enflamed with great holy desyre with all my herte present me vnto the for that I gyue offre vnto the for me for all theim that be recoÌ„mended vnto my prayers all the IubylacoÌ„ns of deuout hertis wyth brennynge affeccions that excessyue thoughtis the hye and spuÌ„all illumynacoÌ„ns the heuenly vicoÌ„ns wyth all the vertues praisynges as well celebrate as to be celebrate of all yâ— creatures of heuen erthe to th ende that thou lorde be worthely praysed ê‘petually gloryfyed of all creatures besecheynge the lorde to receyue my praiers desyres of thy infinite benediccions praysynges without ende which right wisly be due vnto the after the greate habuÌ„daunce multytude of thy inestymable magnyficence And so my desyre is to yelde vnto the at all houres all momentis of tyme so I desyre beseche all the heuenly spirites with all feithfull cristen creatures for to yelde vnto the praisynges with effectuous prayers all the vniuersall people prayse the. All generacyons kyndes magnyfie the holy and swete name in great Ioye brennynge deuocion that they that celebratys that ryght hye and holy sacrament receyueth it in playne feythe and great reuerence deuocyon may merite towardis the and fynde grace mercy And for me wretchede synner I mekely beseche the whan I shall haue a tast of that swete vnyon deuocoÌ„n so moch wysshed desired that I may be fulfylled fed so meruelously at that heuenly holy table that at my deê‘tinge from thens thou good lorde wyll haue me pore siner in thy pyteous remembraunce ¶ That a man shulde nat be to curious a iÌ„quisitor of yâ— holy sacrameÌ„t but a meke folower of crist iesu in submittynge his reason felynge to the holy feyth Ca .xviii. IT behoues the to kepe the from to curyous iÌ„quysicyon of the ryght profounde sacrameÌ„t if thou wilte nat be coÌ„fouÌ„ded in thy proprevyce and drowned in the deppeth of opinyons For he that wyll inquire of the hye maiestye of god he shall anone be oppressed thrust downe from the glory of the same God may open more than man maye vnderstande The deuoute meke inquisicyon of truthe ys alwey redy to be doctryned and taught And yf thou studye to god by the holy true and entyer seÌ„tences of holy faders it ys nat reprouable but well to be praysed And that symplenesse ys well to be praysed that leuethe the wayes of dyfficultyes question 's and goeth by the playne and ferme pathe of the coÌ„maundementes of god Many haue lost theyr deuocyon in sechynge so besily the hye inspekeable thynges ¶ It ys ynoughe to demaunde of the fast feythe pure and clene lyfe and nat the hye and subtyll profounde mysteryes of god for yf thou may nat comprehende and vnderstande that that is within the howe mayste thou thanne vnderstande thynges that be aboue the. Submytte the thanne mekely vnto god all thy vnderstandynge to the feythe of holy churche and the lyght of true science shall be gyuen vnto the as shal be to the moost necessarie and profytable Some be greatly tempted wyth the feythe of that holy sacrament but that is not to be reputede vnto theym but rather vnto that cursed ennemye the fende And for that lette not thy good wyll nor dyspute nat in thy thowghtes nor answere nat to the doubtes that the ennemye of helle bryngeth before the but fermely trust in the wordes of god and beleue in sayntes and holy prophettes and than shall that cursed ennemye soone â—â—e frome the. It is often ê“fytable that the seruauntes of god suffre susteyne suche assaultes For the ennemy tenpteth nat the mys creauntes vnfeythfull people nor also the greate synners that he surely holdeth possedeth but he tempteth trayuaileth and tormenteth in dyuers maners the good feythefull and crysten creatures And therfore kepe the alweyes wyth meke true feythe doubte the nought but come vnto thys holy sacrament with lowly reuerence And that thou mayst nat vnderstande coÌ„mytte it vnto almighty god for he shal nat disceyue the But he shall be dysceyued that to moche trusteth in hym selfe God walked wythe the symple people and shewed hym selfe openly vnto the meke He gaue vnderstandynge vnto theym that were pore in spyrite And he hyd his grace and secretes from theym that were proude high curious For the humayne reason may lyghtly erre be disceyued but the true feyth may neuer dysceyue nor fayle All reason and naturail inquysicion ought to folowe feythe wtout farther reasonynge ¶ Fast feyth and true loue surmoÌ„teth all curious inquysicion pryncypally in thys mater and meruelously openeth to vnderstandynge in secrete maner of thys holy and ryght excellent sacrament ¶ O eterdall god and withoute mesure of myght and bounte which hast made the infinite greate and wounderfull thinges in the heuen and erthe whiche none ys sufficyent to enquyre vnderstand or fynde the secretes of thy so meruelous werkes and therfore they be called in estymable for mannis reason no wther may nor can comprehende thy werkes To whome god lorde almyghty be gyuen laude and praysynge wytheouten ende Amen ¶ Thus endethe the forthe boke folowinge Iesu Cryst the coÌ„tempnynge of yâ— worlde ¶ This boke Inprinted at londoÌ„ in Fletestrete at the signe of the George by Richard Pynson Prynter vnto the Kynges noble grace Richard Pynson Deo gracias