kyndes of humylytie The one is that aryseth of the trew acknowlege of thy sinnes thyne owne vilenes by the iudgemeÌ„t of reasoÌ„ And this humilitie thou oughtest to exercyse towarde thyne euen chrysten In comparison of whom thou oughtest to brynge thy selfe to nought in thyne owne estymacion and to esteme thy selfe more vyle then anye other and inferioure to al men and that from the botome of thy hart And thou shalt therfore aske mercy of thy lorde god that is present wyth the both for thyne owne sinnes and al others and shalt excuse them in thine owne conscience and Iugement beleauing that ther are no synners so far gonne from god but that they may and do ofteÌ„ times though not alway turne them selfes vnto god and do loue honour hym wyth a more synceare affection and more faythfully they do sorowe their sinnes and do purpose to amende theÌ„ selfes according to the grace geuen to theÌ„ of god then thou Thou shalte beleue that ther can not be found any man which if he had commytted so many and so greate synnes as thou and had receaued so many graces and gyftes of god as thou but he wolde serue god more feruently then thou dost if thou can not perswade this and beleaue this with al thy harte thou shalt for this same cause repute thy selfe most proud wretch that lyueth and more vyle then any man that lyueth For this thy ipocrisy and pryde in excusable most odyous to god hath verylye blyndyd the that thou canst not know thy selfe nor se how that the mo benefites and graces thou hast receauid of god the more greuus and greater are thy sinnes and neglygences and therfore there shal be required of the a more strayghter rekeninge for euery one of theÌ„ And this mekenes as I haue sayd loue doth worke by reasoÌ„ wherby a man estemyth hym selfe vyler then any other creature and most worthy of all turment and contumely of all rebuke and paine And this is the mekenes of such that are begynners and profyters and must go before and that after it may be confirmed wyth this mekenes that foloweth ¶ The other mekenes is the mekenes of the perfecte and the mekenes whiche loue alone by her selfe dothe worke whome the soule fealeth in her selfe by goostly syghte and knowlege of Iesu For whom the holy goost doth lyghten the reason in the syght of Iesu Chryst to consider clearly the holy humylytie charitie of his blessyd manhed to tayst both of them by the goodnes of hys diuinitie and by by the soule perceauyth so great loue ioy in that sight the whiche is very true holy and delectable that it for gettith her selfe and al thinges els and leanith cleuith holy to her moost swettest spowse and Lorde Iesu Chryst by reason that she is caryed or borne with al her whole loue to consyder and to beholde him She for that tyme considerith not her synnes done in tymes past nor her vnworthynes but estemyth her selfe with all her synnes and good workes that euer she did as right nought and nothing as though ther were nothing in al the world but only her Lorde Iesu Cryst Labor therefore dylygently by the consyderacyon of the mekenes and charytie of Iesu to iuge thy selfe with full beleue eyther els fealyng thy selfe not only to be most wretch in the world but also as very right nought And labor to bring to nought in thyne owne estymacyon and iudgement thy self with al thy exercyse good workes done in tyme paste and to make thy selfe nakyd froÌ„ al thyngê Thus in the pouertie of spirite loue to feale thi selfe to be nought or nothyng that thou maist ascrybe al thy goodnes only vnto thy Lord Iesu Chryst that thy substaÌ„ce as the prophet saith may be as a thing of nought before him not estemyng thy selfe here after to be any thynge syth thou arte nothing For without doute in comparyson of the increate and vnchaÌ„geable godly substance of thy Lorde Iesu which only hath very essence or being and is al thinges in al thing thou al thinges els are nothyng For al peple and nacions in the world they are before him as thoughe they were not at al. And thus shalt thou not iudge thy eueÌ„ christen nether good nether bad but thou shalte perceyue theÌ„ al equally with al other creatures to be nothynge as thou art in regard of thy Lord Iesu and in respect of his mekenes loue mercy glorie For as muche as they are made of nought and should comme to nought if they were not kept and conseruyd by him Therefore wheÌ„ loue by the gift of the holy gost openith the inner eye to se and perceiue this verytie wyth the other cyrcumstances the soule is made veryly meeke for then she seyth her selfe euen as she is indede And then she considereth not her selfe nor doth not truste or leane to her selfe but she tendith bendyth her selfe al together in to the knowlege and loue of Iesu with stable medytacion and desyre beholdyng him continually And then doth she worke more perfectly great workes both inward outwarde then she was wont before This sight of Iesu coÌ„forteth and liftith vp the soule so meruelously and swetli that she can not ioy or be glad of any ioye or comforte of his world nether can she be heauy or sory for any aduersitie of the same For she remaynith vnmouable and vnsensible vnto al suche worldly thinges couiting to rest in Iesu only hauynge euer her eyes on him for he pullith out her feate from out of al the grynnes of sinne and of temtacioÌ„s distraineth in her al the sterings and mocions of pryde and all vyces wonderful secreatlye defendinge her from the myghty feare from the arowe or dart that flyeth in the day from the trouble that walkyth or commyth in the darkenes from incursyon or inuadyng from the mydday fynde and leadyth her by holy simplycytie whiche is a secrete by pathe vnto a stable and a sure vnyon with her selfe wherby she shal remayne and dwel in god god in her ¶ How thou shuldest labour contynually couyting but only one whiche is only necessary to come to this blessid vnyoÌ„ by ardent or fyerie aspyracyons wyth mooste deape resignacyon of thy selfe it shal be declaryd here after ¶ Aspyracyons for this exercise ¶ Mooste merciful sauyour for thy greate pouertie that thou suffredst here for me being most rychest graunt me perfecte barenes pouertie in al creatures in my affeccyon and memorie ¶ Swet sauyor Iesu which were borne of immaculate mayde and without syn to dye and redeme me froÌ„ synne delyuer me from the affeccyon vnto any syn be it neuer so smally ¶ Moost swete sauoyour Iesu the delighte of my soule take from me the delyght of al creatures ¶ Oh mooste gracyus Iesu lyghten the inward eye of my soule that I may veryly se and know my vyletie that I am nought and nothyng of my selfe ¶ Mooste
me If I haue the I haue al that good is that pleasant that delectable is that is Ioyfull and blessed yea very heuen it selfe For where thou arte ther is heuen and blysse And wher thou art not ther is very hell ¶ Graūt me therfore good lord Iesu most hartely to loue to wyshe to desyre wyth all the powers of my harte the only to mynd the only to contempne al things for the to suffice my desyre with the to content my loue wyth the to delight my selfe with the only ¶ Oh moste meke sauyour Iesu dystroye in my harte all kynd of pestlylent estymacion of my selfe Lighten my vnderstanding to se my owne vylenes that I may euermore perfectly beleue and vnfaynedly thynke from the bottome of my harte that I am more vyler more sinfull more vnkynd vnto the and inferyor and worse then anye man Ther is none other sinner good lord Iesu that hath runne so farre from the in sinne but they haue very ofte time though not alway turned their hart by contricion vnto the and they do oft tyme loue the and honor the with more pure affection then I do They do sorow more hartely their sinnes and purpose more earnestly to amend then I do accordyng to the grace that thou hast geuen them Ther is no man but yf that he had commyttid so many sinnes and so cowardly fallen to synne as I haue and had had so many graces and benefites of the as I haue had but he wolde more feruently and deuoutlye serue the then I do And bycause that I can not thynke from the bottome of my harte thus of my selfe therfore I aske mercy most humbly of this most detestable pryde besekyng the moost mercyfull Iesu be mercyfull to all sinners and specyally vnto me most wretchedst and vnkynd of al pardō our sinne most gracious good lorde And as I haue here lorde accusyd my selfe in worde as the most sinner of all other so most mercyfull Iesu graunte me grace to come to that poynt of humylitie that I may verely beleue and vnfainedly esteme my self so in dede that I am most vylest of all creatures moost worthy of all shame punyshment and confusion al turmente and payne And by this poynte of mekenes which is the mekenes only of begynners graunt good lorde that I maye come to the mekenes whiche is of those that are perfecte For this blessed and excellent mekenes of the perfect very loue and charitie workyth it in the soule by the gostlye syght and knowlege of the swete sauyoure Iesu Wherfore most mercyful Iesu lighten by the speciall grace of the holy goost my reason and vnderstanding in the syght of the to beholde and consyder perfectly plainely the ineffable mekenes of thy blessyd humanytie and to tayst goostly of the infynite goodnes of thy blessed deuinitie that my soule may take by that goostly syght so greate loue and pleasure in the that it may vtterly forget it selfe and al the world and so to be wholy rauyshed in the holye loue desyre styl to behold the and to forgette my sinnes my vnworthines and to set litle by and lytle to esteme all the good dedes that euer I dyd yea and to set lytle by al thinges as though there wer nothyng in the world but thou alone wyth me moost swete sauioure Iesu ¶ Most merciful and louing lorde Iesu I moost humbly beske the open my goostly eyes by the grace of the holy goost to see and perfectly to beleue wyth whole fayth my selfe to be most miserable wretched sinfull and wycked And vnfaynedly to iudge and esteme my selfe and all my good workes and exercyses to be nought worth and so to come to the very pouertie of the spirite thynking my selfe and all that I haue ryght nought And to ascrybe al my goodnes vnto the only as in very dede yf thou dydest not vphold me and the whole world both I and all the worlde shoulde come to nought in a moment as we were made of nought And I am not able to thynke one good thought by myne owne power o myght but al good thoughtes and dedes al that good is is only of the merciful lord Iesu When the holy goost doth open mine inwarde eye to beholde and beleue this verytie of my selfe then shal I be very meke then shall I not consyder my selfe but forget my selfe as a thyng of nought and set all my mynde my desyre all my knowlege and al my loue wyth moost stable meditacyon vpon the my swete sauiour Iesu For this syght and beholdyng of the comforteth and lyftyth vp so meruelusly and delectably the soule that it can take no Ioye in any pleasure of this worlde nor take no heuines nor sorowe for any aduersitie or grieffe that can chance or hap for it remaynyth very stable and vnmouable in the and insencyble towardes al worldly thynges euer desyryng to rest in the swete Iesu hauing euer the eys of the soule vnto the. And then thou dost delyuer it from the gynnes of temptacyons and dost dystroy in it all the mocyons of the strength of pryde and of al vices meruelus secretly And bi holy simplicite whiche is a secreat by path thou doest leade it vnto a stable and a blessyd vnion in the where by thou dost remayne and dwel in it and it in the to thy honoure and glory for euer more Amen ¶ The practise the holy exercise to come vnto the holy vnyon wyth god by aspyracyon resygnacyon and postulacion In the whiche thou must more vse the affectyon hartye desyre thē vnderstandyng And feruente aspyracion and vehement wyshyng more then only meditacion And fyrst thou shalte haue thys or like medytacion to stire and in flame thy desyre and to kyndel thy loue vnto god Most deuoutly in thy mynd and in thy harte saye vnto god the father MOOST almyghty Lorde God father celestyal dredful mayesty the very and only life of my soule and myne only trew blysse and felycitie I most myserable sinner and sinful wretche do syt here in thy godly presence desyryng wyth al my harte to enkindle my harte in the most holy and blessed loue of the my lorde by burning charitie to be made and knyt vnto the my creatour and maker and vnto this moost blessed loue I can not come but only by thy mercyfull helpe and grace Wherfore I most humbly beseke the moost mercyful father in the most blessyd merytes of my lorde and sauyour Iesu thy only sonne graunte me grace most deuoutly most hartely and most louyngly to cal to remembraunce the inestimable benefittes gyftes and graces whiche thou onlye of thy infynite goodnes charytie and loue towarde me hast and dost geue vnto me And by this holye and louely memorye my harte and mynde maye be in kindelyd and set on fyrre in the very loue of the of pure loue to laude and prayse the. And first howe much am I bounde to loue the my dere lorde whiche hast created and made
vnperfect fulfyllinge that whiche thou art bonde to do by the order or state of thy lyfe yf god wolde iudge accordynge vnto his Iustice yea though thou haddest commyttyd nothyng that were sininful deede but onely in omission vnperfecte doynge thy true duetye Wherefore now while he abydeth the most mercifully preuente hys face in humble confession washyng the bed of thy conscynce with teares euery night of thy sinnes that is to saye lament euery sinne wyth teares that comyth to thy remēbraunce and humbly desyre thy Lord that he wyll not enter into iudgement with the hys seruaunt for there can no man that lyueth be Iustifyed in hys presence syghte At the least consyder and waie depely how vnspekeably thou hast offēded in these two cōmaundemēts Thou shalte loue thy lord god wyth all thy harte c. And thyne euen chrysten as thy selfe And so more specially in the rest synnes as thou shalt fynd rehersyd in the prayer and practyse of this exercyse I wold thou shuldest waye and consyder well there how and after what maner thou hast offended specially when thou shalte haue that prayer meditaciō thou shalte lament weepe and bewayle thy sinnes earnestly vntyll that the blessed spirite of adopcion of the chyldren of God vouche safe to descend into thy harte berynge wytnes vnto thy spirite and soule that thou art the son of god and doest heare that meruelus swete voyce of hym That verely God the father hath pleasure in the that is to saye vntyll thou fealest in thy hart a perswasiō that god hath moost mercyfully forgeuen the thy sinnes and hath chosen the to be his seruaunt and that thy state of thy lyfe doth please hym It is but vayne to take vnto the any thynge of consolacyon spirituall or tēporall or to prese vnto contemplacyon excepte thou do ernestly and deuoutly eate feade of this breade of penance and sorow for thy sinnes and dost receyue the blessyd spiritual adopcion which vndoutly he wyl most hartely graunt to suche that deuoutly aske hym to hys glory and honour Amen ¶ Aspyracyons for this exercyse ¶ Oh my most gracius lord god graūt me the perfect knowlege of my synful lyfe and to come to perfect contricyon and hate of my synnes ¶ Oh moost mercyful sauyor Iesu lighten my hart and mynd wyth thy grace that I may perfectly see how enormously I haue dyshonored and offendyd thee ¶ Dere sauyor and louyng lord Iesu open the inner eye of my soule to see clearely my noughtynes ¶ Most swet and kind lord Iesu open to me my great vnkyndnes that I do and haue shewyd vnto the that louest me so tenderly ¶ Oh my deare loue my swete lord Iesu for your mercy shewe me my vylenes and great wyckednes the great redynes to al kynde of synnes ¶ When shal it plase thy great goodnes to geue me the spyryt of true and lowely contrycyon ¶ Grant me good lord Iesu the swet teares of thy trew louer mary Magdalene for my synnes that I may optayne of thy swete mercy forgeuenes and remyssyon ¶ These or other like vse al the tymes that thou doest vse thys exercyse not all at ons but one or other that which thou canst beer beste away felest most deuocyon in but if any other lyke come in to thy mynd folow that for that is lyke to be of the holy goost ¶ The practyse of the second exercyse for remyssyon of synnes O Moost bonteful and most louing lorde god my mooste mercyfull sauyor Iesu the creatour and redemer of my pore synful soule and redemer of al mankynde I am moost mercyfull maker that moost vile and most wyckyd wretch and vnkynd synner that so enormously so bodly so abhomynably and so often tymes haue dyshonored thy highenes and godly maiestye and presence I haue offendid thy blessid holynes thy gracyus goodnes thy great charytie And thy louing mercy and long suffering I haue contempned and disspysyd There is no creature lyuyng that hath done so great iniury and dishonor or hath shewed vnto thee so great vnkyndnes so great contempte as I haue ¶ O mercyful lord how oft haue I prouokyd thee with my mooste detestable synnes and with my moost fowle and fylthy lyfe vnto the moost iust and ryghteous dampnacyon of soule and bodye I haue prouoked moued and irritid thee whyche art moste myghtyful mooste iust dreadfull lord god which art the most iust righteous and terrible iuge of me and of al the world I haue most vnkindly contempned the and turned my hart and loue from the my dere and louyng sauyor Iesu in my shamefull and fylthye synne for the whiche thou dydest suffer so paynefull passion so cruell shameful death and most louyngly most mercyfully shedest thy precious harte blod and for my sake only and for thy charitie that thou bearest towardes me moost vnkinde wretche Yea most louingly only to perdō my sinfull life and to saue me from the most dredfull wrath and vengance of thy ryghteousnes and from the most horryble paynes and tormentes of the perpetuall and euerlasting fire of hell thou leddest a moost poore and painefull lyfe full of muche labour and trauell in moche sorowe and heuines of harte sufferinge many and innumerable rebukes cōfusions wronges and iniuryes At the length after thy most holy and blessed conuersacion thou sufferyd moost mortall heauynes sorowe and most dredful enuy the whiche was so sore and so vehement that for very sorowful payne and oppression of thy blessed harte thy whole body brasted out in wonderfull blody swet sone after betrayed and taken and mooste vilany and vyolently bonde lyke a thief with moost shame and confusiō thou wast brought into Ierusalem where after moost false accusacions most dysspitefull and cruell iniuries mockings scorninges spiteful and vile wordes spittinges sore strokes and stripes thou wast moost strongly stoutly bounde vnto a pyller Thy blessed moost virginal and moost chaste and pure fleshe was cruely torne with scurges and rente wyth roddes thy gloryous and holy heed moost painfully pricked and pressed with a crowne of sharp thorne After this mortal cruelnesse and deadelye paines thy torne shoulders and weke body was laden wyth an inportable crosse haled and driuē forth with bylles and battes lyke a beaste vnto the slaughterhouse with all confusion shame worldely wonder that the wicked malyce of the most crewell Iewes cold deuyse Then most violently stryped cast downe vpon the crosse most rashely with ropes thou waste straitly strongly stretched and rackyd til thy blessed vaynes so sore strained synewes that whē thou wast heuyd vpon the crosse after thy most cruel crucifixion they were vyolently brokē then out of thy blessed handes fete heed thy precious bloud moost plentefully yssewed as it had bene out of a lyuely fountayne Thus thre long howers moost desolate most painefully most myserably thou suffredst most spytefull blasphemyes reproche reuyles and scornes when thou shoulde haue had compassion and consolacion At
the length thou most paynefully most miserably yet most louynglye and willinglye sufferest moost crewel moost bytter and moost shamefull deathe for me specially and for all mākynd and so well thou yet louyst me that if nede were thou art redy to suffer the lyke yea more paynfull passion more cruel death rather then I should perysh if I wold faithfully loue and serue the. ¶ O Most louing and mercyfull sauyoure Iesu I moost vnkind sinner haue neglected and set at nought the that haue done so muche for me and I haue offended as vnkyndly and as greuously as though thou haddest done nothing at all for me For I haue contynually offendyd and synned all my life but specially ī these N. Thou most here remember thy special dedly sinnes one after another and be speciallye sorye yf tyme wyll serue And generally I confesse my innumerable enormytes wherin I haue contēpned and offendyd the. Fyrst in breking of thy holy .x. commaundementes In the .xii. Artycles of the catholyque fayth The statutes and commaundementes of holy churche In the .xii. coūsels of the gospell In breking such priuate vowes as I haue promised In the .vii. mortal sinnes ¶ Omytting the .vii. workes of meryc gostly and in not doing the .vii. gyftes of the holy inspiracions I haue misused the gyftes of grace lent vnto me I haue mysused my v. vyttes or senses outwarde and my senses inward I haue misspent al the powers members and myghtes of my body and of my soule I haue mysspent the gyftes of nature the gyftes of fortune the giftes of the holy goost I haue not desposyd me to haue constante fayth perfect hope and burning charitie which are the thre theological vertewes I haue not had in me the foure cardinall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortytude and Temperaunce I haue not labored to haue in me the .xii. frutes of the holy gost I haue not labored so ernestly to com to perfection of lyfe and to the perfect loue of the as I wolde haue done to come vnto hyghe dignitie and honour of the worlde I haue sinned and lyued sinfully in euerye place in euery state in euery office that I haue lyued in by word by dede thought in omission in losse of my tyme and in vnkyndnes and vnthankfulnes towardes the my Lorde God towardes thy blessed mother and all thy blessed angels and saintes And agaynst all myne neighbors against the good folkes the blessed frindes of god agaynst the weake and sinners agaynste my benefactours and frendes agaynste my superiors my egalles my inferiours agaynste the quicke and the deade against the sowles in purgatory againste all creatures against my owne selfe agaynste both my body and my soule for I haue misvsed these creatures to the great dyshonor of the my lord god to the iniurye of myne neghbours and to the condemnacion of myne owne soule So that ther is no gyfte nor benefyt that thou haste geuen me nor no good thing in the whiche I haue sought the sincerely and purelye For I haue lesse or more sought myne owne commodytie myne owne wyll or pleasure Thus in all my hole lyfe I haue ether done commytted sinne eyther omyttyd and not done my dewty or els doing my dewty or any good woorke I haue not done it so syncerelye purely as I ought to haue done Wherfor I forsake here al kynde of sinne and al my dedes good and bad and I runne only vnto thy greate mercy and infinyte merytes ¶ O most mercyfull petyfull and most louyng lorde Iesu I moost humbly lowly beseke thy mercyful goodnes for thy most holy concepcion and natiuitye For thy blessed conuersacion and moost holy lyfe For thy moost harde and sore laboure and trauel for the great sorow and heuynes of thy blessed harte for thy most payneful agonye and bloudy sweat for al thy bytter and most paynfull passion for al the cruell effucion of thy moost precious bloud for thy most painful most cruel moost bytter and shamefull death graunt me mercy and forgeuenes of all my vnkindnes and sinne mortyfye in me al that offendeth the worke in me suche vertues as moost maye please thy blessed wyll in me to thy honour my saluacion Amen O Moste gloryus mother of mercy and ladye of grace my syngular help and comfort in heauen and in earth nexte vnto my lord god and sauyor Iesu I humbly beseke the for that holy passyon death and al the paines that thy deare sonne Iesu sufferyd in thy sorowfull syght For al the sorow heuines and most bytter compassion that thou sufferedst for him and me optain for me cleane remyssyon of al my synnes and all the paines that I haue deserued for them and increase of al vertue perfeccion Here praye to thy specyall aduowryes O Mooste blessyd and holy N N. N. N. and al ye moost holy and blessed company of heauen for al the paynes and labours that ye suffered here by the grace of the holy goost and for the very loue and honoure of god I humbly beseche your blessyd charyte pray for me vnto my lord and swet sauyour Iesu that he vochesaf to remyt my wickednes and synnes and so to confyrme me in his grace and loue that I neuer returne to syn agayne Here turne thy heart agayne vnto thy Lorde Iesu saynge ¶ And were I dayly fall and am redy to syn vochesafe to graūt me oh Lorde grace euer moore as ofte as I fal to arise againe with perfect sorow hate of syn and with most lowely cōfidēce trust of his blessed swet mercy That the multytude of my syn and mi great frailtie driue me not to disperate sorowe and inordynatte heuynes Nether let me mistrust the great and most gracius redynes of thy moost louyng mercy that is euer redye to forgyue as ofte as we do repent be yt neuer so ofte Draw me not to presūpcyon but that I how so euer whan so euer and how often soeuer I offend the I may moost lowly and mekely acknowelege my wretchydnes and frayltie and repente myne offences and synnes wyth a fyrme purpose to amend and with an vnfayned trust of remyssyon and forgeuenes in the infynyte merytes of thy most blessed blood payneful passyon and most precyus death to the glory honoure of thy mercy ful charytie most myghty maiestie Amē ¶ The Thyrd exercyse of reformacyon of the soul in the fyue wyttes sences COnsider how thy fyue wittes are wonderful wekened and dysorderid by the fall of our forefather and parent Adam But a greate deale more infected and disorderyd by thy owne actual synnes the great abuse of thē Wherefore that they may be redyer brought againe vnto ther former and original purenes wherin they were before the fall of adam thou must nedes shut vppe and refrayne from all misuse of all thy senses as thy syghte hearing taisting with thy tong smellyng and fealyng in the crucyfied humanitie of Chryst accordyng to hys exāple wyth so
better set by then I. ¶ Graunt also good Lord thal I may vtterly mortyfie in my selfe al that anger bytternes that may aryse in me of any rancor or hate for any displeasure done in tyme past to seke wher what I myght find in mine euē christē to his dispraise or rebuke Also al that anger that arysyth in me oft time when I haue not that whiche my vnmortyfyed desyre wolde haue and causeth me some tyme to murmur in my heart agaynst them that lettyth me frome suche thynges that I would haue as my prelates or any other ¶ Good lord of thy great mercy graūt me helpe to mortifie in me the angrines of my harte whiche I haue many times agaynste the vyces of other or rather agaynste them where I ought to haue compassyon pitie But mercyful Lord this arysyth of presūpcyon of myne owne lyfe and merits whyle I thinke my selfe ryghteous or better then other And thus do I rashlye iudge them theire dedes and waxe wrathful agaynst them and their dedes Wherfore mercyful lorde graunte me grace wyth the swetnes of meke pacience and of perfecte charytye vtterly to mortyfie al bitternes of stomake and angrynes that I may loue most hartely all me yea my most ennimes and suche as seketh my death and as hartely to pray and to do for them as though they wer my entier frends and in very dede so they are for they brynge vs vnto great merytes ¶ Moost mercyfull sauiour most worthye of all worshyp honor and prayse whyche for my sake diddyst suffer the greatest shame and most worldy confusyon that the spytefull malyce of the moost enuyous Iewes coulde deuyse I moost humbly beseke the for all the rebukes sorowfull shames and confusions that thou suffredst graunte me grace to mortyfye in my selfe all my affeccyon and appetyte of vayne glorye vayne prayse and pryde the delyght and vayne ly kynge of my selfe of my wordes dedes of thy gracyes and giftes by most cleare knowlege and seyng of myne owne vyle wretchydnes and wretchyd vylenes and by vnfayned desyre of all contempte that I may euer more ascrybe al my goodnes goodes gostlye and bodily vnto the my lorde god only rekenyng my selfe most vnworthy of the least of them bothe for the enormytie the fylthynes and the multytude of my synnes and vnthankefulnes and for that that I had fallē vnto innumerable mo and more enormius sines yf thy grace only had nat preseruyd me and also bycause that there is not so wretchyd a synner in the world but if he had the graces that I haue he wolde serue and honoure and loue the more faithfully and trewely then I do Wherefore moost mercyfull Iesu graunt me grace from my very harte to desyre vnfaynedly to be contempned dispised mocked and ouer troden of all the worlde and to suffer all wordly shame and confusion that when any of these come I maye with a glad and Ioyfull harte receaue them as at thy hād my lord god to thy glory honor ¶ Moost mercyfull sauyoure Iesu whiche hangest moost paynefully vpon the holy crosse thre long houres for me destitute of al comforte and consolacion inwarde and outwarde as though thou haddest ben the very enemye of god graunt me grace and power to mortifie in my selfe al desire of al delyghte and swetnes sencible in grace deuocion loue sensible whiche is only in the nether powers of the soule which swetnes sencible though it be in grace in loue deuocion and prayer yet it is not very sanctimonie or charitie but good lord certaine gyftes of thy goodnes sente vnto vs weke sinners to comforte our wekenes not to rest in them but that we comforted with them should laboure more ernestly to mortifie our selues and the seking of our selfe For Lorde God loke howe muche I am mortified to al creatures and to my selfe so muche I haue of trew sanctimonie and very charitie Wherfore moost gratious Iesu graunte me grace to dye perfectly vnto the desyre of al conforte voth bodely and gostly And to be fully constante with al derelyccion and desolaciō That for thy sake and wyl forsakinge here al comforte and abidinge al desolacion I maye of thy mercy haue the celesteal consolaciō which thou dydyst promyse sayinge blessed be ye that sorowe for ye shal haue consolacion to thy glory and honoure ¶ O most mercyfull redemer of my sinnefull soule whiche sufferedst so sorouful so paynefull so bytter and cruell payne and passion that there was neuer no paine nor passyon lyke vnto thine that wyth suche mekenes suche obedyence longanymitie and pacyence as neuer was sene nor hard of graūt me most wrathful wretche grace perfectly to mortyfye all Inpacyens in al bodyly aduersytie infamye rebuke mockes contumelie syckenes trouble payne persecucion and desolacion and in losse dammage or hurte whiche maye chaunce or come vpon me by thy sufferaunce good lorde wyth the whiche thou arte wonte to trye thy moost deare belouyd and electyd as golde in the furnes In the whyche also thou thy selfe my most deare Lorde Iesu was greatly tryed whiche sufferydst wyth moost mylde mynde and pacyente hart all contumelie all scorne sore strypes spytetynge scorges the turmente vpō the crosse and so many paynes as thy enemies could deuise And yet was thou redie to suffer moche more for the honoure of god the father for oure soule helth ¶ Moost gracyous Iesu therefore graunt me grace wyth moost meke and perfecte pacyence all outwarde and inward aduersitie hurte or grefe to suffer and beare it so longe as it shal please the that I neuer in hart word nether dede do shew any point of rancore or gruge that I maye beare no sorow norbytternes in my hart but I may euer rekē my selfe worthy of much worse and more payne offering my selfe to suffer what euer thou shalte send me And that I maye of most louely affeccion to be lyke conformable in sufferyng vnto the wyth greate desyre abyde and loke for al aduersytie and payne whereby I maye obtayne the abundaunce of grace to thy glory ¶ O most louyng lord Iesu whose propertye is to haue mercy and of thy in effable mercy dydest suffer moost cruell deathe passion that trew repentaunt siners were they neuer so abhomynable and enormius shoulde obtayne ful remyssion of ther enormytes graunte me moost wretched sinner I humble beseke the grace to mortyfie in my selfe all scrupulosnes of consiencie by most full confydence trust and hope of thy vnmesurable mercy and by thy most swet goodnes I knowlege moost mercyfull sauyoure that this aryseth in me for lacke of confidence in the and this lacke of confydence spryngeth of the slender loue that I haue towarde the. For they that haue a feruente and a greate loue they haue a greate hope but I wretched sinner haue a lytle slender charytie therefore I haue not such confidēce as I ought to haue in thy mercy but by reasō that the loue of my selfe is vnmortyfied
Spirituall exercyses and goostly meditacions and a neare waye to come to perfection and lyfe contemplatyue very profytable for Religyous and generally for al other that desyre to come to the perfecte loue of god and to the contempte of the worlde Collected and set foorthe by the helpe of of god and diligente laboure of F. Wyllyam Peryn bacheler of diuinitie and Pryor of the Friers preachers of greate Sayncte Bartholomes in Smythfyelde Imprynted at London in Foster lane by Ihon Waley Anno Domini M. D.L.vij ¶ Vnto the deuoute and very religious Suster Katherin Palmer of the order of saincte Brigit in Dermount and Suster Dorothe Clement of the order of sainct Clare in Louaine F. Wyllyam Peryn wysheth all grace and mercye in Chryst Iesu oure sauioure AFter long muche strife within my selfe betwene dred and desyre dred of presumpcyon in so hard an enterprise and desyre to satisfie your most earnest moost iÌ„portune desire dear belouid susters in Christ our sauior I haue now at the lenght set forth here in wrytinge certaine spyritual meditacions or exercyses yf I be not disceauyd very gostly and godly wherein as ye desyre ye may be ryght wel very godly exercised occupied in the vacant tymes from your diuine seruyce and iust obediens Thes I haue gatherid and collectyd of dyuers but specyaly of the deuout father Nycholas Eschiê° who set forth in laten .xiiii. exercyses as he namyth the whiche are very godly gostly meditacions the which I haue not only translatyd in to englyshe but I haue also coÌ„tracted theÌ„ in to fewer in nuÌ„ber of .xiiii. making ten and haue moreouer turned the same into the forme and maner of peticions and praiers whom I haue named the practyses of these same exercyses so that to euery of the ten exercises is addid one practise correspondeÌ„t and agreable to the exercise I haue also ioyned vnto euery exercyse certayne aspyracyons or briefe and burning desyres according vnto the exercyse That after the deuoute meditacions of the gostly exercise ye might most earnestly aske the grace of almyghty god to comme to suche poyntes of vertue and perfection as ar taught you in the present exercise For as the iudgement is of al holy and goostly wryters there are thre special means to optain of almighty god the grace of perfectyon That is to say Holy medytacyon Deuoute praier feruente desyre For the first I haue set forth thes exercyses For the second are the practises And for the thurd I haue apoyntyd the briefe aspyracious Ther is no meane that doth so sone opteine grace of almighty god as doth thes louely deuoute and feruent aspyracyons And lyke as it is very necessary for hym that purposyth and wolde fayne spedely and affectuously achieue or wynne any thyng by mastry and labour to knowe what are the thynges that myght hynder or let his purpose or procedinges that he might remoue them and put them out of his way euen so that ye myghte spedely and and affectuously attayne perfeccion by gostly trauel spiritual industry I haue discrybid vnto you the most specyal and greatest impedimentes vnto perfeccion about the remocion and takynge awaye of the whyche shal be the greatest yea in maner al the busnes and labour that ye shall haue eare ye can attaine and achiue that heauenly and most blessed state of perfeccyon And that ye myght al so se and know what spede ye make and how neare ye drawe vnto that whiche ye seke trauel to for that often tymes helpyth much for if we perceiue our selfes to be behind theÌ„ we take occasyon to make the more hast if we go forward it encoragith vs lustely to procede Therefore I haue describyd heere also certayne steppes by the which we ascend vnto perfeccyon Thes are the chyefe thynges that I haue set forth here for to satysfie somewhat your verye godly and importune desyre Other compendius I haue put vnto thes not that I thought thes not to suffice but that those that can not cary awaye the longer rules they maye beare away these shorter Notwithstandynge these exercyses are so profitable to suche that desyre to come vnto perfection and lyfe contemplatyue that they only myght so suffise you if they be earnestlye and dylygently vsed and practysed that you shall not nede any other rules or instructions For these conteine the absolute doctrine the whole summe and trade vnto perfection Wherefore I mooste humblye desyre you if ye haue not as good or better ye maye thankefullye take these geuynge all thankes vnto almyghtye god who hathe of his mercye putte into my hart a desyre and good wyl to helpe and further you and all other that myndeth perfection in all that I can bycause I can not or am not worthi to attaine vnto it my selfe Thus I commeÌ„d you both to almighty god and me vnto youre dayelye deuoute prayers The laste of December Anno. Do. M. D.L.iiiij Exercises ¶ Twelue instructions verye necessarie for them that wyll take fruite in the vse of these exercyses THe fyrste is ye muste put al your trust in the special and singuler mercy of god that he for his mercies sake of hys only goodnes wyl help brynge you to perfection if you wyth hertie and feruente desire do continualy wyshe and longe for it wyth moste humble deuocion do dayly pray vnto god and call for it and with al diligence do busely labour and trauell to come to it vndoubtedly it shall be geuen to you For ye maye not thynke it sufficient to vse the exercyses as thoughe they had suche vertue in them that they coulde make of them selfe alone suche that do vse them perfecte For neither these neither any other what soeuer they be canne of them selues with the onely vse bringe you to perfection But our mercifull Lorde God of his mercyfull goodnesse when you do seeke wyth hertie desire and feruente syghinges maketh you to fynd it When you do aske daylye wyth deuoute prayer then he geueth it to you And when ye do continually wyth infatigable labour and trauel knocke perseuerantly then he doth mercifully open it vnto you And because that these exercises do teache you to seeke aske and to knocke yea they are none other then verye deuote peticions seekynges and ghostly pulsacions for the mercifull helpe of god therfore they are very profitable and a very greate helpe to come to perfection by gods grace The seconde ¶ Euery daye when ye intende to vse your exercise for that daye before you begyn ye shall deuoutely cal vnto almyghty god for the grace of the holy gooste moste hertelye desiringe that ye maye so vse that exercise and take suche goostly fruite thereof as it maye be most to his honoure and for your saluacion and saye as deuoutely as ye can the Antheme of the holy goost Veni sancte spiritus With the collect Deus qui cor da. And an Antheme of our blessed Ladye what ye wyll And an
together in all the whoole world can thinke or speake it is lesse in comparison of hys hyghe worthines and perfeccion then one lytle droppe of water in comparyson of the whoole mayne sea And yet marke well he so myghty so great so hyghe and so wonderfull a lorde god hath creatyd thy soule moost nobly vnto hys owne lykenes and made it able and mete to be pertaker and to receaue his hygh maiestie and goodnes by loue of hym For he hathe knytte vnto thy soule three excellent myghtes or powers that not only in the lyfe to come in heauen but also in this present life and world thou myghtest know hym by thy vnderstanding in fayth and goostly contemplacyon And by thy wyll thou myghteste choose and loue hym And by thy memorie thou mightest reste in him and be knyt vnto him thou myghtest remayne and dwell euer in hym And playnely yf thou weere not blyndyd by the deuell the world and the fleshe and the loue of thes thou woldest be so rauished in the pleasure and loue of hym that for Ioye and wonder thou shuldest not be able to stand but faynt and synke The Ioyes and sorows of this world thou shludest not marke nor take any heede to them nor passe for them any thyng at all For thou woldest not suffer thy selfe in any wyse to be seperatyd not one momente from the consyderacyon and loue of that hyghe and infinite goodnes ¶ Secondlye consyder and beholde with greate Ioye gladnesse and thankefulnesse how so hyghe excellent wonderfull a lord of his euerlastynge loue and charytie offreth hym self euery where in euery place specyally in thy soule very presently vnto the. Yea more nearer the then thou arte to thyne owne self to vpholde thy lyfe and being to conserue to gouerne the and to saue the and to bring the to eternal blisse Wherfore thou haste more neade to be ware and charie of thy honestie of verteous couersacyon yf thou wylt not dissemble for as muche as thou dost all thynges yea al that thou thynkest and spekest is openly done spoken and thought in his very presence whiche seeth all thynges Take heede therfore and consyder thy moste deare louyng lord god thy creator thy very hartes loue alway before the present and walke in thy conuersacion lyke a chaiste spouse with reuerent feare louely shamefastnes mekenes obedyence and pacyence before the eies of so highe a maiestie of god preparing thy selfe alway without ceassyng to please him syghyng and desyryng in the botome of thy hart to haue hys loue in thy hart and moost louyngly to enbrase hym ¶ Oh what abūdance of grace wold grow in thee yf thou coldest thus do At the leaste do as thou maist vntyll more grace come ¶ Thyrdely consyder that the same so myghty and omnipotent lord of his vnmesurable charytie and of moost constant and free loue turneth hym selfe and hath speciall regarde to the so specyally and syngularly that it passeth the vnderstanding desire of the aungels So great is his dignacion and goodnes toward the an vncleane and vyle worme that he intendyth and taketh soo great hede and care for the as though ther were no mo creatures left hym neyther in heauen nor in earth but thou alone He also hath deliuered the and defendid the from many periles and dangers both of body and of soule and dothe styll euery moment kepe the. He also vnaskyd doth geue thee allure the and intyse the wyth so many benyfytes gyftes and graces thoughe thou be very vnkynd and most vnworthy vnto hym agayne that thou canst not number the least part of them And of the same hys charitie he geuyth the most free lybertie to come to hym euery momente so that with onely a good thoughte and a louely desire thou maist obtaine and possesse infinite and euerlastynge goodnes whiche he his hym selfe In so muche that thou mayst safely surely and most profitably open vnto hym as vnto thy moost faithful louing and trustye frynde all thy necessyties Wherefore for a special laude and praise vnto so louing and so good a lord god among the infynite number of these thinges that myght be spoken or written to hys honor it shal help the greatly to come to hys loue contynually to remember and to haue meditacyon of his infynite and perpetuall goodnes wysedome mercy swetnes lowelynes and charitie That by this as by smal coles of fyre thy hart may be kindled to rēder some loue for loue agayne And that thou mayest be transformed and made lyke hym in lyke vertues and graces Oh wolde God thou couldest and woldest exercise thy selfe contynually in these thre how wold it delyght the to aryse earely and to watche wyth thy lorde god How sone sholdest thou be delyuered from thy vices and passions from al betternes and from all temptacions beynge in maner dronken in the loue of thy sauyour Yea thou shuldest be turned into a newe man and be transformed in maner into almyghty god For there is no exercise more holyer and more fruteful thē this whiche perced the harte of holye saint Augustine and other fryndes of god with the darte of loue when they wyth their inner eyes lyghtened of god did depely consyder the wonderfull tokens of the loue of God towardes them specially in this incarnacion lyfe and passion wyth other innumerable benefites of so greate and myghtye a lorde god geuen vnto them specyally whē they consydered earnestly the wonderfull charyte of god wherby he hath geuen him selfe vnto vs by his birth as a felow in our nature in the sacrament as our foode In hys death as the pryce of our redempcion and reigninge in heauē as our euerlasting rewarde whiche he graunt vs of hys mercy and charitie Amen ¶ Of the consyderacyon of thy selfe AFter this done then turne thy thought vnto the profunde and depe consideracion of thy selfe earnestly behold how noblye thy soule was created of God and made by his power of nought to his ymage and likenes Then consyder also how miserable fylthy and abhomynable it was made by orygynall syne in Adam and howe mercyfully thou arte redemed throwe the vnspekable loue and moost harde and paynefull satysfaction of thy lord Iesu Yet after thy baptisme thou hast innumerable tyme defyled thy selfe agayne by thy actual synnes turnynge thy loue and obedience from the sēpiternall goodnes which is god hym selfe by thy frowarde cursed and noughty wyl and arte become now more filthye more vyle than is the vnresonable beast Consyder well and marke into how manye euyls thou arte fallen by thy owne sinnes from the whiche euylles thou arte neuer able to aryse by thy selfe but only by the helpe of almyghte god by whom thou arte able to do all thynge that thou can do For by the true turninge or conuersion of thy loue to god and to all vertue thou mayst come agayne vnto the vnion wyth god Attende consyder earnestly that thou arte created therfore of god bycause that thou
shouldest alwaie loue him to haue cōtēplacion fruiciō of him shuldest euer possesse him And that thou arte set here that thou shuldest faithfully serue hym thanke hym laud prayse and honour hym and to knowe and fulfyl his moost blessyd wyll and pleasure in thy self and in al creatures Consider also that thou art here in thys world as concernyng thy soule in a straunge contrey as an outlaw and a stranger beset round about with many grynnes and ennemyes in danger of innumerable peryls But yet yf thou remayne in god there can no man hart nor harme the. Consyder how noble how fayre how wyse thy soule is creatyd of god to hys owne lykenesse and ymage and yet neuerthelesse thou arte created as concernyng thy bodie of the slyme of the earth weake myserable vyle nedy redy and prone to all sinnes and vyce in goyng styll toward distruccyon Wherefore take good hede dylygently thou compel not thy soule to serue thy vyle fleshe for the moost filthi and most vile pleasures and delightes whiche soone passeth awaye of thy stynking fleshe and caren and so cast both body and soule into euerlastyng paynes and turmentes of hell and dampnacion Consyder diligently all thy cogytacyons thy workes and dedes whether the end and purpose in the vse of all thy powers and sensies be alway towarde god eyther toward thy selfe or toward creatures And thou shalt perceyue that thou canst neuer marke nor amend thy selfe suffyciently Consyder also how thou of thy self art nought thou hast naught canst naught do but syn Where fore I say consider oft tymes frō whens thou camst wher thou art what thou art whither thou shalt Thou maist see in thy selfe thre sorts of naught The first by innumerable deadely synnes thou art come to naught but to be turmentyd yf it please god perpetually in the deapth of hel like a stinking vessel and fier meate Secōdly by the great corrupcyon of al thy powers and senses of thy bodye and soule thou canst do naught but syn and sholdest fall in to innumerable enormyties yf god dyd not preserue the. And thus art thou become a botomles deapth of darkenes a vessell worthy of all contumelye and reproche be gotten by vnclennes and syn lyuyng in concupiscence and shalte die in anguyshe and agonye Thyrdly in comparyson vnto thy lord and sauyor Chryst thou and all creatures are naught and creatyd of nought and should in a moment come to naught yf thou and they were not contynually conseruyd of almighty god Wherefore thou shuldest desyre to be contempned dispised to be vnknowen of all men yet without thy faulte and deseruyng it For thou must not do any thynge synfull to be dispysed but if the worlde dyspise the god permittyng it thou must be glad and thinke thy selfe very worthy therof Thou must also punishe thy self wyth thy lorde Iesu but yet wyth discrecion Feare god euery where alway with chyldely or louely feare Speke fewe meke and lowely wordes Thynke and remēber alway beleuing that the commynge of thy heauenly brydegrome spouse is at hand alway callyng and saying to the Ecce spōsus venit exite obuiam ei And thus alway returninge thy thought and consideracion vpon thy naughtynes thou shalt merueyle greatly that god doth suffer the so foule filthy and vnthankefull a creature to abyde one moment before his eies or sight Thou shalte wyth all meekenes cry vnto thy lord god from the botomles deapth of thy mysery deuoutelye callynge for the botomlesse deapth of hys mercye with the ofte searche of thy conscience wherby he of his mercy by his grace synguler for of it thou haste nede wyl vouchesafe to geue thee the clere sight and knowledge of al thy vices imperfections passions and synful inclinacions to syn and all thy sinnes which cleaue and lye hidde within and withoute thy powers and sences and do miserablye blynde thy soule and drawe the continualy to perdiciō and destruction And thus must thou lerne to know thy selfe and that very dilygently For thoughe thou profite very much continually yet art thou not able to penetrate and perse to the botome of thy naughtynes the herte of man as Esay sayeth is so wycked and vnsearchable yet by grace thou mayst come to a great knowledge therof Where fore to optayne thys specyall grace thou shalt make deuoutely vnto god in thy herte and most herty desire and not with voyce thys prayer which is the practyse of this exercyse that folowe these fewe aspyracions ¶ These briefe short prayers be called aspyracions for they be as it were syghings and longinges to obtaine of almighty god that which we aske in them and they must be vsed and sayd in hert and desyre as often in the daye as they come to mynde what euer we do or where euer we be euery daye so longe as we do vse thys present exercise ¶ Oh most mercifull Lorde whose loue is the lyfe of my soule lyghten my soule with thy grace to knowe thee ¶ Oh mooste swete Iesu to knowe all the worlde and not to know the is but darkenes and foly graunte me grace therfore mercifull lorde to knowe the. ¶ Oh most mercifull Lorde make me Ignorant and a foole in all thynge so I maye knowe the whiche is the hyghest wisdome of all ¶ Oh Gracius Iesu whiche arte not knowen but of clene heartes purge my harte that I maye see the. ¶ My Lorde Iesu whiche doest reuele thy secretes vnto the litle babes make me perfecte meke and a babe in euyll that I may knowe the. ¶ Oh mercifull Lorde graūte me to come to the knowlege of my selfe the ground of all mekenes ¶ Graunt me grace good Lord perfectly to contempne my selfe and to se the botom lesse pytte of all my myseries ¶ Mercyfull sauiour graunt me an holye hate of my selfe for the verye pure loue of the and thy honour ¶ The practise of the exercise to come to some knowledge of god of thy self O Moost myghtyful maker swete sauiour Iesu whiche taughtest saydest Thys is the lyfe euerlastinge the very hygh waye to the blysse of heauen that we maye knowe the very god thy father thee his sonne whom he hath sente to redeme the worlde There can none come to the knowledge of the father but such to whom thou wylte vouchsafe of thy gracious mercy to reuele hym For it is thy gyfte onely and we must receyue it only at thy hand Wherfore most mercifull mediator Iesu by whose onely mercyfull meanes and the blessed merites of thy holy manhead all grace is geuen to vs wretched sinners of thy father celestial and thou also as very god doste geue with thy father al mercy and grace I most humbly beseche thee graunte me thy heauenlye lyght and the blessed knowledge of thy blessed godhead Manifest and open to me thy blessed father and thine owne selfe whych arte one god with hym and the holy goost I knowledge good lorde that to know the
knowlege of thy blessyd godhed of thy infinite charite towarwe me And that I maye contynaally remember thy blessed presens in euery place Lyghten myne inward and goostly eyes to se consyder effectuously the wonderfull tokens of thy infinyte loue kindnes to me and the innumerable benefites geuen vnto me and all mankynd specially by thy most holy Incarnaciō thy life deth and passion and that I maye the better perceyue what thou hast done for me graunt me most mercyful good lord grace to com to the perfecte and exacte knowlege of my selfe Fyrste to consider and acknowlege howe noble thou haste creatyd my soule vnto thyne owne similitude and ymage of nought And howe myserable how foule fylthy and abhomynable it was made by oryginall sinne as sone as euer it entred the synfull bodye and fleshe And how thorow thy infinite mercy and tender charytye it was redemed by thy precious deathe purged by vertewe of thy bloud and passion in baptysme and so restoryd vnto grace and mercy agayne Yet afterward syth that tyme I haue innumerable tymes most fylthyly defyled my selfe wyth many a deadly synne forsakyng thee my lorde god turnynge awaye my loue frome the and from thy holy commaundementes folowynge myne owne corrupte wyl and beastly lust and desyre and haue made my soule more filthy feble and more vyle in thy syght thē any vnresonable beast And thus in the foule puddell and durtie dongiō of sinne I must nedes haue sunke in vnto the bottome of dānacion yf thy mercy had not or wolde not yet helpe me vp agayne by thy Infynite mercy and blessed grace For of my selfe of myne owne power I am not able to arise by trewe and perfecte repentaunce with out thy mercyfull grace do helpe me And yet thou arte so good and gracious that I may yf I wyll euery daye houre and mynet recouer thy gracius fauer for thou art euer redie knockīg at my harte cōtinually ¶ Oh merciful Iesu how moch nede haue I of thy mercy and grace ¶ Graunt me good Lorde grace earnestly to consyder oft tyme from whens I came what I am wher I am and whether I go Fyrst frō whens I came playnely I came frome vyle and synfull fleshe begotten in fylthy concupysence and beastly lust in the stinkyng vylenes of oryginal sinne fed in my mothers womb with foule menstruus vilitie And where thou moost mercifull lorde god creatyd the planettes the starres of the fyer the fyshes and foules of the water thou haste created me and all other beastes of the foule and vyle earth so that as touchyng my bodye I am no better thē a beaste created of the earth vnto the earth I shall agayne What I am I maye sone perceaue I am nought els but drosse and durte rotten earth wormes meate much lesse perceuing how I shal depart subiecte vnto many necessities ful of misery borne in sinne liuing in wretchidnes and labour and must dye in payne and agonye And yf I shuld earnestly depely consyder I may perceiue and se that the trees herbes bring for the leaues swete flouers frutes my bodye bryngeth nothing els the foule wormes stynking sweat and corrupcion Yf I wolde wel consider and marke what commeth out of the nose the eares of other yssues of the bodye I shall perceaue that ther can be no fowler and more horible or more stynking dunge hyll in the worlde Nowe wher I am plainly ī this wretched worlde the vale of mysery as an out lawe stranger and in a foren contrey beset wyth many galthroppes and grinnes on euery side in the myddes of innumerable dangers perels among my most mortal ennymies against whome I must fyght bothe nyght and daye for they lye in wayte for my dysstruction contynually whose mortall malyce I can not escape wythout thy moost mercyfull helpe And whither I go lorde whyther els but from whens I toke myne orygynal that is vnto earth dunge claie Of earth asshes my wretched fleshe was created and to the earth it must go fyrst or last But when and howe sone thou only knowest most myghtyfull lord but sure I am that thyther I go contynually where euer I be what euer I do wherfore moost mercyfull lorde graunt me grace that the perfect knowlege and consideracion of my wretched estate neuer go from my memorye Wherby wyth the helpe of thy grace I may seke earnestly and contynually the amendemente of my selfe wyth thy mercyfull help and fauour ¶ Oh merciful lord were not thy exceding greate mercy my soule throwe the innumerable and most greuous sinnes where nought els but a brand of hel fyre a foule stynking vessell full of abhomynaciō of sin apte to be caste into hell and euerlastynge damnacion Moreouer yf thy grace were not I colde do nothing els but synne and increase my damnacion yea ther were no kynde of synne so abominable the which I should not commyt yf thy grace dyd not preserue me yea my soule shoulde returne to ryght nought yf thy myght and godlye power dyd not vpholde it conserue it ¶ Oh mercyful Lord howe many euyl affectyons croked inclynacions synfull passions noughty dysposicions and redynes to all kynde of synne and myschefe are in the senses wit and power of my soule both inwardly and outwardly Whome I can neuer wythout thy specyall grace helpe know nor perceaue and much lesse amend reforme mortyfie wherfore myghtyfull gracious and moost pytyfull sauiour In the blessed merytes of thy most bytter paynfull passion whiche thou sufferest in euery member parte power and myght of thy blessed bodye and soule lyghten my sinfull blyndnes that I maye come to the perfect knowlege of my selfe and therby to come vnto that most acceptable the grounde of all vertue and grace blessed mekenes and contempte of my selfe and to the very and most perfecte loue of the my lorde God vnto whome only belongeth and euer myght be all glory honour of al creatures nowe and for euer Amen ¶ The seconde exercyse to optaine remyssion of sinnes THou must haue a generall cōtricyon and hate of all thy sinnes yf thou haste not made a general confessyon all redy then I wolde coūsel the to make one intendynge wyth most ful and constante mynde to forsake detest al kynde of synne and for the verye pure loue of God and deape hate of thy self and of al sinne to bewayle them as hartely as god shal gyue the grace And that thou mayst come to the perfect hate of thy selfe thou must beleue that ther is no creature ī the worlde that hath done so greate iniury and shewed so great contempte to God as thou And therfore thou shalte Iudge thy selfe worthy of al the payne of hel and al the shame of the worlde for thy manyfold and great synnes for thy great neglygence thy wonderfull vnkyndnes shewed vnto God for the whiche cause thou shall haue moost fyrme and perfecte wyl in
thy memorye to haue the fruiciō of thi lord god for euer without any impedyment or meane These meanes or impedimētes ar the fancies and the imagynacions of other thinges besyde god or for god Thou must kepe thy memorye cleane and pure as it wer an wedloke chamber from al strange thoughtes phantasies ymaginacions And it must be trymmed and adorned with holy meditacions and vertues of chrystes holy crucified lyfe and passion that god may continually and for euer rest there in how often whē and how long it shal please him Wherfore thou must vse it with often louely and continuall desyres and holy afeccions to god warde thy louyng and moste kynde lorde and sauiour that he only may cōtinually be shutt vp in the that is to saye Thou must haue continuallye God in thy mynde and memorye and that thy mynde and memorye may runne only vpon hym what euer thou dost or wher euer thou be Thou must vse this exercise sōwhat lōg as I sayde before and thou must crye praye moost hartely and continually for the specyall helpe of god and that by hsi mightes powers by the praiers blessyd merytes of the gloryus virgyn Mary his mother the blyssed saintes in heuen thou shalt aske it The wiche thing yf thou do not optaine at the fyrst but abydest longe for some are of a clammye nature and muche geuen to phantasies they be therfore the lōger in labour be not discoraged nor ouerthrowē with tediousnes Cease not only perseuer haue a stronge and a firme confidence and trust in our lorde whiche neuer leaueth those that putteth ther trust in him and he wyl geue it the. For he is infinitly good and gracyous whiche in the simplenes of harte is sone founde for he is wonne by loue and with louely and holy desires and affeccions he wyl be optayned and sone gotten For god is infinite loue it selfe vse therefore often these aspiracions al the time that thou laborest in this exercyse or such as these be that foloweth ¶ Oh swet sauyour lyghten the blyndnes of my soule that I may know the and thy most blessed wyl ¶ Oh mightiful lord Iesu take fro me my vnkind hart geue me for it ether thi swet harte or an hart lyke vnto thy louyng hart that euer may loue laude and prayse the. ¶ Mortify ī me good lord my wycked wil graūt me to haue no other wil thē thine ¶ Oh most louing lorde fyxe my mynde so stedfastly vpon the that I may mynd nothing but the or nothing so ofte as the. ¶ My deare and swet sauiour graunte me grace to come to the perfecte knowledge of the thoughe I be ingnoraunte in all other knowelege ¶ The practyse of the Exercyse for reformaciō of the soule in the wyt senses MOst merciful sauyor Iesu which art that petiful samarytan which by thy holy incarnacion descendidst in to thys world wher thou foundest al the nature of man being in the state of dampnacion robbid in Adā by the serpent that gostly thief which spoilid our nature of the blessed gyfte and garment of innocencye and oryginall iustice and wounded our naturales that is to say all the sensies and powers of oure soule and maymed our frewyl blyndyd and darkned our vnderstanding crasyd our memorye and set out of order and made rebel al our fyue wyttes and sensualytie And thou moost pityful Lord taking compassyon vpon thys miserable and mortal plyght of our sore woūded and maimed nature thou with the bond of thy moost louely passyon and charytable death dydst bynd vpp our woūdes powryng in to them the wyne of thy precyus blood and the oyle of thy most heauenlye grace mooste myghtyful and blessyd physicyon and heauenly surgyon of my pore and sycke soul take compassion on my sore and deepe and innumerable woūdes For mercyful sauyor al the sensies wyttes and powers of my soule and bodie be very sore and deadly woūdyd not only by the first fal of Adam in to oryginal syn but I also my self haue more greuusly woūdyd them by innumerable actual synnes by the longe and contynual mysuse of them dayly Wherefore I moost humbly beseche the moost merciful Iesu graūt me the syngular helpe of thy grace that I may bryng them to that purenes and blessyd order that they hadde before the fal of adam by dew and dayly refraynyg and brideling them from al misuse and vse them only for bare necessitie accordyng to thy most holy example and so soberly to lyue as though I were dead vtterly and had no senses That I may lerne now to turne inwardly al my thought and pleasure as I haue hetherto set my pleasure and delyght in owtwarde and sensuall vanytie ¶ Graūt me grace most blessyd master to geue my self whooly to lerne at the and to take the for my example and to my mooste gracyus Lord and master resynyng and yeldyng my self fully and whooly to obey the so that I may caste vtterly awaye my owne wyl and in my self al together most streyghtly to obey and please the only that here after I may do no thing be it neuer so lytle without as it were thy loue ¶ Graūt me grace most gracius Iesu that at euery word that I intende to speke at euery loke of myne eye at euery morsell that I shall eate at the mouyng of euery ioynt or member of my bodie that I shall styre I may inwardly in my hart aske leue of the the whych leue yf good conscience do wytnes that I haue optayned than I may do it or els not ¶ Graunt me swete Iesu that I may do and offer al and euery one of my necessarie workes and deedes all and euery one of my good workes and dedes with an actual and a new intent to the laude and praise of the my lorde god in the vnion of thy moste holy workes blessid merites to the soule helth of al men And whyle I am seking or doyng any thinge outwardly graunte me grace to remember my selfe inwardly whē I ought to leaue of suche talking or doing and so to cease ¶ Moost deare sauiour and moost gracius good lorde I most hartely and humbly beseeke the for thy mercy and merytes sake and by al thy holy perfeccyons and myseracions whych are in the yea whiche thou arte thy selfe and by thy moost blessid and holy humanitie and by thy most holy fiue sensies whiche so myghtely obeyed reason and were swalowed vp of thy sowle the whiche also were most paynefully and so cruelly afflicted for my saluaciō as though thou hadist had no sensies at al. Good lord vochsafe in the merites of thy most blessid sensies soo to swalowe vp to knyte and to sanctify all my sensies in thy moost holye soule as thoughe I hade no sensies at all whiche myght at any tyme geue place to sensualytie Merciful Iesu for thy payneful wondes of thy blessed handes kepe my feelyng from al vncleane and vnnecessary feelyng and touching
in me and I feare more thy Iustice and the payne of hell then I do loue beleue thy infynitie goodnes blessed mercy and therfore I am disquietid wyth this scrupulous feare whiche letteth me greatly from many good dedes and increace of thy loue and holy perfectiō Therfore most mercyful lorde for thy mercy sake graunt me the pure loue of the most fyrme hope and trust of thy mercy that al scrupulous feare may vtterly be mortified in me to thy honoure and glory ¶ O moost meke sauiour Iesu whiche cāmest into this wrecchyd worlde not to do thyne owne wyll but the wyl of thy heauēly father and in the tyme of thy moost soroufull heauy and deadly agony and intolerable heuynes of thy godly and most innocente harte didest forsake thy owne wyl and dydest resigne thy selfe wholy vnto the wyl of god thy father In the gracius merites of thy most painful agonie sorouful blody swete graunte me I humbly beseke the swete Iesu the grace vtterly in me to mortifye the propryetie of my owne wyll and perfectly to yelde and resygne my selfe wholy into thy most blessed pleasure handes to abide whatsoeuer thou shalt in time or for euer suffer to come vpon me be it solas or sorow payne or plesure hel or heauē so it be thy blessed wil wtout any gain sayng murmur or gruge of hart that ioifulli I may for thy loue suffer al paine gostly bodely ¶ Graunt me good lorde moost perfecte obedience not only vnto my superiours but also to al others in thynges lawefull ¶ Graunte me obedyence vnto my superiours not only in outwarde dedes but also inwardly in redines of my wyl to cōforme my wyll vnto the wyll of my Prelate in al thinges and that for no regarde of any fauer laude or prayse therfore but that I maye rather desyre to be dispised therfore ¶ Graunte me most gracious Iesu so exacte and perfecte obediens vnto the my lord god that I may neuer haue any other desyre or wyl in me sauing only thyne That thyne and myne by singular grace maye be made one wyl one harte one desyre ¶ Take frome me oh mercifull maker my wicked will the ground of al sinne and geue me thy blessid wyl ground of al grace and goodnes Take from me my proud harte take from me my vnpure and vnclene desyre put into my soule the insaciable desire of thy honoure and to do thy only will to thy honor and glorye Amen ¶ The Fyfte exercyse to come to the conformytie in vertue of Chryst crucyfyed in the desyre of al vertue and hate of al synne THou must exercyse thy self in the cōstante very trew hate of al syn so that thou woldest neuer comytte any wer it neuer so lytle for the fear of no dammage sclaunder or torment in this world were it neuer so greate and dredeful Al sinne muste neades be pullyd out of thy harte before any perfect vertue cane growe there and eare thou canste be permyttyd to enter in to the harte of Iesu to be knyt and made one spiritually wyth hym Thou shalt therefore hate nothynge so euyll as syn yea the least that can be for it dyuydythe and sondryth thy soule from god and god from thy soul In lyke maner thou shalt exercyse the in the dylygent and contynual serche loue and geuynge of all and euery vertue be they neuer so wonderful or neuer so many yea if thou wyst that euery drop of water in the sea were a vertue thou shouldest labour for thē al for the very honor of god Thou oughtest as muche as is possyble for the to adorne to crucyfie thy bodie wyth vertues alway and euery where cōformyng it vnto Chryst crucyfied for the accordynge to the example of hys most blessyd bodie which lyued alwaye crucyfied and crucyfied he dyed and departyd this world and that of hys infynite loue which was as freshe new in hym toward vs as it had ben the loue of a new maryed bryde gromme Our loue therfore ought to be euer freshe and new towarde him lyke the loue of a new maryd bryde that a faithful and trew spouse dothe beare towardes her moste louynge housebande THus by thys trewe perfecte loue towarde oure swete loue Iesu we shuld in maner sucke and draw in to vs oute of hys sacrate bodye thes fyue pryncypal vertues that folowe with theyr daughters and prynte thē very strongly perfectly in our soule and bodie that they myght shyne therein lyke as they were sterres in the firmamente The first vertue is very true mekenes This thou shalt carye in thy feate and shalt desyre thy Lord Iesu by the precyus woundes of his moost holy feate and hys infynite humilitie whiche he shewed alway but specyally in takynge vppon him manhed that he wyl vochsafe to grant the to be so meke in al thyngs as his moost pleasant wyl wyl requyre of the. Thys humylitie then thou haist perfectly optayned when thou sorowest lamentest art vnfaynedly sory as oft as any benefyte or honor is geuen or shewid vnto the wher of thou verely thynkest thy selfe very vnworthy and also when the perfecte desyre of al contempte perseueryth and abydethe in the in the myddest of al sclanders iniuries rebukes paynes sorowes that are layde vppon the and thou thynkest thy selfe most worthy of them and of much worsse Thys humilitie bryngeth forthe thre daughters obedyens pacyens and sylens or kepynge of the tonge The true and very obedyent doth nat only obey his prelate for his promyses and hys vowes but also he obeyeth al creatures The very patiēt sufferith and beryth al thynges for the honor and loue of god be they neuer so paynful sharpe that god permyttyth to com vppon hym for he beholdyth and consyderyth how pacyenly our Lord Iesu sufferid his crosse and al his paynes passyon for our helth The meke person thoughe he be very wyse and ryght wel learnyd yet he speakyth fewe for all thinges are not gotten by muche talke and sayng many For it wer better to lyue well and in fewe wordes to shewe that which thou canst say when nede is and art demaūdyd And the very meke spekith lytle for he is obedyent patient kepeth wel his tonge The seconde pryncypal vertue is true wisdome or sapience in the exercyse and vse of all thy thoughtes workes and dedes This wysdome wyll gouerne the strōgly and resonabli that thou shalt nether thinke speke nether do any thinge be it neuer so litle as is the styrryng of any ioynte of thy bodye but only of very reason and the permyssyō and pleasure of God This wisedome thou shalte carye in thy head pryntyng thy head into the pearsed head of Iesu chryste most humbly besekynge him for the sorowe and payne that he suffered in his most holy head that he wyll vochsafe to adorne thy head with hys godly wysdome as moche as it shall please hym and he shall know
and deare spowse beholdyng hym suffer so greate and intollerable paynes for thy sake Yf thou weere well and faste knytte vnto hym in perfecte charitie thou woldest take excedyng great compassion vpon hym Yf thou feale nothing the payne of thy heade thou arte not a member and one wyth hym Playnely lyke as we shoulde take more compassion and pyty vpon the heade then on the other members euen so oughtest thou in comparably to take more compassion vpō thy lorde Iesu then thou woldest or shouldest do vpon ether father or mother chylde kynsman or most deare frend yea then vppon thyne owne selfe if thou shouldest suffer all these forsayde paynes that thy lorde suffered for ye. Therfore now good doughter let vs drynke oure selfe dronke with gall wormwode and myrre Let vs feale and thinke on hys precius and payneful woundes let his rebukes scourges woundes pearce through the bottome of oure harte let ther remayne nothing in vs that is not all drowned in sorowe and vehemently afflyctyd and troubled ¶ Thyrdly thou must beholde the passyon of oure sauioure Iesu to wonder and with admyracyon consyderyng who it is howe moche he sufferyd and for whome he suffered Who suffred plainly the very sonne of god most myghtest moost wysesest and the very goodnes it selfe And so good that howe muche so euer goodnes and nobylite thou ascrybest to hym it is nothinge in respecte of hys greatnes and excellence All thinges be they neuer so good and neuer so greate and excellent they are but one aske yea they are but very vanytie and ryght nought in comparison of hym How great are they that he sufferyth certaynely trauel in a strainge contrey banishement flyght hunger thurst colde heat temtacions horyble feares persequucyons wayte of his ennymies to be taken traytory spyttynges reuyles and rekubes bondes scorginges stormes sorowes plages and sores strypes woundes and death For the very glory it selfe was spyghtfully spit on right wysenes it selfe was condempned The Iudge of the worlde was iuged and arayned he that toke wrong was blamed The innocente was defamyd god was blasphemed chryst was trodden vnder foote lyfe it selfe was slayne the sonne was derkenyd the moone wexed blacke the starres were scatered abrode and al these thinges did he suffer paciētly as it had ben a lambe which with one only becke was able to haue drownid into the bottome of hel al these vnkind and wycked people that so handled hym But for whom suffered he for moost vyle mancyples for most synfull ennymyes of hys yea for very deuilishe persons and the chyldren by imitacion of the deuyll for the contempners of the maiestie of god vnkynd and vnthankefull seruauntes to the greate goodnesse of god Wonder therefore that suche and so greate a lorde wolde suffer suche and so greate paynes for most vyle and moost abiecte sinners and wretches But now of whome suffered he Of his owne chosen and specially chosē vnto whom he shewed al goodnes and bountefulnes of the most vylest the most excellēt of the vnwyse and fooles the most wysest the whiche is the sempyternall worde and wysedome of God The moost godlyst of most vngodly wycked The euerlasting bryghtnes of the moost filthiest mater and corrupcion In al these lyfte vp thy harte mynde and maruayle at the infynite goodnes and lyberalytie of almyghty god that bought the wyth so great a price Fourthly prynte the passion of thy lorde in thy harte to reioyse thereof for thou oughtest to be glad and ioye in it with moste harty thankes geuyng for the redemcion of the nature of mā for the restoring of angels and of the greate clemencye and mercye of allmyghty god And as for the redemcion of mankynde thou oughtest to be wonderfully glad accomplyshed by chrystes most bytter passion and precyous death Who is he I praye the that wolde not reioyse and be glad perceuinge hym selfe delyuered by this moost blessed passion frō euerlastinge death from the shame of synne frome the power of the deuyll Who wolde not vnmesurably excedyngly reioyse beholding and consydering that the hygh and most al mighty lord god so wel doth loue him that he wolde submyt and subiecte hym selfe vnto so greate vyces and affliction to redeme hym not that he shoulde reioyse at the abiection and passion of oure lorde but of the most gracious affect hereof of the tender affection and loue that he declaryd in hys passion and afflyction what prynce in the kyngdome or empyre of an emperour or kyng perceuing hym selfe so greatly to be in fauoure and loue wyth his lord that his lorde master wold be redy to suffer death for hys sake wolde he not very greatly reioyse and be glad in his whole hart Howe moch more then ought we most vyle wretches wycked synners and noughty seruātes to reioyce and be glad perceauing that the king of al kynges and lorde of all lorddes oure creatour Iesus chryst doth loue vs so feruently that he wolde offer vp in sacryfice hym selfe vnto most foule and most vyle death Let vs therefore be glad wyth ioye vnmeasurable that our lorde Iesu louyth better eache one of vs than any man dothe loue hym selfe Let vs be gladde and reioyse that by the blessed passion of Iesu the ruyne and breche of the angels is restored Ther ought to be in vs greate Ioye gladnes syth we se that by the passion of chryste so noble and blessed a colege of the Angels is repayred that there myght be one fold and one shepehard and al to be one in one god In this ought we and haue we good cause bothe wyth the heuenly courte and the mylytante churche of chryst here to ioye and to be glade O moost amyable and verely moost venerable passion of oure sauioure whiche ioynyth to gether thynges the were so farre a sonder and knyttyth together thynges so farre sequestrated and moost strongly and most fyrmely vnytith byndyth them fast together wyth the bonde of moost perfecte loue in the felycitie of ioye sempiternall But we ought to reioyse and to be glad specially perceauing in al these foresade thynges the hyghe wonderfull clemencye and mercy of god and of oure lorde Iesu christ I thynke the cheafest and hygh glory and ioye of the goodnes of the good angels is perfectly to consider the clemency mercy and benefites of god also his vnmesurable goodnes And this ought to be the syngulare inwarde ioye of hym that is contemplatyue that in the very marye of hys soule For where I pray the dothe more apere the powryng vpō vs the most bontefull mercy clemencye and goodnes of the most swettest most louing heuēly father of our lord Iesu christ thē in his passion wherin he suffered such sort so greate so fowle so shameful so greuous paynes turmentes al to deliuer to gloryfie hys wicked enmie for the redempciō of a very vanitie worthy of euerlasting death Let the deuoute persons enter with al deuocion
the body dyeth when the soul departeth frō the body euen so doth the soule dye whē the loue of god is absent gone frō it These wyth such lyke as the holy goost shall teach the thou shalt put thy euen chrystē in mind of if it may stand with thy state calling specially such as thou hast charge of thy next neighbours or such that wyl and be able to take thyne instruction exortaciō perswading thy self that god wil require at thy hande the soules of them whome thou arte able and canste saue as though they were thy owne members Therfore thou shalt not Iudge nor conempnt any man Thou shalte not make sory nor harme any man but loue euery mā as thy selfe yea more in maner then thy selfe bycause he is better then thou arte The whiche thinge that thou mayst the soner optaine perswade to thy selfe that euery man is thy selfe For in dede we be one the member of the other as saynt paule sayth and therfore thou shalte be glad wyth and and of euery man be sory wyth and for euery man serue and do good to euery man that nedeth Do the workes of mercy bodely and gostly vnto euery man that nedeth wyth all thy harte as vnto thy selfe Wherfore accostome thy selfe that as sone as thou perceauyst any mocyon of dyspleasure or anger agaynst any other mā what euer he be or that any other vyce chance to come vpon the or into thy mynde lyfting vp thy hart swetly vnto god to put it away as the poyson of the deuyll wherewyth he goeth aboute to kyll or to mynishe thy charytye in the or to make the lumpish and vnlusty and so to staye the from profiting in gostly lyfe For somtyme it comyth of our owne tepyditie or coldnes that noughty and harmefull cogytacions put once from vs do returne agayne and are a greate inpedymente and let vnto goostly lucre or gayne yea thoughe we consente not to them specyally when we do not extend and stretch forth oure selfe wyth all oure powers and myghtes to thinges before vs that is to saye to go forwarde and increase in vertue and perfection nether wyth heuenly godly desyres continually as moch as we can to ocupie our hartes therfore the enmyes of our soule by our slacknes and tepidite fynde easely a way to returne agayne vnto vs al though some tyme such cogitaciōs do trouble wery vs not by our faute but by the only permyssiō of god for our exercise ¶ Aspyracions for this exercyse MOOST louing and most gracious lorde Iesu which being most rychest for my sake tokest vpō the most extreme pouertie grant me the grace of perfecte pouertie of spyrite ¶ Oh most swetest Iesu rauysh my whole harte loue vpon the which art only sufficient for the trew louers of the take from me the loue and affectyon of all creatures that I loue the only and purely ¶ Oh blessed sauiour which art the only ful rewarde that al thy louers aske seake and loke for content my hart my whole desire with the alone make me for thy sake to contempne al other thynges ¶ The practise of the seuēth exercyse to come to pure pouerte the loue of thy euē christē O Moost blessid Iesu whiche for mi sake and saluacion forsokiste all worldly loue and pleasure and honour and lyuidst and dyedst in moost perfect pouertie ¶ Graunte me grace to purge clense my affeccyon and soule not only from al temporal thinges but also from the knowlege the loue and remembrance of al creatures sauyng only them whome I can not lacke whiche I must neades vse for thy sake and in the only For moost mercyful Iesu whē I shuld lyft vp my whoole soule thought and desire to the then doth the knowledge or remembraunce or the loue of creatures pulle downe my desyre loue of my hart mynd vnto the memorie desyre loue of thē ¶ Graunte me gracyus good Lorde also grace now and for euer more to leaue vtterly the affeccyon and wyl vnto any venyal synne be it neuer so lytle which I wold not gladly amende that I may turne my whoole harte from al syn for Lorde Iesu thy mercyful goodnes soone forgeuythe venyal syn Yet sooner thou doyst forgeue a mortal synne that sodeynlye of frayltye we do cōmyt and do faythfully repent and forsake then a venyal that we wyllyngly do not vtterly abhorre and forsake in oure desyre And such smale synnes and fawtes yf they be not put away by repentance do let the holy goost to worke in me In lyke sort yf I retayne any thyng superfluus or for curiositie thy holy spirit can not worke thy true perfect loue in me Graunte therfore grace gracyus Lord to me nowe at thys present euer more to cast out of my hart al loue desyre of al temporal thinges what euer they be that be aboue bare necessytie And in my necessaryes to chose al way pore symplycytie and the more rude homely as becommyth true and vnfayned pouertie And also in the vsyng of my very necessaries suffer me not to haue any affeccion in thē but I may redely by contentyd for thy sake to lacke them and euer more symply and without al affeccyon and pleasure to vse them ¶ Graunt me grace mercyful Iesu at all tymes most straygthtly to kepe my sensies inward and outward from al superfluytie and vnnecessary vse from all vanytie and ydelnes and to kepe also my bodye in homlye symplycytie in al sobryetie and all povertie that nether the desyre loue affeccyon or memorie of any thyng that longyth to my bodie may at any time let my whole hart desyre loue and thought to tend and turne vnto the the moost louyng and blessyd delyght of my soule ¶ Graunt me most gracius sauior Christ grace not only from the botom of my hart to abhorre and detest al syn and vyce but al so to desyre and to be so enamoryd with the loue of al vertue be they neuer so excellent and many that for thy loue and honour I wold labour and trauell for to haue them al yea yf they were as many in number as are dropes of water in the mayne sea that I myght for the vehement loue of the crucyfie my bodie from vyce and adorne my soule wythal vertue and so to become lyke vnto thy most gracyus humanytie whose bodie was paynefully crucyfied soule adornyd wyth al vertue But specyally graūt me grace to haue mooste ardent desyre of perfect and profunde humylitie and grace most earnestly to labour for yt euer more desyryng to be contempnyd dyspysed rebuked and shamed wyth confusyon and from my hart to iuge my selfe very worthy of al contempt shame rebuke confusion Make me sory good Lord whā any honor benyfite laude or prayse be geuen to me ¶ Graunte me also merciful Iesu the thre doughters of perfect mekenes Moost redy obedyens both vnto my superiors and vnto al creatures in al
thinges lawful Moost perfect pacyence that I may moost quietli and with rest of mind suffer al thinges that thi blessid wil shal suffer to come vppon me be they neuer so paynful and hard remembrynge howe paciently thou sufferedest for me Moost discreat silence that thoughe I were neuer so wise wel lerned yet I may speake very fewe wordes and those only profitable and necessary A very meke parson swete sauior spekyth fewe wordes redely obeith sufferith al thing for thy loue and pleasure Moost gracius Iesu graunte me grace most earnestly to desire and labor for the vertue of wisedom which may teache gouerne me in al my thoughtes wordes and dedes that I haue to thinke to speake or to do that I may do nothyng be it neuer so lytle no not the wagginge of my finger but only as reason and wisedom shal leade to thy honor for necessite and soule helth of mine euen Chrysten ¶ Graunt me also good Lord to attayne godly feare descrecion simplicite which are the doughters of thy godly wysedome For wher soeuer is thys wisedome there muste be the feare of thee Lorde for the begynnyng of wysedom is to feare al mighty god DyscrecioÌ„ puttith a meane in al thing without the which there is no vertue For ether we shal do to muche or to lytle Holy simplicitie takith no care for no curiosytie in thynges It takyth al thynges as at the handes of god and in good part thinkith it good ynoughe be it neuer so homly or rude so it wyl serue bare nede Mercyful Lord to haue wysedome and vertue with out thy feare is occasion of pryde and with out simplicitie it wolde be to curyus without dyscresion it wold be to strayte hard ¶ GrauÌ„t me therfore good Lord the grace to be godly wise louely feareful symple with discrecion Moost louyng sauior Iesu graunt me most ardent desyre of true and burnynge charytie and moost infatygably to seke syghe vnto the most deuoutly for to optayne it For thys vertue Lord is so necessarie for me that al other vertues are nothynge worth without I haue perfecte charity This most perfect vertue workith in vs lyuely fayth and stronge beleue it bryngyth hope and turste in the. For loke how great our charytie is so great is oure trust hope in the. Yea if charity be great it begettyth in vs perseueraunce For loue wyl not suffer vs vnkindly to leade and for sake oure louer nor to leaue vndone that we begone of loue This charytie maketh vs to abyde in greate confydence and hope of the mercy of god and not to trust in our own power And therfore good lord what so euer charytie askyth whiche caÌ„ aske no euell with ful confydence and beleue in thy mercy it optaynyth easely ¶ Graunt me moost gracyus Iesu to desyre thi loue moost hartely to beleue in the moost constantly to trust in the moost vndoutydly to perseuer in thy loue most faythfully vnto the ende Moost mercyfull sauyoure Iesu graunte me moost feruente desyre of trew Iustice very ryghtwysenes in all my dedes First that I maye geue vnto the in all my wordes dedes and thoughtes al honor glory al obedience thankes Lykewyse that I maye geue vnto my superyours to my equales and to my inferiors and to euerye creature that whiche to euery man belongyth And also that I may geue that whiche belongeth vnto my body as in meate drinke cloth slepe and in other necessaryes nether more nether lesse then my dew is to geue This ryghtewysenes is a blessed and perfecte vertewe bryngeth forth thre other vertues mercy verytie and thankefullnes The whyche I humbly beseke the moost mercyfull Iesu graunt me grace to desyre to labour dylygently for trewe mercye For verye trewe mercy taketh firste pytye vpon the soule of oure euen chrysten and if he nede anye gostly almes he geueth that first if he be able and then the temporall almes Verytie sufferith no falshed nether in dede nether dyssymulacyon in worde nor yet ypocrysie nor any vntreuth be it neuer so profytable or neuer so lytle For it is vnmete that the seruaunte of god who is verytie it selfe shuld shew any vntreuth in worde or dede ThaÌ„kefulnes thynke it ryghte reasoÌ„ that euery maÌ„ do render thankes for the benefites which he hath receaued specyally vnto god the geuer of al gyftes and graces and to all suche that hath or doth helpe to further them in their soul health and all that maynteyneth them in ther bodyly necessytes These vertues graunt me most mercyfull Iesu that by ryghtwysenes I may do my deuty to the my lorde god to my eueÌ„ chrysten specially in dedes of mercy gostly and bodely to my power By veritie I may exchew al dyssymylacyon ypocrysy and al vntrewth And thankefully I may euer more render vnto the al laude prayse and thankes for thy innumerable benyfites And vnto suche as helpethe me goostlye or bodely I may dewly geue them thankes praye for them Mooste myghtyful maker Iesu graunt me grace moste affectuusly to desyre and optaine the holye vertue of fortytude and goostly strengthe that thereby I may myghtyly and strongly exercise and practyse al vertue and do al kynde of good workes and manfully resyst al trouble and temtacyon bothe goostly and bodyly that I neuer care for neather the world man nether the deuill but with goostly boldnes myghtyly passe thorowe all worldly thynges as though I had nothyng to do wyth them contempne and bare pacientlye al aduersity and temtacion and go thorow and increasyng in al perfeccyoÌ„ for thy loue and honoure that no trouble nor temptacion neuer let me or ouerthrow me in the way towarde thy perfecte loue and true seruice that I neuer feare to passe throughe fyre and water to come vnto the. ¶ Graunte me also good lorde Iesu pure chastytie meane and sobryetie and perfect pouertie whyche spryngeth out of thys fortytude ¶ Goostly fortytude thynketh it a greate vylany and shame to be ouerthrowne ruâ—â—d or mastered of the vyle fleshe the peuish pleasure and fylthye lustes there of therfore strongely resystynge them it kepethe hym chayste and pure in soule and bodye Gostly strengthe wyll not be in bondage vnto the vyle bely neather vnto the sinnefull body But lyke the valyante souldiour of chryst can be contented to fare harde to ware vyle and homly garmentes and hath al hys mynd to do his dewty vnto his greate captayne and lorde chryst to folow hym And therfore he coÌ„temnyth al beastly lust of the flesh al vnreasonable pampering of his bealy and the superfluus vnnedeful deckyng of his wretchyd carkas and when any suche temtacyons or lustes do aryse in hym he manfully and myghtyly resystyth and labouryth to mortifie them vtterly Wherefore moost mercyful Iesu grauÌ„t me this so necessary a vertue which am assaultid with diuers and many kindes of temtacyons whome wythout thy specyall gyfte of this gostly fortytude I am
shoulde do bycause I se not my great enormytes and detestable wyckednes of my former lyfe I beseke thy moste blessed mercy in the mercyes of thy moost obedyente death helpe my imperfection that I may make ful resignaciō vnto thy only wil in al thinges to thy honour glory Amen THough thou can not at the fyrst fully make vnfained oblaciō to al these so faythfully that thou wolde not feare by by to abide and suffer any or al of these for gods sake for perhappes thou shalt fele in thy selfe feare or gruge yf thou shuldest be put to any of these yet be of good cōfort and haue trust that god wyl worke it in the in tyme at his blessed wyl and pleasure so thou do acknowlege thy infyrmytes and cry mercy and continew thy good purpose that thou hast begone and this offerynge shal be very acceptable vnto god vntil thou canst do better And when thou fealest thy selfe somewhat resygned vnto the wyll of god in all these thynges then maist thou with ful confydence and trust enter to the other membre of this exercyse whiche is peticiō or postulacion and knocke wyth the second hammer notwithstāding wether thou fele thy selfe fully resigned or not yf thou haue a desyre to be resygned perfectly to god in al these forsaid thinges feare not nor faile not but in the name of god wyth a humble hope and a meke confidence in the greate mercies of god make this peticion knock thus wyth thys hāmer as deuoutly as thou can in thy mynde vnto almyghty God as our sauiour chryst teacheth vs saing Seke ye shal haue or it shal be geuen vnto you MOOST gloryous god almyghty and moost lyberal lorde god which for thy infinitie goodnes art redye to geue vnto all that faythfully mekely do aske of the that which maye bee to thy glory and honour and theire soules helth And specyally the blessed fruycion of thy selfe in perfecte loue I moost mekely most lowly and deuoutly beseke thy vnmesurable goodnes and most lyberal mercy in the blessed and infynitie merites of my sauiour Iesu for thy mercyful charytie that thou bearest towardes my poore soule for his sake graunt me good lorde the moost blessed fruicion of thy only godhede That my whole affection loue and desire may be satisfyed fully fixed and altogether restyd in the only by the bare pure sincere loue of the and in no other vertue giftes or graces be it neuer so excellent but in the only my most blessed lorde god and moost deare loue of my soule ¶ Graunte me not withstādyng god lord al such special graces and thy gyftes whiche may helpe and bring me vnto the more perfection of lyfe in the trewe loue of the not to rest in them but by them to come to the least restynge in them I myght highly offend the and wexe colde in the desyre of spirituall profyte And in special graunte me gracious good lord most pure perfect clere lyghtenyng of my vnderstandynge that I maye moost fully and perfectly knowe vnderstand in al thynges thy most blessyd wyl and godly pleasure and to folowe fulfyl and execute the same as promptely spedely and perfectly without any retracciō or gruge of harte as the shadowe mouyth at the mocion of the body according to the moost blessid example of my sauyour Iesu And thus for to doo I here offer my selfe most redy with al the mightes and powers of my bodye and soule ¶ Graunt also good lorde the lyght of thy grace to knowe fully my selfe my incomprehensyble vylenes my vnthanfulnes towards the my vnworthines and wretchidnes my mysery and sinfulnes wherby I may come to most perfect contēpt gostly hate of my self perfect profund mekenes ¶ Graunte me perfecte knowlege of all very true vertues and to obtayne so many of them as most shal plese thy blessed goodnes in me to my saluacion But syngulerly and aboue al other things in this world graunte nowe and euermore the contynuall increase of the moost pure true and sincere loue of the. That al my delyght ful fruycion the rest of my soule maye be in the. And that my hart may by so incensed in flamid so whote and set on fyre with the loue of the that the memory of the may be so frequente and ofte in my harte and mynd as is my breath that I contynually do take to lyue wyth all For lyke as yf I lacke thys bodely breath then departith lyfe from my body euen so the very lyfe of my pore soule is the very loue of the is contynued by often continual turning with burning desyre to the which art the orygynal of my soule vnto whom my soule shuld cleaue vnto as the sonne beames do byde wyth the sonne As for other thy graces and gyftes moost gracious lord that ar not necessary for my soule helth as to be delyuered from temtacion perels and pressures the gyftes of reuelacion of secreates deuocion and sensyble grace I aske not most mercyfull lorde god But as it may moost please thy infynite goodnes to thy glorye and my saluacion Wherfore I most humbly beseke thy greate goodnes and mercy graunt me this my meke postulacion peticion and grace that I may wyth al my myght and power laboure and trauel dayly and hourly to optayne it and neuer to cease from most feruente prayer and knockyng vntyl thou most petyful lorde dost open vnto me thy moost lyberal goodnes vnto thy great glory and honoure and my saluacyon ANother parte of thys exercyse after that thou hast vsyd this one day the next day vse this folowyng one day one an other dai an other After this maner first thou must styre thy harte to the loue of god with the same prayer callid an oblaicō gostly which is in the exercise next a fore apointed of the benefites of god yf thou fele thy selfe disposed in harte to the earneste desyre of the loue of god and thy harte be inkyndelyd with the swet memorie of his kindnes towardes the Then shalt thou as it wer burne al vnlikenes toward god in thy selfe that is to say al thy synnes and vycyousenes al thy fautes and imperfeccyons al thy passions and immortificacion thy vnruled sences and theire in ordinate inclynacyō al thi vicius affeccion and thy impaciences but thou shalt not reken and remember them one by one but generally gether them together in thy hart and mynd and caste them as it were in to the infynite fyer of godes loue there to be consumyd and burnyd vp by his mercye with most ardent desyre and deuout mynd saing in thy hart and desyre thus MOst myghtyful god and mercyful Lord whiche dydyst create make me to thy blessyd lykenes and thy owne ymage after that it was disfigured and blemyshyd by the syn of adam thou moost mercyfully hayst reformed it in thy deathe and blod of my lord Iesu by baptisme And now I wretchyd caytyfe synful wretche haue
we must suffer so paciently that nether in word dede nether in oure harte thou bare nor shewe no rancore euyl wyl or grefe Secondly that we be not sad sory or heuy in oure mynde whyche commenly commyth of our owne loue toward our selfe But we must beare al thinge mekely wyth pacyens thynking that we be worthy not only of this but of muche more We must therfore offer oure selfe vnto the pleasure of god in a perfecte redines of wyl to al aduersitie that mai come possyble euer here after vnto vs. Thirdly by paciens in affection we ought to desyre and wyshe wyth al oure harte aduersitie that we may be the more conformable and lyke to oure sauiour chryst whiche for our sinnes suffered wyth moost meke mynde and paciente harte all worldlye confusyon and shame all payne and aduersitie all mockes and scornes strypes beatinges scorginges thornes nayled vpon the crosse wyth cruel passyon most payneful death We ought herein as muche as we can to folow the paciences of our sauiour christ That pacience may worke so strongly that though we feale paine yet it shal not greue vs or vexe vs for we so hartely loue them that thus dothe afflyct vs as thoughe they were our nyghe and specyal fryndes ¶ The ninthe impedyment THE nynthe Impedymente is the propryetie of oure owne wyl Vnto the which wyckyd and shrewd selfe wyl our owne proper wyl fansye or wyt many truste stycke so sore that they dare not almost put al their trust in god neither resygne and commyt them selfe vnto hym But their owne wyl and propertie of their fansy is as it were foundacion ground wheron they buylde together what euer they Iuge chose do or exercyse From the whiche thynges and exercyses if they be lettyd eather by obedyens eather by charytie eather by misfortune or other chance anon they wexe melancoly angry and vexe them selfes inwardly and thinke they tyme al lost or that they shal spede the worse or that they haue offended or that they haue ben greatly hyndered in theire spyrytual profyt bycause they haue left of or haue by lettyd by resonable cause and consideracion from their wilful costumes This wycked wyl causyth them to gruge and murmure when theire wyl is broken specialye in their holy woorkes exercises that they haue chosē of their owne wil and brayne Yet are suche exercises vnpleasant in the syghte of god seme they vttwardely neuer so goodly and godly Therefore yf thou wylt profyt in goostly lyfe and haue thy dedes acceptable before god thou must lay another ye a contrary fundacyon That is to say A ful a perfect forsakinge and renouncynge of thyne owne wyl and of thy selfe Whereby thou muste vtterlye leaue and cast of thy owne selfe and selfe wyl And wythout gaynesayng murmur or grug of thy harte or mynde resygne and commit the wholy vnto the wil pleasure of god Embrasynge from the bottome of thy whole hart with ful delyght of mynde hys blessyd wyl Thou shalt also obey all men in al thynges lawful for the honoure of god hauyng moost perfect confydence and trust in his goodnes Whiche ys redy euery where and present withal them that yeldyth vp and commyt them selfe in body and soule vnto him Which also prouideth and seyth better to them in prosperitie and in aduersytye yea in the lest thyng that is then they them selfes can do yea or can wyshe There is nothyng in man that he is more lothe to departe wythall then his owne frewyll wherof issueth all euyll if he mysusyth it Therefore if he yeld resygne the same fully and whooly vnto the onely wil of god that fundacion once so ouerthrow en al the rotes and grounde of vyces and synne wil fal Then al murmur grudge in aduersytie al disobediens wholy commith vp by the rote Then spryngyth pacyens in aduersytie obediens without gaynsaying Then greate peace in conscyens and hope in god growyth and spryngythe Then al wexeth as redy to folow the wyl of god as the shadow folowythe the bodye Then al thynges what euer come vpon hym they trouble him not Thē melancoly heuines and scrupulousenes are vtterly dystroyed Fynaly as al syn and vyces spryngyth of the propertie of our owne wyl euen so all vertew perfeccyon commyth growith in the forsakynge and mortyfyinge of the same in resigninge of it to the handes and pleasure of god and folowyng the wyl of hym That thou mayst come to the mortyfycacyon and to thys resygnacyon it is good for beginngers vnperfecte to make obedyens vnto some other and to folowe nothinge their owne wil but the wil of him vnto whō they haue made their obedience The perfect muste nedes obey or be euer redy to the wyl and desyre to obey vnto al other where euer they perceyue the wyll of god continualy they oughte to obserue and marke wel inwardly and to execute in al thynges the pleasure of god Ther are three maners of obedyence The one is obedyence of vowe made And thys must he obseruyd outwartly in thinges lawfull this is of necessitie For yf we knowing the commandemente and precept of oure rule or of our prelate do not obey folowe hys wyl leauyng our owne we sin deadly But the other .ij. are of more perfeccyon make more for the mortyfycacyon of oure owne wyl Ther seconde is called obedience of conformytie and it is the prompt and redynes of the wyl inwardly to folowe euer more the wyl of their superior and that for pure charytie and loue of god without all regarde and respect to any thanke of man so that he wold rather be set at nought and contemned thē to be lauded or to haue any reward therefore The third obedyence is the obedyence of vnyon with god whiche so perfectly knyttyth our wyl vnto the wil of god that they be become but one wyl So that what soeuer god permmyttyth to be done with vs to come vpon vs good or bad Ioy or sorow comforte or desolacyon myrth or heauynes in soule or body we be fully perswadid that al together commyth of the vnmesurable mercy of god and of hys goodnes Wherefore thou shalte not receaue it as at the hande of man or any other creature but immedyatly thynke that it dothe come of god as from the hande of his goodnes and hygh prouydence Therefore thou must take it with an vntroubled and pacyent mynd eleuatyng and littyng vp thy hart aboue the consyderacion of the worldly course change of worldly things fyxing often thy hart and thought by pure loue vpon god almyghty beyng alway redye and in maner desyrus to suffer all inwarde payne desolacyon derelyccion pressure agony heuynes of hart for very loue of god And whē such thing commith receaue it with moost hartie affeccion and Ioy of mynd be it neuer so paynful neuer so reprocheful and be fully contentyd to abyde the same for euer yf it so please god
very venome of the loue of god Thou must therfore sley thys inordinate loue and loue god only renouncing al creatures that thou maist be drawen vp wyth hys loue and mayst be swallowed vp all together in hym THe fyfte is the mortyficacyon of all affecciō in Idle thoughts which are wont to come in the mynd to trouble vs diuerse and sundry wayes by insurges greate flowynges as it were a great mayne sea causeth the feruour of goddes loue vertue to decaye in vs though they abide not in the affectiō thei must yet be mortified al other noughty cogitacions whiche we do suffer somtime by neglygence to enter into vs with sensuall pleasur These though they come not to deadly consente yet do they defile the soule they make heuy the holy goost and do great dammage vnto the soule Bothe these noughtye thoughtes and cogytacions and also the other ydle thoughtes and cogytacyons aryseth commeth of our owne negligēce vnmortificaciō bycause we do not labour indeuour ourselfe to compel with violēce our hart to holy thoughtes but do suffer it to wander vpō superfluous and euyl thynges not to spend frutefully our tyme. And therfore when we returne our selfe inwardlye we fynd our harte burdened and comberid with innumerable distraccions whyche dothe hynder and distroye our gostly profet Not these only therfore thou shalte cut of from thy harte but also thou must vtterly put awaye some lefull thoughtes whether they be of lawful charge temporal of scruples of consience or of secreate or curius search of thynges and thou must busely prynte into thy hearte the Image and memorye of thy lorde Iesu crucifyed for the and of hys moost profund humlytie pouertie mildnes of al his holy vertues in thy outward mā also printe in thy hart the image memory of his infynite charitie wherby he created the al thynges and redemed the so preciously in thy inner manne that thy thoughtes maye turne into affection and thy knowlege into loue For the loue of god doth worke the mortyfycacion of nature the lyfe of the spyrite the worke and operacion gostly of the hier powers of the soule the influence or flowyng into god and the solytarynes and departure from al creatures Thou shalt also turne thy affectyon whol desyre to come to perfect solitary very lonnes departure frō al creatures not only ī body but moch more in thy hart affections that thou maist attayne the pure syngle rest quietnes of harte This rest dothe norysh very greatly the louely influence and tendyng in to god for solytarines silence and the strayt keping of thy hart are as fundamentes and groundes of gostly lyfe THe syxte is the mortifycacyon of all care thought which is not of iust necessytie profyt or obedyence and also of al passyons vnmesurable myrth heauines hope fear loue hate anger as shamfastnes these muste be mortifed that nothing maye rest in thy hart but god or for god Wherefore thou must mortyfie all suche carefulnes vnnecessarie al such passions natural And al thy outward workes and occupacyons that necessytie do requyre iustly of the thou must do them wythout much trouble or carefulnes of thy mynd hauing thy whole hart affeccion eleuatid and resygned in to the handes and wyll of god For trewly by suche occupacyon thoughe it be laufull that distracteth thy hart derkenneth thy wyt and vnderstandynge thy affeccyon waxeth cold to god warde al goostly exercise wil be vnsauerie to the and thou shalte scante be able wyth great labor to recollect thy nether powers of thi soule in the time of praier Wherfore yf thou wylt easely ouercome al temtacyons labor busyly to beare alway thy mind and desire inwardly lyftyd vp and eleuatid vnto god folowynge alwaye more the inwardly exercyse of loue then the outward workes of vertue Vnto the whych poynt there can no man come except hee fyrst be rydd and delyuered from all thynge vnder god and be so rapt in god that he canne contēpne and dispice him self in al thinges for the pure loue of god For pure loue of god makyth the spyryt pure symple and so free that without any payne or labour it can at al tymes turne and recolect it self in to god THe seuenth is the mortyfycacyon of al bitternes of hart toward our euen Chrystē whych arisith originally of dyuerse causes Fyrst of presūpcyon of our owne merytes where by we be redy and prone to iuge rashely other and to dispyse them we beyng ful of vnryghtwysenes oure selfes For thys vnryghteousenes genderyth in vs indignacyon and not compassyon Secondly it arysyth of immortifycacyō bycause we haue not mortified those thynges and the desyres of them wych inflamith vs to murmur against our prelates and superiors and other that wyll not agre vnto our naughtynes or vycyousenes but resist them Thirdly is aryseth of rancore and enuy or hate for some offences passed for the whych we desyre to preuente and to take amysse the dedes of them whom we hate and fynde in them somewhat that we myght rekuke Fourthly it ariseth of enuy against for the vertues of other which we lacke and haue not and therfore we seke al meanes to extinct to hyde them that wee might be preferred or takē as wel as they or leaste they shoulde be more sete by or as muche as we Fyftly it aryseth of a nawghty and exasperate and froward conscience by the whiche lyke a cockatryse we desyre and wolde fayne hurte other and to bring them vnto sinne wyth vs for we enuy the grace of the holy gost and of malyce wherwyth we are full oure selfe we take vnto the worst al thynges so sinne we against the holy goost These and other bytternes and melancoly of harte thou must distroy and consume in swetnes of the loue of god that thou mayst loue thy very enimeis and persecutours wyth as ful affection of thy harte as though they were thy moost dere frendes as in very dede they be for they do bryng promote the vnto greate merytes ¶ The eyght is the mortifycacion of al afection vnto vayne glorye and lykynge of thy selfe honoure to all pride of thy selfe in thy wordes and dedes of thy graces and gyftes To this thou shalte come by clere and perfecte consyderacion and knowlege of thy owne vylenes and by perfect desire of the contempte of thy selfe that thou myghtest please honour and worship god onely Wherfore thou shalt ascribe vnto goddes only grace wyth chyldlyke faythfulnes fydelyte al the goodnes gyftes and graces of thy selfe and of all other reputynge thy selfe mooste vnworthy of any of them and more vyle and wretched then al mē liuing fyrst by reasō of the great greuousenes the fylthynes or enormitie and the innumerable multytude of thy sinne great vnkyndnes to god Secondly by reasō of Infinite sinnes whiche thou shouldest haue fall in yf the only mercy of god had not preserued the.
Thirdly by reason that ther is no synner in this worlde but yf he had receaued so many gyftes and graces of god as thou hast done and had had so many occasyons to haue done wel as thou hast had he wold haue seruyd god more faithfully then thou doyst And thus shalt thou on the one party be thankeful vnto god and on the other syde thou shalt humble thy selfe very greatly These well wayed thou shalt desyre with all thy harte to be contempned mocked ouer trodden of al men and that for the very loue of god and this is a very compendyous and a ryght waye to come to greate meryte ¶ The nynth is the mortificacion of all affection in inwarde and sensible gostly delyght in grace deuocion loue and sensible swetnes in the nether myghtes and powers of the soule The whiche swetnes delyght and deuocion sensyble be not very sanctymonye or very charitie in dede but they be certayne gyftes of god whiche are geuen to vs not that we shoulde rest or contente our selues with them only but for an helpe of oure infyrmytie that we myght moore earnestly mortyfie our selues Wherfore if thou wylte knowe how much trew loue thou hast loke howe moch thou art mortifyed in these .xii. poyntes for so moch very loue and sanctymonye thou haste and no more yea al that thou canste aske of God what euer it be yf thou do not referre and ordeyne them to the mortification of thy selfe all are myxte wyth nature whiche sekyth her selfe al moost in all thynge yea in god and in godly thynges so subtylly that beyng stayed in one syde she crepyth in on the other eare we can wel deprehende her Therfore ther are very fewe that come to the very knowlege of them selfe or do perfectly mayster them selfe in al thynges Moreouer thou shalt mortyfie in thy selfe all curyous inuestygacion or serche all curyous speculacion knowlege and vnderstādyng vnnecessary of things or sciences as wel diuine as humane in that which many do wast miserably their time labor euer lernyng as the appostle saith and neuer attaynyng or comyng to the knowlege of the trewth For as muche as the perfecte lyfe of a christiane mā is not groūded in highe knowlege but in profunde mekenes in holy symplycitie and in the ardente loue of god wherein we ought to desyre to dye to al affection to dye to oure selues to sustayne payne and derelyctyon that we myght bee perfectly knyte and vnyted vnto god to be swallowed vp all together in hym ¶ The tenthe is mortification of all scrupulousnes of conscience by ful confydence and trust in the goodnes of god This scrupulousnes vexeth troubleth very many by reason of the inordinate loue that they haue to them selfes by the which loue they feare more the vengeance of god hell and hys ryghtwysenes thē they loue hys goodnes his honoure and prayse And therfore of a seruyle feare they do all there good workes and do auoyde and eschewe all syn and euyll that they shonne And therfore they do not amend faythfully their fautes whose pryckinges and remorse troubleth them nether can they haue ful confydence in god For bycause that their loue to godward is but slender and smal it gendereth in them but slender and smal confidence trust in hym where contrary wyse if they had a greate and an ardente loue it wolde gender in them a greate confydence and a ful trust in god O blessed hope and trust in god so longe as a man do not wexe the colder in godlines but is sturyd more earnestly to mortyfication to the more pacyence in all aduersytie and to the more thankfulnes blessed I saye is that hope and trust in God THe eleuenth is mortification of all inpaciēcie of hart for any outward aduersitie infamy derision rebuke or cōtumely losse of goodes sycknes paine in bodye persecution and desolacion and derelyction of the mynde the whiche may chance and fortune vnto a man by goddes permyssion wyth the whiche he is wont to trye hys dere frendes and that of moost excellente charytie to the euerlasting helth of them in the whiche our lorde Iesu hym selfe was many wayes tryed and for oure example and loue wyth moost mylde and meke harte sufferyd contumely shame sore strokes scorgīges spettyng thornes whippynges confucion wyth the intollerable tormentes of his crosse and passion and he not withstāding prayed for his ennemies Nether coulde they laye vppon him so many and so paynefull tormentes but he euer desyred to suffer many mo and moch greatter for the honoure of god his father the saluacion of oure sowles Therefore shouldest thou also suffer the lyke pacyently yf god suffer them to come vppon the. Fyrst that thou pretende neyther in harte worde nether dede any rancor nether vengaunce Secondly that thou beare no bytternes or heuynes in thy harte which bytternes ryseth of the in ordynate loue to thy selfe but thinkinge thy selfe worthy to suffer moch worse and more greuous euilles suffer thou al thinges mekely and offer thy selfe redie to suffer all aduersytie that may chaunce vpon the for euer here after And thirdly thou shalte suffer all thynges by affection of perfect paciente wherby thou maist be conformed made like to the blessed life of thy dere lord Iesu that is thou shalt not only suffer what commyth but thou shalt long in maner and loke wyth greate desyre and receaue with greate gladnes and Ioy all aduersitie and be euer redie to suffer more greuous greater Here of shalte thou optayne greate aboundaunce plentye of the loue of god that shall so penetrat and purifie al the powers of thy soule that thou shalte not in maner feale any paine but shalte loue thy persecutors with as harty loue as though they were thy neare and specyall frendes and louers ¶ The twelffe is the mortificacyon of al thyne owne wyl with ful perfect resignacion of thy selfe to suffer al derelicciō inward outward paine pressure or harts griefe and desolacyon for the pure loue of god And bycause that a mā hath nothyng that he settyth more by then by his owne free wil of whose abuse al vyce syn springeth therefore if thou resignest perfectlye thine owne wyl vnto god inmedyatly this fundacyon once ouerthrowen al vyce and syn spryngyng here of comyth to nowght Wherefore it is very profytable to such as are imperfect to make obedyence to some discrete person and to geue them selfes vp to the wyll of another To suche as be perfect it is necessary to haue a wyl to submyt thē selfes to other when so euer it pleaseth god It is expedyent for euery mā to marke wel and to execute in them selfes the wyll and pleasure of almyghty god Thou shalt marke thre kyndes of obedyence and thou shalt labour to come to the highest which is the obedience of vnion The fyrst is of vow This ought to be outwardly in al commādementes preceptes of thy prelate with al