heauenlye that euerye man doth couet himselfe to be so much doth this life become the more vnpleasant vnto him to wéete the more he both féeleth and clearly seeth the offences of mans corruption For to eate to drinke to watch to sléepe to rest to traueyle and to be subiect to all the other necessities of nature is vnfainedly great miserie and calamitie to the godlye person who coueteth to be set frée and at libertie frō all maner of sinne For grieuously is a man pressed downe with the necessities of the bodie in this lyfe and therefore doth the Prophet make humble prayer in these wordes to be deliuered from them O Lorde drawe me out of my necessities But wretched are they that knowe not their owne miseries and agayne more wretched which do loue this miserie and mortall lyfe which some doe so far embrace wheras neuerthelesse through their traueyle and carefulnesse they can scant yet get themselues but necessarie thinges that if they might liue here euermore they would passe nothing at all on the kingdome of god O mad braynes and faithlesse persons who lie drowned so déepely in the earth that lyke wretches they haue naught else in their mindes but carnall things and shall once at the length féele not without torment howe vile and nothing it is that they haue loued so much But those good men of God and all the vertuous sort as many as euer were christs friendes did not looke vpon those things that did please the fleshe or that did make a goodly shew for this present tyme but with all hope and gréedinesse did breath to euerlasting good things and with their whole heart were caried vnto the highest and the inuisible things least they should be drawen down to the lowest things through the leue of the visible O brother do not dispayre in comming forward in godly thinges As yet thou hast tyme and space why then dost thou put of thy purpose from day to day Arise and begin out of hand and reason thus with thy selfe nowe is the time to be dooing now is the time to be fighting now is the time to repent and amende thy life In roughnesse aduersity is the time to deserue Thou must passe through fire and water before thou come vnto refreshing and comfort Except thou minister violence vnto thy selfe thou shalt not maister sinne So long as we beare about this frayle bodie of ours we can not liue without irkesomnesse and sorow In déede we would faine haue rest frō all wretchednesse but bicause through sinne we haue lost our innocency we haue also forgone our true happinesse and felicitie Therfore we must hold vs still vnto pacience and awaite for the mercy of God til such time as vnrighteousnesse passe away and this mortalitie of ours be swallowed vp of lyfe Lorde God how great is mans frailty which euermore is prone vnto sinning This day thou confessest thy sinnes and hauing confessed the same to morow thou cōmittest them againe Nowe presently thou determinest to beware and take héede and within an houre after thy dooings be such as though thou hadst not determined at all Therefore great cause haue we to kéepe vnder our selues and neuer to haue anye great good lyking of our selues which are so fraile vnconstant It may also be sone lost with negligēce which with much traueile hath scantlye béene attayned by the help of god What shall become of vs at the last that do wax warm so soone Wo be to vs that thus traueile vnto rest as though there were peace securitie alredy when as no token of true godlinesse doth yet appeare in our condicions Surely we haue néede to be instructed vnto good maners afresh againe like yong beginners if happily there be any hope of amendment and greater profiting in heauenly things Of the meditacion of death The .xxiii. Chapter SEing thy life shall haue an end so quickly looke wel about thée Man flourisheth to day to morow he is no where and being taken out of the sight of the worlde is by by also forgotten of the same O blockishnesse and hardnesse of mans hart which thinking only vpō things present hath no regard to that that shall come after Thou oughtest in such wise to behaue thy selfe in al both déede and thought as though thou were ready to die by and by If thou haddest a good conscience thou wouldest not much feare death Better it is to beware of sinne than to flie death If thou bée not in a readinesse to day how wilt thou be ready to morrow The daye following is vncertaine How knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue till to morrowe or no What preuayleth it to liue a great while when wée be so little amended in oure liues Surely long lyfe doth not alwayes make a man better Nay oftentimes it increaseth sinne Woulde to God we had behaued our selues well in this life but one dayes space Many doe recken the yeares of their amendment repentaunce when oftentimes the fruite therof is but slender If it be a terrible thing to die perchaunce it is a more perillous thing to liue any longer Happie is he that hath euermore the houre of his death before his eies and frameth himselfe euerye day to die If thou hast euer séene a man dye thinke that thou must passe the same way to Be in doubte in the Morning whether thou shalt liue till the Euening And againe at night be afearde to promise thy selfe lyfe tyll Morning and alwayes bée in such a readynesse and liue in such sorte that death mays neuer fynde thée vnprouided Manye die so dainely and when they looke not for it for the sonne of man will come when we thinke not of his comming When as that last houre shall come thou shalt begin to thinke much otherwise of the whole life passed then thou didst before shalt be in déepe sorrow and heuinesse for that thou hast béene so necligent and so slacke O happie and wise man who endeuoureth now to be such a one in hys lyfe as he wisheth to be founde at the time of hys death For the perfite contempt of the world the earnest desire of commyng forwarde in vertue the loue of discipline or good forme of liuing the labour of repentaunce the readie mind to obey the deniall of himselfe and the suffering of euery calamitie for the loue of Christ are cause of great hope to die wel and happily Thou art able to doe many thynges well whilst thou art in health but being sick I knowe not what thou shalt be able to doe For fewe are made better through sicknesse they that driue of the amendement of theyr life vntill that time are seldome times made Gods seruants Better it is to repent and to liue so now whilst thou mayest as after thou mayst liue for euer Otherwise if thou forgo this occasion and oportunitie thou shalt afterwardes séeke for it to late and the tyme shall be when perhaps
thée I am thy most pore slaue and vile worme much more poore more vile than I eyther know my selfe or dare tell vnto thée And yet O Lorde be thou mindefull euen of this same thing the I am nothing that I haue nothing that I am nothing worth Thou only art good thou iust thou holy thou art able to doe all things thou perfourmest all thyngs thou fulfillest al things leauing the sinful only voyd emptie Remember thy mercy O Lord and fill my soule wyth thy fauor which wilt not haue thy workes to be good for nothing For howe maye I continue in thys wretched life vnlesse thy mercy fauor do strengthen me Turne not thy face away from me Deferre not thy curing of me from day to day Withdraw not thy cōfort from me least my soule doe sée me in thy sight like vnto the earth that is voyde of moysture Lorde teach me to doe thy will teach mée to walke worthilye and humblye before thée For thou art my wysedome and doest both know and hast knowne me perfectly aswell before that I was borne into the worlde as also before the worlde it selfe was made That truth and modestie in the sight of God is to be exercised The .v. Chapter LORDE SOnne practise thou truth in my sight and alwaies séeke me in singlenesse of heart He that exerciseth truth in my sight the same shal be defended from the inuasions of euill and him shall truth deliuer from deceiuers and siaunderers of the wycked Now if the truth shall deliuer thee thou shalt be frée in déede and shalt not passe vpon the vayne wordes of men SERVANT It is as thou sayest Lord and let me be so delt withall I pray thée to wéet that thy truth may teach me may kéepe me and maye bring me vnto an happie ende Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lust and from inordinate loue So shall it be brought to passe that I maye vse great libertie and freedome of soule towardes thée TRVTH And I will teach thée what is right what is acceptable vnto me Call thy sinnes to remembraunce with great sorrow and heauinesse of hart and doe thou chalenge any thing vnto thy selfe for thy good déedes For in verye déede thou art sinfull and endaungered and inwrapped in many diseases of the minde which goest euermore of thyne owne nature vnto nothing and soone fallest art soone ouercome art soone troubled and throwne downe headlong Finally thou hast nothing wherin thou mayst glory and boast but rather many things for which thou oughtest to set litle by thy selfe For thou art much more weake than that thou art able to perceyue the same Wherfore sée that none of all thy workes séeme great vnto thée Sée thou think nothing of thy loftinesse nothing precious woonderfull nothing to be reuerenced nothing high nothing prayse woorthy and to be desired in déede sauing that which is euerlasting Let the euerlasting truth please théé aboue all thinges and let thy excéeding vylenesse displease thée Feare nothing so much dispraise and flie from nothyng so much as thy vices and sinnes which ought more to myslyke thée then the losse of anye manner thing besides Some doe not behaue themselues towardes me purely and sincerely but rather being led with a certaine curiosity and arrogancie doe studiously search out my secrets and high mysteries neglecting themselues and their owne saluation These folowers doe many times fal into gréeuous tēptacions and sinnes for their owne curiositie and pryde bicause I am against them But being timerous doe thou stande in awe of the sentence and wrath of almightie GOD and search not out the works of the almighty but search thorowly thine own faults either how much euill thou hast done or else howe much good thou hast neglected Some doe beare about their whole religion and Godlinesse in beekes onely some in pictures some in outewarde signes and figures Other carye mée in their mouth but not so in theyr heart Contrariwise there are which being of perfite vnderstanding in minde and pure in hart doe euermore breath and couet after euerlasting things doe heare of earthly things against their willes do that which nature necessarily requireth with griefe sorrow and these in déede doe féele what the spirite of truth doth speake within them as they which doe teach them to loue heauenly thinges despising the earthlye and both daye and night doe couet heauen the worlde being contemned The praise of God and thankesgiuing for benefites and likewise of the force of the loue of god The .vi. Chapter SERVANT I Prayse thée O heauenly Father the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hast vouchsafed to remember mée néedie Soule O father of mercy and God of al comfort I giue thée thanks which refreshest me being vnworthy of al comfort sometime with thy comfort I praise magnifie thée euermore and also thy onely begotten Sonne and thy holy ghost the comforter worlde without ende Oh my Lorde God O the holy louer of me when thou shalt come into my soule I will reioyce with my whole heart Thou art my glory and the reioyce of my heart Thou art my hope and refuge in the time of my calamitie and trouble But bicause I am yet of weake loue and vnperfite vertue I recken it necessary to be confirmed of thée and to be comforted at thy handes Wherefore visite me oftentimes instruct me with holy discipline Deliuer mée from wicked affections of the Soule and heale my minde from all the vnruly desires and vices that being healed inwardly and well purged I maye be made fit to loue strong to suffer constant to perseuere Loue is a great matter no doubt a great good thing which onely doth make light each thing that is heauy and beareth equally whatsoeuer is vnequall For it beareth a burthē without any burthen and doth turne all bitter thinges into swéete and sauorie The same Iesus I saye beyng our Noble Loue doth inforce to doe great things and euermore stirreth vp to desire the things that are more perfite Loue will be aboue and not kept still with any low things Loue will be frée and voyde from all worldly affection least hir inwarde sight be hindered or least it bée enwrapped eyther wyth some temporall commoditie or ouercome with incommoditie Nothing is more swéete than Loue nothing more strong nothyng more déepe nothing more broade nothing more pleasant nothing more full Nothing better eyther in Heauen or in earth bycause it is sprong of God and can not rest but in God aboue all the creatures The louer flyeth runneth reioyceth is frée and is not holden It giueth all thinges for all things and hath all things in all thinges as the which resteth in one highest thyng aboue all thynges out of which floweth and spryngeth all goodnesse It looketh not vppon hys gyftes but turneth it selfe vnto the gyuer aboue all good gyftes Loue canne not tell howe to kéepe measure but is feruente
feared and not discussed as they which doe passe mans vnderstanding capacity Desire not so much as to search or dispute about the merits of the saints and Godly who shall bée more holy or greater then other in the kingdome of heauen For these things doe manye times cause vnprofitable debates contentions doe also mainetaine pride and ambicion whereof aryseth enuyinges and dissentions whilest one stryueth prowdly that an other is holier than the rest The desire to learne these things the searching of them out are fruitlesse Nay rather doe displease the godly sort For I am not God of dissension but of peace which peace consisteth in true modestty and lowlinesse not in arrogancy and pryd Some for the affection of loue doe cast more fauour vnto these then to those but they do it rather vpon their carnall affection then that God is so affected I am he that haue created all the saints that haue endued the same wyth gifts haue giuen them honor I know the merites of euery man I prouoked them with moste pleasant gifts and benefits I knew that they were to be loued before the beginning of the worlde I did choose them out of the worlde not they me I called thē w my fauor I drew them to me with my mercy I led thē through diuers temptacions and did poure vpon them notable comforts I gaue them perseuerance and did crowne their pacience I knowe both the first and the last I embrace all men with loue incredible I am to be praysed in all my saintes ioyntly and to be magnified and honored in all particularly aboue all thinges which saints being appointed by me to saluation I haue so gloriously lifted vp without any of their deserts going before Therfore he that despiseth euen the least of my seruaunts the same doth neither honor the great in as much as I haue made aswell the small as the great so that he the doth derogate from any on of the saints the same doth both derogate frō me from al the parteners of the heauenly kingdome For they are al but one in the bonde of loue thinking all one thing willing all one thing also louing al one another with mutuall loue Nay rather which is a much more high matter they more loue me than themselues their owne merits For being rauished aboue themselues drawne beside the loue of themselues they do go forward altogither vnto the loue of me do repose themselues in the fruition therof in so much that nothing can turne thē from it or thrust them down as the which being full of euerlasting truth doe burne w the fire of vnquenchable loue Therfore let the carnall sensuall men leaue of to reasō about the state of the saints which knowe not to do ought else but to loue their priuat ioies Many as yet by their naturall affection and worldly loue are bent to these or to those and euen as their iudgement is in the inferior things so doe they likewise imagine of the heauenly things Without doubt it cannot be vttered in words in how great vnlikelynesse in those things do differ the one from the other which the vnperfit men do think with themselues which the men that by God are lightned doe behold as made open vnto them frō aboue Wherfore beware Sonne that thou occupie not thy self somewhat curiously about those things which passe the capacitie of thy wit but rather apply thy selfe vnto that that thou mayest bée found euen the least in the kingdome of god Now in case a man did know who were accounted more holye or greater than other in the heauenly kingdome what should the knoledge thereof auaile him vnlesse he did humble himselfe so much the more vnto me and rise vp higher vnto the greater prayse of my name He doth a much more acceptable thing vnto God which doth thinke vpon the greatnesse of his sinnes and the slendernesse of hys vertues and how farre of he is from the perfection of the saintes then he which reasoneth about the greatnesse lownesse of the saints and godly They do not boast of their merits which doe ascrybe no goodnesse at all vnto themselues but acknowledge that all cōmeth from me which they haue bicause I haue bestowed al those things vpon them accordyng to my excéeding great loue of Godlinesse and surely they are enuironed with so great loue of Godlynesse and so great ioy of mynd that no glory at all no maner of felicitie is wanting vnto them The more high in honor and glory that all the saints are so much the more modest and the nygher and eke the more déere the same are vnto mée And for this cause that same in the Apocalips is wrytten That they did cast their Crownes before God and with a groueling countenance before the lambe did worship him liuing for euermore Many doe séeke who is greatest in the kingthe kingdome of God and cannot tell whether that they themselues shall bée reckened in the number of those that are least It is a great thing to be the verye least in Heauen whereas all be great for all shall be called and shall so be in déede the children of God. The least shall growe into a thousande and the hundreth person that shall be punished of me shall dye a yoong man For when the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of God they had this same aunswere Vnlesse yee be altered in manners and become like vnto the little ones yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore who so shall humble hymselfe lyke to this little chylde he shall be greatest in the Kyngdome of heauen Wo be to them that disdaine to submitte themselues wyth the little ones for the gate of the Heauenly Kingdome is to lowe for them to enter in at Wo bée to the ryche also that haue their comfortes here in thys Worlde For when the poore doe enter the Kingdome of GOD they shall stande wythout crying and howling Keioyce yée lowly and méeke Triumph ye poore for the kingdome of God is yours in case yée doe obey the truth That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone The Lxiiij Chapter SERVANT LOrde in whome is my trust set in this life or what is my greatest comfort among all things that are vnder the cope of heauen Art not thou O my Lord GOD being endued with infinite mercye When was I eyther in good case wythout thée or in euill plight whilest thou wast present with me Surely I had lieffer to be poore for thy sake then to be rych wythout thée and had rather to be a traueyler with thée vpō the earth than wythout thée to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen And again where thou art not there is death and Hell. Thou art my longing and wishe therfore doe I recken it necessarye to sigh to cry to praye vnto thée In fine I can fully put
that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty
me thy rod doth teach me Behold most deare father I doe submit my selfe to the rod of thy correction Strike at my back and my necke that I may bow my naturall corruption vnder thy will Make me a godly modest scholer according as thou art woont rightly to do that I may alwaies be obedient to thée at a beck I commit my selfe all that I haue to thy correction séeing it is better to be corrected here nowe than hereafter in an other place Thou knowest all and euery thing and nothing is hid from thée in mans conscience Thou knowest the things to come before they be done neither is there any cause also why any man shoulde tell or admonish thée of the things that are done in the world Thou knowest what is profitable for me to come forewarde with how much aduersities do helpe or preuaile to wype away as it were the rust of sinnes Vse thy iudgement and pleasure towards me and despise me not for my wycked life which is better or more clearely knowen to no body Nay it is not knowen at al to any man but to thée onely Graunt me O Lorde to know those things that are to be knowen to loue those thinges that are to be loued to prayse those things that doe most of al please thée to take in hand those things which are precious in thy iudgemēt to dispraise those things which are vile in thy sight Suffer not me to iudge either with the sight of my outward eies or to giue sentence by the hearing of my vnskilful eares but with true iudgemēt to discerne both visible and spirituall things aboue al things to search out the pleasure of thy will euermore Mens senses are manye times deceiued in iudging of things The louers of this world also are deceiued in louing visible things onely Is a man so much the better as he is accounted the greater of men The deceitfull deceiueth the deceitfull the vaine the vaine the blind the blind the weak the weake whilst he extolleth or aduaunteth him and he doth him reproch in déede whilest hée vaynelye prayseth hym For looke how great euery man is in thy iudgement so great he is in déede and no greater as one ryghtly sayde That we must rest vpon base or course works when we depart from the highest works The Lvi Chapter LRODE SOnne thou caust not continue still in the most feruent desire of vertues in the highest degrée of beholding heauenly thyngs but that thou must néedes for originall corruption come downe sometime to the lower things beare also with wearinesse the burthen of this mortall life whether thou wilt or no. So long as thou shalt beare about a mortall body thou shalt féele the yrckesomnesse and waight of thy body Therefore thou must often sigh sorrowe in thy fleshe for the burthen of thy flesh bicause thou art not able without ceassing for a time to dwell stil vpon spirituall studies and heauenly contemplatiō In this case it is expedient for thée to flie vnto the base and outwarde workes and to recreate thy selfe in good déedes and to awayte with sure confidence and faith till I come frō aboue to visite thée and paciently to beare thy banishment and drynesse or dulnesse of mind til thou be visited of me againe and deliuered from all anguishes For I will make thée to forget thy labours and throughly to enioye inward rest I will open vnto thée the Field of the Scriptures that thou mayest begin to run through the way of my cōmaundements with a ioly chéerefull minde and mayest say thus The calamities of this worlde are not to be compared with the glory to come that shal be giuen vnto vs. That man ought to thinke himself worthy not of comfort but of stripes The Lvij. Chapter SERVANT LOrd I am not worthy of comfort or of any spirituall care of thine therefore thou declarest thy self but righteous vnto me whilst thou forsakest me being helpelesse and voyd of comfort For though I shoulde poure foorth a whole sea of teares yet should I not be therfore worthy of thy comfort Nay rather I am worthy of naught else but stripes punishments which haue offended thée so grieuously so many times haue done amisse so often in so many things Therfore if the matter be wayed accordinglye I am not worthye of the least comfort that is And yet thou mercifull gentle God which wilt not haue thy workes to perish to declare shewe forth the richesse of thy goodnesse towardes the vessels of thy mercy doest vouchsafe to cōfort me without any desert of mine aboue all mans reach Neither are thy comforts like vnto mens bablinges And what haue I done that thou shouldest endue me wyth any heauenly comfort Surely I remember that I haue done no good at all but that I haue alwayes béene both prone vnto sinne slow to amendement Which thing is so true of it selfe that if I shoulde denie it thou canst shew the contrary no man is able to stande in my defense What haue I deserued by my sinnes but hell fire euerlasting Truely I doe vnfeynedly confesse that I am worthy of all mockerie and contempt and that it is not séemely for me to leade my life among thy godly seruants Truly I am hardly perswaded so to doe but bicause it is true I will so doe that I my selfe may reprooue mine owne sinnes to the intent that I may the sooner obtaine thy mercy And what shal I sinful man one fuil of all reproche say vnto thée Surelye I haue nothing else to say but this one thing I haue sinned O Lorde I haue sinned haue mercy vpon me Forgiue me suffer me a little while to lament my calamitie before I flit into the land that is darke couered ouer with the dryrinesse of death And what else dooest thou require of the sinfull wretched man but straightly to punishe thrust downe himselfe for his faults For in the true punishing of a mans selfe pressing downe of the soule hope of pardon commeth foorth the troubled conscience is reconciled to God the lost fauor of God is recouered man is kept from the wrath to come God and the penitent soule of man doe one méete an other with a holye kisse I say the humble sorrow of sinnes that the sinful man hath is an acceptable sacrifice vnto thée O Lorde and of farre more swéete smelling sauor than is the perfume of Frankinsence The same is that swéete oyntment with the which thou wouldest haue thy holye féete to be enoiled who neuer despisest the afflicted and the pressed soule of man This is the place of refuge against the wrath of the enimie In this is corrected rinsed whatsoeuer is corrupted and defiled any other way That Gods fauour hath nothing to doe wyth those men whose mindes are earthly The lviij Chapter LORDE SOnne my fauor is more
my trust in no man to helpe mée in myne necessyties when tyme requyres but in thée onely O my god Thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforter and in all things most faithfull All menne doe applye themselues vnto their owne affaires busily but thou desirest nothing sauing my saluation and comming forwarde and vnto me turnest all vnto good And wheras thou doest throwe me abroade vnto sundry temptacions and aduersities all that doest thou appoint out to my commoditie and profite who art woont to make tryall of thy beloued children after a thousande wayes in which proofe and tryall of thine thou oughtest no lesse to be beloued than if thou shouldest replenish me with heauenly comfortes Therefore O Lorde GOD I place my whole hope and refuge in thée in thée doe I settle all my calamities and sorrowes For whatsoeuer I doe beholde without thée all that doe I find to be but weake and vnstable For neyther fryends can doe one good nor strong men helpe at néede nor wise giue profitable counsell nor bookes of the learned comforte nor any abundance of wealth deliuer nor hid place defend except thou thy selfe be present doe helpe strengthen comfort instruct and kéepe For all things that séeme to make to the attaining of peace felicitie are nothing at all in thy absence and in effect doe brynge no maner felicity Therfore art thou the ende of all good things and the toppe of life the depth of all speach and to haue a hope in thée aboue al things is the most sure coÌ„fort of thy seruants I haue mine eies cast vpon thée in thée I trust O my God the Father of mercy Make happy make holy my soule with heauenlye felicitie that the same maye become thy holy habitacioÌ„s and seate of euerlasting glory and that no soyle or filth be found in thy temple to offende the eyes of thy maiestie According to the greatnesse of thy goodnesse multitude of thy mercy looke thou vpon me giue eare to the prayers of thy néedie seruant liuing a great waye off in exile in a wilde and sauage Countrey Defende and preserue the Soule of thy poore seruaunt in the middest of so many daungers of thys lyfe and direct me with the guiding of thy fauour through the waye of peace into the countrey of euerlasting bryghtenesse FINIS A short and pretie Treatise touching the perpetuall Reioyce of the godly euen in this lyfe Seene and allowed according to the order appoynted Imprinted at London by Henry Denham dwelling in Pater noster Row at the signe of the Starre Anno. 1568. Hieronymi Wolfij Carmen ad Lectorem SI quis ab assidua premitur grauitate laborum Commoda letitiae perpetis vnde petat Ipsa vetat natura malis gaudere dolores Siue sedent animo corpore siue sedent Siue ea dispereunt per quae traducere vitam Cogimur absque quibus mors magis apta foret Sed quis in immenso tam foelix cernitur or be Quem non fortunae praegrauet acre iugum Spes metus ira dolor luctus frustratio culpa Innumeris agitant pectora fessa modis Vndique tot cingunt horrenda pericula vitam Vt locus effugij vix superesse queat Haec inter quae laetitiae datur ergo facultas Materiam potius quisque doloris habet Praecipuè tamen his seges est infausta querendi Non ficta Christum qui pietate colunt Saeuit in hos semper tenebrarum dira potestas Corpora fortunas pectora fraude petens Quae si fraude minus valeat iam Martis aperti Praelia terribili mole cruenta ciet Armat in hos quoscunque potest requiete negata Quid mihi laetitiae nomina vana refers Num paradoxa iuuant quibus olim Stoica lusia Secta Poetarum ceu furiosa cohors Dij meliora sumus veri sine fraude colentes Nec sine re nobis nomen inane placet Sunt tamen haec fateor crassae minus obuia blebi Quae defixa gerit lumina semper humi Nil nisi quod videant oculi quod brachia tangant Brutaque precipiant corpora credit enim Sed quibus in coelos mens est errecta Deumque In Christo summum qui posuere bonum Hi nos vera loqui syncero pectore norunt Munere â—etitiae nam didicere frui Quippe graui munit nos experientia teste Huic est praecipuè semper habenda fides Quae nisi te doceat nostri decreta libelli Haud mirer moueant si mea verba parum Sed faciat deus vt pietatis amore subactus Gaudia magnanimus non peritura geras Sic quoduis leue fiet onus dolor omnis abibit Semper erit ciuis mens generosa poli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Of the Reioyce and gladnesse of the Godly euen in this lyfe IN as much as mans frayletye lyeth open continually to so great miseries paynefull labors and calamities and séeing that as one sayeth it is left for all men to passe ouer so great euiles or troubles in thys mortall life as there is none but woteth it well inough surely we may iustly marueyle what it shoulde meane that the holye Apostle of GOD blessed Saint Paule in hys fyrst Epystle wrytten to the Thessalonians byddeth vs to reioyce alwaies For thus among other matters hée sayth Bee glad alwayes pray incessantly gyue thankes in all thyngs And in déede if a man call to remembrance that contynuall wrestelynge togyther that menne haue wyth the Fleshe the Worlde and the Deuyll if hée looke vppon the heauye tormentes of conscyence touchyng hys dyssolute lyfe past and the anguyshes the cares the feares of hys mynde if he consider the most gréeuous féele of Gods wrath and the inward mournings for sinne if he thinke of the iudgement daye to come of the Lords iudgement seat of the punishment of the godlesse in Hell to let other things passe beside the same person may suppose that the Apostle doth in a manner but in vayne exhorte vs alwayes to reioyce and be glad For what leysure can we haue to ioy among so infinite eeuils as doe enuiron or compasse vs about among so many rough stormes heauy haps as betide vs Neuerthelesse if we remember that the Apostle giueth
charge to the Godlye alone in this place and to them that cleaue fast to him with full affiance who in so great troubles of this mortall life and in so manyfolde chaunces of worldly affayres and turmoiles haue nothing at all but God in whom they can well willingly repose themselues then shall it appéere that he did admonishe his Thessalonians of such things both truely and also necessarily Touching which poynt I will briefly put foorth if it séeme good that shall come now to remembrance and wil entreate of the continuall ioy of the godly here in this life in as few wordes as I can deuile First and foremost therefore wée must néedes graunt that Paule speaketh not of vulgar or common ioye and such as happily the Natural man as the Apostle doth terme him dreameth off For this ioy or gladnesse is not of sufficient worthinesse for the Christian mā And if perhaps there be such yet is it altogyther common betwéene them and the wicked and is neyther durable and continuall but transitory and many times interrupted with infinite carkes and cares neyther cleare and sound but most commonly impure defiled Besides this the Apostle doth much lesse speak of that gladnesse which the Couetous worldling hath of his ryches and hourdyng vp of money the Ambicious man of honours the Prowde and hawtie person of his Nobilitie his power and sway his wealth puissaunce the Souldier of his praye and bootie the voluptuous man of his swéete delyghtes and sensuall pleasures the Lecher of his lustes the Vserer of his bonds or billes of debt the Kiotour and one plunged in all kind of superfluitie and excesse in his delectacions of all sortes in his tables garnished and set forth with diuers dishes his gorgious and verye great furniture the Surfettour in hys gulling in of Wyne the Glutton and one borne to bellycheare in gourmandise the Sluggard or lazie lubber in ydlenesse and sléepe the Enuious or spitefull repiner in an other mans misery the Testie and wrathfull person in reuenge These are ioyes indéede I deny not but they are the lewde ioyes of the minde as a ryght excellent Poet sayth and they are not true but deceytefull not pure and cleare but mingled with vnpleasantnesse among not permanent but such as last for a moment For I will not meddle now to shew that they are the cause of infinite mischiefes and most an ende alwayes drawe with them as their companions anguishes of bodie and minde disquietnesse restlesse businesse cares heauinesse mourninges and doe both excéedingly annoy the body and also without ende pricke the soule suffer it not to pause take rest or comfort fréely so farre they are from bringing about any maner of way eyther to diminishe heauinesse that by chaunce commeth of other causes or to rid them quite and dryue them away or else to worke that men shall haue no féele and payne at all of the euils that do betide them Beside this also the ende of such ioyes is euerlasting damnation For vnto this point belongeth the saying of our sauiour in Luke the Euangelist Wo bee to you riche men which haue your comfort Wo be vnto you that are ful bicause ye shal be hungry Wo be to you that laugh nowe bycause ye shall mourne weepe And likewile which that rich man in the Gospell determynyng in hys heart to liue a deintie and happy life henceforth being minded nowe to take his case to eate drinke and to be merye doth heare at the worde and will of God Thou foole this night shal they fetch thy soule from thee To conclude that example of the Glutton in Luke clad in purple doth make to this purpose who vsing euery day to féede gorgyously is afterwarde when he departeth the worlde tormented in the flames of Hell fire Therfore Paule doth not entreat of such ioyes as the welthy the mighty the loftie prowd and such other as lyue dainetily in this lyfe and are wanton and doe styll as a man woulde say kéepe it holydaye as S. Iames speaketh it haue Of what kinde of ioy then speaketh hée Euen of that ioye no doubt which of the same Paule is rehearsed vp among the fruites of the spirite in the Epistle to the Galathians and such agayne as that is wherevnto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians when he biddeth them to reioyce in the Lorde alwayes or such likewise as that is whereof Dauid in the Psalmist hath so oftentymes made mention as when he sayth Thou hast giuen ioy in my heart And Let all men reioyce that put their hope in thee let them triumph or reioyce exceedinglye euermore bicause thou doest defende them Let all men be glad in thee which loue thy name bycause thou blessest the iust man O Lord. And likewise I will be glad and reioyce excedinglye in thee I will sing vnto thy name O thou most high And I doe put my confidence and hope in thy mercy my heart leapeth for ioy in thy sauing health I will sing vnto the Lorde who giueth good things vnto me And moreouer Reioyce in the Lorde triumph ye iust and glory all yee that be right of heart And againe Triumph ye iust in the Lorde prayse becommeth the right And furthermore Reioyce ye iust in the Lorde and confesse to the memorie of his holynesse What maner of reioyce this is in the Lorde it is a verye harde matter to declare and a thing that will busie a man to doe it Howbeit through the helpe of God we will proue what we can say therein Therefore whosoeuer being regenerate or borne a newe in Christ doth put the whole hope and affiaunce of attaining saluation in the promised mercy of God onely for Christ the mediatour and already is fully and wholy perswaded that God the father is mercyfull and pacyfied wyth him his sinnes being remitted and forgiuen for Christ and with a certaine and sure hope of immortalitie after this life and of euerlasting blesse doth walke on in his vocation to the ende honestly holily and godlily the selfesame man vndoubtedlye resting vpon this same fatherly good wil and and loue of God towarde him for Christ doth alway reioyce in the Lord neither can there any thing of so great importance at any time happen among that can vexe that man and cause him to take thought So excéeding great is that spirituall ioye or gladnesse of the godly person in the Lorde whether it bée in prosperitie or whether it be in aduersitie For whatsoeuer it be that hath happened he in all things perceyueth and acknowledgeth the fatherly minde of God toward him and no lesse is glad in the Lorde in times of heauines than in prosperous times For he knoweth wel inough that what euil so euer there be the same is sent from God and that wythout Gods prouidence there hapneth nothing at all Therefore will he haue his owne wyll to agrée and be conformable vnto the wyll of God and he
and the Lorde hath taken awaye blessed be the name of the Lorde Is he kept vnder with pouertie and néede He aunswereth himselfe out of the Apostle Hauing foode and wherewith to be couered let vs content our selues with the same Is he taunted or taken vp without his desert He remembreth Christ who being rayled at did not reply euill for euill agayne as saint Peter sayeth Doth he receyue some grieuous notorious iniurie He remembreth that saying of Paule to the Romaines Not reuenging your owne quarrels beloued And agayne Leaue reuenge vnto mee and I will requite sayth the Lorde Is he afflicted with intollerable tormentes of some disease or sickenesse or with some other euilles He cryeth with Dauid Thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgement is right Is he forsaken of his acquaintance or friends He calleth to remembraunce that saying out of the Psalmes My father and my mother haue forsaken mee but yet the Lorde hath receyued me Briefly in all troubles miseries and calamities the godly man hath verye great cōfortes set before him in the frée goodnesse mercy and clemencie of God and from hence alway hath vnspeakable ioy doth aske in prayer looke for the mitigation or asswaging of them or if it shall so please God full deliueraunce from those euils wherwith he is laden and kept downe He knoweth that God both hath commaunded himselfe to be prayed vnto in the tyme of trouble and calamitie and that he hath promysed his aide and helpe and that also he looketh for a thankefull hart of such as are deliuered Trusting vnto these things he cryeth with Abacuch O Lorde in thy wrath remember thy mercy And with Hieremye Correct vs O Lorde but in thy iudgement not in thy furie And thus in very good hope of the goodnesse of God he reioyceth woonderfully and doth not onely betake himselfe vnto Gods mercy but also yéeldeth himself vnto Gods will as one ready both to doe also to suffer whatsoeuer God will haue him But as the trust of Gods mercy for Christes sake cannot stand or ioyne togither with a naughtie and corrupt conscience so cannot that ioy neither wherof the Apostle speaketh be at any tyme remayning in a minde guilty of fault or sinne Therfore wheresoeuer there is a bent determination or purpose to committe sinne there is there no maner of ioy at all in the Lorde And truely is that sayde of Plautus the Comicall Poet There is sayeth he nothing more wretched and miserable thā is an euill conscience Hereby it is plaine that the Apostles admonition or warning euermore to reioyce in the Lorde doth belong onlye to the godly sorte which with feare and trembling doe trauayle to their saluatiō For these men bycause they put all their trust in Gods mercy are fully perswaded that God is fauorable and pleased with them for Christes sake and that not onelye their sinnes are forgiuen and remitted them of the heauenly father but that they also are receiued into the fauour and friendship of God and that more is into kinred and cōsanguinitie are made the sonnes of God by adoption the heyres I saye of God and the bretherne and fellowe heires with Christ bycause the godlye I say doe stedfastly beléeue they doe alway reioyce in the Lorde euen in the midst of their troubles and calamities what euer they be that chance eyther common or priuate specially séeing they are not ignorant that God hath a care ouer them as Saint Peter doth witnesse This reioyce in the Lorde séemeth to be the chiefest portion of felicitie and happynesse in this lyfe the very chiefe or principall goodnesse which the godly sort alone do enioy and take fruition of The heathen Philosophers dreamed vpō an Euthumie or happinesse of mynde but touching this ioy of the godly mindes they were not able so much as to suspect or thinke of any such thing For of what sort that is the onely Christians being taught by Gods worde doe know and those especially which are ordayned as Luke saith to euerlasting life whose names are written in the booke of lyfe of the Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world as it is sayd in the Apocalips For whyle these doe alway reioyce in the Lorde they haue euen in this mortall lyfe also a certayne taste féeling smacke of the blessed state that shall be in the life to come whereby it happeneth that they being rauished as it were besides themselues do séeme in a maner to the world through euermuch ioye to be pieuish or melancholike to wéete whyle they be mute at the reprochfull checkes and taunts of other men doe pray for them that curse them doe loue and beare good will to their enymies whyles they doe good to them that hate them pray for them that hurt and persecute them to such as strike one side offer the other whiles to one taking away the cloake they leaue him their coate also and giue to euerye one that asketh and lende to one another hoping for no commoditie therby whyles many times they refrayne from wine doe fast sigh are sory wéepe continue all night in prayer by lying on the grounde by watch by studie and by other meanes doe tame their flesh and doe kepe their body occupyed after a seruile sort as the Apostle sayeth and who can well rehearse or recken vp all the other tokens of a certayne foolishnesse as it were or brayne sickenesse in them For the worlde can not iudge otherwyse of such men but that they altogither are besides themselues and out of their right wittes that thus demeane themselues And surely it cānot be denyed but that such men they are most commonly that doe alwaye reioyce in the Lorde The same doe neither desire riches nor séeke for honors and promotions nor folow pleasures They neglect their owne commodities they procure the commodities of other men being in maner lesse carefull for themselues than for others They embrace modestie for stoutnesse basenesse or ignobilitie for glorie austeritie of life for dainties They despise those things that the worlde setteth great store by and set great store by that which it despiseth maketh no accompt off They in maner giue all that euer they haue to the poore that which is giuen to the poore they thinke it giuen to Christ himselfe Such are they therfore that reioyce alway in the Lorde And in déede by the iudgement of the worlde as I haue sayd they séeme almost foolish whyles they so doe but if thou behold the iudgement of God himselfe in his worde thou shalt finde that they alone are the wysest of all other men The thoughts of such mē are alway not on earthly but heauenly things not vpon temporall things but on things euerlasting not vpon humaine affaires but about Gods hestes and cōmaundements For out of these doth arise that continuall ioye in the Lorde Therefore whyle other men are tormented with the cares of this lyfe they doe