yron is purged The thyrde is purginge of vynes tresse whan the suê‘fluous brauÌ„ches are cutte awaye with a knyfe or with a sawe The fourth is the purgynge of y e corn fro the chafe with the fleyle The fyfth is the purgynge of wyne whiche is purge with the pressure For the fyrste purgacyon whiche is made by dryÌ„ke I saye our lorde gyueth to y e this drynke of trybulacyon to purge thyn herte fro corrupt humours of worldely flesshely loue for lyke as the bytter medycynable drynke purged the bodye lyke wyse trybulacyon purgeth the herte wherfore dere beloued soule I praye the drynke hertely and with Joye in god in hope of thyn endelesse saluacoÌ„n This drynke of trybulacyon which this souerayne phesycyen gyueth to the. And knoweth beste thyn complexyoÌ„ thyn Infyrmyte and what drynke is moost profytable to the. And this gentyll phesycyan for to comforte the in thy drynkynge and for to shewe to the that he gyueth noo thynge to the but whiche is profytable He hath begonne and dronken of this drynke to the by his moost paynfull and bytter passyon He dranke to the the moost bytterest parte of this drynke for his paynes were moost sharpest as it is wryten in the booke of Trenos ¶ Uidete si est dolor sinulis sicut dolor meus ¶ See ye sayth he yt therbe ony payne lyke to my payne hit passeth thy power to drynke soo bytter a draught as he began to the. And standynge that he is thy fader and thy maker whiche gyueth to the this drynke and hath soo hertely begonnen to the hymselfe than thou mayst well thynke that this drynke is very profytable to the and for this profyte take it swetely O thou worlde saye that yf the kyng of very loue dyd drynke to his seruante hit were a vylenous dedeto this seruaunt to caste the cup downe whan the kinge offered hit hym Lyke wyse whaÌ„ almyghty god gyueth the chastysement by trybulacyon and thou wolde not take hit but with a frowarde herte that is in the thou caste hit awaye soo moche thy dede is more vylenous aÌ„d oryble as this kyng excedeth all other kynges and his loue to the passeth all other loue and yf thou take hit hertely of his honde so moche it is the more merytoryous to the and to the grete honour and plesure of hym Wherfore I counseyll the whan he offereth to the y e cup that thou drynke it of all hertely yf it were y e bytternes of deth y t he dyd gyue the for he hath dronkeÌ„ that bytter draught hymselfe for y e whiche hadde noo thyÌ„ge to purge in hym wherfore y u that art ful of many vnclene humurs and of goostly corrupcyoÌ„ ought hertly to drynke this dryÌ„ke as y u louest thy saluacyon for the whiche this drynke is sende the. And caste hit not downe after the couÌ„seyll of Salomon there he sayth ¶ Fili disciplinaÌ„ dmÌ„ ne abicias ¶ Childe caste not awaye the dyscyplyÌ„e of punysshement whiche our lorde gyueth to the. For as he sayth in an other place ¶ Qui abicit disciplinaÌ„ infelix est ¶ He that casteth awaye chastysynge is vnhappy Thys bytter drynke our lorde gyueth to all his frendes to whom he hath ordeyned the swete drynke of his glorye after this lyfe Of this drike he speketh to saynt James and to saynt JohaÌ„ whan he sayd Maye ye drynke the drynke that I shall drynke Alle the martyrs haue dronken this drynke Confessours holy men wymen whiche now are put in possessyon of y e endelesse Joyfull kyngdom of heuen Therfore sayth the prophete ¶ CaliceÌ„ salutaris accipiam ¶ I shall drynke the holsome drynke yf it be so bytter that thy stomake may not well awaye withall than calle to our lorde that maketh gyueth this drynke y t he wyll gyue thy power tempre thy stomake appetyte hertely to take it wherfor it foloweth in y e ê“phete ¶ Et nomeÌ„ domini inuocabo ¶ I shall calle the name of my lorde god Many ther are whiche in the begynnynge w t good InstruccoÌ„n drynke this drinke hertely but with a lytell contenaunce they waxe meruaylously wery therwith to suche I saye as y e phesycyan doth Sythen ye haue dronken the more ê‘arte lose not your helth for this lytel but stele vpoÌ„ hit swyftly drynke hit euery sope thynke hit is the moost profytable drynke that euer ye dranke for in drynkynge of it ye drynke your helth let hit not longe abyde in your mouth but hastely let it go downe for ellys hiâ— wyll make the herte to haue ab homynacoÌ„n theâ— with grudge than shal be loost the profyte of y e werkynge as yf a man wolde chew the pylles Kasy whiche are gyuen hym they sholde lytell profyte hym He chewech breketh the pylles whiche grutcheâ—h gretly with the trybulacyons aÌ„d chydeth is angry with euery thyÌ„ge for the angre nesse that he hath to his trybulacyon Euery good soule ought not only to â—ere pacyently trybulacoÌ„n but they sholde desyre to haue temporall tribulacioÌ„ ther purgatory here that they myght auoyde the grete paynes tourmeÌ„tes whiche are ordeined for purgacoÌ„n of synne after this lyfe to suche as departe in the state of grace As our sauyour for our we le not only without chydynge or wepynge suffred the payne of his passyon but he wylfully offred himself therto Somtyme the phesycyan gyueth a good me dycyne to purge the bodye and hit â—oth no profyte For the humours are so harde and not dygested the the medycyne purged not y e nature from them Lyke wyse our lorde sendeth trybulacyoÌ„ but the herte is harde without pacyence aÌ„d mekenes that hit nothynge profyteth Lyke as the trybulacyoÌ„ that our lorde sende to kyng Pharao no thynge dyd profite to hym for the more trouble he had the more proude angre and enuyous he was and soo that thyÌ„ge whiche is gyuen of our lorde as medycyne to y e herte the euyll takynge therof tourneth hit to poyson ¶ An other purgacyon of the bodye is by lettynge of blood one maner is to let out the blood by the veyne for lyke as the euyl blood corruÌ„peth the good blood lyke wyse â—yÌ„ne whiche is lykened to euyl blode corruÌ„peth the soule bryngeth it to endelesse paine The mouth wherby this blood of synne eschewe is the mouth of a penytentman or woman whaÌ„ by confessyon it putteth out the synne as SalomoÌ„ sayth ¶ Os iustâ— vena vite ¶ The mouthe of the ryghtwysse man is the veyne of lyfe for therby he is delyuered fro synne whiche yf he were not delyuered therof it sholde brynge hym to endelesse deth For this blood desyred the ê“phete Dauyd to be de lyuered whan he sayd to our lorde ¶ Libera me de sanguinibus deus deus salutis mee ¶ My lorde god of my helth delyuer me fro blood y t is to saye fro syÌ„nes And our lorde sayd by the prophete ysaye to
in me sayth oure lorde I shall delyuer hym Than y u that haste almyghty goddes helpe in thy trybulacoÌ„n abydynge with y e to helpe the whan the trybulacoÌ„n doth assoyle the resorte than with harty desyre to the presence of thy lorde god besechynge hym for grace to take hit soo that he may be pleased with the thou to haue specyall helpe ayenst thyn aduersaryes by y e good takynge of trybulacyoÌ„ sythen our lorde cometh to the tribulacoÌ„n the more thy trybulacion groweth theby more nygh he draweth to ye. But peraueÌ„tu re y u wylt saye here Syr the preseÌ„ce of trybulacyoÌ„ I fele but the presence of my lorde god whiche as the ê“phete sayth bereth me felyshyp in trybulacioÌ„ I fele not for yf he made me fele ioyfulnesse of herte by his preseÌ„ce lyke as trybulacioÌ„ maketh me to fele bytternesse of herte I sholde be wel coÌ„tent to suffre trybulacioÌ„ gladly I wolde resceyue hit Also an other thynge stoneth me gretly for byfore y e trybulacoÌ„n came thynges contrarye to my wyll I had more felynge in god more plesure as it semeth me than in y e tyme of trybulacoÌ„n How is it thaÌ„ that in tribulacoÌ„n he is more nygh to me I lesse fele hym for a solucyon of this doubte y u shalt vnderstande that y u haste y e presence of god where euer thou be for y e preseÌ„ce of god his dyuynyte fulfylleth heuen erthe as he sayth by y e prophete Jeremye ¶ Celum terraÌ„ ego impleo ¶ Wherfore thou ought to be ryght well auysed in euery corner what thou doost or what thou sayest for thou haste thy â–ª Juge present that shall dampne the or saue y e but specyally he is preseÌ„te with the whan thou art in his grace and growest in vertue As whaÌ„ thou feleste that by grete temptacyon and trybulacyoÌ„ thou settest lesse by the worldely vanyte and by thy life and gyuest the more to prayers fastynge watchynge almesse dede doynge pylgremage goynge to redyÌ„ge of good bokes of vertue of holy medytacyons to haue thy mynde more conteyned to god with wyl to serue hym better whaÌ„ thou felest these profytes growe in the than thou felest our lorde gostely These profytes our lorde maketh by teÌ„ptacyon and trybulacyon as saynt Poule sayth ¶ Be nâ—dictus deus qui facit cuÌ„ temptacione prouentuÌ„ ¶ Blessyd be god that werketh by temptacoÌ„n profyte Thou wylt saye peraduenture that thou haste hurte somtyme by trybulacyoÌ„s for somtyme thou fallest by temptacyon and louest vertue I answe to this that yf thou haue a wyll fynally to do well or wolde haue a wyll to do wel whiche is one of y e grete tokens thou shalt be the childe of saluacyon than standynge thou be y e electe and chosen childe of god what someuer happen to the thou shalt haue wele therby not withstandynge that thou doost dedely synne yet our lorde shall worke a weyle the vpon As the apostle sayth ¶ Diligentibê° dnÌ„m oia coopantÌ„ in bonuÌ„ hus qui scâ—m ê“posituÌ„ vocati sunt sancti ¶ To suche as loue god all thynge retorneth to theyr weyle and specyally to suche as are the electe childern of god or for suche as be the chosen chyldern of god after they haue falleÌ„ in to dedely synne they fele in themselfe rumours and bytternesse of consyence they wyll be coÌ„fessed therof thei sette lesse by themselfe seynge they are but wretched synnérs They set lesse by dygnytees and worshyppes of this worlde for they thynke theÌ„selfe be worthy to haue no worshypes but rather to haue grete shame rebuke they set lesse by ryche reparell and clothynge They set lesse by costely and delycate fedyÌ„nge of the bodye for they thyÌ„ke they haue deserued rather bodely payne than plesure Also seynge how they were brought to synne they are more wyse to auoyde suche occasyons herafter Also they loue god more that after theyr falle taketh them to grace ayen and of very loue they drede more to offende hym And thus many that falle tosynne come to more grace than some y t haue not suche falle lyke as Mary magdaleyn in heuen aboue is maÌ„y that keped in this lyfe coÌ„tynually theyr virgynyte I saye not this to gyue coÌ„forte to ony soule for tosynne in hope that they shall come to more grace For who cometh to suche grace who not it is not in themselfe but in god And not withstandynge many come to suche grace after grete synne Yet those that contynue in Innocencye maye haue this grace and moche more in that that they are vel occupyed the tyme that the other were wretchedly occupyed by synne And soo that tyme they wynne vpon theym that falle Also our lorde is feled by consolacyon and by comforte whiche he sendeth y e tyme of trybulacyon Many a soule is loste without caunseyll and conforte of man whiche our lorde of his grete mercy sodaynly doth coÌ„forte that they thynke for the tyme the trouble is cléne gone fro them The apostle sayth ¶ Sicut passioÌ„es xpÌ„i habundant in nobis sic ê“ xpÌ„m habundat consolacio nostra ¶ Lyke as the paynes of cryste haboÌ„de in vs so habondeth in vs consolacyon by hym aÌ„d suche as haue synned whan they haue grace of tee res wepynge for theyr synnes with the same ryseth a spyrytuell Joye in god y t whiche gyueth theÌ„ suche grace to be sory for theyr syÌ„nes As sayÌ„t Austen sayth the synner soroweth for synne of his sorowe he doth Joye Euery soule that conteyneth in vertuous lyuynge ought to be coÌ„tent though he fele no grete goostly swetnesse for comoÌ„ly our lorde sendeth hit to suche as he seeth are wek to bere grete labour and temptacyons and by hit he comforteth them as by mylke the childe is nourysshed But suche as be myghtely growen in grace and in vertue he sendeth them fedynge by bytter teÌ„ptacyons and trybularyoÌ„s as saint Poule sayth ¶ Perfectoâ— est solidus cibus qui habeÌ„t sensus exercitatos ad discrecioneÌ„ bom et mali ¶ And the more a soule hath of goostly swetnesse in this lyfe so moche lesser hit shallhaue in the lyfe to come As he that taketh parte of his wageafore his terme daye the lesse he shall receyue whan his terme daye cometh Suche ofteÌ„tyme as our lorde loueth best he sendeth leste goostly delectacyon but leueth theÌ„ only to theyr myghty fayth and by that to good werker of lyuynge For in this lyfehe kepeth pÌ„uy his loue bycause he wylle kepe them lowe y t they shall not make to moche of themselfe And yet to some whiche he loueth specyally he sendeth grete swetenesse in goostly felynge of hym and by wondre reuelacyons And oftentyme more to the profyte to quyckeÌ„ other to his seruyce fayth whiche knowen not suche wondre workynges than to the profyte of themselfe But after this lyfe he wyl make openly knowen to all the worlde euery dede of vertue And what
the people of Israell ¶ AuertaÌ„ oculos a vobis quia manus vestre plenesunt sanguine ¶ I shall tâ—orn my face fro you for your handes are full of blood that it to saye your werkes are full of synne y e euyl blood of the herte that is to saye synne euyll mocyons ought to be put awaye the good blood y t is the good mocyons ought to be kept styll to nourysshynge of the herte And lyke as he is a fole y t wolde all his good blood sholde be let out all the euyl kept so he is a more grete foole whiche sheweth out warde his good dedes by ypocresye to haue vayne laude kepeth close his euyll dedes specyally whan he sholde she we them by confessyon wherfore who so wyll that trybulacyon pacyentely taken shall be profytable to them see y t they kepe theyr soule clene by coÌ„fessyon for ther is no payne that shall be rewarded in heuen except the sufferer therof be in the state of grace yet it is good to a persone notwithstandynge they deme y t they be in dedely synne pacyently to take payne for theâ— shall therby y e sooner ryse to grace theyr contrycoÌ„n may be so grete with wyll to be confessyd y t they may deserue to haue grace byfore they come to coÌ„fessyon Netheles though y e contrycyon be as moche as a persone may haue for synne w c wyl to be confessyd yet they are bouÌ„de after to be confessyd therof ones in the yere or els thei synne dedely ayen Confessyon to many a soule is full troubelous For some haue grete payne to confesse them for shame y t they haue of abhomynable synnes some thynke y t they neuer confesse them playnly ynough and also for payne of contrycyon and satysfaccoÌ„n that the true penyteÌ„t hath it may be nombred ynough trybulacyoÌ„s An other meane to mynysshe blood is by garsynge ventosynge or boxynge soo as many trybulacyoÌ„s as y u haste as many garsynges y u haste so many strokes are stry ken of thyn herte to purge hit But lyke as the fles she afore the garsynge ought to be enflaÌ„med with fyre put in flexe in the vessell of glasse so moche the stroke of garsynge shall greue the lesse that the flesshe hath ben altred with y e hete afore Thus yf the herte be enflaÌ„med with the fyre of loue of god hit shall the lesse fele the greue of the stroke of trybulacyon For yf the herte haue the loue of god it is content with his werkynge whiche in this worlde sendeth trybulacyon to all those that he loued or deyneth in the other worlde with hymselfe to haue the grete consolacoÌ„n without this fyre of loue in a dysobedyent herte the strokes of trybulacyon they are full greuous full of anguysshe payne For as saynt Austen sayth ¶ Omnia sena et immania leua ac facilia amor facit ¶ All thynges whiche are ragens fayle loue maketh lyght easy to bere Thus our lorde dyd enflaÌ„me the hertes of his aposteles afore they suffred y e grete persecucoÌ„n tribu lacoÌ„n in prechynge of the fayth he sent to them the holy goost y e spyryte of loue in symylytude of fyre in token y t he had kyndeled the fyre of loue in their hertes Thê° saynt Peter afore his herte was heted w t this loue he myght not bere y e worde of a womaÌ„ whiche called hym one of crystes dyscyples but af ter that he had receyued y e spyryte of loue he was glad to be called so glad to suffre his flesshe to be garsed wounded on the crosse for y e grete loue y t he had to our sauyour cryste This loue made hyÌ„ so pacyent that not only bytter wordes were swete to hym but also bytter strokes The grete loue de syre y t he had to be with cryste made hym glad to take trybulacyons whiche he knewe was the waye to come to cryste ¶ An other purgacoÌ„n is of metall as golde is purged in y e fyre made more bryghter is departed from other metall so the fyre of trybu lacyon formeth the herte maketh it more clene maketh to departe therfro rosty metall of syÌ„ne In this fyre were the martyrs y e confessours fyned purged as it is wryten in the boke of wysedome ¶ Tanque auruÌ„ in fornace ê“bauit electos dominê° Â¶ God hath ê“ued his electe childer by trybulacioÌ„ lyke as the golde is proued by the fyre Here ye shal vnderstande that lyke as of all metals golde is the moost pÌ„cyous so leed is moost lytell in valdure yet ther may noo golde be well fyned without led For the leed molten with the golde draweth to hym all the mater of corrupcoÌ„n fro the golde Thus the good folke whiche are lykened to golde are purged by the euyll folke whiche are lykened to leed For by grete Iniuryes wronges y t they do to y e good folke in worde and dede they purge them fro sinne for they take all the wronges done to them well And by the good takynge therof thynkynge they haue deserued suche trouble more and thanke god that sendeth them ther purgatorye in this lyfe thei growe in grace and in the grete fauour of our lorde And the wretched people y t wroÌ„gfully trouble them of a malycyous entent growe in the IndygnacoÌ„n of our lorde and indette of the grete payne whiche they shal paye after this mortal lyfe Thus by persecucyons of tyrauntes were crowned the martyrs An other wyse trybulacyon purgeth the herte lyke as frobysshynge scoureth the yrone and lyke as the knyfe whiche lyeth and is not occupyed rosteth and as the swerde whiche is not drawen out of the scaberde So men and wymen whiche reste in the plesures of this lyfe and are not frobysshed with shar pe trybulacyon they lose the bryghtnesse of ther sou le and waxe rosty by synne And theyr soules are as abhomynable in the syght of god as ther bodyes ar plesauÌ„t in the syght of man wherfore thou that art a faythfull soule and seest thou may not haue thy plesures in this worlde and in the lyfe that is to come also grutche not gretly yf our lorde skoure thyÌ„ haberton with trybulacoÌ„n and make the a bryght swerde to stryke the fendes by holy lyuynge wylfull takynge of trybulacyon For more payne thou canst not do to the deuyll than to take payne pacyently for than he is confouÌ„ded in the whan he can not by trybulacyon brynge y e to InpacyeÌ„ce our lor de scoureth the to make the knowe thy selfe and to set lytell by thyselfe and to knowe hym and make moche of hym whiche by trybulacoÌ„n tamporal shal delyuer the from all trybulacyon eternall and bryn ge the to perpetuall consolacyon ¶ An other purgynge is as the gardener purgeth the vyne other tresse by cuttynge awaye of superfluous braunches Of this purgacyon
lyfe to come for the grete sufferers are the grete cqonuerours And with the betynge y t they suffre of payne trybulacyon theyr crowne is forged on the flethy of ther herte Than thou whiche desyrest to haue the crowne forsake not the strokes of the hamers for by these our lorde hath ordeyÌ„ed that thy crowne shall be made and at suche tymes y t the strokes are moost profytable to the whan thou with very fayth remembrynge the profytes of a pacyent charytable herte kepe his perfyte obedyence to our lorde aÌ„d loue to thyn enemyes that thou canst fynde in thyn herte to forgyue them hertely to praye for them y t they may haue forgyuenesse of our lorde This fyre of charyte maketh thy werke to go forth spedefully lyke as the hote metall dylateth goth abrode vndernethe the hamer yet w t this charyte y u mayst defende thy ryght oppresse the malyce of thyn enemye by menes acordynge to Justyce equyte yf thy power be therto and specyally whan of lykelyhode by grete suffrauÌ„ce theyr malyce shold Incresse Also thou shalt sustene that god susteneth with the for he susteneth with the bereth the vp in suffrynge auersyte by his sustenyng of the y u arte borne vp that thou falle not vnder the grete strokes of aduersyte other by bodely deth or grete vnpacyence or rancour of herte many soules sholde haue grete falles by false worldely ê“speryte they were not keped vnder the strokes of aduersyte and also these strokes they myght not abyde except they had supportacyon of the hande of almyghty god with these trybulacyons thou art also sustened and fede made stronge lyke as the bodye is made myghty to bere grete burthens by materyall mete This trybulacyons are bytter but they purge the soule make it to growe in perfeccyon of goostly lyfe wherfore I counseyll the as the goostly phesycyan of thy soule to refuse not this dysshe of our lorde sette it before the for he hathe not only tasted this dysshe to the but he hath plentefully taken hymselfe of hit as the prophete Jeremye prophecyed vpon hym ¶ Saturabitur ob probriis ¶ He shall be sacyate sayd he with rebukes Thus y u shalt not thynke thy selfe rebuked in that thou haste trybulacyons grete wronge done to y e in this worlde but rather y u art worshyped in y e that thou art called to the dysshe of our lorde Of this dysshe was fede that holy man Job as he sayth in his boke ¶ Non leuabo caput saturatê° afflictione ¶ I shal not lyft vp myn hede with payne and woo Than as y u hast grete trybulacoÌ„n moche to suffre thanke thy lorde god whiche so largely ê“uydeth for the for after the quantyte of trybulacyon shal be the quantyte mesure of thy glorye consolacoÌ„n And therfore as y u wyll haue the swete receyue the sowre for thy grete swetnesse muste come of bytternesse Also thou shall sustene that god susteneth in the for he within the so reteneth the mocyons of trybulacyons that yf he sustened heÌ„ not they sholde oppresse the downe and therfore foloweth ¶ Comungere deo et sustine ¶ As who sayd drawe thou nyghe cleue to god for he is felowe to the in this sufferynge berynge of trybulacyon wherfore be not astonysshed in berynge thynkynge that the burthen pas seth thy power For he bereth with the whiche wyll suffre the no more to bere but acordynge to thy power the resydue of the burthen he bereth it with the. He is so mercyfull so gentyll that he wyll suffre noo soule to bere aboue his power in weyght of temptacoÌ„n trybulacoÌ„n as the apostle sayth ¶ Fidelis deus q noÌ„ pacietÌ„ nos teÌ„ptari vltra quam potestis ¶ Wherfore complayne not of thy burthen for he leyeth vpon the whiche beste knoweth thy power no more chargeth the withall but that thou may be re the resydue he bereth hymselfe and that is the greter parte yet in that parte thou berest thy selfe he helpeth the and comforteth the for without hym thou mayst no thynge do as he sayth in the gospell of saynt Johan ¶ Sine me nichil potestis facere ¶ Wherfore all ye whiche desyre to haue the lyfe of Joye I counseyll you pacyently to take this lyfe of trybulacoÌ„n for by the storkes of trybulacyon ye are made able to receyue stronge to retene y e grace of our lorde wherby ye shall shortly be delyuered from all trybulacyon come to the plentefulnesse of the flood of delectacoÌ„n which shal flowe vpon you tro the grete essencyall mageste of god soo replenysshe you that all your power shall be sacyate eternally after this lytell and short payne of this traÌ„sytorye lyfe THe eyght consolacoÌ„n is to remembre y e payne trybulacyon maketh the to seche labour for the solace aboue in heuen For naturally euery man woman hath apetyte to solace delectacyon wherfore whan they are put therfro in this lyte by bytter trybulacyon than theyr mynde renneth for to haue it in the other worlde For in this lyfe there both no man may fulfylle his appe tyte after his plesure for after the ordynauÌ„ce of god grete plesure in this lyfe he hath ordeyned grete pai ne for it in that lyfe for this plesure is not without myserye of synne and grete payne here he hath ordeyned grete plesure for it there Wherfore trybulacyon in as moche as it excludeth fro the and Interdyâ—eth erthely plesure solace soo moche it prouydeth and openeth to the the heuenly solace Lyke wyse as the lorde of the towne where as grete plente of wyne is for to be solde as in the contre there it groweth he wyll make the taueners of the towne to be shette vp to suche a tyme that he haue vttered his owne wyne Soo our lorde maketh the tauerne of this worlde to be shette vp to the by trybulacyon to suche a tyme that thou haue bought his wyne of consolacyon by merytes of this lyfe Soo yf y u wylt haue wyne of consolacoÌ„n thou muste go to hym as the prophete Johell sayth ¶ Bestie agri quasi area sciciens inspexeruÌ„t ad te quomaÌ„ excecati sunt fontes aquarum ¶ He calleth the bestes of the felde flesshely affeccyons and desyres of our herte and the welles of the waters he calleth the plesures of sensuall delectacyon Whiche whan they are dryed with aduersytees they coustreyne the herte to loke vpwarde to heuen for drynke for than it can fynde none in erth and fayne it wolde drynke And so moche the glory of god the plesure of the perfyte Joye is more desyred of y e herte And in this also he sheweth to the his specyall goodenesse whiche maketh all thynges so bytter to the that no thynge thou haste plesure to thynke on but only of hym Wherfore sayth saynt Austen in his confessyons ¶ Paciebar in
yet the moost token of loue is aduersyte more than prosperyte For that is the moost token of loue whiche the fader of heuen gyueth to hym y t heloueth beste but he gaaf to our sauyour his sone his blyssed moder whom he loued beste moost trybulacyon in this lyfe lytel prosperyte wherfore aduersyte is the moost sure token of loue Also sythen oure sauyour come in to this worlde as a marchauÌ„t in to a feyre to chose y e good leue the euyll as ysaye sayth ¶ Ut sciat eligere bonuÌ„ reprobare maluÌ„ ¶ But this wyse our lorde refused prosperyte the kyngdome of Jure whan it was offered to hym chose aduersyte and grete labour payne all his lyfe and with the moost bytterest deth endeth his lyfe Than yf thou wylt be awyfe marchauÌ„t folowe hym whiche can not be deceyued in his marchauÌ„dyse Than chese with hym here trybulacoÌ„n thou shalt haue with hym the Infenyte Joye consolacyon THe xiii conforth in trybulacyon is to remembre that yf thou suffre thy payne and trybulacyon pacyently than y u makest a grete conquest of thy goostly enemyes vtterly confouÌ„dest all theyr malyce For all theyr labour is to make the to take thy trybulacoÌ„n with grutchynge and a wofull herte bycause thou art let therby fro suche plesures as thou art dysposed to haue yf thou were without suche payne trouble Wherfore yf thou take thy trouble pacyently with a meke obedyent herte referrynge it as a mene meryte to come to y e euerlastynge Joye plesure And y t y u haste a wyl not to be sorâ— in that thou art let by trybulacuÌ„n for those dysceyuable plesures whiche sholde make the to lose this plesure of eternal felycyte than thou obteynest vyctorye of the fendes whiche tempte the to the contrarye and they shal haue more payne after that they beÌ„ conquered therfore sayth the prophete ¶ Perdes oâ—s qui tribulaÌ„t aiÌ„am meaÌ„ ¶ Thou shalt vndo punysshe all those whiche trouble my soule And of euery fende that thou getest the better of thou shalt haue the place of glorye in heuen whiche he sholde haue had yf he had not fallen as Orygenes sayth of these wordes in Deutro Omnis locus queÌ„ calcauerit pes vester vester erit ¶ And scrypture sayth that these holy gracyous soules whiche ouercome breke the purpose of the deuyll they Iâ—lude hym deceyue hym as Dauyd sayth ¶ Draco iste quem formasti ad illudendum ei ¶ This dragon the fende thou haste made hym that sholde be deluded deceyued whiche at all tyme laboureth to deceyue For good soules vse the temptacyons of y e deuyll contrarye to his entente for by those thynges they are meke wherby he wolde brynge them to pryde and by that they are pacyent wherby he wolde make them vnpacyent and by those thynges they are brought to chastyte wherby he wolde brynge them to lecherye And thus they gyue hym a falle in his owne tourne and with that same croke they caste hym downe with the whiche he entended for to haue wrasteled them downe O how gladde mayst thou than be whiche pacyently haste taken aduersyte For by the merytes of this lyfe thou hast deserued to haue full domynacoÌ„n of thyn enemyes at the houre of deth than they shall be aferde of the for than thou shal be confermed in grace and shalt haue power to tye and to bynde them lyke as the bere warder keper byÌ„deth his beres For thou whiche puttest them to fere shame in this lyfe resystynge theyr temptacyous thou muste than be terryble to them for than y u shalt receyue thy grete power of god in rewarde of thy batayl wherfore thou whiche wolde haue a Joyfull houre of deth take pacyently paynes troubles of this lyfe THe xiiii consolacyon is to remembre that yf thou take trybulacyon pacyently y u drawest to the the mercyfull loke of our lorde and mekest hym with grete plesure to beholde the of this mayst thou be Joyfull that ony thynge sholde be in the wherfore our lorde sholde haue a specyall plesure to beholde the for this thou mayst be sure that yf he haue plesure to loke on the by that loke thoushalt haue profyte of hym wherfore pacyently suffre a whyle for y u shalt be sure that of this sufferauÌ„ce shall growe grete profyte This profyte y u mayst not loke to haue hastly for after the ordre of wysedom of our lorde it mufte haue a tyme in growynge Lyke as y e husbande man loketh not for repyng of his corn as soone as he hath sowen it Our lorde is nothasty in hys werkyng but doth al thyng by tyme delyberacoÌ„n as y u mayst see in y e werkes of nature Thy nayles thy heere groweth coÌ„tynualy but they growe so softely that y e mayst not perceyue theyr growynge loke vpon them as perfytely as y u canst and yet by processe of tyme y u mayst see y t they be growen vnder thyn eyen yet thou perceyuest not Lyke wyse grace grete vertue groweth in thy soule by pacyent takynge of aduersyte that y u shalt well perceyue yf thou perseruer in pacyence thê° vertue groweth yet tho y u perceyuest it not Than specyally our lorde hath plesure to loke on the whan thou takest trybulacyons to the entent that he doth seÌ„de them to the that is to saye as penaunce for that y u haste synned and to obteyne therby grace vertue And that by thy pacyent thankefull sufferynge y u shalt gyue good example to suche as do knowe thy trouble And than thou mayst saye as it is wryten in the boke of Trenos ¶ Uide dnÌ„e qmÌ„ tribulor ¶ Beholde lorde for I am troubled As who sayd well taken trouble is the cause that thou lokest on me this trouble thus taken maketh of croked soules ryghtwysse soules of the whom Dauyd sayth ¶ Oculi dnÌ„i suê‘iustos et aures eius ad preces corr ¶ The eyen of our lorde are set vpon y e ryghtwysse men his eeres are nyghe to theyr prayers But y u wylt peraduenture saye that also he beholdeth wret che men for it foloweth ¶ Uultus auteÌ„ dnÌ„i suê‘ faciences mala ¶ The face of our lord is vpon them that done moche euyl but attende ye then what foloweth in the same verse ¶ Ut ê‘dat de terra memo riam eorr ¶ Our lorde loketh on the wretched men to the entent that after a lytell whyle they shall neuer be remembred after to y e honour of god theyr coÌ„mendacyon But by the good soules whiche here pacyently take trybulacyon our lorde shall euer haue honour they also shall haue perpetuell laude coÌ„mendacoÌ„n lyke as we see in the chirche of god coÌ„ tunuall honour done to god by suche as haue gretely suffred for god and for theyr synnes in this lyfe Ther was
our lorde hath lent it theym only as longe as it pleseth hym wherfore whan the worldely goodes goo they thynke it is of his ordynauÌ„ce whiche ordeyneth euery thynge to the beste to suche soules as are wyllynge to lyue accordynge to his wyll with an obedyent herte these knowe that it is for the beste that he taketh them awaye therfore they blysse hym wherfore losse of worldly ê“speryte troubled lytel y e soules of good folke y e synful folke thynke y t they are very lordes of temporall goodes that they may spende them after ther owne plesure hauynge lytell regarde or none to the wyll of god And in these goodes they put they moost felycyte and pleasure wherefore they be hyghe and proude in possessyon of these and in losse of them they are caste downe in to grete sorowe and payne and the more sorowe they haue in losse of theym the more corrupte and vycyous loue they hadde in hauynge of them Our lorde also gyueth wordely goodes to synfull folke for yf he sholde stryke euery synfull man woman with the stroke of sharpe trybulacyon as soone as they hadde synned than they sholde thyuky that all synne were punysshed in this lyfe and that ther were no punysshement for synne ordeyned after this lyfe wherfore our lorde suffreth many one for to lyue in this lyfe after theyr owne plesure and to multeplye synne at ther plesure aÌ„d to his grete dysplesure hauynge no punysshement in this worlde by cause we shall vnderstande y t it is reserued to the other worlde for god is so ryghtful that he may leue no synne vnpunysshed wherfore â—ythen these syÌ„ners are not punysshed in this worlde ther muste nede punysshement be done after this worlde And hit shall be to harde to abyde y e trybulacoÌ„n wherfore well is them that haue in this lyfe theyr trybulacyon for this is lytell or nought in regarde of that Also some synners in this lyfe haue grete trybulacoÌ„n punysshement and specyally suche as be comonly knowen of wretched lyuynge one cause is that other shal be aferde to folowe theym by example of lyuynge and an other is that we may see in this lyf that god taketh grete dysplesure with the lyfe of suche as be wretched yf he sholde punysshe no synne in this lyfe than hit sholde be thought that he lytell forsed of the lyfe of man ne gaue none attendaunce therto Also yf he wolde gyue no temporall goodes to suche as aske theym of hym hit sholde seme that they were not in his power And yf he sholde gyue temporall goodes to echone that asketh them vndstandynge that they be soo gretly desyred in this lyfe the people wolde rather serue hym for goodes of this lyfe than for goodes of the lyfe to come wherfore to some he gyueth prosperyte and to some he gyueth aduersyte Wherfore suche as aske temporal prosperyte and resceyue hit of our lorde they may see that he may gyue hit but yf they set theyr herte more on hit than on the prosperyous lyfe to come they shall neuer after this lyfe haue prosperyte but perpetuall trybulacyon and aduersyte Also suche as be louers of god and vertue and haue in this lyf payne and aduersyte our lorde hath ordeyned in y e lyfe to come to haue grete prosperyte And suche as he seeth that sholde be blyndeth with temporal prossperyte he sendeth theym themporall aduersyte by cause that they sholde lytell make of this lyfe where as they suffre so grete trybulacyon and make moche of that lyfe wherby they shall resceyue the grete prosperyté of that flourynge felicite that neuer shal fade by aduersyte but euer be a lyke fres he without ende in eternyte Thus who so wyll haue that prosperyte they muste take pacyently and thankefully this aduersyte For the profyte of payne and trybulacoÌ„n is in the maner of well takynge therof The good theef and the euyll theef the whiche were crucefyed with our sauyour suffred one maner of payne but the good thef toke it faythfully and pacyently and therfore hit brought hym to the paradyse The euyll theef toke hit not faythfully ne pacyentely and therfore hit nothynge dyde profyte to hym to delyuer hym fro synne and to procure grace for to brynge hym to glorye Oftentyme the paynes that dyuerse persones suffre is lyke but the takynge of hit is not lyke therfore one persone is purged by payne and the other is broken and hurte therby for that one taketh hit pacyently and thanketh god therof and that other grutcheth therwith and forgeteth god and so the payne that they â—uffre is lyke but the sufferers are not lyke for that one hath vertue with the payne and that other hath vyce lyke as in one fyer golde glystereth and the grene blocke smoketh and vnder one fleyle the whete is purged and the chaf is broken so one maner of payne or trybulacyon purgeth the pacyent and fyleth and destroyeth the vnpacyent The good man or good woman loueth and thanketh god therof for hit is his werke and they praye to hym that hit may stande theym for theyr purgatorye for allmaner synet cometh of vyce al maner payne cometh of god to the more profyte of those that desyren to loue hym more than all the wytte of mortall man can telle the euyll man or woman grutcheth with god and thynketh lytell what profyte y t he hath ordeyned to theym by payne trybulacyon THere is noo temporall payne that ony crysten soule suffreth in this lyfe but they deserue hit well and moche more both for offences that they doo in themselfe and also ayenst theyr neyghbours There is noo man neyther noo woman the whiche lyueth soo Innocently and soo vertuousely in this lyfe but many tymes they offen de doynge not after ryght and reason but after the euyll desyre of theyr flesshe Not with standynge that by specyall grace of oure lorde ther are full many the whiche lyue longe tyme without dedely synnes and doo noo grete myscheuous dedes for whiche myscheuous dedes and for punysshement of y t whiche our lorde fulfylleth the worde with grete batayle pestylence and grete hongre and many grete trybulacyons and yet they can not excuse theym but they doo many venyall synnes the whiche deserue more punysshemeÌ„t of the rygoure of ryghtwysnesse than ony that is felede in this lyfe And yf it were so that ony man or woman lyued without synne of themselfe yet they lyue not without synne in dayly couersacoÌ„n with theyr neyghbours for with theyr neyghbours they lyue not alwaye as thei sholde do excytynge them to vertue by wordes and example Also whan they here or see theym offende they correcte theym not as they ought to do by broderly charyte For somtyme of ydelnesse they wyll not studye how they myght saye or do to the correc cyon of theyr neyghbour And somtyme they are a shamed to speke to theym ferynge that they sholde be rebuked ayen other in lyke thynges or in
worse or for couetyse that they fere yf they sholde speke they sholde dysplese and by that they sholde lose suche thynges as they desyre to haue or they sholde lose therby suche thynges as they haue Neuerthelesse euery man is not bouÌ„de to correcte other folke whan he seeth them offende for peraduenture yf he speke openly to hym amonges many he sholde make hym worse than he was byfore wherfore yf his mynde gyue hym that he myght more profyte at an other tyme than he may withoute ofence cese tyll suche a tyme that he thynke he sholde more profyte But euery man that seeth his neyghbour offende and demed in his mynde that by his speche he myght reforme hym he is bounde to speke ta his reformacyon And by cause they doo not soo notwithstandynge they lyue vertuously to theym selfe yet they deserue to haue payne and trybulacyon accordynge to the ryghtwysnesse of almyghty god wherfore euery man ought pacyently to take trybulacyon for the ryght wysnesse of god wyll y t hit be so for causes the whiche oftymes are knowen only to hym TRybulacyon for hit selfe is not to be desyred but for the profyte that groweth therof for the specyall helpe that the soule hath therby for y e synfull soule is refourmed restored to the loue of god by the well takynge of trybulacy on wherfore that soule whiche hath offended god wolde be glad to wynne his loue agayne hit may be glad whan he sendeth hit trybulacyon payne for therby they may wynne his loue And for this cause sayth the prophete Dauid ¶ Da nobis dne auxiliuÌ„ de tribulacione ¶ Lorde helpe vs by trybulacyon he sayth not gyue vs trybulacyoÌ„ but gyue vs helpe by trybulacyon As no man wyll desyre a bytter drynke but only for the helpe that he may haue therby yf he truste that he may haue his bodely lyfe therby he wyll he ryght glad to drynke hit be hit neuer so bytter rather than he sholde bodely dye Lyke wyse a synful soule that hath deserued eueria stynge deth sholde be ryght glad to drynke a sharpe draught of trybulacyon for to be delyuered ther by fro y e endelesse payne of euerlastynge deth Thê° to wyse folke in god whiche ordeyne all theyr lyfe pryncypally to god tribulacyon deth grete profyte And to wyse folke of the worlde that putte theyr moost plesure in this worlde lytell remembre the lyfe that is to come trybulacyon doth grete hurte for hit is so sore ayenst theyr wyll whiche our lorde sendeth to theyr helth profyte to make theym set lytell by this worlde that our lorde is wroth with theym so by the dysobedyent takynge of this temporal trybulacioÌ„ they deserue to haue euerlastynge trybulacyoÌ„n Thus euery man yf he wyll may haue grete helpe profyte by trybulacyoon And this god wyl thou shalt haue the sooner yf y u remembre how precyous this vertue of pacyence is in y e syght of god and how profytable hit is to the soule without whiche no vertue pleaseth god in the ne profyteth the. Than thynke that thou can lose no bodely thynges whos losse is troublous to the that is so profytable as pacyence whiche thou losys yf thou take not easely thy trybulacoÌ„n And so lerne to conforte thyselfe within in that y u felest thyselfe dyscon forteth without for yf thou take pacyently aduercyte and thynges done ayenst thy wyll thou gettest more rychesse Inwardly in thy soule than is possyble to the to lose outwardly And of all gladnesse that is the moost precyous acceptable to god the whiche groweth of trybulacoÌ„n is one of y e moost gladnesse y t y u can haue y t y u haste an holy soule but this gladnesse none may haue but suche as knowe y e fruyte profyte of trybulacoÌ„n whiche ye may lerne in parte by redynge of this treatyse of trybulacoÌ„n specyally yf ye emprynte well the sentence therof in your mynde for lyke as euyll chawed mete profyteth lytell nature so lyght redynge with lytell at tendannce of the sentence profyteth lytel the soule THere are xx fruytes the whiche cometh of trybulacyon well taken The fyrste is that trybulacyon well taken as the werke of our lorde to reformacyon of the soule kepeth the good soule in the state of grace fro the hondes of the enemyes therof and hit rescueth delyuereth the euyll soule fro the enemyes These enemyes that are sub pressyd dyscoÌ„fet by trybulacoÌ„n are y e fals Joyes of this worlde dysceyuable prosperytees of flesshely plesure whiche take as prysoners y e hertes of meÌ„ wymen that be without dyscyplyne aÌ„d connynge of vertuous lyuynge to bataylle ryghte with these flesshely pleasures they are so dysceyuable for they shewe as they were freÌ„des they are enemyes they shewe they wolde brynge to grete plesure but fynally they brynge to grete payne sorowe destruccyon These are the enemyes that foles of this lyfe desyre to be conuersaunt withall they take theym not as enemyes but as true frendes helpers they make soo fayre contenauÌ„ce pretence of fauour yet they entende to kylle destroye as Joab capteyn to the people of kyng Dauyd toke y e man Amas by y e chynne laughed on hym as he had ben his freÌ„de by cause he sholde not haue hym suspecte and with that other hande he thurst hym into the bely with a dagger Thus whan worldly prosperyte laughed on a man y t he hath all thynges to his plesure than he standeth in moost Jeopardy to lose y e loue of god that is verry lyfe to the soule for than he shall be drawen to many vyces therfore prosperite is more to be drede than aduersyte in that hit desceyueth traytoursly lyke as the enemye that hurteth secretly by dysceyte is more to be drede that he y t assoyleth openly TrybulacoÌ„n is not only in losse of goodes losse of frendes losse of helthe losse of lyberte â–ª but hit is also in losse of transquylyte peas of mynde whiche a soule hath that is in grete temptacoÌ„n batayll ayenst the worlde the flesshe or the deuyll Of all troubles hit is moost whan a soule is troubled to do a thynge contrarye to the plesure of god whom hit desyreth of all thynge to please TrybulacoÌ„ns are not only sende fro god to those that entende to serue please god but hymselfe ledeth the oost of trybulacoÌ„ns as captayne marchall of the oost to ordeyne theym so wysely that they shall be to the socour rescu of his frendes And so he sayth by the prophete ¶ CuÌ„â—pÌ„o sum in trybulacione eripiam euÌ„ ¶ I myn owne selfe sayth oure lorde am wyth Hym that is troubled I shall delyuer hym And specyally he is with theym in temptacoÌ„n trybula coÌ„n that put theyr pryncypaly hope of helpe in hym As he sayth ¶ QmÌ„ in me sperauit liberabo eum ¶ By cause he hath trusteth
grete teÌ„ptacyons they haue resysted for the loue of hym He letteth not the troubled soule alway neyther oftentyme fele his presence by goostly swetnesse by cause he wyll kepe it lowe aÌ„d in fere for the more lowe that a soule maketh himselfe and the lesse that hit setteth by hymselfe and thynketh that it is so wretched y t it is not worthy to haue ony goostly comforte of god the more our lorde maketh of hym and y e more glorye aÌ„d Joye theris ordeyÌ„ed to hym For as he sayth ¶ Omnis qui se humiliat exaltabitur ¶ Euery persone that meketh hymselfe he shall be exalted And thus many a soule groweth in vertue and lytell perceyued it as by ony goostly swetnesse But who so myght haue a lytell taste of the parfyte delectacyon to the whiche he shall be brought by trybulacyon yf he take it well He sholde not complayne but Joye of tribulacyon As saynt Poule sayth ¶ Gloriamur in spe filioâ— dei et non solum in hoc sed in tribulacione scientes qmÌ„ tribulacio pacienciaÌ„ operatÌ„ pacientia probacioneÌ„ probacio spem spes autem non confundit quia caritas dei diffusa est in cordibê° nostris ¶ We Joye sayth he not only that we hope to be the childe of god and Inherytours of his Joye but we Joye also in trybulacyon knowynge that tribulacyon maketh a pacyent herteyf it be well taken and pacyence of herte is the grete profe that a persone is the very chosen childe of eleccyon and after that profe cometh hope of saluacyon not as of our merytes but by the grace of god whiche is yelded in to our hertes by the holy goost whiche is gyueÌ„ to vs. The grete comforte cometh not fro god to suche a tyme as the place be made redy for hit in the soule and the herberers whiche take aÌ„d dresse this lodgynge are trybulacyons as it is wryten in the booke of Thobye ¶ Post lacrimacionem et fletuÌ„ exultacioneÌ„ infundis ¶ After trybulacyon and we pynge thou sendest comforte and Joye Than yf thou haue grete labours and besynesse with these herberers thynke hit well spente for they wyll quy te hit one of these dayes And grete trybulacyon maketh rome and place for grette Joyes hit is decreed and determined as alawe by the grete wysedome of god that fyrste he shall come to his dere beloued children with trybulacyon to delyuer them fro the false Joyes of this worlde aÌ„d after he shal dwelle with them by true Joye where as they shal haue no nede of trybulacyoÌ„ for to exclude the false Joye s. But afore that he come with very true Joye he wyll make the herte by trybulacyon and temptacyon to sette nought by all y e false Joyes of this worlde Whan as trybulacyon is passed and hath made an holy place by pacyence and by mekenesse than cometh in Joye But peraduenture thou complaynest and sayest Syr it is longe or this consolacyon cometh A this is the complaynte of louers what thinge soo euer hit is that is gretely beloued the deferrynge therof is paynfull And not withstandynge that yf hit be neuer soo sharpely hasted yet hit is thought very longe in comynge As Salomon sayth ¶ Spes que differtur affligit animaÌ„ ¶ Whan as a man hath hope for to haue a thynge that he loueth the deferrynge of hit is bytter to the soule Also peraduenture thou wyll reson to me thys Syr I meruayll not that wretched meÌ„ and wymen whiche set all theyr herte plesure in wretched lyuynge and spende ther tyme not profytabli but occupye all about synnes and vanytees of this worlde thoughe these haue trybulacyon see y e try bulacoÌ„n is profytable to them whiche are fallen in the hondes of theyr enemyes as these be to drawe them fro ther hondes and make them flee synne wretched lyuynge But to suche as lyue holyly and do no grete synne I meruayll why these haue grete trybulacyoÌ„ for they falle not so in the hondes of theyrenemyes as the other do To this I answere that our lorde delyuered from the false Joyes of this worlde bothe synners and also the Innocentes whiche sholde be taken with them except his grace preuoked them by trybulacyon and temptacyon preserued them fro these false synfull Joyes also an other wyse our lorde rescues his enemyes and other wyse his frendes For he rescues his enemyes fro trybulacyon delyuerynge them whan they are taken of theyr enemyes But his frendes he delyuereth sendynge them helpe by trybulacyons that they come not in to the handes of theyr enemyes And soo bothe are holden to laude and to thanke god bothe the synfull whiche by pacyence and grete trybulacyon is drawen fro synne to vertuously uynge and lytell settynge by all the false worldely Joye And also the vertuous Innocente whiche is preserued by temptacyon and trybulacion that hit is neuer blynded and desceyued by that Joye Thê° no man neyther woman may thynke that they be out of the loue of our lorde by trybulacyan but rather thynke that they are specyally beloued of hym the whiche sendeth them trybulacyon to kepe or to delyuer them fro false desceyuable plesures of this worlde aÌ„d from the Inordynate and foule delytes of the flesshe These pleasures are called false for they are ful swete in the begynnynge but they ende with grete bytternesse and sorowe As Salomon sayth ¶ Extrema gauditluctus occupat ¶ The ende of wordely Joye is occupyed with wepynge and sorowe A thou wyse gracyous man and womanbeware of this false worldely Joye y t thou be not brought to grete sorowe therby Thou seest hit is butlytell and after hit shall folowe sorowe of Inestymable gretnesse hit is but shorte but it hath a longe tayle of sorowe that neuershall haue ende Hit is no hole Joye for hit is medled with sorowe As Salomon sayth ¶ Risus dolore miscebytur ¶ The laughynge Joye of this worlde is medled with many maters of sorynes Those whiche thou thynkest haue moost of worldely Joyes they haue moche sorowe trouble and labour with them They are soo bytter to a parfyte herte that felynge them ones vit wolde neuer haue them yf it myght haue them per petually They go faste awaye but the sorowe that foloweth vpoÌ„ them shal euer abyde A this is a false Joye where is so lytel plesure and so grete payne and goth soo swyftly awaye and neuer shall come ayen wherfore I exhorte you all whiche wolde haue y e loue of our lorde and contynue a vertuous ly fe that ye thankefully welcome trybulacyons as your defenders fro your grete enemyes whiche tri bulacyons are sende from our lorde as his knyght to defende you And thynke that your expeÌ„ses made in them shall stande you in grete seruyce And yf ye can not welcoÌ„e hertely these soudyoures of our lorde yet chyde not with them nor malynge not ayenst them for yf ye fyght with them ye fyght with your freÌ„des and that is a peryllous
speketh our sauyour where he sayth ¶ OmneÌ„ palmiteÌ„ in menon ferentem fructum purgabit eum ¶ My fader shall purge euery braunche whiche is planted in me by fayth bryngeth forth no fruyte of vertuous lyfe By this vyne is vnderstande the herte of man whiche is fulfylled with the humours of holy loue of god and of vertue and bryngeth forth grete fruyte to the comforte of many lyke as the humour in the vyne maketh it to brynge forth fruyte And lyke as the humour whan it is superfluous and more than nede it is spedeth to moche in braunches without fruyte Lyke wyse whan the superflous loue habondeth in mannes herte of worldely vanitees and of flesshely plesures hit withdraweth the fruyte of goostly lyuynge than meruayle thou not sythen the wyse gardener wyll cutte awaye the superfluous braunches whiche let the tree of theyr fruyte yf thy lorde god whiche hath taken the cure of thyn herte cutte fro the with the sharpe knyfe of trybulacyon all those thynges whiche y u loues vaynely or shrewdly whiche let in y t y e gostly fruyte of vertue make y e humours of loue to contynue in his ê“pre bouÌ„des of thyn hert and of suche thynges as are profitable to thy salua cyon for he wyll not that thyn herte be to ferre dra wen fro hym ne y t it sprede by forayne vnprofytable brauÌ„ches of vayÌ„ne worldly thyÌ„ge ¶ An other maner of purgacyon is lyke as the corne is purged fro the strawe the chafe by the stroke of the fleyle And as the stroke of the fleyle purgeth the corne ly ke wyse the stroke of trybulacyon purgeth y e herte And lyke as y e corne is made to departe fro y e stra we lyke wyse the herte is made to departe fro the grete loue of this worlde whiche sholde stele the her te fro god were not the fleyle of trybulacyon And this maketh them to loue god gretly desyre to be with hyÌ„ seynge these worlde so vnstable and ful of trybulacyon payne And for this consideracyon sayth the prophete ¶ Ecce ego in flagella paratus sum ¶ Beholde I am redy to the fleyle To this holy prophete purposed with a glad herte to bere the stroke with the fleyle of god Than thou that wyll haue the grayne corne of thyn herte purged playne ye not of the stroke of trybulacyoÌ„ for y u can not be put in the garner of heuen ther none shal be put but suche corne as is purged with the fleyle of our lorde And lyke as whaÌ„ the corne is grene not wel dryed than it brasteth vnder the fleyle cleueth faster to the chafe also the hertes wiche are full of moysture of flesshely plesure carnall affeccyons they braste by vnpacyence vnder the fleyle than the chare of synne cleueth faster to theÌ„ ¶ An other wyse trybulacoÌ„n purgeth the herte lyke as the pres sure purged the wyne for lyke as the pressure whiche streyneth the resyns maketh the wyne departe fro the foule grosse mater of the dregges lyke wyse teÌ„ptacyons persecucoÌ„ns trybulacoÌ„ns of this lyf purgeth thyn hert fro y e foule lustes Inordynate affeccyons of this lyfe wherfore refuse not the pres sure yf y u wyll be layde in to the seler Thus the holy martyrs lefte theyr bodyes in y e pressure tourmentes the soule as precyous wyne was tonned in to the seler of perdurable lyfe THe fourth consolacyon in tyme of trybulacoÌ„n is to remembre the profyte of coÌ„nynge to y e whiche a man or a womaÌ„ is brought therby for of all connynges the moost necessary coÌ„ nynge is a man to knowe hymselfe his lorde god for yf he knowe hymselfe wel he shal knowe a wret che a synfull soule whiche hath grete nede of y e helpe of our lorde yf euer he shall be y e childe of sal uacyon And yf he knowe hymselfe well he shal ther by come to the knowlege of our lorde For his myn de shall than be so moche vpon hym that he shall souke moche knowlege out of hym To this know lege a man is brought by trybulacyoÌ„ for therby he shall be made to setlytell by the worlde lytell by hymselfe the lesse he setteth by hymselfe the more clerely he shall see his owne defautes and the more parfytly knowe the goodnesse of god after y t the more he shall loue hym For as saynt Austen sayth The cyte of god that is is to sayé an holy soule in whom our lorde dwelieth by grace it begynneth at the contempt despysyng of hymselfe endeth at the loue of god And the cyte of the deuyll begynneth at the endeth at the Wherfore saynt AusteÌ„ seynge the connynge that cometh by trybulacoÌ„n he begynneth his prayer in this wyse ¶ Nouerim me nouerim te ¶ Lorde teche me to knowe myselfe to knowe the. And lyke as the stroke of the rodde maketh the scoler to bowe his necke loke wel on his boke to can wel his lesson to come ayen to suche knowlege as he hath forgeten lyke wyse grete trybulacyon maketh a soule to belowe to our lorde whiche is the grette mayster techer therof And maketh it to loke well on the bo ke of contemplacyon that is to saye to remembre his goodnesse ther owne wretchednesse to remembre the gyftes whiche it hath receyued of hym the grete vnkyndenesse that it hath sheweth to hym aÌ„d the grete paynes whiche be ordeyned to hit for vnkyndenesse And the grete Joye for the loue that it hath to god kyndenesse Also this rodde of trybulacyon maketh it can his lesson well of vertuous ly uyÌ„ge as to praye to faste to watche to gyue almes to applye hit to all suche thynges wherby it trusteth to gete specyall helpe of our lorde And to good customes condycyons whiche hit hath forgeten it maketh hit to put them in exercyse ayen And thus it maketh them to letne well the lesson of ther saluacyon And therfore sayth Salomon ¶ Uirga et correctio tribuit sapieÌ„ciaÌ„ ¶ The rodde correccoÌ„n bryngeth the soule to wysedom The yonge childe whan it is put fyrste to lernynge by the freyle vnstable dysposycoÌ„n of the bodye that is meued to haue the eyen fro the booke want only to loke about the walles rather to pycke strawes to clatter to his felawes than to lerne the lesson to his grete pro fyte but whan the mayster lyfteth the rodde to stryke hym than he loketh vp to hym sayd he wyl amende is sory y t he laboured not better his lesson Lyke wyse the frayle soule loketh downe to erthely thynges vanytees of this lyfe as to rychesses ho nours beaute of bodye good appareyle in clothes the spekynge of suche thynges moost delyteth hit But whan the grete mayster almyghty god lyfteth the rodde of trybulacyon that it seeth grete trouble is lyke to
falle to hit than it lyfteth vp the eyen to hym cryeth mercy for myspendynge of tyme and promyseth it wyll amende And with grete betynge at the laste hit is brought to the booke and to lerne well the lesson Thus prosperyte closeth the eyen of the soule to god aÌ„d the rodde of aduersyte openeth them and maketh them to knowe hym Wherfore sayth the prophete ¶ CognoscetÌ„ dnÌ„s iudicia faciens ¶ Our lorde shall be knowen in makynge Jugement of punysshement payne aÌ„d thus many a soule to whom he sendeth payne trybulacioÌ„ in this mortall lyfe he preserueth them fro y e JugemeÌ„t oâ— euerlastynge dampnacion Therfore sayth the apostle ¶ Cum iudicamur a deo corripimur ne cuÌ„ hoc muÌ„do daÌ„pnemur ¶ whan the JugemeÌ„t of god is shewed vpon vs by temporal payÌ„e for secrete causes that we knowe not but his wysedome knoweth whiche sendeth payne to no man ne womaÌ„ but for grete cause Whan we are thus punysshed thaÌ„ we are correcte by cause we shall not be dampned with this worlde that is to saye with worldely folke whiche set ther hertes on the felycyte plesures of this worlde so gretely y e in maner they lytell remembre ne desyre the plesure y t is ordeyÌ„ed with god for the holy soules whiche are y e despysers of this worldly felicyte A woo woo many they be whiche haue lytel or none worldely trybulacyon for moche sorowe is ordeyned to them in tyme comynge sorowe perpetual except y e grete mercy of god for ther is none y t lyueth so InnoceÌ„tly in this lyf but they deserue gre te payÌ„e both by coÌ„myssyon of thynges whiche they ought to do do them not And also by coÌ„myssyon of thynges whiche they sholde not do yet they do them Wherfore yf they haue no punysshement in this lyfe grete punysshement is ordeyned for them after this lyfe lacke of punysshement maketh y e soule that it forgeteth hymselfe god as it is sayd byfore lyke as it is rehersed in y e boke of Danyel that Nabugodonosor the kyng of Assyrye was soo ferre drawen by worldely prosperite fro the knowle ge of god that our lorde to the knowlege of Nabu godonosor to y e syght of man chauÌ„ged him in to the symylytude of an oxe vii yere he was amon ge y e bestes But after this grete punysshemen the loked vp to henen with the syght of his soule askin ge mercy of god And after that he was restored to his owne forme dygnyte whiche he hadde afore By goostly vndstaÌ„dynge those folke lyft vp theyr eyen to heuen whiche haue theyr medytacyons to god ordre theyr loue to hym and knowlege hym theyr souerayne lorde of whom desceÌ„deth all their veyle grace to ê“ceuere in vertuous lyuynge For lyke as all flodes come of the see lyke wyse all graces benefyces bodely goostly come of god lyke as they retourne ayen to the see so we ought to referre ordre them all to hym not pryncypally to our plesure as the prophete sayth ¶ Quod de manu tua accepimê° hoc reddimê° tibi ¶ That thynge that we haue taken of thyn honde that we gyue to the. Thus suche gyftes as we receyue of our lorde yf we spende them in the werkes of vertue gyue them to the poore in the name of hym than we gyue hyÌ„ them ayen as he sayth hymselfe ¶ Quicqd fecistis vni ex minimis meis in noiÌ„e meo michi fe cistis ¶ What so euer ye doo to ony of the leste in my name ye do that to me wherfore suche as refer re gyue the goodes that they resceyue of our lorde to hyÌ„ ayen they contynue the floodes of grace For as they gyue to hym he is so lyberal that he caÌ„ not but gyue ayen suche thynges as he knoweth moost expedyent to his louers And yf the flood of his boÌ„tyfulnesse come not to hym ayen than the flood of grace is stopped by our defauâ— For lyke as he is the begynnynge endynge of all goodnesse whiche cometh of him muste be retorned fynally ayen Thus by the dedes of thy lyfe y t confessys shewes y t ther is one god in these y t thankest hym worshypest hym Many ther are whiche do the contrarye as the apostle sayth ad TituÌ„ Ther are many whiche saye they knowe god but they denye hyÌ„ in ther dedes of ther lyuynge for theyr lyfe is abhoiable in the syght of god they lyue wretchedly as folke that had no fayth rather as y e reprobate despysed enemyes of god than lyke vnto his childer frendes ¶ Mul ti fatentÌ„ se nosce dnÌ„m factis auteÌ„ negaÌ„t cuÌ„ sint abhoiÌ„abiles iÌ„credibiles ad oeÌ„ opus reprobi ¶ Thou whiche hast gyuen thy lorde god ayen suche goodes as y u hast receyued of hym at the houre of deth thou shalt be lyghtly delyuered of thy acouÌ„te for in this lyfe y u delyuerest y e of these goodes y t y u hast receyued of hym pute them in his handes ayen And therfore hit shall be sayd to the in that houre lyke as it is wryten in the gospell of Mathew My trusty ser uauÌ„te thou haste ben faythfull true in fewe thynges that I dyd gyue the now I shall make the lorde of many thynges entre into the Joye of thy lorde Than thou that haste myspended the goodes of our lorde to thy plesure contrarye to y e wyll of hym and contrarye to thy profyte thou may be woo for harde acounte shall be layde ayenst the. Wherfore yf thou amende the not thou shalt haue strayt passage to thy saluacyon wherfore yf our lorde sende the trybulacyon for myspeÌ„dynge vaynly the tyme of thy youth of suche goodes as he hath sent the in this he shewed that he wolde haue the saued and that thou sholde amende thy lyfe and ones begynne to loke vpwarde to thy mayster for abuse the he is whiche stryketh the. Our lord whan he seeth that the rebelle hertes wyl not tourne to hym by kyndenesse whiche he sheweth to them in his gyftes than he beteth them to make them come to hym by trybulacyon and sharpenesse and yet ofteÌ„tymes they wyll not come to hym as he sayth in the booke of ysaye ¶ Populus non est reuersus ad percuicenteÌ„ se ¶ The people tourne not to hym that beteth hem For in sekenesse ther mynde renneth more for helpe by man in phesyke than it doth to his helpe and whan wronges and Iniuryes be done to them they are redye to reuenge them aÌ„d to do one shrew de tourne for an other and are not redye mercyfully to forgyue it for his sake that they myght obteyne forgyuenes of hym And so vnderneth y e rodde of trybulacoÌ„u they come not to correccyoÌ„ for they loke not as they are bouÌ„de by the benefyce of their creacyon redempcoÌ„n to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes
and holy couÌ„seyll in reformacyon of theyr lyuynge here yeshal vnderstaÌ„de that euery true louer hath his herte towarde his loue and they drede to be of gete of ther loue they harte to bef orgete ther they loue And thus our lorde whiche hath to vs loue vn mesurable hated to be forgete of vs. And whan we forgete hym he beteth vs pulleth awaye from vs suche thynges as we moost loue in this worlde as helth of bodye frendes wordely goodes And ofteÌ„ tymes he suffreth the good name coÌ„mendacyoÌ„ to be pulled awaye fro suche as hath vayne glorye in the laude of name without grete deseruynge by holy merytes of good lyuynge of y e laude of god And so he maketh hem to calle on hym to knowe hym by aduersyte whiche forgete hym by prosperyte Lyke as y e butteler of Pharo had forgete Joseph whaÌ„ he was comen to prosperite whiche expowned to hyÌ„ his dreme to his grete solace comforte whan he was in aduersyte And bycause that worldely prossperyte brygeth a soule to forgetefulnesse of god our lorde whan he promysed to y e people of Israel grete cytees with plente of rychesses he warned heÌ„ afore that they sholde not forgete hym saynge thê° Â¶ Non obliuiscaris dnÌ„i dei tui ¶ See that y u in the tyme of thy grete prosperyte forgete not thy lorde god And to shewe to the that he forgeteth not the he sayth hymselfe y t he hath wryten the in his handes ¶ NoÌ„ obliuiscartuin manibê° enâ—meâ—s descrip si te ¶ He bereth yet euer shall the prynte of the wouÌ„des in his handes whiche he suffred for the aÌ„d also in his herte whiche was wouÌ„ded for the. Lerne y u than to bere some sharpe token on y e to remeÌ„bre hym the grete paynes that he hath suffred for the Yf he gyue the grete rychesse grete prosperyte in this temporall lyfe thynke not for all this that he loueth the soo specyally that y u shalt haue with hym his rychesse in heuen for many whiche shall neuer come in heuen haue grete plente of these goodes And the mysusynge of hem is cause of theyr damp nacoÌ„n wherfore rychesse dygnyte of this worlde are called in scrypture the gyfte of the lyfte honde as Salomon wryteth ¶ In sinistra eius diuicie et gloria ¶ Grete multitude of ryche folke at y e daye of Jugement shall stande at the lyfte honde of the Juge the poore at the ryght honde yf y u shalt haue ony loue of our lorde for thy rychesse it is for the good vse of hem that is to saye by cause y u speÌ„dest hem to his honour releef of hym whiche haue lytell to helpe hemselfe for the loue of hym And euer in the tyme of prosperyte take some wylfull payne to remembre hym lyke as he hath gyuen example to the. For veryly lyke as bodely plesure maketh the soule to forgete hymselfe aÌ„d god lyke wyse bodely payne maketh it to remembre hymself god And this paynes is merytoryous whan it is pacyentely suffred but it is of a meruayloê° grete meryte whan it is taken Joyfully as a remedye to purge the soule fro synne brynge it to specyall grace aÌ„d loue of our lorde whiche peraduenture y u saye syr I meruayle not yf our lorde with the rodde of trybulacoÌ„n bete the frowarde vngentyl hertes whiche knowe â–ª hym not But I meruayle gretely why he beteth the gentyll mercyable hertes whiche knowe hym loue to worshyp hym To this I answere this betyng is not only profytable to suche as be vnkynde aÌ„d of synfull lyuynge but also to suche as be good vertuous whiche be not yet comen to the grete perfeccy on of vertue to suche tyme as they be made perfyte by resystynge of grete temptacoÌ„n gladly takyng of trybulacyon For many soules whiche truste that they be stronge to resyste temptacoÌ„n before they fele it whan it cometh vpon them fersely they fele them self ryght feble in comparyson as they trusted they had ben But by contynuall betynge of temptacyon they come to grete myght of vertue knowlege of themselfe and of what valoure they be in vertue Therfore sayth Salomon ¶ Qui non est temptatus quid scit ¶ He or she that hath no grete temptacyon what can they as who sayth ryght lytell And thus our lorde suffreth ryght mercyfull and gentyl hertes to hym to suffre grete temptacoÌ„n for in that they lerne to loue god For of all proues of loue the grettest is whan a soule resysteth myghtely ayenst grete temptacyons for the loue of god and bycause they wolde not offende his grace And so they make a myghty conquest of themselfe and doo ayenst theyr owne InclynacoÌ„n to preferre the wyll of god ayenst theyr owne wyl and desyre That holy man Job was brought to grete perfeccyon by aduersyte And Salomon that was soo wyse was brought to grete folysshenesse and vnclene lyuynge by prosperyte Here is example that bodely aduersyte bryngeth the soule to goostly prosperyte whiche standeth in goostly wysedom and vertue And the bodely prosperyte begyÌ„neth to goostly folysshenesse and losse of vertue and fynally to euerlastyÌ„ge aduersyte payne trybulacoÌ„n And ther is no soule so gracyously dysposed but it wolde rather chose with temporall aduersyte to haue the goostly rychesse with the loue of god in this lyfe and after it be passed hens ende lesse Joye and felyâ—yte than with temporall prosperyte goostly pouerte with hatred of god perpetual dampnacoÌ„n Sythen Salomon that was soo wyse loste wysedom in prosperyte y u art not sure y t y u shalt kepe thy wysedom in wordely plesures prosperyte than arme the to trybulacyon yf y u wylt come to ony perfeccoÌ„n And whan y u thynkest the trybulacoÌ„n paynfull heuy to bere comforte the ayen with remembraunce that it is but short shall brynge the Joyfully out of the worlde sor thy laste daye shal be the ende of thy trouble for euer thynke that our lorde calleth the to hym therby where thou shalt see hym in his mageste and be replenysshed wyth the solacions syght of his pardurable glorye And thynke veryly that he whyche puttyth the to thys greate proof ordeyneth grete thynges for the. For lyke as the knyght getteth not of hys kyng to suche tyme y t he be proued in actes of cheualerye haue myghtely foghten for his kynge soo loke thou for noo grete tewarde of god except thou haue grete temptacyon for his sake other ayenst the deuyll by goostly temp tacyon or ayenst thy flesshe with temptacoÌ„n of glotonye slouth or lecherye or ayenst y e worlde with co uetyse But of all those batayles the goostly batayl in fayth consyens is moost troublous heuy to bere of all other it is moost profytable to that sou le whiche wyl fyght in this batayll is moost dyrect ayenst the deuyll and the conquest of
in his conscyence of dedely synne as it is comonly sayd A clene herte a Joyfull herte And sorowfull may that herte be that is lykened to a comon mynstrell or a Jogular whiche is more in other mennes houses than in his owne And whan he syngeth maketh moost myrthe in other mennes houses than soone after he is moost sorowe in his owne house Lyke wyse the herte whiche moost seketh solace in worldely thynges outwarde hit hath lesse Joye of goostly thynges Inwarde A than I saye to the whiche felest thyn herte fro the in delectacoÌ„ns of the flesshe or plesures of the worlde than thou haste suche plesure to abyde there that thou hast nowyl to come home to forsake hym vtterly whiche thou seest are not to the profyte of thy soule than calle to our lorde that he wyll sende his soudyoures of trybulacoÌ„n dryue the home ayen to constrayne thyn herte to knowe thy selfe to attende wysely in kepynge of thyselfe that y u do no thynge contrarye to the wyll of god to thyn euerlastynge auayle as y e poore mynstrell is constrayned to torne ayen to his house whan the festes are done for than he hath none other place for to torne to Soo after all wordely plesure whan it is paste trybulacyon make y e not to torne afore y u shalt torne home to the house of thyn herte y u shalt fynde ther a sorowful house For euery vayne Joye y t y u haste had in this lif y u shalt fynde there a grete sorowe yetaÌ„d y u take to the trybulacoÌ„n of penauÌ„ce afore y u departe fro this worlde it shall kepe the house of thyn herte fro the moost sharpe brennynge fyre of helle for as the prophete sayth ¶ ContrituÌ„ et humiliatuÌ„ deus non despicies ¶ Good lorde y u despysest not an herte whiche is meked brought to knowe hem selfe by trybulacoÌ„n Than y u whiche louest euerlastynge consolacyon felest thyn hert is ronne to vayne delectacioÌ„ praye trybulacyon to come retorne the home ayen Lyke as the douue constrayned torned to the shyp of Noe bycause she coude fynde no grounde to sett her fete vpon Noe is as moche to saye in our langage as rest the shyp is y e herte y e douue is y e loue pray god y t y e flood of trybulacoÌ„n so couer all vayne thynges fro thy loue that it be constrayned to retorne to Inwardly rest of thyn herte by tranquyllyte pÌ„sse of a clene consyence holy occupyenge of thyn herte with holy medytacoÌ„ns of god of vertue w t perfyte desyre of good werkes blyssed customes to y e plesure of god thy grete promocoÌ„n Thou that sekest reste in worldely thynges y u art deceyued for y u shalt fynde no reste but in god for none other thynge may sacyate content the soule but god he shall fulfylle the desyre of thy soule as the prophete sayth ¶ Saciabor cuÌ„ apparuerit glia tua ¶ I shall sacyate replenysshe with Joye whan I shall see the good lorde in thy glorye Therfore it is wryten in Ecclesiastice ¶ In oiÌ„bê° requieÌ„ qÌ„siui et iÌ„ hereditate dnÌ„i morabor ¶ I haue sought reste in all thynges now I shall dwelle in the herytage of god y t is to saye myn herte shal dwelle in desyre of y e kyngdom of heuen where is y e perfyte reste therfore sayth dauyd to our lorde ¶ CoÌ„uertere aiÌ„a mea in requieÌ„ tuaÌ„ ¶ Torne myn herte in to thy reste The soule of man may fynde no suche rest in the thynges of this worlde as in themselfe whan it is ordred in y e lyuynge accordyng to y e lawes of god suche a soule doth reste for it is content in all thynges w t y e werkynge of our lorde y t soule is the dwellynge place of our lorde of whom it is wryten ¶ In pace factê° eÌ„ locus eius ¶ His place is made where is peas peas of conscyence is his peas for y t cometh of hym Therfore sayth the prophete ¶ Conuertere aiÌ„a mea in requieÌ„ tuaÌ„ ¶ Torne my soule in to thy reste Salomon sayth ¶ Intrans in domuÌ„ meaÌ„ conquiescaÌ„ cuÌ„ ea ¶ I entrynge in to the house of my conscyence ther I shal reste Than y u may be wo whiche sekest reste in outwarde thynges lokest lytel for the reste of thy house at home in thy conscyence Yf y u wolde take labour to retorne home and well serche the house of thy consyence thou whiche art a grete louer of the worlde y u shalt fynde there a troubelous house wherfore to suche as be the renners out our lorde sayth by the prophete Mychee ¶ Hiis q i forissuÌ„t dicetÌ„ ve ve ¶ To these that more are occupyed with other thynges than with hymselfe hit shall be sayd wo wo be to you that is to saye those whiche haue ther herte soo set of outwarde thynges y t they forgete themselfe specyally y t herte hath cause to be wo whiche is departed fro themselfe sytteth so faste in worldely vanytees in maner it is so faste holden w t these vanytees as w t an oost of enemyes y t it can not torne ayen home to themselfe Euery worldely plesure y t apereth outwarde it is a snare to rye it faste kepe it fro theÌ„selfe wherfor euery soule remeÌ„bre wel hyÌ„selfe see whereit sett y t loue yf y e loue be fixed on ony thyng whiche god wolde not it sholde loue than it is taken in a snare of daÌ„pnacyon axcept it haue helpe of delyueraunce by the grace of our lorde wherfore it muste dayely crye for helpe to hyÌ„ to suche tyme he haue loued it The loue also of euery creature whiche is more than it ought to be is a snare therto wherfore it muste beseche god y t it may loue no thynges but suche as are good also that it may loue good thynges in ordre to god and profyte of the soule To an herte that hath not set the loue on the vanytees of the worlde it is lytel dyf fyculte to kepe hem out of the herte but whaÌ„ they haue ones taken ther lodgynge in the herte by that loue that the herte hath to them without grete labour dylygence they wyll not be dryuen out ayen And oftentyme whan our lorde sayth that it is not expedyent to suche as he loueth that these vanytees abyde in the herte also he seeth y t the persone that he loueth helpeth not hymselfe to dryue hym out or peraduenture wolde not haue hem out Than he as a true louer sendeth out his oost of trybulacyons to repelle and to dryue out of the herte these vanitees whchey and they myght abyde wolde fynally destroye the house of the herte and robbe it of all the goodes of vertue whiche is in it Wherfore Ecclesyastes sayth
¶ Precurre prior in domuÌ„ tuaÌ„ ¶ That is to saye Whan thou seest the worldely vanytees renne in to thyn herte renne thou byfore and stoppeth them and shyt y e dore of thyn herte that they haue no lodgynge ther by remembrauÌ„ce of the hurtes that they do ther. For they kepe the herte fro y e loue of god fro the loue of themselfe in ordre to god fro the loue of vertue from holy medytacoÌ„ns from holy desyres fro deuoute prayers from dedes of pe naunce And comonly whan the vanytees occupye it is dysposed to no vertue or to lytell Suche men wymen as moost labour to gete to kepe the plesures goodes of this worlde labour lytell to kepe ther herte but let it renne where it wyll these are grete foles for fynally these shall lese All these tran sytorye vanytees they labour moost to gete aÌ„d kepe and also themselfe from the eternyte of Joye be brought to perpetual payne in defaute y t they keped norther herte as they sholde haue done the tyme of this lyfe And those whiche gyueth lytel kepe to the wordely vanytees prosperyte but moost they applye theyr mynde how they may theyr hertes kepe wel accupyed These after the passynge of all worldely pleasures shall haue theyr hertes replenysshed with the moost delycate plesauÌ„tes hertely delytes of the glorye of god of the Inestymable blysse and Joy of the felycyte of angelles sayntes in heuen These whiche ordeyne them moost specyally to kepe ther hertes lytell sett by those thynges whiche worldely folke moost desyre are called foles in this worlde but they are called wyse of god theyr wysedom shall be coÌ„mended of all the heuenly multytude in the kyngdome of god For this cause sayth Salomon in his prouerbis ¶ Omni custodia serua cor tuuÌ„ quia ex ipÌ„o vita ê“cedit ¶ With all thy dyly gence kepe well thyn herte for therof cometh lyfe dampnable deth cometh yf it be not well keped This hert is the longynge of thy lorde god whiche hath grete plesure to abyde in it whan it is clenly keped fro fylthy mocyons of synne as he sayth in the boke of Prouerbes ¶ Delicite mee esse cuÌ„ filiis hoim ¶ My delyte is to be with the childern of men For theyr loue he becam a childe hymselfe borne of the virgyne Marye wherfore lyke as y u desyrest to be welcome to his house see that y u kepe well thyne house of thyn herte and oftentymes tourne therto dresse it y t he w t no thynge ther be offended but y t he may haue a plesure for to beholde it as he sayth in Canticê ¶ Reuertere vt intueamur te ¶ Torne ayen y t we may beholde the. He sayth not y t I may be holde the but y t we may beholde the that is to saye yf y u see well to thy selfe than I shall haue a grete plesure to see the for than I shall garnysshe thy sou le with my grace to thy moost profyte my plesure Than I exhorte the whiche retorneth not to thy selfe as y u sholde take pacyently the trybulacyon whiche our lorde sendeth the to the entente that y u shalt gyue good attendauÌ„ce to the kepynge of thyn herte forsake the loue of those wretched or vayne plesures whiche let thyn herte fro the loue of hym Thou thynkest y t thy trouble payne gretely hurteth the â–ª but it is the gretest profyte helpe that y u mayst haue in this lyfe the gretest token y t our lorde loueth the of this y u sholde be moost glad for his loue y u shalt fynde fynally to thy moost Joye comforte after this transytorye payne trouble This trybulacyon bryngeth the bothe to god to thy selfe lyke as thy vayne plesures in prosperyte had dryuen the fro bothe And for this cause payne trybulacy on is called the bande of god for it tyeth the to god lyke as prosperyte louseth the from-hym and byndeth to suche wretched peryllous liberte of y e worlde and in these bandes thou shalt lerne to knowe god and thy selfe and to chaunge thy lyfe in to an other maner of lyuynge And whan thou by holy customes of this lyfe art tyed to hym than he wyll tye the by payne to kepe the at home with hymselfe And thus he sendeth trybulacyon not only to brynge the herte home to themselfe but also to kepe it at home that it go not fro themselfe Thy lorde god deleth gracyousely with the whan he called the fro plente to pouerte I mene not that he make the to lose all thy good but whan he maketh the to sette lytell by thy good so that thyn herte is poore and naked without them that is to saye without grete affeccyon and loue of home Soo sayth Salomon ¶ Est pauper in diuicus ¶ Ther are some whiche are poore in rychesses that is to saye whiche that sette theyr herte in maner noo more on them than yf they hadde no rychesses To this goostly pouerte the whiche in the syght of almyghty god is moost habondaunt rychesse are the soules brought to hym whan that they are sore hunted by grete aduersyte and trouble and tyed to our lorde with the bande of trybulacyons And not withstandynge that our lorde kepeth the thus tyed that thou mayst not renne at thy wyll at large as y u haste ben acustomed afore tyme thynke not that thou loses therby ony lyberte but rather our lorde putteth the in more lyber te Ther is noo very perfyte lyberte of the soule but only in thynges of vertue This lyberte to renne w t thyn herte loue to vanytees or to synfull werkes of this lyfe this lyberte is thraldom not rmenda ble more than it is to suffre a seke man as he that is in an hote axes to ete drynke what he wyll desyre for his appetyte is so dysordred w t corrupt humours that comonly he desyreth those thynges whi che be mooste contrarye to his helth lyke wyse that soule is in a peryllous lyberte whiche at his owne plesure hath power to synne But whan our lorde by trybulacyon called it to hym to be the louer of vertue at lyberte this is the perfyte lyberte And y e other lyberte to synne is rather seruage for it maketh the soule seruauÌ„t to the deuyll fynally bryngeth to the bouÌ„dshyp of hym in helle And the lyber te of vertue bryngeth to the moost perfyte freedom of heuen Whan the phesycyan suffreth the pacyent to take what mete drynk y t his appetyte is moost to it is a sygne that he dyspeyreth of his helth co monly they wyll saye he is but a deed man wherfor let hym take what he wyll lyke wyse whan our lorde the grete phesycyan letteth the lyue after thy fles shely plesure maketh no restraynth by trybulacioÌ„ it is a
token that he setteth lytell by the. And that thou haste goostly sekenesse whiche is not lykely to haue remedye for suche are more desyrous to fulfil ther owne wyll than the wyll of god They despyse god as he sayth by the ê“phete ysaye ¶ Filios enutriui et exaltaui ipsi auteÌ„ spreueruÌ„t me ¶ I haue nourysshed my childern with goodes of this worlde I haue exalted them to honour they haue despy sed me yf y u wyll aske me what is very fredom I saye that he is not moost free whiche may do moost what he wyll but he is moost free whiche leste may do euyl so ther is moost lyberte where leste power is to synne ThaÌ„ accordynge to this doctryne afore rehersed sythen our lorde maketh the by trybulacioÌ„ to knowe thy selfe hym tyeth y e to him that thou shalt not go fro hym bryngeth the fro thraldom of the fende wretched lyuynge to perfyte lyberte of his loue execucoÌ„n of vertuous dedes wherfore yf y u fele thy selfe dyscomforted by trouble payne reduce these grete profytes to thy mynde they shal comforte the ayen For thy comforte is to remembre that he loueth the. And the moost token of his loue is y t he ledeth the by trybulacyon to hymselfe wher fore Joye thou in hym he shall Joye in the and than all thynges to thy moost auayle shall prospere with the. THe fyfthe consolacoÌ„n in tyme of trybulacyon is to remembre how y u art made therby hastely to spende the in the waye to heuen to the blyssed presence of thy lorde god For as it is sayd before Euery payne cometh of god wherfore euery payne is ryghtwysse And euery syÌ„ne cometh of vs euery synne is vnryghtwysse wherfore as many trybulacoÌ„ns payns as y u hast as many mes seÌ„gers y u hast sent fro heueÌ„ to spede y e theder lyke as a man whiche in y e flouryng tyme of somer goynge thorugh a felde ful of fayre floures a swete medo we of tyme wyl gyder of y e floures for the swetnes solacyous abydynge in y e place he wyl syt or laye hym downe somtyme falle on slepe so y e nyght cometh vpon hyÌ„ afore he haue endeth his Journey And y e man whiche laboureth in the foule waye the wynter tyde he fyndeth no place to reste in to he co me to the ende of his Journey yet maketh hyÌ„ to haste faste y t he may come to an ende of his labour Lyke wyse the folke whiche are in the plesant prossperyte of this lyfe they are so occupyed with gade rynge thyÌ„ges of plesure as rychesses flesshely delec tacios honours dygnytees y t they forgete ther Jor neye whether they are bouÌ„de out of this worlde For here they seke reste in the plesure of this lyfe in maner as ther were none other felycyte ordeyned for man here they lye slepynge in synne wretchednesse to y e nyght of deth come vpon hyÌ„ than they are taken with the deuyles of helle neuer come to see god in his glorye whiche sholde haue ben y e ende of her pylgremage But suche as be in the wynter waye of aduersyte ful of grete blast of temptacoÌ„ns in y e soule ful of sharpe thornes of paynes bodely sekenes full of grete flodes of worldly trybulacyon these folke haste hym for in ther waye they fyÌ„de but bytternesse therfore they haste hyÌ„ that they may come to reste hyÌ„ swetly at y e ende of ther Journey af ter ther sore labour For y e bytternesse of trybulacoÌ„n taketh fro the herte al false plesure of this worlde so it maketh the good soules whiche our lorde vtterly specyally loueth to spede them to hym wyl not suffre hem to reste hem abyde in the waye the thynges whiche he calleth the to by trybulacoÌ„n pacy ently taken are sogrete so precyous so perdurable euerlastyngly abydynge that he wyl not y t y u shalt make taryenge in the lytell thynges whiche shortely shall slyp vanysshe awaye A good meruayll it is that suche persones to whom god hath gyuen grete knowlege make theyr abydynge in the lytell thynges by the taryeng they make in y e smale thinges grete labours they haue about hem to ordre hem fylty to theyr plesure they shewe well they haue forgeten y e grete thynges y t our lorde called hem to All thynges whiche delyte the herte Inmoderatly make y e herte to tarye loseth moche tyme of his pylgremage but whan payne trybulacoÌ„n take away vayne delyte fro the herte maketh y e thynge bytt whiche was wont to be beloued than it maketh the herte to styre hym forwarde swetly and leueth the vayne taryeng And therfore the prophete sayth ¶ Multiplicate suÌ„t infirmitates eorum postea accelerauerunt ¶ Whan sekenesse is multeplyed than suche as haue taryed before they haste hem for war de full faste Ha good lord many one sholde go full slowely in theyr Journeye of they were not hasted forwarde with sharpe callynge by trybulacoÌ„us in maner compelled with vyolence to procede in theyr waye And lyke as the croked fete affeccyons are feble oftentyme wolde reste in the vayne plesure excent they were excyted to go so our lorde suche as he specyally loueth he calleth oftentyme vpon hem And therfore it is wryten in the booke of Exodi That the Egypcyens constrayned the childern of Israell to go out of Egypt in token that trybulacyons whiche are vnderstande by the Egypcyens constrayne the hertes of the chosen childer of our lorde to go out of this worlde by the affeccyons of ther loue spede them to that lyue there the grete plesure standeth in loue ther no thynge is but that is detely loued And whan the loue goth fro the worlde the herte goth fro the worlde For lyke as the bodye goth with the fote so the soule goth with the loue aÌ„d where the loue is there the herte is O how glad the hertes sholde be to departe from those thynges where they haue more payne than plesure more sorowe than solace go to those thynges where they shall euer haue myrthe swetnesse and neuer fele poynt of bytternesse where is full Joye full peas w t out dystemperauÌ„ce of payne or trybulacoÌ„n And he re y t haste no grete plesure in ony wordely thynges accordynge to thy dyfordynate appetyte but fynaly it shal torne the to torment of hert Than comfort thy selfe in trybulacyons for they dryue y e out or the pryson óf payne to the ryall kyngdome of plesure fro the fetters chaynes to y e crowne as Eccl. saith ¶ InterduÌ„ deducit â—s de carcere ad regnuÌ„ ¶ Some tyme a prysoner is drawen out of pryson to come to a kyngdom The herte is in pryson whan it is tyed by loue to y e lowe erthely thyÌ„ges of this worlde y e more
y e loue is on hyÌ„ the more depe is y e hert in pryson Out of this depe pryson our lorde draw e the with the bandes of trybulacoÌ„n whan he maketh thy loue to departe fro those thynges which y u louest so moche lyke as y e angell stroke saynt Peter on y e syde bad hyÌ„ ryse swystly go out of pryson as it is wryten in the boke of Act. So our loorde stryketh the many a tyme by his angell on the lyfte syde by aduersyte to make y e hastely to departe fro this pryson whan he fulfylleth thyn herte soo with sorowe or the bodye with payne y t the plesure is gone y t thou hast in thynges of this worlde or whan he whithdra weth hem fro the with losse or deth or whan he sufereth hem to be vnkynde to the or trouble the and thwart w t the whiche y u loued so moche than he caseth y e out of pryson Lyke as saynt Peter playned not of the stroke wherby he was brought out of pry son so see y t y e playne the not of y e stroke whiche bryÌ„geth the out of the goostly pryson of thy soule ma keth the to departe fro loue not profytable to the. For this is a suffrauÌ„t stroke whiche delyuereth the of y e feerfull pryson of whiche foloweth the pryson of helle to suche y t neuer wyl departe fro this prysoÌ„ of synne in this lyfe or ellys pnrgatorye to suche as lately departe therfro And yf thou wyll not suffre this stroke of thy syde pacyeÌ„tly for thy selfe yet suf fre it for his sake whiche was stryken in to the syde with a spere for thy sake receyue not grutchyngly thy lordes messengers whiche are sent to brynge the to hym brynge the fro peryllous place but welcome hym hertely and thanke thy lorde god vpon thy knees whith handes herte whiche sendeth hem to the and than thou shalt do grete plesure to hym gre te profyte to thy selfe and the sooner they shall departe fro the whan they haue brought the to hym by very true loue whan thou murmures ayenst thy trybulacyon than thou doost that is in the to repelle the messyngers of god fro the. This is fygured betokened in the messengers whiche were sende to hem that were beyonde the flome Jordan and they resysted ayenst the prynces message sende the mes sengers ayen without worshyp with empty hande Flome Jordan is as moche to saye as lowenesse or mekenesse the whiche techeth the hertes to loue god And tho that dwelle beyonde the flood whiche passe mekenesse and are proude of the benefyt and creatures of god And the proude folke that vnreue cently receyue trybulacyons the messengers of the kyng and so the trybulacyons go voyde without re warde by these vngentyll receyuers and that that the messengers are dysworshypped that lorde and kyng is dysworshypped whiche dyde sende them Thou sholdest as well or better receyue trybulacyons for the loue of hym that sente them to you as for the loue of that thynge that they are sende fore Trybulacyons they are sharpe but they are profy table for they tourment the herte in purgynge and they purge it tourmentyng in tourmenting whan the rebelle hertes receyue trybulacyons vnworthely than thty haue the tourment but they wanten the purgacoÌ„n of y e soule for by the vnpacyence they fou le themselfe more than they were byfore And they may well sore lamente the whiche haue the payne and doo lese the fruyte therof Than I exorte the and praye the in the parte of our lorde god that the whiche that knowed hymselfe a synner and wolde loue god and come to his kyngdome that thou receyue thankefully trybulacyons of his sendynge And whan that thou felest the payne thynke than that thou herest the voyce of our lorde god callynge the to hymselfe from the peryllous place that thou arâ— in and sholde stande in grete feere and in grete Juberte for to come to hym excepte he thus called the to come The sixth consolacoÌ„n foloweth here to suche as haue payne and trybulacyon whiche cometh of remembraunce how these paynes are detâ— whiche of deute muste be payed to almygh ty god fro whome noo synner shall ascape without punysshemente Ne noo man may take from hym that thynge that whiche is his deute ne dysceyue hyÌ„ This detâ— are the paynes with whiche god of his ryghtwysnesse doth ponysshe synnes whiche are not vnknowen to hyÌ„ whether they be done by body or soule ther is no synne may be hyde froÌ„ his Infenyte knowlege as Ecclesiastes sayth ¶ Oia videt ocl'os illiê° Â¶ His eye seeth all thynges ¶ Oculi dnÌ„i ml'to plus lucidiores suÌ„t suê‘ soleÌ„ circuÌ„spicientes oeÌ„s vias hoim ê“funduÌ„ abissi ¶ No thynge is so clere in our syght with the lyght of the sonne as all thynges are in his syght whiche seeth clerely al the secre te eutenâ— of herâ— Thus he knoweth all offences of ryghtwysnesse he muste punysshe hem his power is suffycyent punysshe euery synne after the deseruynge wherfore after the ryghtwysnes of god euery synner is detter to render payne to our lorde And notwithstandyng y t the eternal paynes of helle are translate in to temporal paynes by y e sacrament of confessyon whiche was deutes for dedely synnes yet ther is grete payne besyde ther penaunce ordey ned to synners other in this lyfe or in purgatorye For many synnes are done in this lyfe whiche are neuer shewed in confessyon for they are forgete the goostly fader gyueth penauÌ„ce but only for suche as he hath shewed to hyÌ„ by confessyon Neuertheles he assoyleth from all as well from those synnes y t y u art not confessyd of as for those y t y u do confesse w t standynge y u wolde be confessyd of them yf they came to thy mynde soo y t y u shall not be dampned for them but y u muste suffre temporall payne for them here or in purgatorye Than thynke that thou art detter of grete payne to god for many a dedely syn ne that y u haste forget sythen y u was borne whiche y u had not in mynde the tyme of confessyon And in y e that euerlastynge payne is ordeyned for dedely syn ne y u mayst vnderstande y t whan y e outragyous payne of helle is coÌ„mytted in to temporall payne that this payne muste be grete whiche must be payed for dedely synne Also moche penauÌ„ce whiche is enioyned is not fulfylled perfytly in this lyfe therfore ther leueth moche to punysshe Also dayly we multe plye venyall synnes whiche deserue grete temporal payne by trybulacoÌ„n pacyently taken y u art made quyte of these deutes as moche as y e suffres shall be rebated whan y e comest to thy couÌ„te And lyke as in the counte a counter of lede or laton lyeth for an hondreth ponnde yet in hymselfe is not so moche worth So one
daye payne well taken shall stande for the payne of a yere in the which is conteyned CCC dayes as our lorde sayth by the ê“phete Ezechyell ¶ Diem ê“ aÌ„no dedâ— tibi ¶ I haue gyuen the a daye for a yere O how glad sholde y u be than of one dayes payne whiche delyuereth the fro the mo re bytter payne of a yere O how gentyll sholde y u take this payne whiche maketh to the suche a quytaunce sythen thy lorde whom thou art detter to of his grete mercy gentylnesse with this lytell delyuereth the fro the more therfore I couÌ„seyll the what payue that so euer thou suffre sette it in thy compet and beseche god that it may stande for thysy nne to acquyte the fro the grete paynes that thou haste de serued by synne Thus the theef whiche dyd haÌ„ge on the ryght hande of our lorde he tourned his her te to hym and by that payne well taken he was delyuered from all paynes and hadde the clere syght and fruycyon for euer of the moost gloryous trynyte Wo may that man or woman be y t whiche dayly multeplyeth dette bysynne and lytell or nought he payed by payne For nother he suffreth the payne mekely to his profyte as a verry penytent the whiche god sendeth vnto hym ne taketh to hym wylful ly ony paynefull thynge for to delyuer hym out of his dette and so he shall come afore the Juge at y e houre of deth charged with the hole counte in maner of his lyfe whiche shall be strayte to hym for and he laboure not for mercy whan the soule is in the bodye he shall neuer haue mercy after that it be departed ne be rebated of his deutees In helle shal noo deute be rebated neyther by longe ne by bytter sufferynge There shall lordes and ladyes wepe for theyr apareyll and the vayne beaute of her bodyes the whiche they hadde ordeyned to pryde to lechery and to vayne honours of the worlde There shall also euery craftes man wepe for the mysusynge of his crafte And also clerkes the whiche haue not well vsed theyr connynge to the auayle of the soules And marchauÌ„tes for theyr false peny worthes And synfull men and wymen whiche prouyde not here for theyr soules whiche are called marchauÌ„tes of the erthe for theyr labour is for to gete erthely solace and there they shall see that they haue but smale penyworthes for the labour of theyr lyfe for all the grete solace and hertely Joye shall be gone from them for euer But the heuenly marchauntes the whiche ordeyne theyr labours of this lyfe to bye the heuenly Joyes and than they shall see the grete penyworthes passynge all the estymacyons of all the erthely creatures the whiche they shall receyue of the handes of almyghty god in those grete Joyes of endelesse blysse as it is wryten in the booke of Sapyence ¶ Justâ— autem imperpetuum viuent et apud dominum est merces corum ¶ The ryghtwysse men shall lyue euerlastyngly and with our lorde is reserued the rewarde of theyr grete labours Than thou the whiche knowest thy selfe a synner without grete payne thou mayste not comethyder for none shall entre in to the kyngdome of heuen a fore that they haue payed all theyr dettes of payne for there is noo place to paye deute of payne For the grete and the perfyte felycyte of that kyngdom may suffre there noo mysery to be neyther of synne ne payne Wherfore all you the whiche are faythfull soules and byleue the promysse of god to haue Joye after this lyfe yf that ye wyll be ruled after his wyll I exhorte you praye you to receyue wyth a good herte these present trybulacyons and paynes that ye fele in this lyfe the whiche trybulacyoÌ„s delyuer you of grete paynes without coÌ„paryson whiche ye sholde suffre loÌ„ge tyme be retrayed fro your Joye after this lyfe And now yf ye take these lytell paynes Joyfully ye shall go lyghtly awaye hastly to y t Joyfull InherytauÌ„ce moost blyssed felouship there it shal not be possyble to suffre ony payne thy payne shall be lesser in comparyson to these Joyes than the leden couÌ„ters are whiche lye in the couÌ„te in comparyson to the grete soÌ„mes y t they lye fore as Ecclesyastes sayth ¶ Est q i multa redimit modico precio ¶ Some are whiche acquyte hem of grete dette by lytell payment And yf y u be of suche perfeccoÌ„n y t by the merytes of thyn holy lyuynge blyssed laboures taken for god y t y u haste deserued remyssyon of thy fynne art acquyted of thy payne yet yf trybulacoÌ„n come receyue it gentylly for it is not sende to the without grete cause other to the Incresse of thy merytes or to saue the fro synne whiche thou sholde falle in except by trybulacyon payne y t our lorde preserued the from hit For many whiche are Innocentes full perfyte sholde lose theyr InnoceÌ„cy aÌ„dvertue except they were keped by trybulacoÌ„n ThaÌ„ all ye whiche wolde go quyte out of this worlde froÌ„ all deute of paynes make your payment whyles y t this moneye of trybulacoÌ„n temporall is of so grete a valoure that a lytell of it more maye redeme you fro that InfeÌ„yte payne trybulacyon whiche shal neuer haue ende after this lyf and purchesse to you eternyte of Joye THe seuenth consolacoÌ„n is to remembre that trybulacyon strengthed the herte maketh it able to receyue the precyous gyftes ot grace For lyke as the hamer of the goldsmythe aÌ„d the betinge therof maketh the metall to streche on longe vnder his hande accordynge to his wyll of the whiche he maketh his vesseyll Soo almyghty god he maketh by trybulacoÌ„n the herte to streche on brode to be a vesseyll to receyue retene the bekefyces of his graces ther afore it was a hole masse as a lumpe of metall without abylyte ony thynge to receyue of our lorde wherfore in tribulacyon thanke thy lorde god whiche maketh of thyn hert a chalys to receyue grete habondauÌ„ce of his grace Of this dryuyng on brode of y e hert w t strokes of tribulacoÌ„n speketh the prophete there he sayth ¶ In tribulecione dilatasti micht ¶ Lorde y u haste dylated enlarged myn herte by trybulacyon wherfore I counseyll the whiche desyres to be y e electe vesseyll of grace a whyle pacyently to suffre the stroke of y e hamer of trybulacoÌ„n in the forge smythe of this worlde This lorde neuer wyll stryke the aboue y t y u may be re yf y u ordre the to suffre as he sayth in the gospell ¶ Dedit vnicuique scdm ê“priaÌ„ virtuteÌ„ ¶ He hath gyuen to euery man after his power And the more he beteth the the more large he entendeth to make the vesseyll of thyn herte with the more quantyte of his grace to replenysshe it with all And lyke wyse as the more precyous metall is more obedyent vnd the
handes of the werke than that metall whiche is of lesser valour as golde is more apte in y e golds mythes hande than yron more precyoê° werke he may werke therin for it is more obedyent vnd the hamer Lyke wyse the pacyenthertes are y e precyous goldeÌ„ hert whiche are obedyeÌ„t to y e strokes of trybulacoÌ„n after y e wyll of our lorde in these he werketh precyous werkes of grace many fayre vertues the se curyous moost precyous werkes of y e grete wise dome of god shall euerlastyngly apere in these obedyent pacyent hert to the honour of god grete plesure to all his louers in the kyngdome of heuen where clerely shall be shewed all the secrete werkynges of the hert whiche are had in this lyfe Suffre thy lorde than esely to bete awaye y t rosty mocyons synfull desyres of thyn herte to make it a clene vessell apt to receyue y e InfusyoÌ„ of his grace And yf y e stroke of y t hamer be paynful harde to abyde recomforte the ayen in y t the goldsmyth is so wyse so good y t he may stryke no stroke but to y e moost auayle of the vessele of thyn herte accordynge to his wyl whiche no thynge may do but well And yf y t be gentyle in sufferynge his strokes and left thyÌ„ hert to hyÌ„ desyrynge y t he do therwith lyke as it pleseth hymselfe y u shalt fynde hyÌ„ gentyl in temperynge of his strokes y t he wyl more esely worke after as the forme of werke requyreth But comonly the goldsmyth stryketh moost strokes on y t vessel whiche is moost precyous werke The hertes whiche are without dyscyplyne techynge they are harde and dysobedyent vnd y e hamer rather they breke than they wyll bowe after the enteÌ„te of y e werker Be not as an olde broken panne whiche whan the werker stryketh it breketh maketh many mo holes than were before Thus harde hert drye without loue ordeuocyon to god incresse her payne vnd the stroke of trybulacoÌ„n for they haue no regarde but only to theyr plesure none to theyr demeryte the ryght wysnesse of god whiche may not leue synne vnpunysshed in this worlde he stryketh bycause he wolde spare y e after this lyf where y e strokes shal be moost bytter to suche as thaÌ„ shall suffre hem And lyke as the herte groweth in fayth byleuyng y t the payne trouble cometh of our lord Also in pacyence by wylfull takynge thankynge god therof also in meke nesse thynkynge y t he is worthy to haue suche payne moche more so the herte groweth in the grace aÌ„d loue of our lorde y e rewarde of glorye Thus meueth y e Ecclesyastes saynge ¶ Sustine sustentacoÌ„es dei riuÌ„gere deo sustine vt crescat in nouissiÌ„a vita tua ¶ Suffre the suffrynges of our lorde be y u Joyned to hym Suffre y u thy lyfe may waxe in the ende This saynge may be vnderstande dyuerse wyse as thus suffre thou that god suffre for the or suffre thou that god suffreth with the or suffre thou that god suffreth in the and the fyrste sence is that thou shall suffre that god suffreth for the in this worlde He suffred for thegrete trouble aÌ„d enemyte of y e worlde he suffred for the grete sclauÌ„der euyl reporte he suffred for the contempt despysynge he suffred for the grete pouerte wylfully he suffred for the grete payne in bodye as werynesse watche hongre thyrst grete sorowe in soule grete payne in bodye fynally the moost grete outrage payne of deth more than may be suffred by natural power For he reteyned his soule in his bodye in sufferaunce of peyne aboue the power of nature largely to recompense for our offeÌ„ce so that he yelde vp his soule with a grete crye as scryptute sayth ¶ Uoce magna tradidit spirituÌ„ ¶ But by the course of nature the bodye is so febled byfore the departyuge of the soule y t it hath no power to sormeony voyce And so sholde the bodye of our sauyour haue be had not he reteyned his soule to suffre plentefully payne for our saluacoÌ„n as he sayth in the gospell of Johan ¶ PotestateÌ„ habeo ponendi aiÌ„am meaÌ„ potestateÌ„ habeo iteruÌ„ resumendieam ¶ I haue power to put my soule fro my bobye whan I wyll I haue power to receyue it ayen Joyne it to the bodye And as the prophete sayth ¶ Apud dnÌ„m miÌ„a copiosa apud euÌ„ redempcio ¶ With our lorde is mercy and plenteuous redempcoÌ„n Remembre y t thy lorde god for thyn offeÌ„se suffred these grete paynes of his grete mercy pyte that he hath of the whiche beâ—yÌ„ge a synner may not be saued without his payne for without his payne no payne is able to satysfye for synne Than I exorte the remembre his grete gentylnes lerne to suffre for hym ayen in parte recompence for his grete gentylnes for thyn offence For sythen he that was an Innocent suffred for the moche more thou that art a syuner ought to suffre for thy selfe The hamers of this goldsmythe whiche is almyghty god are not only the paynes trybulacoÌ„ns whiche he werketh in the by cause thou shalt so thynke oftentyme that his werkynge is so secrete that the reson of man can not fynde the cause therof perfytly but also the aduersaryes whiche he suffreth the to haue are his hamers to bete the forge of the a perfyte vessell by pacyent sufferynge accordynge to his plesure to receyue hymselfe here by grace in the lyfe to come with the grete glorye of his eternall felycyte And lyke as the hamer is ordeyned fynaly to the profyte makynge of the vessell not the vessell to the hamer and the hamer in makynge of the vessell and wyth the strokes it is hurte in hymselfe consumeth and fynally breketh So the wretched reprobate people whiche inworde in drede trouble the chosen childern of our lorde they hurte hemselfe fynally are brought to destruccyon dampnacyon thorugh the grete malyce y t they haue to other aÌ„d the pacyent takynges of theyr malyce purgeth the soules whiche y e haue the wronge done vnto them and thus theyr werkes are profytable to other daÌ„pnable to themselfe And therfor sayth Salomon y t the fole serueth to the wyseman ¶ Qui stultus est seruit sapienti ¶ That personeÌ„ is a fole whiche wylfully wyl do that thynge wherby it enteÌ„deth to hurte an other moost hurteth hymselfe And that persone is wyse whiche so wysely taketh that thynge y t myght hurte him that geteth grete profyte therby ThaÌ„ thou whiche wolde be a clene vesseyll honourable to god suffre the strokes of trybulacyon suffre the strokes of troublelers Also y u whiche wolde haue the crowne of vyctorye in this worlde the crowne of glorye in the
cupiditatibus amarissimas dissicultates to ê“picio tanto magis quamto minus sinebas dulcescere quod tu non eras ¶ In my desyres of worldely plesures I founde moost bytter dyffycultees â–ª for thorugh thy mercy thou wolde suffre noo thynge to be swete to me but only thy selfe But perauenture thou wylt saye Syr I complayne me not of the closyÌ„ge of this er thely tauerne soo that the tauerne aboue were opened to me that I myght haue some swete draÌ„ught of the wyne of contemplacyon fro thens but I fele that all the tauerners are closed to me for no solace myn herte fyndeth neyther in bodely ne in gostely thynges To this I answere that not withstandyn ge that the tauerne bynethe is shette vp yet thou shalt not meruayle why the tauerne aboufe is not opened anone to the. For after the shettynge of this y u muste desyre the lorde therof to open it to the and besechynge hym oftentyme that he wyll open it to the for the desyrynge of the openynge is to the encresse of thy meryte for the sekynge of the delyte goostly swetnesse is of more meryte than to delyte and haue delectacyon in hym for that goostly swetnesse cometh onely of hym but the labour wherby thou art ordeyned to haue his comforte cometh bothe of hym and of the by his grace wherby the dedes of thy soule and of thy bodye are acceptable to hym And therfore be not mysmade yf thou abyde a whyle at the tauerne dore afore it be opened to the For the lenger thou abydest at the dore knockynge the more thou shalt haue whan it is brought to the suffre thy thurst to waxe for the more delectable the wyne shall be to the. Dauyd the prophete forsoke the plesures of the worlde for to haue the goostly so lace from aboue and by cause he haddehem not anone he complayned hym as he that hadde payed his syluer and myght not haue his penyworth And ther he sayth ¶ Quid enim michi est in celo et a te quid voluit super terram ¶ Lorde what solace haue I desyred to haue in erthely thynges as who sayd none and yet thou gyuest me no solace from heuen Thus he speketh in the persone of a sekesoule and Impotente to abyde the ordynate workinges of god but in maner complayneth as god were in defaute to whom our lorde may answere saye frende I thanke the that thou haste forsaken the plesures of the worlde for me but yet thou haste not deserued onely to haue forgyuenes of all suche dysplesures as thou haste done in the worlde and muche more to haue the plesures of me whiche be ordeyned for hyÌ„ that are made clene and perfytly purged fro theyr offences wherby they haue dysplesed me To this saynge yet he answereth in the persone of a frayle soule thus ¶ Uelociter exaudi me defecit spiritus meus ¶ Good lorde here me hastely and graunte me that I desyre for my soule faynteneth me for taryenge and it may not lenger abyde But after the grete and contynued desyre of god he sendeth suche comforte that the soule than sayth ¶ Deus cordis mei et pars mea deus ineternum ¶ Thou art the god of myn herte and my parte euerlastynge For only thou mayst cause the Joye whiche I fe le in myn herte and of that grete Joye that thy childern shall haue in the. I truste that I shall with them be partener euerlastyngly Euer complayne of thy selfe and thynke thou art not worthy to haue goostly comforte of god thy wretchednesse is suche wherfore beseche hym that he wyll comforte theÌ„ in thy fayth that thou falle not in dyspere by the subtyll crafte of the deuyll whiche laboureth all that he can to dyscomforte the. Sette not thyn herte on worldely comforte ne desyre not of god the goostly comforte but in that tyme that it plese his mercy to gyue it the. Meke thy selfe and thou shalt haue the more as saynt Peter sayth ¶ Humiliamini sub potentem anu dei et ipse exaltabit vos ¶ Meke your selfe vnder the almyghty hande of god and he shall exalte you wherfore I couÌ„seyll the derely thankefully to take trybulacyon for this withdraweth thyÌ„ herte fro transytorye and vayne delectacoÌ„ns of this worlde maketh the desyre delectacoÌ„n in thy lorde god whiche is moost naturall to thy resonable nature in whom shall be thyn eternall Joye and felycyte THe nynthe consolacoÌ„n is to remembre how-that trybulacoÌ„n bryngeth god in to y e mynde maketh the soule to thynke on god and to bere hym in remembrauÌ„ce whiche without payne and trybulacyon sholde lytell be thought vpon Wherfore our lorde sendeth trybulacoÌ„n as propters rememberes to a dulle mynde And soo whan he beteth the by trybulacyon he techeth the to knowe hym Joyneth hymselfe to thy soule by knowlege whan thou sufferes the trybulacoÌ„ns pacyently for the loue of hym than thou Joynest thy selfe to hym And the more thy payne trouble be the more tra thou remembred of god Thou shalt vnderstande here that the Infenyte mynde of god knoweth all thynges togydre whiche euer are or euer shall be more dystynctly perfytly than ony mynde create of angell or man may vnderstande on thynges by hymselfe And he may no thynge forgete for than he sholde be mutable fro knowlege to Ignoraunce but after y e maner of spekynge of scrypture is sayd that our lord forgeteh suche as he loueth not setteth not by after the comon spekynge as we saye this man knoweth not me whan he taketh lytel kepe of me Soo our lorde suche as he loueth he knoweth by the knowlege of approbacyon ordeynynge hym to rewarde grete Joye with hym This knowlege he hath not of wretched folke y t he prayseth not he approbateth them And those after scrypture our lorde thynketh vpon whiche he sendeth comforte in trybulacyon delyuerauÌ„ce in ouercomynge in temptacoÌ„n and encresse of grace and well spen dynge of tyme by good labour occupacyon wherfore yf y u wolde be Joyned to god in thought where is the rote of thy saluacyon in forgetynge of hym the rote of dampnacyon be glad of trybulacyon for this well taken knytteth the god to gyder by blessyd medytacoÌ„n in thy sufferynge see thy mynde renne to hym than doubtles his renneth to the. The bytter trybulacyons of this lyfe make the thoughtâ— of Ihesu cryst to habonde multeplye in the hertes of his frendes lyke as the thought of man whan he is in trouble lyghtly wyll renne to his frendes whiche he trusted that specyally myght helpe hym in his vexacyon suche tyme this frende cometh ofter in his mynde than an other tyme. And thus our lorde by his suffreayne purueauÌ„ce ordeyÌ„eth medytacoÌ„ns of hym to be multeplyed in the myndes of his frendes to the gretter encresse of grace vertue in hem Wherfore in trybulacyon recomforte the in y e that y u art therby lyfe
vp by medytacoÌ„n to almyghty god and hath excluded fro the y t vayne thoughtes whiche were wont to occupye thy mynde ryght vnprofytable the god thoughtes well ordeyned to our lorde more profyte the without mesure than ony bodely good whiche trybulacoÌ„n may take fro y e in token that his mynde is moche on his seruauÌ„tes whiche are in trouble he sayth in the booke of Exodi ¶ Uidi afflictionem populi mei et recordatus sum pacti mei ¶ I haue sene the trybulacyon of my people I am remembred of the couenauÌ„t and promysse that I haue made to hem As who sayth thou that art in trouble yf thou take thy trouble pacyently our lorde hath made a coÌ„uenauÌ„t to werke auayle therof whiche as y u shalt knowe hereafter y e it shall be to thy moost ê“fyte kyng Dauyd whan his owne sone Absolon hadde put hym fro the kyngdom and he wente lyke an outlawe from place to place for saluacyon of hymselfe One that was called Symey a wretched man whan he see hym he scorned hym and cursed hym and caste at hym stones and the foule stynkynge derte whan the seruauÌ„tes of Dauyd wolde haue ben vpon hym to haue stryken hym to haue reuenged theyr mayster Dauyd coÌ„maunded they sholde not do so saynge thus ¶ Dimitte eum vt mala dicat si forte respiciat dnÌ„s et reddat michi bonuÌ„ ê“ maladictioeÌ„s hac hodierna ¶ Suffre hym let hym allone in cursynge and rebu kynge me for by this sufferynge I truste god wyll rewarde me and for this cursynge pacyently taken he wyl gyue me some good rewarde Thus Dauyd wolde suffre the cursynge Iniurye of his enemyes as the mene to make hym to haue specyall helpe of our lorde in his grete nede whan his owne sone persued hym to put hym to deth Therfore suffre thou pacyently the euyll saynge Iniuryes of euyll folke suche bryngeth the to the blessynge specyal helpe of our lorde in suche thynges ther thou haste specyall nede of his helpe I sayd byfore that our lorde remembreth his couenauÌ„t to suche as be in trybula cyon Here thou wyll aske me what couenauÌ„t that it is He maketh couenauÌ„t with suche as pacyently ta ke trybulacyon to delyuer hem that they shall haue power of delyuerauÌ„ce and that he shall be felowe with hem as longe as they are in trybulacyon in berynge the trouble as it is sayd before This is fygured in the boke of Danyell whan he his felowe were put in the brennynge ouen there appered one with hem lyke the sone of god whiche made the ouen as so temperate as it hadde ben full of aprety colde wynde with a temperate dewe therwith that the fyre hurte them not in the ouen but it flowe out of the ouen vpon suche as kyndeled the fyre and de stroyde them and those in the ouen were delyuered Lyke wyse yf thou blyssedly take trybulacyons and blysse god lyke as the thre childern blyssed god whiche were in the ouen than thou shalt haue delyueraunce and the trybulacyons shall be caste on thyn aduersaryes whiche brought the to trouble by the helpe of Ihesu cryste the sone of god whiche yf thou feloushyp with hym with thyn hert shall swage the fyre of aduersyte brenne them therby whiche bloweth and kyndeled the fyre vpon the. Also our lorde maketh promysse to his frendes y e whiche are in trybulacyons that he shall rewarde them with the goodes of his glorye and more than thou mayst conuenyently aske of hym than the delyuerauÌ„ce of thy paynes and troubles and rewardes of his excellent goodes in his kyngdom of glorye And this couenaunt is wryten there he sayth ¶ Cum ipsosum in tribulacione eripiaÌ„ eum glorificabo eum ¶ with my frende I am in trybulacoÌ„n I shall delyuer hym and I shall glorefye hym Than sythen it is so profytable to the to haue god in thy mynde with feeré to offende hym and to this grete auayle thou art brought by trybulacyon than I counseyll the whiche wolde be the louer of our lorde and haue hym to thy rewarde after this lyfe whom thou haste specyally in thy mynde the tyme of trybulacyon that thou take pacyently payne temporall veÌ„xacyon THe tenthe consolacyon is to remembre that trybulacyon pacyentely thaÌ„kfully taken maketh our lorde more mercyfull to the it maketh thy prayer more merytoryous sooner to be except of god whiche hath ordeyned that mercy shall be had through askynge of hym Wherfore suche dulie soules as wyll not aske mercy our lorde be teth them to make them crye for mercy as the childe doth vnder the rodde wherfore our lorde is redie to gyue mercy to suche as faythfully perseuerauÌ„t ly calle for it at theyr petycyon prayer And that he accepteth the prayer of them is wryten in the boke of Ecclesyastes ther he sayth ¶ DeprecationeÌ„lesi exaudiet dnÌ„s ¶ Our lorde shall here the prayer of suche a ê‘sone as is hurte wherfore yf y u fele hurte in y e by payne trybulacyoÌ„ comforte thy selfe ayen that these hurtes make thy prayers the sooner to be herde of almyghty god for remyssyon of thy synue to the grete rewarde of thy saluacyon Our lorde beteth suche as he wyll haue saued w t payne trouble to constreyne them to crye for helpe by cause he wyll they shall vnderstande y t theyr helpe cometh of hym whiche after longe contynuaunce of cryenge grauÌ„teth them theyr petycoÌ„n Many a mouth is closed by prosperyte y t it cryeth for none helpe to god whiche is opened by aduersyte And so is wryten of Jonas the prophete y e whan he fled in to the contre of Tharse he sleped profuÌ„dly in y e feloushyp there he was as longe as the weder was fayre aÌ„d calme but whan tempest dyde ryse myghtely than he was wakened to make hym crye for helpe to his god the shypman caste hym in to the see there a qualle receyued hym swolowed hym in to his wombe there in grete fere of his lyfe amonges the bowelles of the qualle he cryed with feruent spyryte to god with contynauÌ„ce that crye was herde of god Suche hertes slepe with Jonas as in thef al 's Joye and deceyuable prosperyte of this lyfe forgett themselfe are brought to y e state y t they lytel atende ne take hede to ony thynge but suche as are to theyr bodely plesure or bodely hurte lytel take hede to thynges of theyr dampnacoÌ„n or saluacoÌ„n the more prosperyte they haue y e faster they are on slepe theyr slepe is the more peryllous the more kyghe they are to dampnacoÌ„n But lyke as ê“speryte maketh them to slepe lyke wyse aduersyte maketh them to wake And there they holde them stylle in slepynge there they crye whan they are wakynge And for this cause our lorde maketh to ryse grete tempestes of trybulacyons to suche folke that be profouÌ„dely in this
peryllous slepe For he wyl that they crye on hym hertely beseche hym for suche thynges as he wyll gyue them For lyke wyse he hath ordeyned what he wyll gyue them also he hath ordeyned that they shall come therby by petycyons and by askynge of hym And therfore sayth Dauyd in the persone of suche as haue theyr helpe of god by theyr petycyon and prayer ¶ Ad dnÌ„m cuÌ„tribularer clamaui et exaudiuit me ¶ Whan I haue ben troubled I haue cryed to god he hath herde me and graunted me my petycyon Suche folke as are in prosperyte thei calle somtyme to our lorde for many whiche are in prosperyte the are not brought soo faste on slepe y t they forgete themselfe and god lyke as they do whiche are very foles yet in tyme of prosperyte the soules are slomerynge towarde slepynge soo y t the crye is not so myghty to obteyne the helpe of our lorde as in tyme of aduersyte Perauenture y u wylt saye to me that the payne aduersyte whiche thou hast incombred thyn herte so sore y t y u lesse prayest lesse callest to god the tyme of aduersyte than in tyme of prosperyte To this I saye that yf thou speke noo worde in the tyme of thy payne but only applye y e to take it pacyently than thy payne cryeth for the. For as many sores Infyrmytees as Lazarus had in his bodye as many mouthes he had cryenge to god And yf thou haue but a lytell prayer with thy herte or mouth that tyme the vertue of well takynge thy trybulacyon maketh it of grete meryte derely to be receyued of god As many trybulacoÌ„ns as thou haste and takest them well thankynge god of them as many proptours aduocates thou haste in the courte of heueÌ„ to speke for the calle before the trone of god for expedycoÌ„n helpe for the. And thê° yf thy mouth be shette at somtyme for greue bytternesse y t thou felest by trybulacyoÌ„ thy trybulacoÌ„n than cryeth for the with a grete voyce in the herynge of god trybulacoÌ„ns also make thy prayers sooner to spede Thy trybulacyons are as paymentes for the charter of thy delyuerauÌ„ce therfore pacyently suffre trybulacoÌ„ns as thou wyll haue the letters of thy delyuerauÌ„ce And of this gyueth the example that holy man Job whiche speketh as he that had longe tyme abyden at the courte desyrynge to haue his letters hath not to paye for them ¶ Quis michi det vt veniat peticio mea et quod exspectabo tribuat michi dnÌ„s ¶ who shall gyue me that my petycyon may come to me and that our lorde shal gyue to me those thynges whiche I desyre of hym And specyally amonge all other prayers the Pater noster is moost specyall And that thou mayst well vnderstande whan he gaaf it to the by his owne mouth for he hymselfe knoweth beste what petycyon moost pleseth hym He not wery to crye notwithstandynge that y u haste not soone delyuerauÌ„ce after thyn owne wyll at the courte of our lorde for he knoweth the ordre of his courte wherfore it is moost expedyent that thou submytte thy wyll to his besechynge hym that after the ordre of his wyll he wyl delyuer the and than thou shalt be sure of blyssed delyuerauÌ„ce y u whiche thus abydest that thou gracyously labour for thy delyuerauÌ„ce The wretched people take not themselfe as abyders for he that abydeth he hopeth to haue some thynge but these men loke for no rewarde of theyr trybulacoÌ„ns They abyde for noo thynge but for worldely good worshype or solace theyr hertes be so fixed in these worldely goodes that they loke lytell to the goodes of heuen and the rewarde of god The ryghtwysse people whiche see by the ryghtwysnesse of god that noo synne may passe vnpunysshed they desyre of god to haue labour and trybulacyon in this worlde wherby they may escape y e bytter paynes and tourmentes the whiche ben ordeyned for synners that haue lytell payne in this worlde and they Joye of theyr trybulacyon For the payne whiche is pacyently taken for the loue of god in this worlde it purgeth not only the soule fro synne but also it ordeyneth grete Joye after this worlde And the payne the whiche is suffered after this lyfe it only profyteth to purgacyon of synne in suche as departe fro this lyfe in the state of grace Wherfore the holy man Job sayth ¶ Qui cepit verberare me ipÌ„e conterat me ¶ He whiche hath begonnen to bete me he spare me not but bete me ynough and in that only I wyll comforte me for that he gyueth me so grete payne and sorowe and that he spareth me not O take good hede of this holy soule whiche had loste all his rychesse all his childern all his bodely helth that the flesshe felle roten fro his boones and was despysed of his frendes and scorned of his wyfe And yet all his sufferaunce he helde it but as a begynnynge of his betynge and besought god to bete hym fully as who wolde saye that god hadde but lytell done to hym in all these and other comforte he hadde not ne none other he desyred to haue but that god wolde not spare hym He vnderstode that his betynge was payment to obteyne his letters of delyueraunce and therfore he besought god that he wolde gyue hym payment ynough that he sholde not be taryed after his delyueraunce in defaute of payment Also he vnderstode that suche as our lorde spareth in this lyfe he spareth them for to be beten after this lyfe And suche as that our lorde loueth he beteth them in this lyfe bycause that he wyl spare them after this lyfe The wretched folke are spared here by the grete wrath and grete yre of god for he wyll here after hym reuenge of them And therfore Job desyred to make all his paymenthere Thus yf that thou be dyscomforted in that that thou art gretely beten with payne and trybulacyon thou muste comforte thy selfe ayen in remembrynge how that our lorde loueth the and wyll spare the in tyme comynge Our lorde wyll not bete the twyes for one thynge whan as one betynge is suffycyent and the suffycyence is made by a good wyll and by the good takynge of betynge For one gentyll and obedyent wyll maketh a lytel payne as acceptable to god for remyssyon of synne and encresse of grace as ony grete payne without suche a good wyll For as it is wryten in Genesis ¶ Respexit deus ad abel et ad munera sua ¶ Our lorde dyd beholde Abell and his offerynges â—yrste he be helde his herte and his good entente and than his gyftes as who wolde saye he made more of his gode and his louynge herte than he dyd of his gyftes for ther is no gyfte acceptable to god except it come of a good herte Thus this holy fader Job offered his payne to god with a good hert and with a good wyl whan
he desyred that he sholde not spare hym and all was by cause that he wolde that he sholde spare hym in an other place and therfore lyke as he desyred to be beten here also he desyred for to be spared there Wherfore he sayth thus ¶ Parce michi domine ¶ Lorde spare me wherfore I counseyl the whiche our lorde here doth vysyte with payne trouble that thou thanke hym therof whiche so louely remembreth the that he wyll in tyme to come spare the in that place where the wouÌ„de of his stroke shall neuer be heled for the synne whiche deserueth forgyuen after this lyfe standynge thou knowest thy selfe a synner and muste nedes be beten I counseyll the take thy betynge so that it may be profytable to the and auoyde the betynge in tyme comy ge for ellys thou shalt be beten both here and there here thy wounde may be heled but there it shall neuer be heled THe xi consolacyon is to remembre how the herte is keped and nourysshed by trybulacyon Our lorde hath ordeyned that the goodes of the hert shal be vnder y e kepynge of trybulacoÌ„n w t out suche kepyng of tyme they are lost as it was preuâ—n in the wyse man Salomon of whom saynt Gregorye sayth ¶ Ideo sapiÌ„a cor salomonis deseruit quia nulla tribulacoÌ„is disciplina illud custodiuit ¶ The wysedom of god dyd forsake the herte of Salomon for no dyscyplyne of trybulacioÌ„ dyd it kepe For lyke as the fyre is keped vnder the asshes the sede vnder the snowe lyke wyse the her tes of the frendes of our lorde are keped vnder the couerynge of trybulacyon In token of this our lorde coÌ„mauÌ„ded that his tabernacle sholde be couered with here whiche is sharpe to the entente that this sharpe couerynge sholde defende the precyous curtens of sylke whiche was vndertheym So our lorde couered the soules of his louers with sharpe trybulacyonsto the entent that the grete tempestes of flesshely temptacyons shall not fade the fayre ornamentes of vertue whiche clotheth the soule And this trybulacyon bryngeth in to our mynde the myserable state of our nature how soone it is brought to sekenesse of bodye temptacyon of soule by Inordynate plesure of malyce of wyll how vnable it is to bere perfytly the weyght of ony trybulacioÌ„ but only by the specyal supportacoÌ„n of the grace of our lorde And thus we are madeÌ„ by trybulacyon to me ke our selfe where as prosperyte made vs to haue more plesure in our selfe than we ought to haue aÌ„d made vs hyer in our conceyte than we sholde haue be And therfore of suche that haue no trybulacyon in this lyfe it is wryten in the spalter ¶ CuÌ„ hoiÌ„bus noÌ„ flagellabuntÌ„ ideo tenuit eos suê‘uia ¶ Suche as are noâ— scourged by trybulacyon they are holden w t the vyce of pryde wherfore thou whiche art a prisoner with pryde as thou mayst vnderstande in that thou haste to moche loue to thy selfe and to lytel to god thousholde praye our lorde to bete the to breke this bande of Inordynaie loue For as longe as thou haste this loue to thy selfe thou mayst not haue that loue to god whiche that thou ought to haue Thou mayst knowe whan that pryde hath possessyon of thy soule by the effectes and weâ—kes that growe of pryde as whan thou art meued to saye thynges coÌ„mendable of thy selfe to the entente that thou sholde be coÌ„mended hauynge no respecte to god ne to the coÌ„mendacyon of hym This auayntynge aÌ„d boostynge groweth of the vyce of pryde and whan that thou art dysobedyent and frowarde and wyll folowe rather thyn owne wyll than the counseyll and byddynge of suche whiche speke to the for thy profyte and is dysposed to chyde to braulle with the whan thy wyll is not fulfylled Also trybulacyon dooth nourysshe thyn herte as it is wryten in Deutronomye ¶ Inundaciones maris quasi lac sugges ¶ Thou muste souke the bytter floodes of trybulacyon as they were mylke lyke as the childe souked the mylke to the encresse of the bodely helpe helth So thou muste souke the bytter trybulacoÌ„n to thy goostly helth for yf thou take them swetely than thou growest in vertue in the grace and fauour of our lorde wherin standeth the helth of thy soule wherfore in thy trybulacoÌ„n comforte the with this mylke whiche shall brynge vpon the swete flood of the glorye of god THe xii consolacyon in the tyme of trybucyon is to remembre that trybulacyons do testefye and bere wytnesse to thyn herte that our lorde dooth specyall loue the and therfore thou ought to receyue them gladdly for they come for to bere wytnesse that thou shalt haue the grettest thynge of the moost valour that thou mayst desyre in this lyfe whiche is the loue of god And this sheweth Salomon where as he sayth ¶ Qui diligit filium assiduat illi flagella ¶ The fader whiche that loueth his childe he beteth hym oftentymes Thus our lorde kepeth his childern euer vndernethe some rodde for he beteth not alwaye with one rodde for somtyme he beteth by trouble of the soule somtyme by payne of the bodye and somtyme whan it semeth that he spareth yet he beteth As whan he suffreth the to goo at lyberte and thou thynkest thy selfe out of trouble yet he suffreth the thoughtes and temptacyons to come in thy mynde as that thy consyence is greued and there he beteth the and thus he spareth the somtyme in betynge he beteth the in sparynge But suche as he sparetij in this lyfe he ordeyned that after this lyfe that al his scourges shal come vpon them al at ones in the bytter payne of dampnacyon And than he shall auauÌ„ce promote to the grete endelesse prosperyte to his childern whiche he hath beyet in this lyfe And ther shal be shewed the grete loue of hym whiche he dyd bete in this lyfe the hatred wrath of them whiche he spared in this lyfe for than he shall caste of hym to gydre all his vengeaunce and all the tourmentes paynes whiche they deserue here shal be hylled vpon them there as our lorde sayth in the boke of Deutronomye ¶ Congregabo suê‘ eos mala et sagittas meas complebo in eis ¶ I shall geder to gydre the paynes vpon them I shall stryke them fully with myn arowes Than thou whiche desyrest to haue the loue of our lorde and to knowe that he loueth the be glad whan the wytnesse of his loue cometh to the. Perauenture thou sayest that prosperyte is also wytnesse of his loue for suche as our lorde loueth somtyme receyue prosperyte of hyÌ„ lyke as other tyme they receyue aduersyte aÌ„d thus thou sayest that sythen both come from one hande one maner of folke y t the one is no more wytnesse of the loue of god than the other To this I answere that not withstandynge that both prosperyte aÌ„d aduersyte come of our lorde
neuer kyng in this worlde whiche had so grete honour as now haue some sayntes whiche was afore tyme but a poore man or a poore womā in theyr tyme were lytell set by amonge the people of the worlde And therfore sayth the prophete ¶ Nimis honorati sūt amici tui deus ¶ Thy frendes good lorde are hyghely honoured Of y e ryche man of whom is spoken in the gospell of Luke whiche was clothed in purple rychely fedde euery daye y e people of this worlde dyd loke dyd hym gretereuerence but almyghty god lytell attended hȳ ne the company of heuen for he lytell attended the people of our lorde contrary wysefewe gaue kepe to the poore lazar that laye at his dore desyred but the crōmes that felle from his table none was gyuen hym but almyghty god the heuenly creatures behelde hym lyeng with grete payne afore the gates of this ryche man And that was shewed in theyr departynge fro this lyfe for ther was sende of god a ryall Imbasset of angelles to receyue the soule of the lepre to brynge it with grete Joye in to Abrahams bosom And the soule of the ryche man whiche had prosperyte felycyte of this worlde was buryed in helle there it is yet for in helle is no redempcyon These the now whether thou wylt that the syght of our lorde be set vpon the for thy pacyence in the tyme of thyn aduersyte therby to haue this comforte whan thou shalt departe fro this worlde or to haue thy plesure after the transytorye course of this worldely prosperyte and in maner be forgeten of god the dwellers of heuen and at the houre of deth to be taken with the terryble tyraūtes of helle and thyder to be brought to dwelle without hope of remyssyon of synne or delyueraūce of payne euer without ende Ther was neuer Emperour ne kyng that had so grete plesure to see his seruaunt fyght for his loue as almghty god hath in the why che that beren pacyently trybulacōn ayenst all the malyce of the deuylles for his sake Ther is no grete euyl done in this lyf but it is soone shewed amon ges the company of helle so ther is no grete thynge of perfeccyon done ne suffred in this lyfe but it is shewed to the courte of heuen to theyr grete Joye Than see that y u suffre Joyfully payne trybulary on as y u wylt that god the heuenly multytude haue Joye in the gretely desyre that y u shalt be felowe with them in theyr beatytude felycyte THe xv consolacyon is to remembre that our lorde sendeth the trybulacyon to make the to come to knowlege not only how thou sholde rule thy selfe accordynge to the plesure of hym but also that he hath ordeyned the to be a teherof other For lyke as none can so comfortably dele with a seke perlone as the phesycyan whiche hath ben in the same sekenesse afore soo none can gyue soo comfortable a counseyll to a soule in trouble as that persone the whiche afore tyme hath had suche atrouble by the grace of god hath well gyded hem selfe therin As saynt Poule sayth ¶ Tribulamur pro vestra exhortacōe et salute ¶ We are troubled for your exhortacyon and goostly helth As who sayd Our lorde sendeth vs trouble to the entente that we sholde teche you bothe by example of pacyence sufferynge and also by holy exortacyonon of worde that ye be obedyent for the grete rewarde whiche is ordeyned for pacyence in trouble And that by lyke resons as we fynde in our selfe by the Inwardely techynge of our lorde wherby we more Joyfully take trybulacyon suche or lyke we sholde shewe to you for to make you lyke wyse pacyently to soffre aduersyte and lyke as the good soule whicho is in trouble techeth an other bothe in worde in dede how it shall pacyently holyly take trybulacōn so y t it hath ordeyned for it double rewarde in y e glorye of god Thus y u shalt haue reward of god in that y u pacyently suffres sekenesse trouble than kefully in thy selfe Also thou shalt haue rewarde in that y u shewest thy pacyent takynge to other to the entente to gyue them good example and to the laude of god pryncypally and not to thy cōmendacyon Also thou shalt haue rewarde in that thou techest with thy mouth to other after the good mocyons medytacyons that y u felest in thy selfe wherby thou felest thy selfe comforted in thy payne and trouble And in the Joye of heuen thou shalt haue synguler rewarde of glorye by eche one of them whiche are profyted here by thy techynge And they shall gyue the thankynges euerlastȳgly for the goostly helpe y t they haue had of the here in this lyfe And so thou whiche suche vsest thy trybulacyon to the profyte of many thou shalt haue grace Joye gyuen to the by trybulacyon as the prophete Danyel sayth ¶ Fulgebunt iusti tanquam stelle in perpetuas eternytates et sicut splendor firmamenti qui ad iusticiam erudiunt multos ¶ The ryghtwysse men shal shyne as sterres and those the whiche teche other to lyue ryghtwysly shall shyne as the hole fyrmament Thus lyke as the lyght of the fyrmament the whiche conteyneth the sonne the mone and the sterres soo the glorye of those that teche other for to do and to suffre vertuously shal passe the glorye of those the whiche are not suche techers wherfore I counseyll the in the tyme of thy payne and trouble that thou applye thy mynde dylygently to lerne well for to take thy trouble to the good example of other that thou be nombred amonges the gloryous multytude of techers THe xvi comforte is to remembre that our lorde by the hygh prouydēce of his wysedome moost ryght ordre of his Justyce hath made this statute that y u whiche haste loste hym by prosperyte false Inordynate plesure of this worlde shalt fynde hym ayen by aduersyte of payne ād trybulaciō as it is wryten in the booke of Deutro ¶ Inuenies em̄ si cū toto corde inqueras eū trybulacione ¶ Thou shalt fynde hym yf thou seke hym with all thyn herte in trybulacyon O how gladde mayst thou be whiche art set by the very ordynaūce of our lorde in that waye state that thou may fynde hym yf thou wylt Peraduenture thou wylt saye Syr yf I vnderstode that this payne trouble y t I fele at myn herte or in my bodye came of our lorde I wolde be glad therof it sholde be welcome to me but I thynke that I am the cause therof my selfe To this I saye that what soweuer sorowe y t thou haste in herte or payne in bodye god is the pryncypall cause therof ād it is ordeyned by his wyll and ryghtwysnesse that thou shalt haue it He gyueth payne in this worlde whiche he shall gyue Joye in the other worlde and the
deuyll is pryncypall cause of synfull plesure in this worlde whiche shall tourment punysshe the vayne occupyed soules in the other worlde It is laboryous and paynfull to the to seke god thus with so grete fere in trybulaciō wherfore in thy sekynge remembre the fyndynge of him how Joyfull it shall be to the for thon shalt fynde hym therby yf thou take it thankefully whiche shal tourne all thy payne in to plesure thy sorowe in to solace thy transytorye aduersyte into the perdurable Joye prosperyte wherfore sayth the prophete ¶ Letetur cor quērenciū dn̄m querite faciē eius semper ¶ They haue cause to haue a lyght herte whiche seketh our lorde wherfore seke ye the Joyfull face of hym euer The payne of sehynge is bytter but he is swete whom thou sekest by payne yf thou seke hym by payne to the entent that y u wolde be a louer of hym thy payne shall apere the lesser as Dauyd sayth ¶ Letent̄ in teoēs qui querūtte ¶ All those whiche seke the they shall be lyghtned in the. But the beftyall folke whiche ordeyne not theyr payne as a mene wherby they sholde come to our lorde but only take it as a grete hurte to theyr bodye ryght lytell or nought remembre what profyte theyr soule may haue therby they are very woo with all for they hate more the myserye of payne than the myserye of synne more labour to auoyde thynges to theyr dysplesure than to the dysplesure of god And yet our lorde kepeth suche folke in payne to suche a tyme tyll he haue made them to set lytel by them selfe be more redye to applye them to do after his wyll than after theyr owne wyll lyke as the mayster cesseth not to punysshe his seruaūt to suche a tyme tyl he hath brought hym to werke after his wyl specyally whan it is suche a seruaūt that he hath a fauour to hym wyll not put hym from hymselfe Thou wylt peraduenture saye a they speke falsely vpon me sclaūder me how can this come of god for this is dedely synne no synne may be Imputed to god To this I answere that our lorde of his secrete dome vnknowen Jugement suffreth the to synne of that synne he wyll werke vertue in the make the to haue wyl to forsake synne whiche wyl cometh of sorowe confusyon that thou hast in thy selfe this payne of sorowe whiche thou feleste byte thyn herte ryght bytterly cometh of god and also the good wyll whiche foloweth therof in forsakynge of synne therfor the prophete sayth ¶ Imple facies eorum ignomina et querent nomen tuum dn̄e ¶ Fulfyll the face of theyr soule with shame rebuke than they shall seke the. And therfore our lorde suffreth many a soule to falle in grete ād openly knowen synne wherby they haue grete shame and are brought therby to forsake synne to set ryght lytell by themselfe whiche byfore made to moche of themselfe hadde grete pryde and vayne glorye in the good name reporte that was made vpon them And by this comon shame and shamefull reporte whiche gooth vpon them this vayne plesure is clene taken from them Thus god is so good that he suffreth none euyll to be done in the worlde neyther in his electe childern but of the whiche that he werketh a grete auayle to them They shall clerely see vpon the daye of Jugement that lyke as they neuer dyd good thynge vnrewarded soo they neuer dyd euyll thynge but our lorde dyd werke grete auayle therof to theyr rewarde yf thou sekest our lorde in the waye of paynfull pouerte and wantest thynges as it is sene to the that it is necessarye to thy lyuynge sustentacōn remémbre that yf thou pacyently take thy pouerte thou shalt haue the greetest rychesse that euer was for thou shalt haue god himselfe all the rychesse that he hath shall be thyn As he sayth in the gospell ¶ Omnia meā tua sunt ¶ All my rychesse are thy rychesse O than be thou glad to bere thy pouerte Joyfully for a whyle whiche hastely shall be made so ryche It were a grete plesure to a poore man to haue promysed y e rychesse of a temporall kyng but moche more plesure it is to a faythful soule to haue promysed the Inestimable rychesse of god whiche is the kyng of kynges ād lorde of lordes Thou sayest peraduenture Syr I haue loste my bodely helth wherby I myght haue done many good werkes to the honour of god and profyte of my soule fro these I am letted now by grete sekenesse oftentyme fere of deth I answere the in this that peraduenture whan thou hadde thyn helth thou occupyed full symply more thou vsed it to thy plesure than to the plesure of god ād y u sholde haue comen to more Incōuenyentes therby yf thou had contynued therin And for mysusynge of thyn helth our lorde hath sende the now this seknesse there as y u wolde not serue hym well in tyme of they helth in well doynge serue hym well now in tyme of sekenesse by good sufferynge Be thou sure that yf thyn helth had ben more to his plesure than sekenesse y u sholde haue had it standynge that he is the pryncypall cause of all bodely sekenesse and ther thou lesest thy bodely helth whiche is better to the than all the rychesse of the worlde y t y u getest ayen therby yf y u gracyously take it whiche goodes passe thy bodely helth all bodely rychesse of the worlde that is to saye the grace of our lorde in this worlde with vertue of mekenesse pacyence and charyte flesshely payne is the specyall remedy to auoyde flessly synne for the tyme of payne y e wyll hath but lytell plesure in remembraūce of flesshely delectacōn therfore yf it be tempted it is the more stronger to resyste it and therfore sayth the apostle ¶ Cūinfirmor forcior sū ¶ Whan I am seke in my bodye I am stronger to resyste the temptaciō of vyce in my soule By payne the seke persōe is brought to set lytell by hymselfe for yf it be full of payne it setteth lytell by precyous clothes it setteth lytell by worshyp worldly honour And that persone is meke whiche setteth lytell by hymselfe but pacyence is more paynful that is to saye wylfully thankefully to take the sekenesse with hande herte to gyue louynge to our lorde therfore neuertheles a fayth full soule remembrȳge these profytes whiche come by sekenesse is full glad therof conformeth y e wyll to the wyll of god but this pacyence to god muste haue charyte to those whiche are about it yf thou haue these thre that is to saye mekenesse in lytell settynge by thy selfe obedyent pacyence to god charyte to suche as be aboute the without chydynge braulynge than y u haste grete wytnesse y e whiche shal brynge the to the
glorye of god to the crowne of vyctorye O how gladde mayst thou be to seke thy lorde god and fynally to fynde hym by sekenesse whoo 's gloryous syght is of soo grete a plesure that thou wolde chese to suffre the grete paynes of helle longe tyme after a shorte syght so that thou myght see hym ayen And yf a soule whiche is in the paynes of helle myght see hym the grete Joye of the syght of god sholde stoppe for the tyme all the paynes of helle that hit sholde fele none for that Joye sholde so fulfyll the wyll with delectacoÌ„n plesure that hit sholde fele no payne for ther sholde no place be lefte for ony contrarye felynge In this lyfe ther is no plesure so grete but ther is payne moche more but after this lyfe ther shal be plesure incomparable more than ony payne may be now I exhorte the to seke thy lorde truly by trybulacoÌ„n payne whiche hath sought the fouÌ„de the by incomparable more payne than thou whiche haste loste hym mayst suffre to fynde hym ayen THe xvii comforte is to remembre that our lorde hath sende trybulacoÌ„n to the to the entente that he wyll make the aferde to of offeÌ„de hym for comonly our freyle nature refuseth noo thynge whiche is plesaunt to it except it be meoued of fere and many ther are whiche in lacke of perfyte fayth fere ryght lytel the paynes to come wherfore suche sholde be taken in the snares of the deuyl and falle to contynuaunce in synne yf our lorde of his grete mercy dyd not sende them payne trybulacyon in this present lyfe But he kepeth them soo occupyed with fere bytternesse of payne that ther mynde is withdrawen fro theyr dysordynate plesure And yf they haue y t specyall grace to thyÌ„ke that theyr payne is mynde to them from our lorde to make them to flee synne than theyr payne and trouble putteth them in grete fere to synne maketh them to flee it Wherfore Job spekynge of suche sayth ¶ Terrebit eos tribulacio et angustia ¶ Trybulacyon and anguysshe shall fere them Many ther are whiche as yonge childern that haue lytell vse of reson lyue al after sensualyte plesure of theyr fleshe and that is theyr grete sporte delyte in this worlde And often tyme in the myddes of theyr playnge tyme without ony warnynge they are called out of this worlde to theyr acounte Jugement where the sentence of dampnatoÌ„n is shortly gyuen of them forth with they are put in to payne of the vengeable fyre of helle ther they shall abyde euer without ende That soule whiche fleeth syÌ„ne pryncypally for fere of payne or for worldely shame or for ony other creature it shall haue noo rewarde therfore in heuen but yet by that it offendeth lesse to god than it sholde haue done yf it had no suche fere sooner ryseth to grace This fere of payne is called a seruyle fere for thus fereth the seruannt for to offende his mayster by cause he fereth he sholde haue grete strokes and punysshement But the good childe fereth his fader pryncypaly for loue that he hath to hyÌ„ bycause he wolde not offende hym And ryght so the good wyfe loueth her husbonde for loue that she hath to hym she wyll not offende hym But the euyl wyf fereth to make transgressyon of her spousage more for fere of strokes than for loue Thus the childely fere of god is merytoryous shal haue grete rewarde of our lorde whan a soule fleeth synue for loue y t it hath to god bycause it wolde not fynally be sperate from hym Neuerthelesse for seruyle drede the soule is brought to childely drede oftentymes Than sythen no thynge shal departe the soule fro god brynge it to perpetuell payne but on lysynne our lorde sendeth the payne to departe the fro synne than he wyll by temporall payne delyuer the fro the eternall payne Joyne the to hym in perpetuell glorye wherfore yf y e lyft thy mynde to god in the tyme of payne trybulacyon seeyng so faderly he deleth with the what profyte he ordeyneth to come of thy payne trouble thou ought to take it pacyently and gyue hym grete laude and praysynge therfore whiche thus mercyfull deleth with the. THe xviii consolacyon is to remembre how our lorde prouydeth for the whiche art in trybulacoÌ„n yf y u take it well that after thyn herte be constrayned to god with anguysshe of payne it shall be dylated with Joye aÌ„d opened ayen as the prophete sayth ¶ In tribulacoÌ„e dilatasti michi ¶ Thou haue dylated by trybulacoÌ„n myn hert to me And as it is wryten in the booke of Tohbye ¶ Post tribulacioneÌ„ et flectuÌ„ exultacioneÌ„ infundis ¶ Thou gyuest to the herte after trybulacoÌ„n we pynge Joye gladnesse Ther is none after the ordynate lawe of our lorde that cometh to grete gladnesse in hym but after grete sorynesse of this lyfe specyally yf the sorowe and trouble be taken for the loue of god in ordre to hym as the prophete sayth ¶ Detorrente in via bibet ê“pterea exaltauit caput ¶ He shall drynke of the bytter water in the waye of trybulacyon therfore he shall exalte afterwarde his hede with Joye in god delectacyon That thynge whiche maketh man or woman to sett lesse by hemselfe that same dysposeth hem to make more of god Some tyme a persone is made to set lesse by hemselfe by mysery of synne for many one whiche made ryght moche of hymselfe whan they are fallen in to grete abhomynable synne than they are ashamed abhorre with hemselfe And after this lytel makynge of hemselfe they begynne to lerne to make moche of our lorde and come as Mary magdaleyn dyd to grete grace plesure in god By mysery of payne also many come to the same plesure in god and that is the better waye for mysery of synne can neuer be good the tyme is loste of goostly profyte as longe as a soule is in this mysery our lorde hateth this wretchednesse of synne But wretchednesse of payne yf it be wel taken is of grete plesure to our lorde it is of grete meryte the tyme is well spended they y t be in this mysery well taken wherfore I exhorte the whiche haste had plesure in synne worlde haue plesure in god take pacyently payne trybulacyon and than thou shalt see that thou shalt lerne to make moche of god he shall make moche of the. THe xix consolacyon is to remembre how a dulle soule by trybulacyon is made quycke to serue god as the ê“phete sayth ¶ Si ambulauero in me dio tribulacoÌ„is viuificabis me ¶ yf I shall walke in the myddes of trybulacyon thou shalt receyue and quyken me Lyke as a dulle seruaunt by strokes is made sharpely to applye his labour so are dulle soules whiche had lytell appetyte to serue god be made to spende