original sinne of whiche Saynt Paule so sore coÌ„playneth in his Epystle to the Romaines And yet maye we not praye while we stand in this lyfe to haueâ— this kynde of tribulacion vtterly taken from vs. For it is lefte vs by goddes ordinaÌ„ce to striue agaynst it fight wythal and by reasoÌ„ and grace to maister it and vse it for the matter of our meryte For the saluacion of our soule maye we boldly praye For grace may we boldly praye for faith for hope and for charitie and for euery such vertue as shall serue vs to heauen wâ—rd But as for all other thinges before remeÌ„bred in which is contayned the matter of euery kind of tribulacion we maye neuer wel make prayers so presysely but that we must expresse or imploy a condicion therein that is to wytte that if god see the contrary better for vs we referre it whole to his wyl and in stede of our grâ—efe takyng awaye praye that god maie send vs of his goodnes eyther spiritual coÌ„fort to take it gladly or streÌ„gth at the least waies to beare it paciently For if we determine wyth our selfe that we wyl take no comforte in nothing but in the taking of our tribulacion froÌ„ vs thaÌ„ eyther prescribe we to god that we wyl he shall no better turne do vs though he would than we wil our selfe appointe him or els doe we declare that what thing is best for vs our selfe caÌ„ better tel than he And therfore I saye lette vs in tribulacion desyer his comforte and helpe and lette vs remitte the maner of that coumforte vnto hys owne hyghe pleasure whiche when we doe lette vs nothing doubte but that lyke as hys hyghe wysdome better seeth what is beste for vs than we can see our self so shal his souereygne goodnes geue vs the thing that shal in dede be best For els if we wyll presume to stand to our owne choise except it so be that god offer vs she choyse him selfe as he dyd to Dauid in the choyse of his owne punishment after his highe pride conceiued in the nombrynge of his people we maye folishely chose the worsâ—e and by the prescribing vnto god our selfe so precyselye what we wyl that he shal do for vs except that of his gracyous fauour he reiect our folly he shal for indignacion graunt vs our owne requeste and after shall we well fynde that it shal turne vs to harme Howe many meÌ„ attayne healthe of bodye that were better for theyr soules helth their bodies wer sicke stil How many get out of prison that happe on such harme abrode as the prisoÌ„ should haue kept theÌ„ fro How mani that haue been lothe to lese their worldlye goodes haue in kepinge of theyr goods sone after lost their life So bliÌ„d is our mortalitie so vnware what wil fal so vnsure also what maner mind we wyl haue to morow that god coulde not lightlye do maÌ„ a more vengeaunce than in this world to grauÌ„t him his own folishe wyshes What wit haue we poore fooles to wyt what wil serue vs whaÌ„ the blessed apostle him self in his sore tribulacion praying thryse vnto god to take it away froÌ„ him was aunswered again by god â—n a maner that he was but a foole in asking that request but that the helpe of goddes grace in that tribulacion to strength him was farre better for him thaÌ„ to take the tribulacion froÌ„ him And therfore by experieÌ„ce perceiuing wel the truth of the lesson he geueth vs good warning not to be to bold of our own mindes wheÌ„ we require ought of god not to be precyse in our askinges but referre the choyse to god at his owne pleasure For his owne holy spryte so sore desyreth our weale that as men myght saye he groneth for vs in such wyse as no tong can tell Nos autem sayeth Saynt Paule quid oâ—em us vtoportet nessimus sed ipse spiritus postulat pro nobis gemitibus inenarrabilibus We what we maye praye for that were behouable for vs can not our selfe tel but the sprite him selfe desireth for vs with vnspekable gronynges therfore I saye for conclusion of this point let vs neuer aske of god precisely our owne ease by deliuering vs from our tribulacioÌ„ but pray for his aide coÌ„forte by which wayes him selfe shal best lyke and than maye we take coÌ„forte of our own such requeste For both be we sure that this mind coÌ„meth of god also be we very sure that as he beginneth to worke with vs so but if our selfe flytte from him he wyl not fayle to tarie wyth vs and thaÌ„ he dwelling with vs what trouble can do vs harme Si deus nobiscum quis contra nos If god be with vs saith saint Paule who can stande against vs ¶ The .vii. Chapter A great comfort maye be in tribulacion that euery tribulâ—cion is if vve our selfe vvyl a thing either medicinable or els more then medicinable ☞ Vincent YOu haue good vncle well opened declared the question yâ— I demauÌ„ded you that is to wyt what maner of comforte a maÌ„ might praye for in triblacioÌ„ nowe procede forth good vncle and shewe vs yet farther some other spiritual comfort in tribulacion ☞ Anthony This may be thinketh me good cosin great comforte in tribulacion that euery trybulacion which any time falleth vnto vs is either sent to be medicinable if men wil so take it or maye become medicinable if men will so make it or is better thaÌ„ medicinable but if we wil forsake it ☞ Vincent Surely this is very comfortable if we may well perceyue it ☞ Antony These thre thinges that I telle you we shal consider thus euery tribulacioÌ„ that we fal in cometh either by our owne knowen deseruing dede bringyng vs therunto as the sycknes that foloweth our intemperate surfayte or the prisonment or other punishement put vpon a man for his heynous cryme or els is it sente vs by god without any certaine deseruing cause opeÌ„ and knowen vnto our selfe eyther for punishment of som sinnes passed Certainly we know not for which or for preseruing vs froÌ„ some sinnes in which we were els lyke to fal or finally for no respecte of the mannes sinne at al but for the profe of his pacieÌ„ce and encrease of his meryte In all the former cases tribulacion is if he wil medicinable in this last case of al it is better than medicinable ¶ The .viii. Chapter The declaracion larger concerning them that fal in tribulacion by their ovvne knovven faulte and that yet such tribulacion is medicinable ☞ Vincent THis semeth me very good good vncle sauing that it semeth somewhat brief and short therby me thinketh somewhat obscure and daâ—ke Anthony We shal therfore to geue it light withal touch euery member somewhat more at large One meÌ„ber is you wotâ— wel of theÌ„ that fal in tribulacioÌ„ thorow theyr owne certayn wel deseruing dede open and knowne vnto theÌ„ selfe as where we fal in a sickenes folowing
forbeare to laughe Nowe if contrycion sorowe of hearte be so requisyte of necessitie to remission many a man should stand as it semeth in a very perylous case ☞ Anthony Many so shoulde in dedeâ— Cosyn and in dede many so do And the olde saynctes wryte very sore in this poynte how be it Misericordia domini super omnia opera eius The mercy of God is aboue all his workes he standeth bound to no coÌ„mon rule Et ipse cognouit figmentum suum propitiatur infirmitatibus nostris and he knoweth the frayeltye of this earthen vessel that is of his own makyng and is mercifull and hath pitye and compassyon vpon our feble infyrmyties and shall not exacte of vs aboue the thinge that we may dooe But yet Cosyn he that fyndeth him selfe in that case in that he is mynded to doe well hereafter let him geue GOD thankes that he is no worse but in that he can not be sory for his synne passed let him be sory hardly that he is no better And as S. Iherom byddeth him that for his sinne soroweth in his harte be glad and reioyse in his sorowe so would I counsaile him that can not be sadde for his sinne to be sory yet at the leaste that he can not be sory Besydes this though I woulde in no wyse any man should dyspayer yet would I counsayle suche a man while that affeccioÌ„ lasteâ—h not to be to bolde of courage but lyue in double feare Fyrst for it is a token eyther of faynt fayth or of a dul dyligence for suerly if we well beleue in God and therwith depely consyder his high maiesâ—ye with the perell of our synne and the greate goodnes of God also eyther shoulde dreade make vs tremble and breake our stony heart or loue shoulde for sorow relent it into teares Besides this syth I can scante beleue but syth so lytle myslykynge of our olde sinne is an affeccion not very pure and cleane none vncleane thing shal enter into heauen clensâ—d shal it be purifyed before that we come thether And therfore woulde I farther aduise one in that case the couÌ„sayle which master Gerson geueth euery man that syth the body and the soule together make the whole man the lesse affliccioÌ„ that he feleth in his soule the more payne in recompence let him put vpon his bodye and purge the spyrite by the affliccion of the fleshe and he that so dothe I dare laye my lyfe shall haue his harde hearte after relent into teares and his soule in an wholsome heauines and heauenly gladnes to specially if whiche must be ioyned with euery good thinge he ioyne faythful prayer therewith But Cosin as I tolde you the other daye before in these matters with these newe men wil I not dispute but suerli for mine owne parte I can not well holde with theÌ„ for as myne owne poore wyttes caÌ„ perceyue the holy scripture of GOD is very playne agaynst them the whole corps of chrystendom in euery chrysteÌ„ regionâ— and the very places in which they dwell theÌ„ selfe haue euer vnto theyr owne dayes clearly beleued agaynste them and all the old holy doctors haue euermore taughte agaynst them and al the olde holy enterpretors haue construed the scripture agaynst them And therfore if these men haue nowe perceiued so late that the scripture hathe bene misse vnderstandeÌ„ all this while and that of all those olde holy doctors no maÌ„ coulde vnderstande it than am I to olde at this age to begyn to studye it nowe and trust these mennes cunnynge Cosyn that dare I not in no wyse syth I can not see nor perceiue no cause wherefore I should thinke that thâ—se men mighte not nowe in the vnderstandyng of scryptureâ— as well be deceiued them selfe as they beare vs in hand that al those other haue bene all this while before howâ—beit Cosyn if it so be that theyr waye be not wronge but that they haue founde out so easy a waye to heauen as to take no thoughte but make mery nor take no penaunce at all but syt them downe drynke well for our sauiours sake set cocke a hope fyll in al the cuppes at onceâ— thaÌ„ let Christes passion paye for all the shot I am not he that will enuye theyr good happe â—ut suerly counsayle dare I geue no man to adueÌ„ture that waye with them But suche as feare lest the waye be not suer take vpon them willingly tribulacioÌ„ of penance what comforte they do take and well maye take therin that haue I somewhat tolde you alreadi And sith these other folke sit so mery without such tribulacion we nede to talke to theÌ„ you wotte wel of no suche maner comforte and therfore of this kinde of trybulacion will I make an ende The .viii. Chapter Of that kynde of tribulacion vvhich though they not vvillingly take yet they vvillingly suffer Vincent VErely good Uncle so may you wel doe for you haue brought it vnto veri good passe And now I requier you to come to that other kynde of which you purposed alwaye to treate laste ☞ Anthony That shall I Cosin very gladli doe The other kynde is this which I rehersed second sortyng cut the other twayne haue kept it for the laste This kynde of trybulacion is you wote well of â—hem that wyllingly suffer tribulacion thoughe that of theyr owne choyse they toke it not at the fyrste This kynde Cosyn deuide we shall in to twayne The fyrst might we call temptacioÌ„ the second persecution But here muste you consyder that I meane not euery kynde of persecution but the kinde onely whiche though the sufferer woulde be lothe to fall in yet wyll he rather abyde it and suffer it than by the flitting froÌ„ it fall in the dyspleasure of God or leaue gods pleasure vnprocured Howebeit if we coÌ„sidre these two thinges wel temptacioÌ„ persecucyon we maye finde that eyther of them is incydent to the other For bothe by temptatioÌ„ the Deuyl persecuteth vs by persecucion the Deuyl also tempteth vs and as persecution is trybulacion to euery man so is temptacion tribulacioÌ„ to a good man Now though the Deuyll our spyrituall enemy fight agaynst man in bothe yet this difference hathe the coÌ„mon temptacyon from the persecucion that temptacioÌ„ playn is as it were the fiendes trayn persecucioÌ„ his open fight And therfore will I now call all this kynd of trybulation here by the name of temptacion that shall I deuide into two partes The fyrst shall I call the Deuilles traynes the other his open fight The .ix. Chapter Fyrst of temptacion in generall as it is common to bothe TO speake of euery kinde if temptation particularly by it selfe this were you wote well in maner an infinite thinge for vnder that as I tolde you fall persecutions and all And this Deuill hath of his open fight as many sundry poysoned dartes he tempteth vs by the worlde he tempteth vs by our owne fleshe he
to say the trueth euery man hath cause in this case to feare both for hymselfe also for euery other For syth as the Scripture sayth Vnicuique deus dedit curam de proximo suo god hath geuen euery man cure and charge of his neighbour There is no maÌ„ that hath any sparke of christen loue charitie in his brest but that in a matter of such perel as thys is wherin the soule of man standeth in so great daunger to be loste he muste nedes care and take thought not for hys freÌ„des only but also for hys veâ—y foes We shal therfore Cosin not rehearse your harmes or myne that may befall in this persecucion but al the great harmes ingeneral as nere as we can cal to mynd that may happe vnto any man ¶ The .iii. Chapter SYth a man is made of the bodye and the soule all the harme that any man maye take it muste nedes be in one of these two either immediatli or by the meanâ— of some suche thyng as serueth for the pleasure weale or commoditie of the one of these two as for the soule first we shal nede no rehearsal of any harme that by thys kynde of tribulacion maye attayne therto but if that by some inordinate loue and affeccion that the soule beare to the body she consente to slide fro the faith and therby doe her harme her self Nowe remayn there the body and these outward thinges of fortune whiche serue for the mayntenaunce of the body and minister matter of pleasure to the soule also thorowe the delighte that she hath in the body for the while that she is matched therwith Considre thaÌ„ first the losse of those outwarde thynges as somewhat the lesse in waight than is the body it self in them what may a maÌ„ lose and therby what payne maye he suffre Vincent He maye lose vncle of which I should somewhat lose my selfe money plate other mouable substaunce thaÌ„ offices auctoritie and finally al the landes of hys inheritaunce for euer that himselfe his heires perpetually might els enioye And of al these thynges vncle you wote wel that my self haue some litle in respect of that the some other haue here but somewhat more yet thaÌ„ he yâ— hath most here would be wel coÌ„tent to lose UpoÌ„ the losse of these thinges folowe nedines and pouertie the payne of lackyng the shame of begging of which twayne I wote not wel which is the most wretched necessitie beside the griefe and heauynes of heart in beholding good meÌ„ and faythful his dere frendes be wrapped in lyke mysery and vngracious wretches and infydeles and his most mortal enemyes enioie the commodities that hymselfe and hys frendes haue lost Now for the body very fewe wordes shal serue vs for therin I see none other harme but losse of libertie labour imprisonment paynful shameful death ☞ Anthony There nede not muche more Cosyn as the world is now for I feare me that lesse than a fowerth part of thys wil make many a man sore stagger in his faith and some man fall quite therfro that yet at thys daye before he come to the proofe weneth himselfe that he would stand very fast and I beseâ—he our lord that al they that so thinke would yet when they were brought vnto the poynt fal therefro for feare or for payn may geat of god the grace to wene stil as thei doe not to be brought to thassay where payn or feare should shew theÌ„ then And as it â—hewed S. Peter howe farre they bee deceiued now But nowe Cosin against these terrible thinges what way shal we take in geuing meÌ„ counsaile or comfort if the fayth were in our dayes as feruent as it hath been ere thys in tymes past litle couÌ„saile litle comâ—ort would suffise we should not much nede with wordes reasonyng to extenuate and minishe the vigoure and asperitie of the paines but the greater the more bytter that the passion were the more ready was of old time yâ— feruâ—ur of faith to suffre it surely Cosin I doubt it litle in my mind but that if a maÌ„ had in his heart so depe a desire loue loÌ„gyng to be with god in heaueÌ„ to haue the fruicioÌ„ of hys gloryous face as had those holy meÌ„ that were martyrs in yâ— old time he would no more now sticke at the payn that he must passe betwene than at that tyme those old holy martirs did But alas our faynt feble fayth with our loue to god lesse thaÌ„ leuke warme by the fyry affeccioÌ„ that we beare to our own filâ—hy fâ—eshe maketh vs so dull in the desier of heaueÌ„ that the sodayn dreade of euerybodely payne woundeth vs to the hearte and strikeâ—h our deuocion starke dead therfore hath there euery maÌ„ Cosin as I said before much she more nede to thynke vpon this thing many a tyme and ofte afore haÌ„d ere any such peâ—el fal by much deuising therupoÌ„ before they see the cause to feare it while the thing shall not appeare so terrible vnto theÌ„â— reason shal better enter and thorowe grace workyng with their diligence engendre and set sure not a sodayne sleyght affeccion of sufferauÌ„ce for god his sake but bi a loÌ„g coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce a stroÌ„g depe roted habite not like a reede ready to waue with euery wynde nor like a rootelesse tree scant set vp an end in a loose heape of light sand the wil with a blast or two be blowen downe The .iiii. Chapter FOr if we nowe consider Cosin these causes of terroure and dreade that you haue recited whiche in hys persequcyon for the fayth thys midde day deuil maye by these Turkes reare agaynst vs to make his incursion with we shal well perceiue waying them well with reason that al be it somewhat they be in dede yet euery part of the matter pondered they shal wel appeare in conclusyon thynges nothing so much to be dread and â—â—ed fro as to folke at the first syght they doe sodaynly seme ¶ The .v. Chapter Of the losse of the goodes of fortune FOr first to beginne at these outward goodes that neither are the proper goodes of the soule nor of the body but are called the goodes of fortune â—hat serue for the sustenauÌ„ce commoditie of man for the shorte season of thys presente life as worldly substaunce offices honor auctoritieâ— What great good is there in these thinges of theÌ„selfe for whiche they were worthy so muche as to beare the name by which the world of a worldly fauour customably calleth them For if the hauing of strength make a man strong and the hauing of heate make a man hote and the hauyng of vertue make a man verteous how can these thynges be verely and truly good whiche he that hath them maye by the hauyng of them as well be the worse as the better and as experience proueth more oâ—ten is the worse than the better What should a good man greatly reioyce in that that
therfore if yoâ— wil well do rekeÌ„ your selfe very sure that when you deadly displease god for the geatting or the keping of your goodes god shal not suffer those goodes to doe you good but either shal he take them shortly from you or suffer you to kepe them for a litle whyle to your more harme and after shal he wheÌ„ you least loke therefore take you away from them and than what an heape of heauines wyl there enter into your heart when you shall see that you shal sodainly so go froÌ„ your goodes and leaue them here in the earth in one place and that your body shal be put in the earth in an other place and which thaÌ„ shal be most heauines of al when you shal feare and not without great cause that youre soule shall firste forthwith and after that at the fynal iudgement your body to be driueÌ„ down depe towarde the centry of the earth into the fiery pitte doÌ„geon of the deuil of hell there to tary in torment world without ende What goodes of this world can any maÌ„ imagine wherof the pleasure and commoditie could be such in a thousande yeare as were able to recompence that intollerable payn that there is to be suffered in one yeare or in one day or one howre either yea theÌ„ what a madnes is it for that poore pleasure of youre worldly goodes of so few yeares to cast your self both body and soule into the euerlasting fier of hel wherof there is not minished the mouÌ„tenaunce of a moment by the lying there the space of an hundreth thousande yeares And therfore our sauiour in fewe wordes concluded confuted al these folyes of them that for the short vse of this worldly substaunce forsake him and his fayth and sell their soules vnto the deuill for euer where he sayeth Quid prodest homini sivniuersum mundum lucretur anime veroâ— sue detrimentum patiatur what auaileth it a maÌ„ if he wanne all the whole world lost hys soule This were me thynketh cause occasion inough to him that had neuer so much part of this world in his hand to be content rather to lese it al than for the retaynyng or encreasyng of hys worldly goodes to leese and destroye hys soule Vincent This is good vncle in good fayth very true and what other thing any of them that would not for this bee contente haue for to alledge in reason for the defence of their folye that can I not ymagine nor lust in this matter to play their parte no longre But I pray God geue me the grace to playe the contrary parte in dede and that I neuer for anye goodes or substaunce of this wretched world forsake my fayth toward God nether in heart â—or tong as I trust in his great goodnes I neuer shall ¶ The .xv. Chapter ¶ This kind of tribulacion trieth vvhat mind men haue to theyr goodes vvhich they that are vvyse vvil at the fame therof see vvel and vvisely layd vp safe before ME thinketh Cosin that this persecucion shal not onelye as I sayde beeforeâ— trye mennes heartes when it cometh make them know their owne affeccions whither they haue a corrupt gredy couetous mind or not but also the very fame and expectacion therof may teache them this lesson ere euer the thing fall vpon them it selfe to theyr no little fruite if they haue the witte and the grace to take it in tyme whyle they maye For nowe maye they find sure places to lay their treasures in so that al the Turkes armie shal neuer fynde it out ¶ Vincent Mary vncle that way they will I warrant you not forgeat as neare as their wittes wil serue theÌ„ But yet haue I knowen some that haue ere this thought that they had hidde their money safe ynough digging ful diepe in the grounde and haue missed it yet when they came agayne and haue founde it digged oute and caried away to theyr handes Anâ—ony Naye fro theyr handes I wene you woulde say and it was no meruayle For some suche haue I knowen tooâ— but they haue hyd theyr goodes foolishly in such place as they were well warned before that they shoulde not and that were they warned by hym that they wel knewe for suche one as wist wel inough what would come theron ¶ Vincent Than were they more than madde But did he tell them too where they should haue hydde it to haue it sure ☞ Anthony Ye by S. Mary did he For els had he told them but halfe a tale but he tolde them a whole tale byddyng them that they shoulde in no wise hyde theyr â—reasure in the ground he shewed theÌ„ a good cause for there theues vse to digge it out and steale it away ¶ Vincent Why where shoulde they hyde it than sayde he For theues may happe to fynd it oute in any place Anthony Forsothe he counsayled them to hyde theyr treasure in heauen and there laye it vp for there it shal lye safe For thither he sayde there can no thefe come tyll he haue left hys thefte and be waxen a true man fyrst And he that gaue this counsayle wiste what he sayde well yonough For it was oure Sauioure hymselfe whiche in the syxth Chapter of Saincte Mathewe sayeth Nolite thezaurizare v obis thezauros in terra v bi erugo et tinea demolitur et v bi fures effodiunt et furantur Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in celo vbi ne que erugo neque tinea demolitur et v bi fures non effodiunt nec furantur vbi enim est thesaurus tuuâ— ibi est et cor tuum Hoorde not vp for you treasures in earth where the â—ust and the mothes fret it oute and where theues dygge it oute and steale it away But hoorde vp your treasures in heauen where â—eyther the ruste nor the mothe frette them oute and where theues digge theÌ„ not out nor steale them away For where as is thy treasure there is thy hert too If we would wel consider these wordes of our Sauiour Christ we should as me thinke nede no more couÌ„sel at al nor no more comfort neither concerning the losse of our temporal substaunce in thys Turkes persecucion for the fayth For here our lord in these wordes teacheth vs where we may lay vp our substaunce safe before the persecucion come If we putte it into the poore mens bosomes there shall it lye safe For who woulde goe searche a beggars bagge for moneye if we deliuer it to the poore for Chrystes sake we deliuer it vnto Christe himselfe and than what persecutour can there bee so strong as to take it out of hys hande ☞ Vincent These thinges are vncle vndoubtedly so true that no man may with woordes wrestle therwith but yet euer there hangeth in a mans heart a lothenes to lacke a liuing Anthony There doeth in dede in theyrs that eyther neuer or but seldom heare any good couÌ„sel there against And when they
a thyng so clerely proued true that no maÌ„ is so madde to say nay Antony Than nede I no more Cosin for than is al that matter playn and open euident trueth which I sayd I toke for trueth which is more a litle yet now then I tolde you before when you toke my proofe yet but for a sophistical fantasy said that for al my reasoning that euery maÌ„ is a prisoner yet you thought that excepte those whoÌ„ the comeÌ„ people cal prisoners there is els no maÌ„ a very prisoner in dede now you graunt your selfe againe for very substauncial trueth that euery maÌ„ is here though he be the greatest king vpoÌ„ earth set here by the ordinauÌ„ce of god here in a place be it neuer so large a place I saye yet you sayâ— thesame out of which no maÌ„ can scape but that therin is euery maÌ„ put vnder sure safe keping to be redely fet forth when god calleth for him that thaÌ„ he shal surely die is not thaÌ„ Cosin by your own graunting before euery maÌ„ a very prisoner wheÌ„ he is put in a place to be kept to be brought forth wheÌ„ he would not himselfe wote not whither ¶ Vincent Yes in good fayth vncle I cannot but wel perceiue this to be so Anthony This were you wote wel true although a man should be but takeÌ„ by the arme in faier maner lead out of this world vnto his iudgemeÌ„t but now while we wel know that there is no king so great but that al the while he walketh here walke he neuer so lose ride he with neuer so strong an army for his defence yet himselfe is very sure though he seke in the meane season some other pastyme to put it oute of hys mind yet is he very sure I say yâ— scape he cannot very wel he knoweth that he hath already sentence geueÌ„ vpon hym to dye and that verely dye he shal and that himselfe though he hope vpon long respyte of his execucion yet can he not tell how soone And therefore but if he be a foole he can neuer be without feare that eyther on the morow or on the self same day the grisely cruel hangman death whiche from his fyrst coming in hath euer houed aloofe and looked toward him and euer lye in a wayte on hym shal amydde among al his royaltie and al his mayn strength neyther knele before hym nor make him any reuerence nor with anye good maner desyre him to come foorth but rigorouslye and fiercely grype hym by the very brest and make all hys bones rattle and so by long and diuerse sore tormeÌ„tes stryke him starke dead in thys prieson and then cause his bodye to bee cast into the grounde in a foule pytte within some corner of the same there to rotte and bee eaten with the wretched wormes of the earth sending yet hys soule out farther vnto a more fearefull iudgement whereof at hys temporall death hys successe is vncertayne and therefore thoughe by Goddes grace not out of good hope yet for al that in the meane while in verye sore dreade and feare and peraduenture in peryl vneuitable of eternal fyre too Me thinketh therfore Cosin that as I tolde you thys kepyng of euery man in this wretched worlde for execucion of death is a very playn imprisonment in dede the as I say such that the greatest kyng is in this prisoÌ„ in much worse case in all hys wealth then many a manne is by the other imprysonmente that is therein sore and hardelye handled For where some of those lye not there attaynted nor condemned to deathe the greatest manne of thys worlde and the moste wealthye in this vnyuersall pryson is layde in to be kepte vndoubtedly for deathe ☞ Vincent But yet vncle in that case is the tother prysoner too for he is as sure that he shall dye to perdye Antony That is verye trueth Cosin in dede and wel obiected too but then must you consider that he is not in daunger of death by reason of that prisoÌ„ into which he is put peraduenture but for a light fray but his dauÌ„ger of death is by the other imprisonment by which he is prisoner in the great prisoÌ„ of this whole earth in which prisoÌ„ al the priÌ„ces therof be prisoners as wel as he if a maÌ„ condeÌ„ned to death wer put vp in a large prisoÌ„ while his execucioÌ„ wer respited he wer for fightyng with hys felowes put vp in a straight place part of the same he is in dauÌ„ger oâ— death in that straite prisoÌ„ but not by the being in that for therin is he but for the fray but his deadlye imprisonment was the other the larger I say into which he was put for death So the prisoner that you speake of is beside the narow prisoÌ„ a prisoner of the brode world al the princes therof therin prisoners with him And by the imprisonment both thei he in like daunger of death not by the straite imprisonment that is commonly called imprisonmeÌ„t but by that imprisonmeÌ„t which because of yâ— large walke meÌ„ cal it libertie and which prison you thought therfore but a fantasye sophisticall to proue it any prison at al. But now may you me thinketh very playnely perceiue that this whole earth is not onely for all the whole kynde of man a very playne prison in deede but also that eueri man without excepcion euen those that are moste at theyr libertie therin and reckoÌ„ themselfes great Lordes and possessioners of very greate pieces therof and thereby waxe with wantonnes so forgeatfull of theyr owne state that they weene they stande in great welthe doe stande for al that in dede by the reason of theyr imprisonmente in this large prison of the whole earth in the selfe same condicion â—hat other doe â—tande â—hiche in the narow prisons whiche onelye be called prisons and whiche onelye be reputed priesons in the opinion of the common people stande in the most fearefull and in the most odious case that is to wit condemned already to death And nowe Cosin if this thing that I tel you seme but a sophisticall fantasye to your mynde I would be glad to knowe what moueâ—h you so to thinke For in good fayth as I haue told you twise I am no wyser but that I verely wene that yâ— thing is â—hus of very plain trueth in very dede ¶ The .xx. Chapter Vincent IN good faith vncle as for thus farforth I not onelye can make with anye reason no resystence there agaynste but also see very clerely that it can be none otherwyse but that euery manne is in thys worlde a verye prysoner sythe wee bee all putte here into a sure holde to be kepte tyll wee be putte to execucyon as folke alreadye condemned all to deathe But yet Uncle that strayte kepynge collerynge boltynge and stockynge wyth lying in strawe or on the colde ground which maner of harde handling is vsed in these speciall priesonmentes that
A dialoge of comfort against tribulacion made by Syr Thomas More KNYGHT and set foorth by the name of an HuÌ„garieÌ„ not before this time imprinted Londini in aedibus Richardi Totteli ¶ Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ A Table wherin is expressed the summe and effecte of euery Chapter conteined in this boke A Declaracion of the first boke That the deuysed comfortes by the old paâ—nim philosophers wer vnsufficient and the cause wherefore cap. i. That for a foundacion men must nedes beginne with faith cap. ii The first coÌ„fort in tribulacion may a man take in this whan he feleth a desire and longing to be coumforted by god ca. iii. That tribulacion is a meane to draw a man to that good minde to desire and long for the coÌ„forte of god ca. iiii The speciall meane to geat this first comforte in tribulacion ca. v. It â—uffiseth not that a maÌ„ haue a desire to be coÌ„forted by god only by the taking away of the tribulacion ca. vi A great comfort it may be in tribulacioÌ„ that euerye tribulacioÌ„ is if we our self wil a thing ether medicinable or els more than mediâ—inable ca. vii The declaracion larger concernyng them that fall in tribulacion by their owne knowen faulte and that yet suche tribulacion is medicinable cap. viii The second point that is to wit that tribulacion that is sent vs by god without ani open certain deseruing cause knowen to our self this kind of tribulacion is medicinable if men wil so take itâ— and therefore great occasion of coumforte cap. ix Of the third kind of tribulacioÌ„ which is not sent a maÌ„ for his sinne but for exercise of his pacience encrease of his merite which is better then medicinable cap. x. An other kind of comfort yet in the base kind of tribulacion sent for oure sinne cap. xi A certain obieccion against the thinges aforesaid ca. xii That a man ought to be comfortable to himselfe haue good hope be ioyfull also in tribulacioÌ„ appeareth wel by this that a man hath greate cause of feare and heauines that continueth alway stil in welth discontinued with no tribulacion cap. xiii A certain obieccion and the answer therto cap. xiiii Other obieccions cap. xv The answer to the obieccion cap. xvi An answer to the second obiecâ—ion cap. xvii Of theÌ„ that in tribulacion seke not vnto god but some to the flesh and some to the world and some to the deuil himself cap. xviii An other obieccion with the answer therunto cap. xix A Summary commendacion of tribulacion cap. xx A declaracion of the seconde Boke Whether a man mai not in tribulacioÌ„ vse some worldly reâ—reacion for his comfort cap. i. Of the shorte vncertaine life in extreme age or sickenes cap. ii He deuideth tribulacion into three kindes of whiche thre the last he passeth shortelye ouer cap. iii. cap. iiii An obieccion concerning them that turne not to god till they come at the last caste cap. v. An obieccion of them the say the tribulacion of penaunce nedeth notâ— but is a supersticious folye cap. vi What if a maÌ„ cannot wepe nor in his heart be sory for his sinnes cap. vii Of that kinde of trybulacion whiche thoughe they not willingly take yet they willingly suffer cap. viii First of teÌ„ptacioÌ„ in general as it is coÌ„moÌ„ to both ca. ix A special comfort in al temptacion cap. x. Of foure kindes of temptacions and therin bothe the partes of that kind of tribulacion that men willinglye suffer touched in two vearses of the psalter cap. xi The first kind of the foure temptacions cap. xii Of pusillanimitie cap. xiii Of the daughter of pusillanimiâ—ie a scrupulous conscience cap. xiiii An other kynd of the nightes feare an other daughter of pusillanimitie that is to wit the horrible teÌ„ptacion by which some folke are tempted to kil destroy themself ca. xv Of him that wer moued to kyll himself by illusion of the deuil which he reckoned for a reuelacioÌ„ ca. xvi ca. xvii Of the deuill named Negorium that is to wit busines walking about in the darknesses cap. xviii cap. xix A declaracion of the thyrde Boke Whither a man should cast in his mind and appointe in his heart before that if he were taken with Turkes he woulde rather dye than forsake the faith cap. i. Of the fourth temptacion which is persecucion for the faith touched in these wordes of the prophete Ab incursu demenâ—o meridiaâ—o cap. ii cap. iii. cap. iiii Of the losse of the goodes of fortune cap. v. Of the vnsuretie of landes and possessions ca. vi These outward goodes or gyftes of fortune are two maner of wayes to be considred cap. vii The litle coÌ„moditie of riches being set by but for this presente life cap. viii The litle commoditie of fame beeyng desired but for â—orldlye pleasure cap. ix Of flattrye cap. x. The litle commoditie that menne haue of roumes officis and autoritie if thei desire them but for their worldly commoditie cap. xi That these outward goodes desired but for worldlye welth be not onely litle good for the bodye but are also muche harme for the soule cap. xii Whether meÌ„ desire these outward goodes for their only worldly welth or for ani good verteous purpose this persecucioÌ„ of the Turke agaiÌ„st the faith wil declare the coÌ„fort yâ— both twain mai take in the lesing theÌ„ thus ca. xiii An other cause for which any maÌ„ should be content to forgo his goodes in the Turkes said persecucioÌ„ ca. xiiii This kinde of tribulacion trieth what minde meÌ„ haue to their goodes which thei that are wise wil at the fame therof se wel and wisely layd vp safe before cap. xv An other coumforte and courage againstâ— the losse of substance cap. xvi Of bodily paine and that a man hath no cause to take discomfort in persecucion though he fele himself in an horror at the thinking vpon the bodely paine cap. xvii Of comfort against bodily pain and first againste captiuitie cap. xviii Of imprisonment and comfort there against cap. xix ca. xx The feare of shameful painful death ca. xxi Of death considred by himself alone as a bare leauing of this life onely cap. xxii Of the shame that is ioyned with the death in the persecucion for the faith cap. xxiii Of painful death to be suffred in the Turkes persecucion for the faith cap. xxiiii The consideracion of the paines of hel in which we fal if we forsake our sauior may make vs set al the paynful death of this worlde at right naught cap. xxv The coÌ„sideracioÌ„ of the ioyes of heueÌ„ should make vs for Christes sake abide eÌ„dure ani painful death ca. xxvi The consideracion of the painful death of Christ is sufficient to make â—s content to suffer painful death for his sake ca. xxvii FINIS ¶ A Dialogue of comfort agaynst Tribulacion Made by an Hungâ—rien in Latine and translated oute of Latine into Frenche and
home there seuer the couples the kiÌ„red asuÌ„der euery one farre froÌ„ other some kept in thraldome and some kept in prison some for a triumphe tormeÌ„ted and killed in his presence Then sende his people hither and his false fayth therwith so that such as here are remayne styll shall eyther bothe lese al and be lost too or forced to forsake the faythe of oure Sauior Christe and fal to the sect of Machomette And yet which we more feare then all the remnant no smalle part of oure owne folke that dwel euen here aboute vs are as we feare falling to him or alreadye confedered with him whych if it so bee shal happelye keepe thys quarter froÌ„ the Turkes incursion but then shall they that tourne to hys lawe leaue all theyr neighbours nothynge but shall haue oure good geuen them and oure bodyes bothe but if we tourne as they do and forsake oure Sauioure to and then for there is no borne Turke so cruel to Christen folke as is the false Christen that falleth from the fayth wee shall stande in perell if wee parseuer in the trueth to bee more hardely handled and dye more cruel death by oure owne countrey men at home then if we were taken hence and caried into Turkyeâ— These fearefull heapes of perell lye so heauy at our heartes while we wote not into which we shal fortune to fal therfore feare al the worst that as our Sauior propheâ—ied of the people of IerusaleÌ„ many wish among vs already before the perill come that the mountaines would ouerwhelme theÌ„ or the valeis open swalow them vp couer theÌ„ Therfore good vncle against these horrible feares of these terrible tribulacions of which â—ome ye wote wel out house already hath the reÌ„nant stand in drede of geue vs while god leÌ„deth you vs such pleÌ„ty of your coÌ„fortable couÌ„sel as I may write kepe with vs to stay vs when god shal cal you hence ☞ Antony Ah my good Cosin this is an heauy hering and lykewyse as we that dwel here in this part feare that thyng sore now which fewe yeres passed feared it not at al so doubt I that ere it long be they shal feare it as muche that thinke themselfe nowe very sure because thei dwel farther of Grece feared not the Turke wheÌ„ that I was borne within a while after yâ— who le Empire was his The gret SowdoÌ„ of Sirry thought himselfe more than his matche long since you were borne hath he that Empire to Thanâ— hath he taken Belgrade the fortres of this realme and since hath he desâ—royed our noble young goodly king And now striue there twain for vs our lord send the grace that the thyrde dog cary not awaie the bone froÌ„ theÌ„ both What should I speake of the noble strong citie of the Rhodes the winning wherof he counted as a victorie against the whole corps of christendom sith al christendom was not able to defend that strong town against him howbeit if the princes of christendome euerye where aboute woulde where as nede was haue set to their handes in tyme the Turke had neuer taken anie one place of al those places but partly dissencions fallen among our selfe partly that no maÌ„ careth what harme other folke fele but eche part suffreth other to shift for it self The Turke is in few yeres wonderfully eÌ„creased christeÌ„dom on the other side very sore decayed and al this worketh our wickednes with which god is not coÌ„tent But now where as you desire of me some pleÌ„tie of coÌ„fortable thinges which ye may put in remeÌ„brance comfort therwith your company verely in the rehersing heaping of your manifold feares my self begaÌ„ to fele that there should much nede against so many troublesâ— many coÌ„fortable couÌ„sels For surely a litle before your coÌ„ming as I deuised with my selfe vpon the Turkes coÌ„ming it hapned my mind to fal sodeinly froÌ„ that into the deuising vpon my own departing wherin albeit that I fully put my trust hope to be a saued soule by the great mercy of god yet sith no man is here so sure that withoute reuelacion may cleane stand out of drede I bethought me also vpon the paine of hell And after I bethought me then vpon the Turke again And first me thought his terrour nothing wheÌ„ I compared with it the ioyful hope of heauen Than compared I it on the other side with the feareful drede of hell and therm casting in my mynd those terrible deueâ—ish tormentors with the depe coÌ„sideracion of that furious endles fyreâ— me thought that if the Turke with his whole host al his trumpets tymbrels to wer to kil me in my bed coÌ„ming to my chaÌ„ber dore in respecte of the other reckening I regarde him not a ryshe And yet when I nowe heard youre lamentable wordes laying forth as it wer present before my face that heape of heauy sorowful tribulacioÌ„ that beside those that are already fallen are in shorte space lyke to folow I waxed therwith miself sodeÌ„ly somewhat aflighte And therfore I wel alow your request in this behalf yâ— would haue sâ—ore of comforte afore hande ready by you to resorte too and to laye vp in your hearte as a triacle agaynst the poyson of al desperate dreade that might ryse of occasion of sore tribulacion And herein shall I bee glad as my poore wit wil serue me to cal to mind with you such thiÌ„ges as I before haue red heard or thought vpoÌ„ that may conueniently serue vs to this purpose ¶ The first Chapter That the comfortes deuised by the olde paynem Philosophers vvere vnsufficient and the cause vvherefore FIrst shal you good Cosin vnderstand thys that the natural wise men of this worlde the olde morall Philosophers laboured muche in this matter many natural reasoÌ„s haue they written wherby they myght encorage meÌ„ to set litle by such goodes or such hurtes eyther the goyng or the coÌ„myng wherof are the matter the cause of tribulacioÌ„ as are goodes of fortune riches fauor frendes fame worldly worship such other thinges or of the bodie as beawty streÌ„gth agilite quicknes and health These thinges ye wote wel coÌ„myng to vs are matter of worldly welth and takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs by fortune or by force or by feare of thâ— losyng bee matter of aduersite and tribulacyonâ— For tribulacyon semeth generallye to signifye nothing els but some kind of grief either paine of the body or heauynes of the mind Now the body not to fele that if feleth al the wit in the world can not bring about but that the minde should not be grieued neither with the paine that the body feleth nor with occasions of heauines offered geuen vnto the soule it self Thys thyng laboured the Philosophers very much about and many goodly sayinges haue thei toward the streÌ„gth couÌ„fort against tribulacion excityng men to the full contempte of all worldly losse and dispising of sycknes and al bodelye griefe paynefull
from that state And that is one of the causes for whiche God sendeth it vnto man For albeit that payn was ordeyned of God for the punyshmente of synnes for whiche they that neuer can nowe but sinne can neuer be but euer punished in hell yet in thys worlde in whiche his high mercy geueth men space to be better the punyshmente by tribulacion that he sendethâ— serueth ordinarily for a meane of amendment Sainct Paule was himselfe sore agaynst Chryst tyll Christ gaue him a great fall and threw him to the ground and strake him starke blynde and with that tribulacion he turned to him at the fyrst woorde and God was his phisicion and healed hym soone after both in body and soule by his Minister Ananias and made him his blessed Apostle Some are in the beginning of tribulacion verye stubborne and stiffe against god and yet at length tribulacion bringeth theÌ„ home The proude King Pharao dyd abyde and endure two or thre of the first plages and would not once sâ—oupe at theÌ„ But then god layd on a sorer lashe that made him crye to him for helpe and then sente he for Moyses and Aaron and confessed him selfe a synner and god for good and righteous and praid theÌ„ to praie for him and to withdrawe that plage and he would let theÌ„ go But when his tribulacion was withdrawen than was he naught agayne So was his tribulacion occasion of his profyt and his helpe againe cause of his harme For his tribulacion made him cal to god and his helpe made hard hys heart againe Many a man that in an easy tribulacion falleth to seke his ease in the pastime of worldly fantasyes fyndeth in a greater paine al those comfortes so feble that he is faine to fall to the seking of goddes helpe And therefore is I saye the very tribulacion it selfe many tymes a meane to bringe the man to the takyng of the afore remembred comforte therin that is to witte to the desyer of comfort geueÌ„ by god which desyre of goddes comfort is as I haue proued you greate cause of comforte it selfe ¶ The fifthe Chapter The speciall meanes to geat this firste comforte in Tribulacion HOwe be it though the tribulacion it selfe be a meane ofteÌ„ times to geat man this first comforte in it yet it self some time alone bringeth not a man to it And therefore syth withoute this comforte firste had there can in tribulacion none other good comforte come forth we muste laboure the meanes that this first comfort maye come And therunto semeth one that if the man of sloth or impacience or hope of worldly comfort haue no minde to desyre and seke for comfort of god those that are his frendes that come to visite and comforte him must afore al thinge put that point in his minde and not spend the time as they commenly do in trifling and turning him to the fantasies of the worlde They must also moue him to praye god put this desire in his minde which wheÌ„ he getteth once he than hath the first coÌ„fort And wythout doubte if it be wel considered a comforte meruelous great His frendes also that thus counsaile him must vnto thatteyning therof helpe to praye for him them selfe cause him to desyer good folke to helpe him to pray therfore And than if these wayes be takeÌ„ for the getting I nothing doubt but the goodnes of god shal geue it ¶ The .vi. Chapter It suffiseth not that a man haue a desier to be comforted by god onely by the taking aâ—aye of the tribulacion ☞ Vincent Uerely me thinketh good vncle that this couÌ„sayle is very good For except the person haue first a desire to be coÌ„forted by god els caÌ„ I not se what it can auaile to geue him any further counsayle of any spiritual coÌ„forte howe be it what if the maÌ„ haue this desier of gods comfort that is to wytte that it maye please god to comfort him in his tribulacioÌ„ by taking that tribulacion froÌ„ him is not this a good desier of goddes comfort a desire sufficient for him that is in tribulacion Anthony No Cosin that is it not I touched before a word of this point passed it ouer because I thought it woulde fall in our waye agayne and so wote I well it wil ofter than once And nowe am I glad that you moue it me here your self A maÌ„ maie many times well and wythout sinne desier of god the tribulacion to be taken from him but neither maye we desier that in euery case nor yet very wel in no case except very fewe but vnder a certayne condicion either expressed or implied For tribulacioÌ„s are ye wote well of manye soÌ„dry kindes some bi losse of goods or possessioÌ„s some bi yâ— sicknes of our selfe some bi the losse of frendes or by some oâ—her paine put vnto our bodyes some by the dreade of the losing those thinges that we fayne would saue vnder which feare fall all the same thinges that we haue spoken before For we maie feare losse of goodes or possessions or the losse of our frendes their grief trouble or our owne bi sickenes imprisonmeÌ„t or other bodily payn we may be troubled with the drede of death and many a good man is troubled most of all with the feare of that thing which he that moste nede hath feareth least of al that is to wyt the feare of losinge through deadlye sinne the life of his seli soule And this last kind of tribulacion as the sorest tribulacion of all though we touche here there some pieces therof before yet the chief part the principal point wil I reserue to treate apart effectually that matter in the last ende But nowe as I said where the kindes of tribulacioÌ„ are so diuers some of this tribulacioÌ„ A maÌ„ may pray god take froÌ„ him take some coÌ„fort in the trust the god wil so do and therefore against hungre sycknes bodily hurte against the losse of eyther bodye or soule men maye lawfully many times pray to the goodnes of God either for theÌ„ self or their frend And toward this purpose are expressely prayed many deuout orâ—sons in the comeÌ„ seruice of our mother holy church And toward our helpe in some of these thinges serue some of the peticioÌ„s in the Pater noster wherein we praye daylye for oure daylye foode and to be preserued from the fal in temptacion and to be deliuered from euyll But yet maye we not alwaye praye for the takyng awaye from vs of euery kynd of temptacioÌ„ For if a man should in euery sycknes praie for his health againe when shoulde he show him selfe content to die and to depart vnto god and that mynde must a man haue ye wote wel or els it wil not be wel One tribulacioÌ„ is it to good meÌ„ to feele in theÌ„ selfe the conflicte of the fleshe agaynste the soule the rebellioÌ„ of sensualitie against the rule and gouernaÌ„ce of reason the reliques that remayne in mankynde of olde
and be paynefullye buryed in hell Saincte Paule sayeth vnto the Hebrues that GOD those that he loueth he chastyseth Et flagellat omnem filium quem recipit And he scourgeth euerye sonne of hys that he receyueth Sayncte Paule sayeth also Per multas trâ—bulaciones oportet nos introire in regnum dei By manye trybulacyons muste we goe into the kingdome of GOD. And no meruayle for oure Sauiour Christ sayd of him selfe vnto hys two dysciples that wer goyng into the castle of Emaus An nesciebatis quia oportebat Christum pati sic introire in regnum suâ—m Knowe you not that Christe muste suffer and so goe into hys kyngdome and woulde wee that are seruauntes looke for more priuiledge in oure Maysters house than oure Maister him selfe Would we â—eat into hys kyngdome with ease when he hymselfe gote not into his owne but by payne Hys kyngdom hath he ordayned for hys discyples and he sayeth vnto vs all Qui vâ—lt esse meus discipulus tollat crucem suam sequatur me Yâ— anye manne wyll be my disciple lette hym learne at me to dooe as I haue done take his crosse of trybulacion vpon his backe and folowe me He saieth not here loe lette hym laughe and make merye Nowe if heauen serue but for Chrystes dysciples and thei be those that take theyr crosse of trybulacyon when shall these folke come there that neuer haue tribulacyon And if it be true that Saincte Paule saieth that GOD chastyseth all them that he loueth and scourgeth euerye chylde whome he receyueth and to heauen shall none come but suche as he loueth and receyueth whan shall they come thyther whom he neuer chastyseth nor neuer dooeth vouchesafe to fyle hys handes vpon them and geue them so muche as one lashe And yf wee can not as Saincte Paule sayeth we can not come to heauen but by manye trybulacions howe shal they come thither than that neuer haue none at all Thus see we well by the verye Scripture it selfe howe true the woordes are of olde holye Sainctes that wyth one voyce in a maner saye al one thing that is to wit that we shall not haue bothe contynuall wealth in thys worlde and in the other too And therefore syth they that in thys worlde without anye trybulacion enioye their long continuall course of neuer interrupted prosperitie haue a great cause of feare and of discoumforte lest they bee farre fallen out of gods fauor and stande depe in his indignacion and displeasure whyle he neuer sendeth them trybulacion whiche he is euer wonte to sende them whome he loueth They therefore I saye that are in trybulacion haue on the other syde a greate cause to take in theyr gryefe great inwarde coumforte and spyrytuall consolacion ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter A certaine obieccion and the ansvver therto Vincent VErelye good vncle thys semeth so in dede howbeit yet me thynke you saye verye sore in some thynges concernyng suche persons as are in contynuall prosperitie and they be you wote well not a fewe and those are they also that haue the rule and aucthoritye of thys worlde in theyr hande And I wote well that when they talke with suche greate connyng menne as can I trowe tell the trueth and when they aske them whyther whyle they make merye here in earth all theyr lyfe they maye not yet for all that haue heauen after to they doe tel them yes yes well ynough For I haue heard them tell them so my selfe ☞ Antony I suppose good Cosyn that no very wyse man and specially none that very good is therewith will tell any man fully of that fashyon but surely such as so say to them I feare me that they flatter them either for lucre or feare Some of them thinke peraduenture thus This man maketh muche of me now and geueth me money also to faste and watche praye for him but so I feare me would he doe no more if I should goe tell him nowe that all that I doe for hym will not serue him but if he goe faste and watche and praie for himselfe to For if I should sette therto and saye farther that my diligente intercession for hym should I trust be the meane that god should the soner geue him grace to amende and fast and watche and praye and take affliccion in his owne body for the bettering of hys synfull soule he woulde bee wonderous wroth with that For he would be loth to haue any such grace at all as should make him to leaue of any of his mirth and so sitte and mourne for his synne Suche minde as this lo haue there some of those that are not vnlerned and haue worldly wit at wil which tell great men suche tales as perilously beguile them rather then the flatterer that so telleth them woulde with a treue tale ieoperd to lese his lucre Some are there also that suche tales tell them for coÌ„sideracion of an other feare For seing the man sette sore on his pleasure that they dispaire any amendment of hym whatsoeuer they shoulde shewe hym and thaÌ„ seing also besyde that the man doth no greate harme but of a gentle nature doth some good meÌ„ some good they praye god theÌ„ selfe to send him grace and so they let hym lie lame styll in his fleshly lustes Ad probatiâ—â—m piscinam expectantes aque motumâ— At the poole that the gospel speaketh of beside the temple wherin they washed the shepe for the sacrifice and they tary to see the water stired And when his good Aungel coming from God shall once beginne to styre the water of his hearte and moue him to the lowly mekenes of a simple shepe than if he call them to him they will tell him an other tale and helpe to beare him and plounge him into the poole of penaunce ouer the hard eares but in the meane while for feare leste whan he woulde waxe neuer the better he would waxe much the worse and from gentle smooth swete curtice waxe angrye roughe frowarde and sower thereupoÌ„ be troublous tedyous to the world to make fayre weather withal they geue hym fayre woordes for the while and put him in good comforte and let hym for the remnaunte stande at his own aduenture And in such wise deale they with him as the mother doth some tyme with her childe whiche when the lytle boye will not ryse in time for her but lie styll a bedde and slugge and when he is vâ— wepeth because he hath lyen so long fearing to be beaten at scole for his late coming thither she telleth hym then that it is but early dayes and he shall come tyme ynough and byddeth hym goe good sonne I warraunte thee I haue sent to thy maister my selfe take thy bread and butter with thee thou shalte not bee beaten at all And thus so she maye sende hym mery forth at the dore that he wepe not in her sight at home she studieth not much vpon the matter though he be taken tardye and beateÌ„ wheÌ„
eate oure meate when we can happe to geat it Yf he sende vs the plage of pestilence he will we shall pacientlye take it but yet will he that we lette vs blud and laye plaiâ—ters to drawe it and ripe it and launce it and geat it away Both these poyntes teacheth God in Scripture in moe than many places Fastynge is better than eating and more thanke hath of God and yet wyll God that we shall eate Praying is better than drinkyng and muâ—he more pleasaunt to god And yet will God that we shall drinke Waking in good busynes is muche more acceptable to God theÌ„ sleping yet wil god that we shall slepe God hath geuen vs oure bodyes here to kepe and wyll that we mayâ—tayne them to doe him seruice with tyll he sende for vs hence Nowe can we not tell surely howe muche tribulacyon maye marre itâ— or peraduenture hurte the soule also wherefore the Apostle after that he had commaunded the Corinthians to delyuer to the deuill the abhominable fornicator that forbare not the bedde of hys owne fathers wyfe yet after that he had been a whyle accursed and punished for hys sinne the Apostle commaunded them charitablye to receiue him agayne and geue hym consolacion Vt non a magnitudine doloris absorbeatur that the greatnes of his sorowe shoulde not swalowe him vp And therefore when God sendeth the tempeste he wyll that the shyppe men shall geat them to their tackelyng and dooe the beste they can for them selfe that the seas eate them not vp for helpe oure selfes as well as we can he can make hys plage as sore and as long lastyng as hymselfeâ—luâ—te And as he wyll that we dooe for oure selfe so wyll he that we dooe for oure neyghboure too And that we shall be in thys world eche to other petious for Sine affeccione whiche the Apostle rebuketh them that lacke tender affeccyons hereâ— so that of charitie sorye shoulde we be for theyr payne too vpon whom for cause necessary we be dryuen oure selfe to putte it And whoso sayeth that for piety of his neighbours soule he wyll haue none of hys body lette hym be sure that as Saincte Iohn sayeth He that loueth not hys neyghboure whom he seeth loueth God but a litle whom he seeth not So he that hath no pitie of the payne that he seeth hysâ— neyghboure fele afore hym pytyeth litle whatsoeuer he saye the payne of his soule that he seeth not yet God sendeth vs also suche tribulacion some tyme because hys pleasure is to haue vs praye vnto hym for helpe And therefore when Sayncte Peter was in prieson the Scrypture sheweth that the whole churche withoute intermyssyon prayed inâ—essauntlye for hym and at their feruent prayer god by miracle deliuered hym WhaÌ„ the disciples in the tempest stode in feare of drowning they prayed vnto Christe and saied Salua nos Dominâ— perimus Saue vs Lorde we perishe And than at theyr prayer he shortly ceased the tempest And nowe see we proued often that in sore weather or sickenes by general processions god geueth gracious helpe And many a man in his great payn and sickenes by callyng vpoÌ„ god is meruelousli made whole This is goddes goodnes that because in welth we remembre hym not but forgeat to praye to him sendeth vs sorowe and syckenes to force vs drawe towarde hym and compelleth vs to call vpon hym and pray for release of our payn wherby wheÌ„ we learne to knowe hym and seke to him we take a good occasioÌ„ to fal after into farther grace ¶ The .xviii. Chapter Of them that in tribulacion â—eke not vnto god but some to the fleshe and some to the vvorld and some to the deuill himselfe ☞ Vincent UErely good vncle with this good aunswere I am well contente Antony Ye Cosyn but many meÌ„ are there with whom god is not coÌ„tent which abuse this great goodnes of his whom neither faire treating nor hard haÌ„dlyng canne cause to remembre their maker but in welth they be wantoÌ„ and forgeat god and folowe their luste and whan god with tribulacion draweth them towarde him than waxe they woode and drawe backe al that euer they may and rather runne and seke helpe at any other hande than to goe feke it at his Some for comforte seke to the fleshe some to the worlde and some to the deuil hymselfe Some man that in worldlye prosperite is verye dull of welth and hath depe stepped into many a sore sinne whiche sinnes when he did them he counted for part of his pleasure god willing of his goodnes to call the man to grace casteth a remorse into his minde amonge after hys firste slepe and maketh him lye a lyttle while and bethinke himâ— Than beginneth he to remeÌ„bre his life and from that he falleth to thinke vpon his death and how he must leaue all this worldly welthe within a while behinde here in this world and walke hence alone he woteth not whither nor howe sone he shall take hys iourney thyther nor can tel what company he shal mete there And than beginneth he to thinke that it were good to make sure and be mery so that we be wyse therewyth leste there happe to be such blacke bugges in dede as folke cal deuillesâ— whose tormeÌ„tes he was woÌ„t to take for Poetes tales These thoughtes if they sinke depe are a sore tribulacion And surely if he take holde of the grace that god therein offereth hym his tribulacion is holesome shal be ful comfortable to remeÌ„bre that god by tribulacion calleth him and byddeth hym come home out of the countrey of sinne that he was bred and broughte vp so longe in and come into the lande of beheste that floweth mylke and honey And then if he folowe this calling as manye one full well doeth ioyfull shal hys sorow be and glad shal he be to chauÌ„ge his life leaue his wanton lustes do penance for his sinnes bestowing his time vpoÌ„ better busines But some men nowe whan this callyng of GOD causeth them to be sadde they be loth to leaue their sinfull lustes that hange in theyr heartesâ— and specyallye if they haue anye suche kynde of lyuing as they must nedes leaue of or fal deper in sin or if they haue suche greate wronges done that they haue manye myndes to make that must if they folowe god mynyshe much of theyr money than are these folkes alas wofully bewrapped for God prycketh vpon them of his greate goodnes stil and the griefe of thys greate payne pynâ—heth them at the harte and of wyckednes they wrye awaye and for thys tribulation they turne to theyr fleshe for helpe and labour to shake of thys thought and then they mend theyr pyllowe and leye theyr hed softer and assaye to slepe and then that will not bee than they finde a talke a while with them that lye by â—hem If that cannot be neyther than they lye and longe for daye and then gette them forth about theyr worldely wretchednes the matter
shoulde geue anye preheminence in coumforte vnto tribulacion but rather allowe prosperitie for the thyng more coumfortable and that not a litle but in maner by double syth therein hath the soule coumforte and the bodye both the soule by thanke for his gyft geuen vnto god And then the bodye by being well at ease where the parson payned in tribulacion taketh no coumforte but in hys soule alone Fyrst as for youre double coumforte Cosyn you maye cutte of the one For a manne in prosperitie though he bee bounden to thanke God of hys gyfte wherein he feeleth ease and maye bee glad also that he geueth thanke to GOD yet for that he taketh hys ease here hath he little cause of coumforte excepte that the sensuall feeling of bodelye pleasure you lust to call by the name of coumforte Nor I saye not naye but that some tyme menne vse so to take it when they saye this good drynke coumforteth well my heart But coumforte Cosyn is properlye taken by them that take it ryghte rather for the consolacion of good hope that men take in theyr heart of some good growing toward theÌ„ then for a present pleasure with which the body is delyted and tickeled for the whyle Now though a man without pacience can haue no reward for his pain yet when his payn is paciently taken for gods sake and his will coÌ„formed to gods pleasure therin god rewardeth the sufferer after the rate of his payn thys thing appeareth by manye a place in scripture of whiche some haue I shewed you and yet shall I shewe you moe But neuer founde I anye place in scripture that I remembre in whiche though thys welthy man thanked god for hys gyft our lorde promised any reward in heauen because the man toke hys ease and pleasure here And therfore sith I speake but of such coumforte as is very coumfort in dede by which a man hath hope of Goddes fauour and remission of his sinnes with minishyng of hys paynes in purgatory or reward els in heauen And such comfort cometh of tribulacion and for tribulacion well taken but not for pleasure though it be well taken therefore of your couÌ„fort that you double by prosperitie you may as I told you cut very wel away the halfe Now why I geue prerogatiue in couÌ„fort vnto tribulacion farre aboue prosperitie though a man may doe well in both Of this thing wil I shew you causes two or thre First as I before haue at leÌ„gth shewed you out of all question continual welth interrupted with no tribulacioÌ„ is a verye discomfortable token of euerlasting damnacioÌ„ wheâ—upon it foloweth that tribulacioÌ„ is one cause of coumfort vnto a mans heart in that it dischargeth him of the discomfort that he might of reason take of ouerlong lasting welth Another is that the scripture much coÌ„mendeth tribulacion as occasion of more profit then welth prosperitie not to them onely that are therin but to theÌ„ too that resorte vnto them therfore sayeth Ecclesiastes Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum conuiuiiâ— En illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum viuens cogitat quid futurum sit Better it is to goe to the house of weping wayling for some mans deathe than to yâ— house of a feast For in that house of heauinesse is a man put in remembraunce of the ende of euerye manne and whyle he yet liueth he thynketh what shall come after And after yet he farther sayeth Cor sapientum vbi tristiciaâ—est et Cor stultorum vbi leticia The hearte of wyse menne is there as heauynesse is And the hearte of fooles is there as is myrthe and gladnesse And verelye there as you shall heare worldelye myrth seeme to bee commended in Scrypture it is eyther commonlye spoken as in the parsone of some worldly dysposed people or understanden of reioysyng spirituall or ment of some small moderate refreshing of the minde against an heauy discomfortable dulnes Nowe whereas prosperitie was to the chyldren of Israell promised in the olde law as a special gyft of god that was for theyr imperfeccion at that tyme to draw them to god with gaye thinges and pleasaunte as meÌ„ to make chyldren learne geue them cake bread butter For as the scripture maketh mencion that people wer much after the maner of chyldren in lacke of wit in waiwardnes And therfore was their master Moses called Pedagogus that is a teacher of children or as they call such one in the grammer schooles an vsher or a maister of the petites For as Sainct Paul sayth Nihil ad perfectum duxit lex The old lawe broughte nothyng to perfeccion And god also threatneth folke with trybulacion in this worlde for synne not for that worldly tribulacion is euyl but for that we should be wel ware of the sickenesse of synne for feare of that thynge to folowe whiche though it be in dede a very good wholesome thyng yf we wyll take it is yet beecause it is paynefull the thyng that we be lothe to haue But this I saye yet again and agayn that as for farre the better thyng in this worlde toward the geattyng of the verye good that God geueth in the worlde to come the Scrypture vndoubtedlye so commendeth trybulacyon that in respecte and comparyson thereof it discommendeth thys worldlye wretched welthe and discomfortable coumforte vtterlye For to what other thyng soundeth the woordes of Ecclesiastes that I rehearsed you nowe that it is better to be in the house of heauynesse than to be at a feaste whereto soundeth this comparyson of his that the wyse mannes hearte draweth thyther as folke are in sadnes and the hert of a foole is there as he may find myrth Wherto draweth this threat of the wyse man that he that delyteth in wealth shall fall into woe Risus sayeth he dolore miscebitur extrema gaudâ—i luctus occâ—pâ—t Laughter shal be mingled with sorowe and th end of mirth is takeÌ„ vp with heauines And our sauior sayth hymself Ve vobis qui ridetis quia lugebitis et flebitls Woe be to you that laugh for you shal wepe and waile But he saith on the other syde Beati qui lugent quoniam illi consolabuntur Blessed are thei that wepe wayle for they shal be comforted And he sayth vnto his disciples Mundus gaudebit vos autem dolebitis Sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium The world shal ioye you shal be sory but your sorow shal be turned into ioye And so is iâ— you wote well now And the myrth of many that theÌ„ were in ioy is now turned al to sorowe And thus you see by the scripture playn that in matter of very comfort tribulacion is as farre aboue prosperitie as the day is aboue the night An other preemineÌ„ce of tribulacioÌ„ ouer welth in occasioÌ„ of merite reward shal wel appeare vpon certayne consideracions well marked in them both Tribulacion meriteth in pacience and in thobediente
heard before that in respect of the great grief that for a moneth space had holdeÌ„ you you were a litle before my last cuÌ„ming to you somewhat eased and releued for els woulde not I for no good haue put you to the paine to talke so much as you than dyd yet after my departyng from you remembring howe longe we taryed together and that we were all that while in talkinge al the labour was yours in talking so longe together without enterpausing betwene and that of matter studiouse displeasante al of disease and sicknes and other paine and tribulacion I was in good fayth very sorye and not a litle wrothe wyth my selfe for myne owne ouersight that I had so lytle considered your payne and very feared I was till I heard other word leste you should haue wexed weaker and more sicke hereafter But nowe I thanke god that hath sent the coÌ„trarye for els a lytle casting backe were in this great age of yours no lytle daunger and perell ☞ Antony Naye nay good Cosin to talke much except some other payne let me is to me litle grief A fonde olde maÌ„ is as often full of wordes as a woman It is you wote wel as some Poetes paynt vs al the lust of an old fooles lyfe to sit wel warme with a cuppe a rosted crabbe driuel and drinke and talke But in earnest Cosyn our talking was to me great coumforte and nothing dysplesaunt at al. For though we coÌ„moned of sorowe and heauines yet was the thing that we chiefely thoughte vpon not the tribulacion it selfe but the coumforte that may growe theron And therfore am I nowe verye gladde that you be come to finishe vp the remnante Vincent Of truth my good vncle it was comfortable to me hath been since to some other of your frendes to whome as my poore witte and remeÌ„braunce would serue me I did and not nedeles reporte and rehearse your most comfortable couÌ„saile And nowe come I for the remnante and am very ioyfull that I finde you so well refresshed and so ready therto But this one thing good vncle I beseâ—he you hartely that if for delight to here you speake in the matter I forgeat my self and you both and put you to to muche payne remeÌ„bre you your owne ease then if you lust to leaue coÌ„maund me to goe my waye to seke some other time ¶ Antony Forsouth Cosin many wordes if a maÌ„ were weake spoken as you saied ryght nowe without enterpâ—using would paraduenture at length somwhat weerye him And therfore wyshed I the last tyme after you were gone when I left my selfe to saye the trueth euen a litle weery that I had not so tolde you styll a long tale alone but that we had more ofteÌ„ enterchauÌ„ged wordes parted the talking betwene vs with ofter enterpausing vpoÌ„ your part in such maner as learned meÌ„ vse betwene the persoÌ„s whoÌ„ they deuise disputing in ther fained dialogues But yet in that point I sone excused you laid the lacke euen where I fouÌ„d it that was euen vpon myne owne necke For I remembred that betwene you and me it fared as it did once betwene a Nun and her brother verye verteous was this Lady of a very verteous place in a close religionâ— and therin had bene long in al whych time she had neuer seene her brother whyche was in like wise very verteous and hadde beene farre of at an vniuersitie and had there taken the degre of doctor in diuinitie WheÌ„ he was come home he went to see his syster as he that highlye reioysed in her vertue So came she to the grate that they call I trowe the locutorye and after theyr holy watche word spokeÌ„ on both sides after the maner vsed in that place one toke the other by the typ of the finger for hand woulde there be none wrongen throwe the grate forthwyth began my Ladye to geue her brother a sermoÌ„ of the wretchednes of thys world the frayletie of the fleshe the subtil sleightes of the wycked fiend and gaue him suerly good counsayle sauing somewhat long howe he shoulde be well ware in his liuing and master well his bodye for sauing of his soule and yet ere her owne tale came al at an ende she began to finde a litle fault with him and saied in good faith brother I doe somwhat maruaile that you that haue bene at learning so long are doctor and so learned in the lawe of god doe not nowe at our meeting seing we mete so seldom to me that am your sister a simple vnlearned soule geue of your charitie some fruiteful exhortacioÌ„ For I doubt not but you caÌ„ saye some good thing yourself By my trouth good sister ê™ her brother I can not for you for your tongue hath neuer ceased but saied inough for vs both And so Cosin I remeÌ„ber that wheÌ„ I was once falleÌ„ in I left you litle space to saye ought betwene But nowe wyll I therfore take an other waie with you for I shal of our talking driue you to the one half Vincent Now forsoth vncle this was a mery tale But now if you make me talke the one halfe thaÌ„ shal you be contented farre otherwyse than there was of laâ—e a kynswomaÌ„ of your own but whiche wyll I not tell you gesse her and you can her husband had much pleasure in the maner and behaueour of an other honest maÌ„ kept him therefore muche company by the reason wherof he was at hys meale time more ofteÌ„ from home So happened it on a tyme that his wife and he together dyned or supped with that neighbour of theirs and thaÌ„ she made a mery quarel to him for making her husband so good chere out a dore that she coulde not haue him at home Forsoâ—h maistres quoth he as he was a dry mery maÌ„ in my coÌ„pany nothing kepeth him but one serue you him with thesame he wil neuer be from you What gaye thiÌ„g may that be quoth our Cosin thaÌ„ Forsoth maistres ê™ he your husband loueth wel to talke whaÌ„ he sitteth with me I let him haue al the wordes Al the wordes quoth she mary that am I content he shall haue all the wordes with a good will as he hath euer had For I speake theÌ„ not al my selfe but geue them al to hym and for ought that I care for them he shall haue them stil but yet to saye that he shall haue them all you shall then rather kepe him stil thaÌ„ he shal geat the one half at my handes ☞ Anthony Forsoâ—h Cosin I can soone gesse whiche of our kinne she was but yet the fewer of that kinde the quieter is the many for all her mery wordes that thus woulde let her husbande to talke ☞ Vincent Forsothe she is not so merye but she is as good But where you finde faulte vncle that I speake not ynoughe I was in good fayth ashamed that I spake so much
happely fynde mete thereto in so fewe as my selfe wene that I haue nowe to liue while euerytime is not like with me and among many paynfull in whiche I loke euery daye to departe my mendyng dayes come very seld and are very shortly gone For surely Cosin I cannot lycken my lyfe more metely now than to the snuffe of a candle that burneth within the candelstyckes nose For as the snuffe some time burneth down so lowe that whoso loketh on it would wene it were quite out and yet sodeynly lifteth a flame halfe an inche aboue the nose and geueth a preaty shorte lighte again and thus plaieth diuers tymes til at last ere it be looked for out it goeth altogether so haue I Cosin diuers such daies together as eueryday of them I loke euen for to dye and yet haue I than after that some suche fewe daies againe as you see me now to haue your selfe in which a man would wene that I might well continue but I knowe my lingering not likely to laâ—t long but oure wil my snuffe sodeynly some daye within a while and therfore wil I with goddes helpe seme I neuer so wel amended neuertheles reckeÌ„ euery day for my last for thoughe that to the repressing of the bolde courage of blynde youth there is a very true prouerbe that as soone cometh a young shepes skin to the market as an olde yet this difference there is at the least betwene them that as the younge man maye happe sometime to die soone so the olde maÌ„ can neuer liue long And thereâ—ore Cosin â—n our matter here leauiÌ„g out mani thinges that I would els treate of I shall for this time speake but of veâ—y fewe howbeit if god hereafter send me moe such daies thaÌ„ wyl we when you luste farther talke of moe ¶ The .iii. Chapter He deuideth tribulacion into three kindes of vvhiche three the laste he passeth shorâ—ly ouer ALl maner of tribulacion Cosin that any man can haue as faâ—re as for this time cometh to my mynd falleth vnder some one at the least of these thâ—ee kindes â—ither it is such as himselfe willingly taketh or secondly such as him selfe willingly suffereth or finally such as he cannot put from him This thyrd kinde I purpose not much more to speake of nowâ— for therof shal as for this time suffise those thinges that we treated betwene vs this other daye what kinde of tribulacion this is I am sure your selfe perceiue for sickenes imprisonment losse of goodes losse of freÌ„des or suche bodely harme as a man hath already caught and can in no wise auoide these thinges and such like are the third kind of tribulacioÌ„ that I speake ofâ— which a man neither willingly taketh in the beginning nor can thoughe he woulde put afterwarde away Nowe thinke I that as to the man that lacketh witte and faith no comforte can serue whatsoeuer counsaile be geueÌ„ so to them that haue both I haue as for this kind said in maner inough already and considering that suffer it nedes he must while he can by no maner of meane put it from him the very necessitie is halfe counsayle inough to take it in good worth beare it paciently rather of his pacience to take both ease thanke then by fretting and fuming to encrease his present paine and by murmure grudge fal in farther dauÌ„ger after by displeasiÌ„g of god with his froward behaueour yet albeit that I thinke that that which is saied suffiseth yet here and there shall I in the seconde kinde shewe some such comfort as shall wel serue vnto this last kinde to ¶ The iiiiâ— Chapter THe first kinde also will I shortly passe ouer to for the tribulacion that a man willingly taketh himself which no maÌ„ putteth vpon him against his own wil is you wote wel as I somewhat touched the last daye such affliccion of the fleshe or expence of his goodes as a man taketh himselfe or willingly bestoweth in punishmeÌ„t of his own sinne and for deuocion to God Now in this tribulacion nedeth he no maÌ„ to comfort him for while no maÌ„ troubleth him but him selfe which feleth how farreforth he may conueniently beare of reason good discrecion shal not passe that wherin if any doubte arise counsayle nedeth and not comforte The courage that for goddes sake and hys soule helth kindleth his heart and enflameth it therto shall by thesame grace that putte it in his minde geue hym suche comforte and ioye therein that the pleasure of hys soule shall passe the payne of hys body yea and whyle he hath in hearte also some great heauines for hys synne yet then he considereth the ioye that shall come of it his soule shall not fayle to fele than that strauÌ„ge case which my body felt once in a great feuer ☞ Vincent What straunge case was that vncle Anthony Forsoth Cosin in this same bedde it is now more than .xv. yere a goe I lay in a tercian had passed I trowe .iii. or .iiii. fittes but after fell there one fitte on me out of course so strauÌ„ge and so maruelouse that I woulde in good faith haue thoughte it impossible For I soâ—einly felt myselfe veryly both hote and cold thorowout al my body not in some part yâ— one and in some parte the other for that had been you wote wel no very straunge thing to fele the head hote while the handes were a colde but the selfe same partes I say so god my soule saue I sensibly felt right painfully to al in one instaunt both hote and colde at once ☞ Vincent By my trouth vncle this was a wonderful thing such as I neuer heard happeÌ„ any maÌ„ els in my daies fewe meÌ„ are there of whose mouthes I coulde haue beleued it Antony Courtesi Cosin paradueÌ„ture letteth you to saye that you beleue it not yet of my mouth nether surely for feare of yâ— you should haue heard it of me nether had there not an other thiÌ„g happed me sone after ☞ Vincent I praye you what was that vncle ☞ Anthony Forsoth Cosin thys I asked a phisicyon or twaine that than loked vnto me howe this shoulde shoulde be possible and they twaine tolde me both that it coulde not be but that I was fallen into some slombre and dreamed that I felte it so ☞ Vincent This hap holde I litle cause you to tell the tale the more boldelye ☞ Anthony No Cosin that is true loe but than happed there another that a young Gyrle here in this towne whome a kinsmaÌ„ of hers had begon to teache plysicke tolde me that there was such a kynd of feuer in dede Vincent By our Lady vncle saue for the credence of you the tale woulde I not yet tell againe vpon that happe of the maide For though I knowe her nowe for such as I durst well beleue her it might hap her very well at that time to lye because she woulde you should take her for cunning Antony Ye but thaÌ„
they fall into the clawes or the teeâ—he of those Lyons whelpes yet shall all that they can dooe not passe beyonde the bodye which is but as the garmente of the soule For the soule it selfe whiche is the substance of the maÌ„ is so suerly fensed in rounde aboute wyth the shield or pauice of God that as longe as he wyl abyde faythfully in adiutorio altissimi in the hope of Godes helpe the Lyons whelpes shall not be able to hurte it For the greate Lyon hym selfe coulde neuer be suffered to goe farther in the trybulacion of Iob than God from tyme to tyme gaue hym leaue And therfore the depe darkenes of the midnight maketh men yâ— stande out of fayth and out of good hope in God to be in theyr tribulacion farre in the greater feare for lacke of the light of fayth wherby they might perceiue that the vttermoste of theyr peryl is a farre lesse thing than they take it for but we be so wonte to set so much by oure body whiche we see and fele and in the feding and fosâ—ring wherof we set our whole delight and our welth and so litle alas and so seld we thinke vpon our soule because we cannot see that but by spirituall vnderstanding moste specially by the iye of our faith in the meditacioÌ„ wherof we bestowe god wote litle tyme that the losse of our body we take for a sorer thyng and a greater tribulacion a greate deale than we doe the losse of our soule And wheras our sauiour biddeth vs that we should not feare these lyons whelpes that can but kill our bodies and wheÌ„ that is done haue no farâ—her thing in their power wherwith they can dooe vs harme but biddeth vs stande in dreade of him whiche when he hath sâ—aine the body is able thaÌ„ beside to cast the soule into euerlasting fyer we be so blinde in the darke nighte of tribulacion for the lacke of full and fast belief of goddes worde that whereas in the daye of prosperitie we very litle feare god for oure soule oure nyghtes feare of aduersitie maketh vs verye sore to feare the Lion his whelpes for dreade of losse of our body And wheras S. Paul in suÌ„dry places sheweth vs that our body is but as the garment of the soule yet the faintnes of our fayth to the Scripture of god maketh vs with the nightes feare of tribulacion more to dreade not onely the losse of our bodyâ— thaÌ„ of our soule that is to witte of the clothing thaÌ„ of the substauÌ„ce that is clothed therewith but also of the verye outwarde goodes that serue for the clothing of the body and much more foolishe are we in that darke nightes feare than were he that coulde forgeat the sauing of hys bodye for feare of losing his olde rayne beaten cloke that is but the couering of his gown or his coate Now consider farther yet that the Prophete in the forecemembred vearses sayeth not that in the night walkâ— onely the Lions whelpes but also Omnes besties siluarum all the beastes of the wood Nowe wote you well that if a man walke thorowe the wood in the nighte many thynges maye make him afrayde of which in the daye he woulde not be afrayde of a whit for in the nyghte euery bushe to him that waxeth once afrayde semeth a thefe I remember that when I was a younge man I was once in the warâ—e with the king than my master God assoile his soule and we were camped within the Turkes grounde many a myle beyonde Belgrade whiche woulde God were oures nowe as well as it was than but so happed it that in oure campe aboute midnighte there sodaynlye rose a rumoure and a skrye that the Turkes whole armye was secretely stealing vpon vs wherwith oure whole host was warned to arme them in haste and sette themselfe in aray to fighte and than were scurars of ours that brought these sodayne tidinges examyned more laisorly by the counsayle what suretye or what likelyhode they had perceyued therein of whom one shewed that by the glimuring of the moone he had espyed and perceiued and sene them hymselfe comming on softely and soberly in a longe raunge all in a good ordre not one farther foorth than the other in the forefrunte but as euen as the threde and in bredth farther than he coulde see in length Hys fellowes beyng examined saied that he was somewhat pricked foorth beefore them and came so fast backe to tel it theÌ„ that they thought it rather time to make haste and geue warning to the campe than to goe nerer vnto them for they were not so farre of but that they had yet themselfe somewhat an vnperfecte syghte of them too thus stoode we watâ—hyng all the remnaunte of the nyghte euermore harkenyng when we shoulde heare them come with hushte stande styll me thynke I heare a tramplyng so that at laste many of vs thoughte we heard them oure selfe also But when the daye was sprongen and that we sawe no manne oute was oure scurer sente againe and some of oure capitaines with him to shewe them where aboute the place was in whiche he perceiued them and when they came thyther they found that great fearefull armye of the Turkes so soberlye commyng on turned God bethanked into a fayre longe hedge standyng euen stone styll And thus fareth it in the nyghtes feare of trybulacyon in whiche the deuill to beare down and ouerwhelme with dreade the faythfull hope that we shoulde haue in GOD casteth in oure imaginacion muche more feare than cause For whyle there walke in the nighte not onely the Lyons whelpes but ouer that all the beastes of the wood beside the beastes that we heare roariÌ„g in the darke nighte of tribulacion and feare it for a Lyon we sometyme fynde well afterwarde in the daye that it was no Lyon at al but a sely rude roaring asse the thyng that on the sea semeth sumtime a rocke is in dede nothing els but a mist howbeit as the Prophet saith He that faythfully dwelleth in the hope of gods helpe the pauice of hys trouth shal so fence hym in rouÌ„d about that bee it an asse colte or a Lions whelpe a rocke of stone or a mist. Non timâ—â—it a timore nocturno the nightes feare therof shal he nothyng nede to dreade at all ¶ The .xiii. Chapter Of pusillanimitie THerefore find I that in this nightes feare one greate parte thereof is the fault of pusillanimitie that is to witte feble and faynte stomake by whiche a man for fainte hearte is afrayed where he nedeth not by reasoÌ„ whereof he fâ—yeth often tymes for feare of that thing of which if he fledde not he shoulde take no harme and some man dooeth some tyme by his fleing make his enemy bolde on him which would if he fled not but durst abyde therby geue ouer â—â—ee from him This fault of pusillanimitie maketh a manne in his tribulacion for fieble heart firste impacient and afterwarde often tymes driueth
many moe than I can eyther remembre or find howbeit one yet commeth to my minde now of which I before no thing thoughtâ— and which is yet in mine opinion of all the other feares the most horrible that is to witte Cosin where the deuill tempteth a man to kil and destroy hymselfe Vincent Undoubtedly this kinde of tribulacion is meruelouse and stâ—aunge and the temptacioÌ„ is of such a sorte that some men haue opinion that suche as fall once in that fantasye can neuer after ful caste it of ☞ Anthony Yes yes Cosin many a hundreth and els god forbid but the thing that maketh men so say is because that of those which finally doe destroy themself there is muche speache and much wondering as it is well worthy but many a good man and many a good womaÌ„ hath sometyme yea diuers yeres eche after other continually be tempted therto yet haue by grace and good counsaile well and verteously withstand it and bene in conclusioÌ„ clerely delyuered of it and their tribulacion nothyng knowen abrode and therfore nothing talked of but surely Cosin an horrible sore trouble it is to any man or woman that the deuill tempteth therewith many haue I heard of and with some haue I talked my selfe that haue been sore encombred with that temptacion and marked haue I not a litle the maner of them ☞ Vincent I require you good vncle shewe me somewhat of suche thinges as you perceiue therin for fyrst where you call this kinde of temptacion the doughter of pusillanimitie and therby so nere of sibbe vnto the nightes feare me thinketh on the other side that it is rather a thyng that commeth of a greate courage and boldnes whan they dare their owne handes put them selfe to death from which we see almoste euery man shrynke and flee as that many suche as we knowe by good proofe and playne experyence for men of greate hearte and of an excedyng hardie courage ☞ Anthony I sayde Cosyn Uyncent of that pusillanymytie cometh this temptacion and very trueth it is yâ— in dede it so doeth but yet I meynt it not that of onely faynt hearte and feare it cometh and groweth alwaye for the deuil tempteth sundry folkes by sundry wayes but the cause wherfore I spake of none other kynde of temptacion than of onely that whiche is the daughter that the deuyll begetteth vpon pusyllanimitie was for that that those other kyndes of that temptacioÌ„ fall not vnder the nature of tribulacioÌ„ and feare and therfore fal they farre out of our matter here and are suche teÌ„ptacioÌ„s as onely nede counsayle and not coumforte or consolacion for that the persones therwith tempted be with that kynde of temptacion not troubled in theyr mynde but verely well content both in tempting and folowinge for some hathe there bene Cosin suche that they haue be teÌ„pted therto by meane of a folishe pryde some by the meane of anger without any dreade at al very glad therto to this I saye not naye But where as you wene that none fal therto by feare but that they haue all a stronge mightye stomake that shall you see the contrarye that peraduenâ—ure in those of whom you woulde wene the stomake most stronge and theyr hearte and courage most hardye Vincent Yet is it maruayle Uncle to me yâ— it shoulde be as you saye it is that this temptacion is vnto them that doe it for pryde or for angre no trybulacion nor that they shoulde nede in so greate a dystâ—esse peryl bothe of bodye and soule to be loste no maner of good ghostly comforte at al Anthony Let vs therfore Cosin coÌ„sidre a sample or two for therby shal we the better perceiue it There was here in Buda in king Ladislaus dayes a good pore honeste mans wyfe this womaÌ„ was so fiendyshe that the Deuill perceyuinge her nature put her in the mynde that she shoulde anger her husbande so sore that she might geue him an occasion to kyll her than he should be hanged for her Vincent This was a sâ—range temptacion in dede what the Deuill shoulde she be the better than Anthony Nothinge but that it eased her shrewde stomake before to thinke that her husband shoulde be hanged after And peraduenture if you loke about the worlde and considre it well you shall fynde moe suche stomakes thaÌ„ a fewe Haue you neuer heard no furious bodye saye playnly that to see some suche man haue a myschyâ—fe he woulde with good will be content to lye as longe in hell as God lyueth in heauen Vincent Forsothe and some suche haue I hearde ☞ Anthony This minde of his was not muche lesse mad then hers but rather happely the more mad of the twayn for the womaÌ„ peraduenture dyd not cast so farre peâ—ell therin But to tell you nowe to what good passe her charytable purpose came as her husbande the man was a carpenter stode hewynge with his chyppe axe vpoÌ„ a piece of timbre she beganne after her olde guise so to reuile him that the man waxed wrothe at last and â—ade her get her in or he woulde laye the helue of his axe aboute her back saied also that it were lytle sinne euen with that axe head to choppe of that vnhappye head of hers that caryed suche an vngraciouse tounge therin At that worde the Deuyll toke his tyme and whetted her tounge agaynst her teeth and wheÌ„ it was well sharped she sware vnto him in very fierce anger By the masse horesoÌ„ husbande I woulde thou wouldest here lyeth my head loe therwith down she layed her head vpon the same tymbre logge if thou smyte it not of I beshrewe thy horesons hearte With that lykewyse as the Deuyll stode at her elbowe so stode as I hearde saye his good aungell at his and gaue him ghostly courage and bade him be bolde and doe it And so the good man vp with his chyppe axe at a choppe chopped of her head in dede There were standynge other folke by which had a good sporte to heare her chide but litle they loked for this chaunce tyll it was doone ere they coulde let it they saied they heard her tounge bable in her head and call horesonâ— horesonâ— twyse after the head was froÌ„ the bodye At leastewyse afterwarde vnto the kynge thus they reported all except only one that was a woman and she saied that she hearde it not ☞ Vincent Forsothe this was a wonderfull worke what became vncle of the man ☞ Anthony The kynge gaue him his pardon ☞ Vincent Uerely he might in concience doe no lesse ☞ Anthony But than was iâ— farther at nother poynte that there shoulde haue been a statute made that in suche case there should neuer after pardoÌ„ be graunted but the truth beynge able to be proued no husband shoulde nede any pardoÌ„ but shoulde haue leaue by the lawe to folowe the sample of the carpenter and doe the same Vincent Howe happed it vncle that yâ— good lawe was
spoken of to considre by whyther the parsoÌ„ neyther hauing reuelacions of GOD nor illusions from the Deuill doe eyther for winning of moneyeâ— or wordely fauor faine his reuelacions him selfe to delude the people withall But nowe for our purpose if amonge any of the markes by which the true reuelacion may be knowen from the false illusions that maye him selfe bringe forthe for one marke the doinge or teaching of any thinge agaynst the scripture of GOD or the common faythe of the churche than haue you an entrye made you by which when you luste you maye entre into the speciall matter wherin he can neuer well flitte from you Or elles maye you if you lusâ—e â—ayne that your secrete frend for whose sake you come to him for counsayle is brought into that minde by a certayne apparicion shewed vnto him as him selfe â—ayth by an Aungell as you feare by the Deuill that he can be by you none other wayes perswaded as yet but that the pleasure of God is that he shall kyll him selfe and that if he so doe than shall he be therby so speciall partycypant of Chrystes passion yâ— he shall forthwith be caryed vp with Aungels into heauen for whiche he is so ioyful yâ— he fyrmelye purposeth vpon it no lesse glad to doe it than another man would be glad to voyde it And therfore maye you desyer his good counsayle to instructe you with some good substancyall aduyse wherwith you maye turne him from this error that he be not vnder hope of gods true reuelacion in body soule destroyed by the deuylles false delusion if he will in this thing study and labour to instructe you the thinges that him selfe shall fynd out of his owne inuencion though they be lesse effectual shal peraduenture more worke with him selfe toward his owne amendemet syth he shall of lykelyhod better lyke them than shall the double substanciall thinges tolde by another maÌ„ if he be lothe to thinke vpon yâ— syde therfore shrynke from the matter thaÌ„ is there none other waye but aduenture after the playne fashion to fal into the matter shew what you heare and to geue him counsayle exhortacion to the contrary but if you luste to saye that thus and thus hath the matter bene reasoned already betwene your frende and you and therin may you rehearse suche thinges that shoulde proue that the vision which moueth him is no true reuelacion but a false illusion Vincent Uerely vncle I well alow this that a man should as well in this thing as euery other wherin he longeth to do an other man good seke suche a pleasant waye as the partye shoulde be lykelye to lyke or at the leaste wyse well to take in worthe his communicacion and not so to enter in therunto as he whom he woulde helpe shoulde abhorre him and be lothe to heare him and therfore to take no profitte by him But nowe Uncle if it come by the one waye or the other to the poynte to heare me he will or shall what be the reasons effectuall with which I shoulde by counsayle conuert him ☞ Anthony All those by which you maye make him perceyue that him selfe is deceyued and that his visions be no godly reuelacions but very deuelyshe illusions And those reasons must you gather of the man of the matter and of the lawe of God or of some one of these Of the man if you can peraduenture shewe him that in suche a poynte or suche he is waxen worse synce suche reuelacions haue haunted him than he was before as in those yâ— are deluded whoso be well acquynated with them shall well marke and perceyue for they waxe more proude more wayward more enuious suspicious mysseiudging and deprauing other men with they delyte of theyr owne prayse and suche other spirituall vices of the soule Of the matter maye you gather if you haue proued his reuelacion before false or that they be thinges rather straunge then profytable for that is a good marke betwene Gods myracles and the deuylles wonders for Chryst and his sayntes haue theyr myracles alwaye tendyng to fruite and profit the Deuyll and his witches and Necromancer all theyr wonderfull workes drawe to no fruteful ende but to a fruitlesse ostentacioÌ„ shewe as it were a Iuggler that woulde for a shewe before the people playe maystryes at a feaste Of the lawe of God you must drawe your reasons in shewing by the scripture that the thing which he weneth God by his Aungell byddeth God hath his owne mouthe forbydden and that is you wote wel in the case that we speake of so easy to fynde that I nede not to rehearse it vnto you syth there is playne among the .x commaundementes forbydden the vnlawfull killing of any man and therefore of himselfe as S. Austen sayeth and all the churche teacheth except hymselfe be no man Vincent This is very true good vncle nor I will not dispute vpon any glosing of that prohibicion but syth we fynde not the contrary but that god maye dyspence with that commaundemente himselfe both licence and commaunde also if him lust any man to goe kil either an other maÌ„ or himselfe eyther thys maÌ„ that is now by suche a maruelouse vision induced to beleue that God so byddeth hym therefore thynketh himselfe in that case of that prohibicion discharged and charged wyth the contrary commaundement with what reason may we make hym perceiue that this vision is but an illusion and not a true reuelacion ☞ Anthony Naye Cosin Uincent you shal not nede in this case to requier those reasons of me but taking the Scripture of God for a grounde in thys matter you knowe very well your selfe you shall goe somewhat a shorter waye to worke if you aske this question of him that sith god hath forbidden the thyng once hymselfe though he maye dispence therewith if he will yet sâ—th the deuill maye fayne himselfe god and with a meruelouse vision delude one make as though god did it syth the deuill also is more lykely to speake agaynste gods commaundement than god agaynst hys owne you shall haue good cause I saye to demaunde of the man hymselfe wherby he knoweth that his visionâ— is gods true reuelacion and not the deuils false delusioÌ„ ☞ Vincent In dede vncle I thinke that woulde be an hard question for him maye a man haue vncle in such a thinge euen a very sure knowledge in his own mind ☞ Anthony Yea Cosyn God maye caste in the mynde of a man I suppose suche an inwarde lyghte and vnderstandyng that he cannot â—ayle but be sure therof And yet hâ— that is deluded by the deuill maye thinke him selfe as sure yet be deceiued in dedeâ— And suche a dyfference is there in a maner betwene them as is betwene the sight of a thing while we be waking loke theron the sight with which we see a thing in our slepe while we dreame â—herof Vincent This is a preaty similitude vncle in
condicion that euerye man sâ—andeth in not onely concerninge these outwarde thinges as laÌ„des possessioÌ„s goodes autoritie fame fauour or hatred of the worlde but also mennes complexcions within them as helth or sicknes good humors or badde by whych they be lyght harted or lumpyshe stronge harted or faynt or fieble of spiryte bold hardye or tymerouse feareful of courage after as these thinges minister him matter of teÌ„tacioÌ„ so vseth he him selfe in the maner of his temptacion Nowe likewise as in such folke that are full of yong warme lustie bloud other humors exciting the fleshe to filthy voluptuouse liuing the deuill vseth to make those thinges his instrumeÌ„tes in tempting them in prouoking theÌ„ theruÌ„to where he findeth some folke ful of hote bloud coler he maketh those humors hys instrumeÌ„tes to set their hartes on fyre in wrath very fierce furious angre so where he findeth some folk which thorow some dul melancoliouse humors are naturally disposed to feare he casteth sometime suche a feareful imaginacion in their minde that without helps of god they can neuer cast it out of theyr heartes Some at the sodain fall of some horrible thought into ther mind haue not onely had a great abhominacioÌ„ therat which abhominacion they weâ—l and verteously had therat but the deuil vsing theyr melancolious humor therby theyr natural inclinacioÌ„ to feare for his instrumente hath caused theÌ„ to conceyue there with such a depe drede beside that thei wene theÌ„self with that abhominable thought to be fallen into such an outragious sinne that thei be ready to fal into despayre of grace wening that god hath geueÌ„ them ouer for euer whereas that thought were it neuer so horrible so abhominable is yet vnto them that neuer lyke it but euer styll abhorre it striue stil there against matter of coÌ„flict meâ—ite not any sine at al. Some haue with holding a knyfe in their handâ—s thought sodeynlye vpon the killing of theÌ„selfe forthw t in deuising what an horrible thing it wer if they should mishap so to doe haue falleÌ„ into a feare that they should so do in dede haue with ofteÌ„ thinking theron imprinted that feare so sore in their imaginâ—cioÌ„ that some of them haue not caâ—â—e it of wtout greate difficulty and some could neuer in their life be 〈◊〉 ridde therof but haue after in coÌ„clusioÌ„ miserably doone it in dede but likwise as where the deuill vseâ—h the bloud of a mannes bodye towarde hys purpose in prouoking to leacherye the man muste and doeth with graâ—e and wysedome resyste it so muste that man doe whose melancolyous humors yâ— deuyl abuseth toward yâ— casting of such a desperate dread into his hart Vincent But I praye you vncle what aduice were to be geueÌ„ him in such case Anthony Surely me thinketh hys helpe standeth in two thinges counsayle prayer First as coÌ„cerning couÌ„sayle likewise as it may be that he hath two thynges that hold hym in hys teÌ„ptacion that is to wete some euyl humors of his owne body the cursed deuill that abuseth theÌ„ to his pernicious purpose so must he nede against theÌ„ twaine the couÌ„saile of two maner of folke that is to wete phisicioÌ„s for the bodye phisicioÌ„s for the soule the bodyly phisicioÌ„ shal coÌ„sider what abouÌ„dance yâ— man hath of those euil humors that the deuil maketh his instrumeÌ„tes of in mouing the maÌ„ toward the feareful affeccion aswel by dyet conueneÌ„t medicines mete therefore to resyst them as by purgacions to disburdaine the bodye of theÌ„ nor let no maÌ„ thinke strauÌ„ge that I would aduise a man to take counsayle of a phisicioÌ„ for the bodye in suche a spirituall passion For syth the soule and the body be so knytte and ioyned together that they both make betwene them one person the distemperaunce of either other engendreth sumtime the distemperaunce of both twaine And therfore like as I would aduise euery maÌ„ in euery sicknes of the bodye to be shriuen and seke a good sprituall phisicioÌ„ the sure helth of his soule which shal not onely serue againste perel that may peradueÌ„ture farther growe by that sicknes thaÌ„ in the beginning meÌ„ would wene were likely but the coÌ„fort therof gods fauour encreasing there with shall also doe the body good for which cause the blessed Apoâ—â—le exorteth meÌ„ that they should in their bodilye sicknes induce the priestes sayth that it should doe theÌ„ good both in body soule so woulde I sumtime aduise some meÌ„ in some sicknes of the soule beside their spiritual leach take also some counsaile of the phisicioÌ„ for the body Some that are wretchedly disposed and yet long to be more viciouse than they be goe to phisicions and poticaries and enquire what thynges maye serue to make them more lusty to their foule â—â—eshely delite and were it thaÌ„ any foly vpon the other side if he that feleth hymselfe against his will muche moued vnto suche vnclennes should enquire of the phisicion what thinges without minishing of his health were meete for the minishmeÌ„t of such foule fleshely mocion Of spirituall counsaile the first is to be shriuen that by reason of hys other synnes the deuill haue not the more power vpon hym Vincent I haue heard some saye vncle that when suche folke haue been at shryft their temptacion hath been more brymme vpon them than it was before Antony That thynke I very well but that is a speciall token that shrifte is holesome for them whyle the deuill is with that most wroth You fynde in some places of the gospell that the deuill the parson whom he possessed dyd most trouble when he saw that Christ would cast hym out we must els let the deuil doe what he wyll if we feare his anger for with euerye good dede he wyl waxe angrie than is it in hys shryft to be shewed hym that he not onely feareth more than he nedeth but also feareth where he nedeth not and ouer that is sorye of that thing wherof but if he wyll wyllyngly turne hys good into his harme he hath more cause to be glad First if he haue cause to feare yet feareth he more than he nedeth for there is no deuil so diligent to destroy hym as god is to preserue him nor no deuil so nere him to doe him harme as god is to doe hym good nor all the deuils in hel so strong to inuade hym and assaulte hym as god is to defende hym if he distrust him not but faythfully put his trust in hym He feareth also where he nedeth not for where he dredeth that he were out of goddes fauoure because such horrible thoughtes fall into hys mynde let hym consider that syth they fal into hys mynde agaynst hys wil they be therfore not imputed vnto hym He is finally sadde of that he maye be glad for sith he taketh such thoughâ—es displeasauntly and striueth and fighteth agaynst theÌ„ he hath therby a good token that he is
in aucthoryte be not al euermore of one minde But sometime variance amonge themâ— eyther for the respecte of profyite or for contencion of rule or for mayntenaunce of matters suÌ„dry partes for theyr sundry friendes It can not be that both the partes can haue theyr owne mynde nor often are they content which see theyr conclusion quaile but x. times they take the missing of theyr mynde more dyspleasauntly than other poore men doe And thys goeth not onelye to men of meane authoritie but vnto the very greatest The princes theÌ„self can not haue you wote well al theyr wyll for howe were it possible while eche of them almost would if he myght be lord ouer al the remnaunte Than many men vnder theyr princes in authoritie are in the case that prieuy malice and enuie many beare them in hearte falselye speake them fayre and prayse them wyth their mouthes which when there happeth any greate fal vnto them baule and barke and byte vpon them lyke dogges Finally the cost charge the daunger perill of warre wherin theyr parte is more than a poore mannes is syth the matter more dependeth vpoÌ„ them and many a poore plough man maye sitte styll by the fyre while they muste ryse and walke and somtime theyr authoritie falleth by the chaunge of theyr maisters mynde and of that see we dayly in one place or other ensamples such so many that the parable of the Philosopher can lacke no testimony which likened yâ— seruantes of greate princes vnto the coumptors with which men doe cast a coumpt For like as the countor yâ— staÌ„deth sometime for a farthing is sodeynly set vp standeth for a. M. pouÌ„de after as sone set down efte sone beneath to stand for a farthing againe So fareth it loe sometime wyth those that seeke the waye to rise growe vp in auâ—thoritie by the fauour of greate princes that as they rise vp high so fal they downe againe as lowe Howebeit though a maÌ„ escape al such adueÌ„tures abide in great authoritie til he dyeâ— yet thaÌ„ at the leaste wise euery maÌ„ muâ—t leaue it at the last that whiche we cal at least hath no very long time to it Let a maÌ„ reckeÌ„ his yeres that are passed of hys age ere euer he can geat vp alofte let him wheÌ„ he hath it firste in his fiste recken howe longe he shal be like to lyue after and I weene that thâ—n the moâ—â— parte shal haue litle cause to reioyce they shal see the time likely to be so short that theyr honour autoritiâ— by nature shal endure beside the manifolde chaunces wherby they maye lese it more soone And than when they see that they must nedes leaue it the thing which they dyd much more set theyr heart vpoÌ„ than euer they had reasonable cause what sorowe â—hey take therfore that shal I not nede to tell you And thus it semeth vnto me Cosin in good faith that sith in the hauing the profite is not great the displeasures neyther small nor fewe and of the lesing so many sundry chauÌ„ces that by no meane a maÌ„ can kepe it longe that to parte there froÌ„ is suche a paynefull griâ—fe I can see no very great cause for which as an high worldly coÌ„moditie men should greatly desier it The .xii. Chapter ¶ That these outvvard goode desired but for vvordly vvelth be not onely litle good for the body but â—re alsoÌ„ much harme for the soule ANd â—hus farre haue we considered hither toâ— in these outward goodes that are called the giftes of fortune no farther but the slender commoditie that worldely minded men haue by them But nowe if we consider farther what harme to the soule they take by them the desier theÌ„ but onely for the wretched welth of this worke ThaÌ„ shall we wel perceiue howe farre more happy is he that wel leseth theÌ„ than he that cuil findeth them These thinges though they be such as are of theyr owne nature indifferent that is to witte of them self thinges neyther good nor badde but are matter that maye serue to the tone or the tother â—fter as meÌ„ wyl vse them yet nede we litle to doubte it but that they that desier them but for theyr worldely pleasure for no farther godly purpose the deuiâ— shal soone turne them froÌ„ thinges indiffereÌ„t vnto theÌ„ and make them thinges verye nought For though that they be indifferent of theyr nature yet can not the vse of theÌ„ lightly stand indifferent but determinately muste eyther be good or badde And therefore he that desireth theÌ„ but for worldly pleasure desyreth theÌ„ not for any good And for better purpose thaÌ„ he â—esireth them to better vse is he not likely to put theÌ„ and therefore not vnto good but consequentlye to nought As for ensample first consider it in riches he â—hat longeth for them as for thynges of temporall commodytie and not for anye godlye purpose what good they shall doe hym Saint Paule declareth where he writeth vnto Timothe Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in temptacioneÌ„ in laqucum diâ—boli desâ—deria muâ—ta inutilia noxia que â—erguÌ„t homines in interiâ—uÌ„ penditionem They that long to be rich fal into teÌ„ptacioÌ„ and into the grinne of the deuil and into many desiers vnprofitable and noyous which droune men into death and into perdicion And the holy scripture sayth also in the .xxi. Chapter of the Prouerbes Qui â—ongregaâ— thesauros inpingetur in laqueus mortis He that gathereth treasures shal be showued into the grinnes of death so that where as by the mouth of S. Paule god saith that they shal fall into the deuils grinne he sayth in the tother place that they shall be pusshed or showued in by violence of trouth whyle a man desireth riches not for any good godlye purpose but for onelye welth it must nedes be that he shal haue litle coÌ„science in the geatting but by all euil wayes than he can inuente shall laboure to geatte them and than shall he eyther nigardly heape them vp together which is you wote wel damnable or wastfullye missespende them aboute worldly pompe pride and glotony wyth occasion of many sinnes moe and that is yet much more damnable As for fame and glory desyred but for worldly pleasure doth vnto the soule inestimable harme For that setteth mennes heartes vpon highe deuyces and desiers of suche thynges as are immoderate and outragious by help of false flatterers puffe vp a maÌ„ in pride make a bryttel man lately made of earthe that shall agayne shortely be layde ful lowe in earth there lye and rotteâ— and turne againe into earth take hym selfe in the meane tyme for a god here vpon the earth and weene to wynne him selfe to be lorde of al the earth This maketh battelles betwene these greate princes with much trouble to much people greate eâ—fusioÌ„ of bloud one Kinge to looke to raygne in fyue realmes that
can not well rule one For howe many hath nowe thys great Turke yet aspireth to moe And those yâ— he hath he ordereth euyl yet him selfe worse Than offices roumes of authoryâ—ye if men desier them onely for theyr worldly faÌ„tasies who can looke that euer they shal occupie theÌ„ wel but abuse theyr authorytie doe therby greate hurte For than shal they fal froÌ„ indifferency maintaine false matters of theyr freÌ„des beare vp theyr seruaÌ„tes such as depend vpoÌ„ theÌ„ with bearing downe of other innoceÌ„t folke not so able to doe hurte as easie to take harme ThaÌ„ the lawes that are made against malefactors shall they make as an olde Philosopher saied to be much like vnto cobbewebbes in whych the litle gnattes flies stycke styl haÌ„g fast but the great huÌ„ble bees breake theÌ„ flye quite thorowe then the lawes that are made as a buckler in the defeÌ„ce of InnoceÌ„tes those shal they make serue for a sword to cut soâ—e wouÌ„ded theÌ„ with therwith wouÌ„d they theyr own soules sorer And thus you se Cosin that of al these outeward goodes which merâ—â—al the goodes of fortune there is neuer one that vnto theÌ„ which longe therforeâ— not for any godly purpose but onely for theyr worldly welth hath anye great commoditie to the body yet are they al in suche case besides that very deadly destruccioÌ„ vnto the soule ¶ The .xiii. Chapter ¶ VVhither men desier these outvvard goodes for theyr onely vvorldly vvelthe or for any good verteous purpose this persecucionâ— of the Turke agâ—inste the faith vvil declare and the coÌ„forte that both tvvaine may rake in the lesyng them thu◠¶ Vincent VErely good Uncle this thing is so plainly true that no maÌ„ may with any good reasoÌ„ deny it But I weeâ—e Uncle also that there wil no maÌ„ say nay For I see no maÌ„ that wil for very shame coÌ„fesse that he desireth riches honour renowne offices roumes of authoritie for his onely worldly pleasure For euery maÌ„ would faine seme as holy as a horse And therfore wil euery maÌ„ saye would it were so beleued to that he desireth these thinges though for his worldly welth a litle so yet principally to merite therby thorowe doing some good dede therwt. Anthony This is Cosin very sure so that so doth euery maÌ„ say but first he that in the desier therof hath his respect therin vnto his worldly welth as you saye but a litle so so much as hym self weeneth were but a litle may sone proue a great deale to muche and many men wyll saye so to that haue in dede theyr principal respect vnto theyr worldely commoditie and vnto godward therin litle or nothing at al yet they pretend yâ— contrarye and that vnto theyr owne harme quia deuâ— nâ— irridetur God can not be mocked And some peraduenture knowe not well theyr owne affeccion theÌ„ selfe but there lieth more imperfeccion secrete in theyr affeccion thaÌ„ them selfe are wel ware of which onely god beholdâ—th and therefore sayeth the Prophets vnto god Imperfectum meum viderant oculi â—ui Myue imperfeccion haue thy yien beholdeÌ„ For which the prophete praieth Ab occultis meis mundâ— me domâ—neâ— From my hid sinnes clense thou me good lord But nowe cosin thys tribulacion of the Turke if he so persecute vs for the fayth that those that wyll forsake theyr fayth shall kepe theyr goodes and those shall lese theyr goodes that will not leaue theyr faith This maner of persecucion loe shal like a touch stone trye them and showne the fayned from the true minded and teache also them that weene they meane better than they doe in dede better to deserne theÌ„ selfe For someâ— there are yâ— weene they meane wel while they frame theÌ„ felfe a conscyence euer kepe stil a great heape of superfluous substaunce by them thinking euer â—â—il that they will bethinke theÌ„ selfe vpon some good dede wheron they will wel bestowe it once or els theyr executors shal But if they lye not vnto theÌ„ self but kepe theyr goodes for anye good purpose to the pleasure of god in dede thaÌ„ shall they in this persecucion for the pleasure of God in the keping of hys faith be glad for to depart fro theÌ„ And therfore as for al those thinges the losse I meane of al those outwarde thinges that men cal the giftes of fortune this is me thinketh in this Turkes persâ—cucion for the faith consolacion great sufficient yâ— sith euery maÌ„ that hath theÌ„ either setteth by theÌ„ for the worlde or for God He that setteth by theÌ„ for the worlde hath as I haue shewed you litle profite by theÌ„ to the body great harme vnto yâ— soule ' And therfore may wel if he be wise reckoÌ„ that he winneth by the losse although he loste theÌ„ but by some commen chaunce And much more happy thaÌ„ while he leseth them by such a meritorious meane And on the tother side he that kepeth them for some good purpose entending to bestowe theÌ„ for the pleasure of god the losse of theÌ„ in thys Turkes persecucion for keping of the fayth can be no maner griefe vnto him sith that by his so parting froÌ„ theÌ„ he bestoweth them in such wyse vnto gods pleasure that at that tyme wheÌ„ he leseth theÌ„ by no way could he bestowe theÌ„ vnto hys high pleasure better For though it hadde beene peraduenture better to haue bestowed â—heÌ„ wel before yet sith he kepte theÌ„ for some good purpose he woulde not haue lefte them vnbestowedâ— if he had foreknoweÌ„ the chaunce but being nowe preueÌ„ted so by persecucion the he can not bestowe them in that other good waye that he would yâ—t while he parteth from them because he wyll not parte from the fayth though the deuils escheator violently take them from him yet willingly he geueth them to God ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ An other cause for vvhich any man should be content to forgoe his goodes in the Turkes said persecucion Vincent I Can not in good faythe good Uncle saye naye to none of thys and in dede vnto them that by the Turkes ouer runninge of yâ— countrey were happed to be spoiled robbed al theyr substaunce mouable vnmouable berefte loste alreadye theyr persones onely fled and safe I thinke that these consideracions coÌ„sidered therwith that as you lately sayde theyr sorowe coulde not amend theyr chaunce I mighte vnto theÌ„ be good occasion of coÌ„fort cause them as you sayde make a vertue of necessitie but in the case Uncle that we nowe speake of yâ— is to wete where they haue yet theyr substauÌ„ce vntouched in theyr own haÌ„des that yâ— keping or the losing shal hang both in ther owne haÌ„des by the Turkes offer vpoÌ„ the retaining or the renouncing of the christeÌ„ faith here vncle I find it as you said yâ— this teÌ„ptacioÌ„ is most sore moste perilous For I feare me yâ— we shal finde fewe of such as haue
muche to lese that shal find in theyr heartes so sodainely to forsake theyr goodes wyth all those other thynges afore rehearsed wherupon all theyr worldely wealth dependeth Anthony That feare I much Cosin too but therby shal it wel as I sayed appeare that semed they neuer so good verteous before flattered they theÌ„ selfe with neuer so gay a glose of good gracious purpose yâ— they kept theyr goodes for yet were theyr heartes inwardly in yâ— depe sighte of god not sounde sure suche as they shoulde be as peraduenture some had theÌ„ self went they had be but like a pursering of paris holowe light counterfaite in dede And yet they being such thys would I faine aske one of theÌ„ I pray you Cosin take you hys persoÌ„ vpon you and in this case answere for him What letteth would I aske you for we will take no smal maÌ„ for a saÌ„ple in this part nor him that had little to leese for such one were me thinke so farre from al frame that woulde cast awaye GOD for a lytle that he were not worthye to talke wyth what letteth I saye therfore your Lordeshyp that you be not gladlye content without any dâ—libâ—raâ—ion at all in this kind of persecucion rather tâ—en to leaue your fayth to let goe al that euer you haue at oncâ— Vincent Syth â—ou putte it vncle vnto me to make the mattâ—r more playne that I shoulde play the great mans parte that is so wealthye and hath so muche to lose albeit I cannot be verye sure of an othâ—r mans mynde nor what another manne woulde saye yet as farre as mine owne mynde can coniecture I shal aunswere in hys person what I wene would be his lette And â—herfore to your question I aunswere that there letteth me the thing that your selfe may lightlye gesse the losing of the manifold commodities which I now haue Rytches and substaunce landes and greate possessions of enheritaunce with great rule and autoritie here in my countrey all whiche thinges the great Turke graunteth me to kepe still in peace and haue them enhaunced too so that I will forsake the fayth of Christ Yea I may saye to you I haue a mocion secretly made me farâ—her to kepe all thys yet better cheape that is to wete not be compelled vtterly to forsake Christe nor all the whole christeÌ„ fayth but onely some such partes therof as may not stand with Machomets law onely grauÌ„ting Machomet for a true prophet serning the Turke truely in his warres againste all christen Kinges I shal not be letted to prayse Christ also and to cal him a good man and worship him and serue him too Antony Naye naye my lorde Christe hath not so greate nede of your lordeship as rather then to lese your seruice he woulde fall at such couenauntes with you to take your seruice at halfes to serue hym and hys enemy both he hath geuen you playn warnyng already by S. Paul that he will haue in your seruice no parting felowe Que societas lucis ad tenebrasâ— Christi ad Belial what felowship is there betwene lighte daâ—kenes betwene Christ Belial And he hath also plainlye shewed you himselfe by his own mouth Nemo potest doubus dominiâ— seruâ—re No maÌ„ may serue two lordes at once He wil haue you beleue al that he telleth you doe al that he biddeth you â—orbeare al that he forbiddeth you without any maner excepcion Breake one of his coÌ„maundementes and breake al. Forsake one poynt of his faith forsake all as for any thanke you geat for the remnaunt And therfore if you deuise as it wer Indentures betwene god you what thing you wil doe for him what thing you will not doe as though he should hold him conteÌ„t with such seruice of yours as your self lust to appoint him If you make I say suche Indentures you shall seale both the partes your selfe you geat therto no agremeÌ„t of him And â—his I saye though the Turke would make such an appointmeÌ„t with you as you speake of would when he had made it kepe it whereas he woulde not I warraunt you leaue you so whan he had once brought you so farre foorth but woulde litle and litle after ere he left you make you denie Christ altogether and take Machomette in his â—lede And so doth he in the beginning when he wil not haue beleue him to be God For surely if he wer not god he wer no good man neither while he plainly said he was god But though he would neuer goe so farre furth with you yet Chriâ—t wil as I sayde not take youre seruice to halfes but will that you shal loue him with all your whole heart And because that whyle he was liuyng here fiftene hundreth yere agoeâ— he forâ—sawe this mynd of youres that you haue nowe with whiche you woulde fayne serue hym in some suche fashion as you myghte keepe youre â—orldely substaunce still but rather forsake his seruice â—hen putte all youre substaunce from you he telleth â—â—u playne .xv hundreth yere agoe his owne mouthe that he will no suche seruice of you saying Non poteâ—tis dâ—o seruire et Mammone You cannot serue bothe God and your richesse together And therefore this thing stablished for a playne conclusion which you must nedes graunt if you haue faythe And if you bee gone from that grounde of faythe alreadye than is al your dysputacion you wotte well at an ende For whereto shoulde you than rather leese your goodes then forsake youre faythe if you haue lost youre fayth and lette it goe alreadye This poynte I saye therefore putte fyrst for a grounde betweene vs bothe twayne agrred that you haue yet the faythe styll and entende to keepe it alwaye styll in youre hearte and are but in doubte wheâ—her you will leese all youre worldely substaunce rather than forsake your faith in youre onely woorde Nowe shall I replye to the poynte of your aunswere wherin you tell me the lothnes of the losse and the comfort of kepyng letteth you to forgoe them and moueth you rather to forsake your fayth I let passe all that I haue spoken of the smal commoditie of theÌ„ vnto your body of the great harme that the hauing of them doe to your soule And sith the promise of the Turke made vnto you for the kepynge of them is the thinge that mouâ—â—h you and maketh you thus to doubte I aske you first whereby you wotte â—hat when you haue done all that he will haue you dooe agaynste Chryste to the harme of your soule whereby wote you I say that he wyll keepe yoâ— his promyse in these thynges that he promyseth you concernynge the retaynynge of your welbeloued worldly welth for the pleasure of your bodye Vincent What suretie can a man haue of suche a great Prince but his promise whiche for his owne honor it cannot become him to breake Anthony I haue knowen him and his father before him to breake moe
theyr handes thoughe he beefore suffre vs to be feared wyth them to proue oure faith wythal thaâ— we may haue by the examinacioÌ„ of our own mind some coumforte in hope of hys grace and some feare of oure owne frayltie to dryue vs to call for grace or elles if we fall in theyr handes so that we fall not fro the trust of hym nor cease to call for his helpe hys trueth shal as the prophete saieth so compasse vs about with a pauiceâ— that we shall not neede to feare this incursion of thys midde daye deuyll For eyther shall these Turkes hys tormentors that shall entre this and and persecute vs eyther they shall I saye not haue the power to touche oure bodies at all or elles the shorte payne that they shall putte vnto oure bodyes shall turne vs to eternall profite bothe in oure soules and in oure bodies too And therefore Cosin to beegynne with lette vs be of good coumforte For sythe we be by oure fayth verye sure that holy Scripture is the woorde of god and that the worde of god can not be but verye true and that we see that bothe by the mouthe of his holye Prophete and by the mouthe of his blessed Apostle also god hath made vs so faithfull promyse bothe that he wyll not suffre vs to be tempted aboue oure power but wyll bothe prouyde a waye out for vs and that he wyll also rounde aboute so coumpasse vs with his pauice and defende vs that we shall haue no cause to feare this midde daye deuyl with all his persecucion we can not nowe but be verye sure excepte we be verye shamefullye cowardous of hearte and towarde god in fayth out of measure fainte and in loue lesse thaÌ„ leuke warme or waxen euen kaye colde we maie be verie sure I saie that either God shall not suffre the Turkes to inuade this lande or if thei dooe god shal prouide suche resistence that thei shall not preuaile or if thei do preuaile yet if we take the wai that I haue tolde you wee shall by theyr persecucyon take lytle harme or rather no harme at all but that that shall seme harme shall in dede bee to vs no harme at al but â—ood for if god make vs kepe vs good meÌ„ as he hath promised to doe if we pray therfore thaÌ„ saith holi scripture Bonis omnia cooperantur in bonum Unto good folke all thynges turne them to good and therfore Cosin syth that God knoweth what shall happe and not we lette vs in the meane whyle with a good hope in the helpe of Goddes grace haue a good purpose with vs of sure standing by his holy faith againste all persecucions from which if we should which our lord forbidde hereafter either for feare or pain for lacke of grace lost in our owne default myssehappe to decline yet had we both wonne the well spent time in thys good purpose before to the minishmeÌ„t of our payne and were also much the more lykely that god shoulde lyft vs vp after oure fall and geue vs his grace againe howbeit if this persecucion come we be by this meditacion and well continued entente and purpose beefore the better strengthed and comfirmed and muche the more lykely for to stand in dede And if it so fortune as with gods grace at meÌ„s good prayers and amendment of our euill lyues it maye fortune ful well that the Turkes shall eyther be well withsâ—anden and vanquished or paraduenture not inuade vs at all than shal we perdye by this good purpose geat our selfe of god a very good cheape thanke and on the other side while we now thinke theron as not to thynke thereon in so great lykelihode therof I wene no wise man can If we shoulde for the feare of worldly losse or bodelye paine framed in oure owne mindes thinke that we would geue ouer and to saue our good and oure lyues forsake our Sauiour by deniall of hys fayth than whither the Turke come or come not we be gone from god the whyle and then if they come not in dede or come be driuen to fâ—yghte what a shame should thys be to vs before yâ— face of god in so shameful cowardous wyse to forsake hym for feare of that payne that we neyther felt nor neuer was falling towardes vs. Vincent By my trouth vncle I thanke you me thynke that though you neuer sayd more in the matter yet haue you euen with this that you haue of the feare of bodelye payne in this persecucion spoken here already merueilously comforted my heart ☞ Antony I am glad Cosin if your heart haue takeÌ„ comfort therby but and if you so haue geue god the thanke and not me for that worke is his and not mine For neyther am I able any good thynge to saye but by hym nor al the good wordes in this world no not the holy wordes of god himself and spokeÌ„ also with his own holy mouth can be able to profite the man with thâ— sound entring at his eare but if the spirite of god therwith inwardely worke in his soule but that is his goodnes euer ready to do except the let be thorowe the vntowardnes of our owne frowarde wyl ¶ The .xviii. Chapter Of comforte agaynst bodely payn and fyrst agaynst captiuytie ANd therfore now being somwhat in comfort and courage before wherby we may the more quietly consider euery thyng which is somewhat more hard and difficile to do whan the heart is before taken vp and oppressed with the troublous affeccion of heauy sorowful feare lette vs examine the wayght and substaunce of these bodily paynes as the sorest part of this persecucion whiche you rehearsed beefore whiche were if I remember you righte thraldome imprisonment painful and shameful death And first let vs as reason is begynne with the thraldome for that was I remember the fyrst Vincent I praye you good vncle say thaÌ„ somewhat thereof for me thinketh vncle that captiuitie is a merueilous heauy thing namely whaÌ„ they shal as they most coÌ„monly doe cary vs farre from home into a strauÌ„ge vncoth lande ¶ Anthony I cannot saye naye but that some grief it is Cosin in dede but yet as vnto me not halfe so much as it would beâ— if they could cary me out into any such vnknoweÌ„ countrey that god would not wete where nor finde the meane to come at me but in good faith Cosin nowe if my transmigracion into a straunge countrey shoulde bee any greate griefe vnto me the fault should be much in my self For sith I am very sure that whithersoeuer men coÌ„uay me god is no more verely here then he shal be there if I geat as I may if I will the grace to set my whole heart on himâ— and long for nothing but hym it can than make no great matter to my mynd whither they cary me hence or leaue me here And thaÌ„ if I find my mynd much offended therewith that I am not stil here in my own
I see wel that you recken that whoso dieth a natural death dieth like a wanton euen al at his case You make me remeÌ„bre a maÌ„ that was once in a galley subtill wyth vs on the sea which while the sea was sore wrought the waues rose very high he came neuer on the sea afore lay tossed hither and thitherâ— yâ— pore soule groned sore for paine he thought he would very faine be dead euer he wished woulde god I were on land that I might die in rest the waues so troubled him there with tossing him vp doune to fro that he thought yâ— trouble letted him to dye because the waues would not let him rest but if he mighte geatte once to land he though he should thaÌ„ dye there eueÌ„ at his ease ¶ Vincent Nay Uncle this is no doubt but that death is to euery man painefull but yet is not the naturall death so painefull as the violent ¶ Anthony By my trouth Cosin me thinketh that the death which men cal comonly natural is a violent deaâ—h to euery maÌ„ whom it fetcheâ—h hence by force againsâ— hys wil that is euery maÌ„ which when he dieth is loth to die faine would yet lyue longer if he mighte Howe be it howe small the payne is in the naturall deathe Cosin fayne woulde I wytte who hath tolde you As farre as I can perceiue those folk the coÌ„monly depart of theyr natural death haue euer one disease sicknes or other whereof if yâ— paine of the whole weke or twaine in which they lie pining in theiâ— bedde were gathered together in so short a time as a maÌ„ hath his paine that dieth a violeÌ„t death it would I wene make double the paine that it is so that he yâ— naturally dieth ofter suffereth more paine than lesse though he suffer it in a longer time And thaÌ„ would many a maÌ„ be more loth to suffer so loÌ„g lingering in paine thaÌ„ with a sharper to be soner rid And yet lieth many a maÌ„ moe daies thaÌ„ one in welnere as great paine coÌ„tinually as is the paine that with the violent death riddeth yâ— maÌ„ in lesse thaÌ„ halfe an howre except a maÌ„ would wene that where as the paine is great to haue a knife cutte his fleshe in the out side fro the skinne inward yâ— paine would be much lesse if the knife might on the inside beginne cutte frâ— the middes outward Some we heare in theyr death beddes coÌ„plaine that they thinke they feele sharpe knifes cut a two theyr heart stringes And some crye out thinke they feele within the braine panne theyr head pricked euen ful of pinnes And they that lye in a pleuresie thinke at euerye time that they coughe they fele a sharpe sword swappe them to the hearte ¶ The .xxv. Chapter The coÌ„sideracion of the painâ— of hell in vvhich vve fall if vve forsake our sauiourâ— maye make vs set all the painefull death of thys vvorlde at right nought HOwebeit what shoulde we nede to make anye such coÌ„parisoÌ„ betwene the natural death the violent For the matter yâ— we be in hand with here may put it â—ut of doubt that he whych for feare of the violent death forsaketh the faith of Christ putteth him self in the perel to find his natural death more paineful a thousande times For his naturall death hath hys euerlasting payne so sodeinly knyt vnto it that there is not one moment of an houre betwene but the ende of the tone is the beginning of the tother that after shall neuer haue ende And therfore was it not wythout greate cause that Christ gaue vs so good warning before when he sayed as S. Luke in the .xii. chapitâ—r reherseth Dico â—obis amicis meis ne terreamini ab iis qui occidunt corpus post hac non habent amplius quod faciant Ostendam autem vobis quem â—imeatis Timete eum qui postquam occiderit habet potestatem mittere in geâ—ennam Ita dico vobis hunc timeteâ— I say to you that are my freÌ„des be not afrayd of them that kil the body and which wheÌ„ that is done are able to do no more But I shal shewe you whom you shal feare Feare hym that which wheÌ„ he hath killed hath in his power farther to caste hym whom he killeth into euerlasting fyre So I saye to you be afâ—ayd of him God meaneth not here that we should nothing dreade at al any man that can but kill yâ— body but he meaneth that we shoulde not in such wise dreade any such that we should for dreade of theÌ„ displease him that can euerlastingly kil both body soule with a death euer dying and that shall yet neuer dye And therfore he addeth and repeateth in the end againeâ— the feare that we should haue of him saith Ita dico vobis hunâ— timete so I saye to you feare him Oh good god Cosin if a man would wel waygh these wordes let theÌ„ sinke as they should do doune depe into his heart often bethinke him self theron it would I doubt not be able inough â—o make vs set at nought al the great Turkes threates esteme him not at a strawe but wel coÌ„tent to endure al the paine that al the world could put vpoÌ„ vs for so shorte while as all they were able to make vs dwell therin rather than by the shrinking froÌ„ those paines though neuer so sharpe yet but short to caste our self into the payne of hel an huÌ„dreth thousand times more intolerable wherof there shall neuer come an ende A woful death is that death in which folke shall euermore be dying neuer can once be dead wherof the scripture sayth Vocabunt mortem mors fugiet ab eis They shal cal crye for death death shal flye from theÌ„ O good lord if one of theÌ„ were nowe put in the choise of the both they would rather suffer the whole yere together the most terrible death that all the Turkes in Turkeye could deuise thaÌ„ yâ— death that they lie in for yâ— space of half an howre In howe wreched foly fall thaÌ„ these faithlesse or feble faithed folke that to auoide the paine so farre the lesse and so short fal in the stede therof into paine a thousand thousand times more horrible of which terrible tormeÌ„t they be sure they shal neuer haue end Thys matter Cosin lacketh as I beleue but eyther full faith or sufficient minding For I thinke on my faith if we haue the grace verely to beleue it and ofteÌ„ to thinke wel theron the feare of al the Turkes persecucioÌ„ with al this midde day deuil were able to make them doe in the forcing vs to forsake our faith should neuer be able to turne vs. Vincent By my trouth Uncle I thinke it is as you say for sure if we would as ofteÌ„ thinke on these paines of hel as we be very loth to do seke vs peuish pastimes of purpose to
The consideracion of the painefull death of Christe is sufficient to make vs content to suffre painefull death for his sake SUrely Cosin as I sayd before in the bearing the losse of worldly goodes in suffering of captiuitie thraldome imprisonmeÌ„t and in the glad sustaining of worldly shame that if we woulde in al those pointes depely ponder the sample of our sauiour hym selfe it were of it selfe alone sufficient to encourage euerye kinde Christen man and womaÌ„ to refuse none of al those calamities for his sakeâ— So saye I nowe for paineful death also that if we could and woulde wyth dewe compassion conceyue in our mindes a righte imaginacion and remembraunce of Christes bitter paynful passion of the many sore bloudy strokes that the cruel tormeÌ„tors wyth Roddes and whippes gaue him vpoÌ„ euery part of his holye tender bodye the scorneful crowne of sharpe thornes beaten doune vpon hys holye head so sâ—rayte and so depe that on euerye parte hys blessed bloude issued out and streamed doune his louely limmes drawen and stretched out vpoÌ„ the crosse to the intollerable paine of hys forbeaten sore beaten vaines senewes newe feling with the crewel stretching and straining payne farre passing any crampe in euey parte of hys blessed bodye at once Than the great longe nayles creweâ—ly dryuen wyth hammers thorowe his holy handes and feete and in this horrible paine lifte vp let hang with yâ— paice of al his body bearing doune vpoÌ„ the painefull wounded places so greuously perced wyth nailes and in such torment without pitie but not without many dispightes suffred to be â—ined pained the space of more than three long houres til him selfe willingly gaue vp vnto hys father hys holye soule After whych yet to shewe the mightines of theyr malice after his holy soule departed persed his holy heart with a sharpe speare at which issued â—ut the holy bloud water wherof his holy sacrameÌ„tes haue inestimable secrete strength if we would I say remember these thinges in such wise as would god we would I verely thinke suppose yâ— the consideracion of his incoÌ„parable kindnes coulde not in such wise faile to enflame our kaye cold heartes set them on fyre in hys loue that we shoulde find our â—elfe not onely conteâ—te but also glad and desirous to suffre death for his sake that so meruelous louinglye letted not to sustaine so farre passing painefull deathe for oures Woulde GOD we woulde here to the shame of oure colde affeccion agayne towarde God for suche ferueâ—te loue and inestimable kyndnes of GOD towarde vs would god we woulde I saye but coÌ„sider what hoate affeccion many of these fleshely louers haue borne and daylye doe beare to those vpon whome they dote Howe many of them haue not letted to ieoparde their liues and howe many haue willingely loste theyr liues in dede wythout eyther great kindnes shewed them before and afterwarde you wote well they coulde nothynge wynne but â—uen that it contented and satysfied theyr mynde yâ— by theyr deathe theyr louer should clerely se how faithfully they loued The deliâ—e wherof imprinted in their faÌ„tasie not asswaged onely but counterpaised also they thought al their paine Of these affeccioÌ„s with the woonderful dolorous effectes folowing theron not onely old writteÌ„ stories but ouer that I thinke in euery countrey christen heathen both experience geueth vs proofe inough And is it not thaÌ„ a wonderful shame for vs for yâ— drede of teÌ„poral death to forsake our sauiour that willingly suffred so painefull death rather thaÌ„ he woulde forsake vs considering that he shal for our sufferingâ— so highly reward vs with euerlasting welth Oh if he that is content to die for her loue of whome he looketh after for no reward yet by hys death goeth froÌ„ her might by his death be sure to come to her euer after in delite pleasure to dwell wyth her Such a louer woulde not let here to dye for her twise and howe cold louers be we thaÌ„ vnâ—o god if raâ—her thaÌ„ dye for hym once we wil refuse him and forsake him for euer that bothe died for vs before hath alâ—o prouided that if we die here for hym we shall in heauen euerlastingly both liue also raigne with him For as Saint Paule saith if we suffer with hym we shall raigne with hym Howe many Romaines howe many noble courages of other sundry couÌ„treies haue willingly geuen their owne liues and suffred greate deadlye paines very painfull deathes for theyr countreyesâ— the respecte of winning by theyr deathes the onely reward of worldly renowne fame And should we thaÌ„ shrinke to suffer as muche for eternall honoure in heauen and euerlasting glorye The deuil hath some also so obstinate heretyquesâ— that endure witâ—ingly painefull death for vaine glorye is it not than more then shame that Christ shall â—ee his catholyques forsake hys fayth rather than suffer the same for heauen and very gloryeâ— Would god as I many times haue said that the remeÌ„braunce of Christes kindnes in suffring his passioÌ„ for vs the consideracion of hell that we shoulde fall in by forsaking of him the ioyful meditacion of eternall lyfe in heauen that we shal winne with this shorte temporall death paciently taken for him had so depe a place in our brest as reason would they should and as if we would do our deuor toward it and labor for it and pray therfore I verely thinke they should for then shoulde thei so take vp our mindâ— and rauish it al an other way that as a man hurâ— in a fraye feleth not sometime hys wound nor yet is not ware therof til his mind fal more theron so farforth that sometime an other man sheweth him that he hath lost an hand before he perceiue it himself So the mind rauished in the thinking depelye of those other thinges Christes death hell and heaueÌ„ wer likely to minish and put away of oure painfull deathe foure partes of the feling ether of the feare or of the paine For of this am I very sure if we had the fiftienth part of the loue to Christ that he hath had and hath vnto vs al the pain of this Turkes persecucion could not kepe vs froÌ„ him but that there would be at this daye as mani martirs here in Hungarie as haue be afore in other countreyes of old And of this poynte put I no doubtâ— but that if the Turke stode euen here with al his whole aâ—mie about him and euery of them wer ready at oure hand with all the terrible tormentes that they could ymagine and but if we would forsake the faith wer settyng their tormentes to vs and to the encrease of our â—erâ—or fell al at once in a shoute with trumpets tabrets and tembrels al bloweÌ„ vp at once and al theyr gunnes let goe therwith to make vs a feareful noyse if there should sodeinly than on the other side the grouÌ„de quake and riue a twayn and the deuils rise oute of