men despisable in the worlde thou shouldest anone meken thy selfe lowe to the grounde and shouldest rather couete to be subiect to all men then to haue soueraintie ouer anye one person and thou shouldest not desire to haue mirth and solace in this worlde but rather tribulation and paine and thou shouldest thē accompt it as a great winning to be despised and taken as naught amonge the people O if these thinges sauoured well to thee and deepely pearced into thy hearte thou shouldest not once dare complaine for anye maner of trouble that shoulde befall vnto thee Are not all painefull thinges and moste greeuous laboures gladlye to be suffered for the ioyes euerlasting yes verilye for it is no litle thinge to win or lose the kingdome of heauen Lifte vp thy face therefore into heauen and beholde howe I and all my Saintes that be with me in heauē hadde in this worlde great battall and conflict and nowe they ioye with me and be comforted in me and be sure to abide with me and to dwel with me in the kingdome of my father without ending Amen Of the daye of eternitie and of the miseries of this lyfe The 53. Chapter O Blessed mansion of the heauenlie Citie O moste cleerest daye of eternitie whom the night maye not darken but the high truth that God is illumineth and cleereth the daye alwaye merie alwaye sure and neuer chaunging his state into the contrarie VVoulde to God that this daye might once appere and shine vpon vs and that these temporall thinges were at an end This blessed daye shineth to Saintes in heauen with euerlastinge brightnes and claritie but to vs pilgrimes in earth it shineth not but a farre of as through a mirroure or glasse The heauenlye Citizens knowe well howe ioyous this daye is But we outlawes the childrē of Eue doe weepe and wayle the bitternes and tediousnes of this daye that is of this present lyfe short and euill full of sorowes and anguishes where man is often times defiled with sinne encōbred with passions inquieted with dreades bounden with charges busied with vanities blinded with errours ouercharged with labours vexed with temptations ouercome with delightes vaine pleasures of the world and greeuouslie tormented sometyme with penurie and neede O Lorde when shall the ende come of all these miseries and when shall I be cleerelie deliuered from the bondage of sinne when shall I onely Lord haue minde on thee and fully be made glad and mery in thee whē shall I be free without letting and in perfect libertie without griefe of bodie soule VVhen shal I haue sadde peace without trouble peace within and without and on euery side stedfast and sure O Lorde Iesu when shall I stande and behoulde thee and haue full sight and contemplation of thy glorie And when shalt thou be to me all in all and when shall I be with thee in thy kingdome that thou haste ordeyned to thy elect people from the beginning I am lefte here poore and as an outlawe in the lande of mine enemies where daylie be battailes great misfortunes Comfort my exile asswage my sorow for all my desire crieth to thee It is to me a greeuous burden whatsoeuer the worlde offereth me here to my so lace I desire to haue inwarde fruition in thee but I can not attayne therto I couet to cleue fast to heauenlie thinges but temporall thinges and passions vnmortified pull me awaye downward In minde I woulde be aboue all temporall thinges but whether I will or not I am compelled through myne owne default to be subiect to my fleshe Thus I moste wretched man fight in my selfe and am made greeuous to my selfe whiles my spirits desireth to be vpwarde and my fleshe downewarde O what suffer I inwardlie when in my minde I beholde heauenly things and anone a great multitude of carnall thoughtes enter into my soule Therefore Lorde be not longe frō me neither depart in thy wrath from me thy seruant Send to me the lightnes of thy grace and breake downe in me all carnall thoughts Sende forth the dartes of thy loue breake therewith all phantasies of the enemy Gather the wits and powers of my soule together in thee Make me forget all worldlie thinges graūt me to cast awaye and whollie to despise all phantasies of sinne Helpe me thou euerlastinge truth that no worldlie vanitie hereafter haue power in me Come also thou heauenlie sweetnes and let all bitternes of sinne flie farre frō me Pardon me and mercifully forgeue me when I thinke in my prayer of any thinge but of thee for I confesse for truth that in time past I haue vsed my selfe verie vnstable therein for many times I am not there where I stande or sit but rather I am there where my thoughtes leade me for there am I where my thought is and there as my thought is accustomed to be there is that that I loue and that ofte times commeth into my minde that by custome pleaseth me best and that most desireth me to thinke vpon VVherefore thou that art euerlastinge truth sayest VVhere as thy treasure is there is thy heart VVherefore if I loue heauen I speake gladlie of heauenlie thinges and of such thinges as be of God and that pertaine most to his honoure and to the glorifyinge and worshippinge of his holy name And if I loue the worlde I ioye anone at worldlie felicitie and sorowe anone at his aduersitie If I loue the fleshe I ymagine ofte times that pleaseth the fleshe and if I loue my soule I delight muche to speake and to heare of thinges that be to my soule health And so whatsoeuer I loue of them I gladlye heare and speake and beare the images of them ofte in my minde Blessed is that man that for thee Lorde forgetteth all creatures learneth truelie to ouercome him selfe and with the feruour of spirite crucifieth his fleshe so that in a cleane and a pure conscience he maye offer his prayers to thee and be worthy to haue companye of blessed Angels all earthlie thinges excluded from him and fullye set apart Amen Of the desire of euerlastinge life and of the great revvarde that is promised to them that stronglye fight agaynst sinne The 54. Chapter My sonne when thou feelest that a desire of euerlastinge blisse is giuen vnto thee thou couetest to go out of the tabernacle of thy mortal bodie that thou might clearelie without shadowe beholde my clearenes Open thine harte and with al the desires of thy soule take that holie inspiration and yeelding most large thankes to the high goodnes of God that so worthilie doth to thee so beninglie visiteth thee so brenninglie stirreth thee and so mightelie beareth thee vp that through thine owne burden thou fall not downe to earthilie likings and thinke not that that desire commeth of thy selfe or of thine owne workinge but rather that it commeth of the gifte of grace and of a louelie beholdinge of God vpon thee that thou shouldest profite
the bodie of Christe cap. 6. fo 142. Of the discussing of our owne conscience of the purpose of amendement cap. 7. fo 142. Of the oblation of Christ on the Crosse and of a full forsaking of our selfe cap. 8. fo 144. That we ought to offer our selfe all ours to God and to praye for all people cap. 9. fo 144. That the holye communion is not lightly to be forborne cap. 10. fo 146. That the body of Christ and holy Scripture are moste necessarie for the health of mans soule cap. 11. fo 148. That he that shall be housled ought to prepare him selfe thereto with great diligence cap. 12. fo 150. That a deuoute soule shoulde greatlie desire with all his hart to be vnited to Christ in this bâ—essed Sacrament cap. 13. fo 151. Of the burning desire that some deuout persons haue had to the body of Christ cap. 14. fo 153. That the grace of deuotion is gotten through mekenes forsaking of our selfe cap. 15. fo 154 That we shoulde open all our necessities to Christ and aske his grace cap. 16. fo 155. Of the burning loue and great affection that we should haue to receyue Christ cap. 19. fo 161 That a man shall not be a curious searcher of this holye Sacrament but a meeke folower of Christ subduing alwaye his reason to the fayth cap. 18. fo 157. Here endeth the Table Of the Imitation or folovving of Christe and of the despising of all vanities of the vvorlde The firste Chapter HE that foloweth me sayeth Christe our Sauiour walketh not in darknes but he shall haue the light of life These be the words of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby we be admonished and warned that we shall folowe his teachinges and his maner of lyuing if wee will truely be illumined be deliuered from all blindnes of hearte Let all the study of our heart be therfore from heÌ„ceforth to haue our meditation wholly fixed in the lyfe in the holy teachinges of Iesus Christe for his teach inges are of more vertue of more ghostlye strength then are the teachinges of all Angels and Saintes And he that thorough grace might haue the inner eye of his soule opened into the soothfast beholdinge of the Gospels of Christe should finde in theÌ„ Manna that is to say spirituall foode of the soule but it is often times seene that some persons which ofte heare the Gospelles of Christ haue litle sweetenes therein and that is for that they haue not the spirite of Christe VVherefore if we will haue the true vnderstanding of Christes Gospels we must study to conforme our life to his life as nigh as we can VVhat auaileth it a man to reason high secrete misteries of the Trinitie if he lack meekenes wherby he displeaseth the Trinitie Truely nothinge For high curious reasons make not a man holie nor rightwise but a good lyfe maketh hym beloued with God I had rather feele compunction of hearte for my sinnes then onely to knowe the diffinitioÌ„ of compunctioÌ„ If thou couldest all the Bible without the booke and also the sayinges of all Philosophers by hart what should it profite thee without grace and charitie All that is in this worlde is vanitie but to loue God and onely to serue him This is the most noble and the moste excellent wisdome that may be in any creature by despisinge of this world to drawe daylie neerer and neerer to the kingedome of heauen It is therefore a great vanitie to labour inordinatlie for worldly riches which shortlye shall perishe and to couet honor or any other inordinate pleasures or fleshlie delightes in this lyfe wherby a man after this lyfe shall be sore and greeuouslye punished Howe great a vanitie is it also to desire a longe life and litle to care for a good life to heede thinges present and not to prouide for thinges that are to come to loue thinges that shortlie shall passe away and not to haste thither where is ioy euerlastinge Also haue this common prouerbe ofte in thy minde That the eye is not satisfied nor fullye pleased with the sight of any bodilye thinge ne the eare with hearing and therfore studye to withdrawe the loue of thy soule from all thinges that be visible and turne it to thinges that be inuisible For they that folowe their sensualitie hurt their owne conscience and leese the grace of God Against vayne seculer cunning and of a meeke knovvinge of our selfe The 2. Chapter EVery man naturallye desireth to knowe but what auaileth knowledge without the dreade of God A meeke husbaÌ„d man that serueth god is muche more acceptable to him theÌ„ is a curious Philosopher which consideringe the course of heauen wilfully forgetteth him selfe He that wel knoweth him selfe is vile and abiect in his owne sight and hath no delight in the vaine praisinges of man If I knewe all thinges that be in this world without charitie what should it auaile me before God that iudgeth euery man after his deedes Let vs therfore cease from the desire of suche vaine knowledge for ofteÌ„ times is founde therin great distruction and deceipt of the enemy wherby the soule is muche hindred and let from the perfect and true loue of God They that haue great cunninge desire commonly to be seene and to be holden wyse in the worlde and there be many thinges that the knowledge of them bringe but litle profite and fruit to the soule and he is verye vnwyse that taketh heede to any other thinge then to that which shall profite hym to the health of his soule VVordes feede not the soule but a good life refresheth the minde and a cleane conscience bringeth a man to a firme and stable trust in God The more cunninge thou haste if thou liue not thereafter the more greeuouslie shalte thou therefore be iudged for the misusinge thereof Therefore raise not thy selfe into pride for any crafte or cunninge that is geuen vnto thee but haue therefore the more feare and dreade in thy heart for certayne it is that thou must hereafter yeelde therefore the strayter accompt If thou thinke that thou knowest many thinges and hast great cunninge yet knowe it for certaine that there be many mo things that thou knowest not and so thou mayest not rightwisely thinke thy selfe cunning but oughtest rather to coÌ„fesse thine ignoraunce and vncunninge VVhy wilt thou preferre thy felfe in cuÌ„ning before other sith there be many other more excellent and more cunning then thou and better learned in the law If thou wilt any thinge learne and knowe profitably to the health of thy soule learne to be vnknowen and be glad to be holden vile nought vncunninge as thou art The most high and the moste profitable cunninge is this a man to haue a soothfast knowledge and a full despisinge of him selfe Also a man not to presume of himselfe but alwaye to iudge and thinke wel and blessedly of other is a signe a token of great wisdome and of great perfectioÌ„
incumbred by an euill custome for that euill custome may be ouercome with a good custome And excuse thee not that thou art let by other men for if thou wilt leaue the familiaritie with other they will suffer thee to doe thy deedes without impediment Meddle thee not with other mens goodes neither busie thee in great mens causes haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe and diligentlie informe and admonishe thy selfe before all other If thou haue not the fauour of worldlie liuinge people sorowe not therfore but let this be thy daylie sorowe that thou behauest not thy selfe in thy conuersation as it beseemeth a good religious person for to doe It is more expedient and more profitable that a man sometime lacke consolations in this life the that he haue them alwayes after his owne will namelye fleshlie consolations Neuerthlesse that we haue not sometime heauenly consolations or that we so seldome feele them as we doe it is through our owne defaulte for we seeke not to haue the true compunction of harte nor we caste not fullie awaye from vs the false outwarde consolatiōs Holde thy selfe therfore vnworthy to haue any consolation and worthye to haue much tribulation VVhen a man soroweth perfectlye for his sinnes then all wordly cōfortes be painefull to him A good man findeth alway matter ynough why he ought iustlie so sorowe weepe for if he beholde him selfe or if he thinke on his neighbour he seeeth well that none liueth here without great miserie the more throughlie that he may consider him selfe the more sorow he hath And alwaye the matter of true sorowe and of true inwarde copunction is the remembraunce of our sinnes wherein we be so wrapped on euery side that seldome we may beholde any ghostly thinges But if we would more ofte thinke on our death then we doe on long lyfe no doubt but we should more feruentlie apply our selfe to amendment and I beeleue also that if we woulde hartily remember the paines of hell and of purgatorie that we shoulde more gladlye sustayne all labors and sorowes and that we shoulde not dreade anye paine in this world wherby we myght auoyde the paynes that are to come But forasmuch as these things goe not to the heart and we yet loue the flattering and false pleasures of this worlde therefore we remaine colde and voide of deuotiō and ofte it is through the weakenes of the spirite that the wretched bodie so lightlie complaineth Pray therfore meekelie to our Lorde that he of his great goodnes geue thee the spirite of compunction and saye with the prophete thus Feede me Lord with the breade of compunction and geue me to drinke water of teares in great abundance Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth The .22 Chapter AVVretch thou act whosoeuer thou be withersoeuer thou turne thee but if thou turne thee to God VVhy arte thou so lightlie troubled for that it falleth not to thee as thou wouldest and desirest VVhat is he that hath all thinge after his wil neither thou nor I nor any man liuinge for none liue here without some trouble or anguishe be he kyng Or who thinkest thou is in moste fauour with God truelie he that suffreth gladlie moste for God But many persons weake and feeble in spirite saye thus in their heartes Lo howe good a life that man leadeth howe riche he is howe mightie he is how high in authoritie how great in sight of the people and how faire and beautifull in his bodily kinde but if thou take heede to the goodnes euerlastinge thou shalt well see that these worldlye goodes and worldly likinges are but litle worth and that they be more rather greuous then pleasaunt for they may not be had ne kept but by great labour and busines of minde The felicitie of man standeth not in abundance of worldlie goodes for the meane is best And verilie to liue in this world is but miserie and the more ghostlie that a man would be the more painfull it is to him for to liue for he feeleth more plainely the defaultes of mans corruption For why to eate to drinke to sleepe to wake to rest to labour and to serue all other necessities of the bodie is great miserie and great affliction to a deuout soule which woulde gladly be free from the bondage of sinne that it might without let serue our Lord in puritie of conscience and in cleannes of heart The inwarde man is greatlie greeued through the bodilie necessities in this world VVherefore the prophete Dauid desired that he might be deliuered from such necessities But woe be to them that knowe not their owne misery woe be to them that loue this wretched and this corruptible life for some loue it so muche that yf they might euer lyue here though they myght poorelye get their liuinge with labour begginge yet they would neuer care for the kingdome of heauē O madde and vnfaithfull creatures are they that so deepelie set their loue in earthly things that they haue no feeling nor taste but in fleshlie pleasures Truelie in the hour of death they shall knowe howe vile and howe naughtie it was that they so much loued But holle Saintes and deuout folowers of Christ they did not what pleased the fleshe ne what was pleasaunt in the sight of the world but all their whole intent and desire they helde to thinges inuisible and feared least by sight of thinges visible they might be drawen downe to the loue of them My welbeloued brother lose not the desire to profite in spirituall thinges for thou hast yet good time and space VVhy wilt thou any longer deferre the time Arise and now this same instant beginne and saye thus Nowe is time to laboure in good workes nowe is time to fight in ghostlie battaile and nowe is time to make amēdes for trespasse passed VVhen thou art troubled then is best time to merite and get rewardes of God It behoueth thee to go through fire and water before thou come to the place of recreation and but if thou can fullie haue the mastry ouer thy selfe thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne nor liue without great tediousnes and sorow VVe would gladlie be deliuered frō all miserie and sinne but because we haue through sinne lost our innocencie we haue lost also the verie ioye and felicitie VVherefore we must holde vs in patience and with good hope abide the mercie of God till wretchednes and miserie be ouerpassed and that this bodilie lyfe be chaunged into the life euerlastinge O how great is the frailtie of man that he is euer readie and prone to sinne This daye thou art confessed and to morow thou fallest againe Now thou purposest to beware and intendest to go forth stronglie in good workes and shortlie after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken such purpose Rightfullie theréfore we ought to meeke our selfe and neuer to thinke in vs any vertue or goodnes for that we be so fraile vnstable
Soone may it be lost through negligence that with much labour and speciall grace was hardlie gotten But what shall become of vs in the ende whē we so soone waxe dull and slow Sothlie sorowe and woe shall be to vs if we fail to bodilie rest nowe as though we were in ghostly sikernes whē there appeareth not as yet neither signe nor token of vertue nor of good liuing in our conuersation VVherefore it were expedient to vs that we were yet againe instructed as Nouices to learne good maners it happly there might by that meanes be founde hereafter any trust of amendment and spirituall profite in our conuersation Of the remembraunce of death The .23 Chapter THe hour of death wil shortly come therefore take heede how thou orderest thy selfe for the common prouerbe is true To daye a man to morowe none And when thou arte out of sight thou arte anone out of minde and soone shalt thou be forgottē O the great dulnes and hardnes of mans heart that only thinketh on thinges present litle prouideth for the life to come If thou diddest well thou shouldest so behaue thy selfe in euery deede and in euery thought as thou shouldest in this instant dye If thou haddest a good conscience thou shouldest not muche feare death It were better for thee to leaue sinne then feare death O my deere brother if thou be not readie this daye how shalt thou be readie to morow To morow is a daye vncertaine and thou canste not tel whether thou shalt liue so longe VVhat profite is it to vs to liue longe when we therby so litle amende our life Longe life doth not alwaye bringe vs to amendment but ofte times increaseth more sinne VVoulde to God that we might be one daye well cōuersant in this world Manie recken their yeares of conuersion and yet there is but litle fruite of amendment nor of any good example seene in their conuersation If it be fearefull to die peraduenture it is more perillous to liue long Blessed be those persons that euer haue the houre of death before their eyes and that euerie daye dispose themselues to die If thou euer sawest anye man die remember that thou must needelie goe the same waye In the morninge doubt whether thou shalt liue to night at night thinke not thy selfe sure to liue till to morowe Be alwaye readie and liue in such maner that death finde thee not vnprouided Remember howe many haue died sodenlie and vnprouided for our Lorde hath called them in such an houre as they leaste thought And when that last hour shall come thou shalt begin to feele all otherwise of thy life passed then thou haste done before and thou shalt then sorowe greatlie that thou hast beene so slowe and negligent in the seruice of God as thou haste beene O how happie and wise is he therfore that laboreth nowe to stand in such state in this lyfe as he would be founde in at his death Truely a perfect despising of the worlde and a feruent desire to profite in vertue a loue to be taught a fruitfull labour in workes of penaunce a readie will to obey a forsaking of our selfe and a willing suffering of all aduersities for the loue of God shall geue vs a great truste that we shall die wel Now whilest thou art in health thou mayest doo many good deedes but if thou be sicke I can not tell what thou mayest doe For why fewe be amended through sicknes And likewise they that go muche on pilgrimage be seldome thereby made perfect holye Put not thy trust in thy frendes and thy neighbours neither deferre thy good deedes till after thy death for thou shalt soonet be forgotten then thou weenest Better it is to prouide for thy selfe betime and to send some good deedes before thee then to trust to other who peraduēture will lightly forget thee if thou be not nowe busie for thy selfe for thine owne soule health who shall be busie for thee after thy death Nowe is the time very precious but alas for sorowe that thou spēdest the time so vnprofitablie in the which thou shouldest winne the life euerlasting The time shal come whē thou shalt desire one daye or one houre to amende thee but I wot not whether it shalbe graunted vnto thee O my deere brother from how great perill dreade mightest thou now deliuer thy selfe yf thou wouldest alwaye in this lyfe dreade to offend God and alwaye haue the comminge of death suspect Therefore studye nowe to liue so that at the houre of death thou mayest rather ioye then dreade Learue nowe to dye to the worlde that thou mayest then liue with Christ Learnt also to despise all worldlie thinges that thou mayest then freelye go to Christe Chastise nowe thy bodye with penance that thou mayest then haue a sure and a stedfast hope of saluatiō Thou art a fosle if thou thinke to liue longe sith thou art not sure to lyue one daye to the ende Now many haue beene deceaued through trust of longe life sodenlie haue beene taken out of this worlde or they had thought Nowe ofte hast thou heard say that suche a man was slayne and suche a man was drowned and suche a man fell and brake his necke This man as he eate his meat was strangled and this man as he played tooke his death one with fyre another with yron another with sicknes and some by theft haue sodenly perished And so the ende of all men is death for the life of man as a shadowe sodenly slideth and passeth away Thinke ofte who shall remember thee after thy death and who shall praye for thee Doe nowe forthy selfe all that thou canst for thou wottest not when thou shalt dye nor what shall folowe after thy death VVhilest thou hast time gather thee riches immortall thinke nothing abidingly but on thy ghostly health Set thy study onely on thinges that be of God and that belonge to his honor Make thee frendes against that time worship his Saintes and folowe their steppes that when thou shalt go out of this worlde they may receaue thee into the euerlasting tabernacles Keepe thee as a pilgrime as a strāger here in this world to whom nothing belongeth of worldlye busines Keepe thy hearte alwaye free and lifted vp to God for thou hast no cittie here long abiding Sende thy desires and thy daylie prayers alwaye vpwarde to God and praye perseuerantly that thy soule at the houre of death may blessedly depart out of this world and goe to Christe Of the last iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne The 24. Chapter IN all thinges beholde the ende and ofte remember howe thou shalt stande before the high Iudge to whom nothing is hidde who will not be pleased with rew ardes nor receaue any maner excuses but in all thinges wil iudge that is righteous and true O moste vnwise moste wretched sinner what shalt thou then answere to God who knoweth all thy
it were put in thy election thou shouldest rather chose aduersitie then prosperitie for then by the pacient sufferinge thereof thou shouldest be more like to Christe and the more confirmed to all his saintes Our merite and our perfectioÌ„ of life standeth not in consolations and sweetnes but rather in sufferinge of great greeuous aduersities and tribulations For if there had bene any nearer or better waye for the health of mans soule then to suffer our Lorde Iesu would haue shewed it by wordes or by examples But for there was not therefore he openlie exhorted his disciples that folowed him and all other that desired to folowe him to forsake their owne will and to take the Crosse of penance and folowe him saying thus VVho so will come after me forsake he his owne will take he the Croue and folowe he me Therefore all thinges searched and redde be this the finall conclusion that by many tribulations it behoueth vs to enter into the kingdome of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen Here beginneth the third Booke Of the invvarde speakinge of Christ to a faythfull soule The firste Chapter I Shall take heede saith a deuout soule and I shall heare what my Lorde Iesu shall speake in me Blessed is that man whiche heareth Iesu speaking in his soule and that taketh of his mouth some worde of comforte and blessed be the eares that heare the secret rowninges of Iesu and heede not the deceytfull rowninges of this world And blessed be the good playne eares that heede not the outwarde speache but rather take heede what God speaketh and teacheth inwardlye in the soule Blessed be the eyes also that be shutte from sight of outwarde vanities that take hede to the inwarde mouinges of God Blessed be they also that get them vertues and prepare them by good bodily and ghostly workes to receyue dayly more and more the secrete inspirations and inward teachinges of God Also blessed be they that set them selues wholly to serue God and for his seruice set apart all lettinges of the world O thou my soule take heede to that is sayde before and shet the dores of thy sensualities that are thy fyue wittes that thou mayest heare inwardlye what our Lord Iesu speketh in thy soule Thus saith thy beloued I am thy health I am thy peace I am thy lyfe keepe thee with me and thou shalt finde peace in me Forsake the loue of transitorie thinges and seeke thinges that be euerlasting VVhat be all temporall thinges but deceauable and what may any creature helpe thee if thy Lord Iesu forsake thee Therefore all creatures and all worldlye thinges forsaken lefte 〈◊〉 that in thee is to make thee pleasaunt in his syght that after this lyfe thou mayst come to the life euerlasting in the kingdome of heauen AmeÌ„ Hovve allmightie God speaketh invvardlye to mans soule vvithout sounde of vvordes The .2 Chapter SPeke Lord for I thy seruaÌ„t am readie to heare thee I am thy seruant geue me wisedome vnderstanding to knowe thy commaundements Bowe my heart to folowe the wordes of thy holy teachings that they may distil into my soule as dewe into the grasse The children of Israel sayde to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we shall heare thee but let not our Lorde speake to vs least haply we dye for dreade Not so Lord not so I beseeche thee but rather I aske meekelye with Samuel the prophete that thou vouchsafe to speake to me thy selfe and I shall gladlye heare thee Let not Moyses nor any other of the prophets speake to me but rather thou Lorde who art the inward inspirour and geuen of light to all prophets for thou alone without them mayest fully informe and instruct me They without thee maye litle profite me They speake thy wordes but they geue not the spirite to vnderstand the wordes They speake fayre but if thou be still they kindle not the heart They shewe faire letters but thou declarest the sentence They bring forth great high misteries but thou openest therof the true vnderstanding they declare thy commaundements but thou helpest to performe them They shew the way but thou geuest comfort to walke therein They doe all outwardly but thou illuminest and infourmest the heart within They water onely outwardly but it is thou that geuest the inwarde growing They crye all in wordes but thou geuest to the hearers vnderstanding of the wordes that be hard Let not Moyses therfore speake to me but thou my Lorde Iesu who art the euerlasting truth least happely I dye and be made as a man without fruit warmed outwardly and not inflamed inwardly and so to haue the harder iudgement for that I haue hearde thy word not done it knowen it and not loued it beleeued it and not fulfilled it Speake therefore to me thy selfe for I thy seruaunt am readye to heare thee Thou hast the wordes of eternall life speake them to me to the full comfort of my soule and geue me amendement of all my life past to thy ioy honor and glory euerlastingly Amen That the vvordes of God are to be hearde vvith great meekenes and that there be but fevve that ponder them as they ought to doe The .3 Chapter MY sonne sayth our Lord heare my wordes and folow them for they be moste sweet farre passing the wisedome cunning of all philosophets and wise men of the worlde My words be spirituall and ghostly and can not be fully comprehended by mans wit neither are they to be turned or applyed to the vayne pleasure of the hearer but are to be heard in sileÌ„ce with great meeknes and reuerence and with great inward affection of the heart and also in great rest and quietnes of body and soule O blessed is he lord whom thou infourmest teachest so that thou mayest be meelie and mercifull Lorde vnto him in the euil day that is to say in the day of the most dreadful iudgement that he be not then left desolate comfortlesse in the land of daÌ„nation Then sayth our Lord againe I haue taught prophetes from the beginning and yet cealse I not to speake to euery creature but many be deafe will not heare many heare the worlde more gladly then me and more lightly folowe the appetite of the fleshe theÌ„ the pleasure of God The worlde promiseth temporall thinges of small value yet is he serued with great affectioÌ„ but God promiseth high thinges and thinges eternall and the hearts of the people be slowe dul Oh who serueth obeyeth God in all thinges with so great desire as he doth the worlde and as worldly princes be serued obeyed I trow none for why for a litle prebend great iourneyes be taken but for the life euerlasâ—ing the people wyll scarsely lift their feete once from the grounde A thing that is of small price many times is busily sought and for a penie is sometime great strife and for the promise of a litle worldlye profite men eschewe not to
swinke and sweate both day and night But alas for sorowe for the goods euerlasting and for the rewarde that may not be esteemed by mans haâ—â—e and for the high honour glory that neuer shall haue ende men be slowe to take any maner of payne and labour Be thou therefore ashamed thou slowe seruaunt of God that they be founde more ready to workes of death then thou art to works of life and that they ioy more in vanitie then thou in truth and yet they be ofte deceyued of that that they haue most trust in but my promise deceueth no man nor leaueth no man that trusteth in me without some comfort That I haue promised I will performe that I haue sayd I will fulfill to euery person so that they abide faythfully in my loue dread vnto the ende for I am the rewarder of all good men and a strong prouer of all deuout soules VVrite my wordes therefore in thy hart diligeÌ„tly and ofte thinke thou vpoÌ„ them and they shall be in time of temptatioÌ„ much necessarie vnto thee That thou vnderstandest not when thou readest it thou shalt vnderstande in the time of my visitation I am wont to visite my seruauntes two maner of wayes that is to say with temptation and with consolation and two lessons dayly I reade vnto them one wherby I rebuke their vices another whereby I stirre theÌ„ to encrease in vertues and he that knoweth my wordes and despiseth theÌ„ hath that that shall iudge him in the last day A prayer to obteyne the grace of deuotion The .4 Chapter Lord Iesu thou art all my riches and all that I haue I haue it of thee But what am I Lorde that I dare thus speake to thee I am thy poorest seruaunt a worme most abiect more poore and more dispisable than I can or bare say Beholde Lorde that I am nought that I haue nought and of my selfe I am nought worth thou art only good righteous and holy thou orderest all things thou giuest all things thou fulfillest all things with thy goodnes leauing only the wretched sinner barrain and voyde of heaueÌ„ly comfort Remember thy mercies and fill my harte with thy manifolde graces for thou wilte not that thy works in me be made in vaine How may I beare the miseries of this lyfe vnlesse thy grace and mercy doe coÌ„fort me therin Turne not thy face from me defer not thy visiting of me ne with drawe not thy comforts from me lest happily my soule be made as dry earth without the water of grace and as it were a thing vnprofitable to thee Teache me Lorde to fulfill thy will and to liue meekly and worthily before thee for thou art all my wisedome and running and thou art he that knowest me as I am and that knewest me before the world was made and before that I was borne or brought into this lyfe Hovve vve ought to be conuersant before God in truth and meekenes The 5. Chapter MY sonne sayth our lord Iesu walke before me in truth and meekenes and seeke me alwayes in simplenes and playnnes of hart He that walketh in truth shall be defended from all perils and daungers and truth shall deliuer him froÌ„ all deceyuers and from all euil sayings of wicked people If truth deliuer thee thou art very free and thou shalt litle care for the vayne sayinges of the people Lord it is true all that thou sayest be it done to me after thy saying I beseeche thee that thy truth may teache me and kepe me and finally leade me to a blessed ending and that it may deliuer me from all euil affections and from all inordinate loue that I may walke with thee in freedome of spirite and libertie of harte Then truth sayth agayne I shall teache thee what is acceptable and liking to me Thinke on thy sinnes paste with great displeasure and sorowe of harte neuer thinke thy selfe worthy to be called holy or vertuous for any good deedes that thou hast done but thinke howe great a sinner thou art beâ—apped and bounde with great and manifolde sinnes and passions and that of thy selfe thou drawest to nought soone fallest soone art ouercome soone troubled and soone art thou broken with labour and payne and thou hast nothing whereof thou mayst righteously glorifie thy selfe but many things thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to despise thy selfe for thou art more vnstable and more weake to ghostly works then thou knowest or mayst thinke Let nothing therfore seeme great to thee nothing precious nothing worthy any reputation nor woorthy to be praysed in thy sight but that is euerlasting Let the euerlastinge truth be most liking moste pleasaunt to thee aboue all other thinges and that thine owne sinne and vilenes be moste misliking and moste displeasaunt to thee Dreade nothing so much nor reproue nothing so much neyther let any thing be to thee so much hated nor flee nothing so muche as thy sinnes and wickednes for they should more displease thee then should the losse of all worldly thinges Some there be that walke not purelye before me for they through pride and curiositie of theÌ„ selues desire to searche and know high thinges of my godhead forgetting them selues the health of their owne soules such persons fall oft times into great leÌ„ptations and greeuous sinnes by their pride and curiositie for the which I am turned against them leaue them to theÌ„ selues without helpe or counsaile of me Dreade therfore the iudgemetes of God the wrath of him that is almightie and discusse not nor searche his secretes but searche well thine owne iniquities How ofte how greeuouslie thou haste offended him howe many good deedes thou haste negligeÌ„tlie omitted lefte vndone whiche thou mightest well haue doone Some persons beare their deuotion in bookes some in images some in outward tokens and figures some haue me in their mouth but litle in their heart but some there be that haue their reason cleerely illumined with the light of true vnderstandinge whereby their affectioÌ„ is so purged and purified from loue of earthly thinges that they maye alwaye couete desire heauenlie thinges in so much as it is greeuous to theÌ„ for to heare of earthly likinges and it is to them also a right great payne to serue the necessities of the body and they thinke all the time as lost wherein they go about it Suche persons feele and knowe well what the spirite of truth speaketh in their soules for it teacheth them to despise earthlie thinges and to loue heauenlie thinges to forsake the worlde that is transitorie and to desire both daye and night to come thither where is ioy euerlastinge to the which bringe vs our Lorde Iesus Amen Of the meruaillous effect of the loue of God The .6 Chapter BLessed be thou heauenlie father the father of my Lorde Iesus Christe for thou haste vouchesafed to remember me thy poorest seruant and somtime doest comfort me with thy gracious presence that am
but for thine owne deedes thou must needly aunswere VVhy then doest thou medle where it needeth not I see and know euery man and euery thinge vnder the sunne I see and beholde and howe it is with euery person what he thinketh what he willeth and to what ende his worke draweth is open to me And therefore all thinges are to be referred to me Keepe thy selfe alwaye in good peace and suffer him that will alwayes searche another mans life be as busye as he will and in the ende shall fall vpon him as he hath done and sayde for he can not deceaue me whatsoeuer he be If thou admonishe anye person for his soule health looke thou do it not to get the thereby anye name or fame in the worlde nor to haue the familiaritie or pryuate loue of any person for suche thinges cause much vnquietnes of minde and will make thee also to lose the rewarde that thou shouldest haue of God and will bring greate darkenes into thy soule I woulde gladly speake to thee my wordes open to thee the secrete misteries of fraternall correction yf thou wouldest prepare thy soule ready against my cōminge and that thou wouldest open the mouth of thy hearte faithfullye to me Be thou prouident wake diligentlye in prayer humble thy selfe in euery thing and thou shalt finde great comfort in God and litle resistence in thy euen christen In vvhat thing the peace of heart and greatest profite of man standeth The 29. Chapter My sonne saith our Lord Iesu I sayd to my disciples thus My peace I leaue with you my peace I geue you not as the worlde geueth but much more then it maye geue All men desire peace but all men will not do that belongeth to peace My peace is with the meeke and milde in hart and thy peace shall be in much paciēce if thou wilt heare me and folowe my wordes thou shalt haue great plentie of peace O Lorde what shall I doe to come to that peace Thou shalt in all thy workes take good heede what thou doest and sayest and thou shalte set all thy whole intent to please me and nothing shalt thou couet or seeke without me and of other mens deedes thou shalt not iudge presumptuously nor thou shalt not medle with thinges that perteine not to thee if thou do thus it maye be that thou shalt litle or seldome be troubled but neuerthelesse to fele at no time any maner of trouble nor to suffer any heauines in body nor in soule is not the state of this lyfe but of the lyfe to come Thinke not therefore that thou haste found the true peace when thou feelest no greefe nor that all is well with thee when thou hast none aduersitie nor that all is perfect for that euery thing cōmeth after thy minde Nor yet that thou arte great in godds sight or specially beloued of him because thou hast great feruour in deuotion and great sweetnes in contemplation for a true louer of vertue is not knowen by all these thinges nor the true perfection of man standeth not in them VVherein then Lorde In offering of a man with all his hart wholly to God not seking him selfe nor his owne will neyther in greate thinges nor in small in tyme nor in eternitie but that he abide alwaye one and yeelde alwaye like thankes to God for things pleasant and displeasant waying them all in one like balance as in his loue Also if he be strong in God that when inwarde consolation is withdrawen he can yet stirre his harte to suffer more if God so will and yet iustifieth not him selfe nor prayseth him selfe therefore as holye and righteous then he walketh in the very true waye of peace and then he may well haue a sure and a perfect hope and trust that he shall see me face to face in euerlasting ioy and fruition in the kingdome of heauen And if he can come to a perfect and a full contempt and despisinge of him selfe then shall he haue full habundance of rest and peace in the ioye euerlastinge after the measure of his gifte Amen Of the libertie excellencie and vvorthinesse of a free mynde The .30 Chapter LOrde it is the worke of a perfect man not to sequester his minde from the beholding of heauenly thinges and among many cares to go as he were without care not in the maner of an ydle or of a desolate person but by the speciall prerogatiue of a free minde alwaye busy in goddes seruice not cleuinge by inordinate affection to any creature I beseeche thee therefore my Lord Iesu most meeke and mercifull that thou keepe me from the busines and cares of the worlde and that I be not ouermuch inquieted with the necessities of the bodilie kinde nor that I be not taken with the voluptuous pleasures of the worlde and the fleshe and that in likewise thou preserue me from all hinderance of the soule that I be not broken with ouermuch heauines sorow nor worldlye dreade And by these petitions I aske not onelie to be deliuered from such vanities as the world desireth but also from suche miseries as greeue the soule of me thy seruant with the common malediction of mankinde that is with corruption of the bodilie feelinge where with I am so greeued and letted that I maye not haue libertie of spirite to beholde thee when I would O Lorde God that art sweetnes vnspeakeable turne into bitternes to me all fleshlie delites which would drawe me from the loue of eternall thinges to the loue of a short and a vile delectable pleasure Let not the fleshe and bloude ouercome me nor the worlde with his short glory deceyue me nor the fiend with his thousand folde craftes supplant me but geue me ghostlie strength in resistinge patience in sufferinge and constancie in perseueringe Geue me also for all worldlie consolatiōs the most sweete consolations of the holy ghost and for al fleshly loue sende into my soule the loue of thy holy name Lo meat drinke cloathinge and all other necessaries for the body be painefull and troublesome to a feruent spirite which if it might woulde alwaye rest in God in ghostly thinges Graunt me therefore grace to vse such bodilye necessaries temperatlye and that I be not deceaued with ouermuch desire to them To forsake all thinges it is not lawfull for the bodilye kinde must be preserued but to seeke superfluous thinges more for pleasure then for necessitie thy holye lawe prohibiteth for so the fleshe woulde rebel against the spirite VVherfore Lord I beseech thee that thy hande of grace maye so gouerne and teache me that I exceede not by any maner of superfluitie Amen That priuate loue most letteth a man from God The .31 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde it behoueth thee to geue all for all and nothing to keepe to thee of thine owne loue for the loue of thy selfe more hurteth thee then any other thing in this world After thy loue and after thine affection euery thinge
other all that we heare or see nor to open our hart fullye but to very fewe and to seeke thee alway that art the beholder of mans hart not so be moued with euery flake of wordes but to desire in harte that all thinges in vs inwardly and outwardlye may be fulfilled after thy will howe sure a thinge is it also for the keepinge of heauenlye grace to flee the conuersation of worldly people all that we may and not to desire thinges that seeme outwardly to be pleasaunt and liking but with all the studye of our hart to seeke such thinges as bring in feruour of spirit and amendement of life It hath bene truelie a great hurte to many persons a vertue knowen ouer timelie praysed and contrariwise it hath beene right profitable to some a grace kept in silence and not lightlie reported to other in this frayle life that is full of temptation and priule enuie That vve shall put all our confidence in God vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord stande stronglie and truste faythfully in me VVhat be wordes but winde they flye in the ayre out they hurte neuer a stone on the grounde And if thou knowe thy selfe not giltie thinke that thou wilt suffer gladlie suche wordes for God It is but a litle thinge for thee to suffer sometime a hastie worde sith thou art not yet able to suffer harde strokes But why is it that so litle a thinge goeth so nigh thy heart but that thou art yet fleshelie and carnall and heedest to please men more then thou shouldest And because thou dreadest to be despised thou wilt not gladlie be reproued of thine offences and thou searchest therefore busilie and with great studie how thou mayest be excuâ—ed But behoulde thy selfe well and thou shalt see that the worlde yet liueth in thee and a vaine loue also to please man VVhen thou refusest to be rebuked and punished for thy defaultes it appereth euidentlie that thou art not yet soothfastlie meeke nor that thou art not yet deade to the worlde nor the worlde to thee yet truelye crucified But heare my wordes and thou shalt not neede to eare for the wordes of ten thousand men Loe yf all thinges were sayde against thee that might be most maliciouslie and vntruelie fayned against thee what shoulde they huit if thou suffered them to ouerpasse goe awaye truelie no more then a strawe vnder thy foote one heare of thy head they might not take from thee But he that hath not a manâ— heart inwardly nor setteth not God before the eye of his soule is soone moued with a sharpe word wheÌ„ he that trusteth in me will not stand to his owne iudgement shall be free froÌ„ all mans dreade for I am the Iudge that knoweth all secrettes I knowe howe euery thinge is done and I know also both him that doth the wroÌ„g and him that it is done to Of me this thinge is wrought and by my sufferaÌ„ce it is come about that the thoughtes of mennes heartes maye be knowen and when the time commeth I shall iudge both the innocent and hym that is giltie But firste through my righteous examination I will proue them bothe The witnes of man ofte times deceaueth but my iudgement alwaye is true and shall not be subuerted And howbeit it is sometime hid and not knowen but to fewe yet it is euer true and erreth not neither may erre though in the sigâ—â— of some persons it seemeth not so Therefore in euery doubt it behoueth to runne to me and not to leane muche to thine owne reason but with euery thinge that I shall sende thee to be content for a righteous man is neuer troubled with any thinge that I shall suffer to fall vnto him insomuch that though a thing were vntruelie spoken against him he shoulde not muche care for it neither shoulde he muche ioye though he were sometyme reasonablye excused for he thinketh alwayeâ— that I am he that searcheth mans hart and that I iudge not after the outwarde apperance for ofte times it shall be founde in my sight woorthy to be blamed that in mans sight seemeth muche woorthy to be praysed O Lord God most righteous Iudge stronge and patient which knowest the frayltie and malice of man be thou my strength and wholle coÌ„fort in all my necessities for mine owne conscience Lorde suffiseth me not for thou knowest in me that I knowe not And therefore in euery reproufe I ought alway to meeken my selfe and patiently to suffer all thinges in charitie after thy pleasure Forgeue me Lorde as ofte as I haue not so done and geue me grace of greater sufferaunce in time to come Thy mercy is more profitable and more sure maye for me to the gettinge of pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes then a trust in mine owne workes through defence of my darke conscience And though I dreede not my conscience yet I may not therefore iustifie my selfe for thy mercie remoued and taken awaye no man maye be iustified nor appere righteous in thy syght Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come The .52 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord be not broken by impatieÌ„ce with the labour that thou hast taken for my sake nor suffer thou not tribulatioÌ„ to cast thee in dispaire nor into vnreasonable heauines or anguishe in any wise but be thou comforted strengthed in euery chaunce by my promises behests for I am able and of power to rewarde thee and other my seruauntes aboundantlie more then ye can thinke or desire Thou shalt not laboure long here nor alwaye be greeued with heauines tary a while my promises and thou shalt shortlye see an ende of all thy troubles One hour shall come when all thy labours and troubles shall ceasse and truely that hour will shortlye come for all is short that passeth with time Doe therefore as thou doest labour busily and faithfullye in my vineyarde and I shal shortly be thy reward VVrite reade singe mourne be still and pray and suffer gladlye aduersitye for the kingdome of heauen is more woorth then all these thinges and much more greater thinges then they are Peace shall come one daye which is to me knowen and that shall not be the day of this lyfe but a day euerlastinge with infinite cleerenes stedfast peace and sure rest without ending And then thou shalt not saye VVho shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death neither shalt thou neede to crie woe is me that my comming to the kingdome of heauen is thus prolonged For death shal then de destroyed and health shall be without ende of bodye soule insomuch that no maner of vnrestfulnes shall be but blessed ioye and moste sweetest and fayrest companye O if thou sawest the euerlastinge crownes of my Saintes in heauen in howe great ioye and glorye they are that sometime seemed to be vile persons and as
generall And that you may be the more apte to praye call three thinges ofte times to remembrance that is to saye what you haue bene what you be and what you shall be First by reason of your bodie you were conceaued of the moste filthie abhominable matter of man shameful to be spoken farre more vile then the slutche or slime of the earth and after borne in a sinfull soule purged onely by grace And nowe as vnto the bodie you be a muckheape or dunghill of filth more vyle then any vpon earth if you remember what doth issue daylie and come forth out of the meates of your bodie And your soule is daylie in some sinne or at the least full like to be VVhat you shall be as vnto your bodie you maye see in experience wormes meate and earth againe And what shall become of your soule no man in this world can assure you To remember then the ioyes of heauen and paines of hell and that both be infinite endles and without rebate but both euer encresinge and neuer ceasing neuer haue ease nor test but euer continue euerlastinge To remember then I saye these thinges may greatly moue you to haue your selfe in a good awayte and to studie howe you may auoyd the one obteyne the other Remember specially howe great a losse it is to loose heauen and howe vncomfortable gaines to winne helle and howe soone and howe lightlie either of them may be gotten or lost VVhen any thinge then of aduersitie hurt or displeasure happen vnto you thinke theÌ„ or imagine that if you were in hell you should haue the same displeasure and manye worse And so to auoyde those you shall here the better suffer and for our Lorde the more patientlie beare all these that nowe be present or any that may come hereafter And in like maner if any good prosperitie or pleasure happen vnto you thinke then that if you were in heauen you should haue that pleasure and many mâ— excellent ioyes And so for the feruent desire of those ioyes you shall set litle by any worldlie comfort or pleasure A good contemplation therefore may it be vnto you in feastes of holie Saintes to thinke and record howe great paines they suffered here for the loue of our Lorde and howe short these were and howe soone passed and then againe how marueylous reward they had therefore in ioye and blisse euerlastinge So the troubles and tormentes of good persons be soone and shortlie gone and ended and the ioyes and pleasures of sinful persons doe soone fade and fâ—â—e for euer The good persons for their troubles suffered here vppon earth doe get and win eternall and euerlasting glorie which the euill persons doe lose And contrarie these euill and sinfull persons for their ioy and pleasures here do receiue by exchaunge eternall and euerlastinge shame rebuke with paine and wo vnspeakeable VVhen soeuer theÌ„ you be disposed to sluggishnesse or to be drowsie remisse in prayers or dull in deuotion then take this litle worke or els some other good Treatise and read therin and euer note well the contentes thereof and what is meant thereby And if you be not thereby deliuered or eased thereof then shift vnto some other worke or occupation so that euer you auoyde ydlenes and all vaine pastimes which in dede is losse of time And then remember that those that nowe bide in paine either in hell or yet in purgatorie for suche times so passed or lost had rather then all the world haue such time to redeme their paines by as you maye haue if you will Time then vnto al persons wel occupied is verie precious and deare Beware well therefore howe you spend it or passe it for you can neuer reuoke it nor call it backe If the time passe you by trouble vexation thinke they be happie and gracious that be past this wretched life and nowe in blisse for they shall neuer haue any suche miserie And when you feele a comfort or consolation spirituall thanke God thereof thinke the damned soules shall neuer haue any suche pleasure And thus let this be for your exercise in the datiue At night when you go to rest first make accompt with your selfe and remember howe you haue spent or passed the daye and time that was geuen you tobe vsed in vertue and howe you haue bestowed your thoughtes your wordes your workes And if you finde no great thing amisse geue the whole laude and praise vnto our Lorde God And if you perceaue coÌ„trarie that you haue mispent any part thereof be sorie therefore and beseech our Lorde of mercy forgeuenes and promise and verilie purpose to make amendes the next daye And if you haue oportunitie thervpon it shall be full conuenient for you to be coÌ„fessed on the next morow and specially if the matter done saide or thought by deliberate consent do greuouslie weigh worke with a grudge in your conscience then woulde I aduise you neuer to eate nor drinke till ye be discharged thereof if you maye conuenientlie get a gostlie father Nowe for a conclusion of this worke put before you as by case or ymagination two large Cities one full of trouble turmoyle and miserie let that be hel The other Citie ful of ioy gladnes comfort and pleasure and let that be heauen Loke wel on them both for in both be many dwellers and great companye Then cast and thinke within your selfe what thing here might so please you that you shoulde chose the worse citie or what thing should displease you on the other part whereby you shoulde withdrawe your selfe from that vertue that might conuey and bring you vnto the other citie And when you haue satudied well here vpon and can nothinge finde I dare well assure you if you keepe well the precepts and counsailes of this litle lesson you shall find the right way for the holie ghoste will instruct teache you where you be not sufficient of your selues so you indeuor and geue diligence to beare awaye and folowe that here is taught Reade it euerie weake once or twise or oftener if you will And where you profite geue the thankes laude and prayse vnto our Lorde God and moste sweete Sauiour Iesu Christe who sende you his mercie and grace that alwaye liueth God worlde without ende Amen This lesson was brought vnto me in Englishe of an olde translation rough and rude with request to amende it I thought lesse labour to write new the whole which I haue done accordinge to the meaning of the authour though not worde for worde and in diuers places added some thinges folowinge vpon the same to make the matter more senteÌ„tious and full I beseeche you take all vnto the best and praye for the olde wretched brother of Sion Richard VVhitforde A spirituall glasse REade distinctlie praye deuoutlie sigh deepelie suffer pacieÌ„tly meeke you lowlye geue no sentence hastelie speake but rathe and that truelie preueÌ„t your speache discretly do
THE FOLOVVING OF CHRIST TRANSLATED OVT of Latin into Englishe newlie corrected and amended VVherevnto also is added the golden Epistle of Sainct Bernarde And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of miraÌ„dula Anno. 1585. Cum Priuilegio The introduction HEreafter foloweth a booke called in Latin Imitatio Christi that is in Englishe the folowing of Christe wherein be coÌ„teyned foure litle bookes VVhich booke as some men affirme was firste made and compyled in Latin by the famous Clerke master Iohn Gerson Chauncellour of Paris And the sayed foure bookes be nowe of late newly translated into English in such maner as hereafter appeareth And though three of the first bookes of the sayd foure bookes haue bene before this time right well and deuoutlie traÌ„slated into Englishe by a famous Clerke called master VVilliam Atkinson which was a doctour of diuinitie Yet for as muche as the sayde translatour for some cause him mouinge in diuers places left out muche parte of some of the Chapters and sometime varied from the letter as in the thirde chapter and in the. 18 and. 19. chapters of the first booke and also in diuers other chapiters of the sayde three bookes will appeare to them that will examine the Latin and the sayd first translation together Therefore the sayed 3. bookes be eftsones traÌ„slated into English in such maner as hereafter foloweth to the intent that they that list maye at their pleasure be occupied with the one or the other after as their deuotion shall stirre them when they haue seene theÌ„ both And after the sayde three bookes foloweth the fourth booke which was first translated out of Frenche into Englishe by the right noble and excellent Princes Margaret late Countesse of Richmondo and Darbye mother vnto the noble Prince of blessed memorie Kynge Henry the. 7. father vnto our late Ioueraine Lord Kinge Henry the. 8. And for as muche as it was translated by the sayed noble Princes out of Frenche it coulde not folowe the Latin so nigh nor so directlie as if it had bene translated out of Latin And therefore it is nowe translated out of Latin and yet neuerthelesse it keepeth the substaunce and the effect of the first translation out of Frenche though sometime it varie in wordes as to the Reader will appeare And in the latter ende after the fourth booke is a short morall doctrine which is called The spirituall glasse of the soule And it is right good and profitable to euery person ofte tymes to looke vpon it A preface to the booke folovvinge AMonge manye Treatises which haue bene put out both in Latin and Englishe in this perillous worlde to seduce the simple people to bring them from the vnitie of the Catholike Churche into peruers and abhominable errours there hath bene also in tyme past before made by diuers learned and vertuous men many good Treatises which yf men woulde be so diligent to looke vpon as they are curious to looke on the other they shoulde not so soone fall from the true knowledge of Christes doctrine and the right sense of holie Scripture whiche euer hath bene taught by continuall succession in his holie Churche of the holie ghost the spirite of truth who shall euer remayne with it And amonge many of these good Treatises there is one called the Imitation or folowinge of Christe whiche in my iudgement is excellent and the more it is seriouslie and aduisedlie reade and looked vpon the more it shall like euery Christian Reader who will set his minde earnestlie to folow Christ his steppes Let them proue by reading euery day a chapter wheÌ„ they haue best leasure and I doubt not but they shall finde my sayinges true I haue reade it ouer very many times and the more I reade the more I like it and finde profite to my soule health It teacheth the true mortification of the fleshe to the spirite accordinge to the right sense of holie Scripture and the doctrine of 5. Paul VVhich I consideringe desired the Queenes highnes printer to take the paynes eâ—â—sones to imprint it seeinge the other is worne awaye whiche was verie faultie in many places And in this he hath done his diligence in correction thereof as you shall well perceyue in conferring them together Thus fare you well in Christ and praye for them that haue taken paynes in this behalfe Hereafter folovveth the chapters of this present booke OF the Imitation or folowinge of Christe and of the despisinge of all vanities of the world Cap. 1. Fol. 1. Against vayne seculor cunning and of a meeke knowinge of our selfe Cap. 2. fol. 2. Of the teachinge of truth cap. 3. fol. 3. That light credence is not to be geuen to wordes cap. 4. fol. 5. Of the reading of holy Scripture cap. 5. fol. 6. Of inordinate affections cap. 6 fo 6. That vayne hope and elation of minde are to be fled and auoyded cap. 7. fo 7. That much familiaritie is to be fled cap. 8. fo 7. Of meeke subiection and obedience and that we shall gladlye folowe the counsayle of other cap. 9. fo 8. That we shoulde auoyde superfluite of wordes and the companye of worldlye lyuinge people cap. 10. fo 9. The meanes to get peace and of desire to profite in vertues cap. 11. fo 9. Of the profite of aduersitie cap. 12. fo 11. Of temptations to be resisted cap. 13. fo 11. That we shall not iudge lightlye other mens deedes nor cleaue muche to our owne will cap. 14. fo 14. Of workes done in charitie cap. 15. fo 14. Of the sufferinge of other mens defaultes cap. 16. fo 15. VVhat shoulde be the life of a true religious person cap. 17. fo 16. Of the examples of holy fathers cap. 18. fo 17. Of the exercises of good religious persons cap. 19. fo 18. Of he loue of onelines sileÌ„ce cap. 20. fo 20. Of compunction of the hart cap. 21. fo 22. Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and wherein the felicitie of man standeth cap. 22. fol. 24. Of the remeÌ„braunce of death cap. 23. fo 26. Of the iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne cap. 24. fol. 28. Of the feruent amending of all our lyfe and that we shall speciallye take heede of our owne soule health before all other cap. 25. fo 31. The Chapters of the seconde booke OF inward conuersation cap. 1. fo 34. Of a meeke knowinge of our owne defaultes cap. 2. fo 37. Howe good it is for a man to be peacefull cap. 3. fo 38. Of a pure minde and a simple intent cap. 4. fo 39. Of the knowing of our selues cap. 5. fo 39. Of the gladnes of a cleane conscience cap. 6. fo 40. Of the loue of Iesu aboue all thinges cap. 7. fo 42. Of the familier freendship of Iesu cap. 8. fo 42. Of the wanting of all solace and comforte cap. 9. fo 44. Of yelding of thankes to God for his manyfolde graces cap. 10. fo 47. Of the
and singuler grace If thou see any persoÌ„ sinne or commit any great crime openly before thee yet iudge not thy selfe to be better then he for thou knowest not how longe thou shalt perseuer in goodnes VVe be all frayle but thou shalt iudge no man more frayle then thy selfe Of the teaching of truth The .3 Chapter HAppye and blessed is that person whom truth teacheth and enformeth not by figures or by deceitful voyces but as the truth is our opinion and our wit many times deceiueth vs for we see not the truth What auayleth vs the knowledge of suche thinges as shal neyther helpe vs at the daye of iudgement if we knowe them nor hurt vs if we know them not It is therfore great folly to be negligent in suche things as be profitable and necessary to vs and to labour for such thinges that be but curious and damnable Truely if we doo so we haue eyes but we see not And what auayleth vs the knowledge of the kinde and working of creatures truely nothing He to whom the euerlasting worde that is Iesus speaketh â—is discharged of many vayne opinions and of that worde al thinges proceede and all thinges openlye shewe and crye that he is God No man without him vnderstaÌ„deth the truth ne rightfully iudgeth but he to whom al thinges is one and he that all thinges draweth into one aud all thinges setteth in one and desireth nothinge but one may quickly be established in heart and be fully pacifyed in God O truth that God art make me one with thee in perfect charitie for all that I reade heare or see without thee is greeuous to me for in thee is all that I wil or maye desire Let all Doctours be stil in thy presence and let all creatures keepe them in silence and thou only Lord speake to my soule The more that man is ioyned to thee and the more that he is gathered together in thee the more he vnderstandeth without labour high secrete misteries for he hath receyued from aboue the light of vnderstanding A cleane pure and a stable hart is not broken ne lightly ouercome with ghostely labours for he doeth al thing to the honour of God and for that he is cleerely mortifyed to him self therfore he coueteth to be free from folowing his owne wil. VVhat hindereth thee more then thy affections not fully mortifyed to the wl of the spirite truelye nothing more A good deuout man so ordereth his outwarde busines that it draweth not him to the loue of it but that he compell it to be obedient to the wil of the spirite to the right iudgemeÌ„t of reason VVho hath a stronger battayle then he that laboureth for to ouercome him selfe and that shoulde be our dayly labour our dayly desire to ouercome our selfe that we may be made stronger in spirite and increase daily froÌ„ better to better Euery perfectioÌ„ in this life hath some imperfection annexed vnto it and there is no knowledge in this worlde but that it is mixt with some blindens of ignorance And therfore a meeke knowing of our selfe is a more surer way to God then is the searching for highnes of cunning Cunning wel ordred is not to be blamed for it is good and coÌ„meth of God but a clean conscience and a vertuous life is muche better more to be desired Because some men studye to haue cunning rather then to liue well therfore they erre many times and bring forth litle good fruite or none O if they woulde be as busye to auoyde sinne and to plante vertues in their soules as they be to moue questions there shoulde not be so many euill thinges seene in the worlde ne so much euil example geuen to the people ne yet so much dissolute liuing in religioÌ„ At the daye of iudgement it shall not be asked of vs what we haue read but what we haue done nor howe well we haue sayde but howe religiously we haue liued Tell me nowe where be all the great clerkes and famous doctors whom thou haste wel-knowen when they liued they flourished greatly in their learning and now other men occupy their prebendes promotioÌ„s and I can not tell whether they think any thing on theÌ„ in their life they were holden great in the world nowe is litle speaking of theÌ„ O howe shortly passeth away the glorye of this world with al the false deceauable plesures of it would to God their life had accorded well with their learning for then had they well studied and read How many perishe dayly in this worlde by vayne cunning that care litle for a good life ne for the seruice of God And because they desire rather to be great in the worlde then to be meeke therfore they vanishe awaye in their learninges as smoke in the ayre Truely he is great that hath great charitie and he is great that is litle in his owne sight and that setteth at nought all worldly honour And he is very wise that accompteth all worldly pleasures as vile dounge so that he maye winne Christe And that person is very wel taught that forsaketh his owne will and foloweth the will of God That light credence is not to be geuen to vvordes The .4 Chapter IT is not good lightly to beleeue euery worde or instinct that commeth but the thing is aduisedly and leasurely to be coÌ„sidered pondered that almightie God be not offended through our lightnes But alas for sorowe we be so fraile that we anone beleeue of other euil soner then good But neuertheles perfect men be not so light of credence for they know well that the frayllie of man is more prone to euil theÌ„ to good and that it is in wordes very vnstable It is therefore great wisdome not to be hastie in our deeds ne to trust much in our own wits nor lightly to beleeue euery tale nor to shewe anone to other al that we heare or beleeue Take alway counsel of a wise man and couet rather to be instructed and ordred by other then to folowe thine owne inuention A good life maketh a man wise to God and instructeth him in many things that a sinful man shal neuer feele ne knowe The more meeke that a man is in him selfe the more obedient that he is to God the more wise the more peaceful shall he be in euery thing that he shal haue to do Of the readinge of holy Scripture The .5 Chapter CHaritie is to be sought in holye Scripture and not eloquence and it should be read with the same spirite that it was firste made VVe ought also to seeke in holy Scriture ghostlye profite rather then curiositie of stile and as gladly shall we reade simple and deuoute bookes as bookes of high learninge and cunninge Let not the authoritie of thine authour mislike thee whether he were of greate cunning or litle but that the loue of the verye pure truth styrr thee to reade Aske not who sayde this but take heede what is sayde Men
loue to God when it is rather done of carnalitie and of a fleshly loue then of a charitable loue for cōmonlie some carnall inclinatiō to our frēdes or some inordinate loue to our selfe or some hope of a temperall reward or a desire of some other profite moueth vs to doe the deede and not the pure loue of charitie Charitie seeketh not him selfe in that he doth but he desireth to doe onlie that which shalbe honour and praysinge to God He enuieth no man for he loueth no priuate loue neither wil he ioy in him selfe but he couereth aboue all thinges to be blessed in God He knoweth well that no goodnes beginneth originallie of mā and therefore he referreth all goodnes to God of whom all thinges proceede and in whom all blessed Saintes doe rest in euerlasting fruition Oh he that had but a lytle sparkle of this perfect charitie should feele sooth fastlie in his soule that all earthlie thinges be full of vanitie Of the suffering of other mens defaultes The .16 Chapter SVche defaultes as we can not amende in our selues nor in other we must patientlye suffer til our Lord of his goodnes wil other wise dispose And we shall thinke that happlye it is so best for to be for prouinge of our patience without which our merites are but litle to be pōdred Neuerthelesse thou shalte pray hartilye for such impedimētes that our Lorde of his great mercye and goodnes vouchsafe to helpe vs that we may patientlye beare them If thou admonishe any person once or twise and he will not take it striue not ouermuche with him but commit al to God that his wil be done and his honour in al his seruauntes for he can wel by his goodnes turne euil into good Study alway that thou maiest be patient in suffering of other mens defaultes for thou haste many thinges in thee that other doe suffer of thee and if thou canste not make thy selfe to be as thou wouldest how mayest thou then looke to haue another to be ordered in al thinges after thy wil VVe woulde gladlye haue other perfect but wil not amēde our owne defaultes VVe would that other should be straitly corrected for their offences but we will not be corrected It misliketh vs that other haue libertie but we will not be denyed of that we aske VVe wolde also that other should be restrained according to the statutes but we in no wise wilbe restrayned Thus it appeareth euidentlye that we seldome ponder our neighbour as we doe our selfe If al men were perfect what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God Therfore God hath so ordeyned that one of vs shal learne to beare anothers burden for in this world no man is without default no man without burden no man sufficiente to him selfe nor no man wise ynough of him selfe VVherefore it behoueth eche one of vs to beare the burden of other to comfort other to helpe other to enforme other and to instruct and admonish other in all charitie who is of most vertue appeareth beste in time of aduersitie Occasions make not a man frayle but they shewe openly what he is VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person The .17 Chapter IT be hooueth thee to breake thine owne wil in many thinges if thou wilte haue peace and concorde with other It is no litle thing to be in monasteries or in congregations and to continue there without complayning or missaying faithfully to perseuer there vnto the ende Blessed are they that there liue well and make a good ende If thou wilt stand surely in grace and muche profite in vertue holde thy selfe as an outlaw and as a pilgrime here in this life and be glad for the loue of God to be holden as a foole and as a vile person in the worlde as thou art The habite and tonsure helpe litle but the chaunging of life and the mortifying of passiōs make a person perfect and true religious He that seeketh any other thing in religion then purely god and the health of his soule shal finde nothing there but trouble and sorowe and he may not lōg stand there in peace and quietnes that laboreth not to be least and subiect to all It is good therfore that thou remember ofte that thou camste to religion to serue and not to be serued and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour not to be ydle or to tel vayn tales In religion a man shal be proued as gold in a fornace and no man may stand long there in grace and vertue but he wil with al his heart meeke him selfe for the loue of God Of the examples of holy fathers The .18 Chapter BEholde the liuely examples of holy fathers and blessed Saintes in whom flourished and shined all true perfection of life and perfecte religion And thou shalt see howe litle it is and welnigh as nothing that we doe nowe in these dayes in comparison of them O what is our life if it be to them cōpared They serued our Lorde in hunger and thirste in heate in colde in nakednes in laboure and in werines in vigiles and fastinges in prayers in holy meditations in persecutions and in many reproufes O how manye and howe greeuous tribulations suffered the Apostles Martyrs Confessours virgins other holy Saintes that would folowe the steppes of Christe They refused honours and all bodily pleasures here in this life that they might alway haue the euerlasting life O howe straite and abiecte a life led the holy fathers in wildernes how greeuous temptatiōs suffred they howe fiersly were they with their ghostly enemies assailed and how feruent prayer offered they dailye to God VVhat rigorous abstinence vsed they howe great zeale and feruour had they to spirituall profite how strong battayle helde they against all sinne and howe pure whole intent had they to God in all their deedes On the day they labored in the night they prayed And though they labored on the day bodily yet they prayed in minde and so they spent their time alway fruitfullye and thought euery houre shorte for the seruice of God and for the great sweetenes that they had in heauenly contemplatiō they forgot ofte times their bodily refection All riches honour dignities kinsemen and frendes they renounced for the Ioue of god They coueted to haue nothing in the world scarsely they would take that was necessary for the bodily kinde They were poore in worldly goodes but they were riche in grace vertue They were needy outwardly but inwardly in their soules they were replenished with grace and ghostly eōfortes To the world they were alienes and strangers but to God they were right deere and familier frendes In the sight of the world and in their owne sight they weare vile abiecte but in the sight of God and his Saintes they were precious singulerlye electe In the shined all perfection of vertue true meekenes simple obedience charitie patiēce
sinnes and wretchednes sith thou dreadest here sometime the face of a mortal man VVhy doest thou not nowe prouide for thy selfe against that daye sith thou mayest not then be excused nor defended by none other But euery man shall then haue ynough to doe to answere for him selfe Nowe thy labor is fruitfull and weeping is acceptable thy mourning is worthye to be hearde and thy sorowe also is satisfactory purging of sinnes The pariēt man who suffereth iniuryes and wronges of other and yet neuerthelesse soroweth more for their malice then for the wrong done to him selfe hath a wholsome and blessed purgatory in this worlde and so haue they that gladly can praye for their enemies and for them that be contrarious vnto them and that in their heart can forgeue those that offend them and tary not Idge to aske forgeuenes And so haue they also that more lightly be stirred to mercye then to vengeance and that can as it were by a violēce breake downe their owne will and strongly resist sinne and labour alway to subdue their body to the spirite It is better nowe to purge sinne and to put away vsce then to reserue it to be purged hereafter But verilye we deceaue our selues by inordinate loue that we haue to our bodily kinde VVhat shall the fyre of purgatorye deuoure but thy sinne truelye nothing Therefore the more thou sparest thy selfe nowe and the more thou folowest thy fleshly liking the more greeuouslye shalt thou wayle hereafter and the more matter thou resch seruest for the fire of purgatory In suche thinges as a man moste hath offended shall he moste be punished The slouthful persons shall be there pricked with burning prickes of yron and gluttons shall be tormented with great hunger thirste The lecherous persons and louers of voluptuous pleasures shal be filled ful with brenning pitche and brimstone and enuious persons shall wayle and howle as doe madde dogges There shal no sinne be without his proper torment The proude man shal be filled full with all shame and confusion and the couetous man shall be pined with penurie neede One houre there in paine shall be more greuous then here a hundred yece in moste sharpest penaunce There shall be no rest nor consolation to the damned soules but here sometime we feele reliefe of our paynes and haue sometime consolation of our frendes Be now sorowful for thy sinnes that at the day of iudgemēt thou mayest be saued with blessed Saintes Then shall righteous men stande in great constancie against them that haue wronged them and oppressed them here Then shall he stande as a Iudge that here submitted himselfe meekelye to the iudgement of man Then shall the meeke poore man haue great confidence and trust in God the obstinate proude man shal quake breade Thē shall it appeere that he was wise in this worlde that for the loue of God was content to be taken as a foole and to be despised and set at nought Then shall it also please him muche the tribulation that he suffereth patiently in this world and all wickednes shall stop his mouth Then euery deuout person shall be ioyful and glad and the vnreligious persons shall wayle and dreade Then shall the fleshe that hath beene with discretion chastised ioy more then if it had beene nourished with all delectation and pleasure Then shall the vile habite shine cleere in the sight of God and the precious garmentes shall xare foule and lothsome to beholde Then the poore cottage shall be more allowed thē the pallace ouer gilted with golde Then shall more helpe a constant patience thē all worldly power and riches Then shall meeke obedience be exalted more high then all worldly wisedome and pollicie and then shall a good cleane conscience make vs more gladsome and mery then the cunning of all philsophye Then the despising of worldly goodes shalbe more of valure then all worldly riches treasure Then shalt thou haue more comfort for thy deuout prayinge then for all thy delicate feedinge Then shalt thou also ioye more for thy silence keepinge then for thy long talkinge and iangling Then good deedes shall plenteouslie be rewarded and faire wordes shall litle be regarded Then shall it please more a straite life and hard penance here then all worldlie delectation and pleasure Learne nowe therefore to suffer the small tribulations in this worlde that thou mayest then be deliuered from the greater there ordeyned for sinne Firste proue here what thou mayest suffer hereafter And yf thou mayest not nowe suffer so lytle a payne howe shalt thou then suffer the euerlastinge tormentes And yf nowe so litle a passion make thee impatient what shall then doe the intolerable fire of purgatorie or of hell Thou mayest not haue two heauens that is to saye to ioye here and to haue delectation here and after to ioye also with Christe in heauen Moreouer if thou haddest lyued alwaye vnto this daye in honours and fleshlye delectations what should it profite thee nowe if thou shouldest this present instant departe the worlde Therefore all thing is vanitie but to loue God and to serue him He that loueth God with all his heart dreadeth neither death torment iudgement nor hell for a perfect loue maketh a sure passage to God but if a mā yet delite in sinne it is no meruaile though he dreade both death and hell And though suche a dreade be but a thral dread yet neuerthelesse it is good that if the loue of God withdrawe vs not from sinne that the drede of hell constraine vs therto He that setteth apart the drede of God may not longe stand in the state of grace but soone shall he run into the snare of the deuill and lightlye shall he therewith be deceaued Of the feruent amendinge of all our life and that vve shall speciallie take heede of our ovvne soule health before all other The .25 Chapter MY sonne be wakinge and diligent in the seruice of God and thinke ofte wherfore thou art come and why thou haste forsakē the world was it not that thou shouldest liue to God and be made a spirituall man yes truelie Therefore stirre thy selfe to perfection for in short time thou shalt receaue the full rewarde of all thy laboures and from thenceforth shall neuer come to thee neither sorowe nor dreade Thy labour shalbe litle and short and thou shalt receaue therefore againe euerlastinge rest and comfort If thou abide faythfull and feruent in good deedes without doubt our Lorde will be faythfull and liberall to thee in his rewardes Thou shalt alwaye haue a good trust that thou shalt come to the palme of victorie but thou shalt not set thee in a full suretie thereof least happlie thou waxe dul and proude in heart A certaine person which often times doubted whether he where in the state of grace or not on a time fell prostrate in the Churche and sayde thus O that I might knowe whether I shoulde perseuer in vertue to the
ende of my life And anone he hearde inwardlie in his soule the answere of our Lord sayinge VVhat wouldest thou doe yf thou knewest thou shouldest perseuer doe nowe as thou wouldest doe then and thou shalt be safe and so anone he was comforted and committed himselfe whollie to the will of God and all his doubtfulnes ceassed and neuer after would he curiousie search to know what should become of him but rather he studied to knowe what was the will of god against him and how he might begin and ende all his deedes that he should doe to the pleasure of God and to his honour Trust in God and do good deedes sayth the prophete Dauid inhabite the earth and thou shalt be fedde with the riches of thy good deedes But one thing withdraweth manie from profitinge in vertue and from amendment of life that is an horrour and a false worldlie dreade that they may not abide the paine and labour that is needefull for the gettinge thereof Therefore they shall most profite in vertue before all other that enforce them selues mightilie to ouercome those thinges that be moste greeuous and contrarious to them For a man profiteth there moste there winneth most grace where he moste ouercommeth him selfe and wherin he most mortifieth his bodye to the soule But all men haue not in lyke much to mortifie and ouercome for some haue mo passions then some haue Neuerthelesse a feruent louer of god though he haue more greater passions thē other yet shall he be more stronger to profite in vertue then another that is better manered and that hath fewer passions but is lesse feruent to vertue Two thinges helpe a man much to amendment of lyfe that is a mightie withdrawinge of himselfe from those thinges that the bodye most inclineth him to and a feruent labour for suche vertues as he hath moste neede of Studie also to ouercome in thy selfe those thinges that most mislike thee in other men and take alwaye some speciall profite in euerie place wheresoeuer thou become as yf thou see any good example enforce thee to folowe it and yf thou see any euill example looke thou eschewe it As thy eye considereth the workes of other right so and in the same wise thy workes be considered of other O howe ioyous and howe delectable is it to see religious men deuoute and feruent in the loue of God well manered and well taught in ghostlie learning and on the contrarye part howe heauye and sorowfull is it to see them liue inordinatlie not vsinge those thinges that they haue chosen and taken them to Also how inconuenient a thinge is it a man to be negligent in the purpose of his firste callinge and to set his mynde to thinges that be not committed to hym Thinke ofte therefore on the purpose that thou haste taken and set before the eye of thy soule the memorie of Christes passion and if thou beholde well and diligentlie his blessed life thou mayest well be ashamed that thou haste no more conformed thee to him then thou haste done He that will inwardly and deuoutlie exercise him selfe in the moste blessed lyfe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe shall finde therein plenteouslye all that is necessarie for him so that he shall not neede to seeke any thinge without him O yf Iesu crucified were ofte in our hearts and in our remembrance we should soone be learned in all thinges that be necessarie for vs. A good religious man that is feruent in his religion taketh all thing wel and doth gladly all that he is commaunded to doe but a religious person that is negligent and slouthfull hath trouble vpon trouble suffereth great anguishe and paine on euerie side for he lackeeh the true inwarde comfort and to seeke the outward comfort he is prohibited Therefore a religious person that liueth without discipline is like to fall in great ruine Also he that in religion seeketh to haue libertie and releasinge of his dutie shall alwaye be in anguishe and sorowe for one thinge or other shall euer displease him Therefore take heede howe other religious persōs doe that be right straitlie kept vnder the rule of theire religion They goe seldome forth they liue hardly they eate poorelie and be cloathed grosselie they labour much speake litle watche longe rise earlie make longe prayers reade ofte and keepe them selues alwaye in some wholsome doctrine Beholde the Carthusiens the Cistersiens and manie other monkes and Nunnes of diuers religions howe they rise euerie night to serue our Lorde And therefore it were great shame to thee that thou shouldest waxe slowe and dull in so holie a worke where so manie laude prayse our Lorde O howe ioyous a life were it if we should nothinge else doe but with heart and mouth continuallye prayse our Lorde Nowe truelie yf we should neuer neede to eate drinke nor sleepe but that we might alwaye laude him and onelie take heede to spirituall studies then were we much more happie and blessed then we are nowe when we are bounde of necessitie to serue the bodie O would to God that these bodilie meates were turned into spirituall refections which alas for sorowe we taste but seldome VVhen a man is come to that perfection that he seeketh not his consolation in any creature then beginneth God first to sauour sweet vnto him and then he shall be contented with euery thinge that commeth be it in likinge or mislikinge Then shall he be glad for no worldlie profite be it neuer so great nor sorie for the wantinge of it for he hath set and established hym selfe whollie in God the which is vnto him all in all to whom nothing perisheth nor dyeth but all thinge liueth to hym and serueth him without ceassinge after his biddinge In euerie thinge remember the ende and that time lost can not be called againe VVithout labour and diligence thou shalte neuer get vertue If thou beginne to be negligent thou beginnest to be feeble and weake but yf thou applie thee to feruour thou shalt finde great helpe of God for the loue of vertue thou shalt finde lesse payne in all thy laboures then thou diddest first He that is seruent and louinge is alway quicke and readie to all thinges that be of God and to his honour It is more labour to resist vices and passions then it is to toyle and sweate in bodily labours He that will not flee small sinnes shalt be litle and litle fall into greater Thou shalt alway be glad at night when thou haste spent the daye before fruitfullye Take heede to thy selfe stirre thy selfe alwaye to deuotion Admonishe thy selfe and howesouer thou remember other forget not thy selfe and so much shalt thou profite in vertue as thou canst breake thine owne will and folowe the will of God Here beginneth the seconde Booke Of invvarde conuersation The firste Chapter THe kyngdome of God is within you saith Christ our Sauiour Turne thee therefore with all thy heart to God and forsake
this wretched worlde and thy soule shall finde great inwarde rest Learne to despise outwarde thinges and geue thy selfe to inward thinges and thou shalt see the kyngdome of God come into thy soule The kingdome of God is peace ioy in the holy ghoste that is not graunted to wicked people Our Lord Iesus Christ wil come to thee and will shew to thee his consolations If thou wilt make ready for him in thy heart a dwelling place that is all that he desireth to haue in thee and there is his pleasure to be There is betwixt almightie God and a deuout soule manye ghostly visitinges sweete inwarde speaking great giftes of grace many consolations muche heauenly peace wonderous familiaritie of the blessed presence of God Therefore thou faythfull soule prepare thy heart to Christe thy spouse that he maye come to thee and dwell in thee for he sayth him selfe VVho so loueth me will keepe my commaundement And my father and I the holy Ghoste shall come to him and we shall make in him our dwelling place Geue therfore to Christ free entrie into thy heart and keepe out all thinges that may let his entrye and when thou haste him thou arte riche ynough and he only shall suffise to thee and then he shalbe thy prouider and defender and thy faythful helper in euery necessitie so that thou shalt not neede to put thy trust in any other without him Man is soone changed lightly falleth away but Christe abideth for euer and stādeth strongly with his louer vnto the ende There is no great trust to be put in man that is but mortall frayle though he be right muche profitable and also much beloued vnto thee nor any great heauines to be taken though he sometime turne and be against thee for they that this day be with thee to morowe may happen to be against thee and may ofte turne as doth the winde Put thy full trust therfore in God and let him be thy loue and dreade aboue all thinges and he will answere for thee and will doe for thee in all thinges as shall be moste needeful and expedient for thee Thou haste here no place of long abiding for wheresoeuer thou become thou arte but a straunger and a pilgrime and neuer shalt thou finde perfect rest til thou be fullye vnited to God VVhy doest thou looke to haue rest here sith this is not thy resisting place Thy ful rest must be in heauenly thinges and all earthly thinges thou mnst beholde as thinges transitorye and shortly passing awaye and be well ware thou cleaue not ouermuche to them least thou be taken with loue of them and in the ende perishe thereby Let thy thought be alway vpward to god direct thy prayers to Christe continually and if thou maye not for frayltie of thy selfe alwaye occupye thy minde in contemplation of the godhead be then occupied with minde of his passion in his blessed woundes make thee a dwelling place And if thou flie deuoutly to the wound of Christes side and to the markes of his passion thou shalt feele great comforte in euery trouble and shalt litle force though thou be openly despised in the world what euil wordes soeuer be spoken of thee they shall litle greeue thee Our maister Christe was despised in the worlde of all men and in his most neede was forsaken of his acquaintaunce and frendes and lefte among shames and rebukes He would suffer wrongs and be nought set by in the world we will not that any person doe vs wrong nor disprayse our deedes Christ had many aduersaryes and backbiters and we would haue all to be our freendes and louers How should thy patience be crowned in heuen if no aduersitie shoulde be fall to thee in earth If thou wilt suffer none aduersitie howe mayest thou be the frende of Christe It behoueth thee to suffer with Christe for Christ if thou wilt reigne with Christ Truely if thou haddest once entred into the bloudy woundes of Iesu and haddest there tasted a litle of his loue thou shouldest litle care for lykinges or mislikinges of the worlde but thou shouldest rather haue greate ioye when wronges and reproufes were done vnto thee for perfecte loue of God maketh a man perfectlye to despise him selfe The true inwarde loue of God that is free from all inordinate affections maye anone turne him selfe freelye to God and lyfte him selfe vp in spirite in contemplation and fruitfullye rest him in Christe Also he to whom all thinges be esteemed as they be and not as they be taken and thought to be of wordly people is very wise and is rather taught of God then of man And he that can inwardly lifte his minde vpwarde to God and litle regard outward thinges needeth not for to seeke for time or place to goe to prayers or to doe other good deedes or vertuous occupations For the ghostlye man may soone gather him selfe together and fixe his minde in God for he neuer suffereth it to be fullye occupied in outward thinges And therefore his outward laboures his worlddlye occupations necessary for the time hinder him not but litle for as they come so he applieth him selfe to them and referreth them alwaye to the will of God Moreouer a man that is well ordred in his soule forceth litle the vnkind demeanour of worldlye people ne yet their proude behauiour As muche as a man loueth anye worldly thinge more then it should be beloued so muche his minde is hindred letted from the true ordinate loue that he should haue to God If thou wexe well purged from all inordinate affections then whatsoeuer should befall to thee should goe to thy ghostlie profite and to the great increasing of grace and vertue in thy soule But the cause why so many thinges displease thee and trouble thee is for that thou art not yet perfectlie dead to the worlde nor thou art not yet fullie seuered from the loue of earthly thinges and nothinge so much defileth the soule as an vncleane loue to creatures if thou forsake to be comforted by worldly thinges outwardlie thou mayest beholde more perfectly heauenlie things and thou shalt then singe continuallie laudes and praysinges to him with great ioye and inwarde gladnes of heart The whiche graunt thee and me the blessed Trinitie Amen Of a meeke knovving of our ovvne defaultes The second Chapter REgarde not muche who is with thee nor who is against thee but be this thy greatest studye that God may be with thee In euery thing that thou doest haue a good conscience and he shall well defende thee and whomsoeuer he will helpe and defende there may no malice hinder ne greeue If thou can be still and suffer a while thou shalt without doubt see the helpe of God come in thy neede He knoweth the time and place howe to deliuer thee and therefore thou must resigne thy selfe wholye to him It pertayneth to him to helpe and deliuer from all confusion Neuerthelesse
it is often times muche profitable to vs for the more surer keeping of meekenes that other men knowe our defaultes and reproue vs of them VVhen a man meeketh him selfe for his offences he lightly pleaseth other and reconcileth himselfe to them whom he hath offended The meeke man almightie God defendeth and comforteth to him he inclineth him selfe and sendeth him great plentye of his grace To him also he sheweth his secrettes and louingly draweth him to him and after his oppressions he lifteth him vp to glorie The meeke man when he hath suffred confusion and reproufe is in good peace for he trusteth in God and not in the worlde Moreouer if thou wilt come to the highnes of perfection thinke not thy selfe to haue profited any thinge in vertue til thou canst feele meekely in thine heart that thou haste lesse meekenes and lesse vertue then any other hath Hovve good it is for a man to be peacefull The 3. Chapter FIrste put thy selfe in peace and then mayest thou the better pacifie other A peacefull man and a patient profiteth more to him selfe and other also then a man learned who is vnpeacefull A man that is passionate turneth often times good into euill lightlie beleeueth the worse part but a good peacefull man turneth all thinge to the best and hath suspition to no man But he that is not content is ofte troubled with manye suspitions and neither is he quiet him selfe nor yet suffreth he other to be quiet He speketh oftē times that he shoulde not speake and he omitteth to speake that were more expedient to be spoken He considereth greatlye what other be bounde to doe but to that where vnto he him selfe is bounden he is full negligent Haue therefore firste a zeale and a respect to thy selfe and to thine owne soule and then mayest thou the more righteously and with the more due order of charitie haue zeale vpon thy neighboures Thou arte anone ready to excuse thine owne defaultes but thou wilt not heare the excuses of thy brethrē Truely it were more charitable and more profitable to thee that thou shouldest accuse thy selfe and excuse thy brother for if thou wilt be borne beare other Behold how farre thou art yet from perfect meekenes and charitie which can not be angry with none but with them selues It is no great thinge to be well conuersant with good and tractable men for that naturallie pleaseth all people and euery man gladlie hath peace with them and moste loueth them that folowe their appetite but to liue peaceablie with euill men and with frowarde men that lacke good maners and be vntaught and that be also contrarious vnto vs is a great grace and a manlie deede and muche to be praysed for it can not be done but through great ghostlie strength Some persons can be quiet them selues and can also liue quietlie with other and some can neither be quiet them selues nor yet suffer other to be quiet They be greeuous to other but they be more greeuous to them selues Some can keepe them selues in good peace and can also bringe other to liue in peace and neuerthelesse all our peace while we be in this mortall lyfe standeth more in meeke sufferinge of troubles and of thinges that be contrarious vnto vs then in the not feelinge of them for no man may liue here without some trouble And therefore he that can best suffer shall haue moste peace and is verie true ouercome of him selfe is a Lord of the world a frende to Christe and the true inheritour of the kingdome of heauen Of a pure mind and a simple intent The .4 Chapter MAn is borne vp from earthlye thinges with two winges that is to saye with plainnes and cleannes plainnes is in the intent cleannes is in the loue The good true and playne intēt looketh toward God but the cleane loue taketh a saye and tasteth his sweetnes If thou be free from all inordinate loue there shall no good deede hinder thee but that thou shalt therewith increase in the way of perfection If thou intende well and seeke nothinge but God and the profite of thine owne soule of thy neighbours thou shalt haue great inward libertie of minde And if thy heart be strayte with God then euery creature shall be to thee a mirrour of life a booke of holie doctrine for there is no creature so litle nor so vile but that it sheweth and representeth the goodnes of God And if thou were inwardlie in thy soule pure and cleaue thou shouldest then without lettinge take all thinges to the best A cleane heart pearceth both heauē and hell Such as a man in his conscience inwardlye suche he sheweth to be by his outward conuersation If there be any true ioye in this worlde that hath a man of a cleane cōscience And if there be anye where tribulation or anguishe an euill conscience knoweth it best Also as yron put into the fire is clensed fro ruste and is made all cleane and pure right so a man turninge him selfe whollie to God is purged from all slouthfulnes sodenlie is chaunged into a new man VVhen a man beginneth to waxe dull slowe to ghostlie busines then a litle labour feareth him greatlie and then taketh he gladly outward comfortes of the worlde and of the fleshe but when he beginneth perfectlye to ouercome him selfe and to walke strōglye in the way of God then he regardeth the laboures but litle that he thought before to be right greeuous and as importable to hym Of the knovvinge of our selfe The .5 Chapter VVe may not trust muche in our selues nor in our owne wit for ofte times through our presumption we lacke grace and right litle light of true vnderstanding is in vs and that we haue many times we lose through our owne negligēce and yet doe we not see neither will we see howe blinde we are Ofte times we doe euill and in defence thereof we doe muche worse and sometime we be moued with passion and we weene it to be of a zeale to god VVe can anone reproue small defaults in our neighbours but our owne defaults that be muche greater we will not see VVe feele anone and ponder greatly what we suffer of other out what other suffer of vs we will not consider But he that woulde well and righteously iudge his owne defaults shuld not so rigorously iudge the defaults of his neighbours A man that is inwardlye turned to God taketh heede of him selfe before all other and he that can well take heede of him selfe can lightly be still of other mens deedes Thou shalt neuer be an inward man and a deuout folower of Christe onlesse thou canste keepe thy selfe from medling on other mens deedes canste specially take heede of thine owne If thou take heede wholy to God and to thy selfe the defaultes which thou seest in other shall litle moue thee VVhere art thou when thou art not present to thy selfe And when thou haste all runne about and much
let him be kinde and thankefull for such grace as he hath receaued patient when it is withdrawen and praye deuoutlie that it may shortlie come againe Let him be meeke and lowa in spirite that he lose it not agayne through his presumption and pride of hart Of the small number of the louers of the Crosse The .11 Chapter IEsus hath many louers of his kingdome of heauen but he hath fewe bearers of his crosse Manie desire his consolation but fewe desire his tribulation He findeth many felowes at eatinge and drinkinge but he findeth fewe that will be with him in his abstineÌ„ce and fastinge All men would ioye with Christ but fewe would any thinge suffer for Christe Many folowe him to the breakinge of his breade for their bodilye refection but few will folowe him to drinke a draught of the Chalice of his passion Manie maruayle and honour his miracles but fewe will folowe the shame of his crosse of his other vilanies Manie loue Iesu so longe as no aduersitie foloweth to them and can prayse him and blesse him when they receyue any benefit of him but if Iesu a litle withdraw him selfe from them and a litle forsake them anone they fall to some great grudginge or to ouergreat defection or into open desperation But they that loue Iesu purelie for him selfe and not for their owne profite and commoditie they blesse him as hartilie in temptation and tribulatioÌ„ and in all other aduersities as they doe in tyme of consolation And yf he neuer sent them consolation yet woulde they alway laude him and prayse him O how may the loue of Iesu doe to the helpe of a soule if it be pure and cleane not mixt with any inordinate lone to him selfe truelie nothing more May not they then that euer looke for worldlie comfortes and for worldlie consolations be called worldly inarchants and worldly louers rather then louers of God do they not openlye shewe by their dedes that they rather loue them selfe than God yes truelye O where maye be founde anye that will serue God freely and purelye without looking for some rewarde for it agayne And where may be founde any so spirituall that he is cleerelye deliuered and bereft from loue of him selfe and that is truely poore in spirite and is whollye auoyded from loue of creatures I trowe noue suche can be found but it be far hence and in far countryes If a man geue all his substaunce for God yet he is naught and if he doe great penaunce for his sinnes yet he is but litle and if he haue great cunning and knowledge yet he is far from vertue and if he haue greate vertue and brenninge deuotion yet much wanteth in him And that is specially one thing which is moste necessarye to him what is that that all thinges forsaken and him selfe also forsaken he go cleerely from him selfe and keepe nothinge to him selfe of anye priuate loue and wheÌ„ he hath done all that he ought to doe that he feele in him selfe as he had nothinge done nor that he thinke it great that some other might thinke great but that he thinke him selfe truely as he is an vnprofitable feruant for the authour of truth our Sauiour Christe saith when ye haue done all that is commaunded you to doe yet saye that ye be but vnprofitable seruauntes Then he that can thus doe may well be called poore in spirite and naked of priuate loue and he may well say with the prophete Dauid I am vnited in God and am poore and meeke in heart There is none more riche none more free nor any of more power then he that can forsake him selfe and all passinge thinges and that truelye can holde him selfe to be lowest and vilest of all other Of the vvay of the Crosse and bovve profitable patience is in aduersitie The 12. Chapter THe wordes of our Sauiour â—e thought very harde and greeuous wheÌ„ he saith thus Forsake your leife take the Crosse and folowe me But much more greeuous shall it be to heare these wordes at the last daye of iudgement Go ye from me ye cursed people into the fire that euer shall last But those that nowe gladlie heare and folowe the wordes of Christ whereby he counsaileth them to folowe him shall not then neede to dreade for hearinge those wordes of euerlastinge damnation The signe of the Crosse shall appere in heaueÌ„ when our Lorde shall come to iudge the worlde and the seruantes of the Crosse who conformed them selues here in this life to Christe crucified on the Crosse shal go to Christe their Iudge with greate fayth and trust in him VVhy doest thou then dreade to take this Crosse sith it is the verye waye to the kingdome of heauen and none but that In the Crosse is health in the Crosse is life in the Crosse is defense from our enemies in the crosse is infusion of heauenlie sweetnes in the Crosse is the strength of minde the ioye of spirite the highnes of vertue and the full perfection of all holines and there is no health of soule nor hope of euerlasting life but through vertue of the crosse Take therefore the Crosse and folowe Iesus and thou shalt goe into the lyfe euerlastinge He hath gone before thee bearinge his Crosse and died for thee vpon the Crosse that thou shouldest in like wise beare with him the Crosse of penance and tribulation and that thou shouldest be readie likewise for his loue to suffer death if neede require as he hath done for thee If thou die with him thou shalt liue with him and if thou be felowe with him in paine thou shalt be with him in glorie Beholde then how in the Crosse standeth all howe in dyinge to the worlde lieth all our health that there is no other waye to true and inward peace but the waye of the Crosse and of deadlie mortifyinge of the bodie to the spirite So whether thou wilt and seeke what thou list and thou shalt neuer finde aboue thee nor beneath thee within thee nor without thee more high more excellent nor more sure waye to Christ then the waye of the holy crosse Dispose euery thinge after thy will and thou shalt neuer finde but that thou must of necessitie somewhat suffer eyther with thy will or against thy will and so shalt thou alwaye finde the Crosse for either thou shalt feele paine in thy bodie or in thy soule thou shalt haue trouble of spirit Thou shalt be sometime as thou were forsaken of God Sometime thou shalt be vexed with thy neighbour and that is yet more painefull thou shalt sometime be greeuous to thy selfe and thou shalt find no meane to be deliuered but that it behoueth thee to suffer til it shall please almightie god of his goodnes otherwise to dispose for thee for he will that thou shalt learne to suffer tribulation without coÌ„solatioÌ„ that thou mayest therby learne whollie to submit thy selfe to him and by tribulation to be made more meeke then thou were
vnwoorthy al comfort I blesse thee and glorifye thee alwaye with thy onelye begotten sonne and the holy Ghoste without endinge Amen O my Lord God moste faythfull louer when thou commest into my heart all mine inwarde partes doe ioye Thou art my glorie and the ioye of my heart my hope and wholle refuge in all my troubles But forasmuche as I am yet feeble in loue vnperfect in vertue therefore I haue neede of more comforte and helpe of thee Vouchsafe therefore ofte times to visite and instruct me with thy holye teachinges Deliuer me from all euill passions and heale my sicke hart from all inordinate affections that I may be inwardlie healed and purged from all inordinate affections and vices and be made apte and able to loue thee stronge to suffer for thee and stable to perseuer in thee Loue is a great thinge and a good and onelie maketh heauye burdens light and beareth in like balaunce things pleasaūt and displeasant it beareth a heauie burden and feeleth it not and maketh bitter thinges to be sauerie and sweete Also the noble loue of Iesu perfectlie printed in mans soule maketh a man to doe great thinges and stirreth him alwaye to desire perfection and to growe more and more in grace and goodnes Loue will alwaye haue his minde vpwarde to god and will not be occupied with loue of the worlde Loue will also be free from all worldlie affections that the inwarde sight of the soule be not darked or let nor that his affectiō to heauenly thinges be put from his free libertie by inordinat winninge or losinge of worldly thinges Nothinge therefore is more sweete then loue nothinge higher nothinge stronger nothinge larger nothinge ioyfuller nothinge fuller nor any thinge better in heauen or in earth for loue descendeth from God and may not rest finallie in anye thinge lower then God Suche a louer flieth high he runneth swiftlie he is merie in God he is free in soule he geneth all for all and hath all in all for he resteth in one high goodnes aboue all thinges of whom all goodnes floweth and proceedeth the beholdeth not onelee the gifte but the geuer aboue all giftes Loue knoweth no measure but is feruent without measure It feeleth no burden it regardeth no labour it desireth more thē it may attaine it complaineth of none impossibilitie for it thinketh all thinge that maye be done for his beloued possible and lawfull vnto him Loue therefore doth many great thinges and bringeth them to effect wherein he that is no louer fainteth and faileth Loue waketh muche and sleepeth litle and sleepinge sleepeth not it fainteth and is not werie is restrained of libertie and is in great freedome He seeth causes of feare and feareth not but as a quicke bronde or sparkle of fire flameth alwaye vpwarde by feruoure of loue into God through the especiall helpe of grace is deliuered from all perils and daungers He that is thus a ghostlie louer knoweth well what his voyce meanes which sayeth thus Thou Lorde God art my wholle loue and my desire thou art all mine and I all thine Spreade thou my heart into thy loue that I may taste and feele howe sweete it is to serue thee and how ioyful it is to laude thee aud to be as I were all molten into thy loue O I am bounden in loue and go farre aboue my selfe for the wonderfull great feruour that I feele of thy vnspeakeable goodnes I shall singe to thee the songe of loue and I shall folowe thee my beloued by highnes of thought wheresoeuer thou go and my soule shall neuer be werie to prayse thee with the ioyfull songe of ghostlie loue that I shall sing to thee I shall loue thee more then my selfe and not my selfe but for thee and all other in thee and for thee as the lawe of loue commaundeth which is geuen by thee Loue is swifte pure meeke ioyous and glad stronge patient faythfull wise forbearing manlye neuer seeking him selfe nor his owne will for whensoeuer a man seeketh him selfe he falleth fro loue Also loue is circumspect meeke righteous not tender not light nor heedinge vayne thinges sober chaste stable quiet and well stabled in his outwarde wittes Also loue is subiect and obedient to his prelate vile and despisable in his owne sight deuout and thankfull to God trusting and alwaye hoping in him and that whē he hath but litle deuotion or litle sauor in him for without some sorowe or payne no man may lyue in loue He that is not alwaye redy to suffer and to stand fullye at the will of his beloued is not woorthy to be called a louer for it behoueth a louer to suffer gladlye all harde and bitter thinges for his beloued and not to decline from his loue for no contrariou thing that may befall vnto him Of the proufe of a true louer of God The 7. Chapter MY sonne saith our Sauiour Christe thou art not yet a stronge and a wyse louer for whye for a litle aduersitie thou leauest anone that thou haste begon in my seruice and with great desire thou seekest outward consolatiōs But a strong and a faithful louer of God standeth stable in all aduersities and geueth litle heede to the deceitfull persuasions of the enemy and as he pleseth him in prosperitie so he displeaseth him not in aduersitie A wise louer cōsidereth not so much the gifte of his louer as he doth the loue of the geuer He regardeth more the loue then the gifte and accompteth all giftes litle in comparison of his beloued who geueth them to him A noble louer resteth not in the gifte but in me aboue all giftes Furthermore it is not all lost though thou sometime feele lesse deuotion to me and to my Saintes then thou wouldest doe on that other syde the sweete ghostly desire that thou feelest sometime to thy Lord Iesu is the feleable gift of grace geuen to thy comfort in this life a taste of the heauenly glory in the lyfe to come but it is not good that thou leane ouermuch to such cōfortes for they ligthly come and go after the will of the geuer but to striue alwaye without ceassing against all euill motiōs of sinne and to despise all the suggestions of the enemy is a token of perfect loue of great merite singuler grace Let no vanities nor no strange fantasies trouble thee of what matter soeuer they be Keepe thine intent and thy purpose alway whole and strong to me and thinke not that it is an illusion that thou art sodenlie rauished into excesse of minde and that thou art soone after turned agayne to thy fyrst lightnesse of hart for thou suffrest suche lightnesse rather against thy will than with thy will And therefore if thou be displeased therewith it shal be to thee great merite and no perdition I knowe sayth our Lorde that the olde auncient enimie the feende will assay to let thy good wil and to extinct the good desire that thou hast to
God in nothing regardeth him selfe but fullie in his heart can despise him selfe also coueteth to be despised of other then maye he haue good trust that he hath somewhat profited in grace and that he shall in the ende haue great rewarde of God for his good trauaile Amen Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God The 9. Chapter SHall I Lorde Iesu dare speake to thee that am but duste and ashes verilie yf I thinke my selfe any better then ashes duste thou standest against me also myne owne sinnes beare witnes against me that I may not withsaye it but if I despise my selfe and set my selfe at naught and thinke my selfe but ashes and dust as I am then thy geace shall be nigh vnto me and the light of true vnderstandinge shall enter into my heart so that all presumption pride in me shall be drowned in the vale of meekenes through perfect knowinge of my wretchednes Thorough meekenes thou shalt shewe vnto me what I am what I haue bene and from whence I came for I am nought and knewe it not If I be left to my selfe theÌ„ am I nought and all is feeblenes and imperfection But if thou vouchesafe a litle to beholde me anone I am made stronge and am â—illed with a newe ioye and meruaile it is that I wretch am so soone lift vp from my vnstablenes into the beholdinge of heauenlie thinges and that I am so louinglie lifted vp of thee that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to earthlie likinges But thy loue Lorde causeth all this which preuenteth me and helpeth me in all my necessities and keepeth me warily from all perils daungers that I daylye am like to fall into I haue lost thee and also my selfe by inordinate loue that I haue had to my selfe and in seekinge of thee againe I haue founde both thee and me and therefore I will more deeply from henceforth set my selfe at naught and more diligentlye seeke thee then in time paste I haue done for thou Lorde Iesu thou doest to me aboue all my merites aboue all that I can aske or desire But blessed be thou in all thy workes for though I be vnworthy any good things yet thy goodnes neuer ceasseth to doe well to me also to manye other which be vnkind to thee and that are turned right farre from thee Turne vs Lorde therefore to thee agayne that we maye heÌ„ceforward be louing thankfull meeke deuout to thee for thou act our health thou art our vertue and all our strength in body and soule and none but thou to thee therfore be ioy and glory euerlastingly in the blisse of heauen Amen Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God as ende of euery vvorke The .10 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ I must be the ende of all thy workes if thou desire to be happy and blessed And if thou referre all goodnes to me from whom all goodnes commeth then shall be purged and made cleane in thee thine inwarde affections which els would be euill inclined to thy selfe and to other creatures If thou seeke thy selfe in any thing as ende of thy worke anone thou faylest in thy doinge and waxest drie and barrein froÌ„ all moysture of grace VVherfore thou must referre all thinges to me for I geue all Behold therfore all things as they be flowinge and springinge out of my soueraine goodnes and reduce all thinges to me as to their originall beginninge for of me both small and great poore and riche as of a quicke springinge wall drawe water of life He that serueth me freelie and with good will shall receaue grace for grace But he that will glorifie him selfe in him selfe or willfully ioye in any thinge beside me shall not be stablished in perfect ioye nor be delated in soule but he shalbe letted anguished many wayes from the true freedome of spirite Thou shalt therefore ascribe no goodnes to thy selfe nor thou shalt not thinke that any person hath anye goodnes of him selfe but that thou yeelde alwaye the goodnes to me without whom man hath nothing I haue geuen all and all will I haue againe and with great straitnes will I looke to haue thankings therefore This is the truth whereby is driuen awaye all maner of vaine glorye and pride of heart If heauenly grace and perfect charitie enter into thy hart then shall there no enuie nor vnquietnes of mind neither any priuate loue haue rule in thee For the charity of God shal ouercome all thinges and shall dilate and inflame all the powers of thy soule VVherfore if thou vnderstandest a right thou shalt neuer ioye but in me and in me onelie thou shalt haue trust for no man is good but God alone who is aboue all thinges to be honoured and in all thinges to be blessed That it is svveete and delectable to serue God and to forsake the vvorlde The 11. Chapter NOw shall I speake againe to thee my Lorde Iesu and not ceasse And I shall say in the eares of my Lord my God and king that is in heauen O howe great is the aboundance of thy sweetenes which thou haste hidde and kept for theÌ„ that dreade thee But what is it then to them that loue thee that with all their hart do serue thee verily it is the vnspeakeable swetenes of contemplation that thou geuest to them that loue thee In this Lord thou hast moste shewed the swetenes of thy charitie to me that wheÌ„ I was not thou madest me and when I erred farre from thee thou broughtest me againe to serue thee and thou coÌ„maundest me also that I shall loue thee O fountaine of loue euerlasting what shal I say of thee howe maye I forget thee that hast vouchedsafe to louinglye to remember me VVheÌ„ I was like to haue perished thou shewedst thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde thinke and desyre and hast sent me of thy grace and loue aboue my merites But what shall I geue thee againe for all this goodnes It is not geuen to all men to forsake the worlde to take a solitarye life and only to serue thee yet it is no great thing to serue thee whom euery creature is bounde to serue It ought not therefore to seeme any great thing to me to serue thee but rather it should seeme maruel and wonder to me that thou wilt vouchsafe to receaue so poore and so vnworthy a creature as I am into thy seruice and that thou wilt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruantes Lo Lorde all thinges that I haue all that I doe thee seruice with is thine and yet thy goodnes is suche that thou rather seruest me then I thee for lo heauen earth planets and starres with their contents which thou hast created to serue man be readye at thy biddinge and doe daylye that thou haste commaunded And thou haste also ordeyned aungels to the minysterie of man But aboue all this thou
Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christe he that laboureth to withdrawe him from obedience withdraweth hym from grace And he that seeketh to haue priuate thinges loseth the thinges that be in common If a man can not gladlie submit him selfe to his superiour it is a token that his fleshe is not yet fullie obedient to the spirite but that it ofte rebelleth and murmureth Therefore yf thou desire to ouercome thy selfe and to make thy fleshe obeye meekelye to the will of the spirit learne first to obeye gladlye to thy superiour The outward enemye is the sooner ouercome yf the inner man that is the soule be not feebled nor wasted There is none worse nor any more greeuous enemye to the soule then thy selfe if thy fleshe be not well agreeinge to the will of the spirite It behoueth the therfore that thou haue a true despisinge and contempt of thy selfe yf thou wilt preuayle against thy fleshe and bloud But forasmuch as thou yet louest thy selfe inordinatlie therefore thou fearest to resigne thy will whollie to another mans will But what greate thinge is it to thee that art but doste and nought if thou subdue thy selfe to man for my sake when I that am almightie moste highe God maker of all thinges subdued my selfe mekelye to man for thy sake I made my selfe moste meeke and most lowe of all men that thou shoudest learne to ouercome thy pride through my meekenes Learne therefore thou ashes to be tractable learne thou earth and dust to be meeke and to bowe thy selfe vnder euerye mans foote for my sake learne to breake thine owne will to be subiect to all men in thine heart Rise in great wrath against thy selfe and suffer not pryde to reygne in thee but shewe thy selfe so litle and obedient and so noughtie in thine owne sight that as thee thinkes all men maye righteouslye go ouer thee and tread vpō the as vpon earth or claye O vaine man what haste thou to complaine O thou fowle sinner what mayest thou righteously say against them that reproue thee sith thou haste so ofte offended God and haste also so ofte deserued the paynes of hell But neuerthelesse my eye of mercie hath spared thee for thy soule is precious in my sight that thou shouldest thereby knowe the greate loue that I haue to thee and be therfore the more thankful to me againe and geue thy selfe to perfect true subiection and meekenes and to be ready in hart patiently to suffer for my sake thine owne contemptes and despisings whensoeuer they shal happen to fal vnto thee Amen Of the secrete and hid iudgementes of God to be considered that vve be not proude of our good deedes The .15 Chapter LOrd thou soundest thy iudgementes terribly vpon me and fillest my body bones with great feare and dreade my soule also trembleth very sore for I am greatly astonied for that I see that heauens be not clene in thy sight for sith thou foundest default in angels and sparedst thē not what shall become of me that am but vile and stinking carreyne Stars fel from heauen and I dust and ashes what should I presume Also some people that seemed to haue great workes of vertue haue fallen full lowe And suche as were fed with meate of aungels I haue seene after delyte in swynes meate that is to saye in fleshlye pleasures VVherefore it may be well sayde and verifyed that there is no holynes nor goodnes in vs if thou with drawe thy hand of mercy from vs nor that no wisedome maye auayle vs if thou Lorde gouerne it not nor any strength helpe if thou ceasse to preserue vs no sure chastitie can be if thou Lorde defende it not nor any sure keeping may profite vs if thy holy watchfulnes be not present for if we be forsaken of thee anone we be drowned and perishe but if thou a litle visite vs with thy grace we anone liue and be lifte vp agayne VVe be vnstable vnlesse thou confirme vs we be colde and dul but if by thee we be stirred to feruoure of spirite O howe meekely and abiectly ought I therfore to iudge of my selfe how much ought I in my heart to despise my selfe though I be holden neuer so good and holy in sight of the world and howe profoundly ought I to submit me to thy deepe and profound iudgementes sith I finde in my selfe nothinge els but naught and naught O substaunce that may not be pondered O Sea that may not be sailed in thee and by thee I finde that my substaunce is nothing and ouer all naught where is nowe the shadowe of this worldlye glorie and where is the trust that I had in it Truelie it is vanished awaye through the deepenes of thy secrete and hidde Iudgementes vpon me VVhat is fleshe in thy sight how may clay glorifye him selfe against his maker how may he be deceaued with vain prayses whose heart in truth is subiect to god All the worlde may not lift him vp into pride whō truth that God is hath perfectly made subiect vnto him nor he may not be deceaued with any flattering that putteth his whole trust in God For he seeth well that they that speake be vaine and nought and that they shall shortly faile with the sounde of wordes but the truth of God alway abideth Hovv a man shall order him selfe in his desires The .16 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ thus shalt thou say in euerye thing that thou desirest Lorde if it be thy will be it done as I aske and if it be to thy praysing be it fulfilled in thy name And if thou see it good and profitable to me geue me grace to vse it to thy honoure But if thou knowe it hurtfull to me and not profitable to the health of my soule then take from me suche desire Euery desire cōmeth not of the holy ghoste though it seeme rigteous good for it is sometime full harde to iudge whether a good spirit or an euil moueth thee to this thing or to that or whether thou be moued of thyne owne spirite Many be deceued in the ende which first seemed to haue beene moued of the holy ghoste Therfore with dreade of God and with meekenes of heart it is to desire and aske whatsoeuer commeth to our minde to be desired and asked and with a whole forsakinge of our selfe to committe all thinges to God and to saye thus Lorde thou knowest what thing is to me moste profitable doe this or that after thy will geue me what thou wilt asmuch as thou wilt and when thou wilt Doe with me as thou knowest best to be done and as it shall please thee and as shall be moste to thy honoure Put me where thou wilt and freelye doe with me in all thinges after thy will Thy creature I am and in thine handes leade me and turne me where thou wilte loe I am thy seruaunt ready to all thinges that thou commaundest for I desire not to lyue to
my selfe but to thee VVoulde to God it might be worthilye and profitablye and to thy honoure Amen A prayer that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled The 17. Chapter MOst benigne Lorde Iesu graunt me thy grace that it maye be alway with me and worke with me and perseuer with me vnto the end And that I may euer desire and wil that is most pleasaunt and acceptable to thee Thy will be my will and my will alwaye to folowe thy will best accord therewith Be there alwaye in me one will and one desire with thee and that I may haue no power to will or to not will but as thou wilt or wilt not And graunt me that I maye dye to all thinges that be in the world and for thee to loue to be despised and to be as a man vnknowen in this world Graunt me also aboue all thinges that can be desired that I may rest me in thee and fullye in thee pacifye my heart for thou Lord art the very true peace of heart and the perfect rest of bodye and soule and without thee all thinges be greeuous and vnquiet VVherefore in that peace that is in thee one high one blessed and one endlesse goodnes shall I alwaye rest me so may it be Amen That the verye true solace comfort is in god The .18 Chapter VVhat at soeuer I may desire or thinke to my cōfort I abide it not here but I trust to haue it hereafter for if I alone might haue all the solace and comfort of this worlde might vse the delites thereof after mine owne desire without sinne it is certaine that they might not long endure wherefore my soule may not fully be comforted nor perfectly refreshed but in God onely who is the comfort of the poore in spirite and the embracer of the meeke and lowly in heart Abide my soule abide the promise of god thou shalt haue aboundance of all goodnes in heauen If thou inordinatelye couete these goodnes present thou shalt lose the goodnes eternal Haue therfore goods present in vse and eternall in desire Thou mayest in no maner be satiate with temporal goodes for thou art not created so to vse thē as to rest thee in them for if thou alone haddest all the goodes that euer were created made thou mightest not theefore be happy and blessed but thy blessedfulnes and full felicitie standeth only in God that hath made all thinges of nought And that is not such felicitie as is commended of the foolishe louers of the worlde but such as good christen men women hope to haue in the blisse of heauen and as some ghostlye persons cleane and pure in heart sometime doe taste here in this present life whose conuersation is in heauen All worldly solace and all mans comfort is vaine and short but that comfort is blessed and soothfast that is perceaued by truth inwardly in the hart A deuout folower of God beareth alway about with him his comforter that is Iesu and sayeth thus vnto him My Lord Iesu I beseech thee that thou be with me in euery place and euerye time and that it be to me a special solace gladly for thy loue to want all mans solace And if thy solace want also that thy will and thy righteous prouing and assaying of me may be to me a singuler comfort and a high solace Thou shalt not alwaye be angrie with me neither shalt thou alwaye threate me So may it be Amen That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God The .19 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde to his seruant suffer me to doe with thee what I will for I knowe what is best and most expedient for thee Thou workest in many thinges after thy kindlie reason and after as thy affection and thy worldlie pollicie stirreth thee and so thou mayest lightlie erre and be deceued O Lorde it is true all that thou sayest thy prouidēce is much more better for me then all that I can doe or say of my selfe VVherfore it may well be sayde and verified that he standeth very casuallye that setteth not his wholle trust in thee Therefore Lorde while my witte abideth stedfast stable doe with me in all thinges as it pleaseth thee for it may not be but well all that thou doest If thou wilt that I be in light be thou blessed and if thou wilt that I be in darkenes be thou also blessed If thou vouchsafe to comfort me be thou highly blessed And if thou wilt that I shall liue in trouble and without all cōfort be thou in likewise muche blessed My sonne so it behoueth to be with thee if thou wilt walke with me as readye must thou be to suffer as to ioye and as gladlie be needye and poore as wealthy and riche Lorde I will gladlie suffer for thee whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fal vpon me Indifferētly will I take of thy hande good and bad bitter and sweete gladnes and sorowe and for all thinges that shall befal vnto me hartily wil I thanke thee Keepe me Lorde from sinne and I shall neither dreade death nor hel Put not my name out of the booke of life and it shall not greeue me what trouble soeuer befal vpon me That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde I descended from heauen and for thy health haue I takē thy miseries not compelled therto of necessitie but of my charitie that thou shouldest learne to haue patiēce with me not to disdayne to beare the miseries wretchednes of this life as I haue done for thee for from the first houre of my birth vnto my death vpō the crosse I was neuer without some sorowe or paine I had great lacke of temporall thinges I heard great cōplaintes made on me I suffered beningely many shames rebukes for my benefites I receaued vnkindnes for my miracles blasphemies for my true doctrine many reproufes O Lorde forasmuche as thou wert founde patient in thy life fulfilling in that moste specially the will of thy father it is seeming that I moste wretched sinner beare me patiently after thy will in all thinges and as long as thou wilt that I for mine owne health beare the burden of this corruptible life for though this life be tedious and as an heauy burden to the soule yet neuerthelesse it is nowe through thy grace made very meritorious and by exāple of thee of thy holie saints it is now made to weak persons more sufferable cleere and also muche more comfortable then it was in the olde lawe when the gates of heauen were shet and the waye thitherwarde was darke and so fewe did couet to seeke it And yet they that were then righteous and were ordeined to be saued before thy blessed passion and death might neuer haue come thither O what thankes am I bounde therfore to yeelde to thee that so louingly haste vouchedsafe to
to loue the world and dryueth out of their hartes all heauenlie desires insomuch that many accompt it as a ioye of Paradise to liue vnder such sēsible pleasures and that is because they neither haue seene nor tasted the sweetnes in God nor the inwarde gladnes that cōmeth of vertues But they that perfectly despise the worlde and that studie to liue vnder holie discipline be not ignoraunt of the heauenlie sweetnes that is promised vnto ghostlie liuers and they see also howe greeuouslie the world erreth and howe greeuouslie it is deceyued in diuers maners Hovve a man shoulde rest in God aboue all thinges The 23. Chapter ABoue all thinges and in all thinges rest thou my soule in thy Lorde God for he is the eternall rest of all Angels and saintes Geue me Lord Iesus this speciall grace for to reste me in thee aboue all creatures aboue all helth and fayrenes aboue all glorye and honour aboue all dignitie and power aboue all cunninge and pollicie aboue all riches craftes aboue all gladnes of bodye and soule aboue all fame and praysing aboue all sweetnes and consolation aboue all hope and repromission aboue all merite and desire aboue all giftes rewardes that thou mayest geue or sende beside thy selfe and aboue all ioy and mirth that mans heart or minde may take or feele And also aboue all Angels and Archangels and aboue the company of heauenlie spirites aboue all thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thing that is not thy selfe For thou O Lord God art most best most highest most mightest most sufficient and most full of goodnes moste sweete moste comfortable moste fayre moste louinge moste noble and moste glorious aboue all thinge in whom all goodnes is together perfectlie and fully hath beene and shall be And therefore whatsoeuer thou geuest me beside thy selfe it is lytle and insufficient to me for my heart may not rest nor fullye be pacifyed but in thee so that it ascendeth aboue all giftes and also aboue all maner of thinges that be created O my Lorde Iesu Christ moste louing spouse moste purest louer and gouernoure of euerye creature who shall geue me winges of perfect libertie that I may fite high and rest me in thee O when shall I fullie tende to thee and see and feele how sweete thou art whē shall I wholly gather my selfe together in thee so perfectlye that I shall not for thy loue feele my selfe but thee onelie aboue my selfe and aobue all bodilie thinges and that thou visite me in such wise as thou doest visite thy faythfull louers Nowe I ofte mourne and complaine the miseries of this life and with sorowe and woe beare thē with right great heauines for many euill thinges happen daylie in this lyfe which ofte times trouble me and make me verie heauie greatlie darken mine vnderstanding They hinder me greatly and put my minde from thee and so encomber me many wayes that I can not haue free minde cleane desire to thee nor haue thy sweete imbracinges that to thy blessed Saintes be alwaye present VVherefore I beseeche thee Lorde Christ Iesu that the sighinges and the inwarde desires of my hart with my manifolde desolutions may somewhat moue thee and incline thee to heare me O Iesu the light and brightnes of euerlasting glory the ioy and comfort of all christien people that are walking labouring as pilgrimes in the wyldernes of this world my harte cryeth to thee by still desires without voyce and my silence speaketh vnto thee and sayth thus How longe carieth my Lorde God to come to me verilie I trust that he will shortlie come to me his poorest seruant and comfort me and make me ioyous glad in him And that he will deliuer me from all anguishe and sorowe Come Lord come for without thee I haue no glad daye nor houre for thou art all my ioye gladnes and without thee my soule is barren and voyde I am a wretche and in maner in prison and bounde with fetters till thou through the light of thy gracious presēce vouchsafe to visit me and to refresh me and to bring me againe to libertie of spirite and that thou vouchsafe to shewe thy fauourable and louinge countenance vnto me Let other seeke what they will but trulye there is nothinge that I will seeke nor that shall please me but thou my Lorde God my hope and euerlastinge helth I shall not cease of prayer till thy grace returne to me againe that thou speake inwardly to my soule saye thus Lo I am here I am come to thee for thou haste called me thy teares the desyre of thy hart thy meeknes and thy contrition haue bowed me downe and brought me to thee And I shall saye agayne Lorde I haue called thee and I haue desyred to haue thee ready to forsake all things for thee thou first haste stirred me to seeke thee VVherefore be thou alwaye blessed that haste shewed suche goodnes to me after the multitude of thy mercy VVhat hath thy seruant Lorde more to doe or saye but that he meeken him selfe before thy maiestie and euer haue in minde his owne iniquitie There is none like to thee Lorde in heauen nor in earth thy workes be good thy iudgementes be righteous by thy prouidence all things be gouerned VVherefore to thee which art the wisedome of the father be euerlasting ioy glory and I humbly beseech thee that my body and soule my harte and tounge and all thy creatures maye alwaye laude thee and blesse thee Amen Of remembringe of the great and manyfolde benefites of God The 24. Chapter OPen mine hart Lorde into the beholding of thy lawes and in thy cōmaundements teach me to walke geue me grace to knowe and to vnderstand thy will and with great reuerence and diligent consideratiō to remember thy manyfold benefites that I may from henceforth yeld to thee due thankes for thē againe But I knowe and confesse it for truth that I am not able to yeld to thee condigne thankinges for the least benefite that thou hast geuen me for I am lesse then the least benefite that thou hast geuen And whē I beholde thy noblenes and woorthines my spirite dreadeth and trembleth very sore for the greatnes therof O Lord all that we haue in body in soule inwardly outwardlye naturally or supernaturallye they be thy benefites and shew thee openly to be a blessed and good benefactour of whom we haue receiued such giftes And though one hath receaued more and another lesse yet they all be thy giftes without thee the least can not be had and he that hath more receaued may not rightfully glorify him selfe therein as though he had gotten it by his owne merite nor exalt him selfe aboue other nor disdayne other nor despise his inferiours therfore for he is greatest and moste acceptable to thee that least ascribeth to him selfe and that is for suche giftes the more meeke and deuout in yeldinge thankes to thee for
them agayne And he that through meekenes can holde him selfe moste vile and moste vnwoorthy of all other is the more apt to receaue of thy hande more larger giftes And he that hath receaued the fewer giftes ought not therefore to be heauy or to disdaine at it nor to be enuious against them that haue receaued the greater but rather he ought to lifte his minde vpwarde to thee and highlye to laude and prayse thy name that thou so liberallye so louinglye and so freelye withou acceptinge of persons departest thy giftes among thy people all thinges come of thee and therefore thou art in all thinges to be blessed Thou knowest what is expedient to be geuen to euery person and why one hath lesse and another more it is not for vs to reason or discusse but to thee onelye by whom the merites of euery man shall be discussed VVherefore Lorde I accompt it for a great benefite not to haue many giftes whereby outwardlie after maÌ„s iudgement laude and praysinge should folow And ouer that as me seemeth although a man consider and beholde his owne pouertie and the vilenes of his owne person he ought not therefore to take griefe heauines or deâ—ection but rather to conceaue thereby greate gladnes of soule for thou haste chosen and daylie doest chose poore meeke persons suche as be despised in the worlde to be thy familier and housholde seruauntes witnes thy Apostles whom thou madest princes of al the worlde which neuerthelesse were conuersaunt amonge the people without complayninge or missaying so meeke and simple without all malice and disceipte that they ioyed to suffer reproufes for thy name so farreforth that such thinges as the world abhorreth and flieth they coueted with great desire Thus it appeareth that there ought nothinge so much to comfort and glad thy louer and him that hath receaued thy benefites as that thy will and pleasure in him be fullfilled after the eternall disposition of him from the beginninge wherewith he ought to be so well contented and pleased that he woulde as gladly be holden least as other woulde be holden most and as peacefull woulde he be as well pleased in the lowest place as in the highest and as glad to be despised and abiect and of no name nor reputation in the world as other to be nobler or greater for thy will Lorde and the honour of thy name ought to excell all thinges and more ought it to please and comfort thy louer then all other benefits geuen or that might be geuen vnto him Of foure things that bring peace into the soule The 25. Chapter My sonne nowe shal I teach thee the very true waye of peace and of perfect libertie O Lorde Iesu doe as thou sayest for that is ryght ioyous for me to heare Studye my sonne rather to fulfill another mans will then thine owne Those alwaye to haue litle worldly riches rather then much seeke also the lowest place and desire to be vnder other rather then aboue and couete alwaye and praye that the will of God be whollye done in thee Lo such a person entreth soothfastlie into the verye true waye of peace and inward quietnes O Lorde this short lesson that thou haste taught me conteyneth in it selfe much high perfection It is shorte in wordes but it is full of sentence and fruitfull in vertue for if it were well and faithfullie kepte of me vnrestfulnes shoulde not so lightly spring in me as it hath done For as ofte as I feele my selfe vnrestfull and not contented I finde that I haue gone from this lesson and from this good doctrine But thou Lorde Iesu who hast all thinges vnder thy gouuernaunce and alwaye louest the health of mans soule increase more grace in me that I maye from henceforth fulfill these teachinges and that I may doe alway that shalbe to thy honoure and to the health of my soule Amen A prayer against euill thoughtes The .26 Chapter My Lorde Iesu I beseeche thee be not farre from me but come shortlye helpe me for vaine thoughtes haue risen in mine hart and worldly dredes haue troubled me verie sore howe shall I breake them downe howe shall I passe vnhurt without thy helpe I shall go before thee sayth our Lorde and I shall driue awaye the pride of thy hart then shal I set open to thee the gates of ghostlie knowledge and shall shew to thee the priuities of my secretes O Lorde doe as thou sayest and then shall flee from me all wicked fantasies and truelie this is my hope and my onelie comfort to flee to thee in euery trouble stedfastlie to trust in thee inwardlie to call to thee and patientlie to abyde thy comminge and thy heauenlie consolations which I trust shall shortlie come to me Amen A prayer for clarifying of mans minde The .27 Chapter CLarifie me Lorde Iesu with the cleerenes of the euerlastinge light and driue out of my heart all maner of darknes and all vaine imaginations fight stronglie for me and driue awaye the euill beastes that is to saye all my euill and wicked coÌ„cupiscences that peace of conscience may enter and haue full rule in me and that aboundaunce of lawde and praysinge of thy name maye sound continuallie in the chamber of my soule that is to saye in a pure cleane coÌ„science in me Commaunde the windes and tempestes of pride to ceasse bid the sea of worldlie couetise to be in rest and charge the north winde that is to saye the fiendes temptatioÌ„ that it blowe not and then shalbe great tranquillitie and peace in me Send out thy light truth of ghostlye knowledge that it maye shine vpon the earth barreyne and dry and sende downe thy grace from aboue and therewith annoynt my dry heart and geue me the water of inward deuotion to moiste therwith the drines of my soule that It may bring forth some good fruite that shall be liking and pleasaunt to thee Rayse vp my minde that is sore oppressed with the heauy burdeÌ„ of sinne and lifte vp my desire to the loue of heauenly thinges that by a taste of the heauenlie felicitie it may lothe to thinke on any earthly thinges Take me Lorde and deliuer me from the vile consolation of creatures which must of necessitie short lie perishe and fayle For there is nothing created that may fullye satisfye mine appetite Ioyne me therefore to thee with a sure bonde of heauenly loue for thou onely suffisest to thy louer And without thee all thinges be vaine and of no substaunce That it is not good to searche curiouslye another mans lyfe The 28. Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde looke thou be not curious in searchinge of any other mans lyfe neyther doe thou busie thy selfe with those thinges which doe not belonge vnto thee VVhat is this or that to thee folow thou me VVhat is it to thee whether this maÌ„ be good or bad or whether he saye or doe this or that Thou needest not to answere for another mans deedes
cleaneth to thee more or lesse If thy loue be pure simple and well ordered thou shalte be without inordinate affection to any creature Couete therefore nothing that is not lawfull for thee to haue and haue nothing that may let thee from ghostlye trauayle or that maye take from thee inwarde libertie of soule It is meruail that thou committest not thy selfe fullye to me with all thy heart with all thinges that thou mayest haue or desire VVhye art thou thus consumed with vaine sorowe why art thou weried with superfluous cares Stande at my will and thou shalt finde nothing that shall hurt or hinder thee but if thou seeke this thing or that or wouldest be in this place or in that for thine owne profite and for thine owne pleasure thou shalt neuer be in rest nor euer free from some trouble of minde for in euery place shal be found something that will mislike thee Transitorie thinges when they be had and greatly multiplied in the world do not alway helpe mans soule to peace but rather when they be despysed and fullie cut out of the loue and desire of the hart and that not to be vnderstand onely of golde and siluer and other worldlye riches but also of desire of honours and praysinges of the worlde which shortlye vanisheth and passeth awaye as doth the smoke with the winde the place helpeth little yf the spirite of feruour be awaye Also the peace that a man getteth outwardelye shall not long stande whoâ—e if it be voyde from the true inward peace of hart that is to say though thou chaunge thy place yet it shall litle amende thee vnlesse thou stande stedfast in me for by newe occasions that shall daylie rise thou shalte finde that thou hast fled percase muche more perillous and muche more greuous thinges than the first were A prayer for the purginge of mans soule and for heauenlye vvisdome and the grace of God to be obteyned and had The 32. Chapter COnfirme me Lorde by the grace of the holye ghost and geue me grace to be stronge inwardlye in soule and auoyde out thereof all vnprofitable busines of the worlde and of the fleshe that it may not be led by vnstable desires of earthlie thinges And that I maye beholde all thinges as they be transitorie and of short abidinge and me also to go with them for nothinge vnder the Sun may longe abide but all is vanitie and affliction of spirite O howe wise is he that feeleth and vnderstandeth this to be true that I haue sayde Geue me Lord therefore heauenlye wisedome that I maye learne to seeke thee and to finde thee and aboue all thinges to loue thee and all other thinges to vnderstande and knowe as they be after thorder of my wisedome and none otherwise and geue me grace also wiselie to withdrawe me from them that flatter me and patiently to suffer theÌ„ that greue me for it is great wisedome not to be moued with euery blast of wordes nor to geue eare to him that flattereth as doth the mairmayde The waye that is thus begon shall bring him that walketh in it to a good and a blessed ending Agaynst the euill sayinges of detractours The 33. Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christ thou shalt not take it to griefe because some persons thinke euill or say euill of thee that thou wouldest not gladlye heare for thou shalt yet thinke worse of thy selfe and that no man is so euill as thou arte If thou be well ordred inwardlye in thy soule thou shalt not muche care for suche flyinge wordes And it is no litle wisedome a man to keepe him selfe in silence and in good peace when euill wordes be spoken to him and to turne his heart to God and not to be troubled with mans iudgement Let not thy peace be in the heartes of men for whatsoeuer they say of thee good or bad thou art not therefore a nother man but as thou art thou art VVhere is the true peace and glorie is it not in me yes truely Therefore he that neither desireth to please man nor dreadeth not to displease him shall haue great plentie of peace for of inordinate loue and vaine dread commeth all vnquietnes of heart and vnrestfulnes of minde Hovve almightie God is to be invvarldlye called vnto in time of tribulation The 34. Chapter LOrde thy name be blessed for euer that thou wouldest this temptation and tribulation should fal vpon me I maye not escape it but of necessitie I am driuen to flee to thee that thou vouchsafe to helde me and to turne all into gohstlye profite O Lorde I am nowe in trouble it is not well with me for I am greatly vexed with this present passion And nowe moste best beloued father what shall I say I am nowe taken with anguishes and troubles on euerye side saue me in this houre but I trust that I am come into this houre that thou shalt be lauded and praysed when I am perfectlye made meeke before thee and that I am clerely deliuered by thee be it therfore pleasaunt to thee to deliuer me For what may I most sinneful wretch doe or whither may I goe without thee Giue me patieÌ„ce nowe at this time in all my troubles helpe me my Lord God and I shall not feare ne dread what troubles soeuer fall vpon me And nowe what shal I say but that thy will be done in me I haue deserued to be troubled greeued and therefore it behoueth that I suffer as long as it shall please thee but woulde to God that I might suffer gladlye till the furious tempestes were ouerpassed and that quietnes of hart might come againe Thy mightie hande Lorde is stronge ynough to take this trouble from me and to aswage the cruel assaults thereof that I doe not vtterly fayle as thou hast ofte times done to me before this time the more harde that it is to me the more light it is to thee And when I am clerely deliuered by thee then shall I saye This is the changing of the right hande of him that is highest that is the blessed Trinitie to whom be ioye honour and glorye euerlastingly Amen Of the helpe of God to be asked and of a full trust to recouer through deuout prayer our former grace The .35 Chapter My sonne I am the Lorde that sendeth comfort in tyme of tribulation come therefore to me when it is not well with thee This is it that letteth thee most that thou turnest thee ouer slowlie to me for before thou pray hartilie to me thou seekest many other comforts and refreshest thy spirites in outwarde thinges And therefore all that thou doest litle auayleth thee til thou canst beholde and see that I am he that sendeth comfort to all that faithfully doe call to me and that there is not without me any profitable counsayle nor perfect remedie But nowe take a good spirite to thee and after thy troubles be thou comforted in me in the light of my mercie
haue thou full trust for I am nere to thee to helpe thee and to restore thee againe not onelie to like grace as thou haddest first but also to muche more in great aboundance Is there anye thinge hard or impossible to me or am I like to him that sayeth a thinge and doeth it not where is thy fayth Stand stronglie and perseuerantlie in me be stedfast abiding my promise and thou shall haue comfort in such time as it shall be most expedient for thee abide abide and tary for me and I shall come soone and helpe thee It is temptation that vexeth thee and a vaine dread that feareth thee much But what auayleth such feare of dreade for thinges that perchaunce shall neuer come but that the ghostlye enemye woulde thou shouldest haue sorowe vpon sorow Beare therefore patienlye thy troubles that be present and drede not ouermuche those that be to come for it suffiseth to euery daye his owne malice It is a vaine thing and vnprofitable to be heauy or glad for thinges that perchaunce shal neuer happen nor come but it is the vnstablenes of man that he will be deceaued so lightly to folowe the suggestion of the enemie for he careth not whether he maye deceiue by true suggestion or by false nor whether it be by loue of thinges present or by dreade of thinges to come Therfore be thou not troubled neither drede but trust stronglie in me in my mercy haue perfect hope for when thou weenest that thou art right farre from me ofte times I am right neere vnto thee and when thou weenest that all is lost then ofte times foloweth the greater reward It is not therefore all lost though some thinge happen against thy will and thou shalt not iudge therein after thy outwarde feelinge neyther shalt thou take anye griefe so sore to hart but that thou shalt haue good trust to escape it nor thou shalt not thinke thy selfe all whollie forsaken of me though I sende thee for a time some heauines and trouble for that is the surer way to the kingdome of heauen and doubtles it is more expedient to thee and to other of my seruauntes that ye sometime be proued with aduersities then that ye haue alway all things after your wils I know the hid thought of man and that it is much expedient to the health of the soule that he be lefte sometime to him selfe without ghostlie sauour or cōfort least haply he be raysed vp into pride and thinke him selfe better then he is That I haue geuen I maye take awaye and maye restore it againe when me shall list VVhen I geue a thing to anye person it is mine owne that I haue geuen and when I take it awaye againe I take none of his for euerye good gifte and euery perfect rewarde commeth of me If I sende to thee trouble or heauines in what wise soeuer it be take it gladly disdain it not neither let thy heart fayle thee therin for I may anone lifte thee vp againe and turne thy heauines into great ioye and ghostlye gladnes And verilie I am righteous and much to be lauded and praysed whē I doe so with thee If thou vnderstande a right and beholde thy selfe truelie as thou art thou shalt neuer be so directlie heauie for anye aduersitie but rather thou shalt ioye therein and thinke it as the greatest gifte that I spare not to scourge thee with such trouble and aduersitie for I sayde to my disciples thus As my father loueth me I loue you and yet I sent them not forth into the world to haue temporall ioyes but to haue great battailes not to haue honours but despites not to be ydle but to labor not to rest but to bringe forth much good fruite in patience and good workes My sonne remember well these wordes that I haue spoken to thee for they be true and can not be denyed Hovv vve should forget all creatures that vve might finde our Creator The .36 Chapter LOrde I haue great neede of thy grace that of thy great singuler grace or that I may come thither where no creature shall let nor hinder me from perfect beholdinge of thee for as longe as anye transitorye thinge holdeth me or hath rule in me I maye not flye freelye to thee He coueted to flye without let that sayde thus VVho shall geue me winges like to a doue that I may flie into the bosome of my sauiour into the holes of his blessed woundes and rest me there I see well that no man is more restfull nor more likinge in this world then is that man who alway hath his minde and whole intent vpwarde to God and nothinge desireth of the world It behoueth him therfore that would perfectlie forsake him selfe beholde thee to surmount al creatures and him selfe also through excesse of minde to see and behold that thou maker of all things hast nothing amōge all creatures like vnto thee but a man be cleerely deliuered frō the loue of creatures he may not fullie tend to his Creator And this is the greatest cause why there be so fewe cōtēplatiues that is to say because there be so fewe that willinglye will sequester them selues from the loue of creatures To cōtemplation is great grace required for it lifteth vp the soule and rauisheth it vp in spirit aboue it selfe And except a man be lift vp in spirite aboue him selfe and be clearelie deliuered from all creatures as in his loue and be perfectly and fullie vnited to God whatsoeuer he can or whatsoeuer he hath either in vertue or cunning it is but litle worth afore God Therefore he shal haue but litle vertue long shall he lye still in earthlie likinges that accounteth any thing great or worthy to be praysed but onelie God for all other thinges besides God are nought for nought are to be accoūted It is great difference betwene the wisdome of a deuout man lightened by grace and the cunninge of a subtill and studious clerke and that learninge is muche more noble and muche more worthy that commeth by the influence and gracious gifte of God than that that is gotten by the labour study of man Many desire to haue the gifte of contemplation but they will not vse suche thinges as be required to contemplation And one great let of contemplation is that we stande so longe in outward signes and in sensible things take no heede of perfect mortifying our body to the spirit I wote not howe it is nor with what spirit we be led nor what we pretend we that be called spirituall persons that we take greater labour and study for transitory thinges than we doe to knowe the inwarde state of our owne soule But alas for sorowe anone as we haue made a litle recollection to God we ten forth to outwarde thinges and doe not search our owne conscience with due examination as we shoulde do nor we heede not where our affection resteth newe sorowe
not that our deedes be so euill so vnclene as they be The people corrupted them selfe with fleshly vncleÌ„nes and therefore folowed the greate floode and veryly when our inward affection is corrupted it is necessarie that our dedes folowinge thervpon be also corrupted for of a cleane heart springeth the fruite of good life It is ofte times asked what deedes such a maÌ„ hath done but of what zeale of what intent he did them is litle regarded whether a man be riche strong fayre able a good writer a good singer or a good labourer is ofte enquired but howe poore he is in spirite howe pacient and meeke howe deuout and howe inwardlie turned to God is litle regarded Nature holdeth the outwarde deede but grace turneth her to the inwarde intent of the deede The first is ofte deceyued but the seconde putteth her trust wholly in God and is not deceyued Hovve vve should forsake our selfe and thruste dovvne all couetise out of our heartes The .37 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde thou shalt not haue perfect libertie of minde vnlesse thou wholly forsake thy selfe All proprietaries and al louers of them selues al couetous persons curious vaine glorious and all runners about and also such as seeke thinges softe delectable in this worlde and not of Iesus Christe ofte fayninge and greedilye seekinge thinges that shal not longe endure be as men fettred and bounde with chaines and haue no perfect libertie nor freedome of spirit for all thinges shall perish that be not wrought of God Holde well in thy minde this short word Forsake all thinges and thou shalt finde all thinges forsake couetise and thou shalt finde great rest Print wel in thy minde that I haue sayde for wheÌ„ thou haste fulfilled it thou shalte well knowe that it is true Lorde this lesson is not one dayes worke nor a playe for children for in it is conteyned the full perfectioÌ„ of all religion Also my sonne thou oughtest not to be turned from god nor to be anye thinge discouraged from his seruice when thou hearest the straite lyfe of perfect men but rather thou oughtest to be prouoked thereby to higher perfection and at least to desire in harte that thou mightest come therto But woulde to God thou were firste come to this point that thou were not a louer of thy selfe but that thou wouldest keepe my commaundementes and the commaundementes of him that I haue appoynted to be thy father spirituall for then thou shouldest please me greatlye and then all thy lyfe shoulde passe forth in ioye and peace Thou haste yet manye thinges to forsake whiche vnlesse thou can whollye forsake thou shalt not get that thou desirest And therefore I counsayle thee to buye of me bright shininge gold that is to saye heauenlye wisedome that despiseth all earthlye thinges and cast fro thee all worldlye wisdome and all mans comfort and all thine owne affections and that thou chose to haue vile thinges and abiect rather theÌ„ precious and high in the sight of the worlde But thee true heauenly wisedome seemeth to manye to be vile and litle and well nigh forgotten Many can saye with their mouth that it is good not to desire to be magnifyed in the worlde but their lyfe foloweth not their saying And therefore they desire it priuily in their heart but yet that is the precious margaret and the high vertue that is hid fro much people for their presumption get it who so may Of the vnstablenes of mans harte and that our finall intent in all thinges shoulde be to God The .38 Chapter My sonne looke thou beleeue not thine owne affection for it chaungeth ofte from one to an other As longe as thou liuest thou shalt be glad to chaunge habilitie whether thou wilt or not as nowe glad nowe sorowfull nowe pleased nowe displeased nowe deuout nowe vndeuout nowe lustie nowe slouthfull nowe heauie nowe lightsome But a wise man that is well taught in ghostlie trauayle standeth stable in all such thinges and forceth litle what he feeleth nor on what side the winde of vnstablenes bloweth but all the intent and studie of his minde is howe he may moste profite in vertue finallie come to the most fruitfull most blessed ende By such a wholle intent fullie directed to God may a man abide stedfast stable in him selfe among many aduersities and the more pure and the more cleane that his intent is the more stable shall he be in euery storme But alas for sorowe the eye of mans soule is anone darkened for it beholdeth lightlie delectable thinges that come of the worlde and of the fleshe in so muche that there is seldome founde any person that is free cleare from the venemous desire of hearinge of some tales or of some other fantasies and that by their owne seekinge In suche maner â—ame the Iewes into Bethany to Martha and to Marie Magdalen not for the loue of our Lord Iesus but for to see Lazarus whom he had raysed from death to life VVherefore the eye of the soule is to be kept full bright that it be alwaye pure and cleane and that it be aboue all passing thinges wholly directed to god the which graunt vs to c. Amen Hovve our Lorde God sauoureth to his louer svveetly aboue all things and in all things The 39. Chapter OVr Lorde God is to me all in all and sith he is so what would I more haue or what can I more desire O this is a sauoury worde a sweete to saye that our Lorde is to me all in all But that is to him that loueth the worde and not the worlde To him that vnderstandeth this worde is sayd inough but yet to repeate it ofte is likinge to him that loueth I maye therfore more plainely speake of this matter and saye Lorde when thou art present to me all thinge is pleasaunt and likinge but when thou art absent all thinges are greeuous and greatly mislikinge VVhen thou commest thou makest myne harte restfull and bringest into it a newe ioye thou makest thy louer to feele and vnderstande the truth and to haue a true iudgement in all thinges in all thinges to laude and prayse thee O Lorde without thee nothinge may belonge likinge nor pleasaunt for if any thinge shoulde be lykinge and sauourye it muste be through helpe of thy grace and be tempered with the spicerie of thy wisedome To him to whom thou sauourest well what shall not sauour well And to him that thou sauourest not well vnto what may be ioyfull or likinge But worldlie wise men and they that sauour fleshlye delightes fayle of this wisedome For in worldlie wisedome is founde great vanitie and in fleshlie pleasures is euerlastinge death and therefore they that folow thee Lord by despising of the world and by perfect mortifieng of their fleshly lustes be knowen to be verie wise for they be led from vanitie to trueth and from fleshelie likinge to spirituall cleannes To suche persons God sauoureth wonderous sweete
and whatsoeuer they finde in creatures they referre it all to the laude and praysing of the Creatoure for they see well that there is great difference betwixt the Creator and creature eternitie and time and betwixte the light made the light vnmade O euerlastinge light farre passinge all thinges that are made sende downe the beames of thy lightninges from aboue and purifye glad and clarifie in me al the inward parties of my heart Quicken my spirite with all the powers thereof that it may cleaue fast and be ioyned to thee in ioyfull gladnes of ghostlye rauishinges O when shall that blessed hour come that thou shalt visite me glad me with thy blessed presence so that thou be to me all in all As longe as that gifte is not geuen to me that thou be to me all in all there shall be no full ioye in me But alas for sorowe mine olde man that is my fleshly liking yet liueth in me and is not yet fully crucified nor perfectly deade in me for yet striueth the fleshe strongly against the spirit aud moueth great inward battayle against me and suffereth not the kyngdome of my soule to lyue in peace But thou good Lorde that hast the lordship ouer al the power of the Sea doest aswage the streames of his flowinges Aryse and helpe me breake downe the power of myne enemies which alwaye moue this battayle in me Shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes let the power of thy right hande be glorified in me for there is to me none other hope nor refuge but in thee onely my Lorde my God to whom be ioy honour and glorye euerlastingly Amen That there is no full suretie from temptation in this lyfe The 40. Chapter OVr Lorde sayeth to his seruaunt thus Thou shalte neuer be sure from temptation and tribulation in this lyfe And therefore armoure spiritual shal alway as long as thou liuest be necessarie for thee Thou art amoÌ„g thine enemies and shalt be troubled and vexed with them on euery side and but if thou vse in euery place the shielde of patience thou shalt not long keepe thee vnwounded And ouer that if thou set not thy hart stronglie in me with a readie will to suffer all thinges patientlie for me thou mayest not longe bear this ardoure nor come to the reward of blessed saints It behoueth thee therfore manly to passe ouer many thinges and to vse a stronge hande against all the obiections of the enemie To the ouercommer it promiseth Angels foode and to him that is ouercome is left much miserie If thou seeke rest in this lyfe howe then shalt thou come to the rest euerlastinge Set not thy selfe to haue rest here but to haue patience and seeke the true soothfast rest not in earth but in heauen not in man or anye creature but in God onelie where it is For the loue of God thou oughtest to suffer gladlie all thinges that is to saye all laboures sorowes temptations vexations anguishes needines sickenesse iniuries euill sayinges reprouinges oppressions confusions corrections and despisinges These helpe a man greatlie to vertues these proue the true knight of Christe and make redye for hym the heauenlie crowne and our Lorde shall yeelde him againe euerlastinge rewarde for this short laboure and infinite glorie for this transitorie confusion I â—owest thou that thou shalt haue alwaye spirituall coÌ„fortes after thy will Naye naye my Saintes had them not out manye great griefes and diuers temptations and great desolations but they bare all with great patience and more trusted in me then in them selues for they knewe well that the passions of this worlde be not able of them selues to get the glorye that is ordeined for theÌ„ in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ VVilt thou looke to haue anone that whiche others coulde not get but with great weepinges labours Abide paciently the comming of our Lorde doe manfully his bidding be coÌ„forted in him mistrust him not nor go not backe from his seruice for paine nor for dread but lay forth thy body and soule constantlye to his honour in all good bodylye and ghostly laboures And he shal reward thee againe moste plenteouslye for thy good trauayle and shal be with thee and helpe thee in euery trouble that shal befall vnto thee So may it be Amen Against the vaine iudgementes of men The 41. Châ—pter My sonne fixe thy hart stedfastly in God and dreade not the iudgmeÌ„tes of man where thine owne conscience withnesseth thee to be innocent and cleare It is right good and blessed sometime to suffer such sayinges and it shall not be greeuous to a meeke harte whiche trusteth more in God than in him selfe Many folke can saye many thinges and yet litle fayth is to be geuen to their sayinges to pleâ—â—e all men it is not possible For though S. Paule laboured all that he might to haue pleased al people in God did to all men all that he coulde for their saluation yet neuerthelesse he coulde not let but that he was sometime iudged of other He did for the edifyinge and health of other as much as in him was but that he shoulde not sometime be iudged of other or not be despised of other he coulde not lette wherefore he committed all to God that knoweth all thinge and armed him selfe with patience and meeknes against all thinges that might be vntruelye spoken against him And neuerthelesse sometime he answered againe lest that by his sileÌ„ce hurte or hinderance might haue growen to other VVhat art thou then that dreadest so sore a mortall man this daye he is and to morowe he appeareth not dread God and thou shalt not nede to dread man VVhat maye man do with thee in wordes or iniuries he hurteth him selfe more than thee and in the ende he shall not flee the iudgement of God whatsoeuer he be Haue alwaye God before the eye of thy soule and striue not agayne by multiplyinge of wordes And if thou seeme for a time to suffer coÌ„fusion that thou hast not deserued disdayne thou not therefore nor through impatience minishe nor thy rewarde but rather lifte vp thy harte to God in heauen for he is able to deliuer thee from all confusion and wronges and to rewarde euery man after his desert and muche more then he can deserue Of a pure and a vvholle forsakinge of our selfe and our ovvne vvill that vve might get the freedome of spirite and folovve the vvill of God The .42 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde forsake thy selfe and thou shalt finde me StaÌ„d without election and without folowinge of thine owne wil also without al proprietie thou shalt much profite in grace and if thou whollie resigne thy selfe into my handes and take nothinge to thee againe thou shalt haue the more grace of me O Lorde howe ofte shall I resigne me vnto thee in what thinges shall I forsake my selfe Alwaye and in euery houre in great thinges and in small I except none for in all thinges I will finde
thereby in meekenes and vertue and that thou shouldest also prepare thee to be readye against another time for battels that are to come and the more surely to cleaue to God with all the desire and affection of thy hart and to studie with all thy power how thou mayest most purelie and moste deuoutlie serue him and take heede of this common prouerbe The fire doth oft burne but the flame doth not ascende without some smoke So likewise the desire of some men draweth to heauenlie thinges and yet they be not all free from the smoke of carnall affections and therfore they doe it not alwaye purelie for the honour and loue of God that they aske so desirouslie of him Suche ofte tymes is thy desire that thou shewest to be so importune for that desire is not cleane and perfect that is mixte with thine owne commoditie Aske therefore not that is delectable and profitable to thee but that is acceptable and honour to me for if thou do well and iudge aright thou shalt preferre my ordinaunce my will before all thy desires before all thinges that may be desired beside me I knowe well thy desire Thou wouldest nowe be in libertie of the glorie of the sonnes of God nowe the euerlastinge house the heauenlie countrey full of ioye and glory delighteth thee muche but that time cōmeth not yet for there is yet another time to come that is to saye a time of labour and of proufe Thou desirest to be fulfilled with the high goodnes in heauē but thou mayst not yet come therto I am the full rewarde of man abide me till I shall come and thou shalt haue me to thy rewarde Thou art yet to be proued here vpon earth and more throughlye to be assayed in many thinges some comfort shall be geuen to thee but the fulnes thereof shal not yet be graunted Be thou therefore comforted in me and be thou strong as well in doeing as in sufferinge thinges contrary to thy wil. It behoueth thee to be clothed in thy blood and to be chaunged into a newe man and thou must ofte times doe that thou wouldest not doe and that thou wouldest doe thou must forsake leaue vndone That shall please other shall goe well forwarde and that shall please thee shal haue no speede that other men saye shall be well heard and that thou shalt saye shall be set at nought Other shall aske and haue their askinge thou shalte aske and be denied Other shal be great and haue great lande and prayse of the people and of thee no worde shall be spoken To other this office or that shall be committed and thou shalte be iudged vnprofitable in euery thinge for these thinges and other lyke nature will murmure and grudge thou shalt haue a great battaile in thy selfe if thou beare them secrete in thy hart without complayning missaying Neuerthelesse in suche thinges and other like my faithfull seruauntes are wont to be proued howe they can denie them selues and howe they can in all thinges breake their owne wylles and there is nothinge that thou shalt neede so muche to ouercome thy selfe in as to learne to be contented not to be set anye price by in the worlde and to suffer suche thinges as be moste contrarye to thy will especiallye when suche thinges as in thy sight seeme vnprofitable be commaunded to be done But my sonne consider well the profite and fruite of all these laboures the shorte ende and the great rewarde and then thou shalt feele not greefe nor paine in all thy laboures but the most sweetest comfort of the holye ghost through thy good will and for that litle wil that thou forsakest here thou shalt alwaye haue thy will in heauen where thou shalt haue all that thou canst or mayest desire There shalte thou haue full possession of all goodnes without dread to lose it There thy will shall be euer one with my will and it shall couete no straunge nor priuate thinges There no man shall resiste thee no man shall complayne on thee no man shall let thee nor no man shall wythstande thee but all thinges that thou canst desyre shall be there present and shall fulfill all the powers of thy soule vnto the full There shall I yeelde glorye for reprofes and a palle of laude for thy heauines and for the lowest place here a seate in heauen for euer There shall appeare the fruite of obedience the labour of penaunce shall ioy and the humble subiection shall be crowned gloriously Bowe thee therefore meekelye nowe vnder euery mans hande and force litle who saith this or who commaundeth this to be done But with all thy studie take heede that whether thy prelate or thy felowe or anye other lower than thou aske any thing of thee or will any thing to be done by thee that thou take it alwaye to the best and with a glad will studie to fulfill it Let this man seeke this thing and another that and let this man ioy in this thing another in that whatsoeuer it be and let them be lauded and praysed a thousande times but ioye thou neither in this thinge nor in that but onelye in thine owne contempt and despising and in my will to be fulfilled and whether it be by life or death that I may alway be lauded and honoured in thee and by thee Amen Hovve a man that is desolate ought to offer hym selfe vvhollye to God The .55 Chapter LOrde holy father be thou blessed now and euer for as thou wilt so it is done and that thou doest is alwaye well let me thy poorest seruaunt and most vnworthy ioye in thee and not in my selfe nor in nothinge els beside the◠for thou Lorde art my gladnes thou art my hope my crowne my ioye and all my honor VVhat hath thy seruant but that he hath of thee and that without his desert All things be thine and I am poore and haue bene in trouble in paine euer from my youth and my soule hath beene in great heauines with weeping and teares and sometime it hath bene troubled in it selfe through manifolde passions that come of the world and of the fleshe VVherefore Lorde I desire that I maye haue of thee the ioye of inwarde peace and I aske the rest of thy chosen children that be fedde and nourished of thee in the light of heauenly comforts but without thy helpe I can not come therto If thou Lorde geue peace or if thou geue inward ioye my soule shall be anone full of heauenlye melodie and be deuoute and feruent in thy laudes and praysings but if thou withdrawe thy selfe from me as thou haste sometime done then may not thy seruant runne the waye of thy commaundementes as he did first but then he is compelled to bowe his knees and knocke his brest for it is not with him as it was before when the lanterne of thy ghostlie presence shone vpon his heade and that he was defended vnder the shadowe of
thy mercie from all perils and daungers O righteous father euer to be praysed the time is come that thou wilte thy seruaunt be proued And righteouslie is it done that I now shall suffer somewhat for thee now is the hour come that thou hast knowen from the beginninge that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught and inwardlie to liue to thee and that he shoulde a litle be despised in the sight of the world and be broken with passions and sickenes that he might after rise with thee into a newe light and be clarified and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen O holie father thou haste ordeyned it so to be and it is done as thou hast commaunded this is thy grace to thy freende to suffer and to be troubled in this worlde for thy loue howe ofte so euer it be of what person soeuer it be in what maner soeuer thou suffer it to fall vnto him without thy counsayle prouidence nor without cause nothinge is done vpon earth Oh it is good to me Lorde that thou hast meekened me that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgementes and put from me all maner of presumption and highnes of minde And it is verie profitable to me that coÌ„fusion hath couered my face that I maye learne thereby to seeke for helpe and succour to thee rather theÌ„ to man And I haue therby learned to dreade thy secrete terrible iudgementes which scourgest the righteous maÌ„ with the sinner but not without equitie and iustice I yeelde thankes to thee that thou haste not spared my sins but haste punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent me sorowes and anguishes within and without so that there is no creature vnder heauen that may comfort me but thou Lorde God the heauenlie leach of mans soule which strikest and healest and bringest a man nigh vnto bodilie death and after restorest him to health againe that he maye thereby learne to knowe the littlenes of his owne power the more fullie to trust in thee Thy discipline is fallen vpon me and thy rod of correctioÌ„ hath taught me vnder that rodde I whollie submit me strike my backe and bones as it shall please thee make me to bowe my croked will vnto thy will make me a meeke an humble disciple as thou hast sometime done with me that I may walke all after thy wil. To thee I commit my selfe and all mine to be corrected for better it is to be corrected by thee here then in time to come Thou knowest all thinges nothinge is hidde from thee that is in mans coÌ„scieÌ„ce Thou knowest thinges to come before they fall it is not nedefull that any man teache thee or warne thee of any thinge that is done vpoÌ„ the earth Thou knowest what is speedefull for me and howe much tribulation helpeth to purge the rest of sinne in me do with me after thy pleasure and disdayne not my sinfull life to none so well knowen as it is to thee Graunt me Lorde that to knowe that is necessarie to be knowen that to loue that is to be loued that to prayse that highlie pleaseth thee that to regarde that appeareth precious in thy sight and that to refuse that is vile before thee Suffer me not to iudge after my outwarde wits nor to geue senteÌ„ce after the hearinge of vncunninge men but in a true iudgement to discerne thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thinges alway to searche and folowe thy will and pleasure The outwarde witnes of men be ofte deceyued in their iudgementes And in likewise the louers of the worlde be deceyued through louinge onelie of visible thinges VVhat is a man the better for that he is taken better truelie nothinge For a deceitfull man deceyueth an other a vayne maÌ„ deceyueth an other and a blinde feeble creature deceyueth an other when he exalteth him and rather confoundeth him then prayseth him For why howe muche soeuer a man be in light of God so much he is and no more sayth the meeke Saint Fraunces howe holye and howe vertuous soeuer he be taken in sight of the people That it is good that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion The 56. Chapter My sonne thou mayest not alwaye stande in the high ferueÌ„t desire of vertue ne in the highest degree of contemplatioÌ„ but thou muste of necessitie through the corruption of the first sinne sometime descende to lower thinges and against thy will and with great tediousnes to beare the burden of this corruptible body for as longe as thou bearest this bodie of death thou must neede feele some tediousnes and griefe of heart and thou shalt ofte times beweepe mourne the burden of thy fleshlie feelinges and the contradictioÌ„ of thy body to thy soule for thou mayest not for the corruption thereof perseuer in spirituall studies and in heauenlye contemplation as thou wouldest doe and then it is good to thee to flie to meeke bodilie laboures and to exercise thy selfe in good outwarde workes and in a stedfast hope and trust to abide my comminge and my newe heauenlie visitations and to beare thy exile and the drines of thy hart patientlie till thou shalt be visited by me agayne and be deliuered from all tediousnes and vnquietnes of minde VVhen I shall come I shall make thee forget all thy former laboures and to haue inwarde rest and quietnes of soule I shall also laye before thee the florishing medowe of holy scripture and thou shalte with great gladnes of heart in a newe blessed feeling fele the very true vnderstaÌ„ding thereof and then quickly shalt thou runne the waye of my commaundementes and then shalt thou saye in great spirituall gladnes The passions of this world be not woorthy of theÌ„ selues to bring vs to the ioy that shall be shewed vs in the blisse of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen That a man shall not thinke him selfe vvorthy to haue comfort but rather to haue sorovve and payne and of the profite of contrition The 57. Chapter LOrde I am not woorthy to haue thy consolation nor any spirituall visitatioÌ„ and therefore thou doest righteously to me when thou leauest me needy and desolate for though I might weepe water of teares like to the Sea yet were I not woorthy to haue thy conâ—olatioÌ„ for I am worthy to haue nothing but sorowe and paine for I haue so greeuouslye and so ofte offended thee and in so many things greatly trespassed against thee Therefore I may well saye and confesse for truth that I am not woorthy to haue thy leste coÌ„solation But thou Lord benigne and mercifull that wilt not thy workes doe perish to shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes in the vessels of thy mercy aboue all my merites or desert doest vouchsafe sometime to comforte me thy seruaunt more then I can thinke or deuise Thy coÌ„solations be not
beautie that was deformed through sinne returneth agayne and the grace of this Sacrament sometime is so much that of the fulnes of deuotion that commeth thereby not onelie the minde but also the feeâ—le bodye recouer their former strength But verilye it is greatlie to be sorowed that we be so slowe and negligent and that we be stirred with no more affection to receyue Christ then we be for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued He is our health and our redemption he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen And it is also greatly to be sorowed that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie which gladdeth the heauen and preserueth all the world Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent and taketh litle heede thereto If this blessed Sacrament were ministred onelie in one place coÌ„secrate but by one priest in the world with how great desire thinkest thou the people would runne to that place and to that Priest that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries Nowe there be manye priestes and Christe is offred in many places that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde thankinges be to thee therefore my Lord Iesu that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie sayinge come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament The second Chapter O My Lorde Iesu trustinge in thy great goodnes mercye I come to the as a sicke man to him that shall heale him and as he that is hungrye thirstie to the fountayne of life that is needie to the Kinge of heauen as a seruaunt to his Lord a creature to his creator and as a desolate persoÌ„ to his meeke and blessed comfortour But howe is it that thou commest to me who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature Thou knowest thy seruant and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him seâ—â—e whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him I confesse therefore mine owne vnworthines and I knowledge thy goodnes I prayse thy pietie and yeelde thee thankings for thy great charitie Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes not for my merites that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare thy charitie the more largelie be shewed and thy meekenes the more highlie be commeÌ„ded Therefore because this pleaseth thee and thou hast coÌ„maunded that it shoulde thus be done thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not O my Lorde Iesu howe great reuerence and thankinges with perpetuall praysinges of thy name ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie whose dignitie no man is able to expresse But what shall I thinke in this communion and in goeinge to my Lorde God whom I can not worship as I ought to doe and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly But what may I think better or more healthfull to me then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee exaltinge thy infinite goodnes farre aboue me I laude thee my Lord God and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie I despise my selfe and submit me to thee and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie Thou arte the Saint of all Saints and I am the filth of all sinners and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me that am not worthye to looke towarde thee Thou commest to me thou wilt be with me thou biddest me to thy feast thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate and this Angelles foode to eate which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which desceÌ„dest from heauen and geuest lyfe to the worlde Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth and howe great goodnes shineth vpon vs and howe great thankes prayses are due to thee therfore O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it wheÌ„ thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten O Lorde howe meruailous is thy worke howe mightie is thy vertue and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth By thy worde all thinges were made and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded It is a meruaylous thinge worthy to be beleeued and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man that thou Lorde that art God and very man art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine and art eaten without consuminge of him that taketh thee and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges and that needest nothing in this world wouldest by this glorious Sacrament dwell in vs kepe thou mine heart my body immaculate that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times celebrate thy misteries and receiue them to my euerlastinge health which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour perpetuall memory O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift and so singuler a coÌ„fort left to thee in this vale of misery for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery takest the body of Christe so ofte thou workest the worke of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished the greatnes of his mercy is neuer consumed and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health It shoulde seeme to thee as newe and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort when thou singest masse or hearest it as if Christe the same daye first entred into the wombe of the virgin and were made man or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse for the health of mankinde That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled The .3 Chapter LOrde I come to the to theÌ„de that it maye be well with me through thy gifte and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great goodnes haste made redy for me In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire for thou art my health my redemption my hope my strength my honour and glorie Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house that I may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee and to be accompanied amonge the children
reproue so glad in prosperitie so feeble in aduersitie so ofte purposinge many good thinges and so seldome bringinge them to effecte And when thou haste thus confessed and be wept all these defaults and such other like in thee with great sorowe and displeasure of thine owne fraylenes set thee then in a full purpose to amende thy life and to profite alwaye from better to better and then with a full resigninge and a wholle will offer thy selfe into the honour of my name in the Aulter of thy hart as sacrifice to me that is to saye faythfullie committinge to me both thy bodie and soule so that thou mayest be worthye to offer to me this high sacrifice and to receyue healthfullie the Sacrament of my holie bodie for there is no oblation more worthie nor satisfaction greater to put awaye sinne then a man to offer him selfe purelie and whollie to God with the offeringe of the bodie of Christ in masse and in holie communion If a man doe that in him is and is truelie penitent as ofte as he commeth to me for grace and forgiuenes I am the Lorde that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted to liue and I shall no more remember his sinnes but they all shall be forgeuen and pardoned vnto hym Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse and of a full forsakinge of our selfe The 8. Chapter OVr Lorde Iesus sayth to his seruant thus As I hanginge all naked with mine armes spread abroad vpon the crosse offered my selfe to God the father for thy sinnes so that nothinge remayned in me but that all went in sacrifice to please my Father and to appease his wrath agaynst mankinde so thou oughtest to offer thy selfe freelie to God as muche as thou mayest in a pure and holie oblation daylie in the Masse with all thy power and affection VVhat require I more of thee then that thou shouldest studie whollie to resigne thy selfe vnto me for whatsoeuer thou geuest beside thy selfe I regarde it not for I looke not for thy giftes but for thee For as it shoulde not suffise to thee to haue all thinges beside me so it maye not please me whatsoeuer thou geue beside thy selfe Offer thy selfe to me and geue thy selfe all to God and thy oblation shall be acceptable Lo I offered my selfe whollye to my father for thee and I gaue my bodye and bloude to thy meate that I shoulde be all whollie thine and thou mine But if thou haue a trust in thy selfe and doest not freelye offer thee to my will thy oblation is not pleasaunt and there shall be betwene vs no perfect vnitie Therefore a free offeringe of thy selfe into the handes of God must go before all thy workes if thou wilte obteine grace and the true libertie Therefore it is that so fewe be inwardlie illuminate and free because they can not whollye forsake them selfe for my words be true but a man renounce him selfe he may not be my disciple Offer thy selfe fullie to me with all thine affection and loue Amen That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God and to praye for all people The 9. Chapter LOrde all thinges be thine that be in heauen earth I desire to offer my selfe to thee in a free and perpetual oblation so that I may perpetuallie be with thee Lord in simplenes of hart I offer me this daye to thee to be thy seruant in the seruice sacrifice of laude perpetuall accept me with this oblation of thy precious bodye which I this daye offer to thee in the presence of thy holie Angels that be here present inuisible that it maye be to my health and to the health of all the people And Lorde I offer to thee all my sinnes and offences that I haue committed before thee and thy holie Angels fro the daye that I might first offende vnto this daye that thou vouchesafe through thy great charitie to put away all my sinnes to clense my cōscience of all mine offences and restore to me agayne the grace that I through sinne haue lost and that thou forgeue me all thinges past and receyue me mercifullie into a blessed kissing of peace and forgeuenes VVhat may I do then but meekelie cōfesse and bewaile my sinnes and continuallie aske mercye of thee forgeue me mercifull Lorde I beseeche thee for all my sinnes displease me muche and I will neuer commit them againe but sorow for them readie to doe penance and satisfactiō after my power Forgeue me Lorde forgeue me my sinnes for thy holie name saue my soule that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloode I commit my selfe whollie vnto thy mercie I resigne me whollie into thy handes doe with me after thy goodnes and not after my malice and wretchednes I offer also to thee all my good deedes though they be verie fewe and imperfect that thou amende them and sanctifie them and make them likinge and acceptable to thee and alwaye make them better and better and that thou bringe me though I be a slowe and an vuprofitable person to a blessed and a laudable ende I offer also to thee all the desires of deuout persons the necessitie of mine auncesters freendes brother sister and of all my louers and of all them that for thy loue haue done good to me or to any other that haue desired asked me to praye or to doe sacrifice for them or for their freendes whether they be aliue or deade that they maye the rather feele the helpe of thy grace and the gifte of thy heauenlie consolation thy protection from all perils and the deliuerance from all payne and that they so beinge deliuered from all euils may in spirituall gladnes yeelde to thee high laude and praysinges I offer to thee also my prayer and my peaceable offeringe for all them that haue in any thinge hindred me or made me heauy or that haue done me any hurt or greeue and for all them also whom I haue at anye time made heauy troubled greued or slaundered in worde or deede wittinglye or ignorantlye that thou forgeue vs altogether our sinnes and offences against thee and of eche of vs against other and that thou Lorde take fro our heartes all suspition and indignation wrath variance and whatsoeuer may let charitie or diminish fraternall loue that eche of vs shoulde haue to other haue mercie Lorde haue mercie on all them that aske thee mercie and geue grace to them that haue neede and make vs to stande in suche case that we be worthye to haue thy grace and finallye to come to the lyfe euerlastinge Amen That the holye Communion is not lightlye to be forborne The .10 Chapter IT behoueth thee to runne ofte to the fountayne of grace and mercye and to the fountaine of all goodnes and puritie that thou mayest be healed from thy passiōs and vices and be made more stronge against all the temptations and deceytfull crafte of our enemie The fiende knowinge the greatest
fruit and highest remedie to be in receauinge of this biessed Sacrament inforceth him by all the wayes that he can to let and withdrawe all faythfull and deuout people from it as muche as he can and therefore some men whē they dispose them selues to it haue more greater temptations then they had before for as it is written in Iob the wicked spirit commeth amonge the children of God that he maye by his olde malice and wickednes trouble them or make them ouermuch fearefull and perplexed so that he maye diminishe their affection or take awaye their fayth if happilie he maye thereby make them eyther vtterlye to ceasse from beinge houseled or els that they goe to it with litle deuotion But it is not any thing to care for al his craftes and phantasies howe vyle and vgglye soeuer they be but all phantasies are to be throwen agayne at is owne head and he so far to be despised that for all his assaults and cōmotions that he can stirre vp the holy communion be not omitted Sometime ouer much curiousnes to haue deuotion or ouer great doubt of making confession letteth muche this holye purpose Doe therefore after the counsayle of wise men and put awaye all doubtfulnes and scrupulousnes for they let the grace of God and destroy whollie the deuotion of the minde Also it is not good that for any litle trouble or griefe that thou leaue this holie worke but go lightlie and be confessed and forgeue gladlye all that haue offended thee And if thou haue offēded any other meekelie aske of them forgeueues and God shall right mercifully forgeue thee VVhat profiteth it longe to tarie from confession or to deferre this holie Communion Purge thee first and quickelie cast out thy venim and haste thee after to take the medicine and thou shalt feele more profite thereby then yf thou tariedst lōger for it If thou deferre it to daye for this thinge or that to morowe we may happen to come a greater and so thou mayest be let longe from thy good purpose and be made afterwarde more vnapt vnto it Therfore as soone as thou canst discharge thy selfe from suche heauines and dulnes of minde and fro all slouth for it nothing profiteth long to be anguished long to go with trouble to sequester him selfe for suche dayly obstacles fro the diuine misteries but it doeth great hurt and cōmonly bringeth in greath slouth and lacke of deuotion But alas for sorowe some slouthfull and dissolute persons gladlye seeke causes to tarye from confession and so defer the longer this holye Communion and that they doe to the intent that they shoulde not be bounde to geue them selues to any more sure kepinge of them selues in time to come then they haue done before But alas howe litle charitie and slender deuotion haue they that so lightly leaue of so holie a thing howe happie is he and howe acceptable to God that so liueth and that so keepeth his cōscience in such cleannes that he is euerie daye readie hath good affection to be housled if it were lawfull vnto him that he might doe it without note or slaunder He that sometime abstaineth of meekenes or for any other lawfull impediment is to be praysed for his reuerence but yf it be through slouthfulnes he ought to quicken him selfe and to doe that in him is and our Lorde shall strengthen his desire for his good will for to a good will our Lorde hath alwaye a speciall respect and when he is lawfullie let he shall haue a good will and a meeke intent to it and so he shall not want the fruite of the Sacrament And verilie euerie deuout man maye euerye daye and euerye houre go healthfullie and without prohibition vnto the spirituall Cōmunion of Christe that is to saye in remembringe of his passion and neuerthelesse in certaine dayes and times he is bounde to receaue Sacramentally the bodie of his Redemer with a great reuerēce and rather to pretende therein the laude and honour of God then his owne consolation For so ofte a man is housled misticallye and inuisibly as he remembreth deuoutly the misterie of the incarnation of Christ and his passion and is thereby kindled into his loue He that doeth prepare him selfe for none other cause but because the feast is comminge or the custome compelleth him therto he shall cōmonlie be vnready to it Blessed is he therefore that as ofte as he sayth Masse or is housled offereth him selfe vnto our Lorde in holie Sacrifice Be not in sayinge Masse ouer longe nor ouer short but keepe the good common waye as they doe with whom thou liuest for thou oughtest not do that shoulde greeue other or make them tedious but to keepe the common waye after the ordinance of the holie fathers and rather to confirme thy selfe to that that shall be profitable to other then to folowe thine owne deuotion or priuate pleasure That the bodye of Christe and holye Scripture are moste necessarye for the health of mans soule The .11 Chapter O Moste sweetest Iesu howe great sweetenes is it to a deuout soule when he is fedde with thee at thy heauenlie feast where there is none other meate brought forth to eate but thou his onely beloued and that art most desirable to him aboue all the desires of his heart And verilie it shoulde be sweete and pleasaunt to me by an inwarde and meeke affection to weepe before thee and with the blessed woman Marie Magdalene to washe thy feete with the teares of mine eyes But where is that deuotion where is that plenteous sheddinge out of holie teares Certainlie all my heart ought to breune and to weepe for ioye in the sight of thee and of thy holye Angels for I haue thee verilye present with me though thou be hid vnderr another likenesse for to behold thee in thy proper and diuine cleerenes mine eyes might not beare it neither all the worlde might susteyne to see thee in the cleerenes and glorye of thy maiestie Therefore thou greatly helpest my weaknes in that thou hidest thy selfe vnder this blessed Sacrament I haue him verily worship him whom Angels worship in heauen but I onely in faith and they in open sight and in thine owne likenes without any couerture It behoueth me to be content in the light of true faith and therein to walke till the day of euerlasting eleerenes shall appeare and that the shadowe of figures shall go awaye VVhen that that is perfect shall come all vse of Sacramentes shall ceasse for they that be blessed in the heauēly glorie haue no neede of this Sacramental medicine for they ioye without end in the presence of God beholding his glory face to face so transformed fro clerenes to clerenes of the godhead they tast the glorye of the sonne of God made man as he was in his godhead fro the beginninge and shall be euerlasting VVhen I remember all these maruailous comfortes whatsoeuer solace I haue in this world though it be
spiritual it is greeuous and tedious vnto me for as longe as I see not my Lorde openlie in his glorie I set it at naught al that I see and heare in this world Lord thou art my witnes that nothing may cōfort me nor any creature maye quiet me but thou my Lorde God whom I desire to see and beholde eternally but that is not possible for me to doe as longe as I shall be in this mortall life VVherefore it behoueth me to keepe my selfe in great patience and to submit my selfe to thee in euery thinge that I desire for thy holye Saintes that nowe ioy with thee abode in good fayth patience all whiles they liued here the comming of thy glory That they beleeued I beleeue that they hoped to haue I hope to haue and thither as they by thy grace be come I trust to come and till then I shall walke in faith take comfort of the examples of the sayde holy Saints I haue also holie bookes for my solace as a spirituall glasse to looke vpon aboue all these I haue for a singuler remedie thy holye bodye I perceue wel that two thinges be much necessarie vnto me in this worlde without which this miserable lyfe should be to me as importable for as long as I shall be in this body I cōfesse my selfe to haue neede of two things that is to say of meat light These two hast thou geuen vnto me that is to saye thy holy body to the refreshing of my bodye and soule and thou haste set thy word as a lanterne before my feete to shewe me the waye that I shall go VVithout these two I may not wel liue for the worde of God is the light of my soule and this Sacrament is the breade of my lyfe These two may also be called the two tables set here there in the spiritual treasure of holy Church The one is the table of the holy Aultar hauinge this holie bread that is the precious bodie of Christ The other is the table of the lawes of God conteining the holie doctrine of the lawe of God and instructing man in the right fayth and in the true beliefe leadinge him into the inwarde secrettes that be called Sancta Sanctorum where the inwarde secrettes of Scripture be hid and conteyned I yeelde thankinges to thee my Lorde Iesu the brightnes of the eternal light for this table of holie doctrine the which thou hast ministred to vs by thy seruauntes Prophetes Apostles and other doctours and thankings also be to thee the creator redeemer of mankinde that thou to shewe to all the worlde the greatnes of thy charitie preparedst a great supper in the which thou settest not forth the Lambe figured in the olde lawe but thy holy body and bloude to be eaten gladding thereby in that holy feast all faithful people and geuing them to drinke of thy chalice of health in the which be conteyned all the delightes of Paradise where Angels eate with vs with much more plenteous sweetenes O howe great and howe honourable is the office of Priestes to whom is geuē power to consecrate with the holye wordes of consecration the Lorde of all maiestie to blesse him with their lippes to holde him in their handes to receiue him into their mouthes and to minister him to other O howe cleane shoulde the handes be howe pure a mouth howe holye a bodye and howe vndefiled shoulde be the heart of a Priest to whom so ofte entreth the authour of al cleannes Truely there ought to procede from the mouth of a priest that so ofte receaueth the Sacrament of Christes bodie no worde but that is holy honest and profitable his eyes should be full simple and chaste that vse to behold the bodie of Christe his handes shoulde be full pure lifte vp into heauen which vse to touche the Creatour of heauen and earth and therefore it is speciallye sayde in the lawe to Priestes be ye holye for I your Lord God am holy O God almightie thy grace be with vs and helpe vs that haue receiued the office of priesthood that we may serue thee worthely and deuoutly in all puritie and in a good conscience And though we maye not liue in so great innocēcie as we ought to do yet geue vs grace at the least that we maye weepe and sorowe the euils that we haue done so that in spirituall meeknes and in full purpose of a good will we may serue thee hereafter Amen That he that shall be houseled ought to prepare hym selfe therto before vvith great diligence The .12 Chapter I Am the louer of al puritie and the liberall geuer of all holines I seeke a cleane heart there is my restinge place make ready for me a great chamber strawed that is thyne hart and I with my Disciples shall keepe mine Easter with thee If thou wilte that I shall come to thee and dwell with thee clense thee of all the olde filth of sinne and clense also the habitacle of thine heart and make it pleasaunt and fayre Exclude the worlde and all the clamorous noyse of sinne and sit solitarie as a sparowe in an house easinge and thinke vpon all thy offences with great bitternes of hart for a true louer will prepare to his beloued freende the best and the fayrest place that he can for in that is knowen the loue and affection of him that receyueth his freende But neuerthelesse I knowe that thou mayest not of thy selfe suffise to make this preparinge fullie as it ought to be in euerie point though thou went about it a wholle yere together and haddest none other thing in thy minde to thinke vpon but of my mercie and grace onely Thou art suffred to go vnto my table as if a poore man were called to the dinner of a riche man and he had none other thinge to geue him againe but onelie to humble him felfe and thanke him for it doe that in thee is with thy best diligēce and doe it not onelie of custome nor of necessitie onely for that thou art bounde to it but with dreade and reuerence and great affection take the bodie of thy beloued Lorde God that so louinglie vouchethsafe to come vnto thee I am he that hath called thee I haue commaunded that this thinge shoulde be done I shall supplie that wanteth in thee Come therfore and receaue me when I geue thee the grace of deuotion yeelde thankes to me therefore not for that thou art worthy to haue it but for that I haue shewed my mercy louinglye to thee And if thou haue not the grace of deuotion through receauinge of this Sacrament but that thou feelest thy selfe more drye and more vndeuout then thou were before yet cōtinue still in thy prayer wayle weepe and call for grace and ceasse not til thou mayest receaue some litle drop of this helthfull grace of deuotion Thou haste neede of me and not I of thee ne thou commest not to sanctifie
them selfe Be more glad to geue your eare and hearing vnto the prayse rather then vnto the disprayse of any person and euer beware aswell of hearinge as speakinge of detraction and when you speake take good deliberation and haue fewe wordes and let those be true and good sadlie set and wiselie ordred If any wordes be spoken vnto you of vice or vanitie as soone as ye may breake of and leaue that talke or communication And euer returne and applie your selfe vnto some appointed good and godlie occupation bodilie or ghostlie If anye sodayne chaunce fall or happen vnto you or vnto any of yours leane not to lightlie therevnto or care muche therefore If it be of prosperitie reioyce not muche therein or be ouer glad thereof If it be aduersitie be not ouercast or ouerthrowē therwith or brought to sorowe or sadnes thanke God of all and set litle thereby Repute all thinges transitorie as of litle price or valure Geue euer most thought and care vnto those thinges that may profite and promote the soule Flye and auoyde the persons and places of muche speeche for better it is to keepe silence thē to speake Keepe the times and places of silēce preciselie so that you speake not without reasonable vnfained cause The times of silence in religion be these From collation vnto Masse be ended after the houre of tierce from the first grace in the fratour vnto the end of the later grace And from the beginninge of euensonge vnto grace be ended after supper or els Benedicite after the common beuer The places of silence be the church and the claustre the fratour and the dortour If you be slaundred and do take occasion at the fault or offence of any person then loke well vpon your selfe whether you be in the same default sometime your selfe and then haue compassion vpon your brother or sister If there be none suche default in you thinke verily and beleue there maye be and then do as in like case you would be done vnto And thus as in a glasse ye maye see and beholde your selfe Grudge not ne complaine vpon any person for any maner cause except you see and perceaue by large coniecture that you may profite and edify thereby Neither denie nor affirme your minde or opinion stiflye or extremelie but that your affirmation denegation or doubt be euer powdred with salte that is to saye wisedome discretion and patience Vse not in any wise to mocke checke or scorne ne yet to laugh or smile but right seldome And that alwaye to shew reuerence or louing maner light countenance or loose behauiour becōmeth not a sadde person Let your communication be short and with fewe persons alway of vertue learning or good and Christian edification and euer with such warines that no person in thinges doubtfull may take any authoritie of your wordes or sentence Let all your pastime be spent in bodilie labours good and profitable or els godlie in studie or that passeth all in holie and deuout prayer so that the hart and mind be occupied with the same you speake And when you praye for any certain persons remember their degree estate and condition For a forme and order of your prayer this maye be a good and readye waye to folowe the order of the sixe gramaticall cases The nominatiue the genitiue the datiue the accusatiue the vocatiue and the ablatiue The nominatiue that is firste to praye for your selfe that you maye haue ghostly strength and constancie that you fall not into any deadlye offence by frayltie and that you maye haue right knowledge of God by faith and of your selfe by due consideration of your estate and condition and of the lawes of God for your conduct and countenance and thirdly that you maye haue grace and good will accordinge to the same strength and knowledge and that hauinge vnto God a reuerēt dreade you neuer offende in thought worde or deede but that you may euer loue him for him selfe all his creatures in due order for him and in him The secōde is the genitiue case Then must you praye for your genitors your progenitours and parēts that is to saye your fathers and mothers spirituall and carnall as your ghostlye fathers or spirituall souuerains your godfathers your godmothers your natural father and mother your graundfathers and graundmothers your brothers and sisters and all your kin In the third place is the datiue case There must you praye for benefactours good doers of whom you haue receaued any maner of giftes spirituall or temporall vnto the welth of your soule or bodie In the fourth place is the accusatiue case where you shoulde praye for your enemyes such persons as by any meanes haue anoyed hurt or greeued you either ghostly or bodilie that is to saye in your soule or maners by anye suggestion intisinge euill counsaile or euill example In your fame or good name by detraction backbiting or slaundering or yet by familier companie For a person commonlie is reputed and supposed to be of such condition as they be with whom he hath conuersatiō and companie And for them that hurt your bodie either by strokes or by anye other occasion haue hindred the state and health thereof And lykewise of your worldlie goodes or possessions For all these maner of enemies must you praye that our Lord God would forgeue them as you doe and as you forgeuen woulde be and that they may come to right charitie and peace The fifth case is called vocatiue that is to saye the calling case where you conuenientlie maye call crie and pray vnto our Lorde for all maner of persons that be out of the state of grace either by infidelitie as Turkes Sarazens and suche other or els by errour as all maner of heretikes or els by anye deadly sinne or offence to God Praye for all these maner of persons that they may come vnto the right waye of their saluation In the sixte and last place is the ablatiue case where thou must praye for al them that be taken out of this life and that died or passed the same life in charitie and that nowe haue neede of prayer In the which you maye keepe a forme of the same order that is before that is to say In steede of the nominatiue where you prayed for your selfe you may nowe praye for all those that doe bide in paine for anye default or offence done by your example or occasion and for the genitiue in the second place for your parentes and all your kinne departed this life And in the thirde place for the datiue praye for your benefactours passed And for the accusatiue in the fourth place you maye praye for them that liue in payne for any occasion or ensample that they gaue vnto you And in the fifte place for the vocatiue praye for all them that haue greatest paines in purgatorie and least helpe here by the suffrage of prayers And for the ablatiue in the sixte and laste place pray for all soules in