charge to the Godlye alone in this place and to them that cleaue fast to him with full affiance who in so great troubles of this mortall life and in so manyfolde chaunces of worldly affayres and turmoiles haue nothing at all but God in whom they can well willingly repose themselues then shall it appéere that he did admonishe his Thessalonians of such things both truely and also necessarily Touching which poynt I will briefly put foorth if it séeme good that shall come now to remembrance and wil entreate of the continuall ioy of the godly here in this life in as few wordes as I can deuile First and foremost therefore wée must néedes graunt that Paule speaketh not of vulgar or common ioye and such as happily the Natural man as the Apostle doth terme him dreameth off For this ioy or gladnesse is not of sufficient worthinesse for the Christian mā And if perhaps there be such yet is it altogyther common betwéene them and the wicked and is neyther durable and continuall but transitory and many times interrupted with infinite carkes and cares neyther cleare and sound but most commonly impure defiled Besides this the Apostle doth much lesse speak of that gladnesse which the Couetous worldling hath of his ryches and hourdyng vp of money the Ambicious man of honours the Prowde and hawtie person of his Nobilitie his power and sway his wealth puissaunce the Souldier of his praye and bootie the voluptuous man of his swéete delyghtes and sensuall pleasures the Lecher of his lustes the Vserer of his bonds or billes of debt the Kiotour and one plunged in all kind of superfluitie and excesse in his delectacions of all sortes in his tables garnished and set forth with diuers dishes his gorgious and verye great furniture the Surfettour in hys gulling in of Wyne the Glutton and one borne to bellycheare in gourmandise the Sluggard or lazie lubber in ydlenesse and sléepe the Enuious or spitefull repiner in an other mans misery the Testie and wrathfull person in reuenge These are ioyes indéede I deny not but they are the lewde ioyes of the minde as a ryght excellent Poet sayth and they are not true but deceytefull not pure and cleare but mingled with vnpleasantnesse among not permanent but such as last for a moment For I will not meddle now to shew that they are the cause of infinite mischiefes and most an ende alwayes drawe with them as their companions anguishes of bodie and minde disquietnesse restlesse businesse cares heauinesse mourninges and doe both excéedingly annoy the body and also without ende pricke the soule suffer it not to pause take rest or comfort fréely so farre they are from bringing about any maner of way eyther to diminishe heauinesse that by chaunce commeth of other causes or to rid them quite and dryue them away or else to worke that men shall haue no féele and payne at all of the euils that do betide them Beside this also the ende of such ioyes is euerlasting damnation For vnto this point belongeth the saying of our sauiour in Luke the Euangelist Wo bee to you riche men which haue your comfort Wo be vnto you that are ful bicause ye shal be hungry Wo be to you that laugh nowe bycause ye shall mourne weepe And likewile which that rich man in the Gospell determynyng in hys heart to liue a deintie and happy life henceforth being minded nowe to take his case to eate drinke and to be merye doth heare at the worde and will of God Thou foole this night shal they fetch thy soule from thee To conclude that example of the Glutton in Luke clad in purple doth make to this purpose who vsing euery day to féede gorgyously is afterwarde when he departeth the worlde tormented in the flames of Hell fire Therfore Paule doth not entreat of such ioyes as the welthy the mighty the loftie prowd and such other as lyue dainetily in this lyfe and are wanton and doe styll as a man woulde say kéepe it holydaye as S. Iames speaketh it haue Of what kinde of ioy then speaketh hée Euen of that ioye no doubt which of the same Paule is rehearsed vp among the fruites of the spirite in the Epistle to the Galathians and such agayne as that is wherevnto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians when he biddeth them to reioyce in the Lorde alwayes or such likewise as that is whereof Dauid in the Psalmist hath so oftentymes made mention as when he sayth Thou hast giuen ioy in my heart And Let all men reioyce that put their hope in thee let them triumph or reioyce exceedinglye euermore bicause thou doest defende them Let all men be glad in thee which loue thy name bycause thou blessest the iust man O Lord. And likewise I will be glad and reioyce excedinglye in thee I will sing vnto thy name O thou most high And I doe put my confidence and hope in thy mercy my heart leapeth for ioy in thy sauing health I will sing vnto the Lorde who giueth good things vnto me And moreouer Reioyce in the Lorde triumph ye iust and glory all yee that be right of heart And againe Triumph ye iust in the Lorde prayse becommeth the right And furthermore Reioyce ye iust in the Lorde and confesse to the memorie of his holynesse What maner of reioyce this is in the Lorde it is a verye harde matter to declare and a thing that will busie a man to doe it Howbeit through the helpe of God we will proue what we can say therein Therefore whosoeuer being regenerate or borne a newe in Christ doth put the whole hope and affiaunce of attaining saluation in the promised mercy of God onely for Christ the mediatour and already is fully and wholy perswaded that God the father is mercyfull and pacyfied wyth him his sinnes being remitted and forgiuen for Christ and with a certaine and sure hope of immortalitie after this life and of euerlasting blesse doth walke on in his vocation to the ende honestly holily and godlily the selfesame man vndoubtedlye resting vpon this same fatherly good wil and and loue of God towarde him for Christ doth alway reioyce in the Lord neither can there any thing of so great importance at any time happen among that can vexe that man and cause him to take thought So excéeding great is that spirituall ioye or gladnesse of the godly person in the Lorde whether it bée in prosperitie or whether it be in aduersitie For whatsoeuer it be that hath happened he in all things perceyueth and acknowledgeth the fatherly minde of God toward him and no lesse is glad in the Lorde in times of heauines than in prosperous times For he knoweth wel inough that what euil so euer there be the same is sent from God and that wythout Gods prouidence there hapneth nothing at all Therefore will he haue his owne wyll to agrée and be conformable vnto the wyll of God and he
roauing abroade but after the tyme is once past what good hast thou gotten thereby vnlesse it be déepe repentance and vayne wandring about of the Soule A merrie goyng foorth is oftentimes cause of a sorrowfull returning and a ioyfull Euening watch doth cause a sad Morning Thus the whole ioye of the fleshe doth enter in wyth a flatteryng countenaunce but at length it nyppeth and stayeth What canst thou sée else where that thou mayest not beholde here in thy Cell Loe where the Heauen and the Earth and all the Elementes are For of these are all thinges created What canst thou sée anye where that doth long endure in hys beyng is Perchaunce thou thinkest to be satisfied with such contemplation but that shalt thou neuer attaine vnto If thou couldest beholde presently euen all things that euer are what shoulde they be else but a vaine spectacle and sight Life vp thine eâ—â—â— aloft vnto God and craue pardone for thy sinnes and offences Gyue ouer vayne thynges vnto vayne persones and busye thou thy selfe aboute those which GOD doth commaunde to meddle wyth Shut thy selfe close within thy house and call thy beloued Iesus vnto thée Abyde stil with him in thy selfe for elsewhere shalt thou neuer fynde so great peace If thou haddest not gone abroade nor hearde anye rumours of thynges thou shouldest sooner haue continued styll in quyet peace Now séeyng that it doth sometime delyte thée to heare noueltyes it falleth out that thou muste bée fayne to beare the trouble and vnquyetnesse of the soule Of Chastising thy soule and keeping the same in awe The xxi Chapter IF thou wylte any thyng come forwarde hold fast the feare of God and bée not ouer dissolute or retchelsse but kéepe in all thy powers vnder discipline and yéelde not thy selfe vppe to vayne and transitorye ioye of the worlde Addicte thy selfe to a correcting and chastinyng of thy soule whereby thou shalt finde godlynesse Great is the commoditye of such chastisement and exercyse which slouthfulnesse and sluggerdy is went soone to destroy A wonder it is that any man can euer reioyce truely in this world which considereth and waieth thorowly hys owne banishment and so manye daungers of his soule For the lacke of due consideration and by meanes of our dulnesse we doe not féele the sorowes of our minde in our offences but many times doe laugh with lightnesse when rather we had good cause to wéepe if we did looke well vnto it There is no true libertie or substantiall ioye in anye thing sauing in the feare of God ioyned with a good conscience Happie is the man that is able to cast awaye the impediments and lets of all worldely thynges and yéelde himselfe wholy to the chastining of hys soule Happie is he that renounceth and putteth from hym whatsoeuer may staine and burthen his conscience Fight like a man Custome is maistred wyth custome If thou canst perswade thy selfe not to meddle in other mens matters they lykewise shall not haue to doe with thyne Procure not thy selfe another mans charge or inwrap not thy selfe with the causes of thy betters Haue chiefely thine eyes alwayes bent vpon thy selfe and admonishe or warne thy selfe more than all other of thy deare friendes besides are woont If thou be boyde of the fauour and good will of men doe not admonishe thy selfe wyth an euill wyll but rather take it grieuously that thou doest not so wel and circumspectly behaue thy selfe as it becommeth the seruant of God and the person vertuous in déede It is both more profytable and more safe for a man manye times to haue few comforts in this life especially worldely for in that wée eyther haue not or doe seldome féele such coÌ„forts as God doth minister we our selues are therefore to blame which neither séeke after the prickes of conscience nor yet wholy cast away vaine and outward comforts Wéete thou wel that thou art not onely vnworthy of diuine comfort but also worthie of great myserie If a man be at any time pricked with the true sorowes of heart it commeth to passe thereby that the whole worlde is bitter and yrkesome vnto him The good man findeth sufficient causes to bée sorye and to wéepe or mourne For whether he consider himself or else looke vpon an other man he séeth that no body lyueth wythout calamitie in this worlde and the more déepely be considereth hymselfe so much the more grieuouslye hoth hée sorrowe Now the causes of due sorrow and pricke of conscience are our owne sinnes and vices in the which we doe so lie weltred and wrapped that we are seldome times able to behold the heauenly things If thou wouldest more oftentimes muse vpon thy death than thinke vpon longnesse of lyfe there is no doubt but that thou wouldest worke the amendement of thy selfe the more earnestlye Agayne if thou wouldest throughly waye in thy minde the tormentes that shall be in hell gladly I thinke thou wouldest sustaine labour and sorrowe and wouldest not be afearde of any seueritie and streightnesse applied to thy selfe But bicause those things are not suffered to sincke déepely into our mindes and for that we are yet in loue with flattering shewes of the worlde it hapneth that we continue styll to remaine colde and slow many times poore and néedie of the spirite of God whereby our wretched bodie taketh occasion quickly to coÌ„plaine and mone Wherfore make thy praier vnto God with humblenesse of heart that he will stirre vp his heauenly sparkes and motions in thy soule and saye thus wyth that Prophete Feede me O Lord with the bread of teares and wash away my Cup with mourning The consideration of mans miseries The .xxij. Chapter THou art a wretch whersoeuer thou bée and whither soeuer thou turne thy self vnlesse thou turne thy selfe vnto god Wherfore art thou troubled or disquieted when things frame not according to thy harts desire What is he vnto whome all things fall out as he wisheth It is not I it is not thou it is not any man liuing beside I say there is no man lyuing voyde of all calamitie and traueyle no not the King no not the Pope himselfe Who is then in the best case of all others euen he that is able to suffer some thing for Gods sake Most of them that are weakelings and fraile doe commonly say Ah sée how happily he lyueth yonder how welthy he is how mightie he is in how great honour he is what a big man he is what a well fauoured man he is But looke thou vpon the heauenly good things and thou shalt sée that all these good thinges of this mortall life are nothing to be accounted of bring altogither vncertayne burdensome as the which we neuer doe possesse without carefulnesse and feare The felicitie of man doth not consist in the plentie of such maner of good things but rather a measure ought to be sufficient vnto him therein For to lyue bent vnto the earth is very miserie indéede The more diuine or
thée I am thy most pore slaue and vile worme much more poore more vile than I eyther know my selfe or dare tell vnto thée And yet O Lorde be thou mindefull euen of this same thing the I am nothing that I haue nothing that I am nothing worth Thou only art good thou iust thou holy thou art able to doe all things thou perfourmest all thyngs thou fulfillest al things leauing the sinful only voyd emptie Remember thy mercy O Lord and fill my soule wyth thy fauor which wilt not haue thy workes to be good for nothing For howe maye I continue in thys wretched life vnlesse thy mercy fauor do strengthen me Turne not thy face away from me Deferre not thy curing of me from day to day Withdraw not thy cōfort from me least my soule doe sée me in thy sight like vnto the earth that is voyde of moysture Lorde teach me to doe thy will teach mée to walke worthilye and humblye before thée For thou art my wysedome and doest both know and hast knowne me perfectly aswell before that I was borne into the worlde as also before the worlde it selfe was made That truth and modestie in the sight of God is to be exercised The .v. Chapter LORDE SOnne practise thou truth in my sight and alwaies séeke me in singlenesse of heart He that exerciseth truth in my sight the same shal be defended from the inuasions of euill and him shall truth deliuer from deceiuers and siaunderers of the wycked Now if the truth shall deliuer thee thou shalt be frée in déede and shalt not passe vpon the vayne wordes of men SERVANT It is as thou sayest Lord and let me be so delt withall I pray thée to wéet that thy truth may teach me may kéepe me and maye bring me vnto an happie ende Let the same deliuer me from all wicked lust and from inordinate loue So shall it be brought to passe that I maye vse great libertie and freedome of soule towardes thée TRVTH And I will teach thée what is right what is acceptable vnto me Call thy sinnes to remembraunce with great sorrow and heauinesse of hart and doe thou chalenge any thing vnto thy selfe for thy good déedes For in verye déede thou art sinfull and endaungered and inwrapped in many diseases of the minde which goest euermore of thyne owne nature vnto nothing and soone fallest art soone ouercome art soone troubled and throwne downe headlong Finally thou hast nothing wherin thou mayst glory and boast but rather many things for which thou oughtest to set litle by thy selfe For thou art much more weake than that thou art able to perceyue the same Wherfore sée that none of all thy workes séeme great vnto thée Sée thou think nothing of thy loftinesse nothing precious woonderfull nothing to be reuerenced nothing high nothing prayse woorthy and to be desired in déede sauing that which is euerlasting Let the euerlasting truth please théé aboue all thinges and let thy excéeding vylenesse displease thée Feare nothing so much dispraise and flie from nothyng so much as thy vices and sinnes which ought more to myslyke thée then the losse of anye manner thing besides Some doe not behaue themselues towardes me purely and sincerely but rather being led with a certaine curiosity and arrogancie doe studiously search out my secrets and high mysteries neglecting themselues and their owne saluation These folowers doe many times fal into gréeuous tēptacions and sinnes for their owne curiositie and pryde bicause I am against them But being timerous doe thou stande in awe of the sentence and wrath of almightie GOD and search not out the works of the almighty but search thorowly thine own faults either how much euill thou hast done or else howe much good thou hast neglected Some doe beare about their whole religion and Godlinesse in beekes onely some in pictures some in outewarde signes and figures Other carye mée in their mouth but not so in theyr heart Contrariwise there are which being of perfite vnderstanding in minde and pure in hart doe euermore breath and couet after euerlasting things doe heare of earthly things against their willes do that which nature necessarily requireth with griefe sorrow and these in déede doe féele what the spirite of truth doth speake within them as they which doe teach them to loue heauenly thinges despising the earthlye and both daye and night doe couet heauen the worlde being contemned The praise of God and thankesgiuing for benefites and likewise of the force of the loue of god The .vi. Chapter SERVANT I Prayse thée O heauenly Father the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hast vouchsafed to remember mée néedie Soule O father of mercy and God of al comfort I giue thée thanks which refreshest me being vnworthy of al comfort sometime with thy comfort I praise magnifie thée euermore and also thy onely begotten Sonne and thy holy ghost the comforter worlde without ende Oh my Lorde God O the holy louer of me when thou shalt come into my soule I will reioyce with my whole heart Thou art my glory and the reioyce of my heart Thou art my hope and refuge in the time of my calamitie and trouble But bicause I am yet of weake loue and vnperfite vertue I recken it necessary to be confirmed of thée and to be comforted at thy handes Wherefore visite me oftentimes instruct me with holy discipline Deliuer mée from wicked affections of the Soule and heale my minde from all the vnruly desires and vices that being healed inwardly and well purged I maye be made fit to loue strong to suffer constant to perseuere Loue is a great matter no doubt a great good thing which onely doth make light each thing that is heauy and beareth equally whatsoeuer is vnequall For it beareth a burthē without any burthen and doth turne all bitter thinges into swéete and sauorie The same Iesus I saye beyng our Noble Loue doth inforce to doe great things and euermore stirreth vp to desire the things that are more perfite Loue will be aboue and not kept still with any low things Loue will be frée and voyde from all worldly affection least hir inwarde sight be hindered or least it bée enwrapped eyther wyth some temporall commoditie or ouercome with incommoditie Nothing is more swéete than Loue nothing more strong nothyng more déepe nothing more broade nothing more pleasant nothing more full Nothing better eyther in Heauen or in earth bycause it is sprong of God and can not rest but in God aboue all the creatures The louer flyeth runneth reioyceth is frée and is not holden It giueth all thinges for all things and hath all things in all thinges as the which resteth in one highest thyng aboue all thynges out of which floweth and spryngeth all goodnesse It looketh not vppon hys gyftes but turneth it selfe vnto the gyuer aboue all good gyftes Loue canne not tell howe to kéepe measure but is feruente
as can be possiblye had in thys mortall life Of the excellencie of a free minde likewise that humble prayer is better thā reading The .xxx. Chapter THis truely is the work of a perfite man Lord neuer to release the minde from the handling occupying of the Scriptures heauenly thinges in the middes of many cares to passe ouer the life as it were without care not after the maner of the dull and sluggish person but in the excellency of a frée minde cleauing to no worldly thing with inordinate desire I beséeche thée O my most merciful god preserue kepe me frō the cares of this life least I be ouermuch inwrapped with the necessities of the body or least I be caught with the pleasures of those things which doe hurt the soule or least I be discouraged as one that is harthbroken wyth griefs sorows I meane not of those things which the lightnesse of the worlde doth couet with tooth and nayle but of those myseries which do grieue my mind with the common penall infelicity of our mortalitie doth hinder it that it can not enter into the libertie of the spirite as often as it listeth O my God my vnspeakable swéetenesse turne al carnal comfort into bitternesse which draweth mée away from the loue of things euerlasting and allureth with the beholding of I cannot tell what present delightfull goodnesse Let not flesh and bloud ouercome me Let not flesh bloud ouercome me O my God let not the worlde and the short glory therof deceiue me let not the deuill giue me a fal with his subtilty and craft Graunt me strength to resist pacience to suffer cōstancy to perseuer Graunt me in the steade of all worldly comforts the most pleasant annointing of thy spirite and in steade of carnall loue poure into mée the loue thy name Very meate and drinke and clothing the other necessaryes to the maintenance of our body are burdensome to a feruent spirite Cause that I may vse such nourishments temperately and that I be not entangled with the ouer gréedie desire of the same In dede I may not cast away al things bicause nature must be sustained Againe thy holy lawe forbiddeth to couet all superfluous and most delightfull things For else the flesh would ware prowde against the spirite Betwéene these two thinges let thy hande rule me I beséech thée and teach me that nothing be done ouermuch That men are most of all hindred from the comming of the highest felicity thorow the loue of themselues The xxxi Chapter LORDE SOnne thou must purchase the whole with the whole and not kéepe backe anye thing of thy selfe For to giue thée vnderstanding of this thy selfe loue doth more hurt thée than any thing else whatsoeuer it be and it happeneth that according to that loue and desire which thou hast euery thing doth more or lesse stick vnto thée Now if thou shalt be endued with a pure simple temperate loue thou shalt be void of the bondage of thinges Desire not that which thou maiest not haue Possesse not that which may entangle thée and which may depriue thée of the libertie of the minde It is a woonder that thou doest not vtterly cōmit thy self vnto me with thy whole heart with all these thinges which thou canst wish for or haue Why art thou consumed with vayne mournyng and pensiuenesse why art thou tired with superfluous cares shew thy self obedient vnto my pleasure thou shalt suffer no maner of losse or hindraunce For if to get thy selfe commodities and to haue thy wishes thou wilt apply thy minde to the séeking of things and wylt couet to chang the place wherin thou art thou shalt neuer attaine quietnesse nor be frée frō carefulnesse For in euery thing there shal be somewhat to find lacke off and in euery place there shal be one or other to be thy aduersary Therefore euery thing doth helpe when it is not gotten or plentifullye encreased but rather contemned cut out of the minde by the rootes which thing I woulde haue to be vnderstoode not onely of landes and riches but also of the ambicion of honour and desire of vaine praise All which doe peryshe with the worlde Besides the place doth little fence a man if feruent spirite be wanting Neyther doth that peace which is outwardelye sought for long continue if it lacke the true foundacion of the settled mind That is except thou shalt stande in me thou shalt chaunge but the place and not the minde For an occasion arising and being taken thou shalt find not onelye those thinges which thou doest flie from but also mo things too besides ¶ Prayers to attaine to cleannesse of minde the heauenly wisedome The .xxxij. Chapter SERVANT COnfirme me O God with the gift of thy holy spirite graunt me so great vertue and power that the inwarde man beyng strengthened I may ridde my selfe from all vnprofitable care and langour or féeblenesse and that I be not drawne with the sundry desires of any thing whether it be vile or precious but doe account both my self and all other things for transitoris corruptible forasmuch as nothing is continuallye permanent vnder the sunne Nay all things are but vaine torments of the minde Who so taketh these things in such sort it is he that hath wit aboue other Graunt me O Lorde heauenly wisdom that I may learne to séeke find thée aboue all things to sauor and loue thée aboue al things so to take other things according to the order of thy wisdom as they be in déede in themselues Graunt me both wisely to decline from flatterers pacyently to beare mine aduersaries For neither to be moued with euery blast of wordes nor yet to giue an eare vnto the flattering Mermayde that in déede is perfite wisedome and so shal we safely go forward the way we haue onely begunne Against yll speakers The .xxxiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne if any shall haue an euill opinion of thée or shall speake euyll of thée doe not thou take the same grieuously but rather thinke woorse of thine owne self than he doth and beléeue no man to be more weake than thy self If thou wilt go the secret way of vertue of the mind thou shalt not greatly estéeme flying words It is no small wysedome to kéepe silence in aduersitye and to turne thy mynde vnto me and nothing to bée troubled wyth the iudgement of the worlde Peace must not stay vpon the saying of men wyth whome whether thou be well or yll reported thou art not for that cause another man In mée in mée I saye true glory and true peace doth consist the same shall enioy it plentifully that neither coueteth to please men nor yet feareth to displease them All vnquietnesse of mynde and distracting of the senses doth surely procéede from inordynate loue and vayne feare How God must be called vpon and praysed in aduersities The .xxxiiij. Chapter SERVAVNT
thy selfe in wordes in déedes and in thoughtes for in these thinges perhaps thou hast oftentymes offended both God and the Worlde Arme thy selfe against the wickednesse of the deuill as becommeth a stoute fellowe Brydle thy gluttonous appetite and so shalt thou brydle all desire of the flesh the better Be neuer altogither ydle but alwaies either reade or wryte praye or thinke or doe somethyng to the common profite Wée must haue respect in vsing of the exercises and tamings of the body neither are they to be practised of al men alike They ought not to be done abrode which are not common For things priuate are exercised with more safetie at home Neuerthelesse thou must beware least thou bée slowe in things that be to be done abroade more ready to thy priuate things but rather hauing done thy duetie and vocation if there be any further leysure restore thy selfe home according as thy professiō in godlinesse doth require All men cannot haue one kinde of exercise but diuers exercises be conuenient for diuers persons Againe diuers exercises doe please according to the diuersitie of times as that some shoulde more like on the holidaiest and some other againe on the working daies Some wée haue néede of at the time of oure spirituall sight some againe in the tyme of our peace and rest It doth vs good to thynke vpon some thinges whilest we are in heauinesse And some other thinges it liketh vs to occupie our mindes vpon whilst we are ioyfull in the Lorde Good exercises are to be renued oftentimes especially vppon the holye daies as though at that time we were departing out of this life and going to the euerlasting holydaies Therefore ought we at that time to prepare our selues with carefulnesse and to shewe our selues more Godly and to doe Gods commaundements more straightly as men that shall receyue rewarde of our traueyle at Gods hande ere it be long But if our departure be deferred let vs beléeue that wée are not well prepared and that wée are yet vnworthie of so great glorie that is to be giuen vnto vs at the certaine and appoynted time let vs endeuour to prepare our selues more diligently to our ende Blessed is that seruaunt sayth Luke the Euangelist whome the Lorde at his comming shall finde watching Knowe yée this for a certaintie that hée shall be made chiefe ouer all his goodes Of the loue of solitarinesse and silence The .xx. Chapter SEke for an apt and conuenient time to be at leysure and think oftentimes vppon Gods benefites and letting passe curious things be oftentimes reading of such matters as the minde may rather be pricked or stirred vp withall than occupyed For if thou shalt withdraw thy selfe from superfluous cōmunication and from ydle gaddings about also from hearing of straunge things and rumors thou shalt finde both leysure sufficient and also conuenient ynough for the exercising of good thoughts Euen so the godlyest sort did shun the conuersation of the worlde when they might conueniently and did desire rather to lyue seperatelye or apart vnto god A certaine man sayd As oft as I haue beene among men I haue returned home a man lesse than I was before For wée haue proofe of this thing manye times when we babble togither anye long time It is an easier matter altogither to hold ones peace than not to passe a measure in his wordes It is an easier matter to kéepe at home closely than to kéepe him vprightlye abroade from sinning Therefore who so striueth to come to inwarde and spirituall things he must decline from prease and multitude with Christ Iesus No man commeth abroade safely but he which kéepeth at home willingly No man ruleth safely but he which is subiect willinglye No man commaundeth safely but hée which hath learned to obey gladly No man reioyceth safely but he which hath the testimonye of a good conscience No man speaketh safelye but he which kéepeth silence gladly Neuerthelesse the securitie and quietnesse of the vertuous hath alwayes béene full of the feare of God neither haue they béene the lesse carefull and humble of spirite although they did excell in great vertues heauenlye gifts But the securitie of the wicked doth come of pride and hawtinesse and at length is turned to the deceyuing of themselues Neuer promise vnto thy selfe safety in all things whilst thou liuest in this worlde though thou séeme godly and a despiser of worldly things Many times hath it happened that they haue bene in great daunger for their ouermuch confidence and presumption which by the iudgement of the worlde were counted better than other men By which it is brought to passe that for many it is more profitable not wholly to bée void of temptacions but often to be tempted least perhaps they being to carelesse should be puffed vp with pride or least thereby they shoulde run the more licenciously to outward comforts But if a man woulde neuer séeke ioye at the worlde if he woulde neuer make nor meddle with the worlde Good LORD how vnspotted a conscience shoulde he euermore retaine and kéepe If a man would cut off all vaine carefulnesse and thinke only vpon soule health and heauenly matters put his whole trust in God onely O Lorde how great peace and quietnesse shoulde the same partie enioy No man is worthie of heauenlye comfort but he which shall exercise hymselfe diligently in the godly taming of hymselfe which taming of thy selfe if thou wouldest come vnto get into thy Chamber and shut out the tumults or stirres of the worlde like as it is written Fonder ye vppon these thinges in your Chambers closely and secretlye Thou shalte manye tymes fynde in thy Cell or Closet that which thou shalt forgoe abrode Thy Cell being continually frequented wareth swéete the same againe being negligently vsed is cause of tediousnesse But if at the beginning of the amendment of lyfe thou shalt rightlye frequent the same and shalt kéepe thy selfe therein at length it wyll fall out that nothing shall be more pleasaunt vnto thée nothing more full of comfort In silence and quietnesse doth the Godly soule goe forwarde and doth learne the mysteries of the Scriptures In them he findeth whole fluds of teares with the which he may euery night washe and make cleane himselfe to become so much the more familiar to hys Creator the farther of he liueth from all carefulnesse of the worlde Therefore that person that withdraweth himselfe from his acquaintance and friendes is resorted vnto of God himselfe and of his holy Aungels It is better to liue closely and to haue regarde vnto a mans owne saluation than with the cōtempt of himself euen to worke miracles Laudable it is to the godly person seldome to go abrode to flie to be séene to bée vnwillyng also to sée other menne Why desirest thou to sée that which is not lawfull for thée to haue and enioye The worlde perisheth and the desire thereof the lastes of pleasure doe allure to
happen euen so doth he apply himself vnto the same Hée that is ordered and framed inwardely aright the same passeth not vpon the woonderfull and preposterous maners of men Euery man is so much hindred and distracted as hée draweth businesse vnto himselfe If thou were rightly fashioned and purged substancially all thinges shoulde be profitable and commodious vnto thée Therefore doe many thynges myslike thée and doe oftentimes disquiet thée bycause thou art not yet fullye mortified vnto thy selfe nor seperated from all earthly and transitorye thyngs Nothing doth so much stayne and entangle the soule of man as the impure loue of the creatures If thou shalt despise the comforts of the externall or outwarde things it wyll come to passe that thou mayst the better beholde heauenly thinges and oftentymes reioyce triumphantly within thy selfe Of Modestie and obedience The .ij. Chapter MAke no great accounte who is on thy side or against thée but be occupied and carefull in this point how God maye be wyth thée in all thy dooings and how thou mayest haue a good and an vpright conscience so shall it come to passe that GOD will sufficiently defende thée For no mans frowardnesse shall bée able to doe him anye hurt whome he shall be willing to defend If thou shalt skill to hold thy peace and to suffer or beare paciently vndoubtedly to shalt beholde the ayde and succour of the Lorde Hée knoweth when it is time to deliuer thee and therefore oughtest thou wholly to commit thy selfe vnto him It belongeth to God to helpe and to deliuer man from all rebuke shame It doth manye times much good to kéepe vs vnder the better that our vices shoulde bée knowne and reprooued of other men Whilst that a man doth humble himself for his faults hée doth soone pacifie other men and satisfieth them that are offended with him wyth little adooe GOD doth defende and deliuer the humble person He humbleth himself to him that is humble he bountifullye giueth manye thinges to the humble and aduaunceth him vnto glorie after his thrusting downe To the humble he openeth his secretes and draweth and allureth the same swéetely vnto him Though the humble person be spitefully vsed and slaundered or brought into an euill name yet is he of quiet and pacient mind bicause he stayeth himselfe vpon God and not vpon the worlde Thinke not that thou hast profited any thing at all vnlesse thou take thy self for the veryest abiect of all other men Of the good and quiet person The .iij. Chapter PUrchase and procure peace vnto thy selfe first of all so shalt thou be abie at the length to set peace among other A quyet person doth more good than one well learned But the vnquiet and contencyous brawler doth drawe euen that which is good into the euill part and quickly beléeueth euill A good and quiet man interpreteth all to the best Hée that is of quiet minde the same hath no euill suspicion of any man but he that is not content with his state or condition but is tossed wyth diuers suspicions the same partye is neyther quyet hymselfe nor yet suffereth other to bée quiet by him Many times he speaketh that which hée ought not and letteth passe that which were expedient to be done Hée considereth what is another mans duetie and yet his owne dutie he passeth not vppon Wherefore looke thou speciallye to thine owne dutie and so shalt thou best looke vnto the duty of another man Thou hast good skyll to excuse and beare wyth thyne owne dooynges and yet thou admittest not the excuses of others More reasonable it were that accusing thyne owne selfe thou shouldest excuse another If thou wilt be borne with doe thou likewise beare with another And behold how farre off thou art yet from perfite loue and modestie which can tell how to take displeasure and be angry with no body but onely wyth himselfe If is no great matter to deale with good and quiet persons bicause that thing is naturally pleasaunt vnto all men and euery body wysheth for peace and loueth them aboue the rest that are agréeable vnto him But to bée able to liue quietly with the rigorous and frowarde with those that withstande vs or men of euill nature crooked condicions thys is in déede the point of a ioly valiant fellowe and one worthy of high prayse commendation And some there be that both liue at peace with thēselues and also with other men Some other that neyther enioy peace themselues nor yet suffer other to enioy the same Troublesome surely are they to other but yet to thēselues they are alwaies more troubesome Some againe there be that doe kéepe still themselues in peace also endeuor to reduce other men to peace Howbeit oure whole peace in thys wretched life is rather to be placed in modest pacience than it is in not féelng of aduersity The more a man knoweth howe to suffer aduersitie paciently the greater peace doth he enioye and is likewise both conquerour of himselfe and Lord of the worlde and friende of Christ and heire of Heauen Of the sinceritie of minde and plainnesse of meaning The .iiij. Chapter MAn is raysed aboue earthlye thinges with two winges to wéete with simplicitie and sinceritie Simplicitie is in meaning or witte Sinceritie is in affection The first applieth it selfe to god This other taketh hold of him tasteth what he is No good déede shall hinder thée if thou wilt haue thy soule free from al inordinate affections If thou wilt intend séeke after nothing else than the wyll of God the profite of another thou shalt enioy liberty of mynd If thy Soule were right syncere the whole Worlde shoulde be a glasse to thy lyfe and a booke of godly doctrine For there is no creature so small and so vile that doth not represent vnto vs the goodnesse of god Nowe if thou haddest a good and pure soule thou shouldest sée all things without any impediment and shouldest vnderstande them throughly For the pure soule doth pierce both Heauen and Hell and such as euery mans soule is euen so doth it iudge of outwarde things If there be gladnesse any where the mā of pure heart doth enioy the same Againe if there be calamitie and anguishe any where no bodye knoweth it better than hée that hath an euill conscience Like as yron being cast into the fyre is rid from his rust and is made glowing hote altogither euen so the person turning himselfe wholy vnto God doth put off his dulnesse and is chaunged into a new man He that is but warme flyeth from so small paines and procureth outward comfort but if the same haue begun once earnestly to maister himselfe like a man to treade the path of Godlynesse it happeneth that the thynges which before he felt heauye he doth now recken but for flight and easie Of the consideration of a mans selfe The .v. Chapter WE ought not to much to credit our selues for
if thou wilt obtaine the victory Surely without fighting thou shalt neuer get the crowne of pacience Now if thou wilt not suffer thou refusest to be crowned but if thou desire to be crowned striue like a man beare the fight paciently For neither is rest gotten without labor nor yet victory procured without fighting SERVANT Bring to passe lord that through thy benefite I may be able to doe that which me thinke I am vnable to do by naturall power Thou knowest well that I otherwise of my selfe can beare but litle that I am soone cast down discouraged euē with a light fal Bring it to passe that al misery and aduersity may be vnto me amiable to be wished for for thy names sake For it is very helthful vnto my soul to suffer to be vexed for thy cause Of the confession of a mans owne infirmitie and of the miseries of this life The .xxij. Chapter LOrde I will confesse vnto thée mine vnrighteousnesse and infirmitie or weakenesse A small matter doth manye times dyscourage me and cast mée into heauinesse Some time I determine to holde my self stoutly and valiauntly and by and by with a small chaunce of aduersitye I am in great trouble and sorowe A most grieuous temptaciō doth grow of a most vile thing I that thought to my self that I did not behold it when as I did not féele it euen I the same doe perceiue that I am almost ouerthrowne sometime with alight slender blast Wherfore O Lord looke vpon my humility frailty being perfitly known vnto thée haue pitty vpon me deliuer me out of this mire lest being drowned I perishe vtterly This thing doth oftentimes vexe me at the hart maketh me ashamed in thy sight to thinke that I am so frayle so weake to resist my troublesome affections which though they doe not drawe me wholy to consent vnto them yet is the vexation of them gréeuous painefull vnto mée and it very much yrketh me to liue euery day in stryfe after such sort And hereby is myne owne infirmitie made plaine and manifest vnto me bycause wicked thoughts doe much sooner inuade me than depart frō me Would to God thou wouldest looke vpon my labors and sorrows O most mighty God of Israel and most desirous of faithfull soules wouldest prosper all my enterprises Strengthen me with heauenly strength least olde Adam my wretched fleshe not yet wholye subiecte vnto my spirite doe maister or beare rule ouer me against which I must fight so long as the breath is in this most wretched body of mine most wretched I saye bicause calamities and miseries are neuer wanting therin bicause al things are therein full of snares enymies For temptacions doe followe temtacions yea also whilst the first conflict doth yet endure diuers other do come in the necke of it we not so much as thinketh of anye such matter Can then this life be loued which hath so manye bytter tastes and is subiect to so many miseries and calamities Or yet may it rightly be termed life which causeth so many deathes plagues yea for all that it is loued and in the same do many men hunt after pleasures The worlde is manye times dispraised bicause it is so deceytfull vaine and yet is it hardly forsaken bicause the desires of the fleshe doe heare to great a sway For some things doe allure to loue it other some doe allure man to despise it To loue it the desire of the flesh and the eies doth allure and the pride of his life The punishments and miseries that doe follow after are cause of the hate and yrksomnesse of the same But alacke for pitty wicked pleasure doth maister the mind being bent vnto the world so that it is kept in delight with the ticklings of the senses when as yet neyther it hath séene nor tasted of the pleasantnesse of God the inwarde swéetenesse of vertue But they which vtterly contemne the world and endeuor to liue vnto god vnder holy discipline the same are not ignorant of the promised swéetnesse in God to them that haue wholy renoūced themselues and againe doe sée howe lamentably or gréeuously the worlde wandreth and how diuersly it is deceiued That we must rest repose our selues in God aboue all good things and gifts The .xxiij. Chapter REst thou alwaies in GOD aboue all things in al thinges O my soule For he is the euerlasting rest of the Saintes and godly men Graunt me O most swéete and louing Iesus to repose my selfe in thée aboue all thinges in the worlde aboue all health and beautie aboue al glory and honor aboue all power and dignitie aboue all knowledge and witte aboue all riches and Artes aboue al ioy and triumphant reioysing aboue all fame and praise aboue all swéetenesse and comforte aboue all hope and promise aboue all deserte and desire aboue all giftes and offices which thou canst giue and poure forth aboue all gladnesse and ioye of voyce which the minde is able to comprehende and féele To be short aboue al Aungels Archangels aboue the whole Army of heauen aboue all visible and inuisible thinges and aboue all whatsoeuer thou art not O my god For thou art O my God the best of all other thou onely art most mighty thou onely art most plentifull and most full thou onely art most pleasant and most able to cause comfort thou onely art most bountifull and most amiable Thou onely of all other art most noble most glorious In thée onely rest all good things the same perfit both are and haue béene shal be And therefore it is both lesse little whatsoeuer thou giuest vnto mée besides thy selfe or doest vtter vnto me promise as touchyng thy self being not yet séene nor fully attained vnto For my mind can not soundly take rest nor be contented sufficiently with that which is present except it passing by all gifts and al worldly things doe repose it selfe in thée O my most swéete spouse Iesus Christ a most pure louer Lorde of the whole worlde would God I had wings of true libertie to flie vnto thée and to rest my self in thée O Lord when shall it be lawfull wholy to employ my wit to sée how plesant thou art O my Lord God When shall I at the length settle all my powers in thée in such wise that for very loue of thée I may not nowe féele my selfe but thée onely after an incredible maner of séeling that not knowne to euery man Now I doe many times sigh and doe beare my infelicity with sorow bicause many euils do occurre in this vale of miseries which doe trouble mée oftentimes make me sad pensiue darcken mine vnderstanding many times doe let distract allure shackle and entangle me that I may not haue frée accesse vnto thée nor enioy thy pleasant imbracements being alwayes present with thy blessed spirits Let so
many sighs so many painfull cares of mind which I beare out in the world mooue thée O Iesu the brightnesse of glory euerlasting the solace of the wandring soule my mouth is with thée voyde of wordes and my silence doth speake vnto thée How long doth my Lorde God forslow his comming Let him come vnto mée his poore soule and make me ioyfull stretching forth his hand let him deliuer a wretch out of all perplexitie of minde Come come I say For without thée there shal be no day no nor no howre quiet bicause thou art my ioye without whome my table is voyde emptie I am a wretch and know not after what sort I am pressed downe as it were with imprysonment and fetters vntill thou refreshe mée with the light of thy presence and set me at liberty and shewe me thy friendely louyng countenance Let other men séeke what they list in the stead of thée but as for me nothing either liketh or shall like me else saue thée O my God my hope and euerlasting saluation I will neuer holde my tongue I will neuer cease to pray vntil thy fauor doe returne and thou speake vnto me at home IESVS Behold I am here present with thée bicause thou hast called vpon me thy teares desire of mind discouragment anguish haue called me vnto thée in stirring me vnto pitie SERVANT I O Lorde haue called vpon thée as one desirous to enioy thy presence being ready to refuse al things for thy sake For thou diddest first stirre me vp to séeke thée as touching which thing I yéeld thée thanks O Lord which hast done so great a benefite vnto me thy seruaunt according to thy singuler mercy In fine what néedeth many words or what remayneth else besides sauing that I submit my selfe very modestly vnto thée as one mindful euermore of mine owne vnrighteousnesse and vilenesse For no man is like vnto thée any where in all those woonderfull things which are conteined in heauē earth Thy works O Lord are good aboue mesure thy sentence is true al things are gouerned by the helpe of thy prouidence Wherefore praised and glorified be thou O wisdome of the Father let both my soule and my mouth togither with all the creatures of the worlde praise and set forth thée Of the recounting of so many benefits of God The .xxiiij. Chapter OPen O Lorde the eyes of my minde and teach me to liue according to the commaundements of thy lawe Cause that I maye vnderstande thy wyll and may recount with great reuerence diligent consideration thy benefits bestowed aswel vpon all men as also vpon me that therby I may giue thanks accordingly Although to say the truth I am not able sufficiently to praise the least part of the same and so much it wanteth that I am able to set forth so many gifts benefits bestowed vpō me that whilst I consider thy bowntie liberality my spirite fayleth me through the greatnesse thereof For what thyng soeuer we possesse eyther of minde or of bodie either without or within both naturall and against nature those same are thy benefites and doe commend thy liberalitie bountie and goodnesse of whome we haue receiued all good things Nowe if one man haue receiued more or fewer gifts than another hath surely they are all thine without thée the least thing of all may not be had Now if any man haue gotten greater gifts the same can not boast of his owne desert nor extoll himselfe aboue other men or triumphe ouer him that hath lesser giftes For euery man is so much the greater and the better as the same doth the lesse attribute and ascribe vnto himselfe and as he is the more modest Godlie in giuing of thankes and looke how much the more euery man doth thinke hymself most vile and most vnworthy of al other so much the fitter is the same to obtaine greater things at thy handes Againe if one haue gotten fewer gifts the same ought not to bée sorie or to take it heauily or to enuie at him that is richer in gifts but rather to beholde thée and most of all to praise thy goodnesse in that thou giuest thy gifts so plētifully so willinglye without any respecte or difference of persons All thynges are of thée and therfore art thou to be praised in all things and thou knowest what is expedient to be giuen vnto euery man yea it is not for vs but for thée to iudge why this man hath lesse and he more which thorowly perceiuest what thing is conuenient for euery man Therefore O Lorde God I recken account it for a great benefite also to haue but fewe things which maye séeme after the fashion of the worlde to bée praised and gloried in And thus I determine that man ought not onely and to be vexed to sorrow for his owne vilenesse lack of helpe and to be discouraged in mind but also to take therof great comfort and ioy bicause thou O God doest choose the naked and lowly and to such as are despised in the face of the worlde to be thy familiars houshold seruants Thy Apostles themselues are witnesses hereof which being made chiefe of the whole world by thée did shewe themselues so modest so simple so void of all malice guile that they did not onely refraine from complainings but also did reioyce to be taken vp with reprochful words rebukes for thy name sake and did most gréedily imbrace those thinges which other men doe detest flie from Therfore nothing ought so much to céere vp a louer of thée and one that acknowledgeth thy benefits as the knowledge of thy will and euerlasting decrée with the which he ought so to be content and so to accept and take it in good worth that he desire no lesse to be the least of all other then another man desireth to be the greatest and doe no lesse take in good parte content himselfe with the lowest place then with the highest is no lesse willingly despised abiect and a séely soule of no reputacion then he is to be the most noble greatest of al other For thy will and the loue of thy honor ought to ouercome all things to cōfort him more and please him more then all benefits either bestowed or to be bestowed vpon him Of foure things which doe procure peace The .xxv. Chapter LORDE SOnne I will now teach thée the way of true peace and libertie SERVANT Doe Lorde as thou sayst For it is welcome to me to heare this LORDE Endeuour sonne to doe the wyll of another rather than thine owne will. Haue aiwaies liesser to haue lesse than more Alwaies séeke for the lowest place and desire to obey all men Alwaies wish pray that Gods will may altogither be done in thée Hée that both these things wéete thou that he entreth into the bounds of peace and quietnesse SERVANT Lorde
this talke of thine being but short doth containe much perfection and it is surely but small and slender in speaking but yet both full of sense and plentifull in fruit And if I did faithfully obey the same truely there should not be trouble and vnquietnesse within me so soone yea so oftentimes as I féele my self vnquieted grieued I find my self to haue declined from this doctrine of thine But thou who art able to do al things and alwayes louest the profiting comming forwarde of mans soule encrease thy liberalitie towardes me I pray thée that I may be able both to doe as thou biddest and also to attaine vnto euerlasting saluation A prayer against euill thoughts The .xxvi. Chapter SERVANT O My Lorde my God depart not from me O my God sée thou helpe and succour me For euil and wicked thoughts are within me also feares that do vex my soule which thoughts by what meanes may I passe by or breake in péeces without harming my selfe LORDE I will lead thée the way and will presse downe mans power and the pryson doore beyng opened will declare and make manifest my secrets and hid things vnto thée SERVANT Doe so Lord chase all wicked thoughts away with thy countenaunce This is my onely hope comfort to flie vnto thée in al calamitie to put my trust and confidence in thée to cal vpon thée frō the bottome of my hart paciently to await for thy cōfort Prayers to obtaine the lightning of the minde The .xxvij. Chapter GIue light vnto me O good Iesu with the brightnesse of thy euerlasting light disperse all maner darkenesse as it were out of the house of my soule Represse so many outwandrings beat downe violent temptacions Fight for me stoutly ouercome the wicked beastes which are the desires of allurements that peace maye bée made through thy power and vertue the holy Hall which is my clensed soule may ring resounde with thy praises Commaund the winds and tempest bid the Sea to be calme quiet bid the blowing of the North winde to ceasse there shal be great calmenesse Send thy light and truth to gyue light vnto earth For I am but rough and vngaine earth till thou doest giue light vnto me Poure out thy fauor from aboue all to be sprinkle my soule with thy heauenly liberalitie minister water of Godlynesse which when the vppermost parte of the earth is once watered may fetch out good or rather the best fruite Lift vp my mind being pressed down with the waight of sins hang vp my whole desire vpon heauenly things that the swéetenesse of the heauenly felicity being once tasted of it may be tedious to thinke of earthly things Deliuer me or rather snatch me out of all comfort of worldly things nothing parmanent or durable For no worldly creature is able to alay and comfort mine appetite or desire at all Ioyne mée vnto thée wyth the indissoluble bond of loue For thou onely art sufficient for the louer wout thée al things are but friuolous vaine Of the auoyding of curious enquirie how another man doth liue The .xxviij. Chapter LORDE SOnne be not curious or haue superfluous cares in thy heade What belongeth this or that vnto thée doe thou followe me For what matter maketh it what euery man doth or speaketh It is not necessary for thée to pleade the cause of other men thou must giue an account or reckning for thy selfe Why then doest thou entangle thy self wyth other mens matters I know all men sée all things whatsoeuer are done vnder the sunne and know how it goeth with euery man what he thinketh what he would haue and wherevnto his counsell meaning doth tende Therefore all things are to bée committed vnto me doe thou practise and ensue peace and suffer the vnquiet to moyle about what he lyst that shall surely giue account of all their doings sayings For they can not deceiue me Let neither the shadow of a great man nor yet the familiarity of many nor the priuate friendship of men be passed vpon of thée For these things doe cause dystractions of minde and compasse the same about with vncouth darckenesse Truely I would willingly vtter my sayings vnto thée and woulde disclose my secrets if thou wouldest diligently watch for my comming and wouldest open the doore of thy soule vnto me In what things stedfast peace of mind and true profiting doth consist The .xxix. Chapter SOnne I haue thus spoken My peace I leau vnto you my peace I giue you not as the world giueth doe I giue vnto you All men couet for peace but al men bée not carefull about those things which are requisite vnto true peace My peace hath to doe with the modest and with men of a softe and gentle spirite Thy peace doth consist in great pacience and thou mayest enioye the same at large if thou wilt heare me and wilt follow my voyce Wherefore giue good héede in all thyngs what thou doest or speakest and be occupied in this one point to please me to couet or desire nothing out of mée Thou mayest iudge nothyng rashlye and wythout cause concerning the sayings or dooyngs of other men nor entangle thy selfe in matters not committed vnto thée By this meanes it shall happen that thou shalt be both little and seldome disquieted For to féele no maner of trouble at all nor to haue anye vexation of minde or bodie is not for this present life but for the state of the euerlasting rest Wherfore thinke not that thou hast founde true peace if thou féele no griefe at all or that all is well if thou suffer no maner of aduersitie or that all is perfite if euery thing happen as thou wouldest haue it thy self nor thinke that thou art any thing of price or highlie in my fauor if thou liue in great godlinesse swéetenesse Neither shall the true Louer of vertue bée known by these things nor yet doth the comming forwarde and perfection of a man consist in these things In what point then Forsooth in offering thy selfe with thy whole hart vnto the will of God and in louing thy self in no maner of thing great or small neyther in this life nor in the life to come so that thou kéepe still in prosperitie aduersitie one countenance continually with thankes giuing in waying all things with vpryghtnesse and indifferencie Finally if thou wilt shew thy self so valiaunt and of so strong faith that though the inward comfort be withdrawen thou wilt yet prepare thy Soule to endure greater things wilt not report and prayse thy selfe for iust and holy it wil then fall out that thou maiest tread the true and right way of peace and that thou mayest haue vndoubted hope to sée my countenance againe with ioyfull singing and melodie Now if thou shalt come vnto the full and perfite contempt of thy selfe wéete thou that thou shalt be able to enioy so much peace
wholy frée from the stayne or spot of self loue Thus did the Iewes come in old time to Bethany vnto Martha Mary not for Iesus sake onely but to sée Lazarus Therfore the eie of the intent must be clensed that it may be simple straight and to be directed vnto me beyond the reach of all things which doe happen among in great varietie That there is pleasure about all things and in all things to one that loueth god The .xxxix. Chapter SERVANT BEhold my God and al things What would I haue more or what can I wish more happy O sauorie and swéete worde But to him that loueth the word and not the worlde nor the things that are in worde My God and all things to a wiseman it is ynough and to repeate the same oftentimes is pleasant vnto thy louer For whilst thou art present all things are pleasant whilest thou art away all things are painefull troublesome Thou makest a calme soule great peace and plesaunt ioye Thou art the cause that wée haue a good opinyon of all thynges and that thou bée praysed in all thinges Neyther canne anye thing long please without thée Naye that any thing shoulde be acceptable and sauorie the presence of thy fauour is requisite and the same must be sawced and powdred with thy wisedome What is not sauorie and swéete vnto hym vnto whome thou art sauorye Againe what canne cause pleasure vnto him vnto whome thou art not sauorie But the wise of the worlde doe faile in thy wisdome and such as sauour the flesh because death is found here and there very much vanitie But they which followe thée by the contempt of worldly things and mortifying of the fleshe are to be thought wise in déede because they are translated from vanitie to veritie from flesh to spirite Vnto these men God is swéete and sauorie and whatsoeuer there is in the worlde created al that doe they referre to the praise of the Creator and maker Yet is the taste of the Creator and the creature of euerlastingnesse and of time and light vncreated and light illuminated vnlike yea and that far vnlike to O euerlasting light and thou which doest surpasse al created lights shine cléerely vpon mée and with thy brightenesse péerce purge chéere giue light vnto all the inwards of my minde quicken my spirite with hir powers that I maye sticke fast vnto thée with the song of triumphant gladnesse O Lorde when shall that blessed desired howre come wherein thou mayst fyll me so with thy presence that thou maist be al things in al things vnto me Surely so long as this shall not bée graunted vnto me I shall not haue full and perfite ioy The olde man not yet wholy crucified not yet wholy mortified doth as yet liue within me which maketh me sory yet doth it mightily couet against the spirite yet doth it moue warre within me suffereth not the kingdome of my soule to be quiet But go to doe thou helpe me which bearest rule ouer the Sea and doest settle the motions of the waues surges Disperse the people that are desirous of warre and tread them downe by thy force and vertue Shew foorth thy greatnesse make noble this right hande of thyne For I haue no hope any where I haue no refuge any where sauing in thée O my lord god That this life is neuer in safety frō temptacion The .xl. Chapter LORDE SOnne thou shalt neuer bée without daungers in this lyfe but so long as thou liuest thou shalt alwaies haue néede of spirituall weapons Thou art in the midst of thy enimies Thou art assaulted on the right and left hande Therfore vnlesse thou wilt defende thy selfe with the buckler of wisdome on all sides thou wilt not long time be without a wound Againe vnlesse thou wilt fixe thy mind vpon me to suffer all things for my sake with a sincere wil thou shal be vnable to continue this heat or to attaine the rewarde of the blessed Wherefore then must ouergo all things like a man and must vse a mightie hand against the things that are cast against thée For Manna is giuen to the conquerour but much miserie is left vnto the sluggard Now if thou séeke after ease in this life how wilt thou come vnto the life euerlasting Bend thy self wholy not vnto rest but vnto pacience Séeke for true peace not vpon the earth but in heauen not in men and other worldly things but in god alone Thou oughtest to enterprise all things willingly for the loue of God labors sorrowes temptacyons vexations carckes necessities infirmities wronges obloquies reproofes oppressyons reproches corrections despisinges These things do allure vnto vertues These things doe make tryall of the yoonge Souldiour of Christ These thinges doe make a heauenly Crowne to this man will I praye for hys short labor an euerlasting rewarde for a reproche past euerlasting glory Thinkest thou that thou shalt alwaies haue spirituall comforts as thou wouldest thy selfe The state condition of those my saints was not such in olde time but they did paciently abide many gréeuous things sundry temptacions and great destructions wherin neuerthelesse they did wholy shewe themselues pacient altogyther more trusting vnto god then to thē selues knowing that the aduersitie of this life shall not counteruaile their glory to come Wylt thou haue that at the first chop which manye haue gotten scarsely at the length after many teares trauails looke for the lord shew thy selfe a man giue not ouer thine enterprise for lacke of faith but bestowe both body and soule constantlye in the defense of Gods glory I will reward thée most bountifully will be assistant vnto thée in all calamity Against the vaine iudgements of men The .xli. Chapter SOnne cast thy mind constantly vpon God feare not mans iudgemente so long as thyne owne conscience doth pronoūce thée godly and innocent It is profitable and blessed to suffer these thinges neither is the same gréeuous and painefull to a modest mind to one more trusting in God then himselfe Many men doe prate babble many things and therefore little credit must be giuen vnto them and it is not possible that al men shoulde be satisfied And though Paule did study to please all men and did shew himselfe all things to all men yet did he litle recken to be counted so by mans iudgement He did what he coulde no doubt to the profite saluation of others but he coulde not let himself to be condemned despised by other mens iudgements did therfore commit the whole matter vnto God who knew all and defended himselfe with pacience and modestye against the slaunders and cursed speakings of the wicked the lawlesse liers Neuerthelesse he answered sometime least he shoulde cause offence to the weaklings through his silence Why shouldest thou then at the length feare to be cōdemned of a mortall man who to day is aliue
that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty
precious than that it can abide to be ioyned with outwarde thinges Therefore whatsoeuer is a let to the same thou must cast it away frō thée if thou desire to be indued therewithall Séeke for a place of solitarinesse loue to dwell by thy self alone séeke for no mans communication but rather poure forth deuout prayers vnto God that both thy minde may be stirred vp and quickned and thy soule guiltie vnto it self of well dooing Set nothing by the whole worlde and preferre thy studye applyed to God before all outwarde thinges For thou canst not both apply thy selfe vnto me also be delighted with things transitory Thou must depart from thy acquaintance deare friends and thy mind must be called away from all worldly comfort Saint Peter doth admonishe the Disciples of Christ euen so to behaue themselues in thys worlde as straungers traueylers O how great faith and trust shall the person that shall dye haue whome the desire of no maner of thing doth kéepe still in the world But to haue a mynde thus secluded from all things belongeth to a man that is not sicke neither doth the sensual man knowe the libertie of the inward man. Surely if he will haue himselfe to be made spiritual he must renounce both things farre oft hard by must beware of no man more than himself If thou shalt once conquere thy selfe perfitely thou shalt the more easily subdue all other things For to triumph ouer a mans self is perfite victorie For he that hath himselfe subiect vnto himselfe in such sorte that both his appetite is obedient of reason his reason obedient vnto me in al things this man is both the conqueror of himself in déed also the Lorde of the world to which grice if thou desire to come thou must begin lyke a man and the hatchet must be put to the roote that thou maiest cut out and plucke vp by the roote the secrete inordinate loue both of thy selfe and of all priuate and carnall goodnesse For of this mans inordinate loue of himself all onely doth depende whatsoeuer by a man must be grubbed vp which mischiefe being ouercome subdued great peace and continuall calmenesse shall folow after But bicause fewe doe endeuor to dye perfitely vnto themselues and to depart out of themselues fully it hapneth that most of them do abide stil enwrapped in themselues cannot be caried vp in spirit aboue themselues But he that desireth to be conuersant with me fréely he must néedes slay and mortifie all his wicked inordinate affections and not cleaue desirously to any creature through priuate loue Of the diuers motions of Nature of Grace The Lix Chapter LORDE SOnne marke diligentlye the motions of Nature of Grace For they bée mooued after so suttle contrary a maner the one to the other that they can scātly be discerned but of the spiritual man one altogither lightned within Al mē in déed do couet the thing which is good do pretend some good thing in their sayings and déedes therfore are many deceiued with that shew countenance of a good thing Nature is subtile draweth intrappeth deceiueth many men and alwaies will haue hir selfe to be the proposed ende of hir doings But Grace behaueth hir selfe plainely and declineth from all kind of euill vseth no deceit and doth all thinges plainely for Gods sake resteth in him vnto the ende Nature refuseth to die to be kept vnder to bée ouercome to obeye to be subiect Grace studieth to mortifie hir selfe resisteth hir appetite desireth to be subiect and to be ouercome and will not vse hir owne libertie loueth to be kept at commaundement desireth not to beare rule ouer any man but is ready alwaies to liue to remaine to be vnder God to be in subiection with lowlinesse to al worldly things for Gods sake Nature studieth for hir owne commodity considereth what gaine maye growe vnto hir by another but Grace doth consider rather not what is profitable commodious to it self but what is profitable vnto many men Nature is gladly honored and magnified but Grace giueth al honor and glory vnto god Nature is afeard of reproch contempt but Grace reioyceth to be vsed reprochfully for the name of christ Nature loueth ydleyesse ease of body Crace not knowing howe to be ydle embraceth labour willingly Nature coueteth after curious and beautifull things and abhorreth the vyle and grosse things Grace is delighted with simple base things despiseth not things mishapen nor refuseth to be clad with olde rotten rags Nature beholdeth transitory things reioyceth at worldely gaines is sory for losse is prouoked to impacience with euery reprochfull word but Grace hath regard of things euerlasting doth not cleaue vnto corruptible thinges is not troubled with losse nor prouoked to anger with words somewhat spyteful and roughe bicause shée hath placed hir treasure in heauen where nothing is corruptible Nature is couetous more willingly receyueth then giueth as louing hir priuate commoditie but Grace is bountifull and liberall flying hir priuate profite content wyth fewe things iudging it more blessed to giue than to take Nature is prone vnto the creatures to fleshe to vanitie to gaddings about but Grace doth alure to God to vertues biddeth the Creatures adue flyeth the world hateth the desires of the flesh represseth gadding about is ashamed to be séene abrode Nature séeketh for outwarde comforts by the allurements wherof shée may be quieted but Grace séeketh comfort in God alone delighteth it selfe in the chiefest felicitie aboue the reach of all visible things Nature doth all things bycause of priuate gaine and commoditie nothing for naught shée alwayes looketh eyther for equall or greater recompence or else for praise and fauor for hir good déedes desireth that hir déedes gifts be greatly wayed set by But Grace séeketh for no worldely thing nor requireth any other rewarde or recompense for hir selfe then God alone nor coueteth mo things necessary to this life then so much as is néedefull to the attayning of lyfe euerlasting Nature reioiceth in the multitude of friends kinsfolkes bosteth in nobility and greatnesse of stock smyleth vpon the mighty flattereth the rich and doth sooth vp their sayinges that be like vnto hir selfe But Grace doth loue euen hir enimies also and is not prowde with the multitude of fryendes nor hath the place of hir birth noblenes of bloud in admiration reuerence vnlesse perhaps the greater vertue and godlinesse did there appeare The same doth more fauor the poore than the riche doth more lament the case of the innocent and harmelesse man than of the mightie reioyceth in the behalfe of him that is true not of him that is deceitfull doth alwayes exhort most of all to followe all those gifts that are best and to expresse the sonne of GOD in vertues and good
Which of the Godly men in the worlde hath there euer béene without his Crosse and miserie Our Lorde Iesus Christ was not an houre voyde of sorrowe and torment so long as he lyued in this worlde For it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe frō death and so to enter his glory and wilt thou séeke any other way besides this high waye of the Crosse The whole life of Christ was a crosse and torment and wilt thou séeke rest and ioy vnto thy self Thou wandrest out of the way thou wandrest out of the way I say if thou séeke any other meane then the pacient suffering of calamities bicause thys mortall lyfe of ours is altogither full of miseries and hedged round about with Crosses and the more euery man hath profited in godlinesse into so much the more gréeuous Crosses doth he fal namely when the paine of calamity doth encrease the more through loue And yet doth not this man of whome I talke being pressed with so manifolde calamities lacke the ease of comfort for asmuch as he also féeleth that hée taketh plentifull commoditie and friut by thys Crosse. For whilst that he submitteth himselfe of hys owne accorde vnto the crosse it happeneth that the whole burthen of calamitie is tourned into the trust of Gods comfort and the more the fleshe is ouertourned with calamitie so much the more is the spirit strengthened wyth the comfort of the soule And so much is he sometime confirmed in the féele of calamitie and aduersitie to great is the loue of the similitude of Christ his affliction that he wisheth not to be voide of sorrow and misery bicause he beléeueth that he shall be so much the more accepted of God the mo and the more grieuous things that he can paciently beare for his sake Neyther doth that thing chaunce by mans vertue and power but through the benefit of Christ which can doe so much and bringeth so much to passe in our fraile flesh that the thing which man naturallye doth alwayes abhorre and flye the same yet he attempteth and loueth through the feruentcy of the spirite It is not in mans reach to beare the Crosse to loue the Crosse to tame and subdue the body to flye from honours willyngly to take reproches and despites to despise himselfe and to wishe to bée despised paciently to suffer al aduersities and losses and to desire no maner of prosperitie in this worlde None of all these things canst thou doe of thy selfe if thou shalt depende vppon thy selfe but if thou shalt put thy trust in the Lorde strength shall bée giuen thée from Heauen and the worlde and the fleshe shall be subdued vnto thy rule and dominion Nay thou shalt not feare the enimitie of the Deuill neyther if thou be armed with fayth and marked with the Crosse of Iesus Wherfore apply thy selfe like as it becommeth the faithfull and good seruaunt of Christ to beare the Crosse of the Lord manfully nayled vpon the Crosse for thy sake through very pure loue Be thou readie to beare many aduersities and diuers incommodities in this wretched lyfe for so shal it frame with thée whersoeuer thou shalt liue and this condicion must be suffred of thée altogither whersoeuer thou shalt lye hidde neyther is there any way in any place to escape the misery of calamities and sorrowes but that the same must be paciently suffered Drinke thou of the Lordes Cup gréedilye if thou couet to be his fryende and partner And as touching the comforts commit thou them to God let him vse them according to his good will and pleasure Bée thòu wholy gyuen to beare calamities and recken the same for very great comforts Neyther are the calamityes of thys lyfe counternayling the glorye to come that wée shall at the length enioy although thou were able alone and no body but thy selfe to suffer them al. After that thou art come so farre forwarde that it is a swéete and pleasaunt thing vnto thée to beare aduersitye for Christ hys sake then thinke that thou art in good case which hast alreadie founde the kingdome of heauen vpō the earth againe so long as thou shalt be grieued to beare them and shalt flye from them so long shalt thou be in euill case the auoyding or flying from calamitie shall vexe thée euery where But if thou shalt applye thy selfe to thy duetye that is to saye to suffer and mortifie olde Adam thou shalte shortlye be eased and shalt finde peace Although thou be wrapt wyth Paule euen into the third heauen yet hast thou no warrantize or assuraunce that thou shalt suffer no maner of aduersitie I saith Iesus will shew vnto him howe much he must suffer for my names sake Therfore it is necesiary that thou doe suffer if it lyke thée to loue Iesus and to serue him euermore And would to God thou were worthie to suffer some thing for the name of Iesus How much glory shal arise both vnto thy selfe therby and ioy to all the saints and profite vnto men For pacience doe all men cōmend though few be willing to suffer Surely there is great cause why thou shouldest be willing to suffer a litle for Christ his sake séeing thou sufferest much more paineful things to compasse the worlde And wote thou well this that thou must liue by dying vnto thy self and the more that euery man doth dye vnto himself so much the more doth the same waxe aliue vnto god No man is apt or fit to comprehende heauenly things but he which shall submit himselfe to beare aduersitie for Christ his sake Finally nothing is either more acceptable vnto God or more healthfull vnto thy selfe in this life thā willingly to suffer for Christ in so much that if thou be put to thy choyse thou oughtest to desire rather to suffer aduersitie for Christ thā to be refreshed with many comfortes For so shalt thou be the liker both vnto Christ to al his holy seruants Neither is our merite and the comming forwarde in our duetie consisting in plentye of pleasures and comforts but rather impacyent bearing of gréeuous euilles and calamities Now if there had béene any better way or more healthfull vnto man than to suffer aduersities no doubt Christ woulde haue shewed the same vnto vs by his wordes and déedes But now he exhorteth his disciples followers and all those that are desirous to doe as he did manifestly to beare the Crosse and that in this wise If any man will followe me let him renounce himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me Therfore al things beyng reade ouer and tryed let this bée the conclusion of our talke we must enter into the kingdome of God by manye calamities The thirde Booke Of the inwarde communication of Christ with the faithfull soule The first Chapter IWil heare what the Lord GOD speaketh within mée Blessed be the soule which heareth the Lorde speakyng wythin hym and receyueth the worde of comfort at hys mouth Blessed are the eares that
receiue the sounde of that noyse that God maketh vnto them and take no héede at all vnto the noises of this world Blessed altogither are the eares which harcken not vnto the voyce that soundeth outwardelye but heareth the truth and speakeing inwardlye Blessed are the eyes which being shut vnto outward thinges are wholly bent vpon inward things Blessed are they that pierce vnto inward things and doe more and more endeuor to prepare thēselues by daily exercises to receiue heauenly secrets Blessed are they that take it ioyefully to giue themselues vnto god and to ridde themselues from all worldely let Marke these things O my soule and shutte foorth desires that thou mayest able to heare what thing the LORD God doth speake in thée Thy friende speaketh these things I am thy health and saluation I am thy peace I am thy lyfe cleaue first vnto me and thou shalt finde peace Let passe all worldly things and séeke for euerlastyng things For what are all temporall thinges but onely very deceites Or what doe all the Creatures profite thée if thou be forsaken of the Creator Wherfore reiecting al things make thy selfe accepted and faythfull to thy Creator that thou mayest be able to attayne vnto true blessednesse That the truth doth speake within vs without noyse of wordes The .ij. Chapter SPeake Lorde for thy seruant doth hearcken I am thy seruant giue me vnderstanding that I maye learne thy lawes and decrées Incline my soule to the wordes of thy mouth bicause thy talke floweth lyke vnto dewe The Israelites sayd to Moyses in olde time Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lorde speake least we shoulde die Howbeit I pray not so O Lorde I pray not so but rather with the Prophet Samuell doe humbly and earnestly beséeche thée thus speake on Lorde For thy seruaunt doth hearken And let not Moyses or any other of the Prophets speake vnto mée but doe thou rather speake vnto me O God being the inspirer and gyuer of life vnto al the Prophets who art able alone without them to instruct me Whereas they on the other side wythout thée can preuayle nothing In déede they may vtter and sounde foorth the wordes but the spirite they doe not giue They speake in déede very trimlye but if thou holde thy peace they doe not kindle and stirre vp the soule They teache the letters but thou openest the meaning They speake foorth the secretes but thou vnlockest the vnderstanding of the thinges signified They vtter the commaundements but thou helpest to performe the same They shewe the waye but thou giuest strength to walke ouer the same they handle the matter outwardlye but thou instructest and gyuest lyght vnto the minds They water outwardly but thou giuest the fruitfulnesse They cry out in words but thou giuest vnderstanding to the hearer Wherfore let not Moises speak vnto me but thou O Lorde my God beyng the euerlasting truth least I die and be made vnfruitefull or least if I shall be admonished outwardly onely and not also kindled or inflamed within thy worde being hearde not practised knowne not loued beléeued and not kept make but vnto my punishment Therfore do thou speake O Lord for thy seruant doth giue eare For thou hast the words of euerlasting life Speake vnto me I saye that thing which may bring both comfort vnto my soule and amendement vnto my whole life and also may cause glory and immortall honour vnto thée That the wordes of God are to be heard humbly and that the same notwithstanding be not pondred and weyed of most men The thirde Chapter LORDE SOnne heare my words being wordes most swéete and pleasant and such as doe excell all the wysedome of the Philosophers and wise of this worlde My words are spirite and life and not to bée wayed with mans wit and policie nor yet to be drawn vnto vaine pleasure but to be hard with silence and to be receiued with all modestie and godlynesse SERVANT Blessed is he whome thou instructest and traynest vp in knowledge O Lorde and doest teache thy lawe that thou mayest helpe him in time of trouble that hée perish not LORDE I both haue taught the Prophets long since in olde time and euen yet also now doe not cease to speake vnto all men Howebeit many are deafe and hard hearted at my voyce Most men doe more willingly heare the worlde than God and doe sooner obey the appetite and desire of their owne fleshe than the wyll of god The worlde promyseth but temporall and small thyngs and yet is it serued with great gréedinesse I doe promise excéeding great and euerlasting things yet are the hearts of men heauy and dull What is he that serueth and obeieth me in al things wyth so great care as the worlde and the LORDE of the worlde are serued Bée ashamed of it and if thou wouldest knowe why hearken and giue eare vnto me Many men doe run a great iourney for a little wages or hier and there be scarcely a fewe that will once step forward a fote to get euerlasting life A vile rewarde is painefully sought for men doe shamefullye go to lawe togither sometime for a small péece of money and men doubt not both day and night to be tryed for a vaine tryfle and small promise but it yrketh them to traueyle euen the least thing in the worlde for a good thing vnchaungeable for a rewarde vnestimable for honor excéeding and for glory immortall Therefore be thou ashamed thou slow complayning seruant bycause they are more ready and quicke vnto destruction than thou art vnto lyfe and doe more reioyce in vanitie than thou in truth And as for them they are disappoined of their hope sometime but my promise deceiueth no man nor sendeth any man away vnspedde of his erraunt putting his trust in mée That which I promise and prouounce in words the same doe I performe and fulfill in déede in case a man doe perseuere stil vnto the ende in the loue of me I am the rewarder of all good thinges I am also an earnest searcher and tryer of all the godly Wryte my wordes in thy heart and occupie thy selfe diligently about the same For they shall bée verye necessary in the time of thy trouble The things that thou vnderstandest not when thou readest them the same shalt thou knowe in the time of thy curyng and healyng And after two sortes am I woont to cure and heale my elect that is wyth temptacyon and wyth comforte and the same I dailye scoole twoo wayes Fyrst in fynding faulte wyth theyr sinnes then with exhorting and stirring them vp vnto the increase of vertues He that hath my words and despiseth the same he hath that of which he shall be cōdemned in the last day ¶ A prayer by which heauenly doctrine and religion is called for The .iiij. Chapter SERVANT O My God which art my whole goodnesse who am I that I dare bée so bolde as to speake vnto