fuerit coro nabitur Si autem in tribulacoÌ„ne fuerit liberabitur Et si correpcoÌ„ne fuerit ad miserecordiam tuam peruenire licebit Non enim delectaris in ê‘dicionibus nostris quia post tempestatem tranquillum facis post lacrimacionem fletum exultacionem infundis ¶ Eueri man that worshippeth the god hath this forcerteyne that yf his lyfe be here in temtacoÌ„ne he shall be crowned And yf he be in tribulacoÌ„n he shall be delyuerd And yf he be in chastisinge It shall be leefull to come to thy mercy Thou delyghtes not in oure perisshinges For after tempestys thou makest tranquillytee And after teeris wepynge thou sendeste gladnesse as the prophete seythe ¶ Secundum multitudinem dolorum meorumcoÌ„ solaciones tue letificauerunt animam meam ¶ After the multitude of my sorowes in my herte thy comfortes haue glad my soule His conforte of one houre ouerpassyth the sorowes of trybulacoÌ„n of many yeres For god that cometh for to helpe and comforte after tribulacoÌ„n shall abide wyth the gladynge thi soule And perauenture if thou playnest the that thoue taryeste ouerlonge abidinge his comforte as louers be wonte to playue Herto answerith a grete clerke casiodorus ¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideran ti et amanti tarditas videtur ¶ The swyftnesse of god to a disiryng and a louynge soule semeth longe taryeng Or thus a thynge that is moche coueyted semeth grete taryeng to a louyng soule thenne of thise to forseyde maye be concluded that a soule discomforted in trybulacoÌ„n oweth not to holde hymselfe ouercome of his enemyes but rather delyuerd Sythe thenne that this is sothe that tribulacyons delyuer vs from oure enemyes though it soo be that they be somtyme heuy and chargeable yet neuerthelesse thei shulde be suffird paciently and gladly wythoute grutchyng For if we grutche ayen tribulacyons thenne we striue ayen our helpers and we helpe oure enmyes And for we be not strong of oure selfe to delyuer vs from oure enemeys praye wee to god mekely seyenge wyth the prophete ¶ Da nobis domine axilium de tribulacione ¶ Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacyon ¶ De secunda vtilitate tribulacionis THe seconde prouffite of tribulacoÌ„n is that it stoppith the malyce of the fende For he is aferde to tempte the soule that is in tribulacoÌ„n for he dredith hym to be ouercome or els refusid and that is figured by the frendis of Iob where it seyde Iob. iii. Nemo loquebatur ei verbum videbant enim dolorem eius vhementem Noo man spake to hym a vode they sawe his sorowe was soo grete Thyse feyned frendys of Iob betokim wycked fendys that vexenor trauaylne soules whyche dare not come nyg he a soule that is in tribulacyon nepteme it beynge distroubled And not oonly tribulacyon stoppeth the malyce of the fende but also there thorough the comofret of angels and of sayntes as we rede of holy faders mauy one of whiche one cometh to myÌ„de Abotte sysoy after moÌ„ke suffering of certayn tribulacyons and dissesis A litill to fory e soule shulde parte from the body He sayde brethern beglade loo holy anton cometh to vs and soone after he sayde loo here comen the worshipfull companye of prophetys And the thirdde tyme he sayde Now comen that holy apostses and as it semed hem that stode about he spake wyth hem and thenne they prayed hym that he shulde telle hem wyth whom he spake and he answerd and sayde wyth holy Angles that came to take my soule And I prayed hem abide a while that I shulde suffre more penaunce And theyse wordes seyde the spirite passid wyth grete lyghte All they felynge a wonderfull swete sauour Noot well that there is noo peryll in tribulacion of temptacions soo that thou answere not to hem by delectacyon or consentyng as the speche of an openly cursyd man noyeth notte but yf thou answere hym That is fygured in holy wrytte Where it is seyde I saye xxxvi ¶ Mandauerat enim rex Ezeehas ne populus responderet blasphemus rapsacis ¶ Kyn Ezechie commaundid that the peple shulde not answere to the blasfemyes of that tyraunt Rapsacis By Rapsacis is vnderstonde the fende And by his blasphemyes ben vnderstonde temptacyons of wycked thoughtes the whyche noyen not but yf thou wylfully assente to hym And yf thou fele the feble by freelte of thy flesshe pray thou god besely in trybulacyon that he stope the malycyous temptacion of the fende as the prophete sayth Lorde god grante vs helpe of trybulacyon ¶ De tercia vtylytate trybulacionis THe thyrde prouffyte of trybulacyon is that it pourgeth the soule But it is to wyte that there is v manere of pourgynges one is pturgynges of mannis bodye for corruption of wycoked humours and that is on two maners One isby medicinable drynkynge Another is by craft blode letynge The seconde pourgynge is metally as golde by the fyre and Iren by the fyle The thirde pourgynge is of trees as of vynes of vnfrutefull braunches The fourthe purgynge is of corn ad betynge or thresshyng wyth a flayle The fyfth pourgynge is of grapes and that is by a pressoure On thus many many maner god dothe pourge the soule by trybulacion For as the body is pourged bi medycynable drynkes of euyll humures Ryght so the soule made clene by trybulation sente by our souereyne leche our lorde god of veyne affeccyons and euyll maners For saynt Gregorye sayth ¶ Mali humores sunt mali mores ¶ Euyll humours ben euyll maners Drynke this medycyne of trybulacyon sente to the fro god For he is a wyse leche and knowyth all thy preuy syknesse and how moche thou mayste suffre and how moche thou nedeste Foche sendeth the nothynge but that is prouffytable to the And he that hath rasted and allayed and dranke it afore the not for hymselfe but for thy purgynge he suffred the passyon of deth Wherof he sayde to the apostles IohnÌ„ and Iames. M xx ¶ Potestis bibere caliceÌ„ quem ego bibiturus sum ¶ May ye drynke the passion that I shall drynke ¶ Thenne sythen this wyse leche hath dronken this medicine for thy loue Drynke thou therof wythonten drede for it is hol som This drynke thrysteth the profete dauyd whaÌ„ he sayde ¶ Calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen domini inuocado ¶ I shall take the holsom passion of trybulacyon And yf thou thynke it better clepe thy lorde god into thyn helpe as he sayde ¶ Da nobis domine c. Lorde god graunte vs helpe of trybulatyon And as a purgacyon shulde be resceyued hastely wythoute ony more tastynge or longe tarienge so shulde trybulation be accedice wylfully wtoute argumentis of disputyng or rebellyon of grutchynge But now be well ware For somtyme as the prouffite of the medicyne is lettyd and werkyth the contrary to corrupcion Not for the defaute of the medycyne but for the euyll disposycyon of hym that receynyth it So in the same wyse the prouffyte of tribulatton
is lettyd of purgacyon doth the contrarye For it is beginnyng of payne after whiche folowith euerlastyng dampnacyon As we rede of kynge Pharao Kynge of egipte For the more that he was visited by tribulacyon the more his rebellynge herte encresid in to his dampnacion The seconde purgacoÌ„n of manÌ„es body for euyll humours is by crash blode letynge that is on two maners as by openyng of the veine or els by boxyng or veÌ„tusyng Opening of the veyne is approprid to coÌ„fession boxyng or veÌ„tusynge to tribulacyon And note wel the ryÈte as foule blode corruptith the body so synÌ„e whiche is callid in holy writte blode defouleth the soule The veyne by that whiche this blode or synne is voyded oute is the mowthe as it is seid ê“uÌ„x ¶ Vena vite os iusti qr iustê° iÌ„ principio accusator eÌ„sui ¶ The mouthe of a riÈtfullman is a veyne of lyfe Forthe rightfulle man in the begynnynge blameth-hymselfe that is to seye by confessyon and also note that as a man owyth by thys veyne to voyde oute wycked bloode to pourgyng of hys body and kepe the goode bloode to his norisshinge righte soo in confession he oweth by his mowthe to shewe all his synnes and wythholde kepe preuy all his goode dedis for fere of lesing For good dedis shewyd in confesson by veyne glorie or auauÌ„tyng turnen from vertue vnto vyce for defaute of wyse kepyng As we rede of the pharise that sayde luc xviii ¶ Gracias tibi ago dne quia non sum sicut ceteri hoiÌ„m raptores adusteri velut eciam hic publicanus ieiu no bis in sabato decimas de hominuÌ„ que posidio ¶ Lorde I thanke the for I am not lyke as other men robbers and auoutrers Also not lyke this publicane I faste twyes in the weke I paye tythes of all that I haue Loo here thou mayste vnderstoÌ„de by this pharisee a false feyned a proude confession ¶ Sed publicanus a longe stans noluit ad celuÌ„ oculos leuare fed percuciebat pectus suuÌ„ diceÌ„s Deus propiciê° esto in peccatori But the publicane stondinge aferre behynde holdyng himselfe vnworthy wolde not life vp his eyeÌ„ to heuen but he smote his herte seyde God haue mercy on me And so this publicane yeede thens iustified or made right by his very meke coÌ„fession To this accordeth the veri prophete Dauid where he seyth thus ¶ Dixi coÌ„fitebor aduersuÌ„ mei iusticiaÌ„ meaÌ„ dnoÌ„ tu remisistâ— impietateÌ„ peccati mei ¶ I shall knowleche by meke coÌ„fessyon ayens myselfe to my lorde myn vnrightwysnes thou haste foryeueÌ„ the wyckidnes of my synÌ„e Boxyng or veÌ„tusing accordeth to tribulacoÌ„n For as many disesis as god sendith to the in tribulacoÌ„n soo many remedies he ordeyneth for thy purgacoÌ„n But not welle as it is nedefull a fore ventusing the flesshe to be hette chauffyd for thenÌ„ the smyttyng of the blood Iren maye be suffrid more esely Soo it is spedefull afore tribulacoÌ„n that the herte be heted wyth perfigh loue charitee that reÌ„tacoÌ„n of tribulacoÌ„n maye be suffrid the more pacieÌ„tly gladly in figure herof the holy goost came downe to the apostels in lykenes of fyre By whom they were soo strengthed comforted they were gladde and yeden Ioyenge for they wereâ— had worthy to suffre tribulacion angre and represse for the name of IhuÌ„ The whiche afore that tyme were so dredefulle that they fledde a waye fro hym And some forsoke hym as Peter that was prince of the apostles for fere of a woman swore that he knewe hym not ye whiche aftir the comynge of the holy gooste drade not the cruell tourmentis of Nero the Emperour But pacyently and gladly suffrid to be crucified and dede The seconde manere of materyall purgacyon is of metals as golde by fyer and Iren by fyle For ryght as the fyer departith golde from other metals and prougyth hym of ruste and filthe and makith it fayre and clene So tribulacyon departith the soule fro his aduersaries And maketh him to god louely and acceptable and therfore it is sayde Sapiensee quinto Tanquam aurum in fornace probauit electos dominus and quasi holocasta hostie accepit illos et in tempore erit respectus eorum Oure lord hathe prouyd his chosen by tribulacyon as golde is prouid in the furneis and he hath acceptid hem as sacrifice of offeeryng and in tyme of rewarde they shal be beholde wyth thys fyer of tribulacyon As Iob was prouyd whan he seide Iob xxiii Probat me deus sicut aurum quod perignem transit God prouuith me by tribulacyon as golde that passith by the fyer and note well that amonge all metallis golde is mooste precyouse and lede is leste of price And yet neuertheles golde is not pourgit wyhoute lede For lede drawyth with hym in the furneyse the fylthes of the gold On the same maner chosen soules the whyche ben lykned to golde ben pourged by euyll men whyche ben lykened to lede Wherof Salamon sayth Stultus seruit sapienti ¶ The foole shall serue the wyse man Euyl men shall serue to pourge good men by trybulacyon ¶ Also as Iren is pourged by the fyle of ruste and made shyninge and bryght so is the soule pourged by trybulacyon from vnclennes and comforted wyth ghoostly lyght and as a knyfe that is not vsyd abydyng in the shethe drawyth ruste so the soule wythout exercyse of tribulacyon desyryth vnclene lust as we rede of dauid ii regum ii Whan he was without tribulacyon of weringe wyth his enmyes felle in to auoutre with the wyfe of vrie that worthy knyghte and aftyr into homicyde or man ne slaughter ¶ Therfore seith the prophete Ieremie Fertil fuit moab in diebus adolescencie sue et requieuit in fecibus suis Moab the whiche is vndrestonde the sone of my people was plenteuouse by grace in tyme of his tribulacyon and he hathe restid in filthes of synne Thenne grutche not ayens god whan he fyleth thy soule to make it fayre and clene louely and liÈt ¶ For els maye it neuer come to haue of hym that blessid sighte wherof it sayde M. quinto ¶ Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt Blessid bene thei that be clene of herte for they shal see god The iii maner of purging that accordeth to tribulacyon is of trees as cuttyng of vynes or voydyng vnfruytfull braunches Wherof criste seythe I xx ¶ Omnium palmitem in me non ferentem fructum tollet eum Et omnem qui fert fructum purgavit eum vt fructum plus afferat ¶ Euery vyne braunche that bryngyth forthe no frute in me that am a very vyne my fader that is a tylyer shall kitte hym of and caste hym awaye and that braunche that beryth frute he shall purge hym that he may bryng forth more frute By this vyne may be vnderstonde mannis herte by the humure is vnderstonde affection or loue and by
in prosperitee wherof sayth seynte Austyn that god sendyth tribulacyon to some men to stire hem to aske that he wolde graunte In the persone of suche seyth the prophete ¶ Ad dominum cum tribularer clamaui exaudiuit me Whan I Was in tribulacyon I cryed to oure lorde and he harde me And though all it happe that in prosperitee thou prayeste god that prosperite shulde not make the to slowe ¶ Yet neuertheles it maketh the some tyme bothe insolent and slowe so that thi prayer in prosperite is not spedeful as it is inaduercitee occupie soo moche thy herte that thou thynkeste that it hathe none entente ne deuocyon lyke as it had in prosperite yet that same aduersite makith thi prayer more precyouse And sothely all though tribulacyon oppresset the so moche that thou mayest not open thi mowthe to crye to god certynly this tribulacyon cryeth and prayeth to god for the so that thou haue pacyence for as seith a grete clerke Petir of lazer that as many woundis as he had so many prayers or cryers he had to god For whan lazer stillid wyth hys mouth his woundys cryed to god for hym wherof oure lorde seide to caym that had killid his brother abelle Genesis ¶ Vox sanguinis fratris tui abel clamat ad me de terra The bloode of thy brother abel cryeth to me fro the erthe Thus thenne it shewyth that tribula◠〈…〉 more precyouse the more acceptable to god Tribulacyons ben as it were a paymente for alettir selyd of delyueryng Wherof seyth Iob. ¶ Quis michi det vt ueniar peticio mea quod expecto tribuat michi deus qui cepit me ipse me conuertat soluat manum suam et succidit me et michi sit consolacio vt astligens me dolotem meum non percat ¶ Who shall yeue me myn askynge and who shall graunte me that I abyde god that began he conuerte me lose he his honde and kite me vp and that it be to my comforte that he tormentynge me spare not my sorowe Not well that that Iob that had loste his possessions his sonnes and his doughters and all his body was smyten with woundes or sepre from the soole of the soote vnto the ouerest parte of the hede And was repreued of his frendis and scorned of his wyfe and of his false freÌ„des He desired in no other thyng comforte but that god shulde not spare hym It thou askest what perteyneth to his delyuerynge it maye be aunswerid thus the askynge of his affeccyons or tourmentes ¶ For his tourmentys were paymentys of his leters as it is vsid in some place that whan a poure man drinketh in a tauerne and hath not wherofe to paye hys scote He asketh to be betyn and soo to be desiue If thou askist wherein was his comforte of thys Iob· ¶ Whan he asked to be turmentyd Saynt Gregory answeryth and sayeth ¶ That god sparyth some here in this worlde to tourmente they in afterwarde and some he tourmentyth here the whyche he wyll afterwarde spare ¶ The comforte of Iob was that he wyste well by presente trybulacyhe shulde escape euerlastynge dampnacyon For as it is sayde ¶ Non indicabit bis deus inidipÌ„m God shall neuer punysshe or deme twyse for one thynge And therfore this same Iob that asked that god shulde not spare hym here in this worlde asked in a nother place and sayde ¶ Parce michi domine Lorde spare me in tyme comynge suffre pacyently here in this worlde trybulacyon For tribulacyon saueth the soule as Iob sayde ¶ Ipse vulnerat et medicinat ¶ He woundeth he heleth For he woundeth the body and helyth the soule De vndecima vtilitate tribulacionis Caplm xi THe xi prouffyte of trybulacyon is that it kepyth and nourysshyth the herteÌ„ Sothely ryght as fyre is kepte in asshes ryght so the hertes of the frendes of god aren kepte in trybulacion Therfore oure lorde god commaunded Exodi ¶ Quod tabernaculum faccis cilicinis cooperietur That the tabernacle of god shuld de hyled wyth heiren sackes the whiche shulde the fende the presioê° curteynes of softe sylke and goddes ryche vesselles of golde or syluer ayenste wyndes and reynes In token that vertues of goddis seruauntes named menes ben kepte in aduersytee of trybulacyon For trybulacyon constreyneth the herte to thynke on the wretchydnesse of his owne Infyrmytee And so it constreyneth a man to be meke ¶ Whome worldly ê“sperytee had haunsyd by vayÌ„glorye aboue hyÌ„self Also trybulacyon nourysshyth the herte as a norys she her chylde For as the moder wyth the chyld cheweth harde mete the whiche the childe may not chewe and draweth it in to her body where that mete is turned into mylke to nourysshynge of the childe Soo cryste that in holy wryte is cleped oure moder for the gretnesse of his teÌ„der loue that he hath to vs He chewed for vs bytter paynes harde wordes re preues and sclaundres wyth bytternesse of his passyon that suffred for vs to nourysshe vs and strey neth vs goostly by ensample of hym to suffre trybulacyons and aduersytees of this worlde As wyne that is clensed thoroughe a bagge fulle of spyces chaungeth his owne sauoure drawynge to hym the sauoure of the spyce Soo a man suffrynge trybulacyons and aduersytees of thys worlde oweth to cleÌ„synge by the blessyd body of oure lorde Ihesu consyderynge the passyon that he suffred for hym And so it shall wexe swere and tollerable that to foresemyd full bytter and intollerable ¶ De duodecuna vtilitate tribulationis Capitulum xii THe .xii. prouffyte of trybulacyon is that trybulacyon is a certeyn token of loue that god hath towarde hym that it is sente to Wherof he sayde ¶ Quos amo arguo et castigo ¶ Hym that I loue I vndernymme and chastyle And also Salamon sayde Ecclesiastici ¶ Qui diligit fililiuÌ„ assidua et flagella· He that loueth his son he scourgyth hym ofte tyme. ¶ Wherof sayde saynte Ierome ¶ Summus pater Ihesus Christus filios suos semper sub aliquo flagello vel virga retinet vt quando eripiuntur ab vno sub alio capiuntur ¶ Oure souereyne lorde Ihesu cryste kepyth euer his chyldren vnder a scourge or a rodde And whan they ben deliuered of one they ben caughte vnder a nother But oure gode meke fader and lorde sente not alle his scourgis at ones to geder but one after a nother knowynge oure freelte For he wyl that noo man perysshe but he wyll all men be safe But euyll men and vnkynde that byleue hym not ne louen hym the whiche lyuen here wythoute scourge of of trybulacion Whome noo correccyon of chastysyÌ„ge maye wythdrawe from theyr errours god shalle punysshe wyth all his arowes of vengaunce For sothely all tourmentys that now ben departed aboute in all the worlde thenne shall be gadered togyder and abyde as in her owne place As oure lorde sayde Deutrononni xxxii ¶ Congregabo suê‘ eos mala et sagitas meas complebo in eis ¶ I shal gader togyder euyll thynges vppon euyllmen ¶ And I shall spende all myne arowes of vengaunce amonge hem ¶ Therfore thou good soule yf thou wylte be beloued of god wyll thou not putte awaye trybulacyons For they shewen to the tokens and wytnes of the loue of god But perauenture yf thou sayste the goddys chyldren taken of hym bothe good thynges euyll thynges Why is the takynge of euylle thyÌ„ges shewyÌ„ge or token of the loue of god more thaÌ„ the takynge of gode thyÌ„ges To this maye be answeryd that god yeuith many gode thynges and grete to his spyrytuell frendis and bytter and gretter to theym that he louyth more But the blessyd fader of heuen loued wythoute comparyson more his blessid sone oure lorde Ihesu criste than all the worlde and yet he sente hym here many anguesshes pouertees tribulacyons aduersytees repreues and scornynges betynges bydynges scorgynges many woundes and cruelle dethe but fewe temporell goodis Thenne is the yefte of aduersitee more shewinge token of loue of god than the yefte of temporelle prosperitee Also ferthermore oure lorde Ihesu criste goddis sone that leued here in this worlde as a wyse marchauÌ„te chose good marchaundyse and refused the badde For whan they wolde haue made hym kynge of Iude he refusid it and chase rather to I lee in to deserte And whan they soughte hym to tourmente hym and to slee hym he fleddee not but he chase rather for to deye and sayde ¶ Ego sum I am he whom ye seke Thenne yf criste was wyseste iÌ„ chesynge the whyche chase aduersitees they ben moche foles that dispisen tribulacyon and aduersy tees and chesen worldly prosperites that may not delyuer hem in tyme comynge from the hondes of her enmyes the cruell fendis Suffre thenne pacyently wyth criste here tribulacyons that thou maye take afterwarde the crowne of lyfe in the blysse of heuen For sothely otherwyse thou mayste not come to the blysse For the apostle sayth ¶ Per mulcas tribulaciones oportet nos intrare in regum celoruÌ„ ¶ It behouyth vs by many trybulacyons to entre in to the kyngdome of heuen He brynge all vs that suffred dethe oure lorde Ihesus AMEN ¶ Thus endeth this treatyse shewynge the .xii. ê“fytes of trybulacyon Enprynted at Westmyster in Caxtons hous By me Wynkyn the worde