repugning to thy mind And yf thou find any such holy exercise to which this hart of thine hath lesse inclination then it should examine the cause from whence that disgust ariseth 5. How doth thy hart remaine affected towards God him self Taketh it pleasure in the remembrance of God feeleth it not a sweet delight in calling him to mind Ah sayd Dauid I haue thought vpon God and taken delight therin Doest thou find a certaine promptnes redinesse and facilitie in thy hart to loue God and a particular sauour in tasting this his loue Thy hart doth it not recreat it selfe to thinke vpon the immensitie bountie and maruelous swetnes of almightie God If thou chaunce to thinck vpon God amidst thy worldly affaires and vanities doth this thought make place and winne rome and seaze vpon thy hart Doeth it seeme to thee that in such cases thy hart takes Gods part and turnes to his side and as it were goes before him to lead him reuerently into the chamber of thy hart for there are many soules of this mettal in the world 6. A louing wife when her housband comes home from some farre iourney so soone as she perceaueth any signe of his returne or heareth his voice what busines of euer she hath in hād though she be cōstrained by some forcible consideration to stay her self yet her hart cannot be held from looking for her husband but abandoneth all other cogitations to thinck vpon his ioyfull returne Soules that loue God doe the verie same howsoeuer they be employed when the remembrance of God presenteth it self vnto thē they neglect all thinges else for ioye that their beloued is returned vnto them and this is a verie good signe 7. How is thy hart affected towards Iesus Christ God man Takest thou pleasure in thincking on his life and death The Bees delight in their delicious honnie Waspes and beetles in ill-fauoured sauours so holy soules haue all their cōtentmēt placed in our sweet redeemer Iesus Christ with an exceeding tendernes of ardent loue to him but such as be vaine and wicked plant their affections altogether vpon vnprofitable vanities 8. How is thy hart affected towards our blessed Ladie thy good Angell the Saincts of heauen Doest thou loue honour reuerence them hast thou a speciall trust in their intercession a respect worship to their images delight in their liues takest thou pleasure to heare them praised 9. Concerning thy tongue How speakest thou of God is it a delight vnto thee to talk and discource in his honour according to thy condition and abilitie Doest thou loue to sing hymnes to his praise and glorie 10. Concerning workes Thinck whether thou haue a true harty desire of the outward glotie of God and to doe somwhat for his honour and worship for such as loue God doe according to Dauid loue the ornament of his house 11. Cōsider whether thou hast left any affection or renounced any delight or forsook any thing for Gods cause for it is a great signe of true loue for his sake whome we loue to depriue our selues of any thing What then hast thou in all this time since thy protestation forsaken for the loue of God An examination of our estate touching our selues CHAP. 5. 1. HOW doest thou loue thy self louest thou thy self ouermuch for the vanities of this world For yf it be so thou wilt desire to dwell always in the world with an extraordinarie care to establishe thy self heer vpon earth But yf thou loue thy self for heauens sake then wilt thou desire at least wise thou wilt easilie consent to depart from hence at the time and hower that it shall please our Lord to call thee 2. Doest thou keepe due order in the loue of thy self for there is nothing that marreth vs but onely the inordinate loue of our selues As for well ordered loue it requires that we loue the soule bitter then the bodie that we take more paines to get virtues then any thing els that we make more account of heauenly glorie then of base and transitorie honour A well ordered hart will more often say in it self What will the angels say yf I thinck or doe such a thing thē what will men say 3. What loue bearest thou to thy soule art thou vnwilling and loath to help it when it is spirituallie distempered and diseased alas thou owest this care and attendance vnto it to helpe it thy self and procure it to be holpen by other when passions doe torment it and to set a side all other cares when thy soule stands in need of thy care 4. How doest thou esteeme of thy self before the eyes of God almightie to be nothing at all doubtlesse But it is noe great humilitie in a flie to thinck her self nothing in regard of a mountaine or for a droppe of water to esteeme it self nothing in comparison of the maine sea nor for a sparkle of fire to hold it self nothing in respecte of the sunne It is humilitie indeed not to preferre our selues before others nor to affect or desire to be esteemed of and well liked by others How doest thou feele thy self affected in this point 5. Touching thy tongue doest thou not bragge and vaunt of thy self one way or other doest thou not flatter thy self when thou speakest of thine owne self 6. For works actions Doest thou vse to take any pleasure or passetime contrarie to thy bodily or spirituall health I meane vaine pleasure vnprofitable recreations ouer-watching too much disordely labour and such like An examination of the estate of our soule towards our neighbour CHAPTER 6. 1. THE loue between husband and wife ought io be sweete quiet earnest and constant and grounded principallie vpon the ordinance of God who commandeth it to be so And the self same is to be vnderstood of loue between parents and their children between vs and our neighbours and our frinds euerie one in his ranck and degree 2. But to speak in generall How is thy hart affected towards thy neighbour Doest thou loue him from thy hart and for Gods sake To discerne well whether it be so or no thou must prepose and represent vnto thy self certaine persons that be troublesome and intractable for there it is and towards such kind of men where we exercise the virtue of true charitie towards our neighbours and much more towards such as haue iniuried vs either in work or in word Examin well yf thy hart be free from passion in this behalf and whether thou feelest not a contradiction within thee to loue anie bodie 3. Art thou proane to speak ill of thy neighbour and especiallie of such as loue thee not Doest thou any harme to thy neighbour directly or indirectly Though thou haue neuer so litle reason or discourse thou wilt easilie find out thy defects in this point An examination of the affections of our soule CHAP. 7. 1. I HAVE extended these poincts at large because in the examination of them consisteth the knowledge of our spirituall
their princes court such as by the obligation of their estate are bound to take a common course of life in outward shew and exteriour proceeding vvhich kind of persons for the most part of them vnder colour of a seeming or pretended impossibilitie will not so much as once thinke vpon the vndertaking of a deuout life persuading them selues that as no beast yf we may beleeue the naturalists dare tast of the seed of the hearbe called palma Christi so no man ought to endeuour to obtaine the palme of Christian pietie so long as he liueth in the presse of temporall occupations To these men do I demonstrate that as the mother pearles doe liue in the sea not taking one drop of salt-water into their shelles towards the Chelidonian Islands there be fountaines of sweet water in the middest of the brackish sea and a small kind of flie called Pycaustes borne and bred in hot burning ouens and furnaces flies in the flames without scorching her wings so a vigourous and constant hart may liue in the world and yet not participate of the vaine humours of the world may find out fresh springs of sweete deuotion in the midst of the brinish waters of temporall affaires may flie without harme among the flames of earthly occupations and yet not burne nor seare the wings of holy desires which lifte vp a deuout soule to heauen although the bodie necessarily tread vpon earthen mould True it is in deed that this is a thing of some difficultie but therfore would I desire that many men would employ their cares in the attaining of so high à thing with more zeale then ordinarilie they doe and they should find it not so vneasie as they imagine it My self weak and feeble as I am haue endeuoured by this worke to cōtribute something of mine owne cost toward the helping of such as with a noble hart will vndertake this enterprize 3. Yet notwithstanding this present desire of mine it was neither by mine owne choice nor liking that this introductiō came to the publique vew of the world A certaine frind of mine endewed indeed with true honour and virtue hauing some good while receaued the grace of God to aspire vnto a deuout life requested my particular ayde assistaūce in this kind I being many wayes obliged vnto him and hauing long before noted in him à singular good disposition for this matter easily suffered my self to be ouer-intreated by him and tooke great care in teaching him to my power hauing conducted him through all the exercizes which I thought conuenient to his holy desire and agreeable to his estate I left him in writing for to help his memory these few rules that he might haue recourse to them when so euer he needed Since which time he communicated them vnto a great learned deuout person who esteeming them so profitable that many other might reape commoditie by them did earnestly exhort me to publishe thē and easie was it for him to persuade me because his loue had great power ouer my will his iudgement had great authoritie ouer mine 4. Wherfore that it might be more acceptable I haue tooke a review of it enterlacing many things in diuers places and adioyning some aduices and instructions fit for the purpose which before I sayd that I entend and all this haue I done hauing all most no leasure at all to spare For which cause look here for no exact or curious discources but onely a plaine heape of good aduertisments simplie and nakedly set downe and declared in easie and intelligible woords at least wise I desired so to doe As for the adorning of the stile and language I could not so much as think of it as hauing other things enough to doe 5. All my words throughout the book are addressed to Philotheus For my intention being to reduce to the common good many soules that which I had first writt for one onely I think I may fitly vse that name which is cōmō to all such which wil be deuout and diligēt in gods seruice for Philotheus is as much to say as a louer of God 6. Therfore in all the treatise laying before my consideration a soule which by exercise of deuotion aspireth to the loue of God I haue deuided this introduction into fiue parts In the first I endeuour by persuasions and peculiar exercizes to allure and winne the wille of my Philotheus to an entire and firme resolution of liuing well which he maketh at length after a generall confession with a round and sound protestation seconded by the receauing of the holy communion in which giuing vp his soule vnto his sauiour he receaues his sauiour into his soule and so entreth happelie into the retreat and closet of his heauenly loue That done to lead him farther on I shew him two speciall meanes how to vnite him self more more euery day vnto his diuine majestie the one the vse of the sacramēts by which our good God commeth vnto vs the other the exercize of holy prayer wherby he draweth vs vnto him self and in this I spend the second part In the third I set before his eyes how he may exercise him selfe in such virtues as be fit and conuenient for his profit aduancement in which yet I onely busie my penne in laying together some particular aduices which I thought he could hardly haue had of another or found out of him self In the fourth part I discouer the embushments and lurking dennes of his enemies shewing him how he may escape their snares deliuer him self frō their enticemēts that so he may goe forward without hindraunce in his worthie enterprize In the fift and last part I teach him to with draw him self as it were from other ordinarie exercises to the cabinet of his soule to refreshe his weerie deuotions and renew his holy purposes taking breath as it were and repairing his forces that he may afterward courageously get ground aduaunce him self in his iourney to perfectiō deuotiō 7. Well do I see in this curious age of ours that many will say it appertaineth to religious votaries to vndertake the particular guidaunce of soules vnto this singular exercise of pietie which requireth more leasure then a Bishop can well spare charged with a diocese so heauie as mine is that these deuout instructiōs too much distract the vnderstanding which should be emploied in affairs of greater importaunce But as for me to speak what I thinck I say deere reader with great S. Denis that it appertaineth principally to Bishops to conduct the soules committed to their charge vnto perfection since their ranck and order is supreme among men as is the order of Seraphins among the quyres of Angels so that their leasure cannot be better spent then about such busines The aunciēt Bishops fathers of the church were at the least as much affectioned to their charge as wee yet letted they not for all that to vndertake the particular care
The fourth manner of presence consisteth in helping our selues with a simple imagination by representing to our thoughts our Sauiour in his sacred humanitie as yf he were hard by vs according as we are accustomed to represent our frinds to our fancie and to say me thincks I see such a one doing this or that it seemes vnto me that I behold him thus or thus attired and such like But yf the venerable sacrament of the altar were present then this presence were reall not by meere imgination for the forces and appeerance of bread should be as a tapistrie behind which our Lord being really present seeth marketh our actions although we see not him in his owne likenes 6. Vse then my Philotheus these fower manners of placing thy soule in the presence of God before prayer but they must not be all employed at once one only at one time will suffice and that briefly and simplie not staying long or spending much time in calling this presence to thy mind Of Inuocation the second point of Preparation CHAPTER 3. 1. INVOCATION is made in this manner Thy soule remembring and conceauing her self to be in the presence of God prostrate before his diuine maiestie with all reuerence acknowledgeth her self most vnworthy to abide before so soueraigne and glorious an excellency yet knowing notwithstanding that his goodnes will haue it so she humbly demaundeth grace of him to serue him well and adore him purely in this her meditation 2. Yf thou wilt to this end thou mayst vse some short and inflamed words such as be these of holy Dauid Cast me not ô God from thy face take not from me the fauour of thy holy spirit Suffer thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and I will consider thy meruaites Giue me vnderstanding and I will ponder thy law and keep it with all my hart I am thy seruant giue me vnderstanding and such like as these 3. It would be good also to call vpon thy good Angel and vpon the sacred persons which were present at the mysterie that thou doest meditate on As for example in the meditation of the death of our Lord thou maist inuocate our blessed Lady S. Iohn S. Mary Magdalen the good thieefe that the inward feelings and motions which they receiued in their soules at that time may be likewise at this instant communicated vnto thee So in the meditation of thine owne death thou mayst inuoke thy good Angel gardian who will be present at thy departure desiring him to inspire thee with conuenient considerations And the like may be done in other like mysteries Of the third point of preparation consisting in proposing the mystery which we meane to meditate CHAPTER 4. 1. AFTER these two ordinarie pointes of preparation there is a third which is not common vnto all sorts of meditatiōs which some call the forming or figuring of the place or an interiour lecture or reading of the passage to be meditated on And this is nothing els but to represent vnto thy imagination the summe and substance of the mysterie which thou wilt meditate and to paint it out in thy thoughts so liuelie as though it passed reallie verylie in thy presence For example sake yf thou wouldest meditate our Lord vpon the crosse imagin thy self to be present vpon the mount of Caluary and that there thou beholdest and hearest all that is done or sayd in the passion of our Lord or yf thou wilt for it cometh all to one end imagin to the self that in thy very same place where thou art they crucifie our Sauiour in such māner as the holy Euangelists doe describe 2. The like may be done when thou wilt meditate of death as I haue noted in the meditation therof and likewise in the meditation of hell and in all such mysteries in which visible and sensible things are hādled for as touching other sorts of mysteries of the greatnes of God of the excellencie of virtue of the end for which we were created and such like which be inuisible things and not subiect to the apprehension of our sences in these questionlesse we cānot vse this kind of imaginatiō True it is that we may vse some similitude or comparison to help our consideration withall in such inuisible mysteries but those similitudes are hard to be mett with and my meaning is to deale with thee but plainly so that thy spirit be not weeried and ouerlaboured in searching out curious inuentions 3. By the meanes of this imagination we lock vp our spirit as it were within the closet of the mysterie which we meane to meditate to the end it range not idly hether and thether euen as we shutt vp a bird in a cage that she flie not away or as we tye a hauke by her leash that so she be forced to tarie quietly vpon the hand 4. Some cunninger maisters will perchaunce councell thee that it is better to vse only a simple thought or act of faith in beleeuing the mysterie and a brief apprehension altogether mentall and spirituall therof Others that we frame within our selues the place and maner or the historie proposed to meditate and not considering it as yf it passed in some other place without thee or farr distant from thee But these wayes are to subtil and hard for young beginners and therfore vntill such time as Gods grace do lifte thee higher I councell thee ô Philotheus to keep thee in this low valley which I haue shewed vnto thee Of the considerations and discources of our vnderstanding which are the second part of meditation CHAPTER 5. 1. AFTER the acts of imaginatiō which we haue described in the former chapters folow the acte of our vnderstanding which we call properly meditation and is no other thing but one or many considerations made by our reason to stirre vp our affections to God and Godly things For in this is meditation different from studie and discourcing which are not vndertaken to obtaine virtue or the loue of God but for other respects and intentions as to become learned to write dispute or talke intelligiblie of such like matters 2. Hauing then shutt vp thy mind and thought as I said before within the bounds and limits of the subiect which thou wilt meditate on either by imaginarie representation yf the matter may be subiect to the sences or by a simple proposing and conceit of it yf it be a matter aboue sence and wholly spirituall begin to make considerations and discourses therof according to the exāples which thou maist see redy made in the meditatiōs aboue written 3. And yf so be thy soule find tast fruite and light enough in any one of the consideratiōs or points which thou hast discourced vpon stay there without going any further to any other point doing in this as the thriftie bees do which neuer leaue the flower they once light on so long as they find any honny to be sucked out of it But if thou find not tast enough according
applieth our goods substance to the loue seruice of almightie God These be the three branches of the spirituall crosse which euerie man must beare all three grounded vpō the fourth vnderbraunche which is humilitie I will not say anie thing of these three virtues as they are vowed solemnelie for so they appertaine onelie to religious persons nor as they are professed by a simple vowe for though alwayes a vowe giueth a peculiar valew and metit vnto all virtues yet for the purpose which heere we pretend it is not necessarie they should be vowed so that they be well obserued When they are vowed solemnelie they place a man in state of perfection but to come to perfection it self it sufficeth that they be well obserued for there is great difference betwixt the state of perfection perfectiō it self all bishops religious are in the state of perfection and yet all attaine not to perfection as we see but too too often Let vs endeuour then Philotheus to practise well these three virtues euerie one of vs according to our vocation for though they promote vs not to the state of perfection they will bring vs to perfection it self and we all haue obligation to practise these virtues though not all after one fashion 2. There are two sorts of obediēce the one necessarie the other voluntarie By necessarie obediēce thou must obey thy ecclesiasticall superiours as the Pope Archbishops Bishops Pastours and such as are their deputies thou must obey thy ciuil superiours to wit thy Prince and his magistrats which he hath established ouer thy countrie and finally thou must obey thy domesticall superiours father and mother maister and mistresse This obedience is called necessarie because no man can exempt him selfe from the debt and dutie of obeying the aforesayd superiours whome God hath placed in authoritie to command and gouerne eache one according to the charge appointed vnto him ouer vs. Doe then that which they commaund and that is necessarie obedience but to doe this more perfectly their counsailes also must be followed their inclinations and desires so farre as charitie and prudence will permitte thee Obey them when they command such things as are agreeable to thine owne will as to eat to recreate thy self for though it seeme no great virtue to obey in these occasions yet would it be a great vice to disobey in them Obey them when they command things that are indifferent in them selues or in thy iudgement as to weare this or that hab it to goe this way or that way to sing or to be silēt and it wil be verie commendable obedience Obey them when they command hard displeasaunt and vneasie things and it wil be perfect obedience 3. Obey I say sweetly without replie promptly without delaye cheerfullie without repining and aboue all obey louingly for loue of him who for our loue made him self obedient euen to the death of the crosse and who as S. Bernard sayth chose rather to lose his life then to lose obedience 4. To learne to obey easilie thy superiours accustome thy self to condescend and folow the will of thy equalls giuing place to their opinions when they are nor vicious or naughtie without all strife wrangling or contention accommodate thy self willingly to the desires of thy inferiours so farre as reason may permitte and neuer exercise any imperious commands ouer them so long as they be good and virtuous 5. It is a great deceit and errour in vs to imagin that we would obey more easilie if we were religious when we find our selues rebellious to such as God hath placed ouer vs. 6. We call that obedience voluntarie wher vnto we bind and oblige our selues by our owne choice and electiō and which is not imposed vpon vs by anie other Men choose not ordinarilie their prince their bishop their father or mother nor manie times men their wiues nor woemen their husbands but they choose their ghostlie father and spirituall directour Yf then thou choose by vow to obey as we sayd aboue that the holie mother Theresa besides her obedience solemnelie vowed to the superiour of her order bound her self by a simple vowe to obey father Gratian or if without a vowe thou dedicate thy self to the obedience of some guide and gouernour yet allways is this obedience termed voluntarie because it is grounded vpon our free will and depends vpon our owne election 7. We must obey all our superiours but euerie one in that in which he hath charge ouer vs as in that which belongeth to ciuil policie and publique affaires we must obey our prince our prelats in that which belongeth to ecclesiasticall matters our father our husband our maister in domestical businesse and our ghostlie father or spirituall directour in the peculiar guidance of our conscience and soule 8. Cause thy ghostlie father to order dispose and impose all the actions of pietie which thou shouldest exercise for so they wil be more excellent clothed with a double beautie and merit the one taken from them selues because they are good of their owne nature and substance the other taken frō thy obedience to thy directour in virtue wherof thou doest performe them Happie are the obedient for God will neuer suffer them to goe astraye Of the necessity of Chastitie CHAPTER 12. 1. CHastitie is the lillie of virtues it maketh mē equall to Angels Nothing is beautifull but by puritie and the puritie of men is chastitie Chastitie is called honestie and the profession therof honour it is named integritie and the contrarie therof corruption In few words chastitie hath this excellencie a part to be iointly the beautifull and louely virtue of soule and bodie 2. It is neuer lawfull to receaue any vnchast delight from our bodies in any sort whatsoeuer but onely in lawfull marriage for the sanctitie of that sacrement by iust recompence repaireth the losse we receaue in that kind of pleasure And yet euen in marriage the honestie of the intention must allways be kept that though there be some indecencie in the delight taken yet there be always puritie and cleannes in the intention and will that receaueth it The chast hart is like the mother-pearle which receaueth no drop of brackish water but onely the deaw that falleth from heauen and a chast hart admitteth no pleasure but onelie in marriage which is ordained from heauen Excepting onelie the lawfull delight of marriage it is not lawfull so much as in thought to entertaine voluntarilie and deliberatlie any voluptuous or carnall delight 3. The first degree of this virtue may be my Philotheus to take heed of intertaining any kind of pleasure that is prohibited or forbidden as all those are which are receaued out of marriage and those likewise which are taken in marriage but not according to the rule of marriage For the second degree refraine as much as is possible from all vnprofitable and superfluous delights although lawfull and permitted For the third degree fix not thy affection vpon
24 Remedies against great and vehement tentations Chap. 7. 29 That we must diligently resist euen the least tentations that are Chap 8. 33 Remedies against these lesser teÌ„ptatioÌ„s C. 9. 35 How to strengthen our hart against temptations Chap. 10. 38 Of vnquietnes of mind Chap. 11. 41 Of sadnesse Chap. 12. 47 Of spirituall and sensible consolatioÌ„s and how one must behaue him self in them Ch. 13. 48 Of drynesse and barrennesse in our spirituall exercises Chap. 14. 67 The former discourse is explained and confirmed by a notable example Chap. 15. 79 THE FIFTH PART OF THE INTRODVCTION CoÌ„taining exercises instructioÌ„s to renew the soule coÌ„firme deuotion THAT we renew euery yeare our good purposes by the exercises folowing C. 1. 87 ConsideratioÌ„s vpoÌ„ the benefits which God doth vnto vs by calling vs to his seruice according to the protestatioÌ„ mentioned before C. 2. 90 The examination of our soule touching her proffiting in deuotion Chap. 3. 95 An examination of the estate of our soule towards God Chap. 4. 98 An examination of our estate touching our selues Chap. 5. 103 An examination of the estate of our soule towardes our neighbour Chap. 6. 105 An examination of the affections of our soule Chap. 7. 107 Affections to be exercised after this examination Chap. 8. 109 Considerations proper to renew our good purposes Chap. 9. 111 The first consideration of the excellency of our soule Chap. 10. 112 The second consideration of the excellency of virtues Chap. 11. 114 The third consideration of the examples of Sainctes Chap. 12. 116 The fourth consideration of the loue thâ—… Iesus-Christ beareth vnto vs. Cha. 13. 11â— The fifte consideration of the eternall loue 〈◊〉 God toword vs. Chap. 14. 122 Generall affectioÌ„s vpon the precedent poincts or considerations with the conclusion of this exercise Chap. 15. 124 Feeling thoughts to be kept in mind after this exercise Chap. 16. 127 An answer to two obiections which may be made against this Introduction Ch. 17. 128 Three principall aduices for this Introduction Chap. 18. 131 FINIS THE COMMVNICATION OF DOCTOVR THAVLERVS with a poore beggar wherein is comprehended the example of a perfect man and how we should resigne our selues in all thinges vnto the good pleasure of God THERE was on a tyme a great diuine who prayed vnto God the space of 8. yeares that it might be his good pleasure to direct him to a man that might instruct and teach him the true way of vertu And it happened beinge in this desyer that he heard a voice from heauen which sayd vnto him goe vnto such a Church portch and there thou shalt finde a man that wil instruct thee in the spiritual life He walking then towards the sayd Church founde a poore begger who had his feete filthye and foule and al naked whose clothes were not worth a halfe penny and he saluted him in this sort God giue you good morrow my frind The poore maÌ„ answered him Sir I do not remember that euer I had an euil morow The Doctour sayd vnto him God giue you a good and happye life wherfore saye you that quothe the begger vnto him for I was neuer vnhappie Which the Doctor not vnderstaÌ„ding sayd vnto him againe God blesse you my frinde I pray you speake a littel more clearlye for I know not what you meane Then the poore beggar answered him Good master Doctour I shall doe it willinglye you know you badde mee good morrow wher vnto I replyed that I had neuer any ill morrow for when I haue hunger I prayse God if it freese haile snow rayne be it fayre or foule I giue prayse to God though I be poore miserable and despised of each on I giue thankes vnto God And therfore I neuer had any euil morow you did wish vnto mee also a good and happy life wher vnto I made you answere that I was neuer vnfortunate because I haue learnt alwayes to resigne my selfe vnto the wil of God being certaine that al his workes cannot be but very good by 〈◊〉 whereof al that happeneth vnto mee by his permission be it prâ—…ritye or aduersitye sweete or sower I receaue it as from his owne hande with greate ioy and comfort and therfor I was neuer vnfortunate for I neuer desyred any thinge but the good pleasure of God which the poore man hauinge sayde the Doctor answered but what would you say my frinde if God would damne you If God would damne mee sayd the poore man verely if he would vse mee so hardlye I haue two armes to imbrace him the one whereof is a profounde humilitye by the which I am vnited vnto his holy humanitye the other is loue and charitye which ioyneth mee vnto his 〈◊〉 by which I would imbrace 〈◊〉 in such sort that he should be conitrayned to descende with mee into hel And I had rather without comparison be in hel with God then to be without him in paradise The Doctor learnt in this communication that a trew resignation accompanied with profounde humilitye of hart is the shortest 〈◊〉 to attaine vnto the loue of God 〈◊〉 that he asked of him againe from 〈◊〉 he came Vnto whom he made 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Doctor inâ—… 〈…〉 he had found 〈…〉 and him quoth he so soone 〈…〉 and forsaken all 〈…〉 where didest thou leaue 〈◊〉 replyed the Doctor I left him 〈…〉 â—…ed the begger with the pure and 〈…〉 hattes and amongst men of 〈…〉 wille But who art thou my frind 〈◊〉 the diuine vnto him The poore man made him answere that he was a Kinge And he askinge him where his â—ingdom was It is quoth he in my 〈◊〉 for I can so well rule and goâ—… my sences as wel outward as inâ—…rd that al my affections and pasâ—… 〈…〉 â—nto reason which kingâ—… is 〈◊〉 doubte more excellent 〈◊〉 al the kingdomes of this world Moreouer the forsayde Doctor deâ—…ded of him who it was that had 〈◊〉 him vnto so great perfection 〈◊〉 silence answered the poore man 〈◊〉 high and loftye meditations 〈…〉 I had with God I could 〈…〉 nor coÌ„fort in any creaâ—… of the world by meanes whereof I 〈…〉 God who wil comfort 〈…〉 without ende Amen