deuyll is pryncypall cause of synfull plesure in this worlde whiche shall tourment punysshe the vayne occupyed soules in the other worlde It is laboryous and paynfull to the to seke god thus with so grete fere in trybulaciō wherfore in thy sekynge remembre the fyndynge of him how Joyfull it shall be to the for thon shalt fynde hym therby yf thou take it thankefully whiche shal tourne all thy payne in to plesure thy sorowe in to solace thy transytorye aduersyte into the perdurable Joye prosperyte wherfore sayth the prophete ¶ Letetur cor quērenciū dn̄m querite faciē eius semper ¶ They haue cause to haue a lyght herte whiche seketh our lorde wherfore seke ye the Joyfull face of hym euer The payne of sehynge is bytter but he is swete whom thou sekest by payne yf thou seke hym by payne to the entent that y u wolde be a louer of hym thy payne shall apere the lesser as Dauyd sayth ¶ Letent̄ in teoēs qui querūtte ¶ All those whiche seke the they shall be lyghtned in the. But the beftyall folke whiche ordeyne not theyr payne as a mene wherby they sholde come to our lorde but only take it as a grete hurte to theyr bodye ryght lytell or nought remembre what profyte theyr soule may haue therby they are very woo with all for they hate more the myserye of payne than the myserye of synne more labour to auoyde thynges to theyr dysplesure than to the dysplesure of god And yet our lorde kepeth suche folke in payne to suche a tyme tyll he haue made them to set lytel by them selfe be more redye to applye them to do after his wyll than after theyr owne wyll lyke as the mayster cesseth not to punysshe his seruaūt to suche a tyme tyl he hath brought hym to werke after his wyl specyally whan it is suche a seruaūt that he hath a fauour to hym wyll not put hym from hymselfe Thou wylt peraduenture saye a they speke falsely vpon me sclaūder me how can this come of god for this is dedely synne no synne may be Imputed to god To this I answere that our lorde of his secrete dome vnknowen Jugement suffreth the to synne of that synne he wyll werke vertue in the make the to haue wyl to forsake synne whiche wyl cometh of sorowe confusyon that thou hast in thy selfe this payne of sorowe whiche thou feleste byte thyn herte ryght bytterly cometh of god and also the good wyll whiche foloweth therof in forsakynge of synne therfor the prophete sayth ¶ Imple facies eorum ignomina et querent nomen tuum dn̄e ¶ Fulfyll the face of theyr soule with shame rebuke than they shall seke the. And therfore our lorde suffreth many a soule to falle in grete ād openly knowen synne wherby they haue grete shame and are brought therby to forsake synne to set ryght lytell by themselfe whiche byfore made to moche of themselfe hadde grete pryde and vayne glorye in the good name reporte that was made vpon them And by this comon shame and shamefull reporte whiche gooth vpon them this vayne plesure is clene taken from them Thus god is so good that he suffreth none euyll to be done in the worlde neyther in his electe childern but of the whiche that he werketh a grete auayle to them They shall clerely see vpon the daye of Jugement that lyke as they neuer dyd good thynge vnrewarded soo they neuer dyd euyll thynge but our lorde dyd werke grete auayle therof to theyr rewarde yf thou sekest our lorde in the waye of paynfull pouerte and wantest thynges as it is sene to the that it is necessarye to thy lyuynge sustentacōn remémbre that yf thou pacyently take thy pouerte thou shalt haue the greetest rychesse that euer was for thou shalt haue god himselfe all the rychesse that he hath shall be thyn As he sayth in the gospell ¶ Omnia meā tua sunt ¶ All my rychesse are thy rychesse O than be thou glad to bere thy pouerte Joyfully for a whyle whiche hastely shall be made so ryche It were a grete plesure to a poore man to haue promysed y e rychesse of a temporall kyng but moche more plesure it is to a faythful soule to haue promysed the Inestimable rychesse of god whiche is the kyng of kynges ād lorde of lordes Thou sayest peraduenture Syr I haue loste my bodely helth wherby I myght haue done many good werkes to the honour of god and profyte of my soule fro these I am letted now by grete sekenesse oftentyme fere of deth I answere the in this that peraduenture whan thou hadde thyn helth thou occupyed full symply more thou vsed it to thy plesure than to the plesure of god ād y u sholde haue comen to more Incōuenyentes therby yf thou had contynued therin And for mysusynge of thyn helth our lorde hath sende the now this seknesse there as y u wolde not serue hym well in tyme of they helth in well doynge serue hym well now in tyme of sekenesse by good sufferynge Be thou sure that yf thyn helth had ben more to his plesure than sekenesse y u sholde haue had it standynge that he is the pryncypall cause of all bodely sekenesse and ther thou lesest thy bodely helth whiche is better to the than all the rychesse of the worlde y t y u getest ayen therby yf y u gracyously take it whiche goodes passe thy bodely helth all bodely rychesse of the worlde that is to saye the grace of our lorde in this worlde with vertue of mekenesse pacyence and charyte flesshely payne is the specyall remedy to auoyde flessly synne for the tyme of payne y e wyll hath but lytell plesure in remembraūce of flesshely delectacōn therfore yf it be tempted it is the more stronger to resyste it and therfore sayth the apostle ¶ Cūinfirmor forcior sū ¶ Whan I am seke in my bodye I am stronger to resyste the temptaciō of vyce in my soule By payne the seke persōe is brought to set lytell by hymselfe for yf it be full of payne it setteth lytell by precyous clothes it setteth lytell by worshyp worldly honour And that persone is meke whiche setteth lytell by hymselfe but pacyence is more paynful that is to saye wylfully thankefully to take the sekenesse with hande herte to gyue louynge to our lorde therfore neuertheles a fayth full soule remembrȳge these profytes whiche come by sekenesse is full glad therof conformeth y e wyll to the wyll of god but this pacyence to god muste haue charyte to those whiche are about it yf thou haue these thre that is to saye mekenesse in lytell settynge by thy selfe obedyent pacyence to god charyte to suche as be aboute the without chydynge braulynge than y u haste grete wytnesse y e whiche shal brynge the to the
worse or for couetyse that they fere yf they sholde speke they sholde dysplese and by that they sholde lose suche thynges as they desyre to haue or they sholde lose therby suche thynges as they haue Neuerthelesse euery man is not bouÌ„de to correcte other folke whan he seeth them offende for peraduenture yf he speke openly to hym amonges many he sholde make hym worse than he was byfore wherfore yf his mynde gyue hym that he myght more profyte at an other tyme than he may withoute ofence cese tyll suche a tyme that he thynke he sholde more profyte But euery man that seeth his neyghbour offende and demed in his mynde that by his speche he myght reforme hym he is bounde to speke ta his reformacyon And by cause they doo not soo notwithstandynge they lyue vertuously to theym selfe yet they deserue to haue payne and trybulacyon accordynge to the ryghtwysnesse of almyghty god wherfore euery man ought pacyently to take trybulacyon for the ryght wysnesse of god wyll y t hit be so for causes the whiche oftymes are knowen only to hym TRybulacyon for hit selfe is not to be desyred but for the profyte that groweth therof for the specyall helpe that the soule hath therby for y e synfull soule is refourmed restored to the loue of god by the well takynge of trybulacy on wherfore that soule whiche hath offended god wolde be glad to wynne his loue agayne hit may be glad whan he sendeth hit trybulacyon payne for therby they may wynne his loue And for this cause sayth the prophete Dauid ¶ Da nobis dne auxiliuÌ„ de tribulacione ¶ Lorde helpe vs by trybulacyon he sayth not gyue vs trybulacyoÌ„ but gyue vs helpe by trybulacyon As no man wyll desyre a bytter drynke but only for the helpe that he may haue therby yf he truste that he may haue his bodely lyfe therby he wyll he ryght glad to drynke hit be hit neuer so bytter rather than he sholde bodely dye Lyke wyse a synful soule that hath deserued eueria stynge deth sholde be ryght glad to drynke a sharpe draught of trybulacyon for to be delyuered ther by fro y e endelesse payne of euerlastynge deth Thê° to wyse folke in god whiche ordeyne all theyr lyfe pryncypally to god tribulacyon deth grete profyte And to wyse folke of the worlde that putte theyr moost plesure in this worlde lytell remembre the lyfe that is to come trybulacyon doth grete hurte for hit is so sore ayenst theyr wyll whiche our lorde sendeth to theyr helth profyte to make theym set lytell by this worlde that our lorde is wroth with theym so by the dysobedyent takynge of this temporal trybulacioÌ„ they deserue to haue euerlastynge trybulacyoÌ„n Thus euery man yf he wyll may haue grete helpe profyte by trybulacyoon And this god wyl thou shalt haue the sooner yf y u remembre how precyous this vertue of pacyence is in y e syght of god and how profytable hit is to the soule without whiche no vertue pleaseth god in the ne profyteth the. Than thynke that thou can lose no bodely thynges whos losse is troublous to the that is so profytable as pacyence whiche thou losys yf thou take not easely thy trybulacoÌ„n And so lerne to conforte thyselfe within in that y u felest thyselfe dyscon forteth without for yf thou take pacyently aduercyte and thynges done ayenst thy wyll thou gettest more rychesse Inwardly in thy soule than is possyble to the to lose outwardly And of all gladnesse that is the moost precyous acceptable to god the whiche groweth of trybulacoÌ„n is one of y e moost gladnesse y t y u can haue y t y u haste an holy soule but this gladnesse none may haue but suche as knowe y e fruyte profyte of trybulacoÌ„n whiche ye may lerne in parte by redynge of this treatyse of trybulacoÌ„n specyally yf ye emprynte well the sentence therof in your mynde for lyke as euyll chawed mete profyteth lytell nature so lyght redynge with lytell at tendannce of the sentence profyteth lytel the soule THere are xx fruytes the whiche cometh of trybulacyon well taken The fyrste is that trybulacyon well taken as the werke of our lorde to reformacyon of the soule kepeth the good soule in the state of grace fro the hondes of the enemyes therof and hit rescueth delyuereth the euyll soule fro the enemyes These enemyes that are sub pressyd dyscoÌ„fet by trybulacoÌ„n are y e fals Joyes of this worlde dysceyuable prosperytees of flesshely plesure whiche take as prysoners y e hertes of meÌ„ wymen that be without dyscyplyne aÌ„d connynge of vertuous lyuynge to bataylle ryghte with these flesshely pleasures they are so dysceyuable for they shewe as they were freÌ„des they are enemyes they shewe they wolde brynge to grete plesure but fynally they brynge to grete payne sorowe destruccyon These are the enemyes that foles of this lyfe desyre to be conuersaunt withall they take theym not as enemyes but as true frendes helpers they make soo fayre contenauÌ„ce pretence of fauour yet they entende to kylle destroye as Joab capteyn to the people of kyng Dauyd toke y e man Amas by y e chynne laughed on hym as he had ben his freÌ„de by cause he sholde not haue hym suspecte and with that other hande he thurst hym into the bely with a dagger Thus whan worldly prosperyte laughed on a man y t he hath all thynges to his plesure than he standeth in moost Jeopardy to lose y e loue of god that is verry lyfe to the soule for than he shall be drawen to many vyces therfore prosperite is more to be drede than aduersyte in that hit desceyueth traytoursly lyke as the enemye that hurteth secretly by dysceyte is more to be drede that he y t assoyleth openly TrybulacoÌ„n is not only in losse of goodes losse of frendes losse of helthe losse of lyberte â–ª but hit is also in losse of transquylyte peas of mynde whiche a soule hath that is in grete temptacoÌ„n batayll ayenst the worlde the flesshe or the deuyll Of all troubles hit is moost whan a soule is troubled to do a thynge contrarye to the plesure of god whom hit desyreth of all thynge to please TrybulacoÌ„ns are not only sende fro god to those that entende to serue please god but hymselfe ledeth the oost of trybulacoÌ„ns as captayne marchall of the oost to ordeyne theym so wysely that they shall be to the socour rescu of his frendes And so he sayth by the prophete ¶ CuÌ„â—pÌ„o sum in trybulacione eripiam euÌ„ ¶ I myn owne selfe sayth oure lorde am wyth Hym that is troubled I shall delyuer hym And specyally he is with theym in temptacoÌ„n trybula coÌ„n that put theyr pryncypaly hope of helpe in hym As he sayth ¶ QmÌ„ in me sperauit liberabo eum ¶ By cause he hath trusteth
grete teÌ„ptacyons they haue resysted for the loue of hym He letteth not the troubled soule alway neyther oftentyme fele his presence by goostly swetnesse by cause he wyll kepe it lowe aÌ„d in fere for the more lowe that a soule maketh himselfe and the lesse that hit setteth by hymselfe and thynketh that it is so wretched y t it is not worthy to haue ony goostly comforte of god the more our lorde maketh of hym and y e more glorye aÌ„d Joye theris ordeyÌ„ed to hym For as he sayth ¶ Omnis qui se humiliat exaltabitur ¶ Euery persone that meketh hymselfe he shall be exalted And thus many a soule groweth in vertue and lytell perceyued it as by ony goostly swetnesse But who so myght haue a lytell taste of the parfyte delectacyon to the whiche he shall be brought by trybulacyon yf he take it well He sholde not complayne but Joye of tribulacyon As saynt Poule sayth ¶ Gloriamur in spe filioâ— dei et non solum in hoc sed in tribulacione scientes qmÌ„ tribulacio pacienciaÌ„ operatÌ„ pacientia probacioneÌ„ probacio spem spes autem non confundit quia caritas dei diffusa est in cordibê° nostris ¶ We Joye sayth he not only that we hope to be the childe of god and Inherytours of his Joye but we Joye also in trybulacyon knowynge that tribulacyon maketh a pacyent herteyf it be well taken and pacyence of herte is the grete profe that a persone is the very chosen childe of eleccyon and after that profe cometh hope of saluacyon not as of our merytes but by the grace of god whiche is yelded in to our hertes by the holy goost whiche is gyueÌ„ to vs. The grete comforte cometh not fro god to suche a tyme as the place be made redy for hit in the soule and the herberers whiche take aÌ„d dresse this lodgynge are trybulacyons as it is wryten in the booke of Thobye ¶ Post lacrimacionem et fletuÌ„ exultacioneÌ„ infundis ¶ After trybulacyon and we pynge thou sendest comforte and Joye Than yf thou haue grete labours and besynesse with these herberers thynke hit well spente for they wyll quy te hit one of these dayes And grete trybulacyon maketh rome and place for grette Joyes hit is decreed and determined as alawe by the grete wysedome of god that fyrste he shall come to his dere beloued children with trybulacyon to delyuer them fro the false Joyes of this worlde aÌ„d after he shal dwelle with them by true Joye where as they shal haue no nede of trybulacyoÌ„ for to exclude the false Joye s. But afore that he come with very true Joye he wyll make the herte by trybulacyon and temptacyon to sette nought by all y e false Joyes of this worlde Whan as trybulacyon is passed and hath made an holy place by pacyence and by mekenesse than cometh in Joye But peraduenture thou complaynest and sayest Syr it is longe or this consolacyon cometh A this is the complaynte of louers what thinge soo euer hit is that is gretely beloued the deferrynge therof is paynfull And not withstandynge that yf hit be neuer soo sharpely hasted yet hit is thought very longe in comynge As Salomon sayth ¶ Spes que differtur affligit animaÌ„ ¶ Whan as a man hath hope for to haue a thynge that he loueth the deferrynge of hit is bytter to the soule Also peraduenture thou wyll reson to me thys Syr I meruayll not that wretched meÌ„ and wymen whiche set all theyr herte plesure in wretched lyuynge and spende ther tyme not profytabli but occupye all about synnes and vanytees of this worlde thoughe these haue trybulacyon see y e try bulacoÌ„n is profytable to them whiche are fallen in the hondes of theyr enemyes as these be to drawe them fro ther hondes and make them flee synne wretched lyuynge But to suche as lyue holyly and do no grete synne I meruayll why these haue grete trybulacyoÌ„ for they falle not so in the hondes of theyrenemyes as the other do To this I answere that our lorde delyuered from the false Joyes of this worlde bothe synners and also the Innocentes whiche sholde be taken with them except his grace preuoked them by trybulacyon and temptacyon preserued them fro these false synfull Joyes also an other wyse our lorde rescues his enemyes and other wyse his frendes For he rescues his enemyes fro trybulacyon delyuerynge them whan they are taken of theyr enemyes But his frendes he delyuereth sendynge them helpe by trybulacyons that they come not in to the handes of theyr enemyes And soo bothe are holden to laude and to thanke god bothe the synfull whiche by pacyence and grete trybulacyon is drawen fro synne to vertuously uynge and lytell settynge by all the false worldely Joye And also the vertuous Innocente whiche is preserued by temptacyon and trybulacion that hit is neuer blynded and desceyued by that Joye Thê° no man neyther woman may thynke that they be out of the loue of our lorde by trybulacyan but rather thynke that they are specyally beloued of hym the whiche sendeth them trybulacyon to kepe or to delyuer them fro false desceyuable plesures of this worlde aÌ„d from the Inordynate and foule delytes of the flesshe These pleasures are called false for they are ful swete in the begynnynge but they ende with grete bytternesse and sorowe As Salomon sayth ¶ Extrema gauditluctus occupat ¶ The ende of wordely Joye is occupyed with wepynge and sorowe A thou wyse gracyous man and womanbeware of this false worldely Joye y t thou be not brought to grete sorowe therby Thou seest hit is butlytell and after hit shall folowe sorowe of Inestymable gretnesse hit is but shorte but it hath a longe tayle of sorowe that neuershall haue ende Hit is no hole Joye for hit is medled with sorowe As Salomon sayth ¶ Risus dolore miscebytur ¶ The laughynge Joye of this worlde is medled with many maters of sorynes Those whiche thou thynkest haue moost of worldely Joyes they haue moche sorowe trouble and labour with them They are soo bytter to a parfyte herte that felynge them ones vit wolde neuer haue them yf it myght haue them per petually They go faste awaye but the sorowe that foloweth vpoÌ„ them shal euer abyde A this is a false Joye where is so lytel plesure and so grete payne and goth soo swyftly awaye and neuer shall come ayen wherfore I exhorte you all whiche wolde haue y e loue of our lorde and contynue a vertuous ly fe that ye thankefully welcome trybulacyons as your defenders fro your grete enemyes whiche tri bulacyons are sende from our lorde as his knyght to defende you And thynke that your expeÌ„ses made in them shall stande you in grete seruyce And yf ye can not welcoÌ„e hertely these soudyoures of our lorde yet chyde not with them nor malynge not ayenst them for yf ye fyght with them ye fyght with your freÌ„des and that is a peryllous
batayll where a man putteth noo dyfference betwixt his frende his enemye The Joyes of this worlde I saye are enemyes to the soule brynge hit to synne perdycyon Troubles of this worlde sekenes payÌ„e are frendes to the soule for they drawe hit from synne Wherfore yf thou hate thy frendes loue thyn enemyes thou seest what Jeoperdy y u standest in wherfore saye welcome my frende trybulacyon and fy of erthely Joye THe seconde consolacyon and fruyte in trybulacyon is to remembre how the herte is closed vp fro vanytees wherby hit stoppeth the eeres of the soule soo that hit may not here the callynges and the mocyons of teÌ„ptacyon as other do whiche fele no trybulacyons For in suche hertes as do floure in prosperyte the vayne plesure of the worlde doth kepe ther perleament at lyberte And those hertes gyue attendaunce and withstudye applye them how they may atteyne to fulfyll the desyres of worldly plesures in makyÌ„ge of goodly bil dynge and of goodly facyons of clothes and to be well acompanyed with goodly seruauntes And to gydre tresoure to be called ryche and to come to honour and dygnyte and to be moche set by aÌ„d to be called fayre in face and goodly in bodye These vayne and transytorye plesures do so replenysshe fulfyll the soule with suche mocyons that in maner hit forgeteth hymselfe both in tyme of prayer and whan hit sholde be vertuously occupyed hit is so a customed to take hede and attende to the spekynges of these deceyuable plesures that in maner hit hath noo plesure to here thynges profytable to the plesure of god the perpetuall weyle of the soule But whan trybulacyon cometh all this vayne speche cesseth as the mocyons of vayne plesures are withdrawen This is fygured sygnefyed in the boke of Job where hit is sayd the tyme that he was in grete trybulacyon ¶ Nemo loquebatur ei verbuÌ„ videbant enim dolorem eius vehementem ¶ The frendes that came to Job whan they see hym haue so grete payne and trybulacyon they spake no worde to hym By these frendes are sygnefyed y e teÌ„ptacyons of prosperite whiche make pretence by the plesaunt semblauÌ„ce coÌ„tenauÌ„ce they shewe to the soule that they were very frendes and they are veri traytours for they cesse not tyll they haue brought the soule to moche sorowe oftentymes in this worlde And yf ther folowe no sorowe and penaunce in this worlde ther foloweth dampnacyon with perpe tuall payne and tourment after this worlde in helle with the deuylles whiche moost labour to make the hertes moost to loue y e temporal prosperyte of this lyfe and the worlde and the flesshe do helpe the deuyll to make the soule to set the loue in prosperyte of this lyfe whiche sholde be fixed of the felicyte of the euerlastynge lyfe for all y e tyme y t it shall abyde here is grauÌ„ted hit to lerne to set lytel by the vayne Joyes plesures of this lyfe For by the ordynauÌ„e of god the lesse hit setteth by the Joyes of this wor de the more hit shall haue of those moost excellent and eternall Joyes in heuen what our lorde of his special grace seÌ„deth trybulacoÌ„n These Joyes are lytell set by therfore they dare not speke leste thei sholde be forsaken for euer and therfore as in this tyme they go awaye as astoned and a shamed O than this trybulacyon is of grete auctoryte whiche stoppeth the mouth of y e vayn plesures of the worlde Than lecherye is set onlyde she dare nor spekefor her speche in that tyme is no thynge set by Lyke wyse glotonye pryde for as that tyme the herte delyteth nother in delyctable mete and dryÌ„ke ne in fresshe clothes Than the eyen of the soule whiche were blynded with prosperite that it nother see hymselfe ne god now they are opened and can dyscerne that all is but wretchednesse in this worlde that theris no true loue but y e loue of god and vertue and than it fereth god And than hit called besely for his helpe and maketh many a good purpose and promyse to amende the lyfe and to do thynges to his plesure Thou shal vnderstande herÌ„ that what maner of spekynges the temptacoÌ„ns make in thy soule other by thoughtes or ymagynacoÌ„ns contrarye to the soule whiche somtyme seme abhomynable and shamfull fere thou no thynge as longe as thou answerest not to them saynge ye be consentynge but nay by dyscentyÌ„ge of For as longe as y e coÌ„sentes not to y e thought be they neuer so erronê° or neuer so abhomynable they shall nothyng hurte the to the decresse of thy meryte This is fygured in the bokes of the kynges where kyng ysachy coÌ„mauÌ„ded y t people of Jerusalem whiche stode vpoÌ„ the walles of the cyte y t they sholde not answere to the blasphemê° spekyÌ„ges of Rapsaces whiche was marchall of y e oost of kyÌ„g Senacheryb seyde sege to the cyte But peradueÌ„ture y u wyll saye to me sir how shall I knowe y t I consent not to my thoughtes To this I answere y t one tokeÌ„ is y t y u conseÌ„â—â— not whan y u wolde haue them awaye An other is whaÌ„ y u felest a remors a sorowenes a dysplesure growynge in thyÌ„ hert of suche thoughtes for this sorowe cometh of a â—traryousnes whiche is bytwene thy wyll thy mynde an other is whan y u canst fynde in thyne herte to praye god to take them awaye for notwithstandynge that they hurte y e not yet they trouble sore abasshe stonysshe an Innocent soule And as for thoughtes coÌ„trarye to the fayth fere them not as longe as thy wyll is to byleue as the chirche of god byleueth For thaÌ„ y e fayth of the chirche is thy fayth after that thou shalt be taken not after thy rennynge mynde Thus sythen trybulacoÌ„n putteth to sylence the grete teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns of this worlde y t they dare not come nygh the troubled soule openeth the eyen therof that hit may see hit selfe god and that the worldely prosperyte is but myserye aÌ„d maketh the soule to crye to god kepeth hym in mynde I couÌ„seyll the to make moche of aduersyte whan hit cometh and thanke god therof For he sendeth euer to y e for thy wele and more than thou can thynkeÌ„ and for other causes than thy mynde is able to knowe excepte y e haste it by reuelacyon of hym THe thyrde consolacoÌ„n comforte in trybulacoÌ„n is to remembre the profyte of trybulacoÌ„n in purgynge of the soule fro synne wretchenesse Here is to be vnderstande y t ther are fyue maners of purgacyons whiche are remenbred in scrypture One is of the bodye by medycynable drynke or by lettynge of blood that is other by strykynge of the veyne or crasynge or cuttynge of the flesshe The seconde is purgynge of metall aÌ„d that is other with the fyrelyke as golde is gurged or by furbysshynge lyke as
yet the moost token of loue is aduersyte more than prosperyte For that is the moost token of loue whiche the fader of heuen gyueth to hym y t heloueth beste but he gaaf to our sauyour his sone his blyssed moder whom he loued beste moost trybulacyon in this lyfe lytel prosperyte wherfore aduersyte is the moost sure token of loue Also sythen oure sauyour come in to this worlde as a marchauÌ„t in to a feyre to chose y e good leue the euyll as ysaye sayth ¶ Ut sciat eligere bonuÌ„ reprobare maluÌ„ ¶ But this wyse our lorde refused prosperyte the kyngdome of Jure whan it was offered to hym chose aduersyte and grete labour payne all his lyfe and with the moost bytterest deth endeth his lyfe Than yf thou wylt be awyfe marchauÌ„t folowe hym whiche can not be deceyued in his marchauÌ„dyse Than chese with hym here trybulacoÌ„n thou shalt haue with hym the Infenyte Joye consolacyon THe xiii conforth in trybulacyon is to remembre that yf thou suffre thy payne and trybulacyon pacyently than y u makest a grete conquest of thy goostly enemyes vtterly confouÌ„dest all theyr malyce For all theyr labour is to make the to take thy trybulacoÌ„n with grutchynge and a wofull herte bycause thou art let therby fro suche plesures as thou art dysposed to haue yf thou were without suche payne trouble Wherfore yf thou take thy trouble pacyently with a meke obedyent herte referrynge it as a mene meryte to come to y e euerlastynge Joye plesure And y t y u haste a wyl not to be sorâ— in that thou art let by trybulacuÌ„n for those dysceyuable plesures whiche sholde make the to lose this plesure of eternal felycyte than thou obteynest vyctorye of the fendes whiche tempte the to the contrarye and they shal haue more payne after that they beÌ„ conquered therfore sayth the prophete ¶ Perdes oâ—s qui tribulaÌ„t aiÌ„am meaÌ„ ¶ Thou shalt vndo punysshe all those whiche trouble my soule And of euery fende that thou getest the better of thou shalt haue the place of glorye in heuen whiche he sholde haue had yf he had not fallen as Orygenes sayth of these wordes in Deutro Omnis locus queÌ„ calcauerit pes vester vester erit ¶ And scrypture sayth that these holy gracyous soules whiche ouercome breke the purpose of the deuyll they Iâ—lude hym deceyue hym as Dauyd sayth ¶ Draco iste quem formasti ad illudendum ei ¶ This dragon the fende thou haste made hym that sholde be deluded deceyued whiche at all tyme laboureth to deceyue For good soules vse the temptacyons of y e deuyll contrarye to his entente for by those thynges they are meke wherby he wolde brynge them to pryde and by that they are pacyent wherby he wolde make them vnpacyent and by those thynges they are brought to chastyte wherby he wolde brynge them to lecherye And thus they gyue hym a falle in his owne tourne and with that same croke they caste hym downe with the whiche he entended for to haue wrasteled them downe O how gladde mayst thou than be whiche pacyently haste taken aduersyte For by the merytes of this lyfe thou hast deserued to haue full domynacoÌ„n of thyn enemyes at the houre of deth than they shall be aferde of the for than thou shal be confermed in grace and shalt haue power to tye and to bynde them lyke as the bere warder keper byÌ„deth his beres For thou whiche puttest them to fere shame in this lyfe resystynge theyr temptacyous thou muste than be terryble to them for than y u shalt receyue thy grete power of god in rewarde of thy batayl wherfore thou whiche wolde haue a Joyfull houre of deth take pacyently paynes troubles of this lyfe THe xiiii consolacyon is to remembre that yf thou take trybulacyon pacyently y u drawest to the the mercyfull loke of our lorde and mekest hym with grete plesure to beholde the of this mayst thou be Joyfull that ony thynge sholde be in the wherfore our lorde sholde haue a specyall plesure to beholde the for this thou mayst be sure that yf he haue plesure to loke on the by that loke thoushalt haue profyte of hym wherfore pacyently suffre a whyle for y u shalt be sure that of this sufferauÌ„ce shall growe grete profyte This profyte y u mayst not loke to haue hastly for after the ordre of wysedom of our lorde it mufte haue a tyme in growynge Lyke as y e husbande man loketh not for repyng of his corn as soone as he hath sowen it Our lorde is nothasty in hys werkyng but doth al thyng by tyme delyberacoÌ„n as y u mayst see in y e werkes of nature Thy nayles thy heere groweth coÌ„tynualy but they growe so softely that y e mayst not perceyue theyr growynge loke vpon them as perfytely as y u canst and yet by processe of tyme y u mayst see y t they be growen vnder thyn eyen yet thou perceyuest not Lyke wyse grace grete vertue groweth in thy soule by pacyent takynge of aduersyte that y u shalt well perceyue yf thou perseruer in pacyence thê° vertue groweth yet tho y u perceyuest it not Than specyally our lorde hath plesure to loke on the whan thou takest trybulacyons to the entent that he doth seÌ„de them to the that is to saye as penaunce for that y u haste synned and to obteyne therby grace vertue And that by thy pacyent thankefull sufferynge y u shalt gyue good example to suche as do knowe thy trouble And than thou mayst saye as it is wryten in the boke of Trenos ¶ Uide dnÌ„e qmÌ„ tribulor ¶ Beholde lorde for I am troubled As who sayd well taken trouble is the cause that thou lokest on me this trouble thus taken maketh of croked soules ryghtwysse soules of the whom Dauyd sayth ¶ Oculi dnÌ„i suê‘iustos et aures eius ad preces corr ¶ The eyen of our lorde are set vpon y e ryghtwysse men his eeres are nyghe to theyr prayers But y u wylt peraduenture saye that also he beholdeth wret che men for it foloweth ¶ Uultus auteÌ„ dnÌ„i suê‘ faciences mala ¶ The face of our lord is vpon them that done moche euyl but attende ye then what foloweth in the same verse ¶ Ut ê‘dat de terra memo riam eorr ¶ Our lorde loketh on the wretched men to the entent that after a lytell whyle they shall neuer be remembred after to y e honour of god theyr coÌ„mendacyon But by the good soules whiche here pacyently take trybulacyon our lorde shall euer haue honour they also shall haue perpetuell laude coÌ„mendacoÌ„n lyke as we see in the chirche of god coÌ„ tunuall honour done to god by suche as haue gretely suffred for god and for theyr synnes in this lyfe Ther was
neuer kyng in this worlde whiche had so grete honour as now haue some sayntes whiche was afore tyme but a poore man or a poore womā in theyr tyme were lytell set by amonge the people of the worlde And therfore sayth the prophete ¶ Nimis honorati sūt amici tui deus ¶ Thy frendes good lorde are hyghely honoured Of y e ryche man of whom is spoken in the gospell of Luke whiche was clothed in purple rychely fedde euery daye y e people of this worlde dyd loke dyd hym gretereuerence but almyghty god lytell attended hȳ ne the company of heuen for he lytell attended the people of our lorde contrary wysefewe gaue kepe to the poore lazar that laye at his dore desyred but the crōmes that felle from his table none was gyuen hym but almyghty god the heuenly creatures behelde hym lyeng with grete payne afore the gates of this ryche man And that was shewed in theyr departynge fro this lyfe for ther was sende of god a ryall Imbasset of angelles to receyue the soule of the lepre to brynge it with grete Joye in to Abrahams bosom And the soule of the ryche man whiche had prosperyte felycyte of this worlde was buryed in helle there it is yet for in helle is no redempcyon These the now whether thou wylt that the syght of our lorde be set vpon the for thy pacyence in the tyme of thyn aduersyte therby to haue this comforte whan thou shalt departe fro this worlde or to haue thy plesure after the transytorye course of this worldely prosperyte and in maner be forgeten of god the dwellers of heuen and at the houre of deth to be taken with the terryble tyraūtes of helle and thyder to be brought to dwelle without hope of remyssyon of synne or delyueraūce of payne euer without ende Ther was neuer Emperour ne kyng that had so grete plesure to see his seruaunt fyght for his loue as almghty god hath in the why che that beren pacyently trybulacōn ayenst all the malyce of the deuylles for his sake Ther is no grete euyl done in this lyf but it is soone shewed amon ges the company of helle so ther is no grete thynge of perfeccyon done ne suffred in this lyfe but it is shewed to the courte of heuen to theyr grete Joye Than see that y u suffre Joyfully payne trybulary on as y u wylt that god the heuenly multytude haue Joye in the gretely desyre that y u shalt be felowe with them in theyr beatytude felycyte THe xv consolacyon is to remembre that our lorde sendeth the trybulacyon to make the to come to knowlege not only how thou sholde rule thy selfe accordynge to the plesure of hym but also that he hath ordeyned the to be a teherof other For lyke as none can so comfortably dele with a seke perlone as the phesycyan whiche hath ben in the same sekenesse afore soo none can gyue soo comfortable a counseyll to a soule in trouble as that persone the whiche afore tyme hath had suche atrouble by the grace of god hath well gyded hem selfe therin As saynt Poule sayth ¶ Tribulamur pro vestra exhortacōe et salute ¶ We are troubled for your exhortacyon and goostly helth As who sayd Our lorde sendeth vs trouble to the entente that we sholde teche you bothe by example of pacyence sufferynge and also by holy exortacyonon of worde that ye be obedyent for the grete rewarde whiche is ordeyned for pacyence in trouble And that by lyke resons as we fynde in our selfe by the Inwardely techynge of our lorde wherby we more Joyfully take trybulacyon suche or lyke we sholde shewe to you for to make you lyke wyse pacyently to soffre aduersyte and lyke as the good soule whicho is in trouble techeth an other bothe in worde in dede how it shall pacyently holyly take trybulacōn so y t it hath ordeyned for it double rewarde in y e glorye of god Thus y u shalt haue reward of god in that y u pacyently suffres sekenesse trouble than kefully in thy selfe Also thou shalt haue rewarde in that y u shewest thy pacyent takynge to other to the entente to gyue them good example and to the laude of god pryncypally and not to thy cōmendacyon Also thou shalt haue rewarde in that thou techest with thy mouth to other after the good mocyons medytacyons that y u felest in thy selfe wherby thou felest thy selfe comforted in thy payne and trouble And in the Joye of heuen thou shalt haue synguler rewarde of glorye by eche one of them whiche are profyted here by thy techynge And they shall gyue the thankynges euerlastȳgly for the goostly helpe y t they haue had of the here in this lyfe And so thou whiche suche vsest thy trybulacyon to the profyte of many thou shalt haue grace Joye gyuen to the by trybulacyon as the prophete Danyel sayth ¶ Fulgebunt iusti tanquam stelle in perpetuas eternytates et sicut splendor firmamenti qui ad iusticiam erudiunt multos ¶ The ryghtwysse men shal shyne as sterres and those the whiche teche other to lyue ryghtwysly shall shyne as the hole fyrmament Thus lyke as the lyght of the fyrmament the whiche conteyneth the sonne the mone and the sterres soo the glorye of those that teche other for to do and to suffre vertuously shal passe the glorye of those the whiche are not suche techers wherfore I counseyll the in the tyme of thy payne and trouble that thou applye thy mynde dylygently to lerne well for to take thy trouble to the good example of other that thou be nombred amonges the gloryous multytude of techers THe xvi comforte is to remembre that our lorde by the hygh prouydēce of his wysedome moost ryght ordre of his Justyce hath made this statute that y u whiche haste loste hym by prosperyte false Inordynate plesure of this worlde shalt fynde hym ayen by aduersyte of payne ād trybulaciō as it is wryten in the booke of Deutro ¶ Inuenies em̄ si cū toto corde inqueras eū trybulacione ¶ Thou shalt fynde hym yf thou seke hym with all thyn herte in trybulacyon O how gladde mayst thou be whiche art set by the very ordynaūce of our lorde in that waye state that thou may fynde hym yf thou wylt Peraduenture thou wylt saye Syr yf I vnderstode that this payne trouble y t I fele at myn herte or in my bodye came of our lorde I wolde be glad therof it sholde be welcome to me but I thynke that I am the cause therof my selfe To this I saye that what soweuer sorowe y t thou haste in herte or payne in bodye god is the pryncypall cause therof ād it is ordeyned by his wyll and ryghtwysnesse that thou shalt haue it He gyueth payne in this worlde whiche he shall gyue Joye in the other worlde and the