heauenlye that euerye man doth couet himselfe to be so much doth this life become the more vnpleasant vnto him to wéete the more he both féeleth and clearly seeth the offences of mans corruption For to eate to drinke to watch to sléepe to rest to traueyle and to be subiect to all the other necessities of nature is vnfainedly great miserie and calamitie to the godlye person who coueteth to be set frée and at libertie frō all maner of sinne For grieuously is a man pressed downe with the necessities of the bodie in this lyfe and therefore doth the Prophet make humble prayer in these wordes to be deliuered from them O Lorde drawe me out of my necessities But wretched are they that knowe not their owne miseries and agayne more wretched which do loue this miserie and mortall lyfe which some doe so far embrace wheras neuerthelesse through their traueyle and carefulnesse they can scant yet get themselues but necessarie thinges that if they might liue here euermore they would passe nothing at all on the kingdome of god O mad braynes and faithlesse persons who lie drowned so déepely in the earth that lyke wretches they haue naught else in their mindes but carnall things and shall once at the length féele not without torment howe vile and nothing it is that they haue loued so much But those good men of God and all the vertuous sort as many as euer were christs friendes did not looke vpon those things that did please the fleshe or that did make a goodly shew for this present tyme but with all hope and gréedinesse did breath to euerlasting good things and with their whole heart were caried vnto the highest and the inuisible things least they should be drawen down to the lowest things through the leue of the visible O brother do not dispayre in comming forward in godly thinges As yet thou hast tyme and space why then dost thou put of thy purpose from day to day Arise and begin out of hand and reason thus with thy selfe nowe is the time to be dooing now is the time to be fighting now is the time to repent and amende thy life In roughnesse aduersity is the time to deserue Thou must passe through fire and water before thou come vnto refreshing and comfort Except thou minister violence vnto thy selfe thou shalt not maister sinne So long as we beare about this frayle bodie of ours we can not liue without irkesomnesse and sorow In déede we would faine haue rest frō all wretchednesse but bicause through sinne we haue lost our innocency we haue also forgone our true happinesse and felicitie Therfore we must hold vs still vnto pacience and awaite for the mercy of God til such time as vnrighteousnesse passe away and this mortalitie of ours be swallowed vp of lyfe Lorde God how great is mans frailty which euermore is prone vnto sinning This day thou confessest thy sinnes and hauing confessed the same to morow thou cōmittest them againe Nowe presently thou determinest to beware and take héede and within an houre after thy dooings be such as though thou hadst not determined at all Therefore great cause haue we to kéepe vnder our selues and neuer to haue anye great good lyking of our selues which are so fraile vnconstant It may also be sone lost with negligēce which with much traueile hath scantlye béene attayned by the help of god What shall become of vs at the last that do wax warm so soone Wo be to vs that thus traueile vnto rest as though there were peace securitie alredy when as no token of true godlinesse doth yet appeare in our condicions Surely we haue néede to be instructed vnto good maners afresh againe like yong beginners if happily there be any hope of amendment and greater profiting in heauenly things Of the meditacion of death The .xxiii. Chapter SEing thy life shall haue an end so quickly looke wel about thée Man flourisheth to day to morow he is no where and being taken out of the sight of the worlde is by by also forgotten of the same O blockishnesse and hardnesse of mans hart which thinking only vpō things present hath no regard to that that shall come after Thou oughtest in such wise to behaue thy selfe in al both déede and thought as though thou were ready to die by and by If thou haddest a good conscience thou wouldest not much feare death Better it is to beware of sinne than to flie death If thou bée not in a readinesse to day how wilt thou be ready to morrow The daye following is vncertaine How knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue till to morrowe or no What preuayleth it to liue a great while when wée be so little amended in oure liues Surely long lyfe doth not alwayes make a man better Nay oftentimes it increaseth sinne Woulde to God we had behaued our selues well in this life but one dayes space Many doe recken the yeares of their amendment repentaunce when oftentimes the fruite therof is but slender If it be a terrible thing to die perchaunce it is a more perillous thing to liue any longer Happie is he that hath euermore the houre of his death before his eies and frameth himselfe euerye day to die If thou hast euer séene a man dye thinke that thou must passe the same way to Be in doubte in the Morning whether thou shalt liue till the Euening And againe at night be afearde to promise thy selfe lyfe tyll Morning and alwayes bée in such a readynesse and liue in such sorte that death mays neuer fynde thée vnprouided Manye die so dainely and when they looke not for it for the sonne of man will come when we thinke not of his comming When as that last houre shall come thou shalt begin to thinke much otherwise of the whole life passed then thou didst before shalt be in déepe sorrow and heuinesse for that thou hast béene so necligent and so slacke O happie and wise man who endeuoureth now to be such a one in hys lyfe as he wisheth to be founde at the time of hys death For the perfite contempt of the world the earnest desire of commyng forwarde in vertue the loue of discipline or good forme of liuing the labour of repentaunce the readie mind to obey the deniall of himselfe and the suffering of euery calamitie for the loue of Christ are cause of great hope to die wel and happily Thou art able to doe many thynges well whilst thou art in health but being sick I knowe not what thou shalt be able to doe For fewe are made better through sicknesse they that driue of the amendement of theyr life vntill that time are seldome times made Gods seruants Better it is to repent and to liue so now whilst thou mayest as after thou mayst liue for euer Otherwise if thou forgo this occasion and oportunitie thou shalt afterwardes séeke for it to late and the tyme shall be when perhaps
is more frée then hée which desireth nothing vpon the earth Therfore man must passe ouer all the creatures and bryng himselfe to such a foredeale or forwardenesse that béeing rauished beside himself he may sée that thou the Creator art nothing at all like to any of the creatures And vnlesse a man be deliuered from all the creatures he can not fréely applye himselfe vnto heauenly things For fewe addicted vnto the contemplation of Godlynesse are therfore to be founde because few know how to seperate themselues wholy from vaine and worldely things wherevnto no doubt we haue great néede of Gods fauor to lift vp our minde and to rauish vs beside our selues But vnlesse we be lifted vp in spirite and deliuered from all worldly things be wholy ioyned vnto God it is a matter of no great importance whatsoeuer eyther he knoweth or he hath He shall be long time a Punye or vnderling and shal lye vpon the grounde that doth greatly estéeme any thing besides the one Almightie euerlasting goodnes Whatsoeuer thing is not good the same is nothing at all to be reckned as nothing There is no doubt great difference betwéene the wisedom of a man lightned frō aboue and Godly and the knowledge of the learned and skilfull person and the doctrine which floweth from aboue and from the heauenly fountaine is much more noble thē that which is painefully sought for by mans wit. In déede there are many that are desirous to contemplate heauenly thinges but such as doe not studie to practise the things that are necessary therevnto That is also a great let that men doe stay insignes sensible things and small labor is bestowed vpon the perfite mortification of a mans selfe I knowe not what the matter should be with what spirit we are led and what is in our minds that are called spirituall in that we apply our selues with al studie and care to corruptible and vile things yet doe seldome or neuer thinke vpō the businesse of our soule by gathering all our wits about vs And how is this to that after a small calling of our selues in we forthwith burst out againe and do not with straight examination way our works We doe not attend or take héede wherein our affections are occupied neither doe we lament that all our things are so impure For the maners of all men are corrupted which in olde tyme was the cause of so great a floud Therefore when the affection is corrupted within it is of necessity that the action also that doth follow being the descryer of the lacke of vigour and force should be corrupted For the fruit of good life doth procéede out of a pure soule Inquiry is made how much euery man doth but with howe great vertue he doth them it is not so studiously wayed Search is made whether one be rich whether one be strong whether one be faire and beautifull whether he be valiant a good writer or a singer or a plowmā but most men say nothing of this How poore he is in spirit how pacient gentle how godly inward The nature of the world doth behold the outward things but grace doth turn it selfe vnto the inwarde things The first is many times deceyued this other hath a hope trust in God that it may not be deceyued The xxxvij Chapter Of the deniall of a mans selfe and the putting of all desire from him LORDE SOnne thou mayest not attaine vnto libertie perfitely vnlesse thou doe wholy renounce and forsake thy selfe All couetous men and louers of themselues men full of desires curious wandring vnconstant euermore desirous of pleasure not of Iesus Christ and manye times attempting thinges that shall not stande or continue are but captiues bicause al that is not of god is but vanishing and shall perishe Here this short perfite sentence Forsake al things and thou shalt finde all things Forsake thy desire thou shalt find rest Reuolue ponder this in thy minde and after thou hast fulfilled all things thou shalt vnderstand the meaning SERVANT Lord this is not one daies work or play of children but therein is briefly comprehended the whole perfection of a godly man. LODRE Sonne thou oughtest not to be turned away forthwith or to discourage thy self when thou hearest this worde Perfection but rather be prouoked to higher things at the leastwise to sigh after thē with desire Would to God thy case were such thou were come so farre that thou were not a louer of thy self but diddest wholy obay my will and pleasure Thus should it come to passe that thou shouldest highly like me and shouldest passe ouer thy whole lyfe with ioy and peace Thou hast yet many things to be forsakē which vnlesse thou shalt vtterly yéeld vp vnto me thou shalt not attaine vnto that which thou requirest I reade aduise thée to buy gold of me that gloweth with the fire that thou mayest become rich to wéete heauenly wisedome treading downe all base and vile things Cast awaye earthly wisedome that is cease to please and flatter thy self after the fashion of the worlde I haue sayde that thou must buye most vyle things with precious things and such as are highly estéemed in the worlde For that true heauenly wisedom which doth not much chalenge vnto it selfe nor coueteth to be greatly made off in the worlde séemeth but vyle and course and in a maner forgotten which vndoubtedly many men praising with their mouth doe yet farre dissent in their life for all that the same wisedome is that precious pearle which to many men is hidde and vnknowne Of the instabilitie of mans minde and setting God before himself aboue all things The .xxxviij. Chapter LORDE SOnne do not credite that affection wherein thou now art because it shal by and by be chaūged into another affection For so long as thou liuest thou shalt be subiect to mutabilitie chaunge whether thou wilt or no so as thou art somtimes glad and sometimes sad sometimes quieted sometimes troubled sometimes godly sometimes contrary sometimes diligent and painefull sometimes slowe and dull sometime graue sometime light But this wise man I spake off and one rightly schooled in spirite doth stande aboue these chaungeable things not considering what he thinketh in him selfe or which way the wind of instabilitie doth blow but bending the whole purpose of his mind to that ende that he ought to doe that is to saye to the very best ende For so it hapneth that the same man maye abide vnshaken while the simple eye of his meaning is directed vnme without intermission or ceassing through so many so diuers sundry euentes And the more pure that the eye of the intent is so much the more vnconstantly doe men walke in the midst of diuers stormes But that eie is blind in many men doth quickly looke vpon some pleasure lying before it so that it is seldome séene that he is
passe those things which thou wouldest do Other mens attempts shall come forwarde well ynough but thine shall not so doe Other mens sayings shall be heard thine shall bée counted for nothing Other men asking shal haue when thou askest thou shalt go without Other shall be set out greatly with the praise of men Of thée no man shall say any thing at all Other men shall haue offices committed vnto thē to gouerne but thou shalt be thought good for nothing For these causes thine own fleshe shall sometimes teach thée and shall abide great conflyctes But thou shalt haue great good thereby if thou wilt beare it pacyently say nothing With these and such like things is the faithfull seruaunt of the Lorde woont to be tried whether he can deny himself and make himself plyable in all things And scarcely there is any thing in which it is so much for thy profit to be mortified as in that that thou mayest beholde and paciently suffer those things which are contrary to thy will especially whilst things absurde and not profitable in thy iudgement are commaunded In which bycause thou darest not resist the power of thy Superior vnto which thou art subiect it hapneth that it séemeth a hard thing vnto thée to be at another mans beck letting passe all thine owne will. But consider sonne what fruite how great reward in short time shall follow these trauailes of thine and thou wilt not be agréeued with them but wilt take right great comfort of thy pacience For in steade of this short will of thine which thou hast nowe giuen euer of thine owne accorde thou shalt haue thy will for euer in Heauen For there thou shalt finde whatsoeuer thou wilt haue whatfoeuer thou shalt be able to wishe for There shalt thou haue plentye of of all good things without any feare of léesing them againe There shall thy will togither with me neuer desire any outward or priuate thing There shall no man resist thée no man shall complaine of thée no man shall let thée but all thy wishes shall be had shall most plentifully fill the desire of thy minde There will I render glory for reproche borne paciently the clothing of praise for sorrow heauinesse a kingly seat for euermore for the lowest or basest place in the worlde There shal the fruite of obedience appeare the labour of repentance reioyce modest subiectiō be crowned gloriously Wherefore submit thy selfe nowe modestly to the commaundement of al men and passe not who speaketh or cōmaundeth but especially endeuour this one thing that whether some superior of thine or some equal or also some inferior shal require ought at thy hands or else shall but giue a token to haue thée doe something thou take all in good woorth and studie to doe them with asincere will. Let diuers men séeke diuers things Let diuers men glory in diuers things let them be praysed euē of an infinite number of men reioyce thou but in the contempt of thy self in the dooing of my commaundement in looking vnto my glory wish for that thing aboue all other that eyther by life or by death God may alwayes be honoured in thée How a man being pressed downe with euilles ought to yeelde himselfe vp vnto god The .lv. Chapter SERVANT I Giue thée immortal thanks O God my holy Father for that those thinges are done which thou wilt haue to be done thou wilt haue nothing to bée done but that that is good Let me thy seruant reioyce in thée not eyther in my selfe or in any other For thou onely art true ioy O Lord thou art my hope and crowne thou art my reioyce honor To be short I haue nothing but that which I haue receyued at thy hand and that without any maner of desert of mine at all thine are al those things that either thou hast giuen or made I néedie soule and turmoiled with trauailes from my birth am sory in my minde and that so déepely sometime that teares doe gush out of mine eyes and that I am altogither disquieted for the euils that are at hande I long after the ioye of peace I earnestly craue the peace of thy children which are fed with the light of thy comfort If thou shalt giue peace if thou shalt poure forth ioy I shal haue a minde full of melodie and singe thy prayses deuoutlye But if thou shalte withdrawe thy selfe as thou art woont very often I shall not be able to runne the race of thy commaundementes but rather fallyng downe vpon my knées will strike my brest bicause I am not nowe in so good case as I was before when thy candle giuing light vnto me from aboue I was defended wyth the shadowe of thy wings against the euils that ranne violently vpon me O iust father and alwayes to bée praysed the howre is come wherin I thy seruant shoulde be tried O Father to be loued right it is that I should suffer something for thy sake in this howre O Father euermore to be worshipped the howre is come which thou diddest foresée before all beginning that I shoulde so be ouercome outwardly for a shorte time that inwardelye I might alwayes liue with thée that I might be cōtemned pressed downe fayle before men a little while be afflicted with euils and sorrows to the intent I might rise againe with thée in the morning of newe light and might be made bright in heauenly things O holy father thou hast thus determined so thou wouldest haue it that hath béene done which thou hast commaunded to be done For this benefite is bestowed by thée vpō thy louer or frend that he should suffer afflictions in this life for the loue of thée so oftentimes as thou shalte suffer the same to be done vnto him and of whome thou shalt suffer it to be done after that sort as thou shalt suffer it to be done For there is neyther any thing done in the worlde without thy purpose and prouidence nor yet without a cause And surely it is for my profite O Lord that thou hast thrust me downe to the intent that I may learne thy ordinaunces cast all loftinesse arrogancie of mind from me It is profitable to me to haue béene shamed that I might aske comfort rather of thée than of men Againe also I haue learned therby to feare thy vnsearchable iudgement which afflictest the iust togither with the wicked and vngodly and yet not without equitie and right I giue thée thanks which hast nothing spared to sende me aduersities but hast afflicted me with bitter torments sorrowes anguishes both within and without wherein to comfort me there is none found liuing vnder heauen but thou onely art he O my Lord God being the heauenly phisition of soules which both woundest and healest which leadest downe to hel and againe bringest a man backe from thence Thy correction doth chastice
like other men well with whome we are growne into familiaritie of whome when the wyckednesse of oure condicions is once perceyued we doe also the more displease and mislyke them Of obedience and subiection The .ix. Chapter IT very much auayleth to lyue in the subiection of an other and not to be at a mans owne libertie and much more safelye doe men obey than rule and commaunde Many be obedient for necessitie rather than for loue the same they doe wyth payne and quickely murmour and grutch neyther doe those persons attaine vnto the liberty of minde except they shew themselues obedient both from the heart and also for Gods sake Whether soeuer thou turne thy selfe no rest shalt thou finde in any place but in modestly bearing the rule of an other mā The ymagination and change of places hath deceyued many Euery man hath delight to doe according to hys owne iudgement and sheweth himselfe somewhat friendly to them which be of that minde that hée is of But if God be among vs we must wholy giue ouer our owne opinion and purpose sometimes to enioy the commoditie of peace For who hath so good a witte that he knoweth all thinges Wherefore trust not to much to thine owne opinion but heare also the iudgement of other men willinglye And in case thou shalt giue ouer thine owne iudgement for Gods sake notwithstanding that it be good shalt followe an other thereby thou shalt profite and come forward the better For I haue oftentimes hearde that it is more safe to heare receyue counsell than to giue counsell For possible it is that a mans owne iudgement and opinion may be good ynough in a mater and yet if the same wyll not obeye other so long as reason or the cause doth requyre it euen by that token may he disclose betray his owne pride and wilfull stubburnesse Of the auoyding of familiaritie of wordes The .x. Chapter TAke héede of the haunt of men as much as it is possible For talke which doth commonlye passe about worldely thinges is cause of great hurte although it otherwise procéede from a minde that is simple and without euill meaning For being snared with vanitie we are quickely defiled and manye times it happeneth that I doe wishe that I had helde my tongue that I had not bene in prease and company Now if the cause be sought why we doe so gladlye talke togither and babble one with another whereas neuerthelesse we seldome returne vnto silence without some remorse of conscience it shal be found to be this that we séeke after comfort by often communication desire to relieue our wearyed mindes with sundry cogitacions so the more earnestly that we loue and couet euery thing or the more we perceyue that euery thing is against vs so much it lyketh vs the more to talke and thinke thereof and that most commonlye in vaine For this outwarde comfort causeth no small hynderaunce vnto the inwarde and ghostly comfort Therefore must wée watch and pray least the time be spent in ydlenesse and in case it lyketh and be expedient for thée to speake speake profitable thinges That ought most of all to feare vs from babling both for that the custome of babling is sinful and also bycause it hyndereth our commyng forwarde to vertuous lyfe But it is not a lyttle profitable to become better and better in godlinesse to vse vertuous talke and communication thereof especiallye when men lyke one to the other in mynde and spirite are coupled togyther in God. Of the attayning of peace and earnest desire of profiting The .xi. Chapter WE myght enioy sound and perfit peace except our heds were occupyed wyth the sayings and dooings of other mē which are no point of our charge but how can hée liue in peace anye whyle that entermedleth himselfe in other mens affayres That séeketh for occasions abroade That calleth home hymselfe eyther lyttle or seldome times Blessed are the simple For they doe attayne vnto much peace And now why haue certayne godly men béene so perfit and so addicted to the contemplacion of heauenlye thinges namely bycause they haue earnestlye endeuored to mortifie all their earthlye lustes and therfore haue béene able to cleaue fast and fréely to gyue themselues ouer to God with all the powers of their soule But as for vs we are occupyed ouermuch wyth the troublesome affections of our minde and are to much busied with fraile and transitory things Seldome tymes also doe we conquer euen but one vice or sinne And as for daylye profiting and comming forwarde in godlynesse we are not kindled vnto it and therfore doe we remayne still colde and luke warme Howbeit if being wholy mortified vnto our selues we were not kept backe as men inwardely intangled vndoubtedlye it woulde come to passe that we might be able to féele deuine things and somewhat to make proofe of heauenly matters The greatest if it be not the whole let doth vtterly consist in this that we be not frée from the troublesome affections and desires of the minde nor endeuour to walke the perfite path of the godlye In case the least aduersitie in the worlde doe at anye time chaunce vnto vs we are verye soone discouraged and then doe betake our selues to such comfort as the world doth minister But if we woulde labour with tooth nayle to sticke to our tackling as it becommeth valiant souldiers there is no doubt but we should sée euen from Heauen ayde sent vnto vs Agayne the same God is readye to helpe them that fight and trust vpon his fauor which procureth vs occasions to fight to the intent that we may get the victory But if we shall put the perfection of a godlye lyfe in dooing of these outward things our godlinesse shall then be soone at a poynt Nay the Hatchet must be put to the very roote that being purged from desires we may attayne vnto a calme and quiet soule If we shoulde plucke vp by the rootes but one sinne euerye yeare we should quickly be made perfit men Nowe contrarywise it commeth to passe that we finde our selues many times to haue béene better and more pure from sinne at the beginning of our repentaunce and amendement of life than we were after a great many yeares of our profession Whereby it hapneth that whereas our heate and profiting ought euerye daye to be more and more wée thynke it a great matter if a man can kéepe still a péece of his first zeale and earnestnesse If we would strayne force our selues somewhat at the beginning it myght be brought to passe that afterwardes we should be able to performe all thyngs with delite and gladnesse It is no doubt a payne to leaue things that a man hath vsed himselfe vnto a more paine also to fight agaynst a mans own will. But if thou shalt not conquere small and trifling thinges when wilt thou be able to vanquish and subdue the harder things First of all resist
wyth our whole heart and mouth and to doe his commaundements Would to God we being frée from all worldly affaires would care only for heauenly things for after that man is once come to that point that he séeketh for comfort of no worldly thing then at the length it commeth to passe that GOD doth begin in déede to smatter and sauour vnto him and that hée taketh all things in good woorth howsoeuer they fall out and neyther in prosperitie is puffed vp with gladnesse nor yet in afflictyons is disgraced with heauinesse but committeth himselfe altogither wyth confidence vnto God which is all in all vnto whome nothing perisheth or dyeth but all things doe liue and are obedient at his beck or call without any delay Looke euer to thine ende and remember well that lost time shall neuer returne againe thou shalt neuer attaine vnto vertue surely wythout carefulnesse and dilygence And if it shall chaunce thée to waxe warme thou shalt styll be in case woorse and woorse but if thou wilte applie thy worke wyth a zealous Soule thou shalt finde perfit peace and shalt féele thy labour to bée more slight both for the fauor of God towards thée also for thyne own loue of vertue A feruent and diligent man is readye to all thinges It is greater labor to resist vices troublesome affections of the mynde than to sweate with bodily labors And he that auoydeth not small offences the same by lyttle and lyttle falleth into greater faultes Thou shalt alwayes reioyce at night if thou hast bestowed the daye fruitefully watch vnto thine owne selfe stirre vp and admonish thine owne self despise not thyne one selfe whatsoeuer at any time doth happen vnto other men So much good shalt thou doe herein after as thou shall enforce and compell thy selfe The seconde Booke Of the Inwarde life of man The first Chapter THE Kingdome of GOD is within you saith the lord Turne thy selfe wyth thy whole hart to the Lorde forsaking this wretched worlde and thy soule shall finde rest Leare to contemne outward thinges and to giue thy selfe to the inwarde things so shalt thou sée the Kingdome of God to come into thée For the Kingdome of God is peace and ioye in the holy Ghost which is not gyuen to the godlesse or wicked Christ will come vnto thée to giue thée his comfort so that thou wilt prouide him a dwelling place méete for hym within thée For the whole beautie and brauerie thereof remayneth within there is hée willingly conuersaunt he maketh often repaire to the inwarde man To the inwarde man he hath swéete communication acceptable comfort much peace singuler familiaritie Come of thou faithfull soule prepare thy heart vnto thys Bridegrome to thintent he may vouchsafe to come vnto thée and inhabite within thée For thus he sayth If any man loue me the same will keepe my sayings and I and my father will come vnto him and dwell wyth him Therefore giue a place vnto Christ denying to all other any entraunce vnto thée If thou shalt haue him thy guest thou shalt then be ryche and welthie He will looke vnto thée and so faithfully doe all thine affayres that there shall be no néede for thée to put thy hope in men for men are quickly altered and swiftly breake frendship but Christ abideth stil by it for euer and is a constaunt helpe vnto his seruaunts vnto the verye ende There is neither great trust nor affiance to bée put in a frayle mortall man though he be profitable and thy deare fryend neither must thou greatly be sory if the same at sometime withstande thée gaine say thée Possible it is that those which be on thy side to daye be to morrow against thée and so cōtrarilye bicause they are often altred like the winde Put thy whole trust and confidence in the Lorde so demeane thy selfe that thou mayest feare him and that thou mayest loue him He it is that wil handle thy cause aright set the same in verye good order Thou hast no permament dwelling place and aboade in this life but whersoeuer thou become thou art but a forreiner and a traueiler that shall neuer attaine to rest vntil thou be nighly ioyned with Christ. Why dost thou gaze about thee here séeyng thys is not the place of thy rest Thy dwellyng ought to bée in heauenlye thinges and all thynges earthly must be looked vpon by the way onely that is how al things doe passe and vanishe and thou lykewyse wyth the same Beholde them in such wise that thou doe not cleaue fast vnto them least thou being entrapped doe perishe Let thy thoughts be directed vnto almighty God call vpon Christ Iesus wyth praiers wythout intermission and ceassing If thou canst not tell how to occupie thy minde in the contemplacion of hygh and heauenlye thynges yet rest or staye in the passion of Christ and dwell gladly vpon his woundes For if thou shalt relygiouslye flye to those healthsome wounds and stripes of Christ thou shalt féele a great strengthning in thy aduersitie and shalt not much passe vppon the contempt of men but shalt with facilitie beare their false and craftie accusations Christ himself in the worlde was taken but for an abiecte among men and was in the middest of his rebukes forsaken of his acquaintaunce and friends at his greatest néede Christ hymselfe woulde suffer and be despised and wilt thou dare to complaine and moane for any thing Christ had aduersaries and euill reporters wylt thou haue all men to be thy friends speake well of thée Howe shall thy pacience bée exercised if no aduersitye shall happen vnto thée If thou wylte suffer nothyng that is contrarye vnto thée howe wylt thou be the friend of Christ Thou must suffer aduersitye both wyth Christ and for Christ if thou wilt raigne wyth christ If thou hast truely entred but once into the bowels of Chryst and hadst but a little tasted of the feruentcie of hys loue thou wouldest not onely nothyng passe vppon thine owne commodities or incommodityes but also wouldest reioyce at thyne infamye or slaunder For the loue of Iesus causeth a man to contemne hymselfe I say the louer of Iesus and the true inward man and one voyde of inordinate desires is able fréely to turne himselfe vnto God being lifted vp in spirite aboue himselfe to enioy the same God quietly He which wayeth all things as they be in déede and not as they be called or supposed the same is truely wise and rather taught at Gods hande than of men Hée that can tell how to lyue inwardelye and lyttle to waye outwarde thynges the same doth neyther requyre places nor yet looke after tymes to practyse hys religious or Godly exercyses The inwarde man doth quickely call home hymselfe bycause he neuer outwardely sheweth what hée is altogyther The outewarde labour is no iet vnto him or hys necessarie businesse for the tyme But rather as all thyngs doe
beyonde all measure Loue féeleth no burthen passeth nothing vpon paines endeuoreth aboue hir strength nothyng at all waying whether the same bee possible to bée done or not forasmuch as it thinketh nothyng to harde for it selfe nothing vnlawefull Therefore it is of force vnto all things and bringeth manye things to an ende if the louer doe not giue ouer and be tired Loue watcheth and sléeping doth not slumber laboring is not wearyed pressed downe is not oppressed made afeard is not troubled but like as the liuely flame and burning torch doth couet out vpwarde and doth pierce thorowe safely If any man doe loue he knoweth what this saying meaneth The very ardent affection of the soule is a great cry in the eares of the Lord whilst it sayth thus O my God O my loue thou art wholy mine and I am thyne altogyther Bring forth in mée a plentifull loue that I maye learne with the inwarde mouth of my hcart to taste howe swéete and pleasaunt a thing it is to loue and as it were being molten to swim in loue Cause that I maye so burne in loue that I may ouer come my selfe with the feruentey of my study and affection Let me sing the ballade of loue let me follow thée aloft my friende and louer let mée sing thy prayses wyth so great Loue that I may be swallowed vp through the feruentcy of affection Let me loue thée more than mine owne selfe Nay let me loue neither my self nor any man else beside which doth loue thée in déede but both for thée and in thée like as the lawe of loue shyning and casting hir beames out of thée doth commaunde Loue is swift sincere godly delectable and pleasant strong pacient faithful wise long suffering manlike and neuer applying it selfe to hyr owne commoditie For when a man is giuen to himselfe then doth loue fall away Loue is circumspect modest straight not daintie not lyght nor bent to vanities sober chaste constant quiet and temperate in all the senses Loue is subiect and obedient to his betters alwaies vile and despised in his own conceit vertuous and thankefull towardes God full of confidence and trust and alwaies in hope euen then when it selfe is lothed of God Forasmuch as without gréefe paine there is no lyuing in loue He that is not ready to suffer al things to apply himselfe to the wil of his friend louer the same is vnworthy to be called a louer In cōclusion a louer must imbrace all hard bitter things for his friends sake not to be deuided from him bicause of aduersitie Of the triall of the true Louer and how the enimie must be resisted The .vij. Chapter LORDE SOnne thou art not yet a strong and wise Louer SERVANT Why so Lord LORDE Bycanse thou leauest off thine enterpryse for a small assault and temptacion and séekest after comfort with ouer much gréedinesse A valyaunt Louer standeth still by temptacions and doth not credite the crafty perswasions of the enimie is so delighted with prosperitie that he is nothing offended with aduersity The wise louer doth not so much way the gift of his Louer as the loue of the giuer The same rather considereth the minde and meaning then the commoditie and profite in respect of his friend neglecteth al his gifts The noble Louer resteth not in the gift but in mée aboue euery gift Neither must thou foorthwith discourage thy selfe if at any time thou thinke otherwise then well either of me or of my Godly seruauntes against thy will. That good and swéete affection wherewyth thou art sometime delighted is the affection of present fauour and a certaine foretaste of thy heauenly Countrey vpon the which foretaste thou must not staye to much bicause it suffereth alteration But to fight against the wicked motions of the minde and to despise the intisements of the Deuill this in déede is the worke of vertue and a thing worthye of great rewarde Therefore there is no cause why these absurde imaginations shoulde so greatly vexe and torment thée that art woont to arise of euery trifling occasion Perseuere thou constantly in thy purpose and enterprise and be of a sincere minde towarde god Neither is it an illusion that thou sometime art sodainely rauished aloft and by and by doest returne againe to the olde fonde trifles of thy minde which forasmuch as thou rather sufferest against thy will than art the Author causer of them and dost struggle against thē so long as they myslike thée they are rather profitable than pernicious Wéete thou that that olde enimie doth therevnto wholly bend himselfe to let thy study in goodnesse and to call thée away from al exercise of godlynesse to weete from the deuoute Meditacion and memorie of Christ his passion from the warding and kéeping of thy soule from the firme purpose to come forward in vertue The wicked Féende minystreth great varietie of thoughts to beat a wearinesse and trembling feare into thée to the intent he maye reuoke thée from prayer readyng of holy scripture The humble confession of thy sins doth mislike him if he coulde he woulde withdraw thée from the Communion But beléeue him not nor passe not vpon him though he cast his subtile snares and trappes ouer thée many times When his suggestions are euil and filthie turne them vpon him againe and say thus vnto him Be gone thou vncleane spirit blush thou wretch and be ashamed thou vyle beast Thou wicked deceyuer that doest put such things into my head get thée hence from me For thou shalt preuaile with me nothing at all For Iesus my fellowe souldier will be present with mée and thou shalt be ouercome shamefully I had rather die and had rather suffer any thing in the worlde then once consent vnto thée Holde thy peace and be still I wil not now heare thée though thou make me to haue a great deale of trouble The Lord is my light and sauing health whome shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life at whome shall I tremble If whole armyes come against me my soule shal not be afeard whilst the Lorde doth succour and deliuer me Fight like a valiant souldier and if thorow weakenesse thou take a fall at any time take a better hart vnto thée againe hauing a good hope of my fauour towardes thée euen greater then before and in any wise beware of vaine arrogancie and pride which is the cause that many men are led into errour and doe sometime fall into blindenesse and ignoraunce almost incurable Let that fall of the prowde angels foolishly chalenging to much to themselues cause thée to beware and to liue in continuall modestie and humilitie Of modest hyding the benefites of god The .viij. Chapter LORDE SOnne it is both profitable and safe or sure for thée to dissemble the affection of godlinesse and not to extol the same in words in craking thereof somewhat insolentlye or to aduaunce the same aboue measure but
THy name be praysed O Lorde for euermore which wouldest haue me tempted with this calamity which surely I can not auoyde but must néedes fly vnto thée to helpe mée and to cause that thys thing may turne to my commoditie Lorde now am I in calamitie and my minde is in yl case Nay I am much vexed with my present chaunce Therefore what shall I saye O most deare father I am in great perplexitie Deliuer me from this howre into the which no duobt I therfore come that thou mightest be praysed I being first so greatly pressed downe and then afterward deliuered through thy helpe I beséech thée O Lorde that thou wilt vouchsafe to deliuer me out of this euill being a naked soule and ignorant which way I shal turue my self without thy helpe Graūt me now O Lord pacience also helpe me O my God and I will take euen the most grienous chaunces that shall happen vnto mée without feare And what shall I say vnto thée in the midst of these things Lorde thy will be done I surely haue deserued this euill and anguisy therefore must I beare it I praye God I may doe the same paciently vntil such time as the tempest being ended more ioyful seasons doe follow on Howbeit thy almighty hande is able to remooue and turne from me this temptacion also and to mittigate the violence therof that I doe not wholy faint and giue ouer according as thou hast manye times delt with me before tyme O my God according to thy mercy towarde me And with the more harde aduenture that I am oppressed so much the more sweetely shall I be refreshed with the help of thy mighty right hād Of crauing of Gods helpe and confidence to recouer grace The .xxxv. Chapter LORDE Sonne I am the Lorde the strengthener of men in aduersities vnto whome thou maiest repaire resort if at any time it go otherwise than well wyth thée But that most of all doth hinder heauenly comfort that thou somewhat slowly doest betake thy selfe to prayers For before that thou pray vnto me earnestly thou séekest after many comforts al the while and doest refresh thy selfe with outward things therefore if hapneth that all doe but little profite thée till that thou espie me to be the same that doe deliuer those men out of troubles which haue put their trust in me out of whom there is no helpe neither substantiall nor counsell profitable nor remedy durable But now taking courage vnto thée againe after the tempest be whole strong in the light of my mercy For I am at hād saith the Lord to restore all thinges not onely to as good case as they were at the first but also to renue them plentifully with the better Is there any thing ouer harde for me to doe Or am I like vnto them which do not performe theyr promises Where is thy faith Stande stedfastly with perseuerance shew thy selfe a man parient valiant Comfort will be with thée in his due time Looke after looke after me I say I wil come I will cure thée It is temptacion that doth vexe thée and vaine carefulnesse which doth make thée afeard What good doth care of the chaunces to come but that thou mayest heape sorrowe vpon sorrow The euill of the day present is sufficient for it selfe vaine and vnprofitable it is either to be troubled or to reioyce about things to come which perchāce shall neuer happen But it is mans fashion to be deluded with such imaginations and it is the token as yet of a base courage so soone to be drowned with the intisment of the enimy Hee forceth nothing at al whether hée delude and deceiue with true things or false things whether he giue a man a foile with the loue of present things or with the feare of things to come Wherefore be not troubled in thy minde or faint harted beléeue me put thy trust and affiance in my mercy I am many times harde by thée when thou thinkest that I am a great way off when thou supposest that thou hast lost altogither euen then many times is greater gaine so much the more néere at hand All things are not therfore lost though the matter fall quite contrary to thy desire Thou oughtest not to iudge of the féele of present miseries nor when calamitie doth arise from some place so to be mooued nypped in the heade withall as though al hope of escape were taken away Doe not think thy selfe altogither forsaken if at any time I eyther haue sent thée calamitie for a season or yet haue withdrawne my desired comfort frō thée For thus doe men go on to the kingdom of heauen surely this is more for thy profit for the profite of al other of my seruāts that ye should be excited and quickned with aduersities than if all things shoulde happen vnto you according to your hearts desire I am so well acquainted with the secret thoughts of the heart that I know it to make very much for thy saluation that sometime thou he left in heauinesse least perhaps being prowde with prosperous successe thou shouldest therby thinke thy selfe that which thou art not I am able to take away that which I haue giuen I can restore the same againe when me listeth If I haue giuen it it is mine owne If I haue taken it away I haue not taken away thine seing euery good perfite gift is my gift Therfore if at any time I sende thée some euil and aduersitie grutch not therat nor dispaire euen I the same am able to ease thée quickly to turne all thy heauinesse into ioy But in that I deale so with thée I am iust and much to be commended And if thou be wise and do rightly consider this my deede thou shalt neuer with such faintnesse be sorie for aduersities but rather reioyce and giue me thanks Nay thou shalt iudge that this aboue al other thinges is to be reioyced at that I afflicting thée with sorrowes doe nothing at all spare thée As the father loued me euen so loue I you sayde I to my most deare Disciples whom I sent not I tell thée to perishing and transitory ioyes but to great fights Not vnto honours but vnto infamie slaunder Not vnto idlenesse but vnto labors Not vnto rest but to bring foorth plentiful fruit with pacience Remēber these my words O my good sonne The .xxxvi. Chapter Of despising of all things in the worlde that the Creator may be founde SERVANT O My Lorde I haue yet néede of thy far greater fauour to come vnto that point that neither anye man nor yet any creature may be a let vnto me For so long as any thing doth withold me and kéepe me backe I can not flie fréely vnto thée He desired to take his flight fréely which sayde Woulde God I had wings like a Doue to flye away into rest What is more quiet then a simple eie Or what
feared and not discussed as they which doe passe mans vnderstanding capacity Desire not so much as to search or dispute about the merits of the saints and Godly who shall bée more holy or greater then other in the kingdome of heauen For these things doe manye times cause vnprofitable debates contentions doe also mainetaine pride and ambicion whereof aryseth enuyinges and dissentions whilest one stryueth prowdly that an other is holier than the rest The desire to learne these things the searching of them out are fruitlesse Nay rather doe displease the godly sort For I am not God of dissension but of peace which peace consisteth in true modestty and lowlinesse not in arrogancy and pryd Some for the affection of loue doe cast more fauour vnto these then to those but they do it rather vpon their carnall affection then that God is so affected I am he that haue created all the saints that haue endued the same wyth gifts haue giuen them honor I know the merites of euery man I prouoked them with moste pleasant gifts and benefits I knew that they were to be loued before the beginning of the worlde I did choose them out of the worlde not they me I called thē w my fauor I drew them to me with my mercy I led thē through diuers temptacions and did poure vpon them notable comforts I gaue them perseuerance and did crowne their pacience I knowe both the first and the last I embrace all men with loue incredible I am to be praysed in all my saintes ioyntly and to be magnified and honored in all particularly aboue all thinges which saints being appointed by me to saluation I haue so gloriously lifted vp without any of their deserts going before Therfore he that despiseth euen the least of my seruaunts the same doth neither honor the great in as much as I haue made aswell the small as the great so that he the doth derogate from any on of the saints the same doth both derogate frō me from al the parteners of the heauenly kingdome For they are al but one in the bonde of loue thinking all one thing willing all one thing also louing al one another with mutuall loue Nay rather which is a much more high matter they more loue me than themselues their owne merits For being rauished aboue themselues drawne beside the loue of themselues they do go forward altogither vnto the loue of me do repose themselues in the fruition therof in so much that nothing can turne thē from it or thrust them down as the which being full of euerlasting truth doe burne w the fire of vnquenchable loue Therfore let the carnall sensuall men leaue of to reasō about the state of the saints which knowe not to do ought else but to loue their priuat ioies Many as yet by their naturall affection and worldly loue are bent to these or to those and euen as their iudgement is in the inferior things so doe they likewise imagine of the heauenly things Without doubt it cannot be vttered in words in how great vnlikelynesse in those things do differ the one from the other which the vnperfit men do think with themselues which the men that by God are lightned doe behold as made open vnto them frō aboue Wherfore beware Sonne that thou occupie not thy self somewhat curiously about those things which passe the capacitie of thy wit but rather apply thy selfe vnto that that thou mayest bée found euen the least in the kingdome of god Now in case a man did know who were accounted more holye or greater than other in the heauenly kingdome what should the knoledge thereof auaile him vnlesse he did humble himselfe so much the more vnto me and rise vp higher vnto the greater prayse of my name He doth a much more acceptable thing vnto God which doth thinke vpon the greatnesse of his sinnes and the slendernesse of hys vertues and how farre of he is from the perfection of the saintes then he which reasoneth about the greatnesse lownesse of the saints and godly They do not boast of their merits which doe ascrybe no goodnesse at all vnto themselues but acknowledge that all cōmeth from me which they haue bicause I haue bestowed al those things vpon them accordyng to my excéeding great loue of Godlinesse and surely they are enuironed with so great loue of Godlynesse and so great ioy of mynd that no glory at all no maner of felicitie is wanting vnto them The more high in honor and glory that all the saints are so much the more modest and the nygher and eke the more déere the same are vnto mée And for this cause that same in the Apocalips is wrytten That they did cast their Crownes before God and with a groueling countenance before the lambe did worship him liuing for euermore Many doe séeke who is greatest in the kingthe kingdome of God and cannot tell whether that they themselues shall bée reckened in the number of those that are least It is a great thing to be the verye least in Heauen whereas all be great for all shall be called and shall so be in déede the children of God. The least shall growe into a thousande and the hundreth person that shall be punished of me shall dye a yoong man For when the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of God they had this same aunswere Vnlesse yee be altered in manners and become like vnto the little ones yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore who so shall humble hymselfe lyke to this little chylde he shall be greatest in the Kyngdome of heauen Wo be to them that disdaine to submitte themselues wyth the little ones for the gate of the Heauenly Kingdome is to lowe for them to enter in at Wo bée to the ryche also that haue their comfortes here in thys Worlde For when the poore doe enter the Kingdome of GOD they shall stande wythout crying and howling Keioyce yée lowly and méeke Triumph ye poore for the kingdome of God is yours in case yée doe obey the truth That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone The Lxiiij Chapter SERVANT LOrde in whome is my trust set in this life or what is my greatest comfort among all things that are vnder the cope of heauen Art not thou O my Lord GOD being endued with infinite mercye When was I eyther in good case wythout thée or in euill plight whilest thou wast present with me Surely I had lieffer to be poore for thy sake then to be rych wythout thée and had rather to be a traueyler with thée vpō the earth than wythout thée to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen And again where thou art not there is death and Hell. Thou art my longing and wishe therfore doe I recken it necessarye to sigh to cry to praye vnto thée In fine I can fully put