accordydg to the example of oure sauyor Iesu who in moost payne and sorow whiche began in the gardyn vpon thursday at night abydyng therin vnto the moost paynefull deathe vpon the crosse cleane destytute of al cōfort sensible consolacion as thoughe he had byn the very ennemy of god onely hauyng the essencyal loue and charytie of god but in al other consolacyon he was moste perfectly resigned to the wyl of hys heauenly father ¶ The tenth impedyment THAT is an inordynate earnestnes and cleauynge to whereby manye be addycted and so earnestlye set vpon the woorkes that they haue to do eather of obedience or necessitie of charitie that whyle they do them their harte and mynde is al occupyed in them and for the tyme they seme to rest in thē And thoughe this delyght in suche good and necessarie workes be not notable sinful yet is it a greate let and impedyment to goostly profyte Wherefore all thy outward workes that obedience or necessitie requirith thou muste do them wythout to muche care or combraunce or to much earnest mynde or delight vpon them And haue thi affeccion resygned and thy mynd liftid vp vnto god For when thy mynd hart is set to earnestly vpon such lauful busynes it is distractyd by that distractiō thy mynd is the more darkened and thy gostly affeccyon decayth and thy gostly exercise losyth his swetnes and it wyl be the harder for the to recollecte thy wittes conuenyently to prayer Lerne therfore what euer thou doyste to haue thine hart and mynd more vpon god by inward exercyse of loue and vse also more often suche gostly and inward exercyse then the outward works of vertue But yet to haue thy mynd and harte as it were rapte vpon god whyle thou doyst outwarde busynes that is not easy but only vnto suche whose loue and affeccion is fre and ryd cleane of al thynges vnder god such one can without great labor when him listith cal in his whole mind and memorie vpon god only But if thi mind be comberyd eather with carefulnes either with any passyon either to earnestly set to do any outward thinge then shalte thou feale it very harde for the to recollect thy selfe when thou woldest Therefore suche dystraccyon is a greate hynderance in the pure restful loue of god The eleuenth impedyment THat is scrupulosytie of the mynde for lacke of a ful confydence in the infinite goodnes of god This scrupulosytie vereth and troublyth very many by reson of the inordynate loue that they haue towardes them selfes Wherby they feare more the wrathe and the vengāce of god hel his iustice or rightwisenes then they do loue his mercy and goodnes And therfore they do al good workes auoyde al euyl that they do auoyd only of seruyle feare Therfore they do not faythfuly and earnestly amend their fautes with whose sharpe stinges and remorse they be often tyme payned and greuyd and they can not put their whoole trust confydence in god The cause is For such is their trust in god as is their loue Lytle loue lytle trust But a great loue bryngyth a great confydence ¶ O blessid hope For so long as thou doist not slacke or decay thy duetie there by but doyste indeuer thy selfe to more earneste mortificacyon and to more pacyence in aduersytie and to more thankefullnes in prosperytie that hope is a very blessed hope ¶ The twelfth impediment THat is to much lybertie of the fansie in wanderynges in vayne and vnprofytable thoughtes whiche is an vnstablenesse of hart and negligence of the inner manne and thereof commith it that the hart and mynd is contynualy occupied and ful of imaginacions and thoughtes of other thynges and can not take heede nor parceaue the inspyracions of god For the mind of man can not be vnoccupied Therfore when we do not occupie it with good thoughtes then doth other thoughtes take place sometyme ydel sometyme euyl Bothe these and al other muste be vtterlye put out of minde specialy such thoughtes as are euyl For thoughe thes grow not to cōsent of sinne yet they do defyle the soule and make heuy the holy gost and do much goostly hurt vnto the soule Thes therfore and al other imaginacions and thoughtes must be vtterly caste away and mortifyed For they aryse of oure owne neglygence bycause we do not laboure to occupie oure mind with holy and gostly thoughtes but suffer it to wander and passe not to waste vnprofitably oure precyous tyme. Therefore when we wolde turne oure harte and mind vnto god inwardly we find our hart and minde combred with innumerable dystraccyons which do let greatly our gostly profyt Thou shalt therefore lay a parte all occasyons of vagacyons of mynd and as muche as is possyble all ymagynacions thoughts fansies memories of al things of al mennes sainges and doynges or of that that shal come vpon the herafter and al other fansies thou shalt I say put them vtterly out of thy mind And recolectinge together al the mightes of thy soule inwardely in thy selfe thou shalt abyde and lerne to dwel in gostly rest and sylence of thy hart that thy minde and harte beynge puryfyed and clēsyd from the memorie imaginacions of al creatures thy memorie lyftyd vp to god what euer thou doyst thou mayst tend and draw towardes him and cleaue fast vnto hym only What nedest thou or why trauelist thou about so many thyngs Thynke vpon one Desyre and loue one and thou shalt fynd great rest Therefore wher euer thou be let this voyce of god be at thyne eare My son returne inwardly vnto thy hart abstract thy selfe frō al thinges and mind me only Thus with a pure mind in god clene and bare from the memorie of al thyngs remayning vnmouable in him thinking desiring nothing els but him only as though there were nothyng els in the world but he and thou alone together And with al mekenes mooste feruently labour and couet to come to this one poynt that thy whole soule with al thy mightes powers hereof colectid in god mai become one spyryte with him And that thou mayst the sooner come hereto thou shalte therefore fyxe in thy mind alway the memorie of thy sauyor christ crucified And remember cōtinally his great mekenes his loue obedyence his pure chaistiti his inestimable pety and mercy his vnspeakeable pacyens and al his holy vertues in his humanytie And remember also his myghty mercy how he creatyd the how he redemed the howe he iustyfyeth the and workyth in the al vertue graces and goodnes Thou must so hartly remēber hym that thi memorie may turne in to loue and affeccyon Thou shalte also vse oft to draw thy mind from the remembrance of al creatures and bryng thy hart as it were vnto a certeyne sylence and rest from the ianglynge and companye of all thinges vnder god And when thou canste come here vnto thē is thy hart a place mete and readye for the Lorde
therfore greate cause to loue hym agayne and to shew louyng kindnes vnto so curtyse and kynde louer and lorde god Nowe if thou canst feele thy harte mouyd vnto loue towardes thy lorde Iesu by thys or lyke comtemplacyon of hys benefites and of his infinite goodnes that hath loued the from the beginning of the world wyth an euerlastyng charyte then shalte thou procede and force thy wyl and affection to these thre sortes or degrees of loue The fyrst is bare loue that is to saye thou must moue thy selfe to loue hym only and forsake al loue that thou berest to thy frendes kynsfolkes apparel bokes and of any other thing in thys world For thou canst not loue these and loue god only For he wil haue al thy loue as he is most worthy and must be louyd barely alone wythoute any thing wyth hym For so dyd oure lord Iesu hang al bare and nakid of al frindes conforte and of al thynges vpon the crosse Yf thou can fynde and feale this pointe of loue in thy harte then must thou procede laboure to haue loue Thou must haue no desyre to any thyng created and specyally this pure loue is when thou hayst ful mortyfied in the al natural passions and vyces as angrynes melancolly inordinate Ioy lyghtnes suche other so that the powers of thy soule be pure and cleane from al sinful inclynacions and dysorder cleane delyuered from al imaginacions or any lettes or impedymentes of the pure and synceare loue of god that they may imbrace their lord god with most pure clene loue Thurdly thou must procede to come to the thurde poynte of loue that is thou must loue thy lorde god with vehemēte strong and affectuous loue And this loue compriseth the other two aforsayd loues makyth the one wyth god and makyth the towardes al other thynges as it were insensyble and feltyst nothing els but only thy owne moost swetest loue Iesu Heare of commyth it that thou canst and shalte remayne styl in god wher euer thou becomyst and wyth whom soeuer thou be For thys loue wyl neuer suffer the to cesse from louyng of thy deare Lorde Iesu nor wil not suffer the to rest but make the bestowe al that thou arte to the glory and honoure of thy lorde god And of this loue it is that thou woldest if thou coldyst make of euery lytle grasse thou seist some excellēt creature that it myght loue and laude the lorde thy god wyth the. Yea if it were possible thou woldest make of euery mā an whole heuē and so many heauens as ther are men and offer them vp to god wyth al thy harte and moost pure and louely desyre to hys glory laude prayse and honoure Now whē thou fealyst this threfolde loue in thy hart kindlyd and thou altogether incensid and set on fyre wyth the loue of thy lorde thou muste recolecte and gether to gether with force al thy wyttes sencies and powers of thy body and soule as it were wyth in thy self as though thou were deade from al other thinges in the worlde And so as one ful of loue thou shalt approche vnto the most gracious most louinge and most swete hart of thy Lord Iesu Thou shalt enter therin as into an infinite sea of goodnes botomlesse depeth of vnmesurable loue and charitie wyth these foure exercyses But yet whether thou feale in thy hart these pointes of loue or no thou shalte procede neuerthelesse and folowe wyth these foure exercises and haue a good wyl and desyre to haue these pointes of loue and this shal suffice I trust in god for a beginner vntyll god geue to the grace of this loue for it is a syngulare gyfte But thou must eare thou enter these four exercises in the hart of Iesu make this peticion vnto that moost blessyd and mercyfull harte saynge O Most dearest louer of my soule my moost swete sauiour Iesu whiche of thy infynite charytie and most tender loue that thou baryst vnto my pore synfull soule sufferdst moost payneful passiō and and moost cruell and dreadful death in the same charytie and loue in the most blessid merites of the same passion and death grant I beseke the that moost excellente gyfte of loue and charitie that I may be set on fyre and so incensed wyth the moost feruente and syngulare loue of the that I may loue nothing but the alone that neather frynde nether louer nether anye thynge in this world be it neuer so pleasant or profytable may haue any parte of my loue but thou only ¶ Graunte me also cleane and pure loue in al the powers and sences of my soule body that they may be pure from al passiōs and inclynatiōs to sin disorder of sinfull corruption that my soule in al her myghtes powers may wtout let or impedimente frely wholy loue that her creatoure redemer herswete spouse most faithful louer Graūt me also most mercyful lord to loue the vehemētly affectuously that I maye be towardes al other thinges dead as it were insensyble wythout any fealyng That I may not feale nor perceaue any thynge but the only my dere lorde and louer Iesu that where euer I be wyth whome euer I be I may neuer forget quayle or slake in thy burning loue that I may neuer stynte nor cesse to bestowe al that I am and can to thy glory and honour and worshyp and neuer to be satysfyed in wel doynge to thy sempyternal honour and my soule helthe THen shalt thou approch with moste harty affeccyon and deuocyon vnto the blessed hart of Iesu recollectyd as is aboue saide in al thy powers sensies of body and soule and shalt enter in as it were in to that most blessed tresure howse of grace and bottomlesse fountayne of al goodnes with these fowre exercyses folowynge Fyrst thou shalte make from the bottome of thy harte or as wel as grace shal helpe the resingnacion offerynge thy selfe bodye and soule whooly with al that thou art and haist and al creatures moost frealy vnto hys moost louely wyl and blessyd pleasure in thys world to the end here of for euer to abyde al aduersytie pressure or sorow of hart al payne of bodie vnto al thynges that is possyble to come vnto the at his wyl Yea to abyde the paynes of hel yf it shulde be his pleasure for hys loue thou must be redye that he may haue and vse the as hym pleasyth euen as he hadde the at his pleasure ear thou wer creatid Thou muste make this oblacyon thus in thy hart and desyre MOOst mightiful and most louing lord Iesu al thing that I haue and that I am and al thynges in this worlde in heauen and in earth are thyne Wherfore moost gracious good lorde I here offer yelde vp to thy blessyd wyl and pleasure my soule my body wyth all my substance that I am or that I haue and al creatures that euer were or shal
and deare spowse beholdyng hym suffer so greate and intollerable paynes for thy sake Yf thou weere well and faste knytte vnto hym in perfecte charitie thou woldest take excedyng great compassion vpon hym Yf thou feale nothing the payne of thy heade thou arte not a member and one wyth hym Playnely lyke as we shoulde take more compassion and pyty vpon the heade then on the other members euen so oughtest thou in comparably to take more compassion vpō thy lorde Iesu then thou woldest or shouldest do vpon ether father or mother chylde kynsman or most deare frend yea then vppon thyne owne selfe if thou shouldest suffer all these forsayde paynes that thy lorde suffered for ye. Therfore now good doughter let vs drynke oure selfe dronke with gall wormwode and myrre Let vs feale and thinke on hys precius and payneful woundes let his rebukes scourges woundes pearce through the bottome of oure harte let ther remayne nothing in vs that is not all drowned in sorowe and vehemently afflyctyd and troubled ¶ Thyrdly thou must beholde the passyon of oure sauioure Iesu to wonder and with admyracyon consyderyng who it is howe moche he sufferyd and for whome he suffered Who suffred plainly the very sonne of god most myghtest moost wysesest and the very goodnes it selfe And so good that howe muche so euer goodnes and nobylite thou ascrybest to hym it is nothinge in respecte of hys greatnes and excellence All thinges be they neuer so good and neuer so greate and excellent they are but one aske yea they are but very vanytie and ryght nought in comparison of hym How great are they that he sufferyth certaynely trauel in a strainge contrey banishement flyght hunger thurst colde heat temtacions horyble feares persequucyons wayte of his ennymies to be taken traytory spyttynges reuyles and rekubes bondes scorginges stormes sorowes plages and sores strypes woundes and death For the very glory it selfe was spyghtfully spit on right wysenes it selfe was condempned The Iudge of the worlde was iuged and arayned he that toke wrong was blamed The innocente was defamyd god was blasphemed chryst was trodden vnder foote lyfe it selfe was slayne the sonne was derkenyd the moone wexed blacke the starres were scatered abrode and al these thinges did he suffer paciētly as it had ben a lambe which with one only becke was able to haue drownid into the bottome of hel al these vnkind and wycked people that so handled hym But for whom suffered he for moost vyle mancyples for most synfull ennymyes of hys yea for very deuilishe persons and the chyldren by imitacion of the deuyll for the contempners of the maiestie of god vnkynd and vnthankefull seruauntes to the greate goodnesse of god Wonder therefore that suche and so greate a lorde wolde suffer suche and so greate paynes for most vyle and moost abiecte sinners and wretches But now of whome suffered he Of his owne chosen and specially chosē vnto whom he shewed al goodnes and bountefulnes of the most vylest the most excellēt of the vnwyse and fooles the most wysest the whiche is the sempyternall worde and wysedome of God The moost godlyst of most vngodly wycked The euerlasting bryghtnes of the moost filthiest mater and corrupcion In al these lyfte vp thy harte mynde and maruayle at the infynite goodnes and lyberalytie of almyghty god that bought the wyth so great a price Fourthly prynte the passion of thy lorde in thy harte to reioyse thereof for thou oughtest to be glad and ioye in it with moste harty thankes geuyng for the redemcion of the nature of mā for the restoring of angels and of the greate clemencye and mercye of allmyghty god And as for the redemcion of mankynde thou oughtest to be wonderfully glad accomplyshed by chrystes most bytter passion and precyous death Who is he I praye the that wolde not reioyse and be glad perceuinge hym selfe delyuered by this moost blessed passion frō euerlastinge death from the shame of synne frome the power of the deuyll Who wolde not vnmesurably excedyngly reioyse beholding and consydering that the hygh and most al mighty lord god so wel doth loue him that he wolde submyt and subiecte hym selfe vnto so greate vyces and affliction to redeme hym not that he shoulde reioyse at the abiection and passion of oure lorde but of the most gracious affect hereof of the tender affection and loue that he declaryd in hys passion and afflyction what prynce in the kyngdome or empyre of an emperour or kyng perceuing hym selfe so greatly to be in fauoure and loue wyth his lord that his lorde master wold be redy to suffer death for hys sake wolde he not very greatly reioyse and be glad in his whole hart Howe moch more then ought we most vyle wretches wycked synners and noughty seruātes to reioyce and be glad perceauing that the king of al kynges and lorde of all lorddes oure creatour Iesus chryst doth loue vs so feruently that he wolde offer vp in sacryfice hym selfe vnto most foule and most vyle death Let vs therefore be glad wyth ioye vnmeasurable that our lorde Iesu louyth better eache one of vs than any man dothe loue hym selfe Let vs be gladde and reioyse that by the blessed passion of Iesu the ruyne and breche of the angels is restored Ther ought to be in vs greate Ioye gladnes syth we se that by the passion of chryste so noble and blessed a colege of the Angels is repayred that there myght be one fold and one shepehard and al to be one in one god In this ought we and haue we good cause bothe wyth the heuenly courte and the mylytante churche of chryst here to ioye and to be glade O moost amyable and verely moost venerable passion of oure sauioure whiche ioynyth to gether thynges the were so farre a sonder and knyttyth together thynges so farre sequestrated and moost strongly and most fyrmely vnytith byndyth them fast together wyth the bonde of moost perfecte loue in the felycitie of ioye sempiternall But we ought to reioyse and to be glad specially perceauing in al these foresade thynges the hyghe wonderfull clemencye and mercy of god and of oure lorde Iesu christ I thynke the cheafest and hygh glory and ioye of the goodnes of the good angels is perfectly to consider the clemency mercy and benefites of god also his vnmesurable goodnes And this ought to be the syngulare inwarde ioye of hym that is contemplatyue that in the very marye of hys soule For where I pray the dothe more apere the powryng vpō vs the most bontefull mercy clemencye and goodnes of the most swettest most louing heuēly father of our lord Iesu christ thē in his passion wherin he suffered such sort so greate so fowle so shameful so greuous paynes turmentes al to deliuer to gloryfie hys wicked enmie for the redempciō of a very vanitie worthy of euerlasting death Let the deuoute persons enter with al deuocion
the blessyd sacryfyce of masse wyth harty deuocioÌ„ callynge to god most hartely to renew and encrease his loue in the. Fourthly thou must receaue as often as thou mayst conueniently the blessed sacramente or at the least receaue the bodye of our sauioure Iesu spiritually Fyftly thou must reade once in the days and haue medytacion of some good vertuous and holy lesson that thou mayst be the better therby Syxtly thou must exchew and auoyde as neare as thou canst the company and famyliaritie of al persons of what estates soeuer they be yf they may be occasion to the to omyt any good exercyse or to do any sinne be it neuer so lytle ¶ The fyftene impedimentes THe fyrst impediment whiche is in maner the grounde of al sinne as saynt Augustyne sayth is the loue of thy selfe and of thy owne commodytie and profyte the subtyle nature of manne sekyth the owne commodytie in al thinges and is not perceiuyd excepte thou take very greate hede and serch depely the very ende and trewe purpose in al good thinges that thou doist or euylles that thou doyst exchew For in al thy good dedes thou doyst and in al sinne that thou flyest yf thou loke wysely and depely dost searche the cause hereof thou shalte fynde that thou doyst oftentyme seke more thyne owne commodytie then the synceare and pure loue and wyl of god For sometyme thou shalt fynde that thou desyrest and laborest for vertew and doyst praye and vse good exercyse bycause thou wold come to the blysse of heueÌ„ and flyest sinne to escape the paynes of hell and purgatory in thys sekest thou not purely the wil of god but the commoditie of heuen and the exchewynge of payne Trye thys and aske thy selfe yf thou were sure that thou shouldest neuer come in heauen nor neuer haue rewarde for this good deedes and verteous life but neuer the lesse yf it were the pleasure of god that thou shouldest suffer hel paynes for euer whether thou woldest neuer the lesse do as wyllyngly as gladly as many good workes as dylygently flye sinne for the onely wyl and honoure of god as thou woldest do for feare of payne and for loue of heauen Yf thou feele thy selfe in thys mynde and good wil in al thy dedes plainly then doyst thou not seke thyne owne coÌ„moditie but purely goddes wyl and honor For this woldest thou do whether god wil rewarde or regard it or not so it be his plesure and honoure In lyke maner in oure dedes we seke ofte tymes oure commdytie before man We oftetime exchewe euyl bycause we wolde be ether praysed honored ether we wold not be rebuked or punished Some time we esteeme oure exercises and doynges streyte Thus we fal into goostly pryde or els we delight in our swet thoughtes and sencyble deuocion or in our swete teares and set so much by them that if we feale them not or if they be subtractid and be taken frome vs then we waxe dull heauye and sorye and vndeuoute and haue no corage to go forward in good lyfe thus we fal into goostly glottony or auaryce whiche is wery perylus A gaynste those greate dangers goostly we must study to do goostly and bodely for the pure and only loue of god without al respect or regard of reward only bicause that the dede prayer or exercyse doth please god and bycause that I am bounde to do al that I can wyth al the myght and powers of my bodye and soule of very pure loue to honoure him selfe and to rest in hym wythout scruple of bond or custome wyth a certeine inclinacion of inward loue as my hart wer taught inwardly by god that suche good dedes and vertue shoulde please hym and in no wyse to seke any secreate comfort commodytie or consolacyon of the spyryte or soule but rather for goddes sake to desyre al desolacyon aduersytie and derelyccion at the pleasure of god The second impedyment THe second impediment is affeccion loue and care of temporal and corruptyble thinges of this worlde What is thi inordinate loue towards creatures Playnely al that loue which infectith dystractyth or troublyth the mynd of man or caussyth a man to desyre to haue thys or that to hear or se this thyng or that except it be only for the pure and only honoure of god And chiefely the couetousnes or loue of certeine or peculiar thingê as of money of housyng of garmentes or ornaments of napkyns of bokes of exquisite and fyne housholde stouffe of other commodities apperteining vnto their daily vse whether they be necessary or superfluê° in the which thynges they rest with a certayne sensual pleasure and delyght vnto the whych they are so affeccionate and al together geuen yf that thes thinges should be taken from them they wolde be euyl contented Thes maner of parsons be very proprietaries before god For the pouerty of the spirite that the gospel teachyth consistyth pryncipally in this pointe That a man shulde possesse these transitorye thinges that he shulde remayne lose from al loue of them from all affeccioÌ„ toward them froÌ„ al rest in them as thoughe he had them not So that at the pleasure and wyl of hys prelate he shulde be euer redy to forgo them gladly wold find in his whole hart without any gruge wyth quyetnes and gladnes to forsake theÌ„ vtterly and suffer them to be taken frome hym And that he do nether desyre to haue nor to holde theÌ„ neather to forsake or geue them but only as it may moost please god for his moost honour And thoughe carnal affection do gruge and murmure that maketh no greate matter so he vtterly in hys harte and wyl wolde be ryd of such noughty grugyng for in tyme by grace he shall ouer come it For his mynde ought to be so fre and nakyd from them that he may at al tyme offer vp hys harte frely to god what euer chanceth or fortunyth to hym wythout trouble at the lest in hys wyll inner desyre he may be at quyet rest He must therefore not only ryd hym selfe and do away the thynges that he hath superfluus vnnecessary and al such as he hath only for pleasure and curyositye but also in suche thynges as ar very necessary he must take no delight nor pleasur At the least he must not rest in the pleasure whiche he fealyth in them Ye rather let hym learne to be wery of such burden of necessitie and be euer desyrous of moost extreme pouertye and barenes that he may be more conformable and lyke vnto his master and sauior christ whiche honge al nakyd on the crosse not only of fryndes and of bodely comfort but also of al delyght and pleasure ful of bytter sorow and payne ¶ The thirde impedyment THe thirde impediment is the vnmortyfied sensualite by the whiche men be very ready to gadde abrode in their affection mynd and turne them selues to the pleasure and delyght that we haue to se fayre thynges