¶ The Rote or myrour of consolacyon cōforte PEr multas tribulaciones oportet introire in regnum dei ¶ Thus sayth the apostole saynt Poule in the boke of actes and dedes that is to saye in englysshe By many trybulacōns we muste entre in to y e kyngdome of god wherfore all those whiche intende to com in to the kyngdome of heuen muste pacyently take temporall trybulacyon For that is the waye thyder by the ordynaūce of god And those y t moest pacyently take ther trybulacōn they shall haue ther̄ moost consolacyon For say nt Poule sayth in the seconde Epystle to the Corynthes ¶ Sicut socu sumus passionis sic erimus consolacionis ¶ That is to saye Lyke as we are parteners in trybulacyons so shall we be parteners in Joye and consolacyon Thus trybulacyon is bytter but the ende that hit bryngeth to is moost swete delectable And remēbraūce of that euerlastynge swetenes maketh faythfull soules swetely to take mater of trybulacyon Temporall aduersyte trouble profyteth no thynge to the rewarde of eternall Joye but yf it be pacyentely taken Thus pacyence maketh trybulacyon profytable And the profyte of temporall prosperyte cometh of the vertue of mekenes wherby prosperyte is lytel set by The parfyte pacyente herte maketh moche of aduersyte And the parfyte meke herte setteth lytell by temporall prosperyte lytell Joyeth therin but rather soroweth bycause he fereth that he vseth not parfeytly acordynge to the grete plesure of god the goodes of this prosperyte Yf thou aske me why our lorde wyl gyue these temporall goodes to suche as he knoweth y t are wretched sinners and vse them euyl I answere One cause is to shewe his parfyte habondāt goodnesse whiche gyueth good thynges not only to suche as be good but also to suche as are euyl wretched synners And to gyue vs example to folowe hym in doynge good for euyll as he byddeth in the gospell of Mathew Loue your enemyes sayth he do well to suche as do euyll to you and praye for suche as pursue you speke euyl of you For ye doo thus than ye may knowe that ye are parfyte in vertue lyke as your fader in heuē is parfyte maketh the sonne to gyue lyght as well to the euyll men as to the good men And maketh the vnryghtwysse men to haue profyte of the rayne as well as the ryghtwysse And this is a grete comforte to take pacyently trybulacyon For yf we wyll for the loue of god breke our one frowarde herte ād for to wynne y e loue of god loue suche as trouble vs praye for them and do good ayenst euyll thā we haue one of the gretest tokenes that we are parfyte in the syght of god as his owne children and folowers of hym whiche thynge yf we wyll remembre vs is most Joyfull to vs. Also it maketh vs more pacyent yf we duely remembre y e goodes that we haue resceyued of god the goodes of nature as wytte eloquence seblenesse of bodye helthe beaute goodes of fortune as golde syluer clothe lyuelode and how we haue myspended them synfully how pacyently he hath suffred vs longe tyme to abyde in synne to the entent that fynaly remembryn ge his goodenes his pacyence longe sufferynge we sholde tourne to hym wherfore whan he stowe geth vs yf we remembre how wel we haue deserued hit we shall by his grace more parfytly be ayen hit Our lorde gyued good thynges as helthe rychesse prosperyte to euyll men wymen y t remembryng his kyndenesse they sholde be the more moeued to penaunce sorynesse whan they see they haue offen ded so kynde a lorde whiche so gentelly calleth thē of his grete goodnes And he sendeth oftymes trybulacōn to good folk whiche are not parfytly goode for they take not thankefully trybulacōn but some tyme grudge vnder the rodde of chastysemēt wherfore he kepeth them styll vnder the rodde tyll they be so acustomed therwith y t they can take it pacyently Thus by his kyndenesse he bryngyth euyll folke to penaūce and by his sharpnesse he bryngeth good folke to pacyence Also he gyueth prosperyte and goodes of this worlde to good men and wymen to nourysshe them cheryshe them in his loue lyke as the fader telleth the childe to folowe hym by a fayre appell he sendeth also trybulacōn to euyll folke to make them drede hym And thus the good folke he bryngeth to loue by worldely prosperyte And euyll folke he bryngeth to drede by aduersyte ONe cause why our lorde wyll that good folke haue aduersyte and trybulacyon is this bycause that euyll folke shall not thynke that trybulacyon is so euyll that our lorde accepteth hit nought ne loueth them whiche hate hit for they see the contrarye that those whiche be moost in vertue haue moost trybulacyon as our sauyour wiche neuer dyd synne hadde moost bytter payne and trouble Also his blessyd moder his apostles and his dyscyples And lyke wyse now in these dayes suche folke as our lorde loueth beste suche he sendeth moost sorowe in ther herte and moost payne or labour in bodye with the whiche in the begynnyng they grut che but fynally they are taught to suffre hit swetly and to gyue thankynges to our lorde therof whiche by trybulacyon delyuereth them from grete synne and brnngeth theym to grete grace in this worlde and ordeyneth for them plentefully the plesure perpetually and glorye of the lyfe that is to come ¶ He gyueth also the goodes of this lyfe to suche as be wretched and synfull lyuers after theyr owne wyll and not after the wyll and lawe of god bycause that good men and wymen shal not set theyr herte to moche on these goodes which they see that wretched people haue with the hatred of god but that they shall loue those goodes moost whiche haue none but suche as be good are specyaly beloued of our lorde And these are the goodes of vertue whiche brynge vs to the habondaūce rychesse of y e ryall empyre of heuen The good soules set lytell by the vayne prosperyte of this worlde for hitis transytorye ād rather occasyon of vyce than of vertue and shey see that they are gyuen to theym only well to dyspense that they haue no lordshyp in theym but only vse that they shall be straytely examyned ād gyue acounte how they haue vsed them and by the ryghtfull Jugemēt of god they shall haue grete punysshement in this lyfe or after this lyfe for euery thynge y t they myspende wherfore these faythfull soules haue more fere than fauour more payn thā plesure in grete possessyon of worldely goodes they are not inflate ne exalte in themselfe by pryde in prosperyte For amonge grete possessyon of worldely bodely goodes they fynde themselfe ryght poore in the goostly goodes wherfore yf the worldely prospe ryte rychesses honours be taken fro them they are not caste downe by sorowe for they knowe that
glorye of god to the crowne of vyctorye O how gladde mayst thou be to seke thy lorde god and fynally to fynde hym by sekenesse whoo 's gloryous syght is of soo grete a plesure that thou wolde chese to suffre the grete paynes of helle longe tyme after a shorte syght so that thou myght see hym ayen And yf a soule whiche is in the paynes of helle myght see hym the grete Joye of the syght of god sholde stoppe for the tyme all the paynes of helle that hit sholde fele none for that Joye sholde so fulfyll the wyll with delectacoÌ„n plesure that hit sholde fele no payne for ther sholde no place be lefte for ony contrarye felynge In this lyfe ther is no plesure so grete but ther is payne moche more but after this lyfe ther shal be plesure incomparable more than ony payne may be now I exhorte the to seke thy lorde truly by trybulacoÌ„n payne whiche hath sought the fouÌ„de the by incomparable more payne than thou whiche haste loste hym mayst suffre to fynde hym ayen THe xvii comforte is to remembre that our lorde hath sende trybulacoÌ„n to the to the entente that he wyll make the aferde to of offeÌ„de hym for comonly our freyle nature refuseth noo thynge whiche is plesaunt to it except it be meoued of fere and many ther are whiche in lacke of perfyte fayth fere ryght lytel the paynes to come wherfore suche sholde be taken in the snares of the deuyl and falle to contynuaunce in synne yf our lorde of his grete mercy dyd not sende them payne trybulacyon in this present lyfe But he kepeth them soo occupyed with fere bytternesse of payne that ther mynde is withdrawen fro theyr dysordynate plesure And yf they haue y t specyall grace to thyÌ„ke that theyr payne is mynde to them from our lorde to make them to flee synne than theyr payne and trouble putteth them in grete fere to synne maketh them to flee it Wherfore Job spekynge of suche sayth ¶ Terrebit eos tribulacio et angustia ¶ Trybulacyon and anguysshe shall fere them Many ther are whiche as yonge childern that haue lytell vse of reson lyue al after sensualyte plesure of theyr fleshe and that is theyr grete sporte delyte in this worlde And often tyme in the myddes of theyr playnge tyme without ony warnynge they are called out of this worlde to theyr acounte Jugement where the sentence of dampnatoÌ„n is shortly gyuen of them forth with they are put in to payne of the vengeable fyre of helle ther they shall abyde euer without ende That soule whiche fleeth syÌ„ne pryncypally for fere of payne or for worldely shame or for ony other creature it shall haue noo rewarde therfore in heuen but yet by that it offendeth lesse to god than it sholde haue done yf it had no suche fere sooner ryseth to grace This fere of payne is called a seruyle fere for thus fereth the seruannt for to offende his mayster by cause he fereth he sholde haue grete strokes and punysshement But the good childe fereth his fader pryncypaly for loue that he hath to hyÌ„ bycause he wolde not offende hym And ryght so the good wyfe loueth her husbonde for loue that she hath to hym she wyll not offende hym But the euyl wyf fereth to make transgressyon of her spousage more for fere of strokes than for loue Thus the childely fere of god is merytoryous shal haue grete rewarde of our lorde whan a soule fleeth synue for loue y t it hath to god bycause it wolde not fynally be sperate from hym Neuerthelesse for seruyle drede the soule is brought to childely drede oftentymes Than sythen no thynge shal departe the soule fro god brynge it to perpetuell payne but on lysynne our lorde sendeth the payne to departe the fro synne than he wyll by temporall payne delyuer the fro the eternall payne Joyne the to hym in perpetuell glorye wherfore yf y e lyft thy mynde to god in the tyme of payne trybulacyon seeyng so faderly he deleth with the what profyte he ordeyneth to come of thy payne trouble thou ought to take it pacyently and gyue hym grete laude and praysynge therfore whiche thus mercyfull deleth with the. THe xviii consolacyon is to remembre how our lorde prouydeth for the whiche art in trybulacoÌ„n yf y u take it well that after thyn herte be constrayned to god with anguysshe of payne it shall be dylated with Joye aÌ„d opened ayen as the prophete sayth ¶ In tribulacoÌ„e dilatasti michi ¶ Thou haue dylated by trybulacoÌ„n myn hert to me And as it is wryten in the booke of Tohbye ¶ Post tribulacioneÌ„ et flectuÌ„ exultacioneÌ„ infundis ¶ Thou gyuest to the herte after trybulacoÌ„n we pynge Joye gladnesse Ther is none after the ordynate lawe of our lorde that cometh to grete gladnesse in hym but after grete sorynesse of this lyfe specyally yf the sorowe and trouble be taken for the loue of god in ordre to hym as the prophete sayth ¶ Detorrente in via bibet ê“pterea exaltauit caput ¶ He shall drynke of the bytter water in the waye of trybulacyon therfore he shall exalte afterwarde his hede with Joye in god delectacyon That thynge whiche maketh man or woman to sett lesse by hemselfe that same dysposeth hem to make more of god Some tyme a persone is made to set lesse by hemselfe by mysery of synne for many one whiche made ryght moche of hymselfe whan they are fallen in to grete abhomynable synne than they are ashamed abhorre with hemselfe And after this lytel makynge of hemselfe they begynne to lerne to make moche of our lorde and come as Mary magdaleyn dyd to grete grace plesure in god By mysery of payne also many come to the same plesure in god and that is the better waye for mysery of synne can neuer be good the tyme is loste of goostly profyte as longe as a soule is in this mysery our lorde hateth this wretchednesse of synne But wretchednesse of payne yf it be wel taken is of grete plesure to our lorde it is of grete meryte the tyme is well spended they y t be in this mysery well taken wherfore I exhorte the whiche haste had plesure in synne worlde haue plesure in god take pacyently payne trybulacyon and than thou shalt see that thou shalt lerne to make moche of god he shall make moche of the. THe xix consolacyon is to remembre how a dulle soule by trybulacyon is made quycke to serue god as the ê“phete sayth ¶ Si ambulauero in me dio tribulacoÌ„is viuificabis me ¶ yf I shall walke in the myddes of trybulacyon thou shalt receyue and quyken me Lyke as a dulle seruaunt by strokes is made sharpely to applye his labour so are dulle soules whiche had lytell appetyte to serue god be made to spende
and holy couÌ„seyll in reformacyon of theyr lyuynge here yeshal vnderstaÌ„de that euery true louer hath his herte towarde his loue and they drede to be of gete of ther loue they harte to bef orgete ther they loue And thus our lorde whiche hath to vs loue vn mesurable hated to be forgete of vs. And whan we forgete hym he beteth vs pulleth awaye from vs suche thynges as we moost loue in this worlde as helth of bodye frendes wordely goodes And ofteÌ„ tymes he suffreth the good name coÌ„mendacyoÌ„ to be pulled awaye fro suche as hath vayne glorye in the laude of name without grete deseruynge by holy merytes of good lyuynge of y e laude of god And so he maketh hem to calle on hym to knowe hym by aduersyte whiche forgete hym by prosperyte Lyke as y e butteler of Pharo had forgete Joseph whaÌ„ he was comen to prosperite whiche expowned to hyÌ„ his dreme to his grete solace comforte whan he was in aduersyte And bycause that worldely prossperyte brygeth a soule to forgetefulnesse of god our lorde whan he promysed to y e people of Israel grete cytees with plente of rychesses he warned heÌ„ afore that they sholde not forgete hym saynge thê° Â¶ Non obliuiscaris dnÌ„i dei tui ¶ See that y u in the tyme of thy grete prosperyte forgete not thy lorde god And to shewe to the that he forgeteth not the he sayth hymselfe y t he hath wryten the in his handes ¶ NoÌ„ obliuiscartuin manibê° enâ—meâ—s descrip si te ¶ He bereth yet euer shall the prynte of the wouÌ„des in his handes whiche he suffred for the aÌ„d also in his herte whiche was wouÌ„ded for the. Lerne y u than to bere some sharpe token on y e to remeÌ„bre hym the grete paynes that he hath suffred for the Yf he gyue the grete rychesse grete prosperyte in this temporall lyfe thynke not for all this that he loueth the soo specyally that y u shalt haue with hym his rychesse in heuen for many whiche shall neuer come in heuen haue grete plente of these goodes And the mysusynge of hem is cause of theyr damp nacoÌ„n wherfore rychesse dygnyte of this worlde are called in scrypture the gyfte of the lyfte honde as Salomon wryteth ¶ In sinistra eius diuicie et gloria ¶ Grete multitude of ryche folke at y e daye of Jugement shall stande at the lyfte honde of the Juge the poore at the ryght honde yf y u shalt haue ony loue of our lorde for thy rychesse it is for the good vse of hem that is to saye by cause y u speÌ„dest hem to his honour releef of hym whiche haue lytell to helpe hemselfe for the loue of hym And euer in the tyme of prosperyte take some wylfull payne to remembre hym lyke as he hath gyuen example to the. For veryly lyke as bodely plesure maketh the soule to forgete hymselfe aÌ„d god lyke wyse bodely payne maketh it to remembre hymself god And this paynes is merytoryous whan it is pacyentely suffred but it is of a meruayloê° grete meryte whan it is taken Joyfully as a remedye to purge the soule fro synne brynge it to specyall grace aÌ„d loue of our lorde whiche peraduenture y u saye syr I meruayle not yf our lorde with the rodde of trybulacoÌ„n bete the frowarde vngentyl hertes whiche knowe â–ª hym not But I meruayle gretely why he beteth the gentyll mercyable hertes whiche knowe hym loue to worshyp hym To this I answere this betyng is not only profytable to suche as be vnkynde aÌ„d of synfull lyuynge but also to suche as be good vertuous whiche be not yet comen to the grete perfeccy on of vertue to suche tyme as they be made perfyte by resystynge of grete temptacoÌ„n gladly takyng of trybulacyon For many soules whiche truste that they be stronge to resyste temptacoÌ„n before they fele it whan it cometh vpon them fersely they fele them self ryght feble in comparyson as they trusted they had ben But by contynuall betynge of temptacyon they come to grete myght of vertue knowlege of themselfe and of what valoure they be in vertue Therfore sayth Salomon ¶ Qui non est temptatus quid scit ¶ He or she that hath no grete temptacyon what can they as who sayth ryght lytell And thus our lorde suffreth ryght mercyfull and gentyl hertes to hym to suffre grete temptacoÌ„n for in that they lerne to loue god For of all proues of loue the grettest is whan a soule resysteth myghtely ayenst grete temptacyons for the loue of god and bycause they wolde not offende his grace And so they make a myghty conquest of themselfe and doo ayenst theyr owne InclynacoÌ„n to preferre the wyll of god ayenst theyr owne wyl and desyre That holy man Job was brought to grete perfeccyon by aduersyte And Salomon that was soo wyse was brought to grete folysshenesse and vnclene lyuynge by prosperyte Here is example that bodely aduersyte bryngeth the soule to goostly prosperyte whiche standeth in goostly wysedom and vertue And the bodely prosperyte begyÌ„neth to goostly folysshenesse and losse of vertue and fynally to euerlastyÌ„ge aduersyte payne trybulacoÌ„n And ther is no soule so gracyously dysposed but it wolde rather chose with temporall aduersyte to haue the goostly rychesse with the loue of god in this lyfe and after it be passed hens ende lesse Joye and felyâ—yte than with temporall prosperyte goostly pouerte with hatred of god perpetual dampnacoÌ„n Sythen Salomon that was soo wyse loste wysedom in prosperyte y u art not sure y t y u shalt kepe thy wysedom in wordely plesures prosperyte than arme the to trybulacyon yf y u wylt come to ony perfeccoÌ„n And whan y u thynkest the trybulacoÌ„n paynfull heuy to bere comforte the ayen with remembraunce that it is but short shall brynge the Joyfully out of the worlde sor thy laste daye shal be the ende of thy trouble for euer thynke that our lorde calleth the to hym therby where thou shalt see hym in his mageste and be replenysshed wyth the solacions syght of his pardurable glorye And thynke veryly that he whyche puttyth the to thys greate proof ordeyneth grete thynges for the. For lyke as the knyght getteth not of hys kyng to suche tyme y t he be proued in actes of cheualerye haue myghtely foghten for his kynge soo loke thou for noo grete tewarde of god except thou haue grete temptacyon for his sake other ayenst the deuyll by goostly temp tacyon or ayenst thy flesshe with temptacoÌ„n of glotonye slouth or lecherye or ayenst y e worlde with co uetyse But of all those batayles the goostly batayl in fayth consyens is moost troublous heuy to bere of all other it is moost profytable to that sou le whiche wyl fyght in this batayll is moost dyrect ayenst the deuyll and the conquest of
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
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
peryllous slepe For he wyl that they crye on hym hertely beseche hym for suche thynges as he wyll gyue them For lyke wyse he hath ordeyned what he wyll gyue them also he hath ordeyned that they shall come therby by petycyons and by askynge of hym And therfore sayth Dauyd in the persone of suche as haue theyr helpe of god by theyr petycyon and prayer ¶ Ad dnÌ„m cuÌ„tribularer clamaui et exaudiuit me ¶ Whan I haue ben troubled I haue cryed to god he hath herde me and graunted me my petycyon Suche folke as are in prosperyte thei calle somtyme to our lorde for many whiche are in prosperyte the are not brought soo faste on slepe y t they forgete themselfe and god lyke as they do whiche are very foles yet in tyme of prosperyte the soules are slomerynge towarde slepynge soo y t the crye is not so myghty to obteyne the helpe of our lorde as in tyme of aduersyte Perauenture y u wylt saye to me that the payne aduersyte whiche thou hast incombred thyn herte so sore y t y u lesse prayest lesse callest to god the tyme of aduersyte than in tyme of prosperyte To this I saye that yf thou speke noo worde in the tyme of thy payne but only applye y e to take it pacyently than thy payne cryeth for the. For as many sores Infyrmytees as Lazarus had in his bodye as many mouthes he had cryenge to god And yf thou haue but a lytell prayer with thy herte or mouth that tyme the vertue of well takynge thy trybulacyon maketh it of grete meryte derely to be receyued of god As many trybulacoÌ„ns as thou haste and takest them well thankynge god of them as many proptours aduocates thou haste in the courte of heueÌ„ to speke for the calle before the trone of god for expedycoÌ„n helpe for the. And thê° yf thy mouth be shette at somtyme for greue bytternesse y t thou felest by trybulacyoÌ„ thy trybulacoÌ„n than cryeth for the with a grete voyce in the herynge of god trybulacoÌ„ns also make thy prayers sooner to spede Thy trybulacyons are as paymentes for the charter of thy delyuerauÌ„ce therfore pacyently suffre trybulacoÌ„ns as thou wyll haue the letters of thy delyuerauÌ„ce And of this gyueth the example that holy man Job whiche speketh as he that had longe tyme abyden at the courte desyrynge to haue his letters hath not to paye for them ¶ Quis michi det vt veniat peticio mea et quod exspectabo tribuat michi dnÌ„s ¶ who shall gyue me that my petycyon may come to me and that our lorde shal gyue to me those thynges whiche I desyre of hym And specyally amonge all other prayers the Pater noster is moost specyall And that thou mayst well vnderstande whan he gaaf it to the by his owne mouth for he hymselfe knoweth beste what petycyon moost pleseth hym He not wery to crye notwithstandynge that y u haste not soone delyuerauÌ„ce after thyn owne wyll at the courte of our lorde for he knoweth the ordre of his courte wherfore it is moost expedyent that thou submytte thy wyll to his besechynge hym that after the ordre of his wyll he wyl delyuer the and than thou shalt be sure of blyssed delyuerauÌ„ce y u whiche thus abydest that thou gracyously labour for thy delyuerauÌ„ce The wretched people take not themselfe as abyders for he that abydeth he hopeth to haue some thynge but these men loke for no rewarde of theyr trybulacoÌ„ns They abyde for noo thynge but for worldely good worshype or solace theyr hertes be so fixed in these worldely goodes that they loke lytell to the goodes of heuen and the rewarde of god The ryghtwysse people whiche see by the ryghtwysnesse of god that noo synne may passe vnpunysshed they desyre of god to haue labour and trybulacyon in this worlde wherby they may escape y e bytter paynes and tourmentes the whiche ben ordeyned for synners that haue lytell payne in this worlde and they Joye of theyr trybulacyon For the payne whiche is pacyently taken for the loue of god in this worlde it purgeth not only the soule fro synne but also it ordeyneth grete Joye after this worlde And the payne the whiche is suffered after this lyfe it only profyteth to purgacyon of synne in suche as departe fro this lyfe in the state of grace Wherfore the holy man Job sayth ¶ Qui cepit verberare me ipÌ„e conterat me ¶ He whiche hath begonnen to bete me he spare me not but bete me ynough and in that only I wyll comforte me for that he gyueth me so grete payne and sorowe and that he spareth me not O take good hede of this holy soule whiche had loste all his rychesse all his childern all his bodely helth that the flesshe felle roten fro his boones and was despysed of his frendes and scorned of his wyfe And yet all his sufferaunce he helde it but as a begynnynge of his betynge and besought god to bete hym fully as who wolde saye that god hadde but lytell done to hym in all these and other comforte he hadde not ne none other he desyred to haue but that god wolde not spare hym He vnderstode that his betynge was payment to obteyne his letters of delyueraunce and therfore he besought god that he wolde gyue hym payment ynough that he sholde not be taryed after his delyueraunce in defaute of payment Also he vnderstode that suche as our lorde spareth in this lyfe he spareth them for to be beten after this lyfe And suche as that our lorde loueth he beteth them in this lyfe bycause that he wyl spare them after this lyfe The wretched folke are spared here by the grete wrath and grete yre of god for he wyll here after hym reuenge of them And therfore Job desyred to make all his paymenthere Thus yf that thou be dyscomforted in that that thou art gretely beten with payne and trybulacyon thou muste comforte thy selfe ayen in remembrynge how that our lorde loueth the and wyll spare the in tyme comynge Our lorde wyll not bete the twyes for one thynge whan as one betynge is suffycyent and the suffycyence is made by a good wyll and by the good takynge of betynge For one gentyll and obedyent wyll maketh a lytel payne as acceptable to god for remyssyon of synne and encresse of grace as ony grete payne without suche a good wyll For as it is wryten in Genesis ¶ Respexit deus ad abel et ad munera sua ¶ Our lorde dyd beholde Abell and his offerynges â—yrste he be helde his herte and his good entente and than his gyftes as who wolde saye he made more of his gode and his louynge herte than he dyd of his gyftes for ther is no gyfte acceptable to god except it come of a good herte Thus this holy fader Job offered his payne to god with a good hert and with a good wyl whan
he desyred that he sholde not spare hym and all was by cause that he wolde that he sholde spare hym in an other place and therfore lyke as he desyred to be beten here also he desyred for to be spared there Wherfore he sayth thus ¶ Parce michi domine ¶ Lorde spare me wherfore I counseyl the whiche our lorde here doth vysyte with payne trouble that thou thanke hym therof whiche so louely remembreth the that he wyll in tyme to come spare the in that place where the wouÌ„de of his stroke shall neuer be heled for the synne whiche deserueth forgyuen after this lyfe standynge thou knowest thy selfe a synner and muste nedes be beten I counseyll the take thy betynge so that it may be profytable to the and auoyde the betynge in tyme comy ge for ellys thou shalt be beten both here and there here thy wounde may be heled but there it shall neuer be heled THe xi consolacyon is to remembre how the herte is keped and nourysshed by trybulacyon Our lorde hath ordeyned that the goodes of the hert shal be vnder y e kepynge of trybulacoÌ„n w t out suche kepyng of tyme they are lost as it was preuâ—n in the wyse man Salomon of whom saynt Gregorye sayth ¶ Ideo sapiÌ„a cor salomonis deseruit quia nulla tribulacoÌ„is disciplina illud custodiuit ¶ The wysedom of god dyd forsake the herte of Salomon for no dyscyplyne of trybulacioÌ„ dyd it kepe For lyke as the fyre is keped vnder the asshes the sede vnder the snowe lyke wyse the her tes of the frendes of our lorde are keped vnder the couerynge of trybulacyon In token of this our lorde coÌ„mauÌ„ded that his tabernacle sholde be couered with here whiche is sharpe to the entente that this sharpe couerynge sholde defende the precyous curtens of sylke whiche was vndertheym So our lorde couered the soules of his louers with sharpe trybulacyonsto the entent that the grete tempestes of flesshely temptacyons shall not fade the fayre ornamentes of vertue whiche clotheth the soule And this trybulacyon bryngeth in to our mynde the myserable state of our nature how soone it is brought to sekenesse of bodye temptacyon of soule by Inordynate plesure of malyce of wyll how vnable it is to bere perfytly the weyght of ony trybulacioÌ„ but only by the specyal supportacoÌ„n of the grace of our lorde And thus we are madeÌ„ by trybulacyon to me ke our selfe where as prosperyte made vs to haue more plesure in our selfe than we ought to haue aÌ„d made vs hyer in our conceyte than we sholde haue be And therfore of suche that haue no trybulacyon in this lyfe it is wryten in the spalter ¶ CuÌ„ hoiÌ„bus noÌ„ flagellabuntÌ„ ideo tenuit eos suê‘uia ¶ Suche as are noâ— scourged by trybulacyon they are holden w t the vyce of pryde wherfore thou whiche art a prisoner with pryde as thou mayst vnderstande in that thou haste to moche loue to thy selfe and to lytel to god thousholde praye our lorde to bete the to breke this bande of Inordynaie loue For as longe as thou haste this loue to thy selfe thou mayst not haue that loue to god whiche that thou ought to haue Thou mayst knowe whan that pryde hath possessyon of thy soule by the effectes and weâ—kes that growe of pryde as whan thou art meued to saye thynges coÌ„mendable of thy selfe to the entente that thou sholde be coÌ„mended hauynge no respecte to god ne to the coÌ„mendacyon of hym This auayntynge aÌ„d boostynge groweth of the vyce of pryde and whan that thou art dysobedyent and frowarde and wyll folowe rather thyn owne wyll than the counseyll and byddynge of suche whiche speke to the for thy profyte and is dysposed to chyde to braulle with the whan thy wyll is not fulfylled Also trybulacyon dooth nourysshe thyn herte as it is wryten in Deutronomye ¶ Inundaciones maris quasi lac sugges ¶ Thou muste souke the bytter floodes of trybulacyon as they were mylke lyke as the childe souked the mylke to the encresse of the bodely helpe helth So thou muste souke the bytter trybulacoÌ„n to thy goostly helth for yf thou take them swetely than thou growest in vertue in the grace and fauour of our lorde wherin standeth the helth of thy soule wherfore in thy trybulacoÌ„n comforte the with this mylke whiche shall brynge vpon the swete flood of the glorye of god THe xii consolacyon in the tyme of trybucyon is to remembre that trybulacyons do testefye and bere wytnesse to thyn herte that our lorde dooth specyall loue the and therfore thou ought to receyue them gladdly for they come for to bere wytnesse that thou shalt haue the grettest thynge of the moost valour that thou mayst desyre in this lyfe whiche is the loue of god And this sheweth Salomon where as he sayth ¶ Qui diligit filium assiduat illi flagella ¶ The fader whiche that loueth his childe he beteth hym oftentymes Thus our lorde kepeth his childern euer vndernethe some rodde for he beteth not alwaye with one rodde for somtyme he beteth by trouble of the soule somtyme by payne of the bodye and somtyme whan it semeth that he spareth yet he beteth As whan he suffreth the to goo at lyberte and thou thynkest thy selfe out of trouble yet he suffreth the thoughtes and temptacyons to come in thy mynde as that thy consyence is greued and there he beteth the and thus he spareth the somtyme in betynge he beteth the in sparynge But suche as he sparetij in this lyfe he ordeyned that after this lyfe that al his scourges shal come vpon them al at ones in the bytter payne of dampnacyon And than he shall auauÌ„ce promote to the grete endelesse prosperyte to his childern whiche he hath beyet in this lyfe And ther shal be shewed the grete loue of hym whiche he dyd bete in this lyfe the hatred wrath of them whiche he spared in this lyfe for than he shall caste of hym to gydre all his vengeaunce and all the tourmentes paynes whiche they deserue here shal be hylled vpon them there as our lorde sayth in the boke of Deutronomye ¶ Congregabo suê‘ eos mala et sagittas meas complebo in eis ¶ I shall geder to gydre the paynes vpon them I shall stryke them fully with myn arowes Than thou whiche desyrest to haue the loue of our lorde and to knowe that he loueth the be glad whan the wytnesse of his loue cometh to the. Perauenture thou sayest that prosperyte is also wytnesse of his loue for suche as our lorde loueth somtyme receyue prosperyte of hyÌ„ lyke as other tyme they receyue aduersyte aÌ„d thus thou sayest that sythen both come from one hande one maner of folke y t the one is no more wytnesse of the loue of god than the other To this I answere that not withstandynge that both prosperyte aÌ„d aduersyte come of our lorde