thou shalt in vaine desire to haue no more but one daye one houre to amende thy lyfe Therefore bestirre thy selfe and wey déepely from how great daunger thou shalt be rid how great a mischiefe thou mayst auoyde if thou alwayes warily foresée death Endeuor so nowe presentlye to liue that at the houre of thy death thou mayst rather reioyce than bée afearde Learne now to die to the worlde that then thou mayst liue with Christ Learne nowe to contemne all things that then thou mayst fréely passe forwarde vnto Christ Subdue thy body nowe with repentance and amendment of life that thou mayst haue assured confidence and trust in Christ. Ah foole wherfore doest thou think that thou shalt liue long séeing thou hast no warrant for one day here How many haue béene deceyued and taken out of the worlde sodainly How many times hast thou heard it spoken He was slayne with the Sworde that man was drowned in the water That man fell downe and broke his neck He dyed with meate in his mouth Hée ended his lyfe in playing another with fire another wyth sworde another wyth plague or pestilence another was slayne of théeues Thus death is the ende of all and the life of men passeth away like a certaine shadow Who shall help thée when thou art deade if thou forgo the occasion when thou are alyue Now nowe I say it is time to be dooing whilst both thou art ignoraunt of the houre of death and mayst also safely looke to thy selfe against the time to tome Whilest thou hast time heape vp vnto thy selfe immortall ryches thinke vppon nothing else but vppon thy saluation and passe onely vpon heauenly things Procure thée friendes now that may receiue thee when thou art dead into euerlasting tabernacles Become a Pilgrime and stranger on the earth as vnto whome worldely businesse doth nothing belong Haue a soule frée and lyfted vpward vnto god séeing thou hast no long dwelling or aboade in this life Dyrect thy Prayers and dayly sighyngs wyth teares vnto that place that thy spirite after death may blessedly flit vnto God. Of the last iudgement of God and punishment of sinners The .xxiiij. Chapter IN all things haue an eye to the ende and after what sort thou shalt stande before that seuere Iudge from whom nothing is hid who neither is pacified with bribes nor alloweth vnreasonable excuses but doth iudge according to vprightnesse and truth O wretched foolish art thou O thou sinfull man what aunswere wilt thou make vnto almightie God which knoweth all thy sinnes who sometimes fearest the countenaunce of an angrie man why doest thou not looke vnto thy self against the day of that iudgement wherin no body can be excused or defended by his Attorney For euery man shall haue ynough to aunswere for himselfe Nowe is thy labor profitable if thou list now is thy mourning accepted now may thy sighing be harde and thy repentance pacifie God and purge thy selfe And wholy is the pacient man purged after a healthful sort who receiuing iniury is more sory for the wickednesse of an other man than for the wrong that is done vnto himselfe and gladly craueth pardō for his enimies and forgyueth them with his hart and doth not slacke or foreslow the time himselfe to aske forgiuenesse of them and sooner pittieth than is angrie and oftentymes doth vse violence and compulsion to his owne selfe and endeuoreth to make his fleshe wholye subiect vnto the spirite Now these things are not to bée dryuen off from time to time but must be practised in this life and that also quickely Howbeit we surely doe deceyue our selues through the inordynate loue of our flesh I pray you what else shall that fire burne than sinnes The more thou shalte now fauourably yéelde vnto thy selfe shalt obey thy fleshe so much the more gryeuous punishement shalt thou suffer afterwarde and so much the more plentifull matter shalt thou heape vp to thy selfe to be burned For looke in what things euery man hath sinned in the same shal he be punished againe according to the greatnesse of the sinne There shall the slouthfull be pricked wyth hote burning prickes There shall the Gluttons be tormented wyth bytter hunger and thyrst There shall the lecherous and louers of pleasures be bathed in burning Pitch and stincking Brymstone There shall the enuious howle out like mad Dogges and euery vice shall bée punished wyth hys owne torment There shall the prowd be ouerwhelmed with all reproche and rebuke the couetous persons shall be vexed with most my serable néedinesse To be shorte there one houre of punishment shall be more tedyous and paynefull than was a long time here in the betteryng of our manners There the wretches haue no rest no comfort but here yet is somewhat a pawse of sorrowe and the comforting of our friendes doth quiet our hearts Wherefore be carefull now and be sorie for thy sinnes that in the day of that iudgement thou mayest safely reioyce wyth the blessed For then shall the iust stand with great constancie agaynst those of whome they haue béene vexed and oppressed Then shall he sit as Iudge which nowe humblye submytteth hymselfe to the iudgement of menne Then shall the poore and modest person bée of great fayth and trust whilest the prowde bée in feare altogyther Then shall he séeme to haue béene wise in this lyfe which learned to be a foole and an abiect for Christ his sake Then shall the remembraunce of miserie paciently suffered be pleasant when as all the vnrighteous in the meane time shal be mute and silent Then shall all the godly reioyce all the vngodly shall mourne and sorrowe Then shall the man that before was vexed more triumph reioyce then if he had béene brought vp in continuall dainties then shall course apparell glister and fine garments be dimmed and disgraced Then shall the poore cottage be more praysed then is now the gilded Pallace Then shall constant pacience helpe more then all the power of the world Then shall simple obedience be more extolled then all the subteltie of men Then shal a cleane and good conscience more reioyce a man then learned philosophie Then shal the contempt of riches be of greater price then the whole treasure of all the worlde Then shall godly prayer cause greater comfort vnto thée then the eating of dayntie meates Then shalt thou more reioyce for kéeping of silence than for long bablyng Then thy Godly déedes shall be of more power than aboundant eloquence Then shall straight lyfe and austeritie in correctyng of maners be more pleasaunt than all earthly delectacion Wherefore learne nowe to suffer small trifles that then thou mayst be able to be deliuered from the heauier burthens Examine before in this lyfe what afterwardes thou canst well abyde And in case thou canst not nowe beare so small things howe shalt thou bée able then to suffer euerlasting torments And if nowe so little a payne doe make thée impacient what will
THE Imitation or following of Christ and the contemning of worldly vanities Wherevnto as springing out of the same roote we haue adioyned another pretie treatise entituled The perpetuall reioyce of the Godly euen in this lyfe Ephesians 5. Be you followers of GOD as deere children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs c. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed Imprinted at London by Henry Denham INRI C. TeBrun pinx S. Gribelin Sculp ¶ To the Noble and Right worthy Prince Thomas Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall of Englande one of the Lordes of the Queenes Maiesties priuie Counsell and Knight of the honorable order of the Garter IF Augustus Caesar renoumed Prince being presented by a poore and simple Poet with a fewe briefe and compendious Epigrams dyd not onelye by aunswering with the lyke seeme to accept and allowe that his trauaile but also wyth great and ample rewarde giue encouragement therewithall I trust that your Lordshippe being of your selfe both wise and well affected will much more in this so precious a present receyue my trauayle and fruitefull exployt The worke of it selfe deserues a good Patrone and the worthynesse thereof putteth me in mynde of your grace And although in the same no difficult questions at all are pursued I meane in matters of religion yet ghostly instructioÌ„s and right Godly lessons at large are dilated knowledge of letters and literall sense therein so much is nothing supported as amendement of life maners aduanced How much it is needfull in these present dayes your Lordshippe I thinke doth well vnderstand to you it is knowne how far doth dissent our life froÌ„ our knowledge And by howe much the more it shal be by your Lordshippe thought worthy the sale by so much vndoubtedlye your honor the better shall shew your selfe fautor and friend vnto vertue Not distance of place coulde haue altered my mynde but that to your grace I woulde haue presented this signe of good will and loyall entent And yet notwithstanding such inwarde affection I am to craue pardon of skillesse attempt and hoping no lesse then fauor therin I leaue your good grace vnto the Almightie who alwaies in honour preserue your estate Your humble Oratour Edwarde Hake To the Reader THOV hast here gentle Reader the path-way to perfit lyfe vnder the tytle of The ImitatioÌ„ of Christ whose footesteps if thou follow thou canst neuer go astray for he is the way the truth and the life Learne here wyth Christ to contemne the worlde learne his modestie his meekenesse and humilitie In doctrine learne his synceritie simplicitie veritie Learne his loue vncomparable charity And to conclude learne to beare thine owne Crosse after Christ manfully This shalt thou soone learne to doe if thou canst once become humble in thine owne eyes For to the humble God giueth grace but the prowde he doth resist Fly therefore from pride as farre as possible thou mayest It was the ouerthrow of the first man yea God spared not his Aungels in theyr pryde Wherefore Christ hath sayde that who so shal exalt himself shal be brought low and who so shall humble kimselfe shall be exalted Humble thy selfe therefore wyth Christ follow his steps in this lyfe and where thou shalt not finde thy selfe able to treade in his steppes as thou wouldest call vppon him for helpe and thou shalt be sure that eyther he will make thee able or else accept thy desire for the deede that thou desirest to doe And that crowne of righteousnesse that is due vnto him he will giue vnto thee in that daye when he shall take thee vnto himselfe Farewell in Christ and praye with all the holy Sainctes that Christes Kingdome may shortly come Amen ¶ The Table or Summaries of all the Chapters OF the contempt of worldly Vanities folio 1. Of Modestie folio 3 Of the Doctrine of the truth 4 Of Wit in our doings 6 Of the reading of holy Scripture 7 Of the vnruly affections of the minde 7 Of fleeing vayne Hope and Pryde 8 Of taking heede of ouermuch familiaritie 9 Of Obedience and Subiection 10 Of the auoyding of familiaritie of wordes 10 Of the attayning of peace and earnest desire of profiting 11 Of the profite of aduersitie 12 Of resisting temptations 13 Of taking heede of rash iudgement 15 Of the workes of Loue. 16 Of bearing of other mens faults 17 Of solitarie Lyfe 18 Of the examples of Godly Fathers 18 Of the exercises of one that is the childe of God in deede 20 Of the loue of solitarinesse silence 22 Of chastining thy soule keeping the same in awe 25 The consideration of mans miseries 26 Of the meditation of death 28 Of the last Iudgement of God and punishment of Sinners 31 Of the zealous amendement of our whole lyfe 33 ¶ Of the â—â—â—â—rde lyfe of Man. 37 Of Modestie and obedience 39 Of the good and quiet person 40 Of the sinceritie of mynde plainesse of meaning 41 Of the consideration of a mans selfe 42 Of the ioy of a good Conscience 43 Of the louing of Iesus aboue all things 44 Of the familiar friendship of Iesus 45 Of the lacking or being without comfort 46 Of thankefulnesse for the benefites of God. 49 Of the small number of the Louers of Christ his Crosse. 50 Of bearing of Christ his Crosse. 52 Of the inwarde communication of Christ wyth the faythfull Soule 56 That the truth doth speake within vs without noyse of wordes 57 That the wordes of God are to be hearde humbly and that the same notwithstanding be not pondered wayed of most men 58 ¶ A prayer by which heauenly doctrine and religion is called for 59 That truth and modestie in the sight of God is to be exâ—â—â—ised 60 Thâ—â—â—â—yse of God and thankesgiuing for his benefits and likewyse of the force of the loue of God. 61 Of the tryall of the true Louer and howe the enimie must be resisted 63 Of Modest hyding the benefits of God. 65 Of setting little by a mans selfe in the sight of God. 57 That we ought to driue all our doings to Gods glorie as to the fardest ende or marke that we shoote at 68 That it is a sweete thing to serue God to despise the worlde 69 That the desires of the minde are to be examined and ordered 71 Of the maner of patience and the fight against desires 71 Of obeying our betters according to the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ. 73 Of considering the secret iudgements of God that we do not aduance our selues to much in prosperitie 74 How we must be minded and what we ought to say in such things as we desire to haue 75 ¶ Prayers to performe Gods will. 76 That true comfort must be sought for in God only 76 That all carefulnesse is to be committed to God. 77 That the miseries of this life must be suffered paciently according to Christes example 78 Of bearing of iniuries and wronges and who it is
thine owne inclination and forsake naughty custome least perhaps it leade thée by lyttle and lyttle vnto greater difficultie and hardnesse Would to God thou wouldest marke both howe great peace thou shouldest cause vnto thy selfe and ioye vnto others in behauing thy selfe godly Out of doubt thou wouldest then be more carefull to come forewarde in ghostly things Of the profite of Aduersitie The .xij. Chapter IT is profitable for vs to be kept downe with calamities and aduersities sometime bicause thei oftentimes doe call back a man vnto himselfe whereby he may know that he lyueth here in banishment and maye not put his hope or affiaunce in anye worldly thinges It is also expedient for vs that some should speake euill of vs and haue an euill and sinister opinion of vs though our outwarde behauiour and inwarde man be tolerable For these things I saye doe much make vnto modestie and kéepe vs from ambition for by this meane it is wrought that we so much the more séeke for GOD the inwarde witnesse when as we be outwardlye contemned of men and not sufficiently credited or beleeued Therfore ought man so wholy to depend vpon God that it be not necessary for him to séeke many comforts For whē a man of good meaning is pressed and assaulted with aduersitie or agrieued for hys euyll thoughts then doth he vnderstand that gods help is so much the more necessary vnto him without whome he findeth that he is able to doe no good at all Then is he sorie then he sigheth then he praieth to be deliuered from this wretchednesse which he doth suffer then doth it grieue him to liue any lōger he wisheth for death that departing out of this trāsitorye lyfe he might liue with christ Then doth he right well perceiue that a man cānot haue perfit security and full peace in this life Of resisting Temptacions The .xiij. Chapter SO long as we are in this lyfe we cannot be without miseries temptacions For which cause also it is writtē in Iob that mans lyfe vppon the earth is a temptacion and warfare Therefore ought euery man to be carefull about his temptacions to watch with praier least the Deuil find occasion to deceyue him who neuer slumbreth but alwaies wandreth about seking whom he may deuour No man is so perfit and holy but that he is sometyme assaulted with them neither can we wholye be without them For temptacions are oftentymes very profitable vnto one though they be troublesome for the time bicause a man is pressed downe is purged is instructed by them All the godly that euer were haue passed ouer their lyfe in aduersities and temptacions and by them haue growen vp vnto vertuous life and such as haue not béene able well to brooke them the same haue become Reprobats and reuolted There is no calling eyther so holy or place so solitary but therein are temptacions and aduersities To be short as long as a man lyueth he is neuer safe wholy frō temptacions bycause the same is in our selues of which we are tempted seing we are borne in concupiscence and lust Temptacions come vpon temptacions miseries vpon miseries and alwaies haue we somwhat that we must be are or suffer For we haue lost the state of our felicitie Now whilst many men do shun temptacions they fall into more gréeuous temptacions We shall not conquere by running away onely but by pacience and true modestie shall we be made more strong then our enimies He which outwardelye declining temptacions onely doth not pull them vp by the rootes the same is so farre from profiting and comming forward that temptacions do so much the sooner assaile him agayne and he is by so much in the woorse case againe By enduring a lyttle and a little and that with pacience thou shalt sooner by Gods helpe get the maystrie then with sturdinesse and importunitie Vse counsell oftentimes in temptacion And if another man be tempted shew not thy selfe rough and rygorous vnto hym but rather minister him comfort like as thou thy selfe wouldest haue comfort ministred vnto thée The originall of all euill temptacions is vnconstancie of minde and slendernesse of fayth or trust in god For lyke as a shyp without sterne is tossed too and fro with winds euen so a lose fellow and one that can but euill kéepe himselfe vnto that which he once determined is diuersly tempted As the fyre maketh triall of yron so doth temptacion make triall of a man. We many tymes know not what we are able to doe but what we are temptacion doth make manifest vnto vs Most of all we must be vigilant or watchfull at the beginning of temptacion For then is the enimie more easily conquered if he be not suffered to enter into the doore of the mynde but be met without the Thresholde by the way as soone as euer he had knocked Therefore full well did a certayne Poet say Stop the beginning so shalt thou be sure All doubtfull diseases to swage and to cure But if that thy Phisicke thou happen to slack Then helpe comes to late the sicke goes to wrack For first of all the bare cogitacion commeth to thy mind next a vehement imagination last of all a delectacion and wicked motion and assent Wherby it hapneth that by little and little the malicious enimie doth enter in thorowlye whylst that he is not encountred withall at the beginning And how much the longer that euery man is dull and slow to resist so much both the weaker dailye doth the same man become the enimie likewise the more mightye against him Some at the beginning of their amendment of life doe suffer more sharpe bickrings other at the end other are vexed all their life long some there are that be tempted but sleightly according to the wisedome and equitie of Gods prouidence which wayeth the maners and deserts of men and dispenseth all thinges before to the saluation of his elect Therfore we ought not to despayre whilst we are tempted but pray vnto God so much the more feruently that he would vouchsafe to helpe vs in all aduersitie who no doubt will so temper the euent of such temptacion according to Paules saying as we may be able to bere it Wherfore in all temptacions and aduersities let vs humble our minds to the mighty hande of God which is able to kéepe and to lift vp the humble of hart In temptacions and aduersities a man is tryed howe much good he hath done and therein both the greater grace doth appeare also vertue doth become the more manifest neyther is it anye great matter if one be godly and zealous when nothing doth trouble him but if he shew himselfe pacient in the time of misery then is there good hope that he shal come forward much Some there are which get out safely from great temptacions and the same againe are oftentimes ouercome with small and dayly temptacions so that being so discouraged they neuer haue
roauing abroade but after the tyme is once past what good hast thou gotten thereby vnlesse it be déepe repentance and vayne wandring about of the Soule A merrie goyng foorth is oftentimes cause of a sorrowfull returning and a ioyfull Euening watch doth cause a sad Morning Thus the whole ioye of the fleshe doth enter in wyth a flatteryng countenaunce but at length it nyppeth and stayeth What canst thou sée else where that thou mayest not beholde here in thy Cell Loe where the Heauen and the Earth and all the Elementes are For of these are all thinges created What canst thou sée anye where that doth long endure in hys beyng is Perchaunce thou thinkest to be satisfied with such contemplation but that shalt thou neuer attaine vnto If thou couldest beholde presently euen all things that euer are what shoulde they be else but a vaine spectacle and sight Life vp thine eâ—â—â— aloft vnto God and craue pardone for thy sinnes and offences Gyue ouer vayne thynges vnto vayne persones and busye thou thy selfe aboute those which GOD doth commaunde to meddle wyth Shut thy selfe close within thy house and call thy beloued Iesus vnto thée Abyde stil with him in thy selfe for elsewhere shalt thou neuer fynde so great peace If thou haddest not gone abroade nor hearde anye rumours of thynges thou shouldest sooner haue continued styll in quyet peace Now séeyng that it doth sometime delyte thée to heare noueltyes it falleth out that thou muste bée fayne to beare the trouble and vnquyetnesse of the soule Of Chastising thy soule and keeping the same in awe The xxi Chapter IF thou wylte any thyng come forwarde hold fast the feare of God and bée not ouer dissolute or retchelsse but kéepe in all thy powers vnder discipline and yéelde not thy selfe vppe to vayne and transitorye ioye of the worlde Addicte thy selfe to a correcting and chastinyng of thy soule whereby thou shalt finde godlynesse Great is the commoditye of such chastisement and exercyse which slouthfulnesse and sluggerdy is went soone to destroy A wonder it is that any man can euer reioyce truely in this world which considereth and waieth thorowly hys owne banishment and so manye daungers of his soule For the lacke of due consideration and by meanes of our dulnesse we doe not féele the sorowes of our minde in our offences but many times doe laugh with lightnesse when rather we had good cause to wéepe if we did looke well vnto it There is no true libertie or substantiall ioye in anye thing sauing in the feare of God ioyned with a good conscience Happie is the man that is able to cast awaye the impediments and lets of all worldely thynges and yéelde himselfe wholy to the chastining of hys soule Happie is he that renounceth and putteth from hym whatsoeuer may staine and burthen his conscience Fight like a man Custome is maistred wyth custome If thou canst perswade thy selfe not to meddle in other mens matters they lykewise shall not haue to doe with thyne Procure not thy selfe another mans charge or inwrap not thy selfe with the causes of thy betters Haue chiefely thine eyes alwayes bent vpon thy selfe and admonishe or warne thy selfe more than all other of thy deare friendes besides are woont If thou be boyde of the fauour and good will of men doe not admonishe thy selfe wyth an euill wyll but rather take it grieuously that thou doest not so wel and circumspectly behaue thy selfe as it becommeth the seruant of God and the person vertuous in déede It is both more profytable and more safe for a man manye times to haue few comforts in this life especially worldely for in that wée eyther haue not or doe seldome féele such coÌ„forts as God doth minister we our selues are therefore to blame which neither séeke after the prickes of conscience nor yet wholy cast away vaine and outward comforts Wéete thou wel that thou art not onely vnworthy of diuine comfort but also worthie of great myserie If a man be at any time pricked with the true sorowes of heart it commeth to passe thereby that the whole worlde is bitter and yrkesome vnto him The good man findeth sufficient causes to bée sorye and to wéepe or mourne For whether he consider himself or else looke vpon an other man he séeth that no body lyueth wythout calamitie in this worlde and the more déepely be considereth hymselfe so much the more grieuouslye hoth hée sorrowe Now the causes of due sorrow and pricke of conscience are our owne sinnes and vices in the which we doe so lie weltred and wrapped that we are seldome times able to behold the heauenly things If thou wouldest more oftentimes muse vpon thy death than thinke vpon longnesse of lyfe there is no doubt but that thou wouldest worke the amendement of thy selfe the more earnestlye Agayne if thou wouldest throughly waye in thy minde the tormentes that shall be in hell gladly I thinke thou wouldest sustaine labour and sorrowe and wouldest not be afearde of any seueritie and streightnesse applied to thy selfe But bicause those things are not suffered to sincke déepely into our mindes and for that we are yet in loue with flattering shewes of the worlde it hapneth that we continue styll to remaine colde and slow many times poore and néedie of the spirite of God whereby our wretched bodie taketh occasion quickly to coÌ„plaine and mone Wherfore make thy praier vnto God with humblenesse of heart that he will stirre vp his heauenly sparkes and motions in thy soule and saye thus wyth that Prophete Feede me O Lord with the bread of teares and wash away my Cup with mourning The consideration of mans miseries The .xxij. Chapter THou art a wretch whersoeuer thou bée and whither soeuer thou turne thy self vnlesse thou turne thy selfe vnto god Wherfore art thou troubled or disquieted when things frame not according to thy harts desire What is he vnto whome all things fall out as he wisheth It is not I it is not thou it is not any man liuing beside I say there is no man lyuing voyde of all calamitie and traueyle no not the King no not the Pope himselfe Who is then in the best case of all others euen he that is able to suffer some thing for Gods sake Most of them that are weakelings and fraile doe commonly say Ah sée how happily he lyueth yonder how welthy he is how mightie he is in how great honour he is what a big man he is what a well fauoured man he is But looke thou vpon the heauenly good things and thou shalt sée that all these good thinges of this mortall life are nothing to be accounted of bring altogither vncertayne burdensome as the which we neuer doe possesse without carefulnesse and feare The felicitie of man doth not consist in the plentie of such maner of good things but rather a measure ought to be sufficient vnto him therein For to lyue bent vnto the earth is very miserie indéede The more diuine or
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
thy selfe in déede howbeit to thine owne destruction For euery man doth more hurt vnto himselfe if hée séeke not after Iesus than the whole worlde and all hys enimies can doe besides Of the familiar friendship of Iesus The .viij. Chapter WHilest Iesus is present al thinges are in good case nothing séemeth difficult or heard but whē he is once absent al things are vneasie When Iesus doth not speake in the soule of man euery comfort is but of litle force whē the same doth speake but one worde méere comfort is felt So Marye Magdalene did ryse from the place wherin she wept assoone as hir Sister Martha did bring hir word that hir Mayster was come that he did cal for hir Happy is that howre in the which Iesus doth cal thée frō teares vnto the ioy of the spirit How dry harde art thou without Iesus How foolish vaine art thou if thou couet any thing besides Iesus with greater losse no doubt thou doest so then if thou shouldst léese the whole worlde For what good can the world do thée without Iesus To be without Iesus is bitter death To be with the same Iesus is pleasant life If Iesus shal be with thée no enimie shal be able to doe thée hurt He that findeth Iesus findeth a good tresure or rather the chiefest goodnes of al other He that forgoeth the same Iesus forgoeth too too great a commoditie And why haue I said to great Nay he forgoeth more thā if he lost the worlde beside He that liueth without Iesus is very poore he that agréeth well wyth Iesus is very rich to be conuersaunt with Iesus is a point of great cunning and to be skilful in kéeping of him thy friend is a point of great wisedome Be modest and pacient and so shall Iesus be present with thée Bée godly and quiet and Iesus shall abide styll with thée Thou shalt soone dryue the same Iesus away and shalt forgo his fauor if thou shalt turne thy self to outward things Now if thou léese him by driuing of him away vnto whome then wilt thou flie for comfort Or what friende wilt thou then séeke for truely without a friende thou canst not long lyue and if Iesus shall not stand thy friende aboue all other thou shalt bée sorye without measure being once forsaken of him Therefore thou doest foolishly if thou trust to any beside or reioyce in any other Better it is to haue the whole worlde against thée than Iesus onely Wherefore of all those that are deare vnto thée let Iesus be the dearest Let other be loued for Iesus sake and let Iesus bée loued for his owne sake Iesus Christ alone is singularlye to bée beloued who among thy friendes is onely founde good and faythfull For his sake and in hym both thy friendes and enimies ought to be deare vnto thée and the same Iesus must be prayed vnto for them all that all may know and loue him Neuer couet to be praysed and loued singularly for this belongeth to God who hath no péere or equall neyther wish thou that any mannes minde should be addicted wholy vnto thée nor be thou occupyed in the loue of any man but let Iesus be both in thée and in all good men haue a cleane and frée soule and such as is without all let of worldely things For thou must be cleane and bring a sincere soule vnto Iesus if thou wilt giue thy selfe to contemplacion and beholde howe swéete or pleasant the Lorde is And surely thou shalt neuer get vp to that gryce vnlesse thou be preuented drawen with his fauor that all things being abolished wholy reiected of thée thou mayst be coupled vnto him alone For if Gods fauor be the meane betwéene man and Iesus it hapneth that man is able to doe euery thing If the same fauor haue once departed from a man he by and by is poore and weake and as it were one left onely for torments and whipping which thinges whilest they chaunce thou oughtest not therfore to be discouraged or yet to dispaire but to haue a good hope of the wyll of God and pacientlye to beare all thy mysaduentures vnto the prayse of Iesus christ For Sommer followeth after Wynter and the day retourneth againe after the nyght and great cleerenesse commeth after tempest Of the lacking or being without comfort The .ix. Chapter IT is no hard matter to despyse worldely comforte so long as Gods comfort is present wyth thée But to be able to lacke both worldelye and Heauenlye comfort and willingly to suffer the banishement of the soule for the glory of God and to be affectionate towarde himselfe in nothing nor yet to behold his owne merite or reward this surely is a great matter or rather the greatest of all other What great thing is it if whilst the fauor of God is with thée thou be chéerefull and godly Who would not wishe for that howre as wel as thy selfe Pleasantly doth he ryde whome Gods grace doth carie what woonder is it if he féele no burthen that is caried of the Almightie and conducted of the highest Guide Gladly doe we cleaue fast vnto the comfort of some creature and hardlye doth man renounce and forsake himselfe yea much and long time must he fight or striue before hée learne fully to mayster himselfe to draw all his powers vnto god So long as hée stayeth vpon hys owne selfe he quickely falleth vnto worldely comfortes but the true louer of Christ and the studious folower of vertues doth not turne vnto those comforts nor séeketh after such delites of the senses but rather for vehement exercises for streight labors for Christs his sake Therfore if at any time spirituall cōfort be graunted thée of God receyue thou the same with thankesgiuing and wéete thou that it is gods gift and not thy deseruing and be not prowd thereat Reioyce not to much at thy gift nor waxe prowde vainely but be rather so much the more modest and in all thy déedes also the more warie and fearefull For the time of that comfort shall passe awaye and temptacion shall come after Therfore when comfort is taken from thée dispaire not forthwith but looke after helpe at Gods hand wyth modesty and pacience For God is able to endue thée againe with a more ample gift greater comfort Neyther is this thyng straunge or vnwoonted vnto them that haue once made tryall of the waye of god For men of greatest vertue and the auncient Prophets haue assaied and felt such alteration in themselues Therefore a certaine man endued wyth the Spirite of God sayde thus Whilest I was in so great felicity I thought I should neuer haue beene disgraced againe And when the same felicitie was once taken awaye from him hée addeth what then happened vnto him in these woordes Afterwarde when thou diddest hyde thy face from me I was troubled And yet all thys while he dispayreth not but prayeth vnto God so much
Which of the Godly men in the worlde hath there euer béene without his Crosse and miserie Our Lorde Iesus Christ was not an houre voyde of sorrowe and torment so long as he lyued in this worlde For it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe frō death and so to enter his glory and wilt thou séeke any other way besides this high waye of the Crosse The whole life of Christ was a crosse and torment and wilt thou séeke rest and ioy vnto thy self Thou wandrest out of the way thou wandrest out of the way I say if thou séeke any other meane then the pacient suffering of calamities bicause thys mortall lyfe of ours is altogither full of miseries and hedged round about with Crosses and the more euery man hath profited in godlinesse into so much the more gréeuous Crosses doth he fal namely when the paine of calamity doth encrease the more through loue And yet doth not this man of whome I talke being pressed with so manifolde calamities lacke the ease of comfort for asmuch as he also féeleth that hée taketh plentifull commoditie and friut by thys Crosse. For whilst that he submitteth himselfe of hys owne accorde vnto the crosse it happeneth that the whole burthen of calamitie is tourned into the trust of Gods comfort and the more the fleshe is ouertourned with calamitie so much the more is the spirit strengthened wyth the comfort of the soule And so much is he sometime confirmed in the féele of calamitie and aduersitie to great is the loue of the similitude of Christ his affliction that he wisheth not to be voide of sorrow and misery bicause he beléeueth that he shall be so much the more accepted of God the mo and the more grieuous things that he can paciently beare for his sake Neyther doth that thing chaunce by mans vertue and power but through the benefit of Christ which can doe so much and bringeth so much to passe in our fraile flesh that the thing which man naturallye doth alwayes abhorre and flye the same yet he attempteth and loueth through the feruentcy of the spirite It is not in mans reach to beare the Crosse to loue the Crosse to tame and subdue the body to flye from honours willyngly to take reproches and despites to despise himselfe and to wishe to bée despised paciently to suffer al aduersities and losses and to desire no maner of prosperitie in this worlde None of all these things canst thou doe of thy selfe if thou shalt depende vppon thy selfe but if thou shalt put thy trust in the Lorde strength shall bée giuen thée from Heauen and the worlde and the fleshe shall be subdued vnto thy rule and dominion Nay thou shalt not feare the enimitie of the Deuill neyther if thou be armed with fayth and marked with the Crosse of Iesus Wherfore apply thy selfe like as it becommeth the faithfull and good seruaunt of Christ to beare the Crosse of the Lord manfully nayled vpon the Crosse for thy sake through very pure loue Be thou readie to beare many aduersities and diuers incommodities in this wretched lyfe for so shal it frame with thée whersoeuer thou shalt liue and this condicion must be suffred of thée altogither whersoeuer thou shalt lye hidde neyther is there any way in any place to escape the misery of calamities and sorrowes but that the same must be paciently suffered Drinke thou of the Lordes Cup gréedilye if thou couet to be his fryende and partner And as touching the comforts commit thou them to God let him vse them according to his good will and pleasure Bée thòu wholy gyuen to beare calamities and recken the same for very great comforts Neyther are the calamityes of thys lyfe counternayling the glorye to come that wée shall at the length enioy although thou were able alone and no body but thy selfe to suffer them al. After that thou art come so farre forwarde that it is a swéete and pleasaunt thing vnto thée to beare aduersitye for Christ hys sake then thinke that thou art in good case which hast alreadie founde the kingdome of heauen vpō the earth againe so long as thou shalt be grieued to beare them and shalt flye from them so long shalt thou be in euill case the auoyding or flying from calamitie shall vexe thée euery where But if thou shalt applye thy selfe to thy duetye that is to saye to suffer and mortifie olde Adam thou shalte shortlye be eased and shalt finde peace Although thou be wrapt wyth Paule euen into the third heauen yet hast thou no warrantize or assuraunce that thou shalt suffer no maner of aduersitie I saith Iesus will shew vnto him howe much he must suffer for my names sake Therfore it is necesiary that thou doe suffer if it lyke thée to loue Iesus and to serue him euermore And would to God thou were worthie to suffer some thing for the name of Iesus How much glory shal arise both vnto thy selfe therby and ioy to all the saints and profite vnto men For pacience doe all men cōmend though few be willing to suffer Surely there is great cause why thou shouldest be willing to suffer a litle for Christ his sake séeing thou sufferest much more paineful things to compasse the worlde And wote thou well this that thou must liue by dying vnto thy self and the more that euery man doth dye vnto himself so much the more doth the same waxe aliue vnto god No man is apt or fit to comprehende heauenly things but he which shall submit himselfe to beare aduersitie for Christ his sake Finally nothing is either more acceptable vnto God or more healthfull vnto thy selfe in this life thā willingly to suffer for Christ in so much that if thou be put to thy choyse thou oughtest to desire rather to suffer aduersitie for Christ thā to be refreshed with many comfortes For so shalt thou be the liker both vnto Christ to al his holy seruants Neither is our merite and the comming forwarde in our duetie consisting in plentye of pleasures and comforts but rather impacyent bearing of gréeuous euilles and calamities Now if there had béene any better way or more healthfull vnto man than to suffer aduersities no doubt Christ woulde haue shewed the same vnto vs by his wordes and déedes But now he exhorteth his disciples followers and all those that are desirous to doe as he did manifestly to beare the Crosse and that in this wise If any man will followe me let him renounce himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me Therfore al things beyng reade ouer and tryed let this bée the conclusion of our talke we must enter into the kingdome of God by manye calamities The thirde Booke Of the inwarde communication of Christ with the faithfull soule The first Chapter IWil heare what the Lord GOD speaketh within mée Blessed be the soule which heareth the Lorde speakyng wythin hym and receyueth the worde of comfort at hys mouth Blessed are the eares that
contrary at the first chop to be auoyded It is sometime also expedient to brydle good affects and desires least either thou passé measure with the importunitie of minde or be an offence vnto other through thine owne vnrulinesse or whilst the same do resist thou as one troubled sodainely doe fal Sometime it is méete to vse violence to fight against the appetie and desire and not to make accoumpt what the flesh woulde either haue or not haue but rather endeuor that it maye be obedient to the spirit whether he will or no and that shée may be so long kept vnder and suffer bondage vntill such time as she be plyant and readie vnto all things and learne to be content with a fewe thinges and to be delighted with a simple state and condition and not to mutter or grutch against any incommoditie or aduersitie Of the maner of pacience and the fight against desires The .xiij. Chapter SERVANT WHy then O my Lorde God as farre as I doe perceiue pacyence and sufferance is very necessary for me For many aduersities are incident vnto this life of ours in so much that when I desire peace by all meanes possible yet can it not be brought about that I may leade ouer my life without warre and sorow LORDE It is euen as thou doest saye sonne Nay I will not haue thée to séeke after that peace that is voyde of temptacions or which féeleth not aduersities but to thinke with thy selfe that euen then also thou hast founde thy selfe peace when as thou shalt be searched and tryed with sundrye and manye turmoyling calamities of miseries and aduerse chaunces Now if thou wilt plead that thou art not able to beare or suffer so manye things how then shalt thou be able to abyde the euerlasting torment of Hell fire Of two euilles the lesse is alway to be chosen Therefore studie to take paciently for Gods sake thy present euilles that thou mayest escape those euerlasting punishmentes that are to come And thinkest thou that the men of this worlde either suffer no euill at all or little or none Thou shalt well finde that euen those that are most delicate and fine are not without their incommodities Thou wilt say peraduenture but these worldlings are incyted with many pleasures and obeye their owne will or sensualitie and therefore make little account of their miseries Put case al things happen vnto them as their heart would haue it how long will that indure and abide trow yée Forsooth those shall perishe like dung which in this life haue such wealth and abundaunce in such wise as no maner of remembrance of ioyes passed shall remaine Nay euen while they be aliue to they doe not enioy them without bitternesse and griefe feare For looke of what things they doe take pleasure of the very same manye times they receiue sorrow and reason good they shoulde so doe that they which intemperately hunt after pleasures shoulde likewise attaine vnto the same not without tartnesse and trouble I wisse they be all but very short and false or counterfeyte and inordinate filthie or dishonest yet doe not they sée this through drunkennesse and blindenesse but that they wyll néedes purchase themselues death of the soule like vnto brute beastes for a small or triflyng delight of this mortall life Wherfore sonne doe not thou follow the sensuall desires but turne thy wil away from them Be delighted in the Lorde and so shall he graunt thée the requestes of thy soule For if thou wilt be delighted in déede and haue large and plentifull comfort of me Wéete thou that felicitie and the ample rewarde of comfort doth consist in thy renouncing of all worldly things and of these féeble and weake pleasures and the further thou shalt pull thy selfe from all solace of humaine thinges so much the more sweete and the greater comfort shalt thou finde in mée But in déede thou shalte not attaine vnto those comforts without sorowfulnesse and labour of fighting For rooted custome doth stande against it howbeit shée shall be matched and maystred with better custome The fleshe will mutter against it Howbeit shée shall be bridled with the feruentsye of the spirite The olde Serpent will stirre thée forewarde and sharpen thée Howbeit he shall be chased away with prayers And againe with profitable labour a great entraunce shall bée stopped vp from his temptacions Of obeying our betters according to the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ. The .xiiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne hée that withdraweth himselfe from obedience the same withdraweth himself frō the fauor of God and he that séeketh after priuate thinges doth forgo the common He that doth not submit himselfe vnto his superior gladly and of his owne accorde the same in so doing declareth that he hath not yet so wholy tamed and schooled his owne fleshe but that it doth oftentimes wince mutter against him Wherefore learne spéedily to submit thy selfe to thy superior if thou couet to tame thy flesh For the outwarde enymie is the sooner maistred if the inwarde enimie be once ouerthrowne There is no more troublesome or woorse enimy vnto the soule than thou art vnto thy self whilest thou doest not agrée with thy spirite For thou must practise an vnfeined contempt of thy selfe if thou wilt be maister ouer flesh bloud for as much as thou doest yet loue inordinately and therfore art afearde to commit thy self altogither to the will of another But what great matter doest thou thou doest nothing if thou become subiecte to another man for Gods sake Whereas I béeing that Almightie and that Highest who haue made all things of naught haue humbly submitted my selfe vnto man for thy sake becommyng the veriest vnderling and basest of all other to the ende that thou mightest ouercome thys pride and hautinesse of thine with that humilitie and lowlinesse of mine Learne to obey thou dust learne to depresse thy selfe thou earth and stime and to put thy trust vnder al mens féete learne to breake thine owne will and to shewe thy selfe subiect vnto all men Waxe earnest against thy selfe and suffer not pryde or hautinesse to lyue in thée but make thy selfe so lowlye and simple that all men may go ouer thée and treade vppon thée like mire in the stréete What hast thou thou vaine man that thou canst rightly complain off What is there thou sincke of sinne that thou canst iustly reply vnto thē that dispraise and deface thée in asmuch as thou hast so oftentimes deserued hel torments by offending of God so many times And yet haue I gently spared thée hauing a care of thy soule to the intent that thou mightest alwaies shewe thy selfe thankefull for my benefites my loue beyng once knowne vnto thée and being euermore bent vnto true obedience and modesty mightest paciently beare the contempt of thy selfe Of considering the secret iudgements of God least we shoulde aduaunce our selues to much in prosperitie The .xv. Chapter SERVANT LOrde thou thundring agaynst me
with him doth speak vnto him in this wise Lord Iesus be assisting vnto me in all places and at all times Let thys be my comfort to be voyde of all mans comfort with a good will. Or if thy comfort shall be lacking at any time let thy will and due tryall of me be in steade of thy chiefest comfort vnto me For thou art not he that euermore art angry or makest afearde That all carefulnesse is to be committed to god The .xix. Chapter SOnne let mée deale with thée as I will my selfe I doe know what is for thy profite Thou imaginest as a man and doest so thinke in manye thinges as thy fleshly minde doth counsell thée SERVANT Lorde thou sayest truth thou hast greater care ouer me than I could haue of my selfe For he standeth but after a sickle sort vndoubtedly which committeth not hys whole care vnto thée Lorde vse me as thou list so that my will toward thée doe continue right and stedfast For it can not be but good whatsoeuer thou shalt determine of me Therfore whether thou wilt haue me to be in darknes stil I praise it or whether thou wilt haue me to enioy light that doe I also praise Or whether thou vouchsafe to comfort me I praise it or whether thou wilt haue me to be pressed downe with aduersity I praise this also LORDE Sonne so thou must be myuded in déede if thou desire to haue to doe wyth mée neyther oughtest thou to be lesse chéerefull to suffer than to reioyce more vnwillingly néedie and poore than full and welthie SERVANT Lorde I will willingly suffer for thy sake whatsoeuer thou wylt haue to happen vnto mée and I wyll receyue at thy hands alike both good and euill both swéete and sower both ioye and sorrowe and giue thée thanks to for all things that haue chaunced vnto mée Preserue mée from all sinne and so shall I feare neyther death nor Hell and so that thou doe neuer tourne mée off or blot me out of the booke of life there shall bée no calamitie that shall hurt mée That the miseries of this life must be suffered paciently according to Christs example The .xx. Chapter LORDE SOnne I descended from Heauen for thy sake and tooke thy miseries vpon me not for any necessity but for very loue that moued me thervnto to the intent that thou mightest learne pacience and sufferance and mightest take temporall miseries without disdayne grutch From the hower of my birth till such time as I ended my life vpon the crosse there were neuer sorrows wanting to be suffered I tooke paciently the great lack of necessary things I oftentimes heard sundry complaints of me I toke slaunders reproches in good worth I had vnkindnesse for benefits Curssing and euill speakings for miracles reproofes and fault findeings for my doctrine SERVANT Lord for as much as thou hast shewed thy self pacient in this life Wherin surely thou diddest most of al do the cōmaundement of thy father méete reason it is that I wretch and sinful man should shew my self pacient according vnto thy will and shoulde beare the burthen of this mortall lyfe for my soule health sake so long as thou wilt haue it so For though this present life be left burdensome yet hath it béene made alreadye more light by thy benefite and both by thy example more tollerable and famous vnto the weakelings and also by the footesteps of thy saints yea much more full of comfort also then it was once in the olde Law when both heauen gate did continue shut and the way did séeme somewhat hard to finde so fewe did passe to séeke for the kingdome of heauen Nay also euen those which then were iustified and in the state of saluation could not enter the kingdom of Heauen before thy passion and the merite of thy precious death How great thanks am I bound to render vnto thée in that thou hast vouchsafed to shew the straight and good way to thy euerlasting kingdome both to me and to all them that put their trust in thée For thy way is our way and through godly pacience doe we earnestly traueyle to come vnto thée our crowne and rewarder who vnlesse thou hadst gone before vs and haddest taught vs what man woulde haue passed to follow How many woulde not only haue bidden behind but also a great way off except they had behelde and looked vpon these thy notable examples Lo if when we haue heard so many of thy miracles and commaundements yet are but warme howe woulde it be then if wee had not so great light to followe thée Of the bearing of iniuries and wrongs who it is that is pacient in deede The .xxi. Chapter LORDE SOnne what is this that thou speakest Ceasse from cōplaint and moane consider both my passion and the martirdome of other saints Thou hast not yet resisted vnto death It is but little that thou sufferest if thou be compared with thē which haue suffered so many things haue ben tempted so vehemently haue béene afflicted so greuously haue béene tried and exercised so many waies Therefore other mens cases being more gréeuous must bée called to minde of thée that thou maiest take this more tolerable case in better part or if thou doe not think it so tollerable sée that thine own impacience be not cause hereof and in fine whether it bée tolerable or intolerable endeuor thou to take it paciently throughout For the better that thou shalt setle thy selfe to be pacient both by so much shalt thou deale the more wisly in the matter and shalt deserue the greter things and shalt more easily beare thy case as one not slouthfully framed readie in minde vse therevnto Neither shalt thou thus say to thy self I neither am able nor ought to bere this thing at that mans hands For he hath both done me a great displeasure or hurt slaundereth me with other things that I neuer thought In déede I can be content to beare that at another mans hands that I shal sée good to be borne This is the thought of foolishnesse it neyther considereth the vertue of pacience nor yet of whome it must be crowned and rewarded but rather wayeth the persons the wrongs done vnto it He is not truly pacient that will suffer but as much as he list and of whome he listeth but the man that is pacient in déede maketh no account of whome hée is vexed and troubled whether he be his better his equall or his inferior whether he be good and godly or else peruerse and wicked Nay whatsoeuer aduersity is done vnto him of any man liuing looke how much and how oftentimes soeuer the same be done he receyueth the same thankfully as it were from Gods hands reckneth it for gaine bicause nothing is so great or so smal if a man suffer the same for Gods sake but that it deserueth reward Wherfore be thou in a readinesse to battaile
that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty
thy self the néerer thou shalt approche onto mée Lyke as to couet nothyng outwardly is the cause of inwarde peace euen so to forsake himself inwardelye doth ioyne a man vnto God I will haue thée to learne à perfite denial of thy self in my wil without any gaynesaying complaint Follow me I am the way the truth and the lyfe Without way there is no traueyling without truth the way is vnknowne without life we liue not I am the way by which thou must goe the truth which thou must beléeue the life which thou must hope for I am the ready way the truth neuer deceiuing the life without ende I am the most straight waye the highest truth the true life the blessed the increated or vnmade If thou wilt perseuere in my way thou shalt knowe the truth and the truth shall so deliuer thée that thou mayst attaine euerlasting life If thou wilt get life obay my commaundements If thou wilt follow the truth beléeue in me If thou wylt bée perfite sell all thinges If thou wilt be my Disciple denie thy selfe If thou wilt attaine to the blessed life despise the life present If thou wilt be exalted in Heauen thrust downe thy selfe vpon the earth If thou wilt raygne with me then be are my Crosse with me For the seruaunts of the Crosse onely doe find the way of blessednesse and true lyght SERVANT O Lorde Iesu Christ forasmuch as thy way is narrow and hatefull to the worlde make me with thée to despyse the worlde For the seruant is not greater then the Lorde nor the 〈◊〉 aboue his Mayster Let thy seruaunt be exercised in thy way séeing that my sauing health and true holinesse is there to be founde of me Beside that whatsoeuer I eyther reade or heare the same doth not fully refreshe or delight me LORDE Sonne séeing thou both hast read knowest al those things thou shalt be blessed if thou wilt practise and perfourme them Hée that both knoweth doth my commaundements the same loueth me and I will likewise loue him will open my selfe vnto him and will cause that he may sit wyth me in the kingdome of my father SERVANT Lorde bring to passe therefore that these thinges maye happen vnto mée which thou hast sayde and promysed I haue receyued a Crosse at thy handes I will paciently beare the same euen to the very death according as thou haste enioyned vnto mée Surely the lyfe of the Chrystian man is a Crosse but by this waye men go into Paradise We may not go backe againe or leaue off our enterprise To it nowe chéerefully Brethren let vs go on togither Iesus wyll bée present wyth vs For Iesus sake haue we taken vp this crosse For Iesus sake let vs perseuer and continue in the crosse The same Iesus shall be our helper which is both our guide and leader and goeth also before vs Beholde oure Kyng which shall fight for vs doth goe before vs Let vs follow like men Let no man be striken with feare let vs be readye manfullye to dye in battayle and let vs not staine our glorie by running away backe agayne from the Crosse. That man be not ouermuch discouraged if at any time he haue fallen into any offense The Lxij Chapter LORDE SOnne pacience and humblenesse of mind in aduersitie doth more please mée then much cōfort and godlinesse in prosperitie Why art thou vexed wyth so small a thing spoken against thée which though it were greater yet oughtest thou not to be mooued to impacience Passe not vpon this thing it is neyther first nor strang nor it shal not be last if thou liue longer Thou art man like inough so long as no aduersity doth come against thée yea thou canst giue good counsel to other and canst tel how to confirm chéere them vp with thy words but when sodaine calamitie is at thy doore then art thou destitute of counsel strength Consider how great thy frailtie is which thou makest profe of many times in smal and trifling matters Howbeit both these things al other like vnto these doe make for thy saluation Cast these things out of thy minde accordyng as thou knowest thou must do But if they nippe thée endeuor that they either cast thée not downe or do long time kéepe thée troubled and if thou canst not take them ioyfully at the least wise beare thē paciently But if thou heare such things vnwillingly and doest féele indignation in thy selfe represse and kéepe in thy selfe and suffer nothing once to come one of thy mouth wherby the litle ones should bée offended By thys meanes shall it be brought to passe that both this affection may be forthwith setled and the gréese of the minde waxe swéete the fauor of God returning to thée againe I am yet aliue saith the Lord ready to helpe thée to comfort thée more then I was woont if puttyng thy trust in me thou wilt cal vpon me deuoutly Be of a more pacient minde prepare thy selfe to greater sufferaunce Thou must not therefore be discouraged if thou sée thy self to be oftentimes afflicted and grieuously tempted Thou art a man and not a God Thou art flesh thou art no Angell Mayest thou be able alwayes to abyde still in one state of vertue when the same hath béene wanting both to the Aungel in heauen and to the first man in Paradise as the which did not long remayne in perfite case I am he that will both raise vp the mourners vnto health will lift vp vnto my dignitie those men that doe acknowledge their owne infirmity SERVANT Lord I giue thée thankes for thy sayings which to me are more swéete thā honie and the hony combe What could I doe in so great calamities and anguishes vnlesse thou didst strengthen me with this thy holy talk So that I may at the last come vnto the hauē of saluation what matter maketh it what and how great things I do suffer Giue me a good ende graunt me a happye departure out of this life be mindefull of me O my God and directe or setle me in the straight way of thy kingdome Amen Of leauing the deeper things the hid iudgements of God vnsearched The Lxiij Chapter LORDE SOnne beware thou doe not dispute about highe matters and the hidde or secret iudgements of God why this man is thus forsaken left to himselfe that other man is increased with so great fauour this man so much tormēted that man so highly aduanced These things do surmout mans capacity neither is any reason of disputacion full ynough to search out the bottome of gods meaning purpose Therefore if at any time the enimy do minister these things vnto thée or else some curious persons aske thée the question make answere with that saying of the Prophet Thou art iust O Lorde and thy iudgement is right And likewise that saying The iudgementes of the Lorde are true and agreeable to equitie My iudgementes must be
refuseth not to beare pacientlye suffer whatsoeuer it pleaseth God he shall and he taketh in very good part what so euer hath happened He knoweth that all thynges doe turne vnto good to such as be Godly and feare the lord He knoweth that those are reprooued corrected and chastised whome the Lorde loueth He knoweth that euery sonne is scourged of the Lord whome he receyueth He knoweth that he is touched with such vexations to the ende he shoulde repent amend that he shoulde make his inuocation prayer vnto God the more feruentlie that he should despise wordly things vtterly and trauaile to the heauenly things with the greater desires and sighes He knoweth that the Godly are tried with aduersitie as gold is with the fire and that the same is giuen of God as it were for a matter to kéepe his obedience in exercise He knoweth that the affliction that endureth but a moment and is but light doth worke in vs a glory that is euerlasting and more heauy than al poise or weight as the Apostle saith that the troubles of this present worlde are not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall be reuealed towarde vs Therefore he reioyceth euen in the middest of his calamities and afflictions he acknowledgeth the goodnesse of God being mery and chearefull he giueth the Lorde thanks for all things Euen thus forsooth Paule the blessed Apostle of God reioiceth alwaies in the Lord in so many vexations trauailes aduersities so many miseries so huge euilles as he paciently beareth for the Gospels sake Euen vnto this time sayth he we are both a hungry a thirst and are naked and are beaten or buffeted with fistes and doe go vp and down without any certaine dwelling place doe labour working with our owne hands being reuiled yet we blesse being euill spoken of yet wee praye wee are become as one woulde saye the excrements of the worlde being the refuse of all things euen vnto this daye The same Paule saith Now I reioyce ouer my afflictions for you and I supply that which was wanting of Christes afflictions in mine owne fleshe The Apostle also in another place doth declare this same ioy of his Blessed saith he be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of mercies and God of al cōfort cōforting vs in al our affliction to the intent that we may cōfort them that are in any kind of affliction through the comfort wherwith God doth comfort vs c. To this purpose maketh that place As it were sorrowing yet alwayes reioycing as it were poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges And againe I was filled with comfort I am full and abound excedingly with ioy in al our afflictiō The same Paule writing to the Thessalonians sayth You also haue become followers of vs and of the Lorde receyuing the worde with much affliction with ioy of the holy ghost in so much as ye haue beene an example to all the beleeuers in Macedonia Achaia Séest thou here how with the affliction of the Thessalonians he knitteth the spirituall gladnesse of the same And to this belongeth that which is in the Epistle to the Hebrues whereas it doth testifie that the beléeuers at Hierusalem did heare tell of the spoyle of their goods with ioy or gladnes And now how great cherefulnesse how great gladnesse how great boasting in the Lord do we take at Paules wordes whilest he reckeneth vp his trauailes stripes prisonments stonings shipwrackes watchinges hunger thirst colde nakednesse finallye infinite perilles often deathes And whiles at the ende he addeth Wherefore I please my selfe sayth he in infirmities in reprochful words in necessities in persecutions in anxieties for christ For when I am weake then am I strong Likewise our Sauiour Christ himselfe also biddeth them to reioyce and excéedingly to be gladde whosoeuer for the Gospels sake and for the confessing of his name are afflicted And why so I praye you Bicause sayth hee your rewarde is plenteous in heauen Herevpon also Apostles being beaten the as it is in s. Luke in the Actes what doe they They went quoth he reioycing frō the sight of the counsayle for that they were accounted worthy to suffer Contumelie for the name of Iesu. Hence commeth that excéeding great triumph of the Martyrs in their extréeme passions and torments which was not a token of any desperate fiercenesse in the minde or lacke of féele in the bodye but of the vertue and power of Christ dwelling wythin them as Paule speaketh it Howbeit some man will saye it is a swéete thing and full of comfort to suffer for Christ his sake so that a man may well haue cause to reioice at such a tyme But what Is it possible for any man to reioyce in these calamities and miseries which doe happen to vs for some other cause To answere the matter briefly and in few words The very true christiā man in the common vsual troubles of this life in sorowe sickenesse weakenesse of the bodye in banishment néede pouerty mourning losse of children losse of dignity in the perils trauailes of all sortes mens wronges infortunate successe in counsales losses and detriments of thyngs if wée wyll iudge thereof aright doth alwaye reioyce in the Lorde and that sincerely without doubt and euen from the very bottome of his heart For when he knoweth for certayntie by thé doctrine of the Gospell that God is fauourable well pleased with him for Christes sake when he knoweth that his sinnes be forgiuen him through Christ when he knoweth that he is reconciled vnto God adopted or chosen to be the sonne of God and that the inheritance of life euerlasting is promised him with this same onely thing he is in such wise delighted and hereof taketh so much most true pleasantnesse so much ioy and gladnesse that whatsoeuer calamitie doth happē in this life it is quickly ouerwhelmed with the excéeding greatnesse of this same ioy and doth scarslye séeme to be any thing at all in so much that if the worlde being dissolued might fall vpon him as a certayne Poet writeth yet shoulde the weight of it slaye him being no whit afearde therof For so far it is from the Christen or godly man to feare to quake or tremble and abhorre euen death it selfe or not to reioyce thereat as oft as it comes to remembraunce that rather he wisheth for it with all his hart which onely he is perswaded not to bée the end of lyfe but the beginning of euerlasting blisse not continuall destruction but a short passage out of this worlde vnto the father Therefore he desireth both to be dissolued with the Apostle and with Simeon to bée dimissed in peace So excéeding great is the ioy in the heart of the godly man through the knowledge of God and of hys sonne Iesu christ Hath he by some mishap lost his goods or children He cryeth with Iob The Lorde hath giuen
swéetely solace themselues with most pleasant thoughts and thinke themselues present among the companies of angels farre otherwyse than the world thinketh of them Their cogitacions are alwayes busied in the misterie of mans redemption in that Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world in the forgiuenesse of sins reuealed and promised by almightie God for the deliuerer to come in that séede of the woman dreading downe the head of the serpent in the séed of Abraham which is Christ as the apostle saith in that Prophet of whom Moses maketh mention in Deuteron briefly in our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ promised vnto the fathers alreadie giuen vnto vs that is in him onely to whome all the Prophetes doe beare witnes that who so euer doth put trust of his saluatiō in him shal obtain forgiuenesse of sins by his name who came into the world to saue sinners to séeke out saue that which was lost to giue his life for the redemption of many who was sent to bring the glad wished message or Gospel vnto the poore afflicted to heale the contrite of hart to preach deliueraunce to the captiue to comfort them that mourne to deliuer the oppressed who in fine is our aduocate with the father our enterpretour and pacifier betwéene God and men the throne of grace the high bishop the greatest priest to make intercession cōtinually for vs the propitiacion for the sinnes of the world our hope lyfe righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The cōsideration of these things abandoneth heauynesse out of the mindes of the Godly and maketh them to reioyce at all tymes more than one woulde beléeue And now howe great gladnesse doe they at large enioy whiles they set before theyr eyes the holy Catholyke apostolyke right beléeuing true Christian Church or cōgreation whiles they remember that communion or felowship of saints which being euen from the very beginning of the worlde after the promise giuen touching the Messias or Sauiour to come doth continue on still euen to this daye spreade first abroade in the fathers and Prophetes afterwards in the Apostles and Martyrs then by and dyuers degrées orders of Christians professing all one faith displayed throughout the whole worlde Whyles they waye and consider that Christ the sonne of God our Lorde and Redéemer doth rule this same spouse or congregation of his with his worde and Gospell doth helpe it with the holy Ghost defende and maintaine it continually against the Deuill whiles they plesantly and swéetely remember that they are adioyned vnto this fellowship of the Godly true Christian congregation by fayth wyll meaning inuocation prayer and by confession which hath the sonne of God for heade principall Aungels for defenders the holye Ghost for a sanctifier the godly and chosen of all ages for companions I say whiles they remember that they are the members of the people of God and mysticall bodye whose chiefe captaine is Christ Whiles they occupie their heades about thinking vppon that most blessed familiarity in time to come with all the Saintes in the kingdome of Heauen vnto the which they trauaile and labour tooth and nayle with excéeding great desire Therfore howe great ioye thinkest thou that they haue large fruition of whiles they are fixed vpon these and such other cogitacions And surely it behooued Christians alwayes to occupie their mindes about such things and being as it were astonied with the consider atiō of them to brast out into the prayses of God into Psalmes and Hymmes into spirituall songs singing and making melodie in theyr harts vnto the Lord giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth And bycause the Godly doe this contynually what woonder is it if they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde And what then is there that can euer make heauy and sad can trouble or faare one that in such wise reioyceth Is it the breache of the lawe But the Apostle doth comfort vs Christ sayth he hath he redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe becomming himselfe a curse for vs. Is it sinne But S. Iohn doth comfort vs If anye man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate wyth the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiacion for our sinnes Is it death The Godly wote full well that it is the gate of life euerlasting a certaine passage out to thys worlde vnto the Father Is it the wrath and the iudgement of God But we are reconcyled vnto God through Christ as Paule sayth Is it Satan Christ hath conquered him already and hath triumphed ouer him being conquered as sayth the same Paule Is it hell fire and the tormentos of hell Nay Christ when he had ouercome hell dyd open a waye vnto Heauen to the Godly And in the Prophet Osea the Lorde sayth I wil be thy death O death I wil be thy destruction O hell Likewise Dauid also in his Psalmes doth testifie that Christ did leade Captiuitie captiue when he ascended into heauen that is as much to say did as a man woulde saye leade the enymies of mankinde prisoners in hys shewe of Triumph the deuill I meane sinne death hell Briefly in all terrours and temptacions of Sathan in all heauinesse in the most sorrowfull cogitacions many tymes of death of the last iudgement of the iudgement seate of the Lorde among the other comfortes of the holy Ghost the godly doe chiefely stay themselues with the wordes of the Apostles Créede I beleeue say they the Communion or fellowship of Saints the remission of sinnes the resurrection of this fleshe and the life euerlasting They leaning vpon this fayth chasing all feare and heauinesse from them if that the deuill doe minister any doe reioyce alwayes in the Lorde Howbeit some man will here obiect that considering they are men it can not be otherwyse chosen but that they should be troubled with passions mourne and be sorowfull oftentimes For they can not lay the nature of mankinde from them renounce as it were the féele of flesh and bloude which all men haue in them I graunt that the godly are distressed with heauinesse many a time and oft and that their minds are sometimes troubled and mazed and that it can not bée otherwise in these tumults of worldly affaires Howbeit the same doe foorthwith come to themselues againe and disquietnesse of mind being setled or appeased they so facion themselues in Gods regard and prouident care toward them that with ioy they take all things very quietly and reioyce in their afflictions reposing themselues in thapprooued loue of God towarde them doe conceyue such gladnesse and pleasure in their minds therof that the same sorrow of theirs is soone ouerwhelmed withall if happily these outwarde things as commonly it comes to passe haue caused any in them For like as a very little sparkle falling into a great riuer is forthwith quenched and come to nothing euen so whatsoeuer euill