other all that we heare or see nor to open our hart fullye but to very fewe and to seeke thee alway that art the beholder of mans hart not so be moued with euery flake of wordes but to desire in harte that all thinges in vs inwardly and outwardlye may be fulfilled after thy will howe sure a thinge is it also for the keepinge of heauenlye grace to flee the conuersation of worldly people all that we may and not to desire thinges that seeme outwardly to be pleasaunt and liking but with all the studye of our hart to seeke such thinges as bring in feruour of spirit and amendement of life It hath bene truelie a great hurte to many persons a vertue knowen ouer timelie praysed and contrariwise it hath beene right profitable to some a grace kept in silence and not lightlie reported to other in this frayle life that is full of temptation and priule enuie That vve shall put all our confidence in God vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord stande stronglie and truste faythfully in me VVhat be wordes but winde they flye in the ayre out they hurte neuer a stone on the grounde And if thou knowe thy selfe not giltie thinke that thou wilt suffer gladlie suche wordes for God It is but a litle thinge for thee to suffer sometime a hastie worde sith thou art not yet able to suffer harde strokes But why is it that so litle a thinge goeth so nigh thy heart but that thou art yet fleshelie and carnall and heedest to please men more then thou shouldest And because thou dreadest to be despised thou wilt not gladlie be reproued of thine offences and thou searchest therefore busilie and with great studie how thou mayest be excuâ—ed But behoulde thy selfe well and thou shalt see that the worlde yet liueth in thee and a vaine loue also to please man VVhen thou refusest to be rebuked and punished for thy defaultes it appereth euidentlie that thou art not yet soothfastlie meeke nor that thou art not yet deade to the worlde nor the worlde to thee yet truelye crucified But heare my wordes and thou shalt not neede to eare for the wordes of ten thousand men Loe yf all thinges were sayde against thee that might be most maliciouslie and vntruelie fayned against thee what shoulde they huit if thou suffered them to ouerpasse goe awaye truelie no more then a strawe vnder thy foote one heare of thy head they might not take from thee But he that hath not a manâ— heart inwardly nor setteth not God before the eye of his soule is soone moued with a sharpe word wheÌ„ he that trusteth in me will not stand to his owne iudgement shall be free froÌ„ all mans dreade for I am the Iudge that knoweth all secrettes I knowe howe euery thinge is done and I know also both him that doth the wroÌ„g and him that it is done to Of me this thinge is wrought and by my sufferaÌ„ce it is come about that the thoughtes of mennes heartes maye be knowen and when the time commeth I shall iudge both the innocent and hym that is giltie But firste through my righteous examination I will proue them bothe The witnes of man ofte times deceaueth but my iudgement alwaye is true and shall not be subuerted And howbeit it is sometime hid and not knowen but to fewe yet it is euer true and erreth not neither may erre though in the sigâ—â— of some persons it seemeth not so Therefore in euery doubt it behoueth to runne to me and not to leane muche to thine owne reason but with euery thinge that I shall sende thee to be content for a righteous man is neuer troubled with any thinge that I shall suffer to fall vnto him insomuch that though a thing were vntruelie spoken against him he shoulde not muche care for it neither shoulde he muche ioye though he were sometyme reasonablye excused for he thinketh alwayeâ— that I am he that searcheth mans hart and that I iudge not after the outwarde apperance for ofte times it shall be founde in my sight woorthy to be blamed that in mans sight seemeth muche woorthy to be praysed O Lord God most righteous Iudge stronge and patient which knowest the frayltie and malice of man be thou my strength and wholle coÌ„fort in all my necessities for mine owne conscience Lorde suffiseth me not for thou knowest in me that I knowe not And therefore in euery reproufe I ought alway to meeken my selfe and patiently to suffer all thinges in charitie after thy pleasure Forgeue me Lorde as ofte as I haue not so done and geue me grace of greater sufferaunce in time to come Thy mercy is more profitable and more sure maye for me to the gettinge of pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes then a trust in mine owne workes through defence of my darke conscience And though I dreede not my conscience yet I may not therefore iustifie my selfe for thy mercie remoued and taken awaye no man maye be iustified nor appere righteous in thy syght Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come The .52 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord be not broken by impatieÌ„ce with the labour that thou hast taken for my sake nor suffer thou not tribulatioÌ„ to cast thee in dispaire nor into vnreasonable heauines or anguishe in any wise but be thou comforted strengthed in euery chaunce by my promises behests for I am able and of power to rewarde thee and other my seruauntes aboundantlie more then ye can thinke or desire Thou shalt not laboure long here nor alwaye be greeued with heauines tary a while my promises and thou shalt shortlye see an ende of all thy troubles One hour shall come when all thy labours and troubles shall ceasse and truely that hour will shortlye come for all is short that passeth with time Doe therefore as thou doest labour busily and faithfullye in my vineyarde and I shal shortly be thy reward VVrite reade singe mourne be still and pray and suffer gladlye aduersitye for the kingdome of heauen is more woorth then all these thinges and much more greater thinges then they are Peace shall come one daye which is to me knowen and that shall not be the day of this lyfe but a day euerlastinge with infinite cleerenes stedfast peace and sure rest without ending And then thou shalt not saye VVho shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death neither shalt thou neede to crie woe is me that my comming to the kingdome of heauen is thus prolonged For death shal then de destroyed and health shall be without ende of bodye soule insomuch that no maner of vnrestfulnes shall be but blessed ioye and moste sweetest and fayrest companye O if thou sawest the euerlastinge crownes of my Saintes in heauen in howe great ioye and glorye they are that sometime seemed to be vile persons and as
Soone may it be lost through negligence that with much labour and speciall grace was hardlie gotten But what shall become of vs in the ende whē we so soone waxe dull and slow Sothlie sorowe and woe shall be to vs if we fail to bodilie rest nowe as though we were in ghostly sikernes whē there appeareth not as yet neither signe nor token of vertue nor of good liuing in our conuersation VVherefore it were expedient to vs that we were yet againe instructed as Nouices to learne good maners it happly there might by that meanes be founde hereafter any trust of amendment and spirituall profite in our conuersation Of the remembraunce of death The .23 Chapter THe hour of death wil shortly come therefore take heede how thou orderest thy selfe for the common prouerbe is true To daye a man to morowe none And when thou arte out of sight thou arte anone out of minde and soone shalt thou be forgottē O the great dulnes and hardnes of mans heart that only thinketh on thinges present litle prouideth for the life to come If thou diddest well thou shouldest so behaue thy selfe in euery deede and in euery thought as thou shouldest in this instant dye If thou haddest a good conscience thou shouldest not muche feare death It were better for thee to leaue sinne then feare death O my deere brother if thou be not readie this daye how shalt thou be readie to morow To morow is a daye vncertaine and thou canste not tel whether thou shalt liue so longe VVhat profite is it to vs to liue longe when we therby so litle amende our life Longe life doth not alwaye bringe vs to amendment but ofte times increaseth more sinne VVoulde to God that we might be one daye well cōuersant in this world Manie recken their yeares of conuersion and yet there is but litle fruite of amendment nor of any good example seene in their conuersation If it be fearefull to die peraduenture it is more perillous to liue long Blessed be those persons that euer haue the houre of death before their eyes and that euerie daye dispose themselues to die If thou euer sawest anye man die remember that thou must needelie goe the same waye In the morninge doubt whether thou shalt liue to night at night thinke not thy selfe sure to liue till to morowe Be alwaye readie and liue in such maner that death finde thee not vnprouided Remember howe many haue died sodenlie and vnprouided for our Lorde hath called them in such an houre as they leaste thought And when that last hour shall come thou shalt begin to feele all otherwise of thy life passed then thou haste done before and thou shalt then sorowe greatlie that thou hast beene so slowe and negligent in the seruice of God as thou haste beene O how happie and wise is he therfore that laboreth nowe to stand in such state in this lyfe as he would be founde in at his death Truely a perfect despising of the worlde and a feruent desire to profite in vertue a loue to be taught a fruitfull labour in workes of penaunce a readie will to obey a forsaking of our selfe and a willing suffering of all aduersities for the loue of God shall geue vs a great truste that we shall die wel Now whilest thou art in health thou mayest doo many good deedes but if thou be sicke I can not tell what thou mayest doe For why fewe be amended through sicknes And likewise they that go muche on pilgrimage be seldome thereby made perfect holye Put not thy trust in thy frendes and thy neighbours neither deferre thy good deedes till after thy death for thou shalt soonet be forgotten then thou weenest Better it is to prouide for thy selfe betime and to send some good deedes before thee then to trust to other who peraduēture will lightly forget thee if thou be not nowe busie for thy selfe for thine owne soule health who shall be busie for thee after thy death Nowe is the time very precious but alas for sorowe that thou spēdest the time so vnprofitablie in the which thou shouldest winne the life euerlasting The time shal come whē thou shalt desire one daye or one houre to amende thee but I wot not whether it shalbe graunted vnto thee O my deere brother from how great perill dreade mightest thou now deliuer thy selfe yf thou wouldest alwaye in this lyfe dreade to offend God and alwaye haue the comminge of death suspect Therefore studye nowe to liue so that at the houre of death thou mayest rather ioye then dreade Learue nowe to dye to the worlde that thou mayest then liue with Christ Learnt also to despise all worldlie thinges that thou mayest then freelye go to Christe Chastise nowe thy bodye with penance that thou mayest then haue a sure and a stedfast hope of saluatiō Thou art a fosle if thou thinke to liue longe sith thou art not sure to lyue one daye to the ende Now many haue beene deceaued through trust of longe life sodenlie haue beene taken out of this worlde or they had thought Nowe ofte hast thou heard say that suche a man was slayne and suche a man was drowned and suche a man fell and brake his necke This man as he eate his meat was strangled and this man as he played tooke his death one with fyre another with yron another with sicknes and some by theft haue sodenly perished And so the ende of all men is death for the life of man as a shadowe sodenly slideth and passeth away Thinke ofte who shall remember thee after thy death and who shall praye for thee Doe nowe forthy selfe all that thou canst for thou wottest not when thou shalt dye nor what shall folowe after thy death VVhilest thou hast time gather thee riches immortall thinke nothing abidingly but on thy ghostly health Set thy study onely on thinges that be of God and that belonge to his honor Make thee frendes against that time worship his Saintes and folowe their steppes that when thou shalt go out of this worlde they may receaue thee into the euerlasting tabernacles Keepe thee as a pilgrime as a strāger here in this world to whom nothing belongeth of worldlye busines Keepe thy hearte alwaye free and lifted vp to God for thou hast no cittie here long abiding Sende thy desires and thy daylie prayers alwaye vpwarde to God and praye perseuerantly that thy soule at the houre of death may blessedly depart out of this world and goe to Christe Of the last iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne The 24. Chapter IN all thinges beholde the ende and ofte remember howe thou shalt stande before the high Iudge to whom nothing is hidde who will not be pleased with rew ardes nor receaue any maner excuses but in all thinges wil iudge that is righteous and true O moste vnwise moste wretched sinner what shalt thou then answere to God who knoweth all thy
by naturall reason and which men truelye illumined with grace beholde by heauenlye contemplation Beware therefore my sonne to treate curiously of suche thinges for they passe thy knowledge and endeuour thy selfe that thou mayest be worthy so be nūbred with the least Saint that shall come to heauē And if percase a man might knowe who were holyer or who should be taken greater in the kingdome of heauen what shoulde that knowledge auayle him but if he would therby the more meeke him selfe and the more ryse thereby into the laude and praysinge of my name truelie nothinge Therefore he is much more acceptable to God that thinketh on the greatnes of his sinnes and of the littlenes of his vertues and howe farre he is from the perfectiō of the least Saint that is in heauē then he that argueth of their greatnes or of their litlenes or blessednes of life forgettinge them selfe It is better also with deuout prayers with weepinges and teares meekelie to praye to Saintes and to call to them for helpe then vaynelie to searche for their perfection They be verie well contented with the ioye that they haue if men woulde refrayne themselues from suche vayne arguments They glorifie not them selues of their merites ne they ascribe no goodnes to themselues but they referre all goodnes to me for they knowe well that I of my infinite goodnes and charitie haue geuen all vnto them And they be so muche fulfilled with loue of the godhead and with ouerpassing ioye that no glorie maye want in them nor anye felicitie And the higher that they be in heauen the meeker be they in them selues and the more nighe and the more louing to me Therefore it is written in the Apocalips that Saintes in heauen layde their crownes before God and fell prostrate on their faces before the meeke lambe that is Iesu and they woorshipped him as their Lorde God that is and shalbe lyuing euermore without ending Amen Manye searche who is highest in heauen that knowe not whether they shall be worthy to be numbred with the least that shall come thither for it is a great thinge to be the least in heauen where all be great for all that shall come thither shall be called the sonnes of God and so shall they be in deede the lest there shall be counted for a thousande and a sinner of a hundred yere shall be set at naught VVhen the Apostles asked amōg them selues who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of heauen they heard this answer of Christ but ye sayde he be conuerted from your sinne and be made meeke as litle children ye maye not enter into the kyngdome of heauen He therefore that meeketh him selfe as this litle childe he shalbe greatest in the kingdome of heauen VVoe then be to them that disdayne to meeke them selues with litle children for the meeke part of heauen will not suffer them to enter into it wo also be vnto the proude riche men that haue their cōsolation here for when the good poore men shall enter into the kingdome of God they shall stande weepinge and waylinge without Ioye ye then ye that be meeke and poore in spirite for yours is the kingdome of God so that ye walke and houlde your iorney assuredlye in the waye of truth That all our hope and trust is to be put in God onelye The 64. Chapter O Lorde what is the trust that I haue in this life or what is my moste solace of all thinges vnder heauen Is it not thou my Lorde God whose mercy is without measure where hath it beene well with me without thee or when hath it not beene well with me thou being present I had leuer be poore with thee then rich without thee I had leuer be with thee as a pilgrime in this world then without thee to be in heauen for where thou art ther is heauē and where thou art not there is both death and hell Thou arte to me all that I desire and therefore it behoueth me to sigh to thee to crie to thee hartily to praye to thee I haue nothinge to trust in that maye helpe me in my necessities but onelye thee for thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforte and thou arte my moste faithfull helper in euerye neede Man seeketh that is his but thou seekest my health and profite and turnest all thinges into the best for me for if thou sende temptations and other aduersities thou ordeinest all to my profite for thou art wont by a thousande wayes to proue thy chosen people In whiche proufe thou art no lesse to be lauded and praysed than if thou haddest fulfilled thē with heauenlie comfortes In thee Lorde therefore I put my trust and in thee I beare patientlye all my aduersities for I finde nothinge without thee but vnstablenes and follie for I see well that the multitude of worldlye freendes profiteth not nor that stronge helpers nothinge maye auayle ne wise counsayler geue profitable counsayle ne cunninge of doctours gyue consolation ne ryches delyuer in tyme of neede ne secrete place any thinge defende yf thou Lorde doe not assist helpe comforte counsail informe and defend For all thinges that seeme to be ordeined to mans solace in this world if thou be absent be right nought worth nor maye not bring to man anye true felicitie for thou art the ende Lorde of all good thinges the highnes of lyfe and the profounde wisedome of all things that is in heauen and in earth VVherfore to trust in thee aboue all thinges is the greatest comfort to al thy seruauntes To thee therefore I lifte mine eyes and in thee onely I put my trust my Lorde my God the father of mercy blesse thou and halowe thou my soule with thy heauenlie blessinges that it may be thy dwelling place and the seate of thy eternall glorie so that nothinge be founde in me at any tyme that maye offende the eye of thy maiestie Beholde me Lorde after the greatnes of thy goodnes and of thy manyfolde mercies and graciouslye heare the prayer of me thy poorest seruaunt outlawed and farre exiled into the countrey of the shadowe of death defend and keepe me amonge the manyfolde perils and daungers of this corruptible lyfe and direct me through thy grace by the waye of peace into the countrey of euerlastinge clearnes without ending Amen Finis Hereafter foloweth the fourth Booke of the folowinge of Christe which treateth moste speciallye of the Sacrament of the aultare Prologue COme to me saith our Lorde all ye that labour and be charged and I shall geue vnto you refection And the breade that I shall geue vnto you shall be my flesh for the lyfe of the worlde Take it and eate it for it is my bodye that for you shall be geuen in sacrifice doe ye this in remembrance of me for who so eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud he shal dwell in me and I in him These wordes that I haue sayde to you be
THE FOLOVVING OF CHRIST TRANSLATED OVT of Latin into Englishe newlie corrected and amended VVherevnto also is added the golden Epistle of Sainct Bernarde And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of miraÌ„dula Anno. 1585. Cum Priuilegio The introduction HEreafter foloweth a booke called in Latin Imitatio Christi that is in Englishe the folowing of Christe wherein be coÌ„teyned foure litle bookes VVhich booke as some men affirme was firste made and compyled in Latin by the famous Clerke master Iohn Gerson Chauncellour of Paris And the sayed foure bookes be nowe of late newly translated into English in such maner as hereafter appeareth And though three of the first bookes of the sayd foure bookes haue bene before this time right well and deuoutlie traÌ„slated into Englishe by a famous Clerke called master VVilliam Atkinson which was a doctour of diuinitie Yet for as muche as the sayde translatour for some cause him mouinge in diuers places left out muche parte of some of the Chapters and sometime varied from the letter as in the thirde chapter and in the. 18 and. 19. chapters of the first booke and also in diuers other chapiters of the sayde three bookes will appeare to them that will examine the Latin and the sayd first translation together Therefore the sayed 3. bookes be eftsones traÌ„slated into English in such maner as hereafter foloweth to the intent that they that list maye at their pleasure be occupied with the one or the other after as their deuotion shall stirre them when they haue seene theÌ„ both And after the sayde three bookes foloweth the fourth booke which was first translated out of Frenche into Englishe by the right noble and excellent Princes Margaret late Countesse of Richmondo and Darbye mother vnto the noble Prince of blessed memorie Kynge Henry the. 7. father vnto our late Ioueraine Lord Kinge Henry the. 8. And for as muche as it was translated by the sayed noble Princes out of Frenche it coulde not folowe the Latin so nigh nor so directlie as if it had bene translated out of Latin And therefore it is nowe translated out of Latin and yet neuerthelesse it keepeth the substaunce and the effect of the first translation out of Frenche though sometime it varie in wordes as to the Reader will appeare And in the latter ende after the fourth booke is a short morall doctrine which is called The spirituall glasse of the soule And it is right good and profitable to euery person ofte tymes to looke vpon it A preface to the booke folovvinge AMonge manye Treatises which haue bene put out both in Latin and Englishe in this perillous worlde to seduce the simple people to bring them from the vnitie of the Catholike Churche into peruers and abhominable errours there hath bene also in tyme past before made by diuers learned and vertuous men many good Treatises which yf men woulde be so diligent to looke vpon as they are curious to looke on the other they shoulde not so soone fall from the true knowledge of Christes doctrine and the right sense of holie Scripture whiche euer hath bene taught by continuall succession in his holie Churche of the holie ghost the spirite of truth who shall euer remayne with it And amonge many of these good Treatises there is one called the Imitation or folowinge of Christe whiche in my iudgement is excellent and the more it is seriouslie and aduisedlie reade and looked vpon the more it shall like euery Christian Reader who will set his minde earnestlie to folow Christ his steppes Let them proue by reading euery day a chapter wheÌ„ they haue best leasure and I doubt not but they shall finde my sayinges true I haue reade it ouer very many times and the more I reade the more I like it and finde profite to my soule health It teacheth the true mortification of the fleshe to the spirite accordinge to the right sense of holie Scripture and the doctrine of 5. Paul VVhich I consideringe desired the Queenes highnes printer to take the paynes eâ—â—sones to imprint it seeinge the other is worne awaye whiche was verie faultie in many places And in this he hath done his diligence in correction thereof as you shall well perceyue in conferring them together Thus fare you well in Christ and praye for them that haue taken paynes in this behalfe Hereafter folovveth the chapters of this present booke OF the Imitation or folowinge of Christe and of the despisinge of all vanities of the world Cap. 1. Fol. 1. Against vayne seculor cunning and of a meeke knowinge of our selfe Cap. 2. fol. 2. Of the teachinge of truth cap. 3. fol. 3. That light credence is not to be geuen to wordes cap. 4. fol. 5. Of the reading of holy Scripture cap. 5. fol. 6. Of inordinate affections cap. 6 fo 6. That vayne hope and elation of minde are to be fled and auoyded cap. 7. fo 7. That much familiaritie is to be fled cap. 8. fo 7. Of meeke subiection and obedience and that we shall gladlye folowe the counsayle of other cap. 9. fo 8. That we shoulde auoyde superfluite of wordes and the companye of worldlye lyuinge people cap. 10. fo 9. The meanes to get peace and of desire to profite in vertues cap. 11. fo 9. Of the profite of aduersitie cap. 12. fo 11. Of temptations to be resisted cap. 13. fo 11. That we shall not iudge lightlye other mens deedes nor cleaue muche to our owne will cap. 14. fo 14. Of workes done in charitie cap. 15. fo 14. Of the sufferinge of other mens defaultes cap. 16. fo 15. VVhat shoulde be the life of a true religious person cap. 17. fo 16. Of the examples of holy fathers cap. 18. fo 17. Of the exercises of good religious persons cap. 19. fo 18. Of he loue of onelines sileÌ„ce cap. 20. fo 20. Of compunction of the hart cap. 21. fo 22. Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and wherein the felicitie of man standeth cap. 22. fol. 24. Of the remeÌ„braunce of death cap. 23. fo 26. Of the iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne cap. 24. fol. 28. Of the feruent amending of all our lyfe and that we shall speciallye take heede of our owne soule health before all other cap. 25. fo 31. The Chapters of the seconde booke OF inward conuersation cap. 1. fo 34. Of a meeke knowinge of our owne defaultes cap. 2. fo 37. Howe good it is for a man to be peacefull cap. 3. fo 38. Of a pure minde and a simple intent cap. 4. fo 39. Of the knowing of our selues cap. 5. fo 39. Of the gladnes of a cleane conscience cap. 6. fo 40. Of the loue of Iesu aboue all thinges cap. 7. fo 42. Of the familier freendship of Iesu cap. 8. fo 42. Of the wanting of all solace and comforte cap. 9. fo 44. Of yelding of thankes to God for his manyfolde graces cap. 10. fo 47. Of the
and commen together sith we so seldome depart without some hurt of conscience This is the cause By our comminge together we thinke to comforte eche other and to refreshe our hearts when we be troubled with vaine imaginations and we speake moste gladly of such thinges as we moste loue or els of thinges that be moste contracious vnto vs. But alas for sorowe all is vaine that we doo for this outward comfort is no litle hinderance of the true inward comfort that commeth of God Therfore it is necessarie that we watche and pray that the time passe not away from vs in ydlenes If it be lawfull and expedient to speake speake then of God and of suche thinges as are to the edifyinge of thy soule or of thy neighbours An euill vse and a uegligence of our ghostly profite maketh vs oftē times to take litle heede how we should speake Neuerthlesse sometime it helpeth right much to the health of the soule a deuout commoning of spirituall thinges specially when men of one minde and spirite in God doo meete and speake and common together The meanes to get peace and of desire to profite in vertues The 11. Chapter VVe might haue much peace if we would not meddle with other mens sayinges and doeinges that belong not vnto vs. How may he longe liue in peace that willfully will medle with other mens busines and that seeketh occasions abroade in the worlde and seldome or neuer gathereth him selfe together in God Blessed be the true simple and meeke persons for they shal haue great plentie of peace VVhy haue many saintes bene so perfectly contemplatiue for they alway studied to mortifie thē selues fro worldly desires that they might freely with al the power of their hart tend to our lord But we be occupied with our passions and be muche busied with transitory thinges it is very seldome that we may fully ouercome any one vice And we be nothing quicke to our dueties wherfore we remayne colde slowe to deuotion If we were perfectly mortifyed to the world and to the fleshe and were inwardly purifyed in soule we shoulde anone sauour heauēly thinges and somewhat shoulde we haue experience of heauenly contemplation The greatest hinderance of the heauenly cōtemplation is for we are not yet cleerly deliuered from al passions and concupiscence ne we enforce not our self to folowe the way that holy Saints haue gone before vs but when any litle aduersitie commeth to vs we be anone cast downe therin and turne vs ouer soone to seeke mans cōfort But if we woulde as strong men and as mightie champiōs fight strongly in this ghostlye battayle we shoulde vndoubtedlye see the helpe of God come in our neede for he is alway redy to helpe al them that trust in him and he procureth occasions of suche battayle to thende we should ouercome and haue the victorye and in the ende to haue the greater reward therfore If we set the ende and perfection of our religion in these outward obseruaunces our deuotiō shal soone be ended VVherfore we must set our axe depe to the roote of the tree that we purged frō al passiōs may haue a quiet minde If we wold euery yeare ouercome one vice we should anone come to perfection But I feare rather that contrariwise we were better and more pure in the beginning of our conuersiō then we be many yeres after we were cōuerted Our feruor and desire to vertue should dayly increase in vs as we increase in age But it is now thought a great thing if we may holde a litle sparcle of the feruor that we had fyrst but if we would at the beginning break the euil inclination that we haue to our selfe and to our owne wil we should after doo vertuous workes easily and with great gladnes of heart It is an harde thing to leaue euil customes but it is more hard to breake our owne wil but it is most harde euermore to lye in payne and endiessye to lose the ioyes of heauen If thou ouercome not small thinges and light howe shalt thou then ouercome the greater Refist therefore quickelie in the beginninge thy euill inclinations and leaue of whollie all thine euill customes least happlie by litle and litle they bringe the after to greater difficultie O if thou wouldest consider how great inwarde peace thou shouldest haue thy selfe and how great gladnes thou shouldest cause in other in behauinge of thy selfe well I suppose verilye thou wouldest be much more diligent to profite in vertue then thou haste bene before this time Of the profite of aduersitie The .12 Chapter IT is good that we haue sometime griefes and aduersities for they driue a man to beholde him selfe and to see that he is here but as in an exile and be learned therby to know that he ought not to put his trust in any worldly thing It is good also that we suffer sometime contradiction and that we be holden of other as euill and wretched and sinfull though we doo well and intend well far such thinges helpe vs to meekenes and mightilye defende vs from vayne glorie pride VVe take God the better to be our iudge and witnes when we be outwardlie despised in the worlde and that the worlde iudgeth not well of vs. Therefore a man ought to settle him selfe so fullie in God that what aduersitie so euer befall vnto him he shall not nede to seke any outward cōfort VVhen a good mā is troubled or tēpted or is inquieted with euill thoughtes then he vnderstādeth knoweth that God is most necessarie to him that he may nothinge doo that is good without him Then he soroweth waileth prayeth for the miseries that he rightfully suffereth Thē it yrketh him also the wretchednes of this life he coueteth to be dissolued frō this bodie of death to be with Christ And thē also he seeth well that there may be no ful peace nor perfect quietnes here in this world Of temptations to be resisted The 13. Chapter AS longe as we liue ī this world we may not be fully without temptation For as Iob sayth temptation is the life of man vpon earth therefore euery man should beware well against his tēptations and watche in prayers that the ghostly enemy finde not time place to deceiue him which neuer sleepeth but alwaye goeth about seekinge whom he may deuoure There is no man so perfect nor so holye in this worlde that he sometime hath not temptations And we may not fully be without thē for though they be for the time verye greeuous and painfull yet if they be resisted they be verye profitable for a man by experiēce of such temptations is made more meeke and is also purged informed in diuers maner which he should neuer haue knowen but by experience of suche temptations All blessed Sainctes that nowe be crowned in heauē grewe and profited by temptations and tribulations and those that coulde not well beare temptations but were finallye ouercome be taken
incumbred by an euill custome for that euill custome may be ouercome with a good custome And excuse thee not that thou art let by other men for if thou wilt leaue the familiaritie with other they will suffer thee to doe thy deedes without impediment Meddle thee not with other mens goodes neither busie thee in great mens causes haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe and diligentlie informe and admonishe thy selfe before all other If thou haue not the fauour of worldlie liuinge people sorowe not therfore but let this be thy daylie sorowe that thou behauest not thy selfe in thy conuersation as it beseemeth a good religious person for to doe It is more expedient and more profitable that a man sometime lacke consolations in this life the that he haue them alwayes after his owne will namelye fleshlie consolations Neuerthlesse that we haue not sometime heauenly consolations or that we so seldome feele them as we doe it is through our owne defaulte for we seeke not to haue the true compunction of harte nor we caste not fullie awaye from vs the false outwarde consolatiōs Holde thy selfe therfore vnworthy to haue any consolation and worthye to haue much tribulation VVhen a man soroweth perfectlye for his sinnes then all wordly cōfortes be painefull to him A good man findeth alway matter ynough why he ought iustlie so sorowe weepe for if he beholde him selfe or if he thinke on his neighbour he seeeth well that none liueth here without great miserie the more throughlie that he may consider him selfe the more sorow he hath And alwaye the matter of true sorowe and of true inwarde copunction is the remembraunce of our sinnes wherein we be so wrapped on euery side that seldome we may beholde any ghostly thinges But if we would more ofte thinke on our death then we doe on long lyfe no doubt but we should more feruentlie apply our selfe to amendment and I beeleue also that if we woulde hartily remember the paines of hell and of purgatorie that we shoulde more gladlye sustayne all labors and sorowes and that we shoulde not dreade anye paine in this world wherby we myght auoyde the paynes that are to come But forasmuch as these things goe not to the heart and we yet loue the flattering and false pleasures of this worlde therefore we remaine colde and voide of deuotiō and ofte it is through the weakenes of the spirite that the wretched bodie so lightlie complaineth Pray therfore meekelie to our Lorde that he of his great goodnes geue thee the spirite of compunction and saye with the prophete thus Feede me Lord with the breade of compunction and geue me to drinke water of teares in great abundance Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth The .22 Chapter AVVretch thou act whosoeuer thou be withersoeuer thou turne thee but if thou turne thee to God VVhy arte thou so lightlie troubled for that it falleth not to thee as thou wouldest and desirest VVhat is he that hath all thinge after his wil neither thou nor I nor any man liuinge for none liue here without some trouble or anguishe be he kyng Or who thinkest thou is in moste fauour with God truelie he that suffreth gladlie moste for God But many persons weake and feeble in spirite saye thus in their heartes Lo howe good a life that man leadeth howe riche he is howe mightie he is how high in authoritie how great in sight of the people and how faire and beautifull in his bodily kinde but if thou take heede to the goodnes euerlastinge thou shalt well see that these worldlye goodes and worldly likinges are but litle worth and that they be more rather greuous then pleasaunt for they may not be had ne kept but by great labour and busines of minde The felicitie of man standeth not in abundance of worldlie goodes for the meane is best And verilie to liue in this world is but miserie and the more ghostlie that a man would be the more painfull it is to him for to liue for he feeleth more plainely the defaultes of mans corruption For why to eate to drinke to sleepe to wake to rest to labour and to serue all other necessities of the bodie is great miserie and great affliction to a deuout soule which woulde gladly be free from the bondage of sinne that it might without let serue our Lord in puritie of conscience and in cleannes of heart The inwarde man is greatlie greeued through the bodilie necessities in this world VVherefore the prophete Dauid desired that he might be deliuered from such necessities But woe be to them that knowe not their owne misery woe be to them that loue this wretched and this corruptible life for some loue it so muche that yf they might euer lyue here though they myght poorelye get their liuinge with labour begginge yet they would neuer care for the kingdome of heauē O madde and vnfaithfull creatures are they that so deepelie set their loue in earthly things that they haue no feeling nor taste but in fleshlie pleasures Truelie in the hour of death they shall knowe howe vile and howe naughtie it was that they so much loued But holle Saintes and deuout folowers of Christ they did not what pleased the fleshe ne what was pleasaunt in the sight of the world but all their whole intent and desire they helde to thinges inuisible and feared least by sight of thinges visible they might be drawen downe to the loue of them My welbeloued brother lose not the desire to profite in spirituall thinges for thou hast yet good time and space VVhy wilt thou any longer deferre the time Arise and now this same instant beginne and saye thus Nowe is time to laboure in good workes nowe is time to fight in ghostlie battaile and nowe is time to make amēdes for trespasse passed VVhen thou art troubled then is best time to merite and get rewardes of God It behoueth thee to go through fire and water before thou come to the place of recreation and but if thou can fullie haue the mastry ouer thy selfe thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne nor liue without great tediousnes and sorow VVe would gladlie be deliuered frō all miserie and sinne but because we haue through sinne lost our innocencie we haue lost also the verie ioye and felicitie VVherefore we must holde vs in patience and with good hope abide the mercie of God till wretchednes and miserie be ouerpassed and that this bodilie lyfe be chaunged into the life euerlastinge O how great is the frailtie of man that he is euer readie and prone to sinne This daye thou art confessed and to morow thou fallest againe Now thou purposest to beware and intendest to go forth stronglie in good workes and shortlie after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken such purpose Rightfullie theréfore we ought to meeke our selfe and neuer to thinke in vs any vertue or goodnes for that we be so fraile vnstable
at the first No man feeleth the passion of Christe so effectuouslie as he that feeleth like paine as Christe did This Crosse is alway readie and euery where it abideth thee and thou mayest not flee nor fullie escape it whersoeuer thou become for in what place soeuer thou art thou shalt beare thy selfe about with thee and so alwaye shalt thou finde thy selfe Turne thee where thou wilt aboue thee beneath thee within thee and without thee and thou shalt finde this crosse on euery side so that it shall be necessarie for thee that thou alwaye keepe thee in patience and that it behoueth thee to doe if thou wilt haue inwarde peace and deserue the perpetuall crowne in heauen If thou wilt gladlie beare this Crosse it shall beare thee and bringe thee to the ende that thou desirest where thou shalt neuer after haue any thinge to suffer And if thou beare this Crosse against thy will thou makest a great burden to thy selfe and it will be the more greeuous to thee and yet it behoueth thee to beare it And if it happen thee to put away one crosse that is to saye one tribulatioÌ„ yet surely another will come and happlie more greeuous then the first was Trowest thou to escape that neuer yet any mortal man might escaped VVhat Saint in this world hath beene without this Crosse without some trouble Trulie our Lorde Iesu was not one houre without some sorowe and payne as longe as he liued here for it behoued him to suffer death and to rise againe and so to enter into his glorie and how is it then that thou seekest any other waye to heauen then this plaine high waye of the Crosse All the life of Christ was Crosse and martyrdome and thou seekest pleasure and ioy Thou errest greatlie if thou seeke anye other thinge then to suffer For all this mortall life is full of miseries and is all beset about and marked with Crosses the more highlie that a man profiteth in soiâ—ite the more painfull Crosses shall he finde For by the sooth fastnes of Christes loue wherein he daylie increaseth daylie appeareth vnto him more and more the paine of this exile But neuerthelesse a man thus vexed with paine is not left whollie without all comfort for he seeth well that great fruite and high rewarde shall growe vnto him by the bearinge of his Crosse And when a man freelie submitteth him selfe to such tribulatioÌ„ then all the burden of tribulation is sodenlie turned into a great trust of heauenlye consolation And the more the fleshe is punished with tribulation the more is the soule strengthned daylie by inwarde consolation And sometime the soule shall feele such comfort in aduersities that for the loue and desire that it hath to be conformed to Christe crucified it woulde not be without sorowe and trouble for it considereth well that the more that it may suffer for his loue here the more acceptable shall he be to him in the life to come But this workinge is not in the power of man but through the grace of God that is to saye that a frayle man should take and loue that which his bodilie kinde so much abhorreth and flieth for it is not in the power of man gladlie to beare the Crosse to loue the Crosse to chastise the bodie and to make it obedieÌ„t to the will of the spirite to flee honours gladlie to sustayne reproufes to despise him selfe and to couet to be despised patientlie to suffer aduersities with al displeasures thereof and not to desire any maner of profite in this worlde If thou trust in thy selfe thou shaltneuer bringe this matter about but yf thou trust in God he shall send thee strength from heauen and the worlde and the fleshe shalbe made subiect to thee yea and if thou be strongly armed with faith and be marked with the Crosse of Christ as his housholde seruant thou shalt not neede to feare thy ghostlie enemie for he shall also be made subiect to thee so that he shall haue no power against thee Purpose thy selfe therefore as a true faythfull seruant of God manfullye to beare the Crosse of thy Lorde Iesu that for thy loue was crucified on the Crosse prepare thy selfe to suffer all maner of aduersities and discommodities in this wretched life for so shall it be with thee whersoeuer thou hide thee and there is no remedie to escape but that thou must keepe thy selfe alwaye in patience If thou desire to be a deare and well beloued frende of Christ drinke effectuouslie with him a draught of the chalice of his tribulation As for consolations commit them to his will that he order them as he knoweth most expedieÌ„t for thee but as for thy selfe for as much as in thee is dispose thee to suffer when tribulatioÌ„s come take them as speciall consolations sayinge with the Apostle thus The passioÌ„s of this world be not worthy of them selues to bringe vs to the glorye that is ordeined for vs in the life to come yea though thou thy selfe mightest suffer asmuch as all men do VVheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest to that degree of patience that tribulatioÌ„ is sweete to thee for the loue of God is sauoury pleasauÌ„t in thy sight then maiest thou trust that it is wel with thee that thou art in good estate for thou haste founde paradise in earth But as long as it is greeuous to thee to suffer and thou seekest to flee so long it is not well with thee neither art thou in the perfect way of patieÌ„ce but if thou couldest bringe thy selfe to that estate that thou shouldest be at that is to suffer gladly for God and to dye fully to the worlde then shoulde it shortlye be better with thee and thou shouldest finde great peace but yet although thou were rapt with Paule into the third heaueÌ„ thou shouldest not therefore be sure without all aduersitie for our Sauiour speaking of S. Paul after he had bene rapt into heauen sayd thus of him I shall shewe him howe many thinges he shall suffer for me To suffer therefore to thee remayneth if thou wilt loue thy Lorde Iesu and serue him perpetually VVould to god that thou wexe worthy to suffer somewhat for his loue O howe great ioye shoulde it be to thee to suffer for him what gladnes to all the Saintes of heauen and howe great edifying to thy neighbour All men coÌ„mend patience and yet fewe men will suffer Righteously thou oughtest to suffer some litle thing for God that sufferest much more for the worlde And knowe this for certaine that after this bodily death thou shalte yet lyue the more that thou canst dye to thy selfe here the more thou beginnest to liue to God No man is apt to receyue the heauenlie rewarde but he haue first learned to beare aduersities for the loue of Christe for nothinge is more acceptable to God nor more profitable to man in this worlde then to be glad to suffer for Christ in somuch that if
swinke and sweate both day and night But alas for sorowe for the goods euerlasting and for the rewarde that may not be esteemed by mans haâ—â—e and for the high honour glory that neuer shall haue ende men be slowe to take any maner of payne and labour Be thou therefore ashamed thou slowe seruaunt of God that they be founde more ready to workes of death then thou art to works of life and that they ioy more in vanitie then thou in truth and yet they be ofte deceyued of that that they haue most trust in but my promise deceueth no man nor leaueth no man that trusteth in me without some comfort That I haue promised I will performe that I haue sayd I will fulfill to euery person so that they abide faythfully in my loue dread vnto the ende for I am the rewarder of all good men and a strong prouer of all deuout soules VVrite my wordes therefore in thy hart diligeÌ„tly and ofte thinke thou vpoÌ„ them and they shall be in time of temptatioÌ„ much necessarie vnto thee That thou vnderstandest not when thou readest it thou shalt vnderstande in the time of my visitation I am wont to visite my seruauntes two maner of wayes that is to say with temptation and with consolation and two lessons dayly I reade vnto them one wherby I rebuke their vices another whereby I stirre theÌ„ to encrease in vertues and he that knoweth my wordes and despiseth theÌ„ hath that that shall iudge him in the last day A prayer to obteyne the grace of deuotion The .4 Chapter Lord Iesu thou art all my riches and all that I haue I haue it of thee But what am I Lorde that I dare thus speake to thee I am thy poorest seruaunt a worme most abiect more poore and more dispisable than I can or bare say Beholde Lorde that I am nought that I haue nought and of my selfe I am nought worth thou art only good righteous and holy thou orderest all things thou giuest all things thou fulfillest all things with thy goodnes leauing only the wretched sinner barrain and voyde of heaueÌ„ly comfort Remember thy mercies and fill my harte with thy manifolde graces for thou wilte not that thy works in me be made in vaine How may I beare the miseries of this lyfe vnlesse thy grace and mercy doe coÌ„fort me therin Turne not thy face from me defer not thy visiting of me ne with drawe not thy comforts from me lest happily my soule be made as dry earth without the water of grace and as it were a thing vnprofitable to thee Teache me Lorde to fulfill thy will and to liue meekly and worthily before thee for thou art all my wisedome and running and thou art he that knowest me as I am and that knewest me before the world was made and before that I was borne or brought into this lyfe Hovve vve ought to be conuersant before God in truth and meekenes The 5. Chapter MY sonne sayth our lord Iesu walke before me in truth and meekenes and seeke me alwayes in simplenes and playnnes of hart He that walketh in truth shall be defended from all perils and daungers and truth shall deliuer him froÌ„ all deceyuers and from all euil sayings of wicked people If truth deliuer thee thou art very free and thou shalt litle care for the vayne sayinges of the people Lord it is true all that thou sayest be it done to me after thy saying I beseeche thee that thy truth may teache me and kepe me and finally leade me to a blessed ending and that it may deliuer me from all euil affections and from all inordinate loue that I may walke with thee in freedome of spirite and libertie of harte Then truth sayth agayne I shall teache thee what is acceptable and liking to me Thinke on thy sinnes paste with great displeasure and sorowe of harte neuer thinke thy selfe worthy to be called holy or vertuous for any good deedes that thou hast done but thinke howe great a sinner thou art beâ—apped and bounde with great and manifolde sinnes and passions and that of thy selfe thou drawest to nought soone fallest soone art ouercome soone troubled and soone art thou broken with labour and payne and thou hast nothing whereof thou mayst righteously glorifie thy selfe but many things thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to despise thy selfe for thou art more vnstable and more weake to ghostly works then thou knowest or mayst thinke Let nothing therfore seeme great to thee nothing precious nothing worthy any reputation nor woorthy to be praysed in thy sight but that is euerlasting Let the euerlastinge truth be most liking moste pleasaunt to thee aboue all other thinges and that thine owne sinne and vilenes be moste misliking and moste displeasaunt to thee Dreade nothing so much nor reproue nothing so much neyther let any thing be to thee so much hated nor flee nothing so muche as thy sinnes and wickednes for they should more displease thee then should the losse of all worldly thinges Some there be that walke not purelye before me for they through pride and curiositie of theÌ„ selues desire to searche and know high thinges of my godhead forgetting them selues the health of their owne soules such persons fall oft times into great leÌ„ptations and greeuous sinnes by their pride and curiositie for the which I am turned against them leaue them to theÌ„ selues without helpe or counsaile of me Dreade therfore the iudgemetes of God the wrath of him that is almightie and discusse not nor searche his secretes but searche well thine owne iniquities How ofte how greeuouslie thou haste offended him howe many good deedes thou haste negligeÌ„tlie omitted lefte vndone whiche thou mightest well haue doone Some persons beare their deuotion in bookes some in images some in outward tokens and figures some haue me in their mouth but litle in their heart but some there be that haue their reason cleerely illumined with the light of true vnderstandinge whereby their affectioÌ„ is so purged and purified from loue of earthly thinges that they maye alwaye couete desire heauenlie thinges in so much as it is greeuous to theÌ„ for to heare of earthly likinges and it is to them also a right great payne to serue the necessities of the body and they thinke all the time as lost wherein they go about it Suche persons feele and knowe well what the spirite of truth speaketh in their soules for it teacheth them to despise earthlie thinges and to loue heauenlie thinges to forsake the worlde that is transitorie and to desire both daye and night to come thither where is ioy euerlastinge to the which bringe vs our Lorde Iesus Amen Of the meruaillous effect of the loue of God The .6 Chapter BLessed be thou heauenlie father the father of my Lorde Iesus Christe for thou haste vouchesafed to remember me thy poorest seruant and somtime doest comfort me with thy gracious presence that am
me and to all goodnes all that he can and he will also hinder thee from all good workes and deuout excercises if he may that is to saye from the honour and worship that thou art bounde to geue to me and to my saintes and from minde of my passion and from the remembraunce of thine owne sinnes from a diligent keeping of thy harte in good meditatiōs and from a stedfast purpose to profite in vertue He will also put into thy mynde many ydle thoughts to make thee yrke and to be soone werye with prayer and with readinge and with all other good vertuous workes A meke confession displeaseth him much and if he can he will let a man that he shall not be houseled But beleue him not nor care not for him though he assayle thee neuer so muche Make all his malice returne to him selfe agayne and saye to him thus Go from me thou wicked spirit and be thou ashamed for thou art foule and vglye that wouldest bringe suche thinges into my mynde Go from me thou false deceyuer of mankinde thou shalt haue no part in me for my Sauiour Iesu standeth by me as a mightie warriour and a stronge champion and thou shalt flye awaye to thy confusion I had leuer suffer the most cruell death then to consent to thy malicious stiringes Be still therefore thou cursed feende and cease thy malice for I shall neuer assent to thee though thou vexe me neuer so muche Our Lorde is my light and my health whom shal I dreade and he is the defender of my life what shall I feare Truely though an hoste of men arise against me my hart shall not dread them For why God is my helper and my redeemer Then sayth our Lorde agayne to such a soule striue alwaye as a true knight against all the styringes of the enymie And if thou be sometyme through thy frailtie ouercome rise so one againe and take more strength then thou haddest first trust vertlie to haue more grace and more comfort of God than thou haddest before But beware alwaye of vainglorie and pride for therby many persons haue fallen into greate errours and into great blindnes of soule so farre that it hath bene right nigh incurable Be it therefore to thee a great exemple and a matter of perpetuall meekenes the fall ruine of suche proude folkes that foolishlie haue presumed of them selfe haue in the end finallie perished by their presumption Hovve grace is to be kept close through the vertue of meekenes The .8 Chapter MY sonne it is muche more expedient and muche more surer way for thee that thou hide the grace of deuotion and not to speake much of it nor much to regard it but rather to dispise thy selfe the more for it and to thinke thy selfe vnworthy any such gracious gift of god than to speke of it And it is not good to cleaue muche to suche affections as may be soone turned into the cōtrary VVhen thou hast the grace of deuotion consider how wretched needy thou wert wont to be when thou haddest no such grace The profite and increase of life spirituall is not onely when thou hast deuotion but rather when thou canst meekly and patienly beare the withdrawing absenting thereof and yet not to leaue thy prayers nor thy other good deedes that thou art accustomed to doe vndone but to thy power and as far as in thee is doest thy best therin and forgettest not thy duetie therefore nor art not negligent for any dulnes or vnquietnes of minde that thou feelest Neuerthelesse there be many persons that when any aduersity falleth to them they be anone vnpatient and be made thereby very slowe and dull to doe any good deede and they hinder them selues greatly For it is not in the power of man the waye that he shall take but it is onelye in the grace of God to dispose that after his will and to sende comforte when he will and as muche as he will and to whom he will as it shall please him and none otherwise Some vnware persons through an vndiscrete desire that they haue had to haue the grace of deuotion haue destroyed them selues for they woulde doe more then their power was to doe and would not knowe the measure of their gift nor the litlenes of their owne strength but rather woulde folowe the pride of their heart then the iudgement of reason And because they presumed to doe greater thinges then was pleasant to God therefore they lost anone the grace that they had before were lefte needy and without comfort which thought to haue builded their nestes in heauen and so they were taught not to presume of them selues but meekely to trust in God and in his goodnes Also such persons as be beginners and yet lacke experience in ghostly trauayle maye lightly erre and be deceiued vnlesse they will be ruled by counsayle of other And if they will needlye folowe their owne counsaile and will in no wise be remoued from their owne will it will be very perillous to them in the ende And it is not lightly seene that they that be wise and cunning in their owne sight will be meekely ruled or ordered by other It is better to haue litle cunning with meekenes then great cunninge with vayne liking therein and it is better to haue litle cunninge with grace then muche cunninge whereof thou shouldest be proude Also he doth not discretely that in time of deuotion setteth him selfe also to spirituall mirth and as it were to a heauenly gladnes forgetteth his former desolation and the meeke drede of God Neither doeth he well or vertuously that in time of trouble or any maner aduersitie or greefe beareth him selfe ouer much desperatlye and doth not feele or thinke so faithfully of me as he ought to doe He that in time of peace and ghostly comfort will thinke him selfe ouermuche sure commonly in time of battaile and of temptation shall be founde ouermuche deiect fearfull but if thou couldest alwaye abide meeke and litle in thine owne sight and couldest order well the motiōs of thine owne soule thou shouldest not so soone fall into presumption or dispaire nor so lightly offend almightie God VVherfore this is good and wholsome counsell that when thou haste the spirite of feruour thou thinke howe thou shalt doe when that feruor is passed and then whē it happeneth so with thee that thou thinke that it may soone come againe which to my honoure to thy prouing I haue withdrawen for a time And it is more profitable to thee that thou shouldest be so proued then that thou shouldest alway haue prosperous thinges after thy will for why merites are not to be thought great in any person because he hath manye visions or many ghostlye comfortes or for that he hath cleere vnderstāding of Scripture or that he is set in high degree but if he be stablye grounded in meekenes and fulfilled with charitie and seeke wholly the worship of
my selfe but to thee VVoulde to God it might be worthilye and profitablye and to thy honoure Amen A prayer that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled The 17. Chapter MOst benigne Lorde Iesu graunt me thy grace that it maye be alway with me and worke with me and perseuer with me vnto the end And that I may euer desire and wil that is most pleasaunt and acceptable to thee Thy will be my will and my will alwaye to folowe thy will best accord therewith Be there alwaye in me one will and one desire with thee and that I may haue no power to will or to not will but as thou wilt or wilt not And graunt me that I maye dye to all thinges that be in the world and for thee to loue to be despised and to be as a man vnknowen in this world Graunt me also aboue all thinges that can be desired that I may rest me in thee and fullye in thee pacifye my heart for thou Lord art the very true peace of heart and the perfect rest of bodye and soule and without thee all thinges be greeuous and vnquiet VVherefore in that peace that is in thee one high one blessed and one endlesse goodnes shall I alwaye rest me so may it be Amen That the verye true solace comfort is in god The .18 Chapter VVhat at soeuer I may desire or thinke to my cōfort I abide it not here but I trust to haue it hereafter for if I alone might haue all the solace and comfort of this worlde might vse the delites thereof after mine owne desire without sinne it is certaine that they might not long endure wherefore my soule may not fully be comforted nor perfectly refreshed but in God onely who is the comfort of the poore in spirite and the embracer of the meeke and lowly in heart Abide my soule abide the promise of god thou shalt haue aboundance of all goodnes in heauen If thou inordinatelye couete these goodnes present thou shalt lose the goodnes eternal Haue therfore goods present in vse and eternall in desire Thou mayest in no maner be satiate with temporal goodes for thou art not created so to vse thē as to rest thee in them for if thou alone haddest all the goodes that euer were created made thou mightest not theefore be happy and blessed but thy blessedfulnes and full felicitie standeth only in God that hath made all thinges of nought And that is not such felicitie as is commended of the foolishe louers of the worlde but such as good christen men women hope to haue in the blisse of heauen and as some ghostlye persons cleane and pure in heart sometime doe taste here in this present life whose conuersation is in heauen All worldly solace and all mans comfort is vaine and short but that comfort is blessed and soothfast that is perceaued by truth inwardly in the hart A deuout folower of God beareth alway about with him his comforter that is Iesu and sayeth thus vnto him My Lord Iesu I beseech thee that thou be with me in euery place and euerye time and that it be to me a special solace gladly for thy loue to want all mans solace And if thy solace want also that thy will and thy righteous prouing and assaying of me may be to me a singuler comfort and a high solace Thou shalt not alwaye be angrie with me neither shalt thou alwaye threate me So may it be Amen That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God The .19 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde to his seruant suffer me to doe with thee what I will for I knowe what is best and most expedient for thee Thou workest in many thinges after thy kindlie reason and after as thy affection and thy worldlie pollicie stirreth thee and so thou mayest lightlie erre and be deceued O Lorde it is true all that thou sayest thy prouidēce is much more better for me then all that I can doe or say of my selfe VVherfore it may well be sayde and verified that he standeth very casuallye that setteth not his wholle trust in thee Therefore Lorde while my witte abideth stedfast stable doe with me in all thinges as it pleaseth thee for it may not be but well all that thou doest If thou wilt that I be in light be thou blessed and if thou wilt that I be in darkenes be thou also blessed If thou vouchsafe to comfort me be thou highly blessed And if thou wilt that I shall liue in trouble and without all cōfort be thou in likewise muche blessed My sonne so it behoueth to be with thee if thou wilt walke with me as readye must thou be to suffer as to ioye and as gladlie be needye and poore as wealthy and riche Lorde I will gladlie suffer for thee whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fal vpon me Indifferētly will I take of thy hande good and bad bitter and sweete gladnes and sorowe and for all thinges that shall befal vnto me hartily wil I thanke thee Keepe me Lorde from sinne and I shall neither dreade death nor hel Put not my name out of the booke of life and it shall not greeue me what trouble soeuer befal vpon me That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde I descended from heauen and for thy health haue I takē thy miseries not compelled therto of necessitie but of my charitie that thou shouldest learne to haue patiēce with me not to disdayne to beare the miseries wretchednes of this life as I haue done for thee for from the first houre of my birth vnto my death vpō the crosse I was neuer without some sorowe or paine I had great lacke of temporall thinges I heard great cōplaintes made on me I suffered beningely many shames rebukes for my benefites I receaued vnkindnes for my miracles blasphemies for my true doctrine many reproufes O Lorde forasmuche as thou wert founde patient in thy life fulfilling in that moste specially the will of thy father it is seeming that I moste wretched sinner beare me patiently after thy will in all thinges and as long as thou wilt that I for mine owne health beare the burden of this corruptible life for though this life be tedious and as an heauy burden to the soule yet neuerthelesse it is nowe through thy grace made very meritorious and by exāple of thee of thy holie saints it is now made to weak persons more sufferable cleere and also muche more comfortable then it was in the olde lawe when the gates of heauen were shet and the waye thitherwarde was darke and so fewe did couet to seeke it And yet they that were then righteous and were ordeined to be saued before thy blessed passion and death might neuer haue come thither O what thankes am I bounde therfore to yeelde to thee that so louingly haste vouchedsafe to
not that our deedes be so euill so vnclene as they be The people corrupted them selfe with fleshly vncleÌ„nes and therefore folowed the greate floode and veryly when our inward affection is corrupted it is necessarie that our dedes folowinge thervpon be also corrupted for of a cleane heart springeth the fruite of good life It is ofte times asked what deedes such a maÌ„ hath done but of what zeale of what intent he did them is litle regarded whether a man be riche strong fayre able a good writer a good singer or a good labourer is ofte enquired but howe poore he is in spirite howe pacient and meeke howe deuout and howe inwardlie turned to God is litle regarded Nature holdeth the outwarde deede but grace turneth her to the inwarde intent of the deede The first is ofte deceyued but the seconde putteth her trust wholly in God and is not deceyued Hovve vve should forsake our selfe and thruste dovvne all couetise out of our heartes The .37 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde thou shalt not haue perfect libertie of minde vnlesse thou wholly forsake thy selfe All proprietaries and al louers of them selues al couetous persons curious vaine glorious and all runners about and also such as seeke thinges softe delectable in this worlde and not of Iesus Christe ofte fayninge and greedilye seekinge thinges that shal not longe endure be as men fettred and bounde with chaines and haue no perfect libertie nor freedome of spirit for all thinges shall perish that be not wrought of God Holde well in thy minde this short word Forsake all thinges and thou shalt finde all thinges forsake couetise and thou shalt finde great rest Print wel in thy minde that I haue sayde for wheÌ„ thou haste fulfilled it thou shalte well knowe that it is true Lorde this lesson is not one dayes worke nor a playe for children for in it is conteyned the full perfectioÌ„ of all religion Also my sonne thou oughtest not to be turned from god nor to be anye thinge discouraged from his seruice when thou hearest the straite lyfe of perfect men but rather thou oughtest to be prouoked thereby to higher perfection and at least to desire in harte that thou mightest come therto But woulde to God thou were firste come to this point that thou were not a louer of thy selfe but that thou wouldest keepe my commaundementes and the commaundementes of him that I haue appoynted to be thy father spirituall for then thou shouldest please me greatlye and then all thy lyfe shoulde passe forth in ioye and peace Thou haste yet manye thinges to forsake whiche vnlesse thou can whollye forsake thou shalt not get that thou desirest And therefore I counsayle thee to buye of me bright shininge gold that is to saye heauenlye wisedome that despiseth all earthlye thinges and cast fro thee all worldlye wisdome and all mans comfort and all thine owne affections and that thou chose to haue vile thinges and abiect rather theÌ„ precious and high in the sight of the worlde But thee true heauenly wisedome seemeth to manye to be vile and litle and well nigh forgotten Many can saye with their mouth that it is good not to desire to be magnifyed in the worlde but their lyfe foloweth not their saying And therefore they desire it priuily in their heart but yet that is the precious margaret and the high vertue that is hid fro much people for their presumption get it who so may Of the vnstablenes of mans harte and that our finall intent in all thinges shoulde be to God The .38 Chapter My sonne looke thou beleeue not thine owne affection for it chaungeth ofte from one to an other As longe as thou liuest thou shalt be glad to chaunge habilitie whether thou wilt or not as nowe glad nowe sorowfull nowe pleased nowe displeased nowe deuout nowe vndeuout nowe lustie nowe slouthfull nowe heauie nowe lightsome But a wise man that is well taught in ghostlie trauayle standeth stable in all such thinges and forceth litle what he feeleth nor on what side the winde of vnstablenes bloweth but all the intent and studie of his minde is howe he may moste profite in vertue finallie come to the most fruitfull most blessed ende By such a wholle intent fullie directed to God may a man abide stedfast stable in him selfe among many aduersities and the more pure and the more cleane that his intent is the more stable shall he be in euery storme But alas for sorowe the eye of mans soule is anone darkened for it beholdeth lightlie delectable thinges that come of the worlde and of the fleshe in so muche that there is seldome founde any person that is free cleare from the venemous desire of hearinge of some tales or of some other fantasies and that by their owne seekinge In suche maner â—ame the Iewes into Bethany to Martha and to Marie Magdalen not for the loue of our Lord Iesus but for to see Lazarus whom he had raysed from death to life VVherefore the eye of the soule is to be kept full bright that it be alwaye pure and cleane and that it be aboue all passing thinges wholly directed to god the which graunt vs to c. Amen Hovve our Lorde God sauoureth to his louer svveetly aboue all things and in all things The 39. Chapter OVr Lorde God is to me all in all and sith he is so what would I more haue or what can I more desire O this is a sauoury worde a sweete to saye that our Lorde is to me all in all But that is to him that loueth the worde and not the worlde To him that vnderstandeth this worde is sayd inough but yet to repeate it ofte is likinge to him that loueth I maye therfore more plainely speake of this matter and saye Lorde when thou art present to me all thinge is pleasaunt and likinge but when thou art absent all thinges are greeuous and greatly mislikinge VVhen thou commest thou makest myne harte restfull and bringest into it a newe ioye thou makest thy louer to feele and vnderstande the truth and to haue a true iudgement in all thinges in all thinges to laude and prayse thee O Lorde without thee nothinge may belonge likinge nor pleasaunt for if any thinge shoulde be lykinge and sauourye it muste be through helpe of thy grace and be tempered with the spicerie of thy wisedome To him to whom thou sauourest well what shall not sauour well And to him that thou sauourest not well vnto what may be ioyfull or likinge But worldlie wise men and they that sauour fleshlye delightes fayle of this wisedome For in worldlie wisedome is founde great vanitie and in fleshlie pleasures is euerlastinge death and therefore they that folow thee Lord by despising of the world and by perfect mortifieng of their fleshly lustes be knowen to be verie wise for they be led from vanitie to trueth and from fleshelie likinge to spirituall cleannes To suche persons God sauoureth wonderous sweete
thinge vnprofitable O Lorde thou arte alwaye one euer shalt be one alway good alway righteous and holy well righteously and blessedly disposing all thinges after thy wisedome but I wretche that alway am more redy prone to euill then to good am not alwaye abidinge in one for seuen times be chaunged vpon me Neuerthelesse it shall be better with me when it shall please thee to put to thy helpinge hand for thou onely act he that without man mayest helpe me and so coÌ„firme and stable me in thee that mine heart shall not so lightlie be changed from thee but that it maye be wholly fired in thee and finallye to rest in thee And verilye if I coulde cast awaye from me all mans comfort either for getting of deuotion or for that I am compelled therto of necessitie for that I finde no comfort in man then might I well trust in thy grace to haue of thee newe visitations newe heauenlie consolation But I confesse it for truth that I am vnworthy to haue anye suche consolations and I thanke thee as ofte as anye good thinge commeth to me for all that is good coÌ„meth of thee I am but vanitie and nought before thee an vnconstant man and a feeble and therefore whereof maye I righteously glorifie my selfe or why should I looke to be magnified Truelye vaine glorie is a perillous sickenes a greeuous pestilence a right great vanitie for it draweth a man from the true ioy that he should haue in God and robbeth him cleerelye of all heauenly grace For when a man pleaseth him selfe he displeaseth thee when he delighteth in mans praysinges he is depriued from the true vertues for the true stedfast ioye gladnes is to ioye in thee not in him selfe in thy name and not in his owne vertue nor in anye creature Therefore thy name be praysed and not mine thy workes be magnified and not mine and thy goodnes be alwaye blessed so that nothing be geuen to me of the laude and praysing of man Thou art my glory and the ioy of my hart in thee shall I be glorified and alway shall I ioy in thee and in my selfe nothinge but in my infirmities Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge them selues but I will seeke none but that is onely of thee for all mans glory all temporall honour and all worldlye highnes to thy eternall glorye compared is but as foolishnes and a great vanitie O truth O mercy O blessed trinitie to thee be laude honour and glory euerlastingly Amen Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised The 46. Chapter My sonne take it not to greefe though thou see other men honoured and exalted and thy selfe despised set at nought If thou raise vp thine hart to me in heaueÌ„ the despites of man in earth shall litle greeue thee O Lord we be here in great darknes and are soone deceyued with vanities but verilie if I beheld my selfe well I should openlie see that there was neuer any wrong done to me by any creature nor that I haue nothing wherof I maye righteoussie complayne But for as muche as I haue ofte sinned and greeuouslie offended against thee therefore all creatures be armed against me To me therefore is due confusion and despite to thee lande honour and glorye And vnlesse I can bring my selfe to this point that I woulde gladlye be despised and forsaken of all creatures vtterlye to seeme as nought in the worlde I may not be inwardlye pacified nor stablished in thee nor spirituallie be illumined nor yet fully vnited to thee That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people The 47. Chapter My sonne if thou set thy peace with anye person for thyne owne pleasure or worldlye frendshippe thou shalt alway be vnstable and neuer shalte thou be coÌ„tented but if thou haue alway recourse to the truth euerlasting that is God himselfe then the death or goinge awaye of thy dearest freende whatsoeuer he be shall litle greue thee The loue of thy frend ought alwaye to be referted to me and for me he is to be beloued howe good and howe profitable soeuer he seme vnto thee in this life VVithout me freÌ„dship is nought worth nor maye not long endure nor that loue is not true and cleane that is not knit by me Thou oughtest therefore to be so mortified in all such affections of worldlie men that in as much as in thee is thou wouldest couete to be without all mans comfort So muche a man draweth nerer to God as he can withdrawe hym selfe from the worlde and from all worldlie comfort and so muche the more he ascendeth higher to God as he can descend lower in him selfe and as he can waxe vile and abiect in his owne sight He that ascribeth any goodnes to him selfe withstandeth the grace of God and letteth it to liue in him for the grace of the holye ghoste seeketh alwaye a meeke and an humble heart If thou couldest perfectly annihilate thy selfe and whollie put out of thy heart all humane and create loue then shoulde I sayth our Lorde dwell in thee with great aboundaunce of my grace But when thou lookest to creatures then is righteouslie drawen from thee the sight of thy Creator Learne therefore to ouercome thy selfe for the loue of him that made thee like to hym selfe and thou shalt anone come to great ghostlie knowledge Howe lytle soeuer the thinge be that a man loueth yf he loue it inordinatlie it hindreth and letteth him greatlie from the true and perfect loue that he shoulde haue to God That vve should eschevv vayne seculer cunninge The .48 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde let not fayre and subtil wordes moue thee for the kingdome of heauen standeth not in wordes but in good vertuous workes Take hede to my wordes for they enflame the harte and lighten the vnderstandinge and bringe in also compunction of harte for sinnes past and cause also ofte times great heauenlie comfort sodenly to come into the soule Reade neuer in any scieÌ„ce to the inteÌ„t thou wouldest be called wise but studie rather to mortifie in thee all stirringes of sinnes as much as in thee is that shall be more profitable to thee than the knowledge of many harde and subtill questions VVhen thou hast reade and vnderstoode many doubtes yet neuerthelesse it behoueth thee to come to one that is beginninge of all thinges that is God him selfe and els thy knowledge shall litle auayle thee I am he that teacheth a maÌ„ cuÌ„ning do giue more vnderstaÌ„ding to meeke persons than can be taught by maÌ„s teaching And he to whom I speake sâ—al soone be made wise much shall he profit in spirite when payne and wo shall be to them that onelie seeke for curious learninge takinge litle heede to the waye to serue God The time shall come when Christ Lorde of Angels and master of all masters shall appere to heare the lesson of euery creature and to examine the conscience of euery person and then shall
thy mercie from all perils and daungers O righteous father euer to be praysed the time is come that thou wilte thy seruaunt be proued And righteouslie is it done that I now shall suffer somewhat for thee now is the hour come that thou hast knowen from the beginninge that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught and inwardlie to liue to thee and that he shoulde a litle be despised in the sight of the world and be broken with passions and sickenes that he might after rise with thee into a newe light and be clarified and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen O holie father thou haste ordeyned it so to be and it is done as thou hast commaunded this is thy grace to thy freende to suffer and to be troubled in this worlde for thy loue howe ofte so euer it be of what person soeuer it be in what maner soeuer thou suffer it to fall vnto him without thy counsayle prouidence nor without cause nothinge is done vpon earth Oh it is good to me Lorde that thou hast meekened me that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgementes and put from me all maner of presumption and highnes of minde And it is verie profitable to me that coÌ„fusion hath couered my face that I maye learne thereby to seeke for helpe and succour to thee rather theÌ„ to man And I haue therby learned to dreade thy secrete terrible iudgementes which scourgest the righteous maÌ„ with the sinner but not without equitie and iustice I yeelde thankes to thee that thou haste not spared my sins but haste punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent me sorowes and anguishes within and without so that there is no creature vnder heauen that may comfort me but thou Lorde God the heauenlie leach of mans soule which strikest and healest and bringest a man nigh vnto bodilie death and after restorest him to health againe that he maye thereby learne to knowe the littlenes of his owne power the more fullie to trust in thee Thy discipline is fallen vpon me and thy rod of correctioÌ„ hath taught me vnder that rodde I whollie submit me strike my backe and bones as it shall please thee make me to bowe my croked will vnto thy will make me a meeke an humble disciple as thou hast sometime done with me that I may walke all after thy wil. To thee I commit my selfe and all mine to be corrected for better it is to be corrected by thee here then in time to come Thou knowest all thinges nothinge is hidde from thee that is in mans coÌ„scieÌ„ce Thou knowest thinges to come before they fall it is not nedefull that any man teache thee or warne thee of any thinge that is done vpoÌ„ the earth Thou knowest what is speedefull for me and howe much tribulation helpeth to purge the rest of sinne in me do with me after thy pleasure and disdayne not my sinfull life to none so well knowen as it is to thee Graunt me Lorde that to knowe that is necessarie to be knowen that to loue that is to be loued that to prayse that highlie pleaseth thee that to regarde that appeareth precious in thy sight and that to refuse that is vile before thee Suffer me not to iudge after my outwarde wits nor to geue senteÌ„ce after the hearinge of vncunninge men but in a true iudgement to discerne thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thinges alway to searche and folowe thy will and pleasure The outwarde witnes of men be ofte deceyued in their iudgementes And in likewise the louers of the worlde be deceyued through louinge onelie of visible thinges VVhat is a man the better for that he is taken better truelie nothinge For a deceitfull man deceyueth an other a vayne maÌ„ deceyueth an other and a blinde feeble creature deceyueth an other when he exalteth him and rather confoundeth him then prayseth him For why howe muche soeuer a man be in light of God so much he is and no more sayth the meeke Saint Fraunces howe holye and howe vertuous soeuer he be taken in sight of the people That it is good that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion The 56. Chapter My sonne thou mayest not alwaye stande in the high ferueÌ„t desire of vertue ne in the highest degree of contemplatioÌ„ but thou muste of necessitie through the corruption of the first sinne sometime descende to lower thinges and against thy will and with great tediousnes to beare the burden of this corruptible body for as longe as thou bearest this bodie of death thou must neede feele some tediousnes and griefe of heart and thou shalt ofte times beweepe mourne the burden of thy fleshlie feelinges and the contradictioÌ„ of thy body to thy soule for thou mayest not for the corruption thereof perseuer in spirituall studies and in heauenlye contemplation as thou wouldest doe and then it is good to thee to flie to meeke bodilie laboures and to exercise thy selfe in good outwarde workes and in a stedfast hope and trust to abide my comminge and my newe heauenlie visitations and to beare thy exile and the drines of thy hart patientlie till thou shalt be visited by me agayne and be deliuered from all tediousnes and vnquietnes of minde VVhen I shall come I shall make thee forget all thy former laboures and to haue inwarde rest and quietnes of soule I shall also laye before thee the florishing medowe of holy scripture and thou shalte with great gladnes of heart in a newe blessed feeling fele the very true vnderstaÌ„ding thereof and then quickly shalt thou runne the waye of my commaundementes and then shalt thou saye in great spirituall gladnes The passions of this world be not woorthy of theÌ„ selues to bring vs to the ioy that shall be shewed vs in the blisse of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen That a man shall not thinke him selfe vvorthy to haue comfort but rather to haue sorovve and payne and of the profite of contrition The 57. Chapter LOrde I am not woorthy to haue thy consolation nor any spirituall visitatioÌ„ and therefore thou doest righteously to me when thou leauest me needy and desolate for though I might weepe water of teares like to the Sea yet were I not woorthy to haue thy conâ—olatioÌ„ for I am worthy to haue nothing but sorowe and paine for I haue so greeuouslye and so ofte offended thee and in so many things greatly trespassed against thee Therefore I may well saye and confesse for truth that I am not woorthy to haue thy leste coÌ„solation But thou Lord benigne and mercifull that wilt not thy workes doe perish to shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes in the vessels of thy mercy aboue all my merites or desert doest vouchsafe sometime to comforte me thy seruaunt more then I can thinke or deuise Thy coÌ„solations be not
through weakenes of it selfe it is not able to fulfill all that it approueth nor hath not sith the firste sinne of Adam the full light of truth nor the sweetnes of affections to God as it had firste Of this it commeth most mercifull Lorde that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule I delite me in thy lawes and in thy teachinges knowinge that they are good and righteous and holie and that all sinne is euill and to be fled and eschewed and yet in my outwarde man that is to saye in my fleshelie felinge I serue the lawe of sinne when I obeye rather to sensualitie then to reason And of this it foloweth also that I will good but to perfourme it without thy grace I maye not for weakenes of my selfe And sometime I purpose to doe many good deedes but for that grace wanteth that shoulde helpe me I goe backeward and fayle in my doinge I knowe the waye to perfection and howe I shoulde do I see it euidentlye but for that I am so oppressed with the heauye burden of this corrupt bodye of synne I lye still and ryse not to perfection O Lorde howe necessarye therefore is thy grace to me to beginne well to continue well and to ende well for without thee I maye nothinge doe that good is O heauenlye grace without whom our merites are nought woorth nor the giftes of nature nothinge to be pondred neither craftes or riches any thinge to be regarded nor beautie strength wit nor eloquence nothinge maye auayle come thou shortlye and helpe me The gyftes of nature be common to good men and bad but grace and loue are the giftes of electe and chosen people whereby they be marked and made able and worthy to haue the kingedome of heauen This grace is of suche worthynes that â—eyther the gyfte of prophecie nor the workinge of miracles nor yet the gyfte of cunninge and knowledge maye nothinge auayle wihout it ne yet fayth hope or other vertues be not acceptable to thee without grace and charitie O blessed grace that maketh the poore in spirite to be ryche in vertue and hym that is ryche in worldlye goodes maketh meeke and lowe in heart come and descende into my soule and fulfill me with thy ghostlie comfortes that it fayle not nor faynt for werines drynes of it selfe I beseeche thee Lord that I may finde grace in thy sight for thy grace shal suffice to me though I doe wante that nature desireth For although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery side yet shall I not neede to drede whiles thy grace is with me for she is my strength she is my comfort and she is my counsayle and helpe she is stronger then all mine enemies and wiser then all the wisest of this worlde She is the maystres of truth the teacher in discpline the light of the hart the comfort of trouble the driuer awaye of heauines the auoyder of dreade the nourisher of deuotion and the bringer of sweete teares and deuoute weepinges VVhat am I theÌ„ without grace but a drie stocke to caste awaye Graunt me therefore that thy grace maye preuent me and folowe me and that It may make me euer busie and diligent in good workes vnto my death So may it be Amen That vve ought to forsake our selfe and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse The 61. Chapter My sonne as much as thou canst go out fro thy selfe and frothine owne will so much as thou mayest enter into me and as to desire nothing outwardlie bringeth peace inwardlie into mans soule so a man by an inwarde forsakinge of him selfe ioyneth him to God I will therefore that thou learne to haue a perfect forsaking and a full resigning of thy selfe into my hands without withsaying and complayninge and that thou folowe me for I am the waye I am the truth and I am the life VVithout a waye no man maye go and without truth no man maye knowe and without life no man maye lyue I am the waye which thou oughtest to goe the truth which thou oughtest to beleue the life which thou shalt hope to haue I am the waye that can not be defyled the truth which can not be deceyued and the life that neuer shall haue ende I am the waye moste straite the truth most perfect and the life most soothfast A blessed life and a life vnmade that made all things If thou dwell and abide in my waye thou shalt knowe the truth and truth shal deliuer thee and thou shalt come to euerlastinge life If thou wilte come to that lyfe kepe my coÌ„maundementes If thou wilt knowe the truth beleeue my teachinges If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou haste If thou wilt be my Disciple forsake thy selfe If thou wilt haue the blessed lyfe despise this present life If thou wilt be exalted in heauen meeke thee here in earth And if thou wilt reigne with me beare the Crosse with me for truely only the seruauntes of the Crosse shall finde the life of blessednes and of euerlastinge light O Lorde Iesu forasmuche as thy waye is narowe and straite and is also muche despised in the worlde geue me grace to beare gladlye the despisinges of the worlde There is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde nor any Disciple aboue his master Let thy seruaunt therefore be exercised in thy wayes for therein is the health and the very perfection of lyfe whatsoeuer I reade or heare beside that way it refresheth me not nor delighteth me not fullye My sonne forasmnche as thou knowest these thinges hast reade them all thou shalt be blessed if thou fulfil them He that hath my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I shall loue him I shall shewe my selfe vnto him and shall make him sitte with me in the kingdome of my father Lorde as thou hast sayde and promised so be it done to me I haue taken the Crosse of penaunce at thy hand and I shall beare it vnto my death as thou haste put it to me to doe For the lyfe of euery good man is the Crosse and it is also the way and leader to Paradise and nowe it is begonne it is not lawfull for me to go backe fro it ne it is not behouefull for me to leaue it Haue done therefore my welbeloued brethren go we forth together Iesu shall be with vs for Iesu we haue taken this Crosse for Iesu let vs perseuer and he shal be our helpe that is our guyde and leader â—â— our kinge goeth before vs that shall fyght for vs folowe we hym stronglye dreade we no perils but be we readye to dye stronglye with hym in battayle that we put no blot into our glorye nor minishe not our rewarde by flyinge cowardlye awaye from the Crosse That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes though he happen to fall into some defaulâ—es The .62 Chapter My sonne patience and mekenes in aduersitie please me more then
reproue so glad in prosperitie so feeble in aduersitie so ofte purposinge many good thinges and so seldome bringinge them to effecte And when thou haste thus confessed and be wept all these defaults and such other like in thee with great sorowe and displeasure of thine owne fraylenes set thee then in a full purpose to amende thy life and to profite alwaye from better to better and then with a full resigninge and a wholle will offer thy selfe into the honour of my name in the Aulter of thy hart as sacrifice to me that is to saye faythfullie committinge to me both thy bodie and soule so that thou mayest be worthye to offer to me this high sacrifice and to receyue healthfullie the Sacrament of my holie bodie for there is no oblation more worthie nor satisfaction greater to put awaye sinne then a man to offer him selfe purelie and whollie to God with the offeringe of the bodie of Christ in masse and in holie communion If a man doe that in him is and is truelie penitent as ofte as he commeth to me for grace and forgiuenes I am the Lorde that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted to liue and I shall no more remember his sinnes but they all shall be forgeuen and pardoned vnto hym Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse and of a full forsakinge of our selfe The 8. Chapter OVr Lorde Iesus sayth to his seruant thus As I hanginge all naked with mine armes spread abroad vpon the crosse offered my selfe to God the father for thy sinnes so that nothinge remayned in me but that all went in sacrifice to please my Father and to appease his wrath agaynst mankinde so thou oughtest to offer thy selfe freelie to God as muche as thou mayest in a pure and holie oblation daylie in the Masse with all thy power and affection VVhat require I more of thee then that thou shouldest studie whollie to resigne thy selfe vnto me for whatsoeuer thou geuest beside thy selfe I regarde it not for I looke not for thy giftes but for thee For as it shoulde not suffise to thee to haue all thinges beside me so it maye not please me whatsoeuer thou geue beside thy selfe Offer thy selfe to me and geue thy selfe all to God and thy oblation shall be acceptable Lo I offered my selfe whollye to my father for thee and I gaue my bodye and bloude to thy meate that I shoulde be all whollie thine and thou mine But if thou haue a trust in thy selfe and doest not freelye offer thee to my will thy oblation is not pleasaunt and there shall be betwene vs no perfect vnitie Therefore a free offeringe of thy selfe into the handes of God must go before all thy workes if thou wilte obteine grace and the true libertie Therefore it is that so fewe be inwardlie illuminate and free because they can not whollye forsake them selfe for my words be true but a man renounce him selfe he may not be my disciple Offer thy selfe fullie to me with all thine affection and loue Amen That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God and to praye for all people The 9. Chapter LOrde all thinges be thine that be in heauen earth I desire to offer my selfe to thee in a free and perpetual oblation so that I may perpetuallie be with thee Lord in simplenes of hart I offer me this daye to thee to be thy seruant in the seruice sacrifice of laude perpetuall accept me with this oblation of thy precious bodye which I this daye offer to thee in the presence of thy holie Angels that be here present inuisible that it maye be to my health and to the health of all the people And Lorde I offer to thee all my sinnes and offences that I haue committed before thee and thy holie Angels fro the daye that I might first offende vnto this daye that thou vouchesafe through thy great charitie to put away all my sinnes to clense my cōscience of all mine offences and restore to me agayne the grace that I through sinne haue lost and that thou forgeue me all thinges past and receyue me mercifullie into a blessed kissing of peace and forgeuenes VVhat may I do then but meekelie cōfesse and bewaile my sinnes and continuallie aske mercye of thee forgeue me mercifull Lorde I beseeche thee for all my sinnes displease me muche and I will neuer commit them againe but sorow for them readie to doe penance and satisfactiō after my power Forgeue me Lorde forgeue me my sinnes for thy holie name saue my soule that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloode I commit my selfe whollie vnto thy mercie I resigne me whollie into thy handes doe with me after thy goodnes and not after my malice and wretchednes I offer also to thee all my good deedes though they be verie fewe and imperfect that thou amende them and sanctifie them and make them likinge and acceptable to thee and alwaye make them better and better and that thou bringe me though I be a slowe and an vuprofitable person to a blessed and a laudable ende I offer also to thee all the desires of deuout persons the necessitie of mine auncesters freendes brother sister and of all my louers and of all them that for thy loue haue done good to me or to any other that haue desired asked me to praye or to doe sacrifice for them or for their freendes whether they be aliue or deade that they maye the rather feele the helpe of thy grace and the gifte of thy heauenlie consolation thy protection from all perils and the deliuerance from all payne and that they so beinge deliuered from all euils may in spirituall gladnes yeelde to thee high laude and praysinges I offer to thee also my prayer and my peaceable offeringe for all them that haue in any thinge hindred me or made me heauy or that haue done me any hurt or greeue and for all them also whom I haue at anye time made heauy troubled greued or slaundered in worde or deede wittinglye or ignorantlye that thou forgeue vs altogether our sinnes and offences against thee and of eche of vs against other and that thou Lorde take fro our heartes all suspition and indignation wrath variance and whatsoeuer may let charitie or diminish fraternall loue that eche of vs shoulde haue to other haue mercie Lorde haue mercie on all them that aske thee mercie and geue grace to them that haue neede and make vs to stande in suche case that we be worthye to haue thy grace and finallye to come to the lyfe euerlastinge Amen That the holye Communion is not lightlye to be forborne The .10 Chapter IT behoueth thee to runne ofte to the fountayne of grace and mercye and to the fountaine of all goodnes and puritie that thou mayest be healed from thy passiōs and vices and be made more stronge against all the temptations and deceytfull crafte of our enemie The fiende knowinge the greatest
shew to me and to all faythful people that will folow thee the very true and straite way to thy kingdome Thy holy life is our way and by thy patiēce we walke to thee who art our head and gouernour And if thou Lorde haddest not gone before and shewed vs the way who woulde haue endeuoured him to haue folowed howe many shoulde haue taried behind if they had not seene thy blessed examples goinge before VVe be yet slowe dull nowe we haue seene and hearde thy signes and doctrines what shoulde we then haue beene if we had seene no such light goinge before vs Truelie we should haue fixed our minde and loue whollye in worldlye thinges from the which keepe vs Lorde of thy great goodnes Amen Of patient suffering of iniuries and vvronges and vvho is truely patient The .21 Chapter My sonne what is it that thou speakest why complainest thou thus ceasse ceasse cōplaine no more consider my passion and the passions of my saintes and thou shalt well see that it is right litle that thou suffrest for me Thou hast not yet suffred to the shedinge of thy bloud and truelie thou haste litle suffred in comparison of them that haue suffred so many thinges for me in time past and that haue bene so strongly tempted so greeuouslye troubled and so manye wayes proued It behoueth thee therefore to remember the great greeuous thinges that other haue suffred for me that thou mayest the more lightly beare thy litle griefes and if they seeme not litle to thee loke thy impatiēce cause not that but neuertheles whether they be litle or great studie alwaye to beare them patientlie without grudginge or complayninge if thou may and the better that thou canst dispose thee to suffer them the more wiselier thou doest and the more merit shalt thou haue and thy burdē by reason of thy good custome and of thy good will shall be the lighter Thou shalt neuer saye I can not suffer this thinge of such a person nor it is not for me to suffer it he hath done me great wronge and layeth vnto my charge that I neuer thought but of another man I will suffer as I shall thinke Suche maner sayinges be not good for they consider not the vertue of patience nor of whom it shalbe crowned but they rather consider the persons and the offences done vnto them Therefore he is not truelie pacient that will not suffer but as much as he will and of whom he will for a true pacient man forceth not of whom he suffereth whether of his Prelate or of his felowe that is egall vnto him or of any other that is vnder him nor whether he be a good man and a holye or an euill man and an vnworthy but whensoeuer any aduersitie or wronge falleth vnto him whatsoeuer it be and of whom soeuer if be and howe ofte soeuer he taketh all thankfullie as of the hande of God and accompteth it as a riche gifte and a great benefite O God for he knowweth well that there is nothinge that a man may suffer for God that may passe without great merite Be thou therefore readie to battall if thou wilt haue victorie without battaile thou mayest not come to the crowne of patience and yf thou wilt not suffer thou refusest to be crowned VVherefore if thou wilt needlie be crowned resist stronglie and suffer patientlie for without laboure no man may come to rest nor without battaile no man may come to victorie O Lorde Iesu make it possible to me by grace that is impossible to me by nature Thou knowest well that I may litle suffer and that I am cast downe anone with a litle aduersitie wherfore I beseeche thee that trouble and aduersitie may hereafter for thy name be beloued and desired of me for truelie to suffer and to be vexed for thee is verie good and profitable to the health of my soule Of the knovvinge of our ovvne infirmities and of the miseries of this life The .22 Chapter I Shall knowledge against me all my vnrighteousnes and I shall confesse to thee Lorde all the vnstablenes of my hearte Ofte times it is but a litle thinge that casteth me downe maketh me dull and slowe to all good workes and sometime I purpose to stande stronglie but when a litle temptation cōmeth it is to me greate anguishe griefe and somtime of a right litle thing a greeuous temptation riseth and when I thinke my selfe to be somewhat surer and that as it seemeth I haue the higher hande sodenly I feele my selfe nere hand ouercome by a light temptatiō Beholde therfore good Lord beholde my weaknes and my frailnes best knowen to thee before all other haue mercy on me O Lord and deliuer me from the filthy dregs of sinne that my feete be neuer fixed in them But this is it that ofte grudgeth me sore and in maner cōfoundeth me before thee that I am so vnstable and weake and so feayle to resist my passions And though they drawe me not alwaye to consent yet neuerthlesse their cruell assaultes be very greeuous vnto me so that it is in maner tedious to me to liue in such battaile but yet such battaile is not all vnprofitable to me for thereby I knowe the better myne owne infirmities for I see well that such wicked fantasies doe rise in me muche sonner then they go awaye But would to God that thou moste strongest God of Israell the louer of all faythfull soules wouldest vouchsafe to beholde the labour and sorowe of me thy poorest seruant and that thou wouldest assist me in all things that I haue to do Strength me Lord with heuenlye strength so that the olde enimie the fiende nor my wretched flesh which is not yet fullye subiect to the spirite haue not power nor lordship ouer me against whom I must fight continuallye while I shall lyue in this miserable life But alas what life is this where no trouble nor miserie wanteth where also euery place is full of snares of mortall enimies for one trouble or temptation goinge awaye another commeth and the first conflict yet duringe many other sodenlye ryse more then can be thought Howe may this life therefore be loued that hath suche bitternes and that is subiect to so many miseries And howe may it be called a life that bringeth forth so many deathes so many ghostly infections and yet it is beloued muche delighted of in many persons The world is ofte reproued that it is deceiptful and vaine and yet it is not lightly forsaken especiallye when the concupiscences of the fleshe be suffered to haue rule Some thinges stirre a man to loue the worlde and some thinges to despise it the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eye and the pride of the hart stirre man to loue the worlde But the paines and miseries that folowe of it causeth hatred and tediousnes of it agayne But alas for sorowe a litle delectation ouercommeth the minde of thē that be much set