the length thou most paynefully most miserably yet most louynglye and willinglye sufferest moost crewel moost bytter and moost shamefull deathe for me specially and for all mākynd and so well thou yet louyst me that if nede were thou art redy to suffer the lyke yea more paynfull passion more cruel death rather then I should perysh if I wold faithfully loue and serue the. ¶ O Most louing and mercyfull sauyoure Iesu I moost vnkind sinner haue neglected and set at nought the that haue done so muche for me and I haue offended as vnkyndly and as greuously as though thou haddest done nothing at all for me For I haue contynually offendyd and synned all my life but specially ī these N. Thou most here remember thy special dedly sinnes one after another and be speciallye sorye yf tyme wyll serue And generally I confesse my innumerable enormytes wherin I haue contēpned and offendyd the. Fyrst in breking of thy holy .x. commaundementes In the .xii. Artycles of the catholyque fayth The statutes and commaundementes of holy churche In the .xii. coūsels of the gospell In breking such priuate vowes as I haue promised In the .vii. mortal sinnes ¶ Omytting the .vii. workes of meryc gostly and in not doing the .vii. gyftes of the holy inspiracions I haue misused the gyftes of grace lent vnto me I haue mysused my v. vyttes or senses outwarde and my senses inward I haue misspent al the powers members and myghtes of my body and of my soule I haue mysspent the gyftes of nature the gyftes of fortune the giftes of the holy goost I haue not desposyd me to haue constante fayth perfect hope and burning charitie which are the thre theological vertewes I haue not had in me the foure cardinall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortytude and Temperaunce I haue not labored to haue in me the .xii. frutes of the holy gost I haue not labored so ernestly to com to perfection of lyfe and to the perfect loue of the as I wolde haue done to come vnto hyghe dignitie and honour of the worlde I haue sinned and lyued sinfully in euerye place in euery state in euery office that I haue lyued in by word by dede thought in omission in losse of my tyme and in vnkyndnes and vnthankfulnes towardes the my Lorde God towardes thy blessed mother and all thy blessed angels and saintes And agaynst all myne neighbors against the good folkes the blessed frindes of god agaynst the weake and sinners agaynste my benefactours and frendes agaynste my superiors my egalles my inferiours agaynste the quicke and the deade against the sowles in purgatory againste all creatures against my owne selfe agaynste both my body and my soule for I haue misvsed these creatures to the great dyshonor of the my lord god to the iniurye of myne neghbours and to the condemnacion of myne owne soule So that ther is no gyfte nor benefyt that thou haste geuen me nor no good thing in the whiche I haue sought the sincerely and purelye For I haue lesse or more sought myne owne commodytie myne owne wyll or pleasure Thus in all my hole lyfe I haue ether done commytted sinne eyther omyttyd and not done my dewty or els doing my dewty or any good woorke I haue not done it so syncerelye purely as I ought to haue done Wherfor I forsake here al kynde of sinne and al my dedes good and bad and I runne only vnto thy greate mercy and infinyte merytes ¶ O most mercyfull petyfull and most louyng lorde Iesu I moost humbly lowly beseke thy mercyful goodnes for thy most holy concepcion and natiuitye For thy blessed conuersacion and moost holy lyfe For thy moost harde and sore laboure and trauel for the great sorow and heuynes of thy blessed harte for thy most payneful agonye and bloudy sweat for al thy bytter and most paynfull passion for al the cruell effucion of thy moost precious bloud for thy most painful most cruel moost bytter and shamefull death graunt me mercy and forgeuenes of all my vnkindnes and sinne mortyfye in me al that offendeth the worke in me suche vertues as moost maye please thy blessed wyll in me to thy honour my saluacion Amen O Moste gloryus mother of mercy and ladye of grace my syngular help and comfort in heauen and in earth nexte vnto my lord god and sauyor Iesu I humbly beseke the for that holy passyon death and al the paines that thy deare sonne Iesu sufferyd in thy sorowfull syght For al the sorow heuines and most bytter compassion that thou sufferedst for him and me optain for me cleane remyssyon of al my synnes and all the paines that I haue deserued for them and increase of al vertue perfeccion Here praye to thy specyall aduowryes O Mooste blessyd and holy N N. N. N. and al ye moost holy and blessed company of heauen for al the paynes and labours that ye suffered here by the grace of the holy goost and for the very loue and honoure of god I humbly beseche your blessyd charyte pray for me vnto my lord and swet sauyour Iesu that he vochesaf to remyt my wickednes and synnes and so to confyrme me in his grace and loue that I neuer returne to syn agayne Here turne thy heart agayne vnto thy Lorde Iesu saynge ¶ And were I dayly fall and am redy to syn vochesafe to graūt me oh Lorde grace euer moore as ofte as I fal to arise againe with perfect sorow hate of syn and with most lowely cōfidēce trust of his blessed swet mercy That the multytude of my syn and mi great frailtie driue me not to disperate sorowe and inordynatte heuynes Nether let me mistrust the great and most gracius redynes of thy moost louyng mercy that is euer redye to forgyue as ofte as we do repent be yt neuer so ofte Draw me not to presūpcyon but that I how so euer whan so euer and how often soeuer I offend the I may moost lowly and mekely acknowelege my wretchydnes and frayltie and repente myne offences and synnes wyth a fyrme purpose to amend and with an vnfayned trust of remyssyon and forgeuenes in the infynyte merytes of thy most blessed blood payneful passyon and most precyus death to the glory honoure of thy mercy ful charytie most myghty maiestie Amē ¶ The Thyrd exercyse of reformacyon of the soul in the fyue wyttes sences COnsider how thy fyue wittes are wonderful wekened and dysorderid by the fall of our forefather and parent Adam But a greate deale more infected and disorderyd by thy owne actual synnes the great abuse of thē Wherefore that they may be redyer brought againe vnto ther former and original purenes wherin they were before the fall of adam thou must nedes shut vppe and refrayne from all misuse of all thy senses as thy syghte hearing taisting with thy tong smellyng and fealyng in the crucyfied humanitie of Chryst accordyng to hys exāple wyth so
to folowe thy most redye mercye cōpassion and pitie thy bontefullnes and lyberalytie toward me yea to mine enemies aduersaries that I be neuer dyspleased nor angry wyth any mā that I neuer hate iudge or contēpne any man but that without accepcion of persō I may with a fatherly affeccion loue and honoure for thy sake al persons specyally such as be disesed or afflycted tempted or greued thoughe they be myne enemyes I may faithfuly and louīgly serue them and do them good also with my prayer and my helpe to the vttermoste of my power I may succour them in al necessites but chiefely I may seke and desyre their soules helth that I may sorow their sinnes hartely pray for thē And for the vertuous the good I may geue thankes to the as I woulde for my selfe ¶ Graunte me most swete sauyour grace to folow thy holy verytie truthe to flee and exchewe all kynde of vntreuth ¶ Graunte me to folowe also godlye zeale against myne owne vyces specyally al other mennes the which holy zeale may deuoure me all to gether for the helthe of chrysten soules ¶ Graunte also good lorde that my lyfe al my dedes maye euermore agre with my harte and godly wordes that they maye be conformable also vnto the verteus of thy most holy lyfe ¶ Graūt me also most gracius Iesu most hartye and inwarde thankefulnes whereby I may with al mekenes most lowly acknowlege all thy benifites geuen vnto me by the and by thy creaturs and that I may esteme them and regarde them worthely laudyng and praysyng the wyth all deuocion and geue vnto the moost humble and hartie thankes ascribyng them wholy and purely wythout subtraccion of any parte of them only to thy infinitie goodnes thinking my selfe most vnworthy of them yea I may thinke my selfe one that dothe mysuse al thy gyftes that I may neuer delyghte in them nor rest in none of them be it neuer so lytle but rest and delyght only in the fynally whiche art the geuer of al and wyth out the all they can nothinge profyte me ¶ Vnto the lefte hand of Iesu I Laud and prayse the geue most humble thankes vnto the most mightie Iesu for thy almightie fortitude and strength and for the incomprehensible loue and payne of the precius wound of thy lefte hand in the whiche moste blessed wound I mooste lowly and mekely commend and commit me whooly with al my sinnes offences but speciallye all my cowardenes and wekenes against temtacion and sinne Al my neglygence and slowthfullnes Al the losse of my time and idelnes Al the impuritie and sinful filthines of my bodie and soule And my intemperance excesse in meat drinke and of other bodily necessaries Al my coueties gredines and inordinate loue and pleasure that I haue had in vse or keping of any thinge withal vices that appertaine to thes or any of them that they may be forgeuen and be purged in thy precyus bloud and merites And most merciful sauyor Iesu I humbly beseke thi infinite goodnes for thy most crewel payne and sorow that thou suffredst in the precyus wound of thy lefte hand and for that great charitie that causyd the to suffer and abide the same for my sinnes I beseke the in the honor of thy most almightye strenghth thy moost holy purytie thy moost wonderful temperance and thy most blessed pouertie graūt me so much strenghth as is necessary for me to thy glory and honor and my soule helth by the whiche goostly strength I may be able to rule my wyt and soule with al my senses and powers so that nether ferynge man nether the world nor my owne fleshe I may strongly boldely for thy sake whiche gauest me strēgth passe thorow and dispise al thinge as thoughe they pertaynyd nothynge vnto me and that I may not stay nor stycke at nothyng vntyl I come vnto and optayne that which I most desyre that is to say to be one spryte and remayne one in one spyryte wyth the my Lord god ¶ Graunt me also most blessed Iesu grace to folow thy moost louely chastitie of bodie puryte of hart wherby I may vehemētly detest vtterly abhorre al fylthy vnclēnes And that I may contynually kepe chaistly al my cogytacyons and my senses from al syn occasyon thereof from al impuritie and cleauynge vnto any creature And in al vncleane temtacions as oft as they shal chance vpon me graunt me grace spedely without any taryance alway to renounce them and to rūne vnto the with a myghty turninge of my hart that with my whole mind and desire And so with a pure mynd and affeccyon I may cleaue and stycke fast to the only ¶ Graunt me grace mooste myld sauyor Iesu to folow thy moost holy sobryetie temperance wherby I may restrayne and mortifye al the powers and affeccyons of my soule and the senses of my body from al inordynate delectacyon and pleasure and from superfluitie excesse in meates drinkes that I may moderatly vse only necessaryes without delyght in them with thy feare not turnynge my affeccion from the but that the vppermost powers of my soule may remayne strongely in the louely knot and burnyng desire of the. ¶ Graunt me also most blessed Iesu grace to folowe thy mooste blessed voluntarye pouerte The which who might come to it bringyth a man by a merueilus neare way spedely vnto god ¶ Graunte me therfore good Lord by that pouertie to be and to abide euer losid bare and verely poore in spyryte outwardlye from al affeccyon and tēporal thinges and inwardly from al loue and rest in any of thy gyftes sperytual that I may vse with sorow and yrkesomenes yea my veri necessaryes that I may neuer desyre to kepe or possesse any thinge but al naked and bare I maye reste betwene thy naked and bare armes not kepynge nor reseruynge any thyng in my hart or desyre but only a pure intente to please the and to seke how I may do it and that moost perfectly by thy grace and merciful helpe And al the daies of my wretchyd lyfe but specyally at the dredful howre of my death graunt me moost merciful Iesu to haue a suer and trustie refuge and succure in the precius woūd of thi blessed lefte hand Moste swete sauyor Iesu I humblye beseke the that where I wretche by reason of my great enormities and syn am vnworthy to be hard or to optayne thes petycyons of the thy moost blessed and inmaculat mother marie mai optaine thē for me to whose blessed prayer intercessions merites I commend them that by her they may be admittid into thy most godly gracius presēs bring to me of thy mercy forgeuenes grace to thi glory honor Amē ¶ The sixte Exercyse to optayne a conformitie folowyng of christes lyfe passion THou must also exercyse thy selfe in the whoole shape and prefyte medytacyon of the lyfe
into this stable sure ioye that he maye he refresshed with the magnificētie of the goodnes of god Let him approche and ascend vnhye in harte by contemplacion of these and let the most excellente and inenarrable clemēcye of Iesu be exalted in his harte Fyftly thou must haue medytacion of the moost blessed passion of oure sauyoure Iesu to reuolue thy harte and to transforme it into him the whiche thou doyst when thou doyst not only folowe and haist compassion thou merualyst and reioysest but thou art wholy cōuerted and turned into thy lord Iesu christ crucyfied so that in maner euery where and alwaye the lorde Iesu chryst crucyfied metyth wyth the yea then arte thou veryly and trewly resolued into hym when thou leauyng thy selfe and going out of thy selfe and surmountynge and transsendynge all thing yea aboue thy selfe abstracryd from all thynge thou arte all together turned into thy lorde Iesu crucified so that thou canst se nothinge thou canst feale nothynge with in thy self but only christ crucified scornid reuyled and put to payne of pure loue for ye. ¶ Syxtly thou must consyder behold that most blessed passiō of thy lord to come to rest of inward swetnes the which thing thou dost whē thou being resolued as I sayd dost not cesse with a thursty hart or or feruent desyre to reuolue tosse in thy mind the most blessed passiō And enteryng as far as thou arte able into that infynite treasure of that blessyd passiō mekely and deuoutly thou doist melt for pure and deuoute loue and wyth feruent deuocyon and burninge loue thou falleste from thy selfe and doeste reste all together in chryste crucified But the more that thou doste cleue leane vnto him onlye so moch the more thou fallest decaiest from thy self dost relent by most deuout loue and how moch the more that thou dost decay leaue thy self by loue and deuocion so moch the more thou dost cleaue art knyt vnto thy loue that dyed for the and doyst rest in hym And so doth the cleauinge vnto chryst by loue and louely deuocion increase one the other vntyll the spouse of chryst that is to saye thy soule be all to gether swallowyed vp and deuoured of that moost burning hoote furnes of loue of the passiō of thy spouse most dere beloued in whose blessed armes thy soule restyth a slepe haue therfore medytacion of the moost blessed passion of thy lord Iesu in folowyng it to purge thy mynde hart By compassiō to get loue and vnion wonderyng at it to eleuate lyfte vp thy harte reioysing therin do delyte and conforte thy hart resoluing to come to parfect conformacion and lykenes resting therin kepe thy deuocyon ¶ Aspyracions ¶ Gracious lorde and swet sauiour which sufferidst most paineful passiō for my loue graunte me grace in the merytes of the same passion most faithfully to folow it ¶ Mercyfull and most petyfull lorde Iesu which art full of pytye graunt me grace to take compassion and to lamente thy moost Innocente and wrongfull death and most paynefull and gracious passion ¶ Graunte me good lord I humbly beseke the that I maye so ernestly mynde thy bytter passion that I may sorow it as tenderly as though I sufferyd it my selfe ¶ Oh deare lord sauiour prynt thy most bitter death blessed passion in my harte that I maie neuer feale nether any thing dysire saue the my louyng lorde crucified for me ¶ My most gracious sauyour Iesu make my stubburne and sturdy harte melte and be resolued of very pure and deuoute loue in the meditacion of thy moost precious death painefull passion ¶ The practise of the syxte exercise MOOST mercyfull sauioure Iesu I wretched siner do knowlege that I am infinitly bounde vnto the for the innumerable most singular benefites which thou moste louingly and lyberally hast bestowyd vppon me and al mankynd but specyaly for the ineffable benefit of my redemcyon by thy mooste crewel death and passion from the thraldom of the deuyl sin and hel And for that thou hast franchessid and made vs the children and heyres of heauen For the which benefyt specially we remaine and are become bond detters vnto the and thoughe we can neuer make a iuste recōpense for it yet of thy gracyus goodnes thou wylt mercyfully accepte that whiche we are able to make be it neuer so simple And bycause that amonge all that wee can do there is nothyng more acceptable to the than with thankeful and oft medytacyon to folow thy most blessid lyfe and passyon pryntyng and perfectly expressing it in the powers of our soule in al sensies of oure bodye therfore I moost humbly beseke the moost gracyus Lord Iesu graunt me the grace so perfectly to conforme me in my whole lyfe vnto thy blessid life and passion that al my cogitaciōs my words midedes and maners may be so lyke vnto thy holy thoughtes wordes dedes and blessyd maners that wher euer I be sean harde or felte ther mai nothing be found in me but that which was foūd in the my lord Iesu And lyke as thou were crucyfyed in thy blessyd humanytie so graunt me grace by the merytes of thy crucifyxion to crucyfie nature and sensualytie by the acquyringe of al true vertue ¶ Graunt me grace also to consider and to conforme my soule vnto thy mooste heuy and sorowful soul that I may continually lament thy great dishonour the losse of soules my sinnes and the sinnes of all men ¶ Good lord graunt me grace so depely to print in my hart thy bitter paineful passiō very loue that I may feale more the paine that thou suffred for me then any payne that I haue or should haue if I where woūdid in myne owne bodie ¶ Graunt me good Lord Iesu that my spirite may euer burne in thy loue be eleuat and minde euer more the vtterly resignid into thy blessid pleasure ¶ Graunt that my soule also may be contryte compassyonate with the mortified vnto al creatures ¶ Graunte that my bodie also to be ful of trauel payne and afflyccyon for thy honor and thus I may be conformable and lyke vnto thy blessid humanyte ¶ Graunte me moost louyng Lord Iesu thy grace to exercyse moost effectuusly thy holy and mooste blessid passyon by perfect ymitacion by perfect cōpassion by perfect admyracyon by exultacyon and ioy by perfect resolucion by perfect rest ¶ Graunte me grace wyth often memory of thy blessid lyfe and passion to folow thy blessid example in suche vertues as aperith in thy holy passion and lyfe For thy blessid passion and lyfe is the mooste holyest and hyest relygion and the rule and example of al vertue and perfectyon ¶ Graunt therefore moost merciful Lord Iesu that thy passion may be the very rule of al my lyfe ¶ Graunt me grace that I may wyshe and desyre from the bottome of my hart wyth al delyght of my soule for thy loue to be contempned set at nowght
to be an outcaste to be scornyd to be afflictid beaten to be rebukyd of al parsones when I do the most seruyce for so were thou handlyd when thou dydest most good and greateste myracles ¶ Graunt me grace moost gracius sauior that I may be so bare pore in spryte that I may wyshe or desire nothing but rather I may thynke it a greuus paine and vnmesurable sorow to haue any thyng and that it may be my singular pleasur ioy to haue nothinge and to want my necessaryes for thy sake ¶ Graunt me grace good Lord to abhore al delyght and pleasure and swettnes in al thing saue in the only that I may desyre in al thyng rudenes homlines and bitternes in meat and drinke I may desyre that thing should rather be bitter then swete remembring thou my deare redemer drankyst for my sake sowre vyneger gall And generally in al laboure trauel sorow shame paine and greafe graunte me grace to conforme my selfe in al thing to thy blessyd example with discreacyon as my wretchid nature is able to suffer to thy honor and glorie ¶ Gracyus good Lord Iesu graunt me thi special grace that I mai oft time haue swet meditacion of thy bitter passion with most true and earnest compassion and sorow for the pure loue of the when I consider what greate payne sorowe and afflyccyon thou didst suffer for my sinnes what deadly and payneful agony sorowful heuynes thou sufferedst in thy moost louynge swete and tender hart when thou swettist both water and blood thou weptest vppon the crosse for our sin and vnkindnes And that I may sorowe the greate dyshonour of thy blessyd celestyal father and namely for the intollerable payne and turmentes that thou were in but in speciall that thou tokest for thy sorowful and mooste lamentable mother whom thou louydst most tenderly when thou dydyst behold her redie to die for very sorow and heuynes For thy passyon was a passyon mooste paynful vnto thy mooste blessid and tender mother more greuus more bitter then euer was turmēt or martyrdom to any saint that euer sufferid for the. ¶ Graunt me moost swet Iesu oft tyme to reuolue in my hart thes two sorowful and painefull passions of the and of thy mother and to lament morne sorow in my harte wyth the my most louyng Lorde Iesu and wyth that blessed mayd thy swete mother Make me one good Lord with that by moste intyre loue that I may sorow and lament as much yea and more thy paynes then yf I sufferyd them my self ¶ Good lord neuer let thi rebuke shame reuilinges depart out of my mind nor out of the very bottom of my harte nor thy bitter scorgyngs thy thornes thy woūdes precious death neuer be out of my mind that what so euer is in me may be ful of thy paines passion that I may cōtinually sorow therfore to thy honor my soule helth ¶ Gracius good lord and deare sauior Iesu graūt me grace to mind oft time thy bitter paine and passion with most reuerent and louely admiracion depely and amyably to consider Fyrst what thou art that suffredst so louingly kyndly for me that I may reuerently see and parceaue that it was no smalle personage that was so crewelly put to death for my sake but it was the very sonne of al myghty god the second parsone in trinitie very god and man moost myghtest moost excellent infinitely good most noblest in comparyson of whom al the goodnes all excellency al wysedome al nobilitie that is in al creatures or can be thought of al vnderstandynge or wyt is nothing For this mightye maiestie and mooste vnmesurable excellencie incomparably transendyth surmoūteth al things in heauen or earth ¶ Graunt me grace also good Lord to consider how greuous and cruel paines so noble and excellent maiestie sufferid for me howe greate trauel and labor how greate hunger thurst cold heate watche temptacions feare parsecucyon agony bloody swete mooste crewel comprehēsion spyttinges reuiles sore bondes scorginges mockes scornes sorow shame cōfusyons beatynges greuous strokes innumerable plages and woundes and most crewel and payneful death For in thy passion very honour and glorie it selfe was dispisid and dishonored rightousnes was condempned the iuge of al the world was iuged the harmeles was rebuked and accusyd and the innocent was defamyd god hym self was blasphemyd god man ouer trodden life it selfe was slaine the sun was eclipsid the moone was darkenid the starres were sparkelyd Yet al those paines and passion didest thou moost innocente lambe suffre and bare most paciently for mi sake which were able and couldest yf it had pleasid the haue drownyd in the botomeles pyt of hell al those vnkynde and cruel creaturs and wyckyd people ¶ Graunt me grace to consider of whome my gracyus good Lord Iesu thou sufferedist so cruelly For if thou haddest sufferyd of them whome thou haddest harmyd or hatyd it had not byn so wonderfull But thou sufferedest of thē whom thou didist specially chose and syngularly louyd vnto whome thou shewedst specyall goodnesse and all kynd of benignitie And for thy great goodnes and benyfittes for thy great vertues and myracles for thy most holy conuersacyon and doctrine thou were cruelly tormented and put to death of most vylaines beyng moost excellent and valyant prynce The moost wisest ye the eternall wisedom of the father of most ignorant Most holiest of moost sinful Most godlyest of moost vngodlyest Moost righteus of most wickyd The euerlasting and eternall brightnes of god of the most and foule and filthy drosse and durte of the worlde The Lorde of hys owne seruauntes The kyng of hys owne subiectes The sauioure and benefactoure of them that he hath saued done most for ¶ God almyghty of hys vnkind and wretched creature It may make me most gracious lorde Iesu more to wōder and meruell when I consider and waye deapelye wyth my selfe for whom thou sufferedst For most louyng lorde and mercyfull sauiour thou suffredst for most vile slaues most sinful enymies most wretchyd caytifes ye very deuelles and dyabolycall persons and the very chyldren of the deuyll by imytacion for the contemners and dyspycers of the maiestie of god and most vnkinde and vnthankeful to the infinite goodnes of their lorde and maker of the which nomber oh mercyfull sauioure Iesu I am one I haue greate cause therfore wyth louely admyracion to laude and prayse thy mercyfull goodnes towarde me and al mankind and wyth moost lowly thankes to ioye in thy moost blessed mercy ¶ Graunt me therfore most gracious Iesu to haue ofte in the meditaciō of thy passion gostly ioye and gladnes with thankes geuyng vnto the for the redempcion of mā kynd for the restoryng of the quieres of angels and for thy dyuine clemencye and godly mercy ¶ Graunt me grace moost mercyfull Iesu wyth gostly gladnes to remēber how mercyfull how louyngly thou hast redemed al mankynd
specially me by thy moost blessyd passion and death remembryng howe willingly how gladly how deuoutly thou offredst thy selfe to most cruel death for my sake There is no creature that euer louyd hym selfe so well as thou dydest and dost loue me ¶ Great cause haue I to reioyse in the swete Iesu For by thy death and passion thou haste restored agayne the blessed gloryus quieers of angelles not creatyng new angels but mercyfully placing penytent soules in the hygh orders of the blessed angelles and so hayst made by thy most precyous death one hygh heuenly colege and one blessed flocke of angelles and men Whereof thou arte the very trew shepeherd Thou arte the glorius and most royal kyng vpon whō al we that be of that blessed heuenly courte shall perpetually wayte and serue in ioye euerlastyng thorough the merites of thy precious death and most blessed passion ¶ Graunt me grace moost gracious sauioure Iesu not only faythfully to folow thy passion to haue compassion thereof reuerētly to maruel and to reioyce goostly therein but also that I al together maye be resolued into the that I maye alway whereuer I be so earnestly mynde thy passion that I may departe from the memorye of myne owne selfe and of all thynges yea abstracted from al the world I may be wholy turned into the my lorde Iesu crucyfied And that of very mindful loue of thy blessed passion I may feale nothing wythin my selfe nor se nothing outwardly but the my lorde in payne and passion for me ¶ Graunt me grace most gracious lorde Iesu wyth moost vehemente desyre of my harte to enter into the ineffable treasure of thy blessed passion And therin moost mekely moost deuoutly wyth moost feruente and burnyng loue forgettynge vtterly my selfe to rest by inward swetnes That the more I loue that tender death and payne the more perfectly I may rest therin and the more that I rest therin the more I may loue the whyche suffered so great payne for me to the be therfore al glory and honour now and euer Amen ¶ The seuenth exercise to come to the pure pouertie and loue of thyne euen chrysten THou must circumcyse and purge thy soule very ernestly from all knowlege loue and remembraūce of all creatures excepte them only whome thou must neades haue vse in god and for god and kepe thy sensies wyttes at all tymes streghtly from all superfluitie vanytie and ydelnes And kepe also thy bodye alwaye in symple homlynes in sobryetie and pouertye And cast frome the ac on s all thinges that myght let the or be any impedyment at any tyme betwene thy soule and god yea if it were but a momente of time And that thou myghtest fulfyl this the better thou shalt marke well and dylygently all the meanes and lettes vysyble and inuisyble al creatures sensible and insensyble that euer dyd let the or were any impedymente or meanes betwene the god or yet may be hereafter And turne thi whole harte verely and perfectly from thē so cut them of from thy soule and turne thy whole harte to god Thou shalt also cōsyder wether thou be in suche place state wherein thou maiste come to perfeccyon yf thou be not thou must then seke suche a place and state Al exteryal and outwarde thinges must be cut of and resigned which thou vsest aboue more then very and iust necessitie with the which bare necessitye only for the loue of the pouertie of chryst thou must be contented That is to saye wyth two cotes or habytes to change and in like sorte of other necessarye apparell wyth a fewe bokes wyth one or two sober meales in the daie according to the time chosinge alwaye in all thynges the vyler or more homlier that meke symplycitie may euery where shine apere in the in thy desires For outward pouertie wyshed for and desyred in harte doth helpe wonderly moch to come to the verye profite and peace of the harte And specially when thou arte very wel cōtent to lacke thy necessaries or whē necessite compellyth thou dost vse necessaries in symplycite wyth tedyousnes yerkesōnes Moreouer a great forderaunce to perfection are these thynges To forsake vtterly al exquisite delectacion wilful fansy to any thinge to loue pouertie Yf it seme expedient for the person it is good also to make a vow to flye the vnnecessarye company of all creatures A stronge and stedfast cleauyng vnto god Symple and pure obedyence a worde both to god and to thy superiours A dylygent keping of thy hart mouth and of al thy dedes and such other These thou must exercise folowe and take as the very oportune and conuenyent meanes to perfectiō Thou must also exchew and a voyde all impedymentes as thy conscience or thy coūseller shal teache ye. Thou must therfore make a diligent serch of thy cōscience least any vice or faute be it neuer so lytle do sticke or cleaue inwardly or outwardly fast vnto the. Loke ther do remayne not wyth the curious superflus or any vnnecessarye thyng For so longe as it is so wyth the the holy gooste can neuer worke perfectly in thee For the greate synnes in to the which we fal vnwares or of frayltie bewayle them god forgeuyth them sooner then the leaste faut that dothe cleane and remayne in vs specially when we wil not acknowlege or wyl not or care not to amende it ¶ Thou shalt after thes exercyse thy selfe in very true loue of al men accordynge to the example and the charytie of thy sauyor Iesu Chryst whiche with moost burninge loue and desyre spent or bestowid him selfe al together for al men he also taught and shewid the way of saluacion and of perfeccyon with moost holy godly doctryne he gaue hym selfe also mooste wyllyngly and louinglye vnto al payne contumely and confusyon that myght chance vnto hym for their saluacion Wherfore yf thou wilt take vpon the his lyfe vnfaynedly thou must folow him in this point of loue Thou must also leade alway an holy a godlyke lyfe before al men that by thi lyfe they may be drawne and prouokyd to folow the lyfe of Iesu Chryst thi Lord. Thou shalt teache wyth some good exhortacyon thyne euen chrysten yf it may stand with thy state and vocayon at tyme conuenyent the way to euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore when thou cōmest to thy euen christen thou shalte leaue vaine talke except thou haue any necessite or necessary matter and shalte talke with hym of vertue and of grace such things wherby he may be the better exhortyng him to the loue of god to folow the holy lyfe loue of Iesu chryst and that he wyl consyder the nobilitie worthynes of hys soule howe in his soule god prynted his owne ymage lykenes hathe redemed the same his owne selfe and howe the loue of god is the very lyfe of the soule euen as the soule is the lyfe of the bodye as
better set by then I. ¶ Graunt also good Lord thal I may vtterly mortyfie in my selfe al that anger bytternes that may aryse in me of any rancor or hate for any displeasure done in tyme past to seke wher what I myght find in mine euē christē to his dispraise or rebuke Also al that anger that arysyth in me oft time when I haue not that whiche my vnmortyfyed desyre wolde haue and causeth me some tyme to murmur in my heart agaynst them that lettyth me frome suche thynges that I would haue as my prelates or any other ¶ Good lord of thy great mercy graūt me helpe to mortifie in me the angrines of my harte whiche I haue many times agaynste the vyces of other or rather agaynste them where I ought to haue compassyon pitie But mercyful Lord this arysyth of presūpcyon of myne owne lyfe and merits whyle I thinke my selfe ryghteous or better then other And thus do I rashlye iudge them theire dedes and waxe wrathful agaynst them and their dedes Wherfore mercyful lorde graunte me grace wyth the swetnes of meke pacience and of perfecte charytye vtterly to mortyfie al bitternes of stomake and angrynes that I may loue most hartely all me yea my most ennimes and suche as seketh my death and as hartely to pray and to do for them as though they wer my entier frends and in very dede so they are for they brynge vs vnto great merytes ¶ Moost mercyfull sauiour most worthye of all worshyp honor and prayse whyche for my sake diddyst suffer the greatest shame and most worldy confusyon that the spytefull malyce of the moost enuyous Iewes coulde deuyse I moost humbly beseke the for all the rebukes sorowfull shames and confusions that thou suffredst graunte me grace to mortyfye in my selfe all my affeccyon and appetyte of vayne glorye vayne prayse and pryde the delyght and vayne ly kynge of my selfe of my wordes dedes of thy gracyes and giftes by most cleare knowlege and seyng of myne owne vyle wretchydnes and wretchyd vylenes and by vnfayned desyre of all contempte that I may euer more ascrybe al my goodnes goodes gostlye and bodily vnto the my lorde god only rekenyng my selfe most vnworthy of the least of them bothe for the enormytie the fylthynes and the multytude of my synnes and vnthankefulnes and for that that I had fallē vnto innumerable mo and more enormius sines yf thy grace only had nat preseruyd me and also bycause that there is not so wretchyd a synner in the world but if he had the graces that I haue he wolde serue and honoure and loue the more faithfully and trewely then I do Wherefore moost mercyfull Iesu graunt me grace from my very harte to desyre vnfaynedly to be contempned dispised mocked and ouer troden of all the worlde and to suffer all wordly shame and confusion that when any of these come I maye with a glad and Ioyfull harte receaue them as at thy hād my lord god to thy glory honor ¶ Moost mercyfull sauyoure Iesu whiche hangest moost paynefully vpon the holy crosse thre long houres for me destitute of al comforte and consolacion inwarde and outwarde as though thou haddest ben the very enemye of god graunt me grace and power to mortifie in my selfe al desire of al delyghte and swetnes sencible in grace deuocion loue sensible whiche is only in the nether powers of the soule which swetnes sencible though it be in grace in loue deuocion and prayer yet it is not very sanctimonie or charitie but good lord certaine gyftes of thy goodnes sente vnto vs weke sinners to comforte our wekenes not to rest in them but that we comforted with them should laboure more ernestly to mortifie our selues and the seking of our selfe For Lorde God loke howe muche I am mortified to al creatures and to my selfe so muche I haue of trew sanctimonie and very charitie Wherfore moost gratious Iesu graunte me grace to dye perfectly vnto the desyre of al conforte voth bodely and gostly And to be fully constante with al derelyccion and desolaciō That for thy sake and wyl forsakinge here al comforte and abidinge al desolacion I maye of thy mercy haue the celesteal consolaciō which thou dydyst promyse sayinge blessed be ye that sorowe for ye shal haue consolacion to thy glory and honoure ¶ O most mercyfull redemer of my sinnefull soule whiche sufferedst so sorouful so paynefull so bytter and cruell payne and passion that there was neuer no paine nor passyon lyke vnto thine that wyth suche mekenes suche obedyence longanymitie and pacyence as neuer was sene nor hard of graūt me most wrathful wretche grace perfectly to mortyfye all Inpacyens in al bodyly aduersytie infamye rebuke mockes contumelie syckenes trouble payne persecucion and desolacion and in losse dammage or hurte whiche maye chaunce or come vpon me by thy sufferaunce good lorde wyth the whiche thou arte wonte to trye thy moost deare belouyd and electyd as golde in the furnes In the whyche also thou thy selfe my most deare Lorde Iesu was greatly tryed whiche sufferydst wyth moost mylde mynde and pacyente hart all contumelie all scorne sore strypes spytetynge scorges the turmente vpō the crosse and so many paynes as thy enemies could deuise And yet was thou redie to suffer moche more for the honoure of god the father for oure soule helth ¶ Moost gracyous Iesu therefore graunt me grace wyth moost meke and perfecte pacyence all outwarde and inward aduersitie hurte or grefe to suffer and beare it so longe as it shal please the that I neuer in hart word nether dede do shew any point of rancore or gruge that I maye beare no sorow norbytternes in my hart but I may euer rekē my selfe worthy of much worse and more payne offering my selfe to suffer what euer thou shalte send me And that I maye of most louely affeccion to be lyke conformable in sufferyng vnto the wyth greate desyre abyde and loke for al aduersytie and payne whereby I maye obtayne the abundaunce of grace to thy glory ¶ O most louyng lord Iesu whose propertye is to haue mercy and of thy in effable mercy dydest suffer moost cruell deathe passion that trew repentaunt siners were they neuer so abhomynable and enormius shoulde obtayne ful remyssion of ther enormytes graunte me moost wretched sinner I humble beseke the grace to mortyfie in my selfe all scrupulosnes of consiencie by most full confydence trust and hope of thy vnmesurable mercy and by thy most swet goodnes I knowlege moost mercyfull sauyoure that this aryseth in me for lacke of confidence in the and this lacke of confydence spryngeth of the slender loue that I haue towarde the. For they that haue a feruente and a greate loue they haue a greate hope but I wretched sinner haue a lytle slender charytie therefore I haue not such confidēce as I ought to haue in thy mercy but by reasō that the loue of my selfe is vnmortyfied
dysfygured and fully defaced it in me wyth innumerable synnes dailye fautes vyces and imperfeccyoÌ„s and haue brought and made my soule farre vnlyke that my lord god Wherefore now I moost humbly beseke the in that the moost blessed and burning loue which mouid thi mercy to make me lyke the to redeeme me with so cruel payneful and shameful death and passyon of my lord and sauyor Iesu thi only most dear sonne consume burne vp vtterly destroy in me al my vnlykenes toward the in me al mi sinfulnes mi vices al mi fauts and my imperfeccyons al my inordynate passyons and redynes to syn al the mysorder and abuse of my sences inward and outward al noughty and inordynate affeccyons to any creature al my impacyens and scrupulusenes And grauÌ„te me most deare Lord and most mercyful father with most burnyng desyre at this tyme and euermore to aske and most vehemently to craue of the my most gracyoê° lord the perfect lykenes in me of thy most gloryus and blessid soÌ„ne my Lorde Iesu ¶ Oh mercyful Lorde and most gracyous god wochsafe to adorne and decke my bare soule withal those moste holy vertues and graces that he was adorned bothe in his blessyd dyuynitie and his holye humanitie most specyally with those vertues whyche apeared in hym in the tyme of hys mooste shameful death and payneful passion ¶ Graunt me the perfect affeccioÌ„ and most harty desire of most lowe mekenes by most perfect abyection and contempt of my selfe desyryng from the botome of mi harte now and euer to be abiect and vyle ¶ Graunt me most perfect desyre and affeccyon of most perfect pouertie pacyencie and charytie and in thes vertues mooste busely dyligently and affectuuslie to trauel and exercise my selfe in them Specyally by moost ardente and burnyng desyres and most deuout and coÌ„tinual prayers vnto the vntyl that I may feale in on selfe in al dammage wrongs rebukes sclanders pains yea in the time when grace is subtracted taken away from me then to haue a most harti desyre to suffer most hartly al greues for the loue of the and so perseuer vnto the end that I myght herein be conformable and lyke vnto my Lorde Iesu that suffered of pure charitie so moch so many greuus paynes to thy honoure and glory and for my saluacyon Amen THat day that thou doyst vse this exercise thou shalt haue oft in thy mynd such desyres shorte prayers euery where where euer thou be and lerne to force thy hart with most harty affeccion and earnest desyre to remember them and wishe for the in thy mind and to desyre the crying most hartely earnestly and deuoutly in this maner or lyke ¶ Aspyracyon for thys exercyse ¶ Oh mooste blessyd sauyor Iesu howe vnlyke am I vnto the which art so gracyous so good so ful of grace and vertue And I wretchyd synner am ful of al vyces wyckednes dystroy good Lord al my sinneful deformyties and restore in me thy blessyd image to thy honor and glorye ¶ Oh merciful Iesu that died for my loue make me to dye to al the world for the true loue of the. Mortifie in me al impacyence al inordynate passyons and affeccyons to any creature that thou myghtest haue al my loue and whoole hart ¶ My most gracyous Lorde and sauyoure Iesu put in my soule and hart most perfect pacyence obedience most perfect charytie with all other of thy blessyd vertues that it may be lyke thy blessed humanytie ¶ Oh blessyd loue of my soule set me so on fyre in thy loue that I may thinke that all payne shame confusion and turment that is possible to be suffered is to lytle to be sufferyd for the that al my delyght and desyre may be in the myddes of al my prayer to suffer for thy loue al thing swete Iesu ¶ Swete sauyour Iesu whiche dyddest suffer moost payneful death for my sin mortyfie in me by thy specyall grace the great redines vnto sin in me al my viciousnes fautes al my negligences and imperfections that I may come to the goostly vnion in the by moost burnyng loue and ardente charytie THou must moost feruently desyre aske in thy harte and deuoute mynd contynually of god that thou maist be made lyke conformable vnto his blessyd crucified humanitie specially in this point that thou in al thynges neuer seke nor desyre any thyng that partayninge to thyne owne selfe or thy owne commodytie but only that whiche belongyth to thy lord Iesu how thou mayst moost feruently perfectly honour serue and please and be lyke hym euermore And how thou mayst most exactly forsake thyne owne wyll and contempne thy selfe and loue hym forgettyng in maner thy selfe and al thynges And for the vehemente burnynge loue of hym thy mynde may runne so muche vpon hym that thou dost take no hede nor consyderest not what is bytter what is swete nether hour time nor space nor place nor markest not one persoÌ„ from another but in al thynges thou must seke consider and remember thi lorde god and hys blessid wil pleasure and honour seing verely thy sauioure christ in his members And thus doyng thou doyst lyue a contemplatiue lyfe in an actiue life For in thy outwarde doynges thou hayst contemplacion goostly of god and fyndest hym euery where and in euery thynge specially thou do recollect thy selfe wholy and dost enter into thy hart and serchynge the bottome therof resoluyng and resigninge thy selfe dost put thy selfe wholy in the handes of god For then thou arte in maner transformed into god or deifyed And vnto what thynge soeuer thou turne thy selfe to and what good worke soeuer thou doyst thou shalte thinke that god doth it and not thou And to forder the in this goostly exercyse thou must indeuer thy self as nere as thou canst in al thinges euer more choose that whiche is most to goddes honour or most lyke vnto chryst and his example or most profytable to thyne euen chrysten or most against thine proper wyl or most grefe and payneful to thy body wyth dyscrecion or moost rebukeful worldy whereof thou arte wordly ashamed so it be not sinful Euer thou must crye out vnto thy lord god in thy hart vnfainedly I am nought I haue nought I can do nought but sin only I seke nought I desyre nought but Iesu a lonly Yf thou do this truly contynewe faithfully in thys spyritual worke and trauel god at length wyl without dout here thy dyligent knockyng and delyuer the from al the trouble goostly from al the tumulte noyse and coÌ„beraunce of cogitacions and fansies and from al earthly affeccyons which thou canste by no better meane put away then by the contynual and feruent desire of the loue of Iesu the whiche desyre he muste nedes in spyre in the and geue it and worke it in the whiche he wil very wyllyngly and redily do so thou in the meane time do feruently aske by mooste deuout prayer yf thou wylt
wyshe to be dyspysed contraryed ye and punyshed of the very beastes vnresonable And when thou must nedes for thy bodely necessity take any delectable thing thou must take it wyth greate feare dread and lothsomnēs of thy selfe Yet thou must not vndyscretly forsake and leaue thy bodylye necessaries to distroye vyce and syn in it and not to dystroy it kylling the trew man with the thefe Nature is good and of goddes creacion Vice and sinne is the thefe Yf thou can come to this perfecte hate of thy selfe thou shalt then come shortely vnto the perfecte loue of god shalt begynne then so earnestly to seke the honour of god in al thynges and vtterly forsakynge and forgettynge thy selfe that thou shalte not passe to put thy selfe in a thousād dangers for his sake thou shalt not in maner feale any dyfference betwene thy honoure thy shame betwene ioye and sorow but whatsoeuer thou perceauest to be appertayning to the honoure of god be it neuer so harde thou shalte moost earnestly and spedely with al thy myght and inwarde strength folow and desyre the same Yet when thou hayst done al that is possible for the thou shalte thinke thou hayst done nothing at al. Yea thou shalte be ashamed and detest thy selfe wyth perfecte hate that thou hast so wretchedly and imperfectly seruyd so gracious so noble and so myghtiful a Lorde And therfore thou shalt desyre and indeuer thy selfe euery houre to do and to suffer more greater and perfecter thinges then thou hast done hetherto Yet remember that this perfect and holy hate of thy selfe the loue of god specially this vnion and turning of thy wyl wholy vnto goddes wyl and pleasure and the syngulare gyftes of god therefore thou shalte with most harty and ardēt desyre and feruent deuocion make this or lyke peticion to almyghty god for them with harty desyre say this prayer folowynge MOOST myghtyful and magnyficente lorde god at whose only wil and pleasure al thinges are reueled and remayne whome al thinges obayeth and seruith ther is none that can resist thy myghty pleasure Yet to obey serue that is most blessid fredome and a playne kingdome I moost mekely and moost hartely beseke the in the most holy merytes of the moost obedyente passion and death of my Lorde Iesu knyt my whole desyre and wyl vnto thy moost blessid wyl and pleasure in al thynges ¶ Graunte me moost merciful lorde now and from henceforth fully and vnfainedly to render and to yelde vp into thy handes wyl without any retraction or gruge in harte my wyl so that for the pure loue of the thy most blessid pleasure and wyl may be al my desyre my comfort delyght ioye in al thinges that may chaūce vnto me whether it be bodyly aduersitie sykenes persecutions shame confusion oppressiō paynes grefe or inward pressures and agonyes as subtraction of grace dulnes of spirite lacke of sencyble deuocion darkenes of sensies or any other goostly temptarion what euer it be graunte me for that synceare loue and honour of the most mekely and ioyefully to abyde them to the ende to seke no worldly conforte or consolaciō and yet not to be dyscoraged from wel doyng But to force my selfe in suche tyme of trouble to do some good workes goostly or bodyly euermore perfectly remembrynge that thou of thy ineffable loue towardes me doyst send me such temporal troble for my greate goostly profyte euerlastyng mede if I do mekely receaue it abyde it so long as thou wylte yelding most obediently my selfe vnto thy most blessid wyl wyshynge not to be delyuered but when thou wylte remembryng that I haue deseruyd it a thousand fold more most hartely thākyng the that thou dost so mercyfully punyshe my sinne here bicause thou woldest not turment me for them perpetually But puryfie my synful soule here that after this lyfe and smal purgatory I may euerlastyngly abyde with the in thy blysse to thy honor glory Amē ¶ The last exercyse is both the practise and the exercyse it selfe LAST of al is this exercyse wherin thou must laboure to dwell lyue in god And that must thou optayne by these two vertues by true and lyuely fayth by pure and ardente loue of god For it is but a smale matter auayleth lytle to haue god wythin the yf thou lease hym lyghtly againe But thou must be also altogether hydden and swallowed vp in hym Fyrst thou must constantly beleue that thou arte in god and god in the so long as thou remaynest in charitie as S. Iohn sayth God is charytie and he that dwellyth in charytie he dwellyth in god god in hym Chryst oure mayster monysshyth vs sayng dwel and abyde in me and I wyl abyde in you He that remayneth in me and I in hym he bryngeth forth much frute for without me ye can do nought he prayth also to his father that we myght be made one as he and the father is one He that eateth my fleshe drynkyth my blood the same dwellith in me and I in him But to perceaue and vnderstand that thynge clearely and playnly it is the greate gyfte of god and therfore thou must aske it earnestly of hym and when thou perceauyst clearly and plainly fealist thy selfe to be in God then must thou learne to abide remayne in hym The which is the most blessid treasure in this world or in this lyfe For whē thou lyuyst and abydest in god thou must kepe the powers of thy soule and thy sences as it were shut vp in god frome gaddyng vpon any worldy thynge or vanytie as much and as nighe as is possible wher-they haue a ioyefull securitie and safenes For lyke as if thou woldest shute vp thy selfe in a very close chamber where thou shuldest see nothyng nether heare tayste nor touche any thing but only that which were within the closet whatsoeuer were without they coulde by no meanes nether harme the nor touch the. Euen so when thou doyst lyue and abyde in god whatsoeuer thou touchest thou seist thou hearest or taistest it presentyth to the and declaryth to the goddes presēs which is now become vnto that al thing in al thinges For thou sekyst and desyrest to fynde and to haue hym only in all thynge and in euery thyng thou seyst hys blessid presens And therfore al thinges both good and bad that commith vpon the thou receauest them not of any creature but only immedyatly at the hand of god with out al curious serch from whēs wherfore or by what chaunce or how they come wtout al trouble feare or perplexity and with al mekenes suffer them And doyst render them agayne vnto god sekynge in al thinges euer more the honor and the holy pleasure of god the mekenes and subdewynge of thy selfe the amendement of thine owne lyfe thy trew obedyence vnto god and vnto al creatures for his honor not againste his honor but specially to obey thy supery ours with al humylitie
god to be redy to abyde and suffer al iniures shame mockage reuyle and contempte that all creatures in the worlde be able or wyl lay vpon the yea thou shalte offer thy selfe with a redy wyl to suffer al the paines of hel for thy enormytes and sinnes And that thou mayst come to the pure and perfect sorow for thy synnes thou shalt twyse in the day yf thou be not letted by obedience or charitie set thy selfe in a corner conueniente as it were before the Iudgement seat syght of god and adiuge thy selfe and thynke in thy mynd and conscience that thou haste deseruid euerlasting death and the sentence of god shal be pronunced agaynst the thou canst not tel how sone Not withstanding thou shalt yet hope stedfastly that by prayer and penance with teares and contricion thou shalt optayne both mercy and grace at the hand of thy moost mercyful lord god Thou mayst sorow lamentably that thou hast done so greate inuiry and dishonor vnto the hyghe maiestie wysedom and infynite goodnes of thy lorde god who is moost worthy of al laude and prayse saing in thy hart and mynd wyth as harty deuocyon as grace wyll serue thys prayer folowyng whych is the very practyse of this present exercyse But beware that thou be not to ferefull but take comfort and haue fyrme consydence and trust in the infinite merytes of god whiche is euer redy to take the to grace and mercy and to restore the agayne vnto thy originall purenes yf thou be redy to satisfye as wel as thou canst for thy synnes Then shalt thou offer vp to god thy soule and bodye and what so euer thou hast in thys world for thy synnes desyreynge and wyshyng in thy hart to consume and spend them all vnto nought for hys honor And that thou maist more effecteousely offer vp in sacrifice thy soule wyth al the powers myghtes thereof vnto god thou shalt pray or thinke thus in thy harte O My most dere and moost louyng lord god I wyll haue nothynge in my memorie here after but the my lord god my very orygynal in whome I was from the begynning and from whome I came Nether wyll I haue in my mynde vnderstanding or knowlege any thinge but the onlye my lorde god all creatures in the. Neyther wyll I haue any other thynge in my wyll and desyre but the execucion and doyng of thy moost pleasant and most blessyd wyll ¶ Thou shalt also make a sacryfyce and a lyuely hoost vnto god of thy bodye as they did in the old testament layng wood vpon the aulter and put there on the sacrifice or hooste so wyth fyre put there vnder they brent it vppon the aulter In lyke maner must thou gather to gether by contrite remembraunce thy sinnes vppon the aulter of thy harte and thy bodye must be the sacryfice for it must be mortyfied specially from all vyces and synful worke and pleasure and be slayne wyth discrete penaunce and wyth the fyre of charytye For thou must lamente thy sinnes for the very loue of god thou must do penaunce and punyshe thy bodye and mortifye it for the pure loue of god And yf it be thus consumed and offered vnto god wyth this fier thē shal it be a swete a sauery sacryfice in the syght of god and thus intending to do in ful mynde and purpose thou shalte deuoutely hartely pray in thy harte to god in this maner ¶ Oh most mercyful gracious Lord set on fyer this my sacrifice of my bodye and soule that all may be brente and consumed in thy loue that it maye be acceptablye and thankfullye taken of the to thy euerlasting honour and glory Amē ¶ Thou shalte also offer to god thy sustentacyon temporall desirynge in thy hart so to be mayntained to vse thy necessaryes as it maye be to his eternal honour and thy soule helth and no otherwise lacking or hauyng no regard to thy commoditie or any pleasure of thy selfe in them but thou shalt rather desyre yf yt please god to be spoiled and to lacke al necessaries to be very pore and nedy as he hym selfe was poore nedy in this worlde for thy loue Thou shalte also take vppon the by the discreate iugement of thy father and goostly guide some bodely penaūce wyth descrecion and that for the great loue of god accordyng vnto the great enormytie of thy sinnes Then shalt thou turne thy harte and thought vnto thy Lord Iesu as thoughe thou dydest stand or knele before his most blissed body hanging vpon the crosse wyth his precious woūdes flowing out the most precious bloud freshly full of woūdes on euery syde and full of al payne and sorowe for thy sinnes sake And in thy hart and wyth all thy harte yf thou can or as well as thou can saye thus ¶ Oh moost mercyful Lorde swete sauyor Iesu yf it myght please thy moost blyssed wyll and be thy pleasure I wold suffer my body an hundred tymes to be crucyfied for my sinnes I am redy most mercyful lord to suffer in euery ioynt and lyme of my bodye some syngulare payne and penaunce for the honor of thy blessed name ¶ Then shalt thou purpose fully in thy mynde to vse and to bestow euery member of thy bodye whych thou haste vsyd to sinne here after to the hygh honour of god to force and to compel thy selfe to the same though it be neuer so harde and paynefull for the that thou mayest make some amendes in afflicciō and penance vnto thy Lord God the whiche labour and penaunce wyth the labours and paynes of thy state thou shalt offer to God euery daye wyth teares yf thou can haue them in the vnyon of the most holy deathe and passion of thy sauyour Iesu Thou shalt be very sory in thy hart that thou canst not be so sory and so heuy for thy sinnes as thou oughtest to be And thynke thy selfe for thy great offences worst of all creatures and worthy the deapest pyt of hell bycause thou hast crucyfyed as moche as in the laye agayne the son of God and hast troden vnder thy feate the precious bloude of eternall testament wyth whiche thou were redemed and hast dishonored it and haste done contumelye and reproche vnto the spyrite of grace And to come to a more cleare knowlege of thy sinfull lyfe thou must cōsyder and waye wel how often how much and after what sorte how greuouslye thou hast offended thy lorde god in all the tyme of thy whole lyfe yea euery moment so the ther is not one minute of thy tyme nether any good worke in whome thou hast purely and sincerely sought the honour of God as thou oughtest to haue done but haste with a certayne and secret preuy venome of the loue of thy selfe or thy commoditie delectacion or wyl thou hast defiled it And hast in maner contynually sinned all thy lyfe tyme at the least eyther in omission or in the
for wyttyngely if wyl not admyt nor suffer anye ercesse or superfluitie It bryngyth forth also pouertie for it possesseth nothyng in this world nor of thys world verely pouertie volūtarie is a meruelus yea an excellent mean to possesse god Thes foresayd vertues of our Lorde Iesu Christ thou muste aske of him and labor to prynt them in to thy body and soule as muche as in the lyeth all thy lyfe tyme conformynge thy selfe in thes holy vertues to thy lord Iesu as muche as is possible for the alway eueriwher beholding by deuoute contemplacyon the image and memory of his crucyfied lyfe and death and folowynge the same in thes vertues that we haue spoken of or at the least in the fyue pryncypal stretchynge and naylynge thy self in thes vertues vnto hys cros so that what so euer thou turnest thy selfe ether on the ryght hande ether on the lefte hande thou mayst beholde on the parte of thy body and on that syde one of these vertues of Iesu set before thyne eyes to be holde and to folowe For oure Lorde Iesu wyl make none partakers of his death the refuseth to crucifye for his sake his owne fleshe with vyces and lustes and to mortyfye the same More ouer al be it that the mortification and crucyfieng of our most vyle fleshe be nothing in comparisō of the crosse and death of oure lorde god Yet that most myldest and mercyfull lorde of his endles pitie and goodnes dothe vochesafe to take thankefully the small crosses and paynes that we for hys loue do wyllingly bere and suffer whether by his permission and sufferaunce they be inwarde derelictyon and gostly tentaciō ether outward iniures oppressions and sorowes layde vpon vs. For how euer suche crosses come vpon vs he taketh them thankefully so that we bere them for hys sake and dye to our owne wil and desyre ¶ This exercise after thou haste well sucked and dygested it into thy hart thou shalt not forsake all dayes of thy lyfe ¶ Aspiracions for this exercyse ¶ Oh my deare redemer Iesu in the merytes of thy most bitter death mortifie in me all sinne and vyciosnes and plante in me all verteus ¶ Oh moost meke sauioure Iesu for thy meke death sake make me perfectly meke and sley in me all pryde ¶ Moost blessed and sempiternall wysedō of the father for thy cruel coronacion with thornes lyghten my wyts wyth thy holye wysedome and take from me all sinful ignoraunce ¶ My most dere and louynge Lorde Iesu for the precious woūde of thy swete harte woūde and perse my hart with thy perfect loue and burning charytie ¶ Moost ryghtfull Iuge of quicke deade my lorde Iesu graunte me perfecte ryghtwysenes that I maye geue vnto the vnto all creatures that I owe them ¶ Moste myghti lorde god my sauiour Iesu for all thy blessed payne passion grant me gostly fortytude and strēgth against al the assaltes and temtacions of the deuyll the worlde and my fleshe ¶ The practyse of this exercise to the feate of Iesu I Laude and prayse and geue most humble thankes vnto the meke and most mercyfull sauyour Iesu for the example of thy greate meekenes and for thy vnmeasurable loue and payne of the mooste blessyd woūdes that thou sufferydest in thy swete feate and in to this thy blessed woundes the merytes of thē I comyte my selfe wholy and all my wyckednes and sinnes of all my former lyfe specially all my detestable pryde vaine glorye and arrogancy Al my selfe wyl my desobediens my irreuerency and dyshonoure that I haue done to the thy mynisters and seruauntes All my impacyency my angrynes my rancore and malyce my vnprofitable ydell euyl talke detraccion and all kynde of sinne that appertayne vnto any of these besekynge the that they may be forgeuen and purged in thy precyous bloude and by the payne and sorowe of the same I most humble beseke moost mercyful Iesu for thy greate mercy In the merites of thys thy blessed woūdes of thy most holy feate by the payne and sorowe of the same by thy ineffable most profunde mekenes that thou shewed in taking on the our nature and for the loue and charytie that compelled that to suffer this payne and passion ¶ Graunte me most inwarde perfecte and deape mekenes of harte before thy deuine presence by the whiche I maye perfytely and clearely se the dignitie of thy infynite maiestye and the greate mekenes of the same And one the other syde I maye perfectly and clearely se and perceaue the bottomeles pyt of my vyces and naughtines I maye also at al tyme submite my selfe most lowly in harte and mynde and as oft as it shall be expediente in dede also vnto vnder al creatures I may wholy hate esteme my selfe as a thīg of nought I may desire and wyshe my selfe to be cōtempned dyspised and ouer trodden as the most vylest durte of the streetes of all men that I maye also be sory and refuse to haue anye benefyte or honoure of any creature That I maye also speake alway most mekely most gladly euer more acknowlege wyth out all excuse my greate faut and offence And vtterly dispeiring of my owne power and myght I may thynke retaine euermore frome the bottome of my harte these wordes vnfanyedly I am nought I haue nought I am able to do nought I desyre nought but one I maye also in mine own Iugemente for my greate wrechydnes vylenes place my selfe moost iustlye and worthelye in the loweste and depest place in hell ¶ Graunte me also gracious sauioure in the merytes of thy obediente death and passyon grace to folowe thy moost pure perfecte obedyence by most flexible and redye submission of most prompte wyl so that I may neuer be wery in forsakinge and denyeng myne owne proper wyl and fansyin al thynge subduinge my fleshe vnto the spirite both in kepinge and fulfylling most mekely thy will and pleasure inwardlye also outwardly in obeying not only my superiors but also al creatures as far as it maye be lauful Graunte good lord grace that I neuer do any thinge with proprietie or affection singular being to ernest or to moche geuen vnto it but with a continual mekenes of my harte and mynde vnto thy wyl I may as it were lye at thy foote I maye desyre nothinge neyther in my selfe netyher in any creature while the worlde standith saue only to knowe execute thy blessed wyll saynge alwaye in my harte with the desyre of my mynd Lord what wilt thou that I shall do And so euermore I maye transforme and conforme my wyll into thyne or vtterly forsake my wyll and turne it to nothinge ¶ Graunt me also most gracious lorde to folowe thy most wonderfull pacience and myldnes where in I may with most quiet and thankefull harte receaue at the hande of thy hyghe prouydence all pouertye all rebuke and shame al payne grefe and sorowe acknowleginge my selfe moost
worthy of them and moch greter and greuos desiringe euermore to suffer more payneful and more harder paynes wyth long sufferynge for very desyre to be lyke in sufferyng and pacyence vnto the my Lord Iesu crucified for me and for thy sake I may wyllyngly ioyfully and thankefully suffer at al tyme al thinges ¶ Graunte me also according to thy example meke silence and taciturnitie wherby I maye the more diligently harkē inwardly thy talke louely wordes in my harte outwardly I maie vtterly and strongly abstaine both from speach and heringe of al ydle wordes lyes and harmful wordes that I may speake only very profitable needefull and that wyth all meekenes I maye desyre to edyfie more in good lyfe thē with many workes and all my life time specially at the oure of death maye haue a sure and a certaine refuge and comforte in these thy precious woūdes of thy most holy feate ¶ Vnto the blessed heade of oure sauioure Iesu I Laude and praise the and geue vnto the most hartie thankes most merciful Iesu for thy great wisdome and for the great loue and sorowe of thy moost holy heade whiche was most painefully most cruelly prickid and crowned with thornes and sore beten for my sake I most humbly and lowly commend and commite my weake head with al my senses and wyttes into the innumerable woundes that thou suferidst in thy blessed heade for al my sinnes and offēces but specially the pertinaci and proude stubburnes of mine owne wit and wisdō The misuse of al my sences and wittes in warde and outwarde The negligences of the feare of the. The inordinate feare the flatteringe of men The lacke of discrecion and my greate intemperaūce my vnpure intente in my doing and the sekinge my selfe And the vices and sinnes that appertaine to these or any of them that they may be forgeuen me in the merites of thy precious bloude I moost humbly beseke the most gracious good lorde for the most bytter payne of thy woūded heade and for that charitie and loue that mouyd the to suffer that most bytter cruelnes for me and by thy inestimable wisdome thy most holy feare thy blessed dyscrecion moost meke simplicitie adorne my weake heade with thy godly and gostly wysedome as moche as is expedient for me to thy glory and my saluacion And vochesafe moost mercyfull lorde with the same to gouerne me so with in and without that I nether thinke speke do or suffer any thinge be it neuer so lytle excepte I knowe that it maye please the and that by wainge duely the cyrcumstance the ende hereof and in my reasō lyghtened with thy grace I may perceaue as it were a certaine leaue geuen vnto me of the to do that I intend Lyghten also good lorde my vnderstanding with the cleare perfecte knowlege of thy greate goodnes holy wyll and of the vilenes and noughtynes both of my selfe and of all transitorye thinges Replete fulfyll and make dronkē myne affection with the swete taste of thy loue and wyth the infaciable desyre to honoure the and to dysspise my selfe Turne al temporal thinges in me vnto bytternes Make me deaffe dome and blynde by thy myghtie power vnto all thinges whiche thou arte not or besydes the. ¶ Graunte me also good lorde the lowlye feare of the and the perpetual hate of al sin be it neuer so lytle and a strayght costodye and kepyng of bothe my inwarde and outwarde man that I may alwaye remember and thynke on before hand al my wordes and workes hauing an eye alwaie inwardly vnto my consciens that I may deuoutly call vpon thy diuyne and godly helpe before that I speake or do any thynge that as sone as I perceaue any thynge agaynst the order of reason or thy lawe I maye by and by leaue of least I shulde lose thy grace and offend thy blessed maiestie ¶ Graunte me also mercyfull sauiour perfecte and cleare discression wherby I may both knowe and also auoyde al snares of the deuyll and al the naturall seakynge of my selfe and that I maye wysely take heade ryghtly decerne also execute euery thing that appertaineth to me in their dewe maner order and tyme that I maye come to the meane of vertue whiche is betwene to muche and to lytle ¶ Graunte me also moost swete Iesu the symplicitie of babes wherby my vnderstādinge may be voyde and bare of all doublenes and combernes of many thinges and of muche curyose and vnprofitable knowlege My wyll maye be voyde and cleane of al the sekinge and loue of my selfe My memory may be cleane cleare from all cares cogitacions and imaginaciōs My wittes powers may be as they wer shut vp and turned inward that I may become a dweller inwardly wythin my selfe cōtinually thus forgettyng al wordly thinges I may in the pure cogitacion desyre of my harte cleaue and rest in the one pure lorde god And walkinge continually with all reuerens in thy godly presens I mai be careful and busy to kepe the vnitie of my sprite vnto the in the bond of goostly peace ¶ Graunte gracious lorde that I may dylygently take great heade of al my thoughtes my wordes and dedes of pure symple obedience vnder the and other mē in the by the I may do thē without scrupulus bād or cleauing to thē Graunt me grace good Lord that I may take as at thy hand prouidens al thinges that euer come vnto me good or bad and that I may remembring my noughtines for euery one of thē first geue harty thankes to the and then take good hede marke to what end they may serue me or what they do warne me of as whether thy goodnes by thys gyft doth warne me to geue the thankes for the euel or aduersyties which thou hast suffered to come to me or to them or hast taken away from me or thē Or that I shuld be more feruent in prayer Or I should wexe more meke in my selfe Or that I shulde take better hede to my selfe Or that I shuld yeld resygne my selfe vnto thy wyl Or that I shuld acknowlege and amende my fawte my infirmytie or neglygence Or to do any other thynge For thou doiste neuer sende anye thinge to any creature but it is for some good purpose Teache me therfore good Lord to know thy pleasure in al thinges of al thinges to take encrease of vertue and purely wysely to fulfil thy holy wyll in al things vtterly forsaking mine owne wil and the seking of my selfe And graunte me moost mercyful Iesu al the dayes of my lyfe but specially in the agony of death a sure and a certaine succur in the precyus woundes of thi moost blessed head Amen ¶ Vnto the swete harte of Iesu I Laud and prayse the and geue vnto the moost louynge Lord and sauyor Iesu for the infinite loue and charitie for the great sorow and heuines of thy most swete
louyng and moost godly hart laūcyd with a knightes spere in the sight and presnes of thy most sorowful mother mary I cōmend resigne and commit most lowly humbly al my whole harte with al my affeccyons and desires hereof into thy precyus wond of thy most dyuyne hart the wel of al goodnes And also all my synnes and offences but specyally al my priuate loue to my self and al vycyus loue that euer I bare vnto any creature The abuse and neglygens of thy blessed sacramentes of thy gyftes of graces My mystrust my infidelytie my heresies and errors my inordynate feare pusylanimitie and desperacyon All the neglyence and lytle care that I haue taken in the thinges pertaining vnto my callinge and state with al my instabilitie and the vyces and synnes appertanynynge to thes or any of them that they may be forgeuen me be purged in thy moost precyus blod I moost humbly besech the moost gracius Lord Iesu for the moost burnynge loue and charytie of thy godly harte and for the precyus wond hereof and for al sorow agonye and heuynes that thou sufferedest in it and by the ineffable charytie cōstance and all the vertues of thy blessed hart fulfil my hart with moost perfect loue charytie which may sley in me al loue to my self and vnto creatures that it mai woūd and set on fyre my harte with the dart of thy fyry loue that I may moost hartely and moost perfectly loue the with al my whoole harte wyth all my mynd wyth al my strength and power puerly without any respect of any reward saue only for thy goodnes ¶ Graunt good Lord that I may for thy sake and loue forgo al thynges be they neuer so greate I may do al good thinges be thei neuer so hard I may suffer al paines be they neuer so paynful that for thy only loue and for thy sake to perseuer herein vn tyll the ende ¶ Graunte me most merciful lorde grace that I may sighe cal and knocke cōtinually vnto the wyth burninge desyres and cōtynuall prayer for the perfecte forsakynge of my selfe and for the louely and godly vnion of my soule vnto ye. That I may euer thinke on the. I maye alway talke of the I may thurst hunger the that I may seke fynde the vntyll that I be fully trāsformid and changed al together into the made one spirite wyth the euer remaynynge in the and thou in me ¶ Graunte also that I may in the same charitie loue euery mā sor thy sake as my self ¶ Graunte me most faythful Iesu a lyuely and a stronge faith that workyth great meruelus workes for thy honoure Iesu ¶ Graunte me also a ryght and a godly intente lyghtenid with the lyght of fayth which maye dyrecte my wyth the symple eye of my pure mynde to thy glory and most acceptable wyl in all thinges that I do or that I suffer and that it maye cut of cast away al the sekinge of my selfe whervnto my corupte nature alwaye craftely drawith me ¶ Graunte vnto me also good lorde stedfast hope and stronge trust and confidence in the where by my soule may be lyfted vp vnto the aboue al changable and transitory thynges that it maye execute al workes mocyons so purely wythout al carefulnes and imaginacions of outwarde thynges that it neuer let nor lose the louely rest and influence in the but amonge al perels and aduersities wyth a ful hope and trust in the it maye abyde wyth longe sufferaunce thy hyghe pleasure and prouydence and with al mekenes it may stedfastli hope that my prayers to be graciously harde of the for thy greate goodnes wythout any doute abidinge in the helpe and protection of the hyeste ¶ Graunte most louynge lorde Iesu stabilytye and constance in all godlye purpose proceding from a stronge and trewe loue wherby I maie loking often vpon the blessed example of thy moost holy lyfe go forwarde in perfection wyth a continual and a feruente desyre and laboure to growe in vertue forgetting al thinges past ¶ Graunte me grace swete sauyour Iesu ofte to examyne my selfe and to remember what I do what I thinke and as sone as I perceaue my selfe distracted from the thē with a new feruour and desyre I maye returne againe vnto the. And that I may not feare nether fiere nor water but constanly to runne thorow al thinges for thy sake loue and therin to perseuer vnto the ende ¶ Graunte me most mercifull Iesu all the dayes of my lyfe but specially at the houre of death a stronge and sure refuge and cōforte in the precyous wonde of thy moost blessed louynge most trusty harte Amē ¶ Vnto the ryghte hande of Iesu I Laude and prayse the and geue most harty thākes vnto the most ryghteus lorde Iesu for thy most omnipotente rightousenes and thy vnspekable loue and greuous paine that thou suffurest in the woūde of thy holy and myghtie ryght hande And into the same most blessed wounde I caste commytte and commende my selfe wholy and my synnes and offences but specyally all my vnryghteousnes and wronges that I haue done to the and to thy creatures Al the bytternes of my harte all my dyspleasure angrines and enuy Al my falshed my vntruth and hypocrysie Al my vnthankefulnes to the for thy benefites and to thine for theyr benefytes That all these my sinnes myght be forgeuen me and be purged in thy precious bloude I most humbly beseke the most meke sauior Iesu for the most bytter and sorowful paine of that precious wonde of thy ryght hand and for the great charitie that moued the to suffer so greuos payne for me to Iustifie me and by thy in estimable ryghtwysenes thy great mercy thy godly treuth most louely thākfulnes graunte me pecfecte rightwysenes where by I maye render my duetie to the my lord specyally and for thy honoure vnto al creatures that which belongeth vnto thē First graunt gracious good lorde that I may of pure loue geue euermore vnto the my lorde god al honoure and glory reuerence and feare all laude prayse thankes and obedyence in al my thoughtes wordes and dedes Secondely I maye also geue vnto my superyors vnto my eguals vnto my inferiours yea vnto my soule and body I may alwaye geue eche of these that whiche belongeth vnto euery one of them ¶ Grant me good lord grace to do al these thinges whiche I am bounde to do by my callynge and profession in due tyme and order wyth moost meke deuocion That I may also flye that which is forbyden me that I may sley and make a sacrifice of my selfe dayly for my sinnes and neglygens wyth the swete teares of loue and repentāce And thus by the merytes of thy bytter holy passion I may be purged here in thys world and walke worthely al the dayes of my lyfe in the callyng and state that thou hast mercifully called me ¶ Graunt me also most meke and pytifull Iesu
and passion of Chryst prynting deapely in to thy soule fleshe his passion deathe that they shyne out of the like a lanterne so that thou alwaye thinke and talke of them For Chryste oure sauyor by the same redemed vs when the deuyl possessed vs as his slaues and bond men that now we are the fathers of heuē which by his only begottē sonne hath bought vs paying by hym our dettes wherein we were bound vnto him And for thys greate benefit we remayne detters vnto him for euer Wherefore yf we wil repaye this det vnto him godly and thankefuly we must prynt hys lyfe passyō and death ī to the powers of our soule and in to the sensies of our bodie and in to al our fleshe we must beare this his crosse vppon vs and folowe effecteously as thoughe we were become one with him in his lyfe and passion And thus the dette that he paied for vs we do some what recompence That thou mayst perfectly fulfyl the same thou must neades conforme or make lyke all thy thoughtes thy wordes dedes thy maners so lyke vnto the thoughtes the wordes the dedes and maners of thy lorde Iesu chryst that wheresoeuer thou be seene harde or touched there be nothinge found in the but that which was in Iesu chryst then shal be sene in that that thou art a very christiā a seruante louer of Chryste And bycause that we are lyke hym in the nature of hys manhed we must according to this example crucify oure nature in vs bycause our nature dyd wyllynglye synne as he exhorteth vs in the holye gospell sayenge deny and forsake thy selfe and take vp thy crosse vpon thy backe folowe me In this he commaundeth that we shoulde crucifye oure bodely nature and sensualytie wyth very true vertues Our soule also we must confirme and make lyke vnto the most heuye and sorowfull soule of our lorde Iesu so shall we do yf we sorow and lamente al waye the greate dishonour of god the losse of soules and our owne sinnes and the sinnes of all men And loke howe muche we wante in this conformytie and folowing of christes passion in oure bodye and soule so moche more we remayne in debte vnto oure lorde god Certaynely a faythfull louer of Iesu ought to drowne in maner so prynte hym selfe into the lyfe and passyon of hym that he shoulde feale that passion lyfe more presente and more fastened into hym selfe then hys owne payne or crosse that he suferith yea yf he had any specyal paine or gryef in any member of his body were sore vexed therewyth yet shoulde he feele more the payne and passion of hys Lorde Iesu then the sorowe that payneth hym in the member of hys owne bodie Wherfore thou oughtes wyth greate desyre and deuoute harte contynually to pray intrete thy most gracious lorde Iesu that he vochsafe to confyrme the most perfectly vnto hys mortifyed holy and crucyfyed humanytye by an ardent an eleuate and a ful resygned spirite and by a mortifyed an heuy and a compassionate soule and also by an aflyctyd a laborsome a tormented and a pained bodye or at the least thou shalte praye hym to sende the some bodely and contynuall payne or grefe to put the in mynde alwaye of hys bytter passion that thou forgette it not also that he vochesafe to rest in the and to take pleasure to worke in the wythout any inpedimente We ought therfore to exercyse our selfes in the most blessid passion of oure lorde .vi. maners of wayes Fyrste thou shalte exercise thy selfe in the passion of Iesu by imitacion or to folowe it Secōdly by cōpassion or to haue cōpassiō therin Thirdly by admyracion to haue wonder Fourthly by ioy or to reioyse therin Fiftly by resoluciō or to be resoluid therī Syxtly by deuocion to rest therin Fyrste thou oughtest to haue meditacion in this blessid passion that thou mightest folowe the same for it is the hyghe most perfectest imytacion that a man can haue this is the hygh and most holyest relygion and most relygius perfecciō To folow Christ in his death and passion is the rule and the example of oure sauiour the rule of our lyfe in whō we may haue so moche the more confort consolaciō as we herein be the more conformable and lyke oure lorde Iesu And let vs thinke oure selfes so moche the more desolate as we fynd oure selfes farre from this example rule Let vs therfore wyshe and desire as moch as lieth in vs to be cast downe to be set at nought to be scornyd afflycted scorged of all persons and in the seruice that we do to God to be rebuked of all men Let vs be poore and barewyth poore and bare Iesu let vs desyre to haue nothing Yea let it be most payneful payne and vnmesurable sorow to haue any thīg and to haue nothinge let it be perfecte Ioy gladnes let vs abhorre al to tast swete delectable thinges let vs rather desire to be refreshed with vyle homely bytter thynges and let vs desyre that al fode or mete may tast to vs rather galle then hony bicause that Iesus dranke vineger gal And as I may saie breuely let vs cōsider how he vsed him selfe in his passiō and let vs conforme our selfe for our litle power vnto him as much as we can keping and obseruyng alway the meane and moderacion that we excede not the measure of oure infyrmytie Secondly thou must exercise thy selfe in the blessyd passion of thy Lord Iesu that thou mayste take compassyon on hym moost innocent cōsideryng his cruel scorging his scornes his reuyles and rebukes reuoluyng in thy hart howe greatly our Lord Iesu was dyiectid cōtempnyd in his most bitter passion how great afflicciō paine he suffered ī his hart body both by reason of his owne payne and passyon also by reason of hys compassyon towarde vs for our synnes Let vs consider with howe muche bytter sorow the very swet angells where repleanisshed with al how moch greuyd our Lorde Iesu not only the payne layd vppon hym and our vnthankefullnes but also the sore afflyccyon of hys deare mother that stode by whome he louyd moost dearely and fre he rredy to swone for sorow Certaynly by reason of the excedyng grate and moost ardent burning loue that the one bare to the other they suffered most payneful compassion and the affliction of bothe partes was exceding greate For the one sufferyd for the other sake For the mother knew wel that her dere sonne suffered for her specyally as wel as for to redeme other The sonne also knewe full well that the swerde of sorowe of hys passion perced the soule and harte of his his mother And therfore was the passion of the sonne the passion also of the mother Goo to thē good doughter the seruāt of god and the spowse of chryst to se and turne these in thy harte wyth the rebukes and paynes of thy lorde
and deare spowse beholdyng hym suffer so greate and intollerable paynes for thy sake Yf thou weere well and faste knytte vnto hym in perfecte charitie thou woldest take excedyng great compassion vpon hym Yf thou feale nothing the payne of thy heade thou arte not a member and one wyth hym Playnely lyke as we shoulde take more compassion and pyty vpon the heade then on the other members euen so oughtest thou in comparably to take more compassion vpō thy lorde Iesu then thou woldest or shouldest do vpon ether father or mother chylde kynsman or most deare frend yea then vppon thyne owne selfe if thou shouldest suffer all these forsayde paynes that thy lorde suffered for ye. Therfore now good doughter let vs drynke oure selfe dronke with gall wormwode and myrre Let vs feale and thinke on hys precius and payneful woundes let his rebukes scourges woundes pearce through the bottome of oure harte let ther remayne nothing in vs that is not all drowned in sorowe and vehemently afflyctyd and troubled ¶ Thyrdly thou must beholde the passyon of oure sauioure Iesu to wonder and with admyracyon consyderyng who it is howe moche he sufferyd and for whome he suffered Who suffred plainly the very sonne of god most myghtest moost wysesest and the very goodnes it selfe And so good that howe muche so euer goodnes and nobylite thou ascrybest to hym it is nothinge in respecte of hys greatnes and excellence All thinges be they neuer so good and neuer so greate and excellent they are but one aske yea they are but very vanytie and ryght nought in comparison of hym How great are they that he sufferyth certaynely trauel in a strainge contrey banishement flyght hunger thurst colde heat temtacions horyble feares persequucyons wayte of his ennymies to be taken traytory spyttynges reuyles and rekubes bondes scorginges stormes sorowes plages and sores strypes woundes and death For the very glory it selfe was spyghtfully spit on right wysenes it selfe was condempned The Iudge of the worlde was iuged and arayned he that toke wrong was blamed The innocente was defamyd god was blasphemed chryst was trodden vnder foote lyfe it selfe was slayne the sonne was derkenyd the moone wexed blacke the starres were scatered abrode and al these thinges did he suffer paciētly as it had ben a lambe which with one only becke was able to haue drownid into the bottome of hel al these vnkind and wycked people that so handled hym But for whom suffered he for moost vyle mancyples for most synfull ennymyes of hys yea for very deuilishe persons and the chyldren by imitacion of the deuyll for the contempners of the maiestie of god vnkynd and vnthankefull seruauntes to the greate goodnesse of god Wonder therefore that suche and so greate a lorde wolde suffer suche and so greate paynes for most vyle and moost abiecte sinners and wretches But now of whome suffered he Of his owne chosen and specially chosē vnto whom he shewed al goodnes and bountefulnes of the most vylest the most excellēt of the vnwyse and fooles the most wysest the whiche is the sempyternall worde and wysedome of God The moost godlyst of most vngodly wycked The euerlasting bryghtnes of the moost filthiest mater and corrupcion In al these lyfte vp thy harte mynde and maruayle at the infynite goodnes and lyberalytie of almyghty god that bought the wyth so great a price Fourthly prynte the passion of thy lorde in thy harte to reioyse thereof for thou oughtest to be glad and ioye in it with moste harty thankes geuyng for the redemcion of the nature of mā for the restoring of angels and of the greate clemencye and mercye of allmyghty god And as for the redemcion of mankynde thou oughtest to be wonderfully glad accomplyshed by chrystes most bytter passion and precyous death Who is he I praye the that wolde not reioyse and be glad perceuinge hym selfe delyuered by this moost blessed passion frō euerlastinge death from the shame of synne frome the power of the deuyll Who wolde not vnmesurably excedyngly reioyse beholding and consydering that the hygh and most al mighty lord god so wel doth loue him that he wolde submyt and subiecte hym selfe vnto so greate vyces and affliction to redeme hym not that he shoulde reioyse at the abiection and passion of oure lorde but of the most gracious affect hereof of the tender affection and loue that he declaryd in hys passion and afflyction what prynce in the kyngdome or empyre of an emperour or kyng perceuing hym selfe so greatly to be in fauoure and loue wyth his lord that his lorde master wold be redy to suffer death for hys sake wolde he not very greatly reioyse and be glad in his whole hart Howe moch more then ought we most vyle wretches wycked synners and noughty seruātes to reioyce and be glad perceauing that the king of al kynges and lorde of all lorddes oure creatour Iesus chryst doth loue vs so feruently that he wolde offer vp in sacryfice hym selfe vnto most foule and most vyle death Let vs therefore be glad wyth ioye vnmeasurable that our lorde Iesu louyth better eache one of vs than any man dothe loue hym selfe Let vs be gladde and reioyse that by the blessed passion of Iesu the ruyne and breche of the angels is restored Ther ought to be in vs greate Ioye gladnes syth we se that by the passion of chryste so noble and blessed a colege of the Angels is repayred that there myght be one fold and one shepehard and al to be one in one god In this ought we and haue we good cause bothe wyth the heuenly courte and the mylytante churche of chryst here to ioye and to be glade O moost amyable and verely moost venerable passion of oure sauioure whiche ioynyth to gether thynges the were so farre a sonder and knyttyth together thynges so farre sequestrated and moost strongly and most fyrmely vnytith byndyth them fast together wyth the bonde of moost perfecte loue in the felycitie of ioye sempiternall But we ought to reioyse and to be glad specially perceauing in al these foresade thynges the hyghe wonderfull clemencye and mercy of god and of oure lorde Iesu christ I thynke the cheafest and hygh glory and ioye of the goodnes of the good angels is perfectly to consider the clemency mercy and benefites of god also his vnmesurable goodnes And this ought to be the syngulare inwarde ioye of hym that is contemplatyue that in the very marye of hys soule For where I pray the dothe more apere the powryng vpō vs the most bontefull mercy clemencye and goodnes of the most swettest most louing heuēly father of our lord Iesu christ thē in his passion wherin he suffered such sort so greate so fowle so shameful so greuous paynes turmentes al to deliuer to gloryfie hys wicked enmie for the redempciō of a very vanitie worthy of euerlasting death Let the deuoute persons enter with al deuocion
shoulde do bycause I se not my great enormytes and detestable wyckednes of my former lyfe I beseke thy moste blessed mercy in the mercyes of thy moost obedyente death helpe my imperfection that I may make ful resignaciō vnto thy only wil in al thinges to thy honour glory Amen THough thou can not at the fyrst fully make vnfained oblaciō to al these so faythfully that thou wolde not feare by by to abide and suffer any or al of these for gods sake for perhappes thou shalt fele in thy selfe feare or gruge yf thou shuldest be put to any of these yet be of good cōfort and haue trust that god wyl worke it in the in tyme at his blessed wyl and pleasure so thou do acknowlege thy infyrmytes and cry mercy and continew thy good purpose that thou hast begone and this offerynge shal be very acceptable vnto god vntil thou canst do better And when thou fealest thy selfe somewhat resygned vnto the wyll of god in all these thynges then maist thou with ful confydence and trust enter to the other membre of this exercyse whiche is peticiō or postulacion and knocke wyth the second hammer notwithstāding wether thou fele thy selfe fully resigned or not yf thou haue a desyre to be resygned perfectly to god in al these forsaid thinges feare not nor faile not but in the name of god wyth a humble hope and a meke confidence in the greate mercies of god make this peticion knock thus wyth thys hāmer as deuoutly as thou can in thy mynde vnto almyghty God as our sauiour chryst teacheth vs saing Seke ye shal haue or it shal be geuen vnto you MOOST gloryous god almyghty and moost lyberal lorde god which for thy infinitie goodnes art redye to geue vnto all that faythfully mekely do aske of the that which maye bee to thy glory and honour and theire soules helth And specyally the blessed fruycion of thy selfe in perfecte loue I moost mekely most lowly and deuoutly beseke thy vnmesurable goodnes and most lyberal mercy in the blessed and infynitie merites of my sauiour Iesu for thy mercyful charytie that thou bearest towardes my poore soule for his sake graunt me good lorde the moost blessed fruicion of thy only godhede That my whole affection loue and desire may be satisfyed fully fixed and altogether restyd in the only by the bare pure sincere loue of the and in no other vertue giftes or graces be it neuer so excellent but in the only my most blessed lorde god and moost deare loue of my soule ¶ Graunte me not withstādyng god lord al such special graces and thy gyftes whiche may helpe and bring me vnto the more perfection of lyfe in the trewe loue of the not to rest in them but by them to come to the least restynge in them I myght highly offend the and wexe colde in the desyre of spirituall profyte And in special graunte me gracious good lord most pure perfect clere lyghtenyng of my vnderstandynge that I maye moost fully and perfectly knowe vnderstand in al thynges thy most blessyd wyl and godly pleasure and to folowe fulfyl and execute the same as promptely spedely and perfectly without any retracciō or gruge of harte as the shadowe mouyth at the mocion of the body according to the moost blessid example of my sauyour Iesu And thus for to doo I here offer my selfe most redy with al the mightes and powers of my bodye and soule ¶ Graunt also good lorde the lyght of thy grace to knowe fully my selfe my incomprehensyble vylenes my vnthanfulnes towards the my vnworthines and wretchidnes my mysery and sinfulnes wherby I may come to most perfect contēpt gostly hate of my self perfect profund mekenes ¶ Graunte me perfecte knowlege of all very true vertues and to obtayne so many of them as most shal plese thy blessed goodnes in me to my saluacion But syngulerly and aboue al other things in this world graunte nowe and euermore the contynuall increase of the moost pure true and sincere loue of the. That al my delyght ful fruycion the rest of my soule maye be in the. And that my hart may by so incensed in flamid so whote and set on fyre with the loue of the that the memory of the may be so frequente and ofte in my harte and mynd as is my breath that I contynually do take to lyue wyth all For lyke as yf I lacke thys bodely breath then departith lyfe from my body euen so the very lyfe of my pore soule is the very loue of the is contynued by often continual turning with burning desyre to the which art the orygynal of my soule vnto whom my soule shuld cleaue vnto as the sonne beames do byde wyth the sonne As for other thy graces and gyftes moost gracious lord that ar not necessary for my soule helth as to be delyuered from temtacion perels and pressures the gyftes of reuelacion of secreates deuocion and sensyble grace I aske not most mercyfull lorde god But as it may moost please thy infynite goodnes to thy glorye and my saluacion Wherfore I most humbly beseke thy greate goodnes and mercy graunt me this my meke postulacion peticion and grace that I may wyth al my myght and power laboure and trauel dayly and hourly to optayne it and neuer to cease from most feruente prayer and knockyng vntyl thou most petyful lorde dost open vnto me thy moost lyberal goodnes vnto thy great glory and honoure and my saluacyon ANother parte of thys exercyse after that thou hast vsyd this one day the next day vse this folowyng one day one an other dai an other After this maner first thou must styre thy harte to the loue of god with the same prayer callid an oblaicō gostly which is in the exercise next a fore apointed of the benefites of god yf thou fele thy selfe disposed in harte to the earneste desyre of the loue of god and thy harte be inkyndelyd with the swet memorie of his kindnes towardes the Then shalt thou as it wer burne al vnlikenes toward god in thy selfe that is to say al thy synnes and vycyousenes al thy fautes and imperfeccyons al thy passions and immortificacion thy vnruled sences and theire in ordinate inclynacyō al thi vicius affeccion and thy impaciences but thou shalt not reken and remember them one by one but generally gether them together in thy hart and mynd and caste them as it were in to the infynite fyer of godes loue there to be consumyd and burnyd vp by his mercye with most ardent desyre and deuout mynd saing in thy hart and desyre thus MOst myghtyful god and mercyful Lord whiche dydyst create make me to thy blessyd lykenes and thy owne ymage after that it was disfigured and blemyshyd by the syn of adam thou moost mercyfully hayst reformed it in thy deathe and blod of my lord Iesu by baptisme And now I wretchyd caytyfe synful wretche haue
forsakynge in all thinge thyne owne proper wyl And for as muche as thou and all creatures be in the power and regymente of god therfore ther can no creature harme nor yet touche the but it must fyrst touche god wythin whom thou hayst in closyd thy selfe and transposyd and turned thy selfe al wholy into him and hys godly wyl and pleasure And for this cause must thou nedes harkeÌ„ more to god and here hym rather se hym touche hym and tayst hym moche more then any other thing When thou perceauyst thy selfe thus knyte vnto god that thou perceuyst thy soule to be more fast and ioyned more nerer vnto god then to thyne owne body and by the same loue whiche hathe thus knyt the vnto god dost perceaue that he is the very euerlastynge the incompreheÌ„sible ineffable and only goodnes out of whose power and might thy soule came by creacion and is so lyke vnto god that ther is no creature that can knowe and perceaue throughly the dyngnitie nobilytie of thy soule Then I say thou with this coÌ„syderacion kindelid and styrred with the loue of god thou mayst felyng this loue in thy harte at mydnight or in the morninge dayly if thou wilte exercyse thy selfe whensoeuer thou desyrest to enter by oure sauioure Iesu and to knit thy selfe secretly vnto god inwardely in spirite in this maner folowing Thou shalt knele deuoutly only prostrate before the crucifixe if thou may conueniently or in a secreate place where thou canst not lyghtly be distracted fyrst saye this prayer that thou mayst come vnto this knowlege and maist perceaue thy selfe to dwel in god and god in the. For it is an excelleÌ„t gifte of god and he only can and wyl redely geue it to the faithful and deuoute peticionars thou shalte therfore I saye make frome the bottome of thy hart this humble peticion in thy mynde harty desyre vnto god saying O Gloryous maiestie of infinite mercy and goodnes ineffable which fulfillist al the whole world art euery where in euery thing bi thi might thi essence and presence but specially in the soule of man and singularli in the soule of them that are thi chosen suche as desirethe sekythe and longyth after the I moost humbly hartely beseke the of thy infynitie goodnes and mercy lyghten wyth thi speciall grace mi vnderstandinge and knowlege that I may playnely and clerely parceaue and vnderstand thy blessid presens in me and howe I am in the. And when I feale and perceaue thy holy presence graunt me grace mooste mercyfull Lorde to holde the and kepe the wyth much reuerence and with a reuerent feare to walke and conuersant my selfe before the kepyng al the powers of my soule and my senses chaystly and clerely from al worldly vaynities that they al way may tende vpon the and in al thing I may find and remember the And what so euer I se here towche feale or tayst I may in them se heare towche feale and tayst the more then them And that I mai receaue al thing what euer commyth vpon me immediatly as at thy hand and sendyng and seke there in to fulfily ioyful thi blessid wil pleasure or my nighbors profyt and soule helth or the ameÌ„dement of my lyfe and the meking of my selfe and to obey the and al creatures for thy loue and honor for sakyng vtterly mine owne wyl By cause thou art in me and in al thinges therefore I shoulde obey the in euery creature to thy glory honour and my soule helth THou shalt say this forsayd prayer deuoutly kneling before the imayge of Christ crucyfed or crucyfyxe yf thou can conuenyently as I sayde before or in suche place where thou shalt not be distractyd Then after this prayer thou shalt recollect thy selfe fully beleuynge that thou verely syttest before thi bare nakid and crucified lord Iesu euen as he was veryly crucified and hange vpon the Crosse al nakyd and defaced with most cruel and blody woundes And thoughe thou se hym not with thy bodely eyes thou oughtest yet to se him faythfully and inwardly with thy goostly eyes For playnely for as muche as thou doyste hartely desire to loue hym aboue al thinge and by harti loue doist moost hartely desire to be knyt vnto hym by grace in spyryt vndoughtidly he is as verili present as he did hang vpon the crosse and is now in the bosome of the father And bicause that the infinite dygnitie worthynes and nobylytie-of god canne not suffer the leaste sinne in hym that wold be knyt vnto hym and thou commenly fallest vnto some sin daily after thou haist parhaps byn knit vnto thi Lord god Thou muste therefore ascende and come vp vnto thi lord god vnto the godhed or dyuinitie of thy Lord Iesu by the moost precyous woundes of his blessid humanitie which he therfore sufferyd them and arose agayne from death with them and kepyth them styl in his blessid and holy bodye that we may clyme vp as it were by them vnto the blessyd godhed therfore he sayth There can none come vnto my father but only by me I am the dore who that commith in by me they shal find pasture Thou shalt therefore fyrst with most profunde mekenes fal down yf place as I haue sayd wyl serue or bowe very lowe downe at his most graciê° fete with the holy penitent Mary magdalene and there thou must do two thynges as she dyd Fyrst thou must with teares outward or inward as grace wyl serue for thy sinnes swetly louyngly wet his fete lamenting of very loue thy fawtes and synnes commytting theÌ„ with most harty confidence in his mercy and drowning them as it were in the most precious wounds of his blessid fete Thou shalt offer thi self to his merci al thy sinnes fawtes and imperfeccyons great and smal wherewith thou haist euer offendyd so louyng a father specially sythe thou were last knyt vnto him For his most excelleÌ„t noble maiesty can byde no meane nor let be it neuer so lytle no not one vaine thought or one litle morsel eateÌ„ otherwise then it ought except the same be purgid and cleansed by penaunce When thou hayste washed and weat the feate of thy sauyour Iesu after this sorte The second thing that thou must do is thou muste wype the same blessyd feat with the lockes of thi head that is to say Thou must with mooste perfect wyl and purpose so forsake al syn be they neuer so lytle that thou woldest rather suffer deathe then commit any sin Then thou shalt with mooste ardent desyre wyshe and longe to optaine al vertues and to die perfectli vnto al vyce and imperfeccyons And make this humble petycyon with harty deuocyon in thy affeccyon and mynde not in voyce MOst dear sauyor Iesu the longyng and desire of my soul I humbly beseke the by the most blessid wouÌ„des that thou sufferedst vpon the crosse for me make me to sucke drawe effecteously out of thy precious wouÌ„des al
be created moost frely and franckely for this tyme for euermore to abyde at thy pleasure all aduersytie goostly and bodely al payne grefe of harte and of bodye and vnto all thynges whatsoeuer thou wylle sende or suffer to come vnto me Yea moost mercyful lorde Iesu for thy loue I offer my selfe redie to suffer yf it be thy blessyd wyl the bitter paines of hel And I desire that thou might so haue me at thy pleasure as thou hadste me before thou creatydst me to thy honour and glory SEcondly thou shalt aske of thy lord Iesu not only all the graces and gyftes that he hath which thou nedest but also al that god him selfe is that thou myghtest haue the fruycyon of hym reste in hym and in his only and infynyte loue Thou shalte aske also a bare and a perfecte spirit the open and cleare knowlege of his dyuine goodnes and wyl and of thine own vnworthynes the knowlege and perfectiō of al vertues and most strong perseuerāce in godlynes and vertue Thou shalte aske al necessaries for thy soule helth and for al thy special frendes and for the whole world and the holy churche of chryst and for the soules in purgatorye in this maner or other lyke MOst blessyd and glorious lord and swete sauyoure Iesu for the tender loue of thy moost swete harte graunte me in al those gyftes and graces that thou hayste and be necessarye for me to my soule healthe and saluacion but specially graunte me aboue and afore all thynges thyne owne selfe thy incomprehēsyble and moost blessyd godhede that my soule maye haue the fruicion hereof and that I maye rest only in it and in the sinceare and infynite loue of it ¶ Graunte me swete sauioure also a bare senceare and a perfecte spirite wyth moost perfect and clear knowledge of thy dyuine goodnes the knowlege of thy wyl and plesurs and perfecte syght and knowlege of my noughtines and greate vnworthynes the knowlege and perfection of al vertew and perfecte and stronge perseueraunce in the same ¶ Graunt me al thinges necessary for my soules helth and for the comforte soules helth of al my specyal frendes and louers And graunte peace and thy protection to al holy churches and mercy to the soules in purgatory to thy honor glory Amen ANd for as much as god hath louyd that from the begynnyng with an infinite charytie and for that charitie thy lord and sauiour Iesu suffered his cruel deathe and passion thou shalt confyrme thy selfe vnto his charitie desyryng moost hartely yf it shoulde please hym that thou myghtest lyue in this worlde in as greate derelyction and desolacion in as greate sorowe and shame in as greate pouertie and myserye as thy sauioure Iesu dyd And that thy bare soule myghte be adornyd and indued wyth the same vertewes wherwyth hys blessid soule was indued And bycause that he ys the very euerlastyng charitie it selfe and thou canst not come into hym but if thou be trāsformed and turned al together into loue Therfore thou shalte aske wyth moost feruente desyre to be indued wyth the charytie and loue that thy sauyoure Iesu was indued That thus thou mayste become formyd and made lyke vnto hym both in hys manhed and hys godhed makyng this peticion wyth harty desyre GRaunte me also moost merciful and moost myghtyful sauioure Iesu as shal please the that I maye for thy honoure and loue lyue in this worlde in as greate desolacion and as comfortles in as great sorow shame in as great labor and trouble in as greate myserye and pouertie as thou dydest for me And most gracyous lord adorne indue my soul wyth al those blessid and holy vertues that thy blessyd soule and humanitie was indued wtal And specyally I most hartely and with most ardent desyre beseke the my most gracius lord god transforme me altogether in to the perfecte loue of the. And specially my soule into that charitie whych thy moost blessyd soule had and hath euermore to thy moost honoure and glory Amen FOurthlye thou shalte vehementlye and hartely desyre that thou maist be knyte and made one wyth hym moost blessedly and happely wythout any meane immediatly Thē if thou feale thine harte and mynd knit in most feruente and burning desyre and loue of hym thou shalt approche vnto the blessyd dyuinitie eleuatynge and lyftynge vp thy whole thoughte vnto the blessyd godhed of chryst forgetting cleane and leauing out of thy mind and for gettyng al thyng creatyd Yea not fealyng nor thynking vpon thy selfe Thus shalte thou depely drowne hide transforme or turne thy selfe wholy into the moost delectable moost swetest and most blessyd loue of thy lorde god yea thy very euerlastynge loue ful of moost ardent charytie So that thou myghtest neuer here after be found or knowen of any creature Here also thou shalte moost hartely desyre to be swalowed vp to be cleane consumed of that infynit goodnes and also to swalow vp and consume in to thy selfe that blessyd goodnes saynge in thy harte OH moost blessid goodnes and most holy and gloryous godhed of my sauior Iesu I humbly beseke the rauyshe me and hyde me wythin thy blessid goodnes infynite charytie that I neuer be founde lyke other frayle creatures that I may forget al thinges and also forget and lose my selfe that I may both be consumyd swalowid of the and into the and thou into me for ther only is the true loue rest and felicyte of my soule there is my begynning my most blessyd rest and ending in that infynyte goodnes whiche is none other then an vnmesurable bottomeles depth of eternal infinite loue ¶ Thus in suche contēplacion in the harte of Iesu thou mayst be al moolten in the admyrable loue and superadmyrable goodnes of thy lorde god the spouse the most swetest loue of thy soule Moost humbly then thou shalte desyre him to open vnto the that moost fayrest most lyghtsome and pleasante kyngdome of his holy dyuinitie and that he vochesafe to trāslate and vtterly drowne the whooly in it sayenge in this maner wyth harty deuocion or lyke O Superadmyrable power vnmesurable wysedome and infinitie goodnes of my lorde God O superadmyrable wonder and ouer wonderful goodnes whē wylte thou transforme and hyde me al to gether in thyne owne selfe and thy selfe in me O myghtyful lord it is as lytle leasse for the thus to swalow vp and deuour me in the as it is to the vnmesurable mayne sea to deuoure one lytle drop of water O my lorde god creatoure and confirmer of al thyng wold to god I could make of euery creature in the world a resonable soule and of euery soule specially of myne owne soule the kyngdome of heauē wher thou myghtest haue al peace and al ioye swete Iesu for al the sorowe and heuynes thou sufferedst for me I wold most hartely and gladly geue al these vnto the. Most louyng lorde yf it may please the let me suffer
god to abyde in there to talke vnto thy soule ¶ The thurtenth impedyment THat is studie vnmesurable where in the vnderstandyng is al together occupyed wyth bare speculacion of suche thynges wherin is nether deuocyon nether incensyng or kyndlyng of the minde nor vertuous affeccyon is sought for but the bare redynge for it selfe bycause it delyghtyth or pleasythe the reder or els it is taken for some vayne knowledge Suche maner of parsons become vayne and puffyd vp in their great lernyng and of suche knowledge presūptuous yet very baren in the affeccyō of that wherof they cā so wel talke For they can bable and say much of spyritual lyfe and goostly fealing but they neuer tast it but be for from the fealynge here of Thou shalt not rede and study therfore that thou mayst be countyd learned but that thou mayste be the more deuoute and godlie Alway thinke rather that thou art ignorant and canst nothing And desire to know nothing with the holy apostle paul but thy Lorde Iesu Chryste and the same crucyfied For if thou canst and knoweste Chryst it is ynowghe thoughe thou know nothing els Exercyse thy selfe in his lyfe and passyon cōtynually beholdyng deuoutlye in medytacyon what he suffered that thou mayste haue compassyon and sorowe wyth him and how he sufferyd with what Obedyence mekenes pacyence with al other vertues that thou thereby mayste be prouokyd to folow lyke vertues and wherfore or why he sufferyd that thou mayst be thankeful vnto him in louyng hym againe as he louyd the syth he suffered passion and death for the. Let there grow and encrease in the contynually desyre to be lyke vnto thy louyng Lord and sauyor Iesu Chryste in sufferyng that as he sufferyd most cruel passyon and payneful death for the so thou must be wylyng to suffer al aduersitie and griefe for his loue and honor that he shal lay and suffer to com vpon the. ¶ The .xiiij. Impediment THat is the inordinate delectacion and as it were a rest in gostly spiritual swetenes as when we do rest in the delight in grace in deuociō in loue in sensible or felyng deuocion which be al the giftes of god lent vs. We must not rest in them or set to muche delyght in thē but vse them as meanes to leade to lyfte our hart and ful affection to god for him selfe They are not the very sanctimony charitie but certeyne gyftes of god geuen to vs for a helpe to our infirmitie that we shuld mortifie more diligentlye the inordinate loue and affecciō to our selfe and not that we shuld rest in them The more then that a man is mortified to hym selfe in al these poyntes that are here spoken of the more charitie true loue he hath and no more Yea whatsoeuer he askith of god if he doth not vse it to the mortifiyng of hym selfe it is impure and myxte wyth nature whiche sekes it selfe in all thynges so subtylly yea in godly thynges that if it be stayed or letted on the one syde it wyl craftelye apeare and crepe in at another hole before we can well perceiue it The .xv. Impediment 〈…〉 THat is the coldnes in deuocion and in the desyre of perfeccion whereby many be led by costume do many good workes thynkinge that perfeccion lyeth more in the multytude of good workes then in the feruour and increase of charitie therfore they folowe not the tracte and monicion of the holy gost in forsaking them selfe But thou shalt take and holde thys rule as the summe of gostly profite At al tyme as nyghe as thou canst kepe thy hart mynd eleuated vnto god with louely turnynge memory of him with feruent desire to please hym most perfectly sighing crying with out ceasyng with some brief burning aspyracions louely sentences as for example ¶ Oh my lord god the only lyfe of my soul Oh the whole desire of my hart whē shall most hertely loue the when shall I perfectly and vtterly forsake all the world contemne my owne selfe for thy pure loue ¶ Oh that I could depart wholy from my selfe and be wholy turned to the my lord that I myght wyth most burnyng loue be transformed and altered into the. ¶ Oh the swete thought of my hart graūt me grace to loue the with al my hole hart with al my hole soule and mynde with all the myghtes and powers of my body and soule And thus dyuers wayes as the holy gost shal put in thy mynd at al tymes thou muste desyre loue sighe for thy loue thy lorde Iesu Thou must also laude prayse and geue thankes often tymes vnto hym Thys is most worthy and most noble exercyse whereby thou mayst optaine infinite thynges of the infinite goodnes of thy lord god for the desire of charitie shuld extende it selfe infinitely God hym selfe cōmaundeth vs to aske and he hym selfe also hath promised to heare vs which of his infinite liberalite suffreth no sygh nor mone made to him to passe voyd or without frute For either he infūdeth grace either increaseth the same either draweth the harte to hym more effecteousely either he refresheth it swetely either geueth it some gostly light or els cōfirmith it more stedfastly Do not therfore loose by negligence nor neglecte suche noble gyftes which thou mayst optayne euery hour Cease not flye not from the face of thy louyng lord but folow pursue thy dere loue and lord thorow fyre and water And when thou art distracted frō him whē thou art temptid or ouerthrowen thereby be it neuer so often or neuer so foule a fal returne agayne I say vnto the lorde of all mercy and pytie he wyl not forsake the. Begyn againe boldly intend māfully and most hertely desyre to cōsume and bestowe al that thou arte al thyne in his loue and laude in his honor seruice For vnthākefulnes causeth the wel of hys mercy to dry vp the spirite within vs cryeth withoute ceaseing in our soule that we shuld be thankeful vnto god for hys giftes lauding praysyng hym in hart worde and dede which is blessed and praise worthye worlde withoute ende Amen Certaine steppes of stayres general to know how much thou doest profite and grow in the loue of god forsaking of thy selfe And as ofte as thou shalt loke hereon lament be sory that thou arte no farther forward and force thy selfe with a good hope corage in god to increase and growe better THey stand on the fyrste stayre or step which are wel groūded in catholike faith and the feare of god and for gods sake exchew al deadly syn But yet they are but colde in charitie and neglygent and slowe in the gostlye lyfe For they seke al together natural cōmodities and sensual cōfortes and solace whose gostly lyght is but dym obscure theyr liuyng is daungerus not withoute peryll and theyr saluacion is but doutful Bycause that whyle they thynke it inough for saluaciō to