Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	sin_n	soul_n	spiritual_a	8,699	5	7.0020	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13678	The following of Christ translated out of Latin into Englishe, newlie corrected and amended. VVherento also is added the golden epistle of Sainct Bernarde. And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of Mirandula.; Imitatio Christi. English.	Cyprian, Saint, d. 304. [Swete and devoute sermon of mortalitie of man]. aut; Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555?; Elyot, Thomas, Sir, 1490?-1546.; Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153. Epistola de perfectione vitae. English. aut; Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463-1494. Regulae duodecim portim excitantes portim dirigentes hominem in pugna spirituali. English.; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.	1585 (1585)	STC 23968; ESTC S103013	152,704	352

thy mercie from all perils and daungers O righteous father euer to be praysed the time is come that thou wilte thy seruaunt be proued And righteouslie is it done that I now shall suffer somewhat for thee now is the hour come that thou hast knowen from the beginninge that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught and inwardlie to liue to thee and that he shoulde a litle be despised in the sight of the world and be broken with passions and sickenes that he might after rise with thee into a newe light and be clarified and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen O holie father thou haste ordeyned it so to be and it is done as thou hast commaunded this is thy grace to thy freende to suffer and to be troubled in this worlde for thy loue howe ofte so euer it be of what person soeuer it be in what maner soeuer thou suffer it to fall vnto him without thy counsayle prouidence nor without cause nothinge is done vpon earth Oh it is good to me Lorde that thou hast meekened me that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgementes and put from me all maner of presumption and highnes of minde And it is verie profitable to me that cōfusion hath couered my face that I maye learne thereby to seeke for helpe and succour to thee rather thē to man And I haue therby learned to dreade thy secrete terrible iudgementes which scourgest the righteous mā with the sinner but not without equitie and iustice I yeelde thankes to thee that thou haste not spared my sins but haste punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent me sorowes and anguishes within and without so that there is no creature vnder heauen that may comfort me but thou Lorde God the heauenlie leach of mans soule which strikest and healest and bringest a man nigh vnto bodilie death and after restorest him to health againe that he maye thereby learne to knowe the littlenes of his owne power the more fullie to trust in thee Thy discipline is fallen vpon me and thy rod of correctiō hath taught me vnder that rodde I whollie submit me strike my backe and bones as it shall please thee make me to bowe my croked will vnto thy will make me a meeke an humble disciple as thou hast sometime done with me that I may walke all after thy wil. To thee I commit my selfe and all mine to be corrected for better it is to be corrected by thee here then in time to come Thou knowest all thinges nothinge is hidde from thee that is in mans cōsciēce Thou knowest thinges to come before they fall it is not nedefull that any man teache thee or warne thee of any thinge that is done vpō the earth Thou knowest what is speedefull for me and howe much tribulation helpeth to purge the rest of sinne in me do with me after thy pleasure and disdayne not my sinfull life to none so well knowen as it is to thee Graunt me Lorde that to knowe that is necessarie to be knowen that to loue that is to be loued that to prayse that highlie pleaseth thee that to regarde that appeareth precious in thy sight and that to refuse that is vile before thee Suffer me not to iudge after my outwarde wits nor to geue sentēce after the hearinge of vncunninge men but in a true iudgement to discerne thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thinges alway to searche and folowe thy will and pleasure The outwarde witnes of men be ofte deceyued in their iudgementes And in likewise the louers of the worlde be deceyued through louinge onelie of visible thinges VVhat is a man the better for that he is taken better truelie nothinge For a deceitfull man deceyueth an other a vayne mā deceyueth an other and a blinde feeble creature deceyueth an other when he exalteth him and rather confoundeth him then prayseth him For why howe muche soeuer a man be in light of God so much he is and no more sayth the meeke Saint Fraunces howe holye and howe vertuous soeuer he be taken in sight of the people That it is good that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion The 56. Chapter My sonne thou mayest not alwaye stande in the high feruēt desire of vertue ne in the highest degree of contemplatiō but thou muste of necessitie through the corruption of the first sinne sometime descende to lower thinges and against thy will and with great tediousnes to beare the burden of this corruptible body for as longe as thou bearest this bodie of death thou must neede feele some tediousnes and griefe of heart and thou shalt ofte times beweepe mourne the burden of thy fleshlie feelinges and the contradictiō of thy body to thy soule for thou mayest not for the corruption thereof perseuer in spirituall studies and in heauenlye contemplation as thou wouldest doe and then it is good to thee to flie to meeke bodilie laboures and to exercise thy selfe in good outwarde workes and in a stedfast hope and trust to abide my comminge and my newe heauenlie visitations and to beare thy exile and the drines of thy hart patientlie till thou shalt be visited by me agayne and be deliuered from all tediousnes and vnquietnes of minde VVhen I shall come I shall make thee forget all thy former laboures and to haue inwarde rest and quietnes of soule I shall also laye before thee the florishing medowe of holy scripture and thou shalte with great gladnes of heart in a newe blessed feeling fele the very true vnderstāding thereof and then quickly shalt thou runne the waye of my commaundementes and then shalt thou saye in great spirituall gladnes The passions of this world be not woorthy of thē selues to bring vs to the ioy that shall be shewed vs in the blisse of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen That a man shall not thinke him selfe vvorthy to haue comfort but rather to haue sorovve and payne and of the profite of contrition The 57. Chapter LOrde I am not woorthy to haue thy consolation nor any spirituall visitatiō and therefore thou doest righteously to me when thou leauest me needy and desolate for though I might weepe water of teares like to the Sea yet were I not woorthy to haue thy con●olatiō for I am worthy to haue nothing but sorowe and paine for I haue so greeuouslye and so ofte offended thee and in so many things greatly trespassed against thee Therefore I may well saye and confesse for truth that I am not woorthy to haue thy leste cōsolation But thou Lord benigne and mercifull that wilt not thy workes doe perish to shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes in the vessels of thy mercy aboue all my merites or desert doest vouchsafe sometime to comforte me thy seruaunt more then I can thinke or deuise Thy cōsolations be not

incumbred by an euill custome for that euill custome may be ouercome with a good custome And excuse thee not that thou art let by other men for if thou wilt leaue the familiaritie with other they will suffer thee to doe thy deedes without impediment Meddle thee not with other mens goodes neither busie thee in great mens causes haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe and diligentlie informe and admonishe thy selfe before all other If thou haue not the fauour of worldlie liuinge people sorowe not therfore but let this be thy daylie sorowe that thou behauest not thy selfe in thy conuersation as it beseemeth a good religious person for to doe It is more expedient and more profitable that a man sometime lacke consolations in this life the that he haue them alwayes after his owne will namelye fleshlie consolations Neuerthlesse that we haue not sometime heauenly consolations or that we so seldome feele them as we doe it is through our owne defaulte for we seeke not to haue the true compunction of harte nor we caste not fullie awaye from vs the false outwarde consolatiōs Holde thy selfe therfore vnworthy to haue any consolation and worthye to haue much tribulation VVhen a man soroweth perfectlye for his sinnes then all wordly cōfortes be painefull to him A good man findeth alway matter ynough why he ought iustlie so sorowe weepe for if he beholde him selfe or if he thinke on his neighbour he seeeth well that none liueth here without great miserie the more throughlie that he may consider him selfe the more sorow he hath And alwaye the matter of true sorowe and of true inwarde copunction is the remembraunce of our sinnes wherein we be so wrapped on euery side that seldome we may beholde any ghostly thinges But if we would more ofte thinke on our death then we doe on long lyfe no doubt but we should more feruentlie apply our selfe to amendment and I beeleue also that if we woulde hartily remember the paines of hell and of purgatorie that we shoulde more gladlye sustayne all labors and sorowes and that we shoulde not dreade anye paine in this world wherby we myght auoyde the paynes that are to come But forasmuch as these things goe not to the heart and we yet loue the flattering and false pleasures of this worlde therefore we remaine colde and voide of deuotiō and ofte it is through the weakenes of the spirite that the wretched bodie so lightlie complaineth Pray therfore meekelie to our Lorde that he of his great goodnes geue thee the spirite of compunction and saye with the prophete thus Feede me Lord with the breade of compunction and geue me to drinke water of teares in great abundance Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth The .22 Chapter AVVretch thou act whosoeuer thou be withersoeuer thou turne thee but if thou turne thee to God VVhy arte thou so lightlie troubled for that it falleth not to thee as thou wouldest and desirest VVhat is he that hath all thinge after his wil neither thou nor I nor any man liuinge for none liue here without some trouble or anguishe be he kyng Or who thinkest thou is in moste fauour with God truelie he that suffreth gladlie moste for God But many persons weake and feeble in spirite saye thus in their heartes Lo howe good a life that man leadeth howe riche he is howe mightie he is how high in authoritie how great in sight of the people and how faire and beautifull in his bodily kinde but if thou take heede to the goodnes euerlastinge thou shalt well see that these worldlye goodes and worldly likinges are but litle worth and that they be more rather greuous then pleasaunt for they may not be had ne kept but by great labour and busines of minde The felicitie of man standeth not in abundance of worldlie goodes for the meane is best And verilie to liue in this world is but miserie and the more ghostlie that a man would be the more painfull it is to him for to liue for he feeleth more plainely the defaultes of mans corruption For why to eate to drinke to sleepe to wake to rest to labour and to serue all other necessities of the bodie is great miserie and great affliction to a deuout soule which woulde gladly be free from the bondage of sinne that it might without let serue our Lord in puritie of conscience and in cleannes of heart The inwarde man is greatlie greeued through the bodilie necessities in this world VVherefore the prophete Dauid desired that he might be deliuered from such necessities But woe be to them that knowe not their owne misery woe be to them that loue this wretched and this corruptible life for some loue it so muche that yf they might euer lyue here though they myght poorelye get their liuinge with labour begginge yet they would neuer care for the kingdome of heauē O madde and vnfaithfull creatures are they that so deepelie set their loue in earthly things that they haue no feeling nor taste but in fleshlie pleasures Truelie in the hour of death they shall knowe howe vile and howe naughtie it was that they so much loued But holle Saintes and deuout folowers of Christ they did not what pleased the fleshe ne what was pleasaunt in the sight of the world but all their whole intent and desire they helde to thinges inuisible and feared least by sight of thinges visible they might be drawen downe to the loue of them My welbeloued brother lose not the desire to profite in spirituall thinges for thou hast yet good time and space VVhy wilt thou any longer deferre the time Arise and now this same instant beginne and saye thus Nowe is time to laboure in good workes nowe is time to fight in ghostlie battaile and nowe is time to make amēdes for trespasse passed VVhen thou art troubled then is best time to merite and get rewardes of God It behoueth thee to go through fire and water before thou come to the place of recreation and but if thou can fullie haue the mastry ouer thy selfe thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne nor liue without great tediousnes and sorow VVe would gladlie be deliuered frō all miserie and sinne but because we haue through sinne lost our innocencie we haue lost also the verie ioye and felicitie VVherefore we must holde vs in patience and with good hope abide the mercie of God till wretchednes and miserie be ouerpassed and that this bodilie lyfe be chaunged into the life euerlastinge O how great is the frailtie of man that he is euer readie and prone to sinne This daye thou art confessed and to morow thou fallest againe Now thou purposest to beware and intendest to go forth stronglie in good workes and shortlie after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken such purpose Rightfullie theréfore we ought to meeke our selfe and neuer to thinke in vs any vertue or goodnes for that we be so fraile vnstable

Soone may it be lost through negligence that with much labour and speciall grace was hardlie gotten But what shall become of vs in the ende whē we so soone waxe dull and slow Sothlie sorowe and woe shall be to vs if we fail to bodilie rest nowe as though we were in ghostly sikernes whē there appeareth not as yet neither signe nor token of vertue nor of good liuing in our conuersation VVherefore it were expedient to vs that we were yet againe instructed as Nouices to learne good maners it happly there might by that meanes be founde hereafter any trust of amendment and spirituall profite in our conuersation Of the remembraunce of death The .23 Chapter THe hour of death wil shortly come therefore take heede how thou orderest thy selfe for the common prouerbe is true To daye a man to morowe none And when thou arte out of sight thou arte anone out of minde and soone shalt thou be forgottē O the great dulnes and hardnes of mans heart that only thinketh on thinges present litle prouideth for the life to come If thou diddest well thou shouldest so behaue thy selfe in euery deede and in euery thought as thou shouldest in this instant dye If thou haddest a good conscience thou shouldest not muche feare death It were better for thee to leaue sinne then feare death O my deere brother if thou be not readie this daye how shalt thou be readie to morow To morow is a daye vncertaine and thou canste not tel whether thou shalt liue so longe VVhat profite is it to vs to liue longe when we therby so litle amende our life Longe life doth not alwaye bringe vs to amendment but ofte times increaseth more sinne VVoulde to God that we might be one daye well cōuersant in this world Manie recken their yeares of conuersion and yet there is but litle fruite of amendment nor of any good example seene in their conuersation If it be fearefull to die peraduenture it is more perillous to liue long Blessed be those persons that euer haue the houre of death before their eyes and that euerie daye dispose themselues to die If thou euer sawest anye man die remember that thou must needelie goe the same waye In the morninge doubt whether thou shalt liue to night at night thinke not thy selfe sure to liue till to morowe Be alwaye readie and liue in such maner that death finde thee not vnprouided Remember howe many haue died sodenlie and vnprouided for our Lorde hath called them in such an houre as they leaste thought And when that last hour shall come thou shalt begin to feele all otherwise of thy life passed then thou haste done before and thou shalt then sorowe greatlie that thou hast beene so slowe and negligent in the seruice of God as thou haste beene O how happie and wise is he therfore that laboreth nowe to stand in such state in this lyfe as he would be founde in at his death Truely a perfect despising of the worlde and a feruent desire to profite in vertue a loue to be taught a fruitfull labour in workes of penaunce a readie will to obey a forsaking of our selfe and a willing suffering of all aduersities for the loue of God shall geue vs a great truste that we shall die wel Now whilest thou art in health thou mayest doo many good deedes but if thou be sicke I can not tell what thou mayest doe For why fewe be amended through sicknes And likewise they that go muche on pilgrimage be seldome thereby made perfect holye Put not thy trust in thy frendes and thy neighbours neither deferre thy good deedes till after thy death for thou shalt soonet be forgotten then thou weenest Better it is to prouide for thy selfe betime and to send some good deedes before thee then to trust to other who peraduēture will lightly forget thee if thou be not nowe busie for thy selfe for thine owne soule health who shall be busie for thee after thy death Nowe is the time very precious but alas for sorowe that thou spēdest the time so vnprofitablie in the which thou shouldest winne the life euerlasting The time shal come whē thou shalt desire one daye or one houre to amende thee but I wot not whether it shalbe graunted vnto thee O my deere brother from how great perill dreade mightest thou now deliuer thy selfe yf thou wouldest alwaye in this lyfe dreade to offend God and alwaye haue the comminge of death suspect Therefore studye nowe to liue so that at the houre of death thou mayest rather ioye then dreade Learue nowe to dye to the worlde that thou mayest then liue with Christ Learnt also to despise all worldlie thinges that thou mayest then freelye go to Christe Chastise nowe thy bodye with penance that thou mayest then haue a sure and a stedfast hope of saluatiō Thou art a fosle if thou thinke to liue longe sith thou art not sure to lyue one daye to the ende Now many haue beene deceaued through trust of longe life sodenlie haue beene taken out of this worlde or they had thought Nowe ofte hast thou heard say that suche a man was slayne and suche a man was drowned and suche a man fell and brake his necke This man as he eate his meat was strangled and this man as he played tooke his death one with fyre another with yron another with sicknes and some by theft haue sodenly perished And so the ende of all men is death for the life of man as a shadowe sodenly slideth and passeth away Thinke ofte who shall remember thee after thy death and who shall praye for thee Doe nowe forthy selfe all that thou canst for thou wottest not when thou shalt dye nor what shall folowe after thy death VVhilest thou hast time gather thee riches immortall thinke nothing abidingly but on thy ghostly health Set thy study onely on thinges that be of God and that belonge to his honor Make thee frendes against that time worship his Saintes and folowe their steppes that when thou shalt go out of this worlde they may receaue thee into the euerlasting tabernacles Keepe thee as a pilgrime as a strāger here in this world to whom nothing belongeth of worldlye busines Keepe thy hearte alwaye free and lifted vp to God for thou hast no cittie here long abiding Sende thy desires and thy daylie prayers alwaye vpwarde to God and praye perseuerantly that thy soule at the houre of death may blessedly depart out of this world and goe to Christe Of the last iudgement and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne The 24. Chapter IN all thinges beholde the ende and ofte remember howe thou shalt stande before the high Iudge to whom nothing is hidde who will not be pleased with rew ardes nor receaue any maner excuses but in all thinges wil iudge that is righteous and true O moste vnwise moste wretched sinner what shalt thou then answere to God who knoweth all thy

sinnes and wretchednes sith thou dreadest here sometime the face of a mortal man VVhy doest thou not nowe prouide for thy selfe against that daye sith thou mayest not then be excused nor defended by none other But euery man shall then haue ynough to doe to answere for him selfe Nowe thy labor is fruitfull and weeping is acceptable thy mourning is worthye to be hearde and thy sorowe also is satisfactory purging of sinnes The pariēt man who suffereth iniuryes and wronges of other and yet neuerthelesse soroweth more for their malice then for the wrong done to him selfe hath a wholsome and blessed purgatory in this worlde and so haue they that gladly can praye for their enemies and for them that be contrarious vnto them and that in their heart can forgeue those that offend them and tary not Idge to aske forgeuenes And so haue they also that more lightly be stirred to mercye then to vengeance and that can as it were by a violēce breake downe their owne will and strongly resist sinne and labour alway to subdue their body to the spirite It is better nowe to purge sinne and to put away vsce then to reserue it to be purged hereafter But verilye we deceaue our selues by inordinate loue that we haue to our bodily kinde VVhat shall the fyre of purgatorye deuoure but thy sinne truelye nothing Therefore the more thou sparest thy selfe nowe and the more thou folowest thy fleshly liking the more greeuouslye shalt thou wayle hereafter and the more matter thou resch seruest for the fire of purgatory In suche thinges as a man moste hath offended shall he moste be punished The slouthful persons shall be there pricked with burning prickes of yron and gluttons shall be tormented with great hunger thirste The lecherous persons and louers of voluptuous pleasures shal be filled ful with brenning pitche and brimstone and enuious persons shall wayle and howle as doe madde dogges There shal no sinne be without his proper torment The proude man shal be filled full with all shame and confusion and the couetous man shall be pined with penurie neede One houre there in paine shall be more greuous then here a hundred yece in moste sharpest penaunce There shall be no rest nor consolation to the damned soules but here sometime we feele reliefe of our paynes and haue sometime consolation of our frendes Be now sorowful for thy sinnes that at the day of iudgemēt thou mayest be saued with blessed Saintes Then shall righteous men stande in great constancie against them that haue wronged them and oppressed them here Then shall he stande as a Iudge that here submitted himselfe meekelye to the iudgement of man Then shall the meeke poore man haue great confidence and trust in God the obstinate proude man shal quake breade Thē shall it appeere that he was wise in this worlde that for the loue of God was content to be taken as a foole and to be despised and set at nought Then shall it also please him muche the tribulation that he suffereth patiently in this world and all wickednes shall stop his mouth Then euery deuout person shall be ioyful and glad and the vnreligious persons shall wayle and dreade Then shall the fleshe that hath beene with discretion chastised ioy more then if it had beene nourished with all delectation and pleasure Then shall the vile habite shine cleere in the sight of God and the precious garmentes shall xare foule and lothsome to beholde Then the poore cottage shall be more allowed thē the pallace ouer gilted with golde Then shall more helpe a constant patience thē all worldly power and riches Then shall meeke obedience be exalted more high then all worldly wisedome and pollicie and then shall a good cleane conscience make vs more gladsome and mery then the cunning of all philsophye Then the despising of worldly goodes shalbe more of valure then all worldly riches treasure Then shalt thou haue more comfort for thy deuout prayinge then for all thy delicate feedinge Then shalt thou also ioye more for thy silence keepinge then for thy long talkinge and iangling Then good deedes shall plenteouslie be rewarded and faire wordes shall litle be regarded Then shall it please more a straite life and hard penance here then all worldlie delectation and pleasure Learne nowe therefore to suffer the small tribulations in this worlde that thou mayest then be deliuered from the greater there ordeyned for sinne Firste proue here what thou mayest suffer hereafter And yf thou mayest not nowe suffer so lytle a payne howe shalt thou then suffer the euerlastinge tormentes And yf nowe so litle a passion make thee impatient what shall then doe the intolerable fire of purgatorie or of hell Thou mayest not haue two heauens that is to saye to ioye here and to haue delectation here and after to ioye also with Christe in heauen Moreouer if thou haddest lyued alwaye vnto this daye in honours and fleshlye delectations what should it profite thee nowe if thou shouldest this present instant departe the worlde Therefore all thing is vanitie but to loue God and to serue him He that loueth God with all his heart dreadeth neither death torment iudgement nor hell for a perfect loue maketh a sure passage to God but if a mā yet delite in sinne it is no meruaile though he dreade both death and hell And though suche a dreade be but a thral dread yet neuerthelesse it is good that if the loue of God withdrawe vs not from sinne that the drede of hell constraine vs therto He that setteth apart the drede of God may not longe stand in the state of grace but soone shall he run into the snare of the deuill and lightlye shall he therewith be deceaued Of the feruent amendinge of all our life and that vve shall speciallie take heede of our ovvne soule health before all other The .25 Chapter MY sonne be wakinge and diligent in the seruice of God and thinke ofte wherfore thou art come and why thou haste forsakē the world was it not that thou shouldest liue to God and be made a spirituall man yes truelie Therefore stirre thy selfe to perfection for in short time thou shalt receaue the full rewarde of all thy laboures and from thenceforth shall neuer come to thee neither sorowe nor dreade Thy labour shalbe litle and short and thou shalt receaue therefore againe euerlastinge rest and comfort If thou abide faythfull and feruent in good deedes without doubt our Lorde will be faythfull and liberall to thee in his rewardes Thou shalt alwaye haue a good trust that thou shalt come to the palme of victorie but thou shalt not set thee in a full suretie thereof least happlie thou waxe dul and proude in heart A certaine person which often times doubted whether he where in the state of grace or not on a time fell prostrate in the Churche and sayde thus O that I might knowe whether I shoulde perseuer in vertue to the

my selfe but to thee VVoulde to God it might be worthilye and profitablye and to thy honoure Amen A prayer that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled The 17. Chapter MOst benigne Lorde Iesu graunt me thy grace that it maye be alway with me and worke with me and perseuer with me vnto the end And that I may euer desire and wil that is most pleasaunt and acceptable to thee Thy will be my will and my will alwaye to folowe thy will best accord therewith Be there alwaye in me one will and one desire with thee and that I may haue no power to will or to not will but as thou wilt or wilt not And graunt me that I maye dye to all thinges that be in the world and for thee to loue to be despised and to be as a man vnknowen in this world Graunt me also aboue all thinges that can be desired that I may rest me in thee and fullye in thee pacifye my heart for thou Lord art the very true peace of heart and the perfect rest of bodye and soule and without thee all thinges be greeuous and vnquiet VVherefore in that peace that is in thee one high one blessed and one endlesse goodnes shall I alwaye rest me so may it be Amen That the verye true solace comfort is in god The .18 Chapter VVhat at soeuer I may desire or thinke to my cōfort I abide it not here but I trust to haue it hereafter for if I alone might haue all the solace and comfort of this worlde might vse the delites thereof after mine owne desire without sinne it is certaine that they might not long endure wherefore my soule may not fully be comforted nor perfectly refreshed but in God onely who is the comfort of the poore in spirite and the embracer of the meeke and lowly in heart Abide my soule abide the promise of god thou shalt haue aboundance of all goodnes in heauen If thou inordinatelye couete these goodnes present thou shalt lose the goodnes eternal Haue therfore goods present in vse and eternall in desire Thou mayest in no maner be satiate with temporal goodes for thou art not created so to vse thē as to rest thee in them for if thou alone haddest all the goodes that euer were created made thou mightest not theefore be happy and blessed but thy blessedfulnes and full felicitie standeth only in God that hath made all thinges of nought And that is not such felicitie as is commended of the foolishe louers of the worlde but such as good christen men women hope to haue in the blisse of heauen and as some ghostlye persons cleane and pure in heart sometime doe taste here in this present life whose conuersation is in heauen All worldly solace and all mans comfort is vaine and short but that comfort is blessed and soothfast that is perceaued by truth inwardly in the hart A deuout folower of God beareth alway about with him his comforter that is Iesu and sayeth thus vnto him My Lord Iesu I beseech thee that thou be with me in euery place and euerye time and that it be to me a special solace gladly for thy loue to want all mans solace And if thy solace want also that thy will and thy righteous prouing and assaying of me may be to me a singuler comfort and a high solace Thou shalt not alwaye be angrie with me neither shalt thou alwaye threate me So may it be Amen That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God The .19 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde to his seruant suffer me to doe with thee what I will for I knowe what is best and most expedient for thee Thou workest in many thinges after thy kindlie reason and after as thy affection and thy worldlie pollicie stirreth thee and so thou mayest lightlie erre and be deceued O Lorde it is true all that thou sayest thy prouidēce is much more better for me then all that I can doe or say of my selfe VVherfore it may well be sayde and verified that he standeth very casuallye that setteth not his wholle trust in thee Therefore Lorde while my witte abideth stedfast stable doe with me in all thinges as it pleaseth thee for it may not be but well all that thou doest If thou wilt that I be in light be thou blessed and if thou wilt that I be in darkenes be thou also blessed If thou vouchsafe to comfort me be thou highly blessed And if thou wilt that I shall liue in trouble and without all cōfort be thou in likewise muche blessed My sonne so it behoueth to be with thee if thou wilt walke with me as readye must thou be to suffer as to ioye and as gladlie be needye and poore as wealthy and riche Lorde I will gladlie suffer for thee whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fal vpon me Indifferētly will I take of thy hande good and bad bitter and sweete gladnes and sorowe and for all thinges that shall befal vnto me hartily wil I thanke thee Keepe me Lorde from sinne and I shall neither dreade death nor hel Put not my name out of the booke of life and it shall not greeue me what trouble soeuer befal vpon me That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde I descended from heauen and for thy health haue I takē thy miseries not compelled therto of necessitie but of my charitie that thou shouldest learne to haue patiēce with me not to disdayne to beare the miseries wretchednes of this life as I haue done for thee for from the first houre of my birth vnto my death vpō the crosse I was neuer without some sorowe or paine I had great lacke of temporall thinges I heard great cōplaintes made on me I suffered beningely many shames rebukes for my benefites I receaued vnkindnes for my miracles blasphemies for my true doctrine many reproufes O Lorde forasmuche as thou wert founde patient in thy life fulfilling in that moste specially the will of thy father it is seeming that I moste wretched sinner beare me patiently after thy will in all thinges and as long as thou wilt that I for mine owne health beare the burden of this corruptible life for though this life be tedious and as an heauy burden to the soule yet neuerthelesse it is nowe through thy grace made very meritorious and by exāple of thee of thy holie saints it is now made to weak persons more sufferable cleere and also muche more comfortable then it was in the olde lawe when the gates of heauen were shet and the waye thitherwarde was darke and so fewe did couet to seeke it And yet they that were then righteous and were ordeined to be saued before thy blessed passion and death might neuer haue come thither O what thankes am I bounde therfore to yeelde to thee that so louingly haste vouchedsafe to

not that our deedes be so euill so vnclene as they be The people corrupted them selfe with fleshly vnclēnes and therefore folowed the greate floode and veryly when our inward affection is corrupted it is necessarie that our dedes folowinge thervpon be also corrupted for of a cleane heart springeth the fruite of good life It is ofte times asked what deedes such a mā hath done but of what zeale of what intent he did them is litle regarded whether a man be riche strong fayre able a good writer a good singer or a good labourer is ofte enquired but howe poore he is in spirite howe pacient and meeke howe deuout and howe inwardlie turned to God is litle regarded Nature holdeth the outwarde deede but grace turneth her to the inwarde intent of the deede The first is ofte deceyued but the seconde putteth her trust wholly in God and is not deceyued Hovve vve should forsake our selfe and thruste dovvne all couetise out of our heartes The .37 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde thou shalt not haue perfect libertie of minde vnlesse thou wholly forsake thy selfe All proprietaries and al louers of them selues al couetous persons curious vaine glorious and all runners about and also such as seeke thinges softe delectable in this worlde and not of Iesus Christe ofte fayninge and greedilye seekinge thinges that shal not longe endure be as men fettred and bounde with chaines and haue no perfect libertie nor freedome of spirit for all thinges shall perish that be not wrought of God Holde well in thy minde this short word Forsake all thinges and thou shalt finde all thinges forsake couetise and thou shalt finde great rest Print wel in thy minde that I haue sayde for whē thou haste fulfilled it thou shalte well knowe that it is true Lorde this lesson is not one dayes worke nor a playe for children for in it is conteyned the full perfectiō of all religion Also my sonne thou oughtest not to be turned from god nor to be anye thinge discouraged from his seruice when thou hearest the straite lyfe of perfect men but rather thou oughtest to be prouoked thereby to higher perfection and at least to desire in harte that thou mightest come therto But woulde to God thou were firste come to this point that thou were not a louer of thy selfe but that thou wouldest keepe my commaundementes and the commaundementes of him that I haue appoynted to be thy father spirituall for then thou shouldest please me greatlye and then all thy lyfe shoulde passe forth in ioye and peace Thou haste yet manye thinges to forsake whiche vnlesse thou can whollye forsake thou shalt not get that thou desirest And therefore I counsayle thee to buye of me bright shininge gold that is to saye heauenlye wisedome that despiseth all earthlye thinges and cast fro thee all worldlye wisdome and all mans comfort and all thine owne affections and that thou chose to haue vile thinges and abiect rather thē precious and high in the sight of the worlde But thee true heauenly wisedome seemeth to manye to be vile and litle and well nigh forgotten Many can saye with their mouth that it is good not to desire to be magnifyed in the worlde but their lyfe foloweth not their saying And therefore they desire it priuily in their heart but yet that is the precious margaret and the high vertue that is hid fro much people for their presumption get it who so may Of the vnstablenes of mans harte and that our finall intent in all thinges shoulde be to God The .38 Chapter My sonne looke thou beleeue not thine owne affection for it chaungeth ofte from one to an other As longe as thou liuest thou shalt be glad to chaunge habilitie whether thou wilt or not as nowe glad nowe sorowfull nowe pleased nowe displeased nowe deuout nowe vndeuout nowe lustie nowe slouthfull nowe heauie nowe lightsome But a wise man that is well taught in ghostlie trauayle standeth stable in all such thinges and forceth litle what he feeleth nor on what side the winde of vnstablenes bloweth but all the intent and studie of his minde is howe he may moste profite in vertue finallie come to the most fruitfull most blessed ende By such a wholle intent fullie directed to God may a man abide stedfast stable in him selfe among many aduersities and the more pure and the more cleane that his intent is the more stable shall he be in euery storme But alas for sorowe the eye of mans soule is anone darkened for it beholdeth lightlie delectable thinges that come of the worlde and of the fleshe in so muche that there is seldome founde any person that is free cleare from the venemous desire of hearinge of some tales or of some other fantasies and that by their owne seekinge In suche maner ●ame the Iewes into Bethany to Martha and to Marie Magdalen not for the loue of our Lord Iesus but for to see Lazarus whom he had raysed from death to life VVherefore the eye of the soule is to be kept full bright that it be alwaye pure and cleane and that it be aboue all passing thinges wholly directed to god the which graunt vs to c. Amen Hovve our Lorde God sauoureth to his louer svveetly aboue all things and in all things The 39. Chapter OVr Lorde God is to me all in all and sith he is so what would I more haue or what can I more desire O this is a sauoury worde a sweete to saye that our Lorde is to me all in all But that is to him that loueth the worde and not the worlde To him that vnderstandeth this worde is sayd inough but yet to repeate it ofte is likinge to him that loueth I maye therfore more plainely speake of this matter and saye Lorde when thou art present to me all thinge is pleasaunt and likinge but when thou art absent all thinges are greeuous and greatly mislikinge VVhen thou commest thou makest myne harte restfull and bringest into it a newe ioye thou makest thy louer to feele and vnderstande the truth and to haue a true iudgement in all thinges in all thinges to laude and prayse thee O Lorde without thee nothinge may belonge likinge nor pleasaunt for if any thinge shoulde be lykinge and sauourye it muste be through helpe of thy grace and be tempered with the spicerie of thy wisedome To him to whom thou sauourest well what shall not sauour well And to him that thou sauourest not well vnto what may be ioyfull or likinge But worldlie wise men and they that sauour fleshlye delightes fayle of this wisedome For in worldlie wisedome is founde great vanitie and in fleshlie pleasures is euerlastinge death and therefore they that folow thee Lord by despising of the world and by perfect mortifieng of their fleshly lustes be knowen to be verie wise for they be led from vanitie to trueth and from fleshelie likinge to spirituall cleannes To suche persons God sauoureth wonderous sweete

like to mens fables for they be in them selues soothfast true But what haue I done Lorde that thou wilt vouchsafe to geue me any heauenly consolation I knowe not that I haue done anye thing well as I should haue done but that I haue bene prone and readie to sinne and slowe to amendment This is true and I can not deny it for if I would deny it thou shouldest stand against me and no man might defend me VVhat haue I then deserued but hell and euerlastinge fire I confesse for truth that I am woorthy in this worlde of shame and despite and that it becommeth not me to be conuersant with deuout people And though it be greeuous to me to say thus yet sith the truth is so I wil confesse the truth as it is and openlye will reproue my selfe of my defaultes that I may the rather obteine of thee mercy forgeuenes But what maye I then say Lorde that thus am giltie and full of cōfusion truely I haue no mouth nor tonge to speake but onely this word I haue sinned Lorde I haue sinned haue mercy on me forgeue me and forget my trespasse suffer me a litle that I maye weepe waile my sinnes or that I passe hence to the lande of darknes couered with the shadowe of death And what doest thou Lord aske most of such a wretched sinner but that he be contrite and meeken him selfe for his sinne for in true contrition meekenes of heart is found the very hope of forgeuenes of sinne and the troubled conscience is therby cleered and the grace before lost is recouered agayne Man also is thereby defended fro the wrath to come almightie God and the penitente soule mete louinglie together in holie kissinges of heauenlye loue A meeke contrition of heart is to thee Lorde a right acceptable Sacrifice more sweetlie sauouringe in thy sight then burnynge incence It is also the precious oyntment that thou wouldest should be shed vpon thy blessed feete for a meeke and contrite heart thou neuer despisest This contrition is the place of refuge from the dreade and wrath of the enemie and therby is washed clensed whatsoeuer is before misdone or that is defiled through sinne in any maner That grace vvill not be mixt vvith loue of vvorldlye thinges The .58 Chapter My sonne grace is a precious thing and will not be mixte with anye priuate loue nor with worldlye comfortes It behoueth thee therefore to caste awaye all lettinges of grace if thou wilt haue the gratious gift thereof Those therefore a secrete place and loue to be alone and keepe thee from hearinge of vayne tales and fables and offer to God deuout prayers and praye hartily that thou mayest haue a contrite hart and a pure conscience Thinke al the world as naught and preferre my seruice before all other thinges for thou mayest not haue minde on me and therwithall delite thee in transitorie pleasures It behoueth thee therefore to withdrawe thee from thy deerest freendes and from all thine acquaintaunce and to sequester thy minde whollie fro the inordinate desire of all worldlye comfort as muche as thou mayest Thus prayed Saint Peter that all Christien people might holde them selues as strangers and as pilgrimes vpō earth for then they shoulde not set but litle price by the comfort thereof O howe suce a trust shall it be to a man at his departinge out of this world to feele inwardlie in his soule that no worldlie loue nor yet the affection of no passinge or trāsitorie thinge hath any rule in him But a weake feeble person newlie turned to God may not so lightlie haue his hart seuered from earthlie likinge nor the beastlie man knoweth not the freedome of a man that is inwardly turned to god And therefore if a man will perfectlie be spirituall and ghostlie he must aswell renounce strangers as kinsfolke and speciallie before all other that he be moste ware of him selfe for if he ouercome him selfe perfectlie he shall the sooner ouercome all other enimies The moste noble and most perfecte victorie is a man to haue the victorie of him selfe He therefore that holdeth him selfe so muche subiect that the sensualitie obeyeth to reason and reason in all thinges obeyeth to me he is the true ouercommer of hym selfe and the Lorde of the worlde But if thou couet to come to that point thou must beginne manfullie and set thy axe to the roote of the tree and fullie to cut awaye and to destroye in thee all the inordinate inclination that thou haste to thy selfe or to any priuate or materiall thinge for of that vice that a man loueth him selfe inordinatlie well nigh dependeth all that ought groundlie to be destroyed in man And if that be truely ouercome anone shall folowe great tranquilitie and peace of conscience But forasmuch as there be but fewe that labour to die to them selues nor to ouercome them selues perfectlie therefore they lye still in their fleshlie feelinges and worldlie comfortes and may in no wise rise vp in spirite aboue them selues for it behoueth him that will be free in heart haue cōtēplatiō of me to mortifie all his euill inclinations that he hath to him selfe to the world not to be bounde to any creature by any inordinate or priuate loue Of the diuersities and diuers mouinges betvvene nature and grace The 59. Chapter My sonne take good heede of the motions of nature and grace for they be verie subtil and much contrary the one to the other and hardlie may they be knowen asonder but it be by a ghostly man that through spirituall grace is inwardlye lightned in soule Euerye man desireth some goodnes and pretendeth somewhat of goodnes in all his wordes and deedes and therfore vnder pretence of goodnes many be deceaued Nature is wylie and full of deceit and draweth many to her whom she often times snareth and deceyueth euer beholdeth her owne wealth as the ende of her worke But grace walketh simplye without dereyte she declineth from all euill she pretendeth no gyle but all thinges she doth purelye for God in whom finallye she resteth Nature will not gladlye dye nor gladlye be oppressed or ouercome neither will she gladlye be vnder other ne be kept in subiection but grace studieth howe she may be mortified to the world and to the flesh She resisteth sensualitie she seeketh to be subiecte she desireth to be ouercome she will not vse her owne libertie she loueth to be holden vnder holy discipline and coueteth not to haue lordship ouer anye one creature but to lyue and to stande alway vnder the dreade of God and for his loue is alwaye readie to bowe her selfe meekely to euery creature Nature laboureth for her owne profite and aduantage muche beholdeth what winning commeth to her by other But grace beholdeth not what is profitable to her selfe but what is profytable to manye Nature receaueth gladlye honour and reuerence but grace referreth all honour and reuerence to God Nature dreadeth