appeased then he that is slowly angrie and slowly reconciled Most deare sister heare likewise S. Iames saying * Let euerie man be swift to heare â—ut slow to speake and slow to anger Ia. 1. Why for that the anger of man worketh not the iustice of God and so consequently without all doubt neither can the anger of a virgin worke the iustice of God A virgin which ought to be the temple of God muâ—â— not by any meanes be cholerick It beseemeth not Christs spouse to be angrie and furious A virgin which prepareth a habitatioÌ„ in her heart for Christ must by all meanes expell anger out of heâ— breaâ—â— A virgin which desiretâ— to arriue with Christ to the celestial bed chamber must by all meanes possible auoid anger Most louing sister if you chance to be angrie represse it with all celeritie if you chance to be angrie on a sodaine mitigate the same Temper your furie temper your indignation Restraine the motioÌ„ of your anger refraine the vehement passion of your choler If you cannot auoid or temper your anger as is fitting at least let not furie carrie you nor anger enflame you nor indignation traÌ„sport you beyoÌ„d the boundes of reason Let not the sunne goe downe vpon your anger Amen Of hatred CHAPT XXXVI HONEST virgin heare what I say Hatred separateth a man from the Kingdome of God Hatred withldraweth a man from heauen Hatred is neither abolished by passion nor purged by martyrdome nor washed away by effusion of blood * Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer 1. Io. 3. He that hateth his brother is in the darknes and walketh in the darknes and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darknes hath blinded his eies 1. Io. 2. He loueth not God that hateth man there is as great difference betweene anger and hatred as betweene a mote and a beame For hatred is an inueterate anger By anger the eie of the mind is troubled by hatred the eie of the heart is cleane put out and extinguished Most louing sister in Christ listen to what I speake If you chance to contristat your sister in any thing make her satisfaction If you offend against your sister doe penance before her If you scandalise any one of the hand-maides of God almightie beseech her to forgiue you Striue to be reconciled with all expâ—ditioÌ„ sleepe not vntill you haue made satisfaction rest not vntill you are returned into peace and vnion If your enemie fall reioyce not at his miserie least paraduenture the like misfortune happen to you least God turne his anger from him vpon you Delight to be grieued ouer him that is afflicted Condole other mâ—ns miseries be sorowfull for other meÌ„s calamities Lament with those that make â—â—mâ—ntation weepe with tâ—ose that mourne Venerable sister be not obdurate be not hard hearted Proceede not against him or her that hath offended you according to the â—ault â—ommitted for that you likewise must shortâ—y vndeâ—goe the seuere iudgement of God * Forgiuâ— and you shall be forgiuen Luc. 6. for you shall not obtaine remission vnles you grant pardon Expell hatred out of your heart Let not hatred remaine in your mind Venerable sister God giue you the loue of himselfe and of your neighbour â—â—en Of pride CHAPT XXXVII * PRide is the beginning of all sinne Eccle. 10. A proud man is hatefull both to God and men Pride and couetousnes are so linked togither as that the one cannot be without the other The diuel by pride and couetousnes said * I will ascend aboue the height of the cloudes Esai 14. Christ by humilitie said * My soule is humbled in the dust Psal 43. The diuel by pride and couetousnes said * I will be like to the highest Esai 14. Christ by humilitie was made obedient vnto his Father vnto death Phillip 2. Lastly the diuel by pride is cast headlong into hell but Christ by humilitie is eleuated into heauen What is euerie sinne but a contempt of God whereby we contemne his precepts Most deare sister beleeue me the watchings prayers fastings almesdeedes and labours of many yeares are esteemed nothing worth before God if their end be pride Wherefore venerable sister take heede of pride beware of being high minded Why Because pride hath deposed the Angells depressed the potent throwne downe the proud * God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Iam. 4. I likewise counsel you ô spouse of Christ that you more reioyce at the societie of the holy Angells and hand-maides of God then at the nobilitie of your kidred I beseech you most louing sister that you more reioyce at the company of your poore fellow-virgins then at the gentrie of your rich parents Why Be cause there is no acception of persons with God He that despiseth him that is in neede doth an iniurie to God He that contemneth the poore doth vpbraid his Creator Venerable sister God almightie giue you profound humilitie and true charitiè Amen Of boasting CHAP XXXVIII VVE ought to beware of boasting both in our wordes and actions Wherefore deare sister looke carefully to your selfe and arrogate nothâ—ng to your selfe of those things that are in you sauing your sinnes onely Beware of boasting flie the desire of vaine glorie seeke not to be great in the mouthes of men Ascribe nothing to your selfe vaunt not of your selfe presume nothing of your selâ—e do not proudly extoll your selfe attribute nothing to your selfe boast not of your good workes be not puffed vp with humane praise Contemne the prayses of men neuer seeke to know whether any do praise or discommend you Let not praise deceiue you nor dispraise dismay you He that affecteth not praise feeleth not reproach Those virgins that vaunt of th it merits before men haue not oyle in their vessells for that through the desire of vaine glorie they depriue themselues of that reward which they did merit from our Lord. Those that loue vaine glorie let them alwayes behold their owne basenes and lament to haue lost that good worke which they haue done for humane praise Wherevpon our Lord saith in the Gospel * I say to you they haue receiued their reward Mat. 6. Saincts by vaine glorie are made subiect to the diuells as we see in King Ezechias who for that he vaâ—negloriously manifested his riches to the Chaldeans heard presently by the Prophet that he should loose them 4. King 20. The Pharise likewise who came to the temple to pray lost the merits of his good workes by reason of his vaunthing and vaine glorie Luc. 18. Like as an Eagle descendeth from aloft allured thereunto through the greedines of her pray so a man descendeth from the height of vertue to vice through the desire of vaine glorie My deare sister in Christ place not your conscieÌ„ce in an other mans toÌ„gue Yea albeit an other mans tongue praise you and not your owne albeit an other mans mouth commend you and not your owne yet censure your selfe according to your owne examination
the holy Fathers the more blame worthy we are if we refuse to follow their exaÌ„ples Now ô vertuous virgin I beseech almightie God that he will bestow vpon you those vertues of the holy Fathers to wit the humilitie of Christ the deuotion of Peter the charitie of Iohn the obedience of Abraham the patience of Isaac the long sufferance of Iacob the chastitie of Ioseph the meeknes of Moyses the constancie of Iosuè the benignitie of Samuel the mercie of Dauid the abstinence oâ— Daniel and the other worthy workes of the ancient Saincts that after this mortal life you may be able to attaine to their companie Consider daily ô virgin of Christ with what moderation with what intention or with what compunction these holy meÌ„ haue pleased God Wherevpon in the person of Christ in the Canticles of canticles it is said to the Church * How beautifull are thy paces in shooes ô Princes daughter Cant. 7. Christ by the power of his god-head is Prince of all things created and therefore the holy Church is called the daughter of the Prince because by the pteaching of Christ shee is regenerated into a new life Now what are the shooes of the Church but the examples of the holy Fathers by which we are fenced in the way of this world that with these shooes we may passe through all tribulations We deare sister in Christ do likewise spiritually fence our feete with shooes when we take example of well liuing from the holy Fathers that like them we may vanguish worldly temptations Againe in the same Canticles the bridegroome of the Church Christ Iesus speaketh saying * I came downe into the garden of Nutts to see the fruits of the vales and to looke if the vineyards had flowrished and the Pomegranats budded Cant. 6. The vineyards flowrish when in the Church children are newly generated in the faith and are prepared to a holy conuersation as it were to the soliditie of good workes The Pomegranats do budde when perfect men by the examples of their good workes do edifie their neighboures and in newnes of holy conuersation do renew them by their preaching and vertuous examples Wherefore I admonish you spiritual friend in Christ that in your whole life and conuersation you giue good example to all men Venerable sister I desire that by liuing vertuously you shine to all the handmaides of God that are with you in the Monasterie because as S. Gregorie saith They that hide their good life from others are kindled in themselues but are not an example of light vnto others but they that giue light and vertuous example vnto others by their good life and doctrine are as burning lampes for that they shew vnto others the way of saluation Wherevpon our Lord saith * Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Mat. 5. for that all glorie is to be giuen to God alone Howbeit I admonish you ô virgin of Christ that your actions be so done in publick as that your intentioÌ„ remaâ—ne in priuate Wherefore most louing sister in Christ as I haue alreaâ—â—e said in all your action and in your whole conuersation imitate the Saincts of God emulate their vertues set their sacred examples before your eies and by imitating them coÌ„sider what they haue done Set before you the examples of holy men let their examples inuite you to regular discipline Consider their vertue that you may doe your dutie consider their vertue that you likewise may liue vertuously let not your life scandalize their doctrine liue so vpright in religioÌ„ that euerie one may speake in your commendation Carrie your selâ—e so vprightly thar euerie one may speake well of you haue a care of your good name and credit haue a care that your good name and fame be not obscured or touched with any bad rumour or report Amen Of contention CHAPT XVII The Apostle S. Paul saith * Whereas there is among you emulation and contention are you not carnal and walke according to man 1. Cor 5. And Salomon saith * Among the proud there are alwayes brawles Prou. 13. * An euill maÌ„ alwayes seeketh brawles an euill Angell is sent aganist him Pro 17. He that walketh by dangerous places quickly falleth so he that daily contendeth with his neighboures quickly falleth into scandal Meeke men do alwayes detest contentions they that daily contend and brawle are loued but of a few Peace and concord are pleasing to euerie one aÌ„d therefore necessarie for all men Most deare sister heare S. Augustine saying O how irreprehensible might we be in our life and conuersation if we were so carefull to amend our owne imperfections as we are to carpe at those of other men Howbeit if we well consider our selues we shall find many things amisse This I would haue you know that there is nothiÌ„g more vnseemly then contentions among religious men who by concord and loue ought to shine in the world like the starres in heauen Contentions are wont to haue their original and of spring from enuie and detraction But if detraction and debates be in the Cloister where is regular taciturnitie were is the sanctitie of religion where is the silence of the order where is the good obseruance of the monasterie where is the bond of charitie where is the place of vnitie where is the concord of fraternitie where is sociable loue and amitie Ah alas Regular taciturnitie perisheth the sanctitie of religion vanisheth the silence of the order faileth the good obseruance of the monasterie runneth to ruine the charitie of fraternitie commeth to nothing If they which ought to liue in peace begin to contend brawle and detract one an other where is that sweete life that quiet life that peaceable life that modest life that chast life that contemplatiue life that Angelical life that ougt to be in a clayster Certainely perfect peace cannot he there where a detractiÌ„g tongue doth rule and domineere where brawlings and contentions do raigne there cannot be perfect religion Haue a care therefore deare sister least by dissentions and contentions you loose your labour Haue a care least you loose your time by detractioÌ„s and brawling Looke to your selfe with all diligence least by scolding and contentions you loose the celestial promises Haue a care least by idle wordeâ— and speeches you loose eternal happines Wherefore bridle your tongue and so you will become religious for if you bridle it not you will soone become otherwise But if perchance you do not beleeue me heare the Apostle S. Iamès Saying * If any man thinke himselfe to be religious not brideling his tongue but seducing his heart this mans religion is vaine Iam. 1. the tongue is a little member in the bodie of man howbeit if it be not gouerned warily it defileth and corrupteth the whole bodie For like as a little leauen corrupteth the whole paste and as a smal sparkle of fire burneth a great forest so the
not according to the opinion of other men No man can better know what you are then your selfe who are witnes to your selfe A Question Venerable sister will you that I tell you how you may encrease in all sort of vertue The answere Yes deare brother verie willingly and I entreat you to tell me Hearken therefore venerable sister If you will augment all your vertues and not loose them hide your vertues for feare of pride and elation hide your good workes for feare of arrogancie and boasting Seeke not to haue your good workes seene Conceale your vertues disclose your sinnes reueale your imperfection Keepe close your good workes If you haue said or done any thing that is good neuer blase it abroad As for your euill cogitations disclose them with speed For a sinne that is disclosed is soone cured but a crime that is kept secret is encreased if it lie hid of little it becommeth great Sinne by discouering it doth decrease and encreaseth if it be kept close Contrariwise vertues do encrease in secret decrease in publick Vertues are annihilated by vaine gloriously reuealing them they are multiplied by humbly hiding them Wherefore honest sister let God at all times be the end of your intentions and actions In all your workes reliè vpon his assistance Ascribe all things to his diuine grace and goodnes Attribute nothing to your owne merits Presume nothing of your owne vertue and forces Place not your confidence in your owne boldnes Most deare sister listen to the Apostle saying * He that doth glorie let him glorie in our Lord. 1. Cor. 1. And therefore venerable Virgin let your glorie and commendation be alwayes in Christ Iesus your bridegroome Amen Of humilitie CHAPT XXXIX MOst deare sister heare what our Lord Iesus Christ your bridegroome saith in the Gospell to wit * Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of heart Mat. 11. Venerable sister * humble your selfe vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in the time of visitation 1. Pet. 5. The conscience of a virgin ought alwayes to be humble and sad to the end that by humilitie shee may not grow proud and by profitable sadnes her heart may not become lasciuious and lewd Humilitie is a virgins cheefest vertue and praise for pride is her greatest reproach and disgrace A humble virgin albeit shee be poore in habit is neuerthelesse glorious through vertue in the sight of God But a proud virgin although to humane eies shee seeme beautifull faire and neate yet in Gods sight shee is base foule and a reprobate Why Because the soule of a iust man is the seate of God almightie As our Lord himselfe saith * To whome shall I haue respect but to the poore little one and the contrite of spirit and him that trembleth at my wordes My beloued sister in Christ be humble grounded in humilitie be the last least of all Most deare sister preferre your selfe before none esteeme your selfe better then none Yea esteeme all others to be better then your selfe * The greater you are humble your selfe in all things and you shall find grace before God Eccli 3. If you retaine humilitie you shall obtaine glorie For by how much â—he more humble you shall be by so much the more great will be your height of glorie Descend that you may ascend be humbled that you may be exalted least being exalted you be huÌ„bled Because * euerie one that exalteth himselfe shall be humbled and he that humbleth himselfe shall be axalted For he that is extolled shall be humbled The higher the place is by so much the fall is more greiuous the higher we clime vp the greater is our fall if our foote slip Humilitie knoweth not what falling â—s humilitie neuer suffered any such mischance humilities foote did neuer slip humilitie neuer tooke any hurt Remember ô spouse of Christ in what humble manner God came into the world Remember how in the forme of a seruant he humbled himselfe so farre forth as that he became obedient euen vnto death Amiable sister walke as he hath walked Follow his example imitate his foote-steps Become base contemptible abiect and displeasing to your selfe For he that is base in his owne sight is great before God he that is displeasing to himselfe doth please God Most deare sister be little in your owne eies that you may be great in the eies of God By so much the more beautifull you shal be in Gods sight by how much the more base you shall be in your owne conceipt Venerable sister if you reâ—aine profound humilitie you shall reioyce with the wise virgins in the heauenly citie Amen Of patience CHAPT XL. OVr Lord saith in the Gospell * Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5. If tâ—erefore deare sister such as are peace-makers are blessed and shallbâ— called the children of God then withoâ—t all doubt patience is verie necessarie and expedient * Patience hath a perfect woâ—ke Iac. 1. A patient virgin is wise an impatient virgin is not wise but foolish Venerable sister you may be a martyr without being slaine if you truly conserue patience in your mind He that is not peaceable shall not merit the companie of the Angells he that is angrie and enuious shall be partaker with the diuells He that is not patient driueth away concord he that â—s not patient stirreth vp discord A virgin that is meeke and mild is nothing moued although shee be wronged A virgâ—n that is peaceable and quiet prepareth a mansion for Christ in her heart Why Because Christ is peace * and in peace is the place of his repose Psal 75. The sonne of peace ought to loue peace Prepare your selfe raâ—her to suffer then to offer wrong Learne rather to enâ—ure then to doe euill Be patient and meeke mild modest and sweeâ— Loue peace like peace liue in peace with all men Embrace all men with the armes of charitie and mansuetude proue by your comportment that you loue more then you are beloued shew I say by the sweet affection of your heart that you are more affectionate then affectioned Be not fickle in your friendship Be constant and firme towards your friend Haue alwayes patience of mind Be kind and courteous in your carriage affable in your wordes Behaue your selfe pleasant towards all men Auoid all occasion of dissention Shew your selfe an enemie of discord and variance and liue alwayes in peace Most deare sister if it be possible haue peace with all men By your patience vanquish the reproaches of detractors Breake the darts of their contumelious speeches vpon the shield of your patience Against the sword of their opprobrious speeches oppose the shield of a good conscience You shall shew your vertue to be great if you do not hurt him by whome you are hurt You shall shew the greatnes of your fortitude if you pardon although you be wronged Your name and fame will be diuulged if you spare him on
brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or laÌ„ds for my sake shall receiue an hundred fold and shall possesse life euerlasting Matth. 19. Wherefore it is good for vs to forsake for our Lords sake all things temporal that from him we may receiue things eternal * Whosoeuer will be a friend of this world is made an enemie of God Iam 2. Therefore deare sister in Christ let vs not loue the world least we become the enemies of God He easily coÌ„temneth all things heere on earth that daily thinketh oâ— his death If we daily call our death to remembrance we shall willingly despise all earthly things If we haue the day of our death in our mind we shall quickly contemne whatsoeuer is in the world Question O deare brother I would willingly leaue for the name of our Lord all things that are in the world if I had any thing but because I haue neither gold nor siluer nor the riches of this world I know not what I shall leaue for the name of my Lord. The answere O spouse of Christ You leaue much if you leaue the desire of hauing you leaue much if you desire to haue nothing You leaue much if you forsake all carnal desires you leaue much if for the loue of God you despise all worldly pleasures You leaue much if you renounce all earthly desires and God doth much more loue mens soules then earthly riches God doth much more loue a mind that is holy and free from vice then any earthly substance Venerable sister the kingdome of God is asmuch worth as you haue God asketh nothing of you which he hath not giuen you Giue him therefore that which he hath giuen you to wit a mind that is holy chast poore and modest deuout and religious and adorned with good manners Therefore honest sister the kingdome of God is as much worâ—h as you are Bestow your selfe vpon Christ your bridegroome and buy his kingdome of him Be not troubled at the pâ—ice Let not the price cause in you any disturbance Let it not seeme vnto you to be a hard and difficult matter sithence Iesus Christ the king of heauen gaue himselfe that he might deliuer you from the power of the diuel and purchase you to God the Father Wherefore giue your selfe to him willingly who hath redeemed you out of the hand of your enemie Giue your selfe to him entirely because he that he might saue you gaue himselfe entirely My beloued sister in Christ despise all riches temporal that you may obtaine those that are eternal Riches leade a man to the danger of bodie and soule riches draw a man downe to hell Many haue beene in danger by reason of their riches many haue endured many miseries and sorrowes by meane of their temporal substance Richeâ— haue beene the cause of many meÌ„s death many haue beene made away by meanes of their wealth They haue neuer true repose that entangle themselues in worldly cares For the cares of the world disturbe the mâ—d A mind busied in earthly affaires is alwayes full oâ— aÌ„guish Venerable spouse of Christ if you desire to liue quiet seeke none of those things that are in the world You shall alwayes haue quietnes of mind if you separate your selfe from tâ—e cares of the world You shall alwayes enioy inward peace if you sequester your selfe from the hurly-burly of earthly actions because riches are seldome or neuer gotten without offence It is rarely seene that they that possesse riches attaine to true rest of mind They that entangle themselues with the cares of the world do separate themselues from the loue of God He that fixeth his affection on things transitorie cannot be delighted in God almightie The cares of things temporal do auert the mind from things eternal No man can at once truly couet the glorie of God and the glorie of the world It is hard at once to applie our selues to heauenly cares and earthly affaires it is hard at once to loue God and worldly pleasures No man can at once loue God and the world perfectly both of them at once cannot be loued equally Honest virgin heare what I say albeit a man glister with the glorie of the world albeit he be clothed in purple and gold albeit he be clad in rich array and appeare neuer so glorious and gay albeit he shine adorned with pearles and pretious stones albeit he be vested in rich and costly robes albeit he be attended vpon by a multitude of seruants albeit he be defended with swords and halberts albeit he be compassed about with innumerable troupes of attendaÌ„ts and saued from danger by whole squadrons of souldiers yet he is still in anguish and paine he is still in perill and perplexitie of mind Albeit he lie in a soft silke bed yet he is disquieted and troubled and albeit his bed be adorned with gold and siluer and framed of the softest douâ—ie feathers yet he is still fraile and subiect to sicknes and death it selfe My most louing sister in Christ I haue for this cause said this that you may know how vaine the gloriâ— of this world is Wherefore venerable sister that you may be able to purchase those riches that are celestial contemne those that are terrestial willingly despise all earthly preferments that you may attaine to celestial contentments Refuse things temporal that you may haue those that are eternal giue those that are small that you may obtaine from God those that are most ample Shunne heere on earth the companie of men that you may enioy the societie of Angells in heauen to which he vouchsafe to bring you who hath redeemed you with his pretious blood Amen Of the habit or attire CHAP. IX OVR Lord Iesuâ— Chriâ—◠〈◊〉 in the Gospel * Behold th◠〈◊〉 are clothed in soft garments ar◠〈◊〉 king houses Matt. 11. They are termed soft garments for that they soften and â—â—feminate the minde The court of an earthly king is delighted in clothing that it soft and gentle but the Church of Christ is delighted in that which is rough and humble The garments of Gods seruants and handmaids ought to be such as that they make no shew of noueltie no shew of superfluitie no shew of vanitie no shew of pride or vaine glorie Wherevpon S. Hierome doth say It is not gay clothing that maketh à gay cleark or Church-man but cleannes of mind Let vs therefore deare sister adorne our selues with spiritual ornaments that is to say with charitie humilitie meekenes obedience and patience These are the garments with which we may please our celestial bridegroome Christ Iesus Christ the inuisible bridegroome doth not exact beautie without but within like as it is written in the Psalme * All the glorie of the daughter of the king is within Psal 44. Wherefore deare sister in Christ let your riches be good manners let your beautie and comelines be a life adorned with vertues Most louing sister I wish that that may be said of
you which we read in the Canticleâ— * Thou art all faire o my loue and there is not a spot in thee * Cant. 4. And againe Come from Libanus my spouse come from Libanus come thou shalt be crowned ibid. That soule is truly blessed which doth serue the celestial bridegroome Christ Iesus without spot or bleamish So you shall be blessed venerable sister if you serue your celestial bridegroome Christ Iesus after the same manner Endeauour therefore to please Christ not by gay garments but by good manners not by outward beautie of the bodie but by inward of the mind Endeauour to please him not by your face but by your affection Let your garments and other attire be neither ouer good nor ouer thread bare but let your clothing be answearable to your calling For so S. Augustine writeth oâ— himselfe I confesse that I am ashamed to weare ouer good garments And againe It doth not beseeme this profession it doth not beseeme this my preaching it doth not beseeme these members it doth not beseeme these gray hayres Honest virgin let the clothes which you weare be cleane yet not for beautie but for the necessitie of your bodie least whiles your weare ouer fine apparaile you fall into filthiÌ„es of soule because by how â—uch the more the body is externally for vaine glorie decked and adorned by so much the more the soule becommeth internally filth y deformed Therefore louing sister in Christ shew your profession by your cloathing and going In your gate or going be simple and plaine Let no vnseemelines lasciuiousnes wantonnes pride or lightnâ—s appeare in your pace For the mind is seene in the gesture of the bodie the gesture of the bodie is the table or index of the mind The bodies gestures doth bewray the mind most deare sister Let no token of leuitie therefore appeare in your gesture let not your gesture offend the eies of an other Be not as a gay fight to gaze vpon giue not others any iust occasion to speake amisse either of your carriage or clothing Beloued sister cleanse your conscience from all malice that it may happily be said vnto you by your bridegroome Christ Iesus * Behold thou art faire o my loue behold thou art faire thine eies are as of doues Cant. 1 Thou art faire in respect of thy corporal perfection and the cleannes of thy cogitation Behold thou art faire hauing a cleane and simple intention because whatsoeuer thou doest thou doest not that thou maiest be seene of men but that thou maiest please God alone Thine eies are as of doues for that thou dost keepe thy selfe free from all dissimulation fiction and malice This I haue said my most louing sister in Christ to the end you should rather reioyce inwardly in your soule at your vertue and religious perâ—ection then outwardly in your bodie at your gay clothing For as S. Gregorie saieth No man coueteth gay clothing but for vaine glorie to wit that he may be either praised thereby or appeare more honourable then others No man desireth to be clothed in rich garments but when he may be seene by others It is euident then that he seeketh gay clothing for vaine glorie Venerable sister by this we may know that we loue the world if we loue to be well apparailed He that loueth not the world careth not how he is clothed When a man reioyceth at his corporall beautie or feature his mind departeth from the loue of his Creator By how much the more we reioyce at the comlines of our bodie by so much the more we are separated from the loue of God almightie By how much the more we take content in things earthly and temporal by so much the lesse we desire those that are heauenly and eternal Verily a religious woeman deserueth to be reprehended if shee loue to be trimmely attired The spouse of Christ is not without blame if shee affect fine clothing The handmaid of Christ that hath perfectly forsaken the world desireth to be poorely apparailed The hand maid of Christ that desireth fine array hath not as yet despised the world perfectly A black garment doth insinuat humilitie of mind a poore weede doth testifie contempt of the world A black veile doth demonstrat the cleannes and puritie of the conscience a black veile is a signe of chastitie and holinesse Now therefore most reuerend sister I admonish you that you be such in deede as you are in weede I desire you that you will adorne the habit of our holy order by your good behauiour Your habit is holy let your heart be holy as your garments are holy so let your woorkes be holy and as your veile is hallowed so let euerie thing that you take in hand Be not one thing within and an other without Be not one thing in priuate and an other in publick as you desire to be esteemed so be indeede as you are in face so be in fact as you are in countenance so be in your actions Amen Of compunction of hear CHAP. X. COmpunction of heart is humilitie of mind proceeding from the remembrance of sinne and the feare of iudgement That compunction is perfect which doth repell from it selfe all delight of carnal things and fixeth the intention of the mind in the contemplation of God with all care and diligence We finde compunction to be two-fold The one by which the soule of euerie seruant of God is afflicted for the loue of God that is wheÌ„ shee calleth to mind the euills which shee hath committed The other when shee is sorrowfull and sadde through the desire of eternal beatitude The mind of a iust man is moued to compunction by fower meanes to wit through the memorie of her sinnes through the remembrance of the future paines through the consideration of this present pilgrimage and lastly through the desire of the happines of heauen to wit that shee may speedily attaine vnto the same Euerie sinner knoweth that he is then visited of our Lord wâ—en he is moued to compunction of heart For Peter then weptt when Câ—rist beheld him as it is written * And our Lord turning looked on Peter who immediatly going forth a doores wepot bitterly Luc. 22. Wherevpon the Psalmist likewise saieth * The lightnings shined to the whole world the earth was moued and troubled Psal 67. Then the earth trembleth when a sinner is moued to teares Wherefore I admonish you most deare sister that in your prayers you call your sinnes to remembrance with teares because his prayers are not cleane that is void of compunction of heart or contrition My most louing sister in Christ heare the examples of Saincts who by compunction and teares haue obtained forgiuenes of their sinnes Anna the mother of Samuel by compunction and teares deserued to haue a sonne and besides obtained of God the guift of prophecie 1. King 1. Dauid by compunction and teares obtained pardon of the murther and adulterie which he had committed For so he heard by the Prophet
towards another ought not to be carnal but spiritual Nothing is more gratefull to God then fraternal loue and affectioÌ„ nothing more delightfull to the diuel then discord and dissention Holy loue is free from scandal Esteeme euerie faithfull man to be your brother Remember that one supreme work-man hath made vs. True loue is void of scandal and bitternes Venerable sister in the loue of your neighbour you shall know how you ought to attaine to the loue of God Like as loue doth lift vp the mind so malice doth cast it downe You can neither loue God truly without your neighbour nor your neighbour without God Then you haue true charitie indeede when you loue your freind in God and your foe for God The more liberal you are in louing your neighbour the more ample shall your reward be heereafter If you loue your neighbour truly your heart will be in rest and tranquilitie But he that bateth his neighbour is enuelopped in darknes and therefore by louing your neighbour you cleanse the eie of your mind to see God the better Howbeit most R. sister I admonish you that you loue no man carnally Wherevpon S. Isidorus saith He sheweth himselfe to be earthly minded that loueth any mortal man carnally more then is expedient We cannot abide in God if we will not liue at concord in this world a true friend is tried in time of neede If we will keepe Gods commandements we must loue our neighboures as our selues because he that sincerely loueth his brother doth soone appease God the father He that loueth his neighbour cannot commit murther nor aculterie nor theft nor periurie nor beare false witnes nor take any thing by force not beare any one ill will nor liue at variance Wherefore honest virgin let vs alwayes meditate and practice the loue of God and our neighbour in which the whole law doth depend and the Propheâ—s Moreouer if our neighbour suffer any tribulation or sicknes or losse or is cast into prison it is a token that we are in the bodie of the Church if we condole for him but if we condole not we are alreadie cut off from the bodie of the Church Charitie which doth combinde and quicken all the members of the Church if it see vs to reioyce at our neighbours miserie doth immediatly cut vs off from the bodie So long a member grieueth as it remaineth in the bodie But if it be cut off from the bodie it can neither feele nor grieue If a hand or a foote or some other member be cut off from the bodie if the whole bodie should afterwards be deuided in many parts or cast into the fire that hand or foote or other member would then feele no paine for that it is alreadie separated from the bodie Such is the case of euerie Christian which doth not grieue at an other mans losse tribulation necessitie or anguish but which is worse doth reioyce because he is alreadie deuided from the bodie of the Church But let vs honest virgin loue well and sincerely if we desire to keepe true and perfect charitie Let vs endeauour to loue all good Christians as our selues that Christ being out head we may merit to be his members that when Christ our life shall appeare we may appeare with him in glorie by the concord of charitie and the loue of God and our neighbour Then a friend is truly loued when he is loued not for himselfe but for God Wherevpon blessed Isidorus saieth He that inordinately loueth his friend loueth him more for himselfe then for God Then euerie one becommeth contrarie to Gods diuine iustice and bountie when he despiseth his friend strooken with any aduersitie True friendship is infringed by no occasion abolished by no time but whither soeuer time doth turne it selfe it continueth constant and firme Seldome shall you find a friend that remaineth faithfull to the verie end That is true friendship that seeketh nothing of the goods of his friend but his good will onely that is doth loue his louer gratis without hope of commoditie Wherefore louing sister in Christ I admonish you that you loue your friends in God that is in good Loue likewise your enemies for God as it is written * Loue your enemies doe good to them that hate you Luc. 6. And againe * If thine enemie hunger giue him meate if he thirâ—t giue him drinke Rom. 12. And a little before in the same chapter * Blesse them that persecute you blesse and curse not Loue is the sister of charitie Charitie was neuer without loue nor loue without charitie Whereâ—ore honest virgin we haue neede of loue in which so great vertues do consist and from which so great commodities do arise Loue hath two wings The right wing is the loue of God the left wing is the loue of our neigbour No man with one wing will be able to soare vp to heauen Why Because neither the loue of God alone without the loue of our neighbour nor the loue of our neighbour alone without the loue of God is able to obtaine eternal beatitude Wise virgin take vnto you these two wings to wit of the loue of God and your neighbour that by practising workes of charitie you may be able to flie freelie and arriue to that heauenly countrie Amen Of compassion CHAPT XIV MOst deare sister heare what our Lord Iesus Christ saith * All things whatsoeuer you will that men doe to you doe you also to them for this is the law and the Prophets Mat. 7. And S. Paul saith * Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12. And againe * Beare vp the weake be patient to all 1. Thes 5. Salomon also saieth * He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth Prou. 14. Keepe loyaltie with your neighbour in his pouertie that you may also reioyce with him in his prosperitie Remaine faithfull to your neighbour in time of distresse that you may be coheire with him in his inheritance He that diggeth a pit for his neighbour shall fall into it and he that prepareth a snare for his neighbour shall perish in it Wherevpon the Psalmist saieth * He hath opened a pit and digged it vp and he is fallen into the ditch which he made Psal 7. He loueth not his neighbour perfectly that succourreth him not in time of aduersitie By how much the more we compassionately assist our neighbour by so much the more we approach to our Creator We ought to care for our selues in that manner as that we neglect not the care of our neighbour Therefore deare sister whatsoeuer you would not haue to happen to your selfe wish not to happen to your neighbour Condole at others calamities shed teares for other mens miseries Be sorrowfull for the sorowes of other men be infirme with such as are infirme Lament at other 〈◊〉 losses as if they were your owne mourne with those that mourne Be sorrowfull with those that are sad weepe with those that weepe condole with those that
him that you may perfectly find him heereafter and see him raigning in the glorie of his Father Seeke him without intermission by liuing vertuously that you may merit to see him in eternal felicitie I desire you ô spouse of Christ that you will say with the Prophet Dauid * My soule hath thirsted after the strong liuing when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Psal 41 Verily your soule doth thirst after God if shee loue him aboue all things Verily your soule doth thirst after God if for his sake shee despise all earthly things Verily your soule doth thirst after God if shee couet to see him raygning in celestial happines The same Prophet doth likewise admonish vs saying * Seeke ye our Lord and be confirmed seeke his face alwayes Psal 104. that is in prosperitie and aduersitie in pouertie and plentie in sicknes and in health in youth and in old age We ought to seeke God with our whole mind and intention that we may deserue from him to be confirmed in holy conuersation and may merit to find and see him in his heauenly kingdome Let vs cleanse our selues from all impuritie of flesh and spirit because none shall be able to be eleuated to heauen at the day of doome but those that are chast of bodie neither shal any be able to see the glorie of Gods diuine maiestie but those that are cleane of heart Beleeue me deare sister the kingdome of heauen will not be giuen to such as are idle and gad vp downe but to such as seeke aske and knock for the same For so our Lord saith * Aske and it shall be giuen to you seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened to you Mat. 7. The entrance therefore of the kingdome of heauen is to be asked by praying it is to be sought by liuing vertuously it is to be knocked at by perserering in the seruice of God almightie It is not enough to begin good actions but we must likewise striue to perseuere in them all the dayes of our life * For it is better not to know the way of iustice then after the knowledge to turne back 2. Pet. 2. Wherevpon our Lord saith in the Gospel * No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is apt for the kingdome of God Luc. 9. Therefore venerable sister it is requisite that by the desire of eternal beatitude we knock daily at the eares of almightie God and do not desist from those good workes which we haue begun vntill he opening we deserue to be freed from the prison of this mortalitie and attaine to the gate of our heauenly countrie Amiable sister in Christ it is good to perseuere in Gods seruice because they that leaue the Monasterie and returne to the world become more black then coales Why Because by tepiditie of mind they are dead and extinguished from the fire of the charitie of God Wherevpon S. Isidorus saith They that through the desire of the world returne from a good life to a bad are darkned and through the blacknes of sinne defiled and obscured and estraÌ„ged from the light of the brightnes of God They that runne out of a Monasterie to the world are separated from the societie of Angells and associated to the diuells They that leaue religion and descend to a secular course of life are separated from the societie of God and made slaues vnder the dominion of the diuel Most louing sister in Christ consider what you haue done Daily call to mind from whence to what and wherefore you are come You for Gods sake haue forsaken and despised all things transitorie and for the loue of him haue made choise of a Monasterie You haue bought the kingdome of heauen and giuen your selfe for the purchase of the same Endeauour therefore with great care and solicitude that you loose not that kingdome which you haue purchased but striue perpetually to possesse that which you haue so much wished and desired Haue a care least you loose that kingdome of inestimable price for which you haue giuen your selfe Heare what the Apostle S. Paul doth say * He that striueth for the maisterie is not crowned vnlesse he striue lawfully He striueth lawfully that perseuereth in the seruice of God withoâ—t dissimulation or hypocrisie He serueth God in that manner as is fitting who accomplisheth that good worke which he hath begun He employeth himselfe in good workes like a good Christian who accomplisheth those things which he hath well begun Wherevpon our holy mother the Church saith of her members in the Canticles * The beames of our houses are of Cedar our afters of cypresse trees Cant. 1. The houses of the Church are the assemblies of the faithfull seruing God and perseuering in those things which appertaine to Gods seruice The Cedar therefore and Cypresse are trees of an vncorruptible nature and signifie Gods Saincts who burne with an vnfailing and vnfading desire of their Creatour and perseuere in good workes to the verie end of their liues Wherefore venerable sistet be you also a cypresse tree in the house of God and perseuere in good life to the verie end Be you likewise a Cedat in Gods house by giuing good examples and the sweet sauour of a vertuous conuersation to your companions PrudeÌ„t virgin I haue said this in this regard that with your whole mind you despise the loue of the world I haue said this in this respect that you neuer forsake a religions life and seeke after a recular I haue said this to this end that you neuer desire to forsake your monasterie and as a dogge returning to his vomit to returne to worldly vanitie I admonish you to perseuere all the dayes of your life in religion and neuer desire to returne to the world againe I adminish you to loue your monasterie with your whole heart and esteeme the world as base in comparison of it I admonish you to remaine all the dayes of your life in the house of God aÌ„d neuer to seeke to returne againe to the world Why Because a monasticall life is addicted to contemplation a worldly life is laboursome and troublesome a monastical life is holy a secular life is full of sinne and iniquitie a monastical life is spiritual a recular life is carnal a monastical life is heauenly a secular life is earthly a monastical life is free from earthly affaires a secular life is full of troubles and cares a monastical life is full of amitie and affection a secular life is full of strife and contention a monastical life is free from cares a secular life is full of iarres a monastical life is peaceable and quiet a secular life is full of discord and debate a monastical life is chast and cleane a secular life is vnchast and defiled with sinne a monastical life is vertuous a secular life is vertuous a monastical life is full of vertues a secular life is full of vices a monastical life is full
Whherefore we ought verie carefully to auoid murmuring least we perish through such a deadly and diuellish poyson My beloued sister in Christ heare what our Lord saith in his holy Gospel * I say to you be not carefull for your life what you shall eate neither for your bodie what rayment you shall put on Mat. 6. As if he should say more plainely God that hath giuen you a soule will also giue you food and he that hath giuen you a bodie will also giue you raiment Our Sauiour goeth on saying * Behold the foules of the ayre that they sow not neither reape nor gather into barnes and your heauenly father feedeth them ibidem that is to say If God prouide for the birdes which are to day and shall die to morrow whose soule is mortal how much more will he giue meate and rayment to his seruants and handmaides whose soule is immortal and to whome the kingdome of heauen is promised And againe Consider the lillies of the field how they grow they labour not neither do they spinne that is they neither weaue nor make thread and yet God most gloriously clotheth them how much more will he cloth his seruants and handmades that faithfully serue him God will not kill the soules of his seruants with hunger or thirst or nakednes And therefore he addeth Seeke first the kingdome of God and the iustice of him and all these things shall be giuen you besides As if â—e had said * Serue our Lord in feare and reioyce to him day and night with trembling and he will giue you all things necessarie both in this life and in the life to come * They that seeke after our Lord shall not be diminished of any good Psal 33. Most deare sister God who hath brought you out of your Fathers house will giue you all the good which your heart can wish if you continue constant in his seruice Amen Of proprietie CHAPT XLVIII MOst deare sister let proprietie which among the seruants of God is esteemed a great fault be neuer found in you All things which are in a monasterie are common to the whole communitie If therefore the handmaid of God hath any thing proper or in secret whereof the rest of the religious sisters are ignorant it is plaine theft and consequently a sinne Why Because shee hath all things in common with the rest of Gods handmaides and yet hideth some thing as peculiar to her selfe To keepe any thing closely and to hide it as peculiar to ones selfe not common to the rest of the handmaides of God this I say is plaine theft and apparant fraud This is a great sinne this is the way to hell this is the beaten way by which theeues haue gone to the diuel So much the Apostle S. Paul hath auouched * Neither theeues saith he nor extorsioners shall possesse the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. The handmaid of God which separatetth her selfe from the communion of the monasterie by reseruing in secret to her owne vse must consequently expect to be separated from the societie of eternal blisse Many come to the common societie of a monasterie But yet which I cannot recount without great griefe of heart all do not liue therein with that Euangelical puritie and perfection as is requisite In a monasterie there are the holy Apostles of Iesus Christ there is also Iudas Iscariote the betrayer of our Lord and Ananias with Saphira his wife there likewise is Giezi the disciple of Helisoeus They therefore that for the loue of God and gaining of euerlasting life forsake all things which they haue in this world in imitation of the Apostles shall reioyce with the same Apostles and be rewarded with euerlasting happines But he that after his coÌ„ming to religion doth presume to commit fraude in the goods of the monasterie is a Iudas and shall suffer the punishment of Iudas in hell for that wâ—en he appropriateth any thing as peculiar ro himselfe he presumeth to commit cosenage in that which is common to all They likewise who leauing the world are conuerted to God if in those things which they had in the world they reserue one part to themselues and giue the other part with themselues to the monasterie they deserue the sentence of malediction with Ananias and Saphira his wife But he that commeth out of the world to religion if he desire or seeke to haue that in religion which he could not haue before his entrance into the same without doubt the leprosie of Giezi will adhere vnto him and the leprosie which Giezi sustained in bodie he shall sustaine in soule Vertuous sister as I told you before there is great difference betweene those who in a monasterie liue like vnto these and thâ—se that religiously forsake all like vnto the Apostles To those who of those things which they had in the world or haue in the monasterie do hide nothing doth agree that saying of the Psalmist * It is good for me to cleaue to God to put my hope in our Lord God Psal 72. as also that other saying * Cast thy care vpon our Lord and he wil nowrish thee Psal 54. To those who like Iudas retaine any thing proper to themselues or keepe any thing belonging to the monasterie secret or close doth agree that other verse * They ascend euen to the heauens and they descend euen to the depthes their soule pined away in euills Psal 106. But to those who with Ananias and Saphira giue one parâ— of those things which they had to the monasterie and reserue the other proper to themselues those wordes of King Dau id may verie fitly be applied * Who trust in their streÌ„gth and glorie in the multitude of their riches Psal 48. To those likewise who like Giezi seeke those things in the monasterie which they could not haue in the world doth agree that other saying of the Psalmist * Behold the man that hath not put God for his helper but hath hoped in the multitude of his riches and hath preuailed in his vanitie Psal 51. Wherefore venerable sister do not you conceale hide or keepe any thing secret Keepe nothing in hugger-mugger hide nothing in corners Whatsoeuer you haue haue it with licence haue it with the benediction of your superiours Without the leaue of your Abbesse or Prioresse haue nothing without their benediction take nothing without their licence giue nothing Honest virgin cast your care vpon our Lord and he will nowrish you Amen Of Prayer CHAPT XLIX MOst deare sister heare what I say To pray before the time is prouidence To pray at the time appointed â—s obedience To passe ouer the time of prayer is negligence Prayer ought to be by so much the more frequent by how much the more profitable it is and expedient Our Lord saith in the Gospel * All things whatsoeuer you shall aske in prayer beleeuing you shall receiue Mat. 21. And the Apostle S. Paul doth counsel vs saying * Pray without intermission 1. Thes