eate the labours of thy hands blessed art thou and it shall be well with thee Psa 127. If at any time you cease from reading you ought to worke that you may be neuer idle because idlenes is the enemie of the soule The diuel quickly deceiueth him whome he findeth idle the diuel daily entreth into the monasterie and if he find any one idle he accuseth him without delay O spouse of Christ haue a care least wheÌ„ the diuel entreth into the cloister aÌ„d searcheth into the actioÌ„â— of euerie sister he find not some thing whereof to accuse you in particular For this cause I admonish you my most deare sister in Christ that for the loue of Christ Iesus your beloued bridegroome you be not idle at any time I entreat you that you will declare the loue which you beare to Christ to your companions not onely by your wordes but also by your acctions Wherevpon the bridegroome to wit Christ doth entreat his spouse that is a deuout soule in the Canticles saying * Put me as a seale vpoÌ„ thy heart as a seale vpon thy arme Cant. 8. In our heart are cogitations in our armes actions The beloued therefore is put as a seale vpon the heart and vpon the arme of his spouse because it appeareth both by the will and action how much he is beloued of a deuout soule for that the loue of God is neuer idle For if it be loue it worketh great matters but if it worketh not it is no loue I entre at you therefore venerable virgin that you loue God with a sincere affection and for the loue of him be alwayes doing some thing If you loue God truly you will neuer be idle if you loue God as you ought you will abhorre idlenes for his sake if you loue God vnfainedly idlenes will seeme teadious vnto you He that loueth God with his whole will doth for the loue of him loath to be idle The kingdome of God will not be giuen to the followers of idlenes but to such as are diligent in our Lords seruice The kingdome of God will not be giuen to such as gad or wander vp and downe but to such as labour for the loue of God according to their vocation They that are slow and tepid in doing good shall haue no place in the kingdome of God Lasciuiousnes doth soone deceiue such as are addicted to idlenes lasciuiousnes doth soone deceiue him that doth gad vp and downe lasciuiousnes doth enflame him worst of all that it findeth idle Lust yeeldeth to labour giueth back to trauaile retireth from such as refuse to be idle A man by labour oftentimes vanquisheth lust because the bodie being wearied with labour doth not delight in lewdnes Wherefore amâ—able sister in Christ beware of idlenes Do not loue to be idle but tire your bodie with trauaile Be alwayes doing some thing that is good seeke some profitable worke in which the intention of your mind may be busied Let God at all times be the scope or end of your actions and intentions Amen Of the psalmes and hymnes CHAPT LII MOst deare sister when you sing the Psalmes and hymnes in the sight of God consider that in your mind which you sing with your voyce Let your mind agree with your voyce let it sing in tune with your tongue in the quire do not thinke one thing and sing an other If your mind sing one thing and your voyce an other you loose the fruict of your labour If your bodie stand in the Church and your mind wander abroad then doubtles you will loose your reward Wherevpon it is said by the Prophet Isay * This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me For as the Apostle saith I will pray in the spirit I will pray also in the vnderstanâ—â—ng I will sing in the spirit I will sing also in the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. It is therefore good to praise God at all times with the vnd rstanding It is also good to glorifie God with the sound of the voyce with hymnes and Psalmes and spiritual songs Like as we are ayded by prayers so we are recreated by singing the psalmes The singing of spiritual sonnetts doth comfort heauie hearts The singing in the Church doth reioyce mens minds it delighteth such as are discontent causeth such as are carelesse to become diligent enuiteth sinners to weepe and lament for albeit the hearts of worldly men are neuer so much void of remorce yet assoone as they heare â—he sweetnes of the psalmes they are conuerted to the loue of goodnes There are iueâ—se who through the sweetnes of the psalmes are moued to compunction and sorrow for their sinnes Pâ—â—yer onely in this life is powred forth for the forgâ—uenes of sinnes but the singing of the psalme doth signifie the perpâ—tual praise of God in eternal happines as it is written * Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ô Lord for euer and euer they shall praise thee Psal 83. Whosoeuer doth faithfully and attentiuely sing the psalmes doth in a manner become consederate with the holy Angells How so what is the reason Because man according to his measure praiseth him heere on earth whome the Angells without intermission do adore and glorifie in heauen The singing of the psalmes at some times stirreth vs vp to teares and compunction at other times it enuiteth vs to prayer and deuotion The Psalmes make the night vigills to become pleasant vnto vs enuiting vs to praise God in this wise * Reioâ—ce ye iust in our Lord praysing bâ—commeth the righteous Psal 32. The Psalmes denounce vnto vs the firâ—â— howeâ— of the day with exultation of light by saying * O God saue me in thy name and in thy strength iudge me Psal 53. The psalmes do consecrate vnto vs the third hower of the day when they say * And let thy mercie come vpon me ô Lord thy saluation according to thy worde Psal 118. The psalmes do make vs glad at the sixt hower in the breaking of bread The psalmes do breake our fast at the ninth hower of the day and satiat our heartâ— with spiritual sweetnes and suauitie The psalmes do commend vs to God at the hower of vespers or euensong by saying in this wise Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight the eleuation of my handes as euen ng sacrifice Psal 140. The psalmes do admonish vs to blesse our Lord at Complyne saying * Loe now bâ—esse our Lord all ye the seruants of our Lord. Psal 133. My beloued sister in Christ I would haue you to be alwayes mind full that God is much delighted with the musique of a sacred soule By affection loue and deuotion of heart sing psalmes hymnes and spiritual canticles to God Wherevpon the bridegroome to wit Christ doth admonish his spouse to wit the Church or a deuout soule in the Canticles saying * Shew me thy face let thy voyce sound in mine eares for thy voyce is sweet and thy face
comely Cant. 2. Thou my beloued saith he who liest in the bed of most sweet contemplation in which thou desirest to please me in psalmes hymnes and spiritual canticles and prayers come and shew me thy face that is issue forth from the closet of your heart and for examples sake shew the beautie of your good workes to others that when they shall see your good workes they may glorifie your father which is in heauen Let your voyce sound in my eares to wit the voyce of preaching the voyce of praise and thankes-giuing the voyce of ioy and iubilé which may stirre vp others to praise and glorifie me The singing of the psalmes doth delight the eares of the hearers and instructeth the soules of the faithfull to liue well Let the voyces of the singers agree and let vs intermingle wordes of praise with the holy Angells of God whomâ— we cannot see The seruants of God ought at all times to praise the name of God for so much those supreme waters do insinuat of whome it is said * All the waters that are aboue the heauens blesse ye our Lord. DaÌ„ 3. Because the elect shall not cease for euer to praise the name of our Lord. But of the lower waters it is said * Let the waters that are vnder heauen be gathered together into one place Gen. 1. Because the reprobate who are now dispersed through the whole world shall be gathered together into hell there to be tormented The faithfull ought to sing praises to God without intermission for that God is delighted in them This the bridegroome to wit Christ doth testifie who in the Canticles speaketh to his spouse that is to a deuout soule saying * Thou that dwellest in the gardens Cant. 8. The Chuâ—â—h or euerie deuout soule dwelleth in the gardens for â—hat it is alreadâ—e replenished wiâ—h the gâ—eenesse and hope of good and vertuous actions Shee thâ—refore â—hat alreadie dwelleth in the gardeÌ„s ought to make the bridegroome to heare her voyce that is the melodious harmonie of good preaching or of holy iubilatioÌ„ or let her souÌ„d forth the voyce of diuine praise in which he may be delighted which he heareth aÌ„d to which his frieÌ„ds to wit all the elect do listen who desire to heare the wordes of life to wit the lessons Psalmes hymnes and spiritual Canticles that by this meanes they may be reuiued through the remembrance of that celestial hpppines Wherefore most reuerend sister as I said before it is verie necessarie that you praise almightie God your Creator all your life long for that by praysing him you are promised pardoÌ„ Prayse him therefore in your heart praise him in your voyce praise him in the voyce of iubilation prayse him like wise in the secret of contemplation praise him in the closet of your mind prayse him in the iubilation of your voyce For albeit we be sinners and vnworthy to sing Gods prayses yet we must not cease to praise him sithence that by praysing him we hope to obtaine pardoÌ„ of our sinnes Wherevpon the diuine voyce saith in the psalmes * The sacrifice of praise shall glorifie me and there iâ— the way by which I will shew him the saluation of God Psal 49. As if he should say more plainely In the psalmes is the way of praise by which you may arriue to eternal happines but if I do not shew the same vnto thee thou thy selfe canst not find it Wherefore most deare sister sithence the way of our saluation is in the hand of God I admonish you that you permit not his praise at any time to depart from your mouth My most louing sister in Christ God is your praise be you therefore his praise that so his prayse may at all times be in your mouth Amen Of the actiue and contemplatiue life CHAPT LIII IAcob saw in his sleepe a ladder standing vpon the earth and the toppe thereof touching heauen the Angells also of God ascending and descending by it Gen. 28. In this ladder are placed all those that are predestinated to life euerlasting and euerie one hath a place in this ladder that appertaineth to the kingdome of heauen This ladder is the whole Church which in part wageth warre as yet heere on earth and in part raigneth alreadie in heauen In this ladder are three rowes or rankes of men to wit seculars actiues and contemplatiues Seculars are in the lowest degree Actiues are in a higher place But contemplatiues are placed aboue all the rest And of these three rankes of men some are in the mill others are in the field and others are in the bed The mill is a secular course of life The field is the mind of a secular man In the field are the preachers of Gods word In the bed is the loue of the bridegroome to wit Christ They that are in the mill goe round about the earth who seeke and loue earthly thiÌ„gs They that are in the field till the ground who sow the word of God in the eares of men They are in the bed who despise and contemne the world At the foote of this ladder are worldly men in the middest of the ladder are such as are giuen to action in the toppe of this ladder are such as are addicted to contemplation being as it were alreadie placed in heauen for that they thinke on heauenly things These are the Angells of God ascending by the ladder because they ascend by contemplation to God and descend by compassion to their neighbour The actiue life is innocencie of good workes the contemplatiue life is the speculation of the things aboue The actiue life is common to many but the contemplatiue onely to a few The actiue life doth dispose of worldly things vertuously but the contemplatiue life renouncing the world doth delight to liue to God onely A demaund Deare brother I entreat yow to shew me the difference betweene the actiue and the contemplatiue life The answere Most louing sister betweene the actiue and coÌ„templatiue life there is exceding great difference The actiue life is to giue food to the hungrie to teach our neighbour the worde of wisdome to correct such as goe astray to reduce the proud to the path of humilitie to recall such as are at variance to concord and amitie to visit the sick to burie the dead to redeeme captiues and such as are put in prison to dispose whatsoeuer is expedient for euerie one to prouide whatsoeuer is necessarie for euerie one Behold deare sister in Christ you haue heard the workes of the actiue life now if you please you shall heare the vertues of the contemplatiue life The contemplatiue life is to haue perfect charitie with God and man to rest from external action to adhere to the sole desire of our maker and through the vehemencie of this desire to desire nothing els whatsoeuer to cast aside all the cares of the world through an ardeÌ„t affection of beholding the face of God in so much that a contemplatiue man knoweth
prudent and wise it doth not procede from your selfe but from Gods grace A question Tell me I pray you deare brother what meaneth that which we read in holy Write that no man is good iust or holy sauing God onely The answere Deare sister euen as it is written so it is truly God onely is good iust and holy because he is good by himselfe but men are good not by themselues but by God and therefore God onely is good because he is good by himself Howbeit men are good iust and holy not by themselues but by the grace of God almightie Which thiÌ„g the bridegroome of the Church Christ Iesus doth verie well signifie in the Canticles saying * I am the flower of the field and the lilly of the valley Cant. 2. for that I spread abroad the sweet sauour of my vertue throughout whole world I saith he am the flower of the Field the lilie of the valley that is I am the holines goodnes and iustice of those who with humilitie trust in me Because none of them can he holy good or iust without me euen as I haue said in the Gospel * Because without me you caÌ„ doe nothing Io. 15. I am the Flower of the Field and lilie of the valley Cant. 2. For like as a Field is adorned and beautified with flowers so the whole world is adorned and beautified with the Faith knowledge of Christ I am the Flower of the Field and lilie of the valley because I do giue my grace to those men more amplie who trust not in their owne goodnes nor in their owne merits but in me I admonish you therefore deare sister to the end you attribute nothing to your owne merits or presuÌ„e nothiÌ„g of your selfe Place nothiÌ„g in your owne vertue trust not in your owne forces put no confidence in your owne boldnes Ascribe all thiÌ„gs to Gods diuine guift and grace Giue God thankes in all your doings Giue God thaÌ„kes in all your actions Giue God thankes in your whole conuersation Let your confidence be continually in Christ who hath created you of nothing Of the feare of God CHAP. IV. 1. MOst deare sister heare what I say consider what I counsel you listen to what I speake * Feare God aboue all things and obserue his coÌ„maundements Eccle. 12. because * the eies of our Lord are towards them that feare him Eccles 15 * and in them that hope vpon his mercie Psal 146. Salomon also saith * Feare God and depart from euill Prou. 3. * He that feareth our Lord neglecteth nothing Eccl. 7. And in an other place * The feare of our Lord is glorie gloriatioÌ„ and ioy a crowne of exultation The feare of our Lord shall delight the heart and shall giue ioy glaâ—nes in length of dayes Eccli 1. For he that is without feare shall not be able to be iustified The feare of our Lord is wisdome and discipline 2. Be not incredulous to the feare of our Lord and come not to him with a double heart Ye that feare our Lord expect his mercie and decâ—â—ne nor from him least you fall Ye that feare our Lord hope in him mercie shall come to you for your delectation Ye that feare our Lord beleeue him and your reward shall not be voide Ye that feare our Lord loue him and your hearts shal be illuminated They that feare our Lord will not be incredulous to his words they that loue him will keepe his way They that feare our Lord will seeke after the things that are pleasing to him and they that loue him shall be filled with his law They that feare our Lord will prepare their hearts and in his sight will sanctifie their soules They that feare our Lord will keepe his commaundements and will haue patience euen vntill his visitation * The eies of our Lord are towards them that fâ—are him and he knoweth all their workes Eccles 15. The consummation of the feare of God is wisdome and vnderstanding Eccl. 21. To him that feareth our Lord euills shall not â—appen but in temptation God will keepe him and deliuer him from euills Eccl. 33. * The spirit of them that feare God is soughâ— and at his sight shall be blessed Eccles 34. The feare of our Lord is as a Paradise of blessing and a glorie shall couer the same Eccles 40. Blessed is the man to whome is giuen to haue the feare of God Ec. 25. The feare of God is the beginning of his loue O deare sister nothing doth so keepe vs free from sinne as the feare of hell and the loue of God To feare God is to commit no sinne and to omit no good that is to be done * The feare of our Lord is a fountaine of life Prou. 14. * With him that feareth our Lord it shall be well in the later end and in the day of his death he shall be blessed Eccli 1. Venerable sister it is good for vs to feare God because the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne The feare of our Lord doth alwayes amend The feare of our Lord doth represse vice The feare of our Lord doth make a maÌ„ carefull and sollicitous but where there is not feare there is perdition of soule Where there is not feare there is dissolution of life where there is not feare there is abouÌ„dance of sinnes Therefore honest virgin let feare hope alwayes be in your heart let feare confidence be ioyntly in your Let hope and feare perseuere equally in you So hope in Gods mercie that you feare his iustice Howbeit most louing sister in Christ I would haue you to know that there are foure feares to wit humane seruile initial and chast Humane feare as Cassiadorus saith is when we feare to suffer corporal dangers or to loose our earthly substance for which we offend This wordly feare is naught and in the first degree is forsaken with the world and by our Lord is for bidden in the Gospel saying * Feare ye not them that kill the bodie c. Mat. 10. The second feare is seruile as S. Augustine saith Through the feare of hell a man departeth from sinne and all the good workes which he doeth he doeth not for the loue of God but for the feare of hell He feareth as a seruant who doeth the good which he doeth not for feare of loosing the good which he â—oueth not but for feare of suffering the euill which he feareth He feareth not to loose the embracements of his most beautifull bridegroome but least he be throwne downe leadlong into the paines of eternal perdition Of this seruile feare S. Paul saieth * You haue not receiued the spirit of seruitude againe in feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption of sonnes Rom. 8. that is a filial spirit This seruile feare is good and profitable allbeit vnsufficient and vnperfect by which the custome of iustice doth encrease by little and little When a man beginneth to beleeue the day of iudgement he
merit to be comforted in that heauenly countrie as our Sauiour himselfe hath said * Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Mat. 5. CHAP. XI Of sadnes or heauines of heart OVr lord saith in the Gospel * Amen amen I say vnto you that you shall weepe and lament but the world shall reioyce and you shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Io. 16. Salomon also saieth * A glad heart cheereth the face in pensiuenes of mâ—nd the spirit is cast downe Prou. 15. * A ioyfull mind maketh a flowrishing age a sorrowfull spirit drieth vp the bones Prou. 17. Sonne in good deedes gâ—ue not blame and in euerie guift giue not the sadnes of an euill word Prou. 18. * The heauines of the heart is all plague Eccli 25. * Ioyfulnes of heart is the life of man Eccl. 30. * A peruerse heart will giue sorrow and a cunning man wil resist it Eccli 36. * For by heauines death hastneth and it couereth the strength and sorrow of the heart boweth the neck Eccli 38. Moreouer S. Athanasius saieth A sorrowfull man is alwayes imagining mischeife and hatred and doth contristate the holy Ghost giuen him by God The Apostle likewise telleth vs the same saying * Contristate not the holy Spirit of God in which you are signed vnto the day of redemption Ephes 4. Haue a care therefore most deare sister not to contristate the holy Spirit that dwelleth in you least peraduenture he forsake you Take away all aminositie and doubt both which do contristate the holy Spirit Take away sorrowfulnes which is the sister of animositie and doubtfulnes Certainly worldly sadnes of all bad spirits is the worst and doth most hurt to Gods seruants Worldly sadnes doth hurt and consume and ouerthrow Gods seruants For the holy Ghost cannot endure worldly sadnes Therefore deare sister inure your selfe to spiritual gladnes wlich is pleasing to God All spiritual mirth is alwayes good and thinketh good and contemneth the vaine sorrow of the world If spiritual mirth were not good the Prophet would not haue said * Be ioyfull in our Lord and reioyce ye iust and glorie all ye of right heart Psal 31. And againe * The iust man shall reioyce in our Lord and hope in him and all the right of heart shall be praised Psal 63. A Question O most deare brother if sadnes be naught and doth hurt Gods seruants why doth Salomon say * The heart of wisemen where sadnes is and the heart of fooles where mirth Eccle. 7. The Answere Venerable sister this which Salomon saieth * The heart of wisemen where sadnes is and the heart of fooles where mirtâ— is not to be vnderstoode but of spiritual sadnes and secular mirth As if he had said more plainely The heart of wisemen is where there is spiritual sadnes and the heart of fooles where there is secular mirth They that are sorrowfull according to God are wise contrarily those that are sorrowfull according to the world are fooles Wherevpon our Lord saieth in the Gospell * Reioyce in this that your names are written in heauen Luc. 10. And the Apostle S. Paul * As sorrowfull but alwayes reioycing 2. Cor. 6. And againe * Reioyce in our Lord alwayes againe I say reioyce Phillip 4 spiritual sadnes therefore is good Howbeit sadnes which procedeth from the desire of temporall thingâ— is amisse Of spiritual sadnes it is written * Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Mat. 5. But of secular sadnes Salomon saieth * Sorow hath killed many and there is no profit in it Eccli 30. Againe of spiritual ioy it is said * Let the heart of them reioyce that seeke our Lord. Psal 104. And againe of worldly mirth it is said * Woe be to you that now do laugh because you shall mourne and weepe Luc. 6. Most deare sister heare likewise what S. Paul saieth * The sorrow that is according to God worketh penance vnto saluation that is stable but the sorrow of the world worketh death 2. Cor. 7. The prayer of a man that is alwayes sad doth no good neither can it ascend vnto God Where sadnes doth oppose it selfe to the holy Ghost as an obstacle there prayer is not acceptable because it is weake and cannot ascend to God Wherefore louing sister cast aside sadnes cease to be melancholy expell sadnes and sorow from you Be not addicted to too much sadnes perseuere not in pensiuenes neither let your heart be the harbour or habitation of heauines Sadnes is one of the seuen deady simes and therefore to be eschewed by all Gods seruants Wherevpon S. Isidorus saieth If thou liue well and vertuously thou wilt neuer be sad or melancholy A good life is alwayes full of ioy Werefore honest sister expell from you all sorrow and discontent because like as the mothe eateth the garment and like as the worme gnaweth the wood so heauines hurteth the heart Cleanse your heart therefore from all carnal and secular sadnes and your prayer will be pleasing to God Therefore venerable sister lament through the remembraÌ„ce of your sinnes and reioyce in the loue of your bridegroome Christ Iesus LameÌ„t through the remembrance of your former offenses and reioyce through the hope of celestial happines Be sorowfull for your former faults and negligences which you haue done and reioyce at the promise of the kingdome of heauen Grieue for your former sinnes and offenses and be glad through the ioy of the eternal recompence To which he vouchsafe to bring you for whome you haue prepared a pleasant habitation in your virginal bodie Amen Of the loue of God CHAPT XII OVr Lord Iesuâ— Christ saieth in the Gospell * If any man loue me he will keepe my word and my father will loue him and we will come to him and will make abode with him Likewise the Apostle S. Iohn saieth * Let vs therefore loue God because God first hath loued vs. 1. Io. 14. He that loueth God will craue pardon for his sinnes and containe himselfe from them Most deare sister loue God and call vpon hin for saluation because loue is life and hatred is death God will not onely haue himselfe loued with wordes but with a pure heart and good workes He loueth not God that contemneth Gods commaundements The mind of a man that loueth God is not in earth but in heauen because it alwayeâ— desireth heauenly things I admonish you most deare sister that you loue God aboue all things because he hath loued you aboue all things We ought to loue God more then our parents Why Because God hath made vs and our pateÌ„â—s with his owne handes that is by his owne power and puissance as it is written * He made vs and not we our selues Psa 99. Christ hath gâ—uen vs more then our pareÌ„â—s and for this cause we ought to loue Christ more then our parents It is a foolishnes to loue any thing more then God because he that loueth any creature
of Sanctitie a secular life is full of iniquitie Reuerend sister you haue heard the commodities that are in a monasterie you haue heard the euills that are in the world you haue heard the vertues of a monasterie you haue heard the vices of the world you haue heard the saluation of a monasterie you haue heard the perdition of the world you haue heard life you haue heard death Now therfor behold good and euill in your sight or presence behold perdition and saluation of soule set before your eies Behold life and death before you * Behold fire and water stretch forth your haÌ„d and choose which you please Eccli 1. Behold the way of heauen and the way of hell Behold the way which leadeth to life and the way which leadeth to death walke in which you will Onely this I desire that you will choose the better Deare brother I will accept your counsell and will choose the better way It is good for me to follow good counsel and aduice and to walke with Gods assistaÌ„ce in the way that leadeth to eternal happines Honest virgin for that you choose the â—etter way I cannot choose but render â—hankes vnto God almightie Forsake â—ot therefore the good way which you â—aue alreadie begun to walke in Keepe â—his good resolution which you haue now made all the dayes of your life then your worke will be perfect if it perseuere to the verie end Saluation is promised to such as are perseuerant the reward is bestowed vpon such as continue constant he is not good that doeth good but he that doeth it to the verie end If therefore you perseuere in good workes to the verie end of your life you shall be saued CHAPT XXI Of virginitie * THe wise virgins did take oyle in their vessells with their lampes Mat. 25. Most deare sister heare what I say Those that are virgins in mind and bodie are not foolish but wise and are able to goe forth to meete the bridegroome because they haue oyle in their vessells that is chaâ—titie in their mindes But those that are virgins in bodie and not in mind are not wise but foolish neither are they able to goe forth to meete the bridegroome because they haue not oyle in their vessells that is they haue not chastitie in their mindes So saith blessed Isidorus Shee that is a Virgin in bodie and not in mind shall haue no reward at the day of iudgemeÌ„t And our Lord in the Gospel saith of foolish virgins * Amen I say to you I know you not Mat. 25. For this cause I admonish you deare sister that you be a virgin in mind and bodie that after this life ended you may deserue to be placed by your heauenly bridegroome Christ Iesus in the bed chamber of eternal beatitude Virginitie is not commaunded but counselled for that it is a thing so superexcellent Virginitie is a double good for that in this life it is void of solicitude and shall receiue the reward of chastitie in the next world Doubtlesse such as remaine chast and virgins shall in heauen be equall to the holy Angells The felicitie of virgins shall be greater in eternal happines then that of others aâ— the Prophet Isay beareth witnes who saith * Thus saith our Lord to Eunuches I will giue vnto them in my house and within my walls a place and a name better theÌ„ sonnes and daughters an euerlasting name will I giue them which shall not perish Isay 56. All sinne by penance receiueth pardon but virginitie if it be destained can by no meanes be repaired for albeit any one may by penance receiue pardon yet he can neuer recouer his former incorruption Venerable sister virginitie of flesh is worth nothing where integritie of mind is wanting Virgins glorying of their merits are compared to hypocrites who outwardly desire the glorie of their good actions which they ought to haue inwardly in their consciences For this is that which is said in the Gospel * that the virgins had not oyle in their vessells Mat. 25. that is did not reserue the testimonie of their good workes in their consciences to wit to glorie in the face in the sight of men not in the heart in the sight of God S. Augustine of such virgins writeth thus Virginitie of flesh nothing helpeth where anger of mind inhabiteth There is great difference betweene the puritie of a virginal soule polluted with no contagion of sinne and that soule that hath beene subiect to the lust of many men Venerable sister listen to S. Hierome saying To haue virginal flesh auaileth nothing if any one marrie in mind To keepe corporal virginitie likewise is altogither fruitlesse if we refraine not our eies from concupisceÌ„ce Virginitie in bodie will nothing profit if charitie or humilitie depart from the heart Wherefore honest sister in Christ I admonish you that you remaine a virgin in mind and bodie I admonish you likewise that you take with you the oyle of good works and with them adorne your lampe and light it with sacred vertues that when a clamour shall be made Behold the bridegroome commeth goe ye forth to meete him you may be able to meete Christ Iesus your celestial bridegroome and be placed by him in the blessed bed-chamber of heauen Of chastitie CHAPT XXII MOst deare sister I entreat you that with all deuotion you will listen to the wordes of my admonition The number of thirtie is the first degree and signifieth marriage The number of sixtie is the second degree and signifieth the continencie or chastitie of widowes The number of an huÌ„dred is the third degree which is assigned to virgins for the crowne of virginitie S. Isiâ—orus saith Some liuiÌ„g lasciuiouâ—ly in their youth will become continent in their old age and will then obserue chastitie when luxurie scorneth to acknowledge them as his seruants Such haue no reward for that they haue not felt any laborious fight But they shall haue glorie that haue fought couragiously For the fruit of chastitie is sweetnes Chastitie is the vnbleamished beautie of the Saincts Chastitie is the securitie of the mind and the health of the bodie Luxurie doth weaken the bodie and causeth a man to become old and decrepit on a soudaine Long chastitie is reputed for virginitie And therefore venerable sister the beautie of chastitie ought to be loued Those that are continent and liue chastly prepare in themselues a dwelling place for God almightie Werevpon the Apostle doth affirme that those that liue chastly are the temple of God and that the holy Ghost dwelleth in them 1. Cor. 3. Continencie maketh a man most neere to God There God dwelleth where continency remaineth Chastitie linketh a man to heauen Chastitie conducted a man to a kingdome The kingdome of heauen is promised to such as liue chastly Such as liue chastly shall haue an inheritance in heauen Coniugal chastitie is good vidual continencie is better but virginal integritie is best of all A humble widow is better then a proud