great a sacrament For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe to wit the cause of his damnation Wherevpon blessed Isidorus likewise saith They that liue lewdly in the Church and cease not to communicate thinking that by this communion they may be cleansed from their sinnes let such men know tâ—at this doth nothing helpe to their cleaÌ„sing according as the Prophet testifieth saying * What is it that my beloued hath in my house done much wickednes shall the holy flesh take away froÌ„ thee thy malices Ier. 11. He therefore that will receiue â—he bodie of Christ must first endeauour to remaine in the faith and loue of Christ Hence it is that our Lord saith in the Gospell * He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him Io. 6. As if he should say He remaineth in me who fullfilleth my will by liuing vertuously For otherwise vnlesse he first remaine in me by faith and good works and I in him he cannot eate my flesh nor drinke my blood What is it then which men eate Behold all do often receiue the sacrament of the altar yet one doth spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood and an other not but onely the sacrament that is Christs bodie vnder the sacrament and not the substance of the sacrament This Sacrament is called the proper bodie of Câ—rist borne of the Virgâ—n but the spiritual substance is the flesh of Christ A good man therefore receiueth the sacrament and the substance of the sacrament but a bad man for that he eareth vnworthily eateth and drinketh as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 11. iudgement to himselfe not prouing himselfe first nor discerning the bodie of our Lord What then doth the sinner eate and what doth he drinke Certaynely not the flesh and blood spiritually to his saluation but iudgement to his damnation although hâ— seeme with the reâ— to receiue the sacrament of the altar One therfore receiueth the bodie of our Lord to hiâ— saluation an other to his damnation He that with Iudas the traytor receiueth the bodie of our Lord with Iudas is condeÌ„ned he that with Peter and the rest of the faithfull receiueth the same deuoutly faithfully is doubtles with Peter and thâ— rest of the Apostles sanctified in Christs bodie Liâ—â—en therefore ô spouâ—e of Crhist to the wordes of S. Augustine He that with a câ— ast bodie and cleane heart with a pure conscience and deuout mind doth approach to this communion of the altar shall arriue to that altar which is Christ in heauen before the eies of God by a happie transmigration Amiable sister in Christ hearken I pray you to the wisdome of the serpent The serpent when he meaneth to goe to drinke before he commeth to the fountaine vomitteth vp all his poyson Do you therefore most deare sister imitate the serpent in this point that before you come to the fountaine that is to the communion of the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ you vomit vp out of your heart all poyson to wit hatred anger malice enuie euill will and peruerse cogitations Forgiue also all your fellowes and all your neighbours in whatsoeuer they haue offended that your offences may be â—â—kewise forgiuen you by God euen as our Lord himselfe saith * Forgiue and you shall be forgiuen Luc. 6. If therefore you shall doe all these things as I haue said you may approach to the liuing fountaine that is to Christ who is the fountaine of all good things Furthermore he saith of himselfe * I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen Io. 6. Of this bread Dauid saith in the Psalmes * Man did eate the bread of Angells Psal 77. for otherwise that bread albeit it came from heauen and drinke for that it was corporal was not food fit for Angells but that bread and drinke which was prefigured by this Howbeit Christ is the bread of Angells and this sacrament is his true flesh and true blood which sacrament man doth spiritually eate and drinke And by this whereby the Angells liue in heauen by the same man liueth heere on earth because all is spiritual and diuine in that which a maÌ„ receiueth â—ut as the Apostle saith Some haue eaten the same spiritual food and yet are dead so likewise now in the Church the bodie of our Lord is life to some but to others it is a paine and the punishment of sinne The bodie of our Lord without all doubt is life to those to whome Christ is life but to those it is death who through sinne and ignorance and negligence are the members of the diuel Wherefore most louing sister in Christ I admonish you that when you receiue the bodie of our Lord you vnderstand an other thing by your taste then you feele by your smell Heare likewise ô honest virgin what the Priest saith at the consecration of the bodie of Christ We entreat saith he that this oblation may be made blessed by which we may be blessed Inrolled by which we all may be inrolled in heauen Ratified by which we may be nuÌ„bered in the bowells of Christ Reasonable by which we may be freed from a bestial vnderstanding And that thou wilt vouchsafe to make it acceptable that we likewise sithence we are displeasing to our selues may become acceptable in his onely begotteÌ„ oÌ„ne Christ Iesus Wherefore most vertuous Virgin as we haue said alreadie Christ in himselfe feedeth the holy Angells in heauen Christ also in hâ—mselfe refresheth the faithfull heere on earth Christ by hope satiateth the holy Angells in the heaueÌ„ly countrie Christ by faith feedeth vs heere on earth least we faint in the way Christ refresheth Angells and men of himselfe and yet remaineth whole in himselfe O how good is that bread and how full of admiration of which the Angells are satiated in heaueÌ„ men are refreshed heere on earth He on whome the Angells feede to the full in the heauenly countrie is mans foode heere on earth according to the measure of his imbecillitie and this as I haue said alreadie leaâ—t he faint in the way Christ t e liuing bread who is the Angells refection is himselfe likewise mans redemption medicine Now therefore most deare sister desire our Lord with all instancie that he will cleanse your conscience from all malice and enuie that so you may be able worthily to receiue the mysterie of the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen Of our thoughts or cogitations CHAPT XXIX MOst deare sister listen what our Lord doth say by the mouâ—h of the Prophet Isay * Take away the euill of your cogitations from mine eies Isai 1. Although a man cease from doing amisse yet if he haue euill cogitations in his heart he is not altogither guiltlesse Wherevpon blessed Indorus saith We do not onely offend in our actions but also in our cogitatioÌ„s if we take delight when they vnlawfully occurre to our remeÌ„brance For as a
wight haue offended I confesse my errour I lay open my sinne I acknowledge mine iniquitie I haue sinned o sweet Sauiour be mercifull to me a sinner Spare my faultes pardoÌ„ my sinnes forgiue me my crimes If thou shalt obserue iniquities ô Lord Lord who shall sustaine it No man durst approach to thine examination without feare neither shall the iustice it selfe of a iust man be secure for what man is so iust in euerie thing that he durst say that he is without sinne No man is without sinne no man is free from offense no man is cleane in thy sight yea euen among the Saincts no man is immaculate * Behold they that serue God haue not beene stabâ—e and in his Angells he found wickednes Iob. 4. * Behold the moone also doth not shine and the starres are not cleane in his sight Iob. 25. The heauens likewise are not cleane in his sight If therefore no man is holy in his sight no man immaculate how much more I that am a sinner corruption and meate for wormes who haue drunke iniquitie as it were water and haue multiplied my sinnes Who do sit in the dust who do dwell in a howse of clay who haue an earthly foundation My God stretch forth thy right hand to me a sinner Remember ô Lord that I am but arth Remember that I am but dust and ashes Giue me a medicine by which I may be healed Giue me a medicine by which I may be cured I alas wretch that I am haue fallen into the pit of sinne I haue fallen into the bottome of hell O my God deliuer my captiue soule from hell let not that bottomlesse chaos include me let not the pit of perdition shut his mouth vpon me Let not that bottomlesse depth denie me to goe forth Behold the dreadfull day of iudgement is now at hand the last day is now come the day of death doth now draw neere nothing remaineth for me but a graue nothing but a sepulcher O Lord pardon me I beseech thee before I goe to that obscure countrie O my God vouchsafe to assist me before I goe to the land of darknes and miserie O Redeemer of soules succour me before my death breake the bondes of my sinnes before that dreadfull hower approacheth Deare siâ—â—er in Chriâ—t God be mercifull vnto you and forgiue you all your sinnes God graunt you forgiuenes of all your offenses God forgiue you whatsoeuer you haue offended God release you from all sinne Now therefore be of good courage deare sister and resolue in your heart not to sinne any more Haue a care not to iterate your offenses defile not your selfe with sinne againe now after forgiuenes Returne not to sinne after the lamentation oâ— penance doe not that againe which may moue you againe to teares and repentance He is not a true penitent but a derider of God who doth yet doe that whereat he may be grieued he doth not seeme to beseech God humbly but to mock and scorne him proudly who as yet committeth that euill whereat he seemed to be sorowfull Wherevpon B. Isidorus doth affirme That penance is vaine that is defiled by a sinne ensuing And againe A wound that is iterated is more slowlie healed A man frequently sinning and mourning doth scarcely deserue pardon Be therefore constant in penance and forsake not that vertuous course of life which you haue begun to practice To such a perseuere saluation is promised on such the reward of heauen is bestowed Wherevpon it is said * Blessed are they that keepe iudgement and doe iustice at all time Psal 105. And againe * He that shall perseuere to the end he shall be saued Mat. 10. Honest virgin I counsel you that you alwayes behaue your selfe as one ashamed with your countenance cast downe through the remembrance of your sinne let a blushing bashfulnes appeare alwayes in your face through the memorie of your offences Let the shame of your sinne make you ashamed to looke vp to heauen walke with your countenance cast downe on the ground sorowfull through mourning going as one forlorne wrapping your members in sack-cloath and ashes Let the earth be your bed the ground your couâ—rlets You are dust and therefore sit in the â—ust you are ashes and therefore let them be the place of your repose Be alwayes weeping alwayes mourning alwayes sighing alwayes sorowfull in your heart for your sinnes Let sighes proceede from your breaâ—â— grones from your heart Let teares often flow from your eies Be alwayes readie to shed teares as often as you call your bad life to remembrance Venerable Virgin beleeue me because the seruants of God neuer ought to be secure in this life although they be iust and good The seruants of God ought to be vigilant at all times and with teares to call their sinnes to remembrance Wherevpon in prayse of the bridegroome to wit Christ it is said in the Canticles * His hayres are as the branches of palme trees black as a rauen Cant. 5. What do we vnderstand by the hayres of Christ but faithfull men who whiles they keepe the faith of the blessed Trinitie in their mind and performe what they beleeue adhearing to God do doe him honour aâ— hayres hanging on the head The palme tree is verie high and according to the name there of signifieth victorie Christs haires therefore are as the branches of palme-trees because whiles each one of the elect doth lift vp himselfe to the height of vertue they at length by Gods grace arriue to the victorie Howbeit they are black as a rauen because although they eleuate themselues to heauen by their vertues yet they alwayes acknowledge them selues to be sinners So you most louing sister in Christ albeit you liue well and religiously albeit you serue God iustly and deuoutly yet I giue you this admonition that you neuer desist from teares and lamentation Let teare be sweet vnto you let mourning and lamentation delight you neuer cease from mourning by so much the more be inclined to lamentation by how much the more you haue beene addicted to sinne Aâ— great as your intention hath beene to commit sinne so great let your deuotion be to make satisfaction The medecine ought to be answerable to the disease mightie sinnes require many teares Venerable sister he vouch safe to assist you and afford you spiritual comfort whome the holy Angells adore in the heauenly court Amen Of communicating or communion CHAPT XXVIII * VVhosoeuer shall eate thâ—is bread or drinke the chalice of our Lord vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the bodie of the blood of our Lord 1. Cor. 11. that is he shall â—oÌ„â—â—act sinne coÌ„mit a fault by such his fact Why For that he goeth amisse to that which is good But let a man proue himselfe so let him eate of that bread and drinke of the chalice As if he had said Let euerie one examine his life and cleanse his heaâ—â— from all malice that he may worthily approach to so
delightfull the seruants of God do shunne as hurtfull The seruants of God are more delighted in aduersities then in worldlie prosperities Most deare sister those things that are in the world are contrarie to the seruants of God to the end that when they feele these thingâ— contrarie vnto them they should heartily sigh after the kingdome of heauen He is ordinarily gratious in the sight of God that is contemptible in the eie of the world For it cannot be but that those things are beloued of God which are odious to the world Holy men are pilgrims strangers in the world wherevpon Peter was reprehended for that he desired to haue a tabernacle made on the mountaine because Saincts haue no tabernacle in this world for whome there is prepared a countrie and house in heauen Venerable sister all things temporall do drie and wither away like hearbs parched with the sunne and therefore the seruants of God do contemne and dispise these transitorie things in hope of those eternal which are alwayes flowrishing and greene and not without iust reason for that they see no stabilitie in them Holy men who perfectly contemne the world do so die to this world that they are delighted to liue onely to God And by how much the more they withdraw themselues from the conuersation of earthly things by so much the more they contemplate with the eies of their mind the presence of God the assembly of his holy Angells For albeit God doth protect the life of his elect in the middest of carnal men yet it is rarely seene that a man liuing amidst the pleasures of the world is free from sinne He will not be alwayes secure who is next doore to danger Deare sister it is good that a man be corporally remoued from the world but it is much more laudable and profitable that he be withdrawen from the world in will He therefore is perfect who in bodie and mind is sequestred from the world Wherevpon blessed Iob saith * Thâ—â—â—lde asse contemneth the multitude oâ—â—e citie Iob. 39. And the seruant of Gâ—â—co contemneth humane companie They that peâ—fectly despise the world desire the aduersities of this life and contemne prosperitie and so by contemning this life temporal they find that which is eternal For that mind is farre from God to whome this miserable life seemeth sweete For it knoweth not what heauenly thing it ought to couet or what earthly thing it ought to contemne For as it is written * He that addeth knowledge addeth also labour Eccles. 1. By how much the more a man is able to know what heauenly things are to be desired by so much the more he ought to grieue at the earthly and transitorie â—hings with which he is entangled The seruant of God that busieth himselfe in the temporal good of his kinred separateâ—h himselfe from the loue of God Wherefore a religious man ought so to doe good to his parents and kinsfolk that by doing them a carnal courtesie or good turne he decline not from his spiritual good worke or vertuous resolution My deare sister in Christ heare what S. Isidorus saith Many Chanons MoÌ„kes NuÌ„es are eÌ„taÌ„gled with earthly cares phâ—ensies brawles businesses through loue to their parents and for their â—emporal good loose their owne soule Howbeit an ordinate discretion is to be vsed thaâ— what we mercifully bestow vpon strangers we denie not to our parents For it is fitting that we giue to our parents what we piously bestow vpoÌ„ straÌ„gers For that is carnally imparted to our parents which is religiously giuen to strangers Hâ—nest sister we ought not to hate our parents but their impediments which lead vs aside from our good purposes By the kine of the Philisteans whicâ— carried the arke of our Lord into the Land of Israel 1. King 6. We figuratiuely vnderstand those who for the loue of God haue left the world For like as the Philisteans yoked the kine to the waine and shut vp their calues at home and laid the arke of the testament of our Lord vpon the waine so the yoke of Christ which is sweete and light is laid vpon the necks of Gods seruants And like as the kine did bellow through the loue of their calues yet weÌ„t not aside either to the right haÌ„d or to the left but weÌ„t forward in the right way vntill they came to Bethsames which is in the entrance of the land of Israel so Gods seruants ought to goe foreward in the right way neither ought they for the loue of their parents to decline to the right hand or to the left from their good workes or purposes but to keepe in the right way to Bethsames that is vntill they attaine to the entrance of celestial happines And like as â—he kine went on bellowing for their calues so Gods seruants ought to bellow or grone for their parents that is they oughâ— to pray for them that God will assist them with his grace and deliuer them from euill and confirme them in goodnes Most louing sister in Christ we ought not as I haue said alreadie to â—ate our parents but to loue theâ— But if as S. Augustine saieth they hinder vs in the way of perfectâ—oÌ„ we are not bound so much as to burie thâ—m You deare sister haue gone with Abraham forth of your countrie and out of your kinâ—ed and out of your fathers house Gen. 12. and haue come into the Land which God â—ath shewed you tâ—at is into a Monasterie Werefore I pray tâ—at you may perseuere by liuing vertuously therein that after your bodily death you may rest in the bosome of Abraham that is in the kindome of heauen You beloued sister haue gone with Lot out of Sodome Gen. 19. that is out of a secular life and conuersation and therefore I admonâ—sh you not to looke back with hâ—s wife least which God forbid you be made an example to all men for your bad life Yea rather I entreat you that with Lot you saue your selfe in the mountaine that s in the Monaâ—â—erie and be an example to others of sanctitie You most vertuous Virgin haue with Iosuè issued forth of Aegypt thâ—t is out of the world and do remaine with him in the desert â—hat is in thâ— monasterie in which God doth raine downe manna vnto you that is he giueth you the bread of his heauenly word Wherefore most louing sister in Christ I admoinsh you that you perseuere in the monasterie as you haue begun that by watching praying singing and couragiously fighting against the diuel all your enemies being foyled and all the delightes of the world being subdued you may with the same Iosuè attaine to the Land of promise that is to the countrie of celestial happines and there deserue to see the face of that neuer wearied sunne of iustice Amen Of the contempt of the vvorld CHAPT VIII MOST deare sister listen what our Lord Iesus Christ saieth in the Gospel * Fuetie one that hath left house or
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
more then the Creator doth sinne And he that preferreth the loue of any creature before the loue of the Creator doth erre God therefore ought to be loued of vs aboue all things Say I pray you ô honest virgin with loue and affection towarâ—s Christ * My beloued to me and I to him who feedeâ—h among the lilâ—es till the day breake aÌ„d the shadowes decline O spouse of Christ say yet more plainely I beseech you let my be loued be linked to me in the bond of loue and charitie and let me be conioyned and coupled to him by the interchange of mutual amitie Who feedeth among the lilies that is to say is delighted and solaced among the white and odoriferous vertues of the Saincts and amidst the quires of virgins till the day breake and the shadowes decline vntill the cloudes of this preâ—eÌ„t life passe and the day appeare that is vntill that clearenes of blisse come which shall continue for euer Most deare sister it is iustice to loue God wth our whole heart and to adhere to him with out whole will who is the chiefest good To loue the chiefest good is the chiefest beatitude He that loueth God is good if good then likewise blessed By how much the more a man loueth God by so much the more he shall be blessed Loue is the speciall and proper vertue of the Saincts My most louing sister in Christ I haue said this that no loue of the world may separate you from the loue of Christ O spouse of Christ I yet further entreat you that you will tell vs something of the loue of your celestial bridegroome * A bundle of myrrhe my boloued is to me he shall abide betweene my breastes The place of the heart is betweene the breastes that is betweene the pappes my beloued therefore shall abide betweene my breastes that is the memorie affection and loue of Christ Iesus my bridegroome shall alwayes be betweene my breastes that is in my heart So that at all times aswell in prosperitie as in aduersitie I will call to memorie all the benefits which he hath bestowed vpon me because he hath loued me and died for me and hath ascended into heauen and to the end I may come vnto him he daily calleth me saying * Come from Libanus my spouse come from Libanus come thou shalt be crowned Cant. 4. Let the left hand of my bridegroome Christ Iesus be vnder my head that is to say let the guift of the holy Ghost during this present life rest in me and let the vnderstanding of the holy scriptures be in my mind that I may know him and perfectly loue him Cant. 2. that is to say make me to attaine to eternal felicitie O most deare sister desire the handmaides of Christ that are with you and say to them * Stay me vp with flouers compasse me about with apples because I Languish with the loue of my beloued bridegroome Christ Iesus Cant. 2. O you my sacred sisters who alreadie loue Christ aboue all things and preferre nothing before his loue stay me vp with the examples of your good workes and shew me how I may be able to find Christ my beloued because I languish through his loue This loue is sweete this languishing is delightfull this sicknes is sacred this affection is chast this coniunction is vndefiled this copulation is vncorrupted this embracing is vnspotted And you ô sacred sisters stay me vp with flowers that is with the examples of your holy conuersation because I languish through the loue of my bridegroome Most chast virgin you truly languish through the loue of Iesus Christ your bridegroome if you despise and coÌ„temne all earthly things for the loue of him Verily you lie sick in the bed of contemplatioÌ„ if you loue Christ aboue all thiÌ„gs You are truly sick for the loue of Christ if you loue heauenly thingâ— more then earthly You truly lie sick and languishing for the loue of Christ in the bed of internal loue and sweetnes if you be strong in good workes and weake in worldly businesses My most deare and louing sister if you loue Christ with your whole heart and preferre nothing before the loue of him you shall reioyce with the same Christ Iesus your bridegroome in his heauenly kingdome If you imitate Christ sincerely and loue him vnfeined by you shall without all doubt reioyce with him in his heauenly countrie and shall follow him with the holy virgins whither soeuer he goeth If you adhere to Christ with all deuocion and sigh to him day and night in this present world without doubt you shall reioyce with him in his heauenly pallace and shall sing sweet hymnes vnto him among the quires of virgins as it is written Thou feeding there where lillies spring While round about thee Virgins daunce Thy spouses doost to glorie bring And them with high rewards aduaÌ„ce The Virgins follow in thy wayes Whither so euer thou dost goe They trace thy steps with songs of praise And in sweet hymnes thy glorie show This I haue said most deare sister to the end you should loue Christ aboue all things and preferre nothing before his loue I desire you be loued sister that you will admit no swetnes besides Christ seeke no loue besides Christ and loue no beautie besides Christ Weepe and lament for the loue of Christ your redeemer vntill you see him raigning at the right hand of his heauen by Father Amen Of the loue of our neighbour CHAPT XIII MOst louing sister listen what our Lord Iesus Christ saith to his disciples * In this all men shall know that you are my disciples if you haue loue one to an other Io. 13. All. the faithfull are Christ disciples Euerie one is his alisciple whose doctrine he followeth He therefore that will be the disciple of Christ let him endeauour to loue his neighbours as himselfe * The loue of our neighbour woâ—keth no euill RoÌ„ 13. Why Because * loue is the fulnes of the law And the Apostle S. Paul * Walke in loue as Christ also loued vs deliuered himselfe for vs. Ephes. 5. Likewise the Apostle S. Iohn saieth * He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and scandal is not in him But he that hateth his brother is in the darknes and walke h in the darknes and knoweth not whiter he goeth because the darknes hath bliÌ„ded his eies 1. Io. 2. If any one shall say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lier For he that loueth not his brother whome he seeth God whome he seeth not can he loue And this commendement we haue from God that he which loueth God loue also his brother 1. Io. 4. Salomon also saith * He loueth at all times that is a freind and a brother is proued in distresses Pro. 17. S. Augustine likewise saieth thus You conquer a man by humane felicitie you conquer the diuel by the loue of your enemie Howbeit deare sister the loue of Gods seruants one
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
are heauie comport your selfe in that manner towards others as you would they should towards you in the like case That which you would not willingly endure doe not to an other least the like happen to you Be as fauourable in other mens offences as in your owne and consider not your selfe and others after a different fashion If your enemie fall do not reioyce or grow proud at his ruine neither take dilight at the newes of his death least peraduenture some mishap befall you for the same Triumph not at the fall of your aduersarie least perchance God turne his wrath vpon you Forsome miserie or other will befall him sodainely that reioyceth at the fall of his enemie Let humane affection therefore moue you to pittie those that are wretched let the sorow of compassion make you compassionate of such as are in need let the loue of commiseration make you to feele the afflictioÌ„s of your friend If your enemie hunger giue him meate if he thirst giue him drinke Despise not the poore contemne not the needie disdaine not such as orphants or fatherlesse let no man depart from you contristated or discontent at your harsh carriage Visit the sick coÌ„fort the weake-minded that you may deserue to be comforted by our Lord in eternal beatitude Amen Of mercie Capt. XV. MOst deare sister heare our Lord Iesus Christ saying in the Gospel * Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Mat. 5. And againe * Be ye therefore mercifull as also your father is mercifull Luc. 6. And the Apostle S. Paul * Be gentle one to an other pardoning one an other as also God in Christ hath pardoned you Ephes 5. And in an other place * Piety is profitable to all things 1. Tim. 4. Salomon also saieth * To doe mercie and iudgement doth more please our Lord then victimes Prou. 21. Mercie maketh place for euerie one according to the merit of his workes * Mans compassion is touching his neighbour but the mercie of our Lord is vpon all flesh Eccli 18. He that doeth mercie offereth a sacrifice pleasing to God almightie Gods mercie taketh his name from taking pittie of other mens miserie He that is not mercifull towards an other will not be able to find mercie at the hands of his Creator Beloued Sister let mercie and truth goe befote you Neuer forsake mercie You will doe good to your soule if you be mercifull He that is mercifull to an other shall obtaine mercie of our Lord. Venerable sister whatsoeuer God hath giuen you be readie to bestow in workes of mercie Shew mercie without murmuring Such will be your worke as is your intention Where there is no good will there is no mercie That good which you doe doe for mercie not for vaine glorie Doe nothing for prayse but for an eternal recompence Doe nothing for any temporal respect but for an euerlasting reward Doe nothing for fame but for life euerlasting To which almightie God vouchsafe to bring you most reuerend sister Amen Of the examples of the Sainctes CHAPT XVI THe examples of holy men are exceeding profitable to stirre vs vp to amendement of our liues to egge vs vs foreward in the way of perfection Most deare sister the falls and vprising of holy men are written for this cause that we poore wretches should not despaire through the multitude of our sinnes but should be animated to rise againe by penance after our fall that no man should despaire of Gods goodnes after sinne when he seeth that euen Saincts themselues after their fall haue risen againe For this cause God haâ—h proposed the vertues of the Saincts for our example and instruction that by following their foote-stepâ— we may attaine to the kingdome of heauen or if we will not follow or imitate them in well doing we may be inexcusable in paine The Saincts of God aslong as they liued in this world ceased not to be feruent in good workes to wit in fasting in watching in almes deedes in chastitie in continencie in long an imitie in patience in sweetnes in prayers in persecutions in beneuolence in hunger and thirst in cold and nakednes and in many labours for the loue of Christ The Saincts of God despised this present world that they might obtaine that kingdome which shall endure world without end they receiued not heere the promises or earthly and transitorie riches which lead such as abuse them to eternal perdition but abandoning this countrie with their whole intention they lifted vp their eies to the heauenly Hierusalem The Saincts of God eschewed sinne in thought word and deede in their sight in their hearing in their nod or becking in their eies in their hands and in their feete in chiding brawling and dissention in vaine glorie pride and boasting in couetousnes in gluttonie in drowsines in fornication and in drunkennes Preseruing their bodies and soules they fasted two manner of wayes to wit from vice and sinfull actions Abstinence from meate is good but abstinence from vice is much better Wherevpon the Church saith of her members that is of the aforsaid holy Fathers * My hands hane distilled myrrhe Cant. 5. What do we vnderstand by the hands but the actions of the Saincts and what is ment by myrrhe but the mortification of the flesh and of vices The hands of the Church are holy men doing good workes of whome shee saith * They haue wrought iustice Heb. 11. The haÌ„ds of the Church therefore do distill the myrrhe of good workes because they shew vnto vs the examples of vertuous actions and declare vnto vs how we ought to mortifie the vices of our flesh Wherevpon one of them said * If you liue according to the flesh you shall die Rom. 8. And againe * Mortifie your members that are vpon the earth Colos 3. And againe the Church saith * My fingers are full of most approued myrrhe Cant. 5. Then verily our myrrhe is most approued when our flesh is perfectly mortified and our vices and sinnes are vtterly extinguished Wherefore beloued sister in Christ if we desire to obtaine the company of the Saincts it is necessarie that we follow their examples If we sinne and doe amisse we haue now no excuse Why For that the law of God doth admonish vs daily that we liue vertuously and the examples of the holy Fathers do continually inuite vs to doe good workes And if now and then we follow the example of wickedmen and sinners why do we not follow the examples of the holy Fathers And if we are apt to imitate the wicked in wickednes why are we slow to imitate the good in goodnes Wherefore venerable sister let vs be seech God that those vertues which he hath prepared for his Saincts for their crowne may not turne to our torment and damnation but to our greater good and saluation Doubtlesse we beleeue that if we follow the examples of holy men we shall after this life raigne with them in heauen The more we read the liues of
virgin A widow is better with humilitie then a virgin with pride A widow bewayling her sinnes is more prayse-worthy then a virgin that vaunteth herselfe before men of her virginitie A widow lamenting her iniquities is better then a virgin extolling her selfe of her merits A virgin ought not to glorie before men of the guift of her virginitie for if shee doe so shee hath no oyle with her her lampe is extinquished a virgin ought not to despise widowes A virgin that desireth to please God must not contemne woemen that liue chastly for if shee doe this shee will displease God and hurt herselfe A virgin that despiseth woemen that liue chastly and serue God is abominable for her pride Why what is the reason Because a humble sinner is better then a proud iust man Despise not therefore venerable sister woemen that haue come out of the world that haue had husbands haue brought forth children because if you despise them you will be exceeding culpable before God Anna the Prophetesse had beene a married woman and yet shee prophecied of of Christ and deserued to see him Luc. 5. Marie Magdalen also was a secular woman liuing in the world among others and yet * shee saw Christ rising and merited to be the Apostle of the Apostles Marc. 16. Honest virgin I haue said this to this end that by no meanes you contemne Christ hand maides who haue come out of the world to serue God You ought not therefore to despise but rather to honour honest woemen who haue come out of the world to religion for that it is not fitting that you contemne such as God hath chosen Wherefore I admonish you venerable sister that for the loue of Christ you serue them and loue them as your motheâ—s Beloued sister in Christ you ought to serue them as if you were their daughter for this reason for that God hath conuerted them from a secular life to himselfe you therefore doe an iniurie to God if you hate his hande-maides Moreouer my most louing sister in Christ I would not haue you say I am a drie peece of wood I would not haue you say I am a fruitlesse tree because if you loue Christ your bridegroome and feare him as you ought you haue seuen children The first childe is modestie or bashfullnes the second patience the third sobrietie the fourth temperance the fifth charitie the sixth humilitie the seuenth chastitie Behold venerable sister you haue by the grace of the holy Ghost without labour or paine brought forth seuen children to Christ in your vncorrupted wombe that that may be fulfilled in you which is written Because the barren shall bring forth seuen Therefore amiable sister in Christ you ought to nourish foâ—ter feed refresh comfort and chastise these children which you haue brought forth to Christ Iesus your celestial bridegroome Nourish them by good manners Foster them in the bosome of internal contemplation Feede them with the milke of eternal sweetnes Refresh them with the loue of supernal beatitude and comfort them with the bread of the celestial worde Chastise them with the rod of God and commaund them not to grow proud also that they grow not light and transgressors of Godâ— law and that they neuer depart nor be separated from you You see deare sister that Virgins haue the principal place in the kingdome of God and not without iust desert For sithence they haue contemned this present world for this cause they haue attained to a celestial kingdome to which he vouchsafe to bring you to whose seruice you haue consecrated your bodie and soule Amen Of fornication CHAPT XXIII MY deare sister in Christ I admonish you that with all deuotion and diligeÌ„ce you listen to these wordes following of our Lord Iesus * Let your loynes be girded and candells burning in your handes Luc. 12. We gird our loines when by continencie we represse the lasciuiousnes of the flesh We hold candells burning in our handes when we giue good examples to our neighboures The fornication of the flesh as S. Isidorus saith is adulterie The fornication of the soule is seruing of idolls The darts of the eies are the first fornication the second is of wordes but he that is not taken by his eies may resist wordes All vncleame pollution is called fornication although euerie one doth enioy sundrie delightes of filthines For from the delight of committing fornication there spring vp diuerse hainous sinnes by which the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is shut and a man is separated from God Among the seuen deadly sinnes forninication is the greatest for that by the vncleannes of the flesh a man doth defile the temple of God and taking the member of Christ maketh it the member of a harlot Wherefore honest virgin if it be true that God liueth in you let fornication be dead in you Luxurie is an enemie to God and the destroyer both of heauenly grace and earthly riches Fornication doth not onely defile the bodie but also the conscience He that is lasciuious and lewd allbeit he seeme to liue yet he is dead * Fornicators and aduoterers God will iudge that is will condemne them Heb. 13. Heare therefore most deare sister the wordes of S. Isidorus To be defiled with fornication is worse then any other sinne Fornication is greater then any other sinne whatsoeuer Fornication is a grieuous sinne fornication doth surpasse all euills fornication is worse then death it selfe It is better to die then to commit fornication it is better to die then to be defiled with a sinne so filthie it is better to die then by fornication to destroy both soule and bodie Luxurie leadeth a man to the pit of perdition luxurie drowneth a man in the hellish lake of damnation luxurie sendeth a man to destruction The eies are the messengers of fornication The sight is the first occasion of fornication For the mind is captiuated by the eies The dart of loue entreth to the mind by the eies the eiesight sendeth the darts of fornication into the mind the eie is the first dart of fornication Wherefore deare sister in Christ represse your eies withdraw your sight Fixe not your eies on the beautie of the flesh behold no man with this intention that you couet him looke vpon no man with this intention that you carnally loue him Gaze not vpon any mans face that you may loue him amisse Turne away your eies that they see not vanitie desire not any mans beautie Tell me venerable sister what profit is there in the beautie of the flesh Doth not man wither and drie away as grasse and doth not his beautie flie away as a shadow When death commeth tell me I pray you how much beautie wil remaine in the bodie When you see the whole bodie swollen and become stinking are you not wont to stop your nostrills that you may not endure a smell so loathsome Tell me I pray you where is then the beautie of the countenance where are those faire wordes which
little temperaâ—e meate is profitable both for the bodie and soule A fat bellie doth not beget a quick wit It is farre better daily to eate a little then eating seldome to feed to the full to eate sparingly and to rise as it were with hunger is better then to fast three dayes togither I commend his fasting that shunneth all sort of sinne AbstineÌ„ce from vice is better then abstinence from meate that is not to be reputed abstinence after which fulnes of bellie doth ensue B. Isidorus likewise saith He meditateth of meat and drinke all the day long who prepareth â—or himselfe daintie fare to giue his gluttonie in the euening An emptie bellie maketh a man watch full in the seruice of God almightie For he that is full falleth fast asleepe for which cause we are not able to watch when our bellie is â—ull of meate Venerable sister let your bodie wither away with fasting through the desire of the kingdome of heauen that you may fulfill that which is writteÌ„ in the Psalme * My soule hath thirsted to God my flesh to him verie many wayes Psa 62. For our flesh doth then thirst to God when througâ— fasting it becommeth drie and withered Deare sister in Christ credit me if in this life you perfectly hunger and thirst after God you shal be satiated by him in that heauenly beatitude Abstinence doth quicken and mortifie it quickneth the soule mortifieth the bodie Abstinence buildeth vp vertues in the soule and thâ—oweth â—owne the vices of the bodie We ought to despise gluttonie with all diligence we ought to contemne the inordinate desire of meates and drinks we muâ—â— not take ouer much care for our bellie because when our bellie is immoderately refreshed the bodie is thereby stirred vp to leacherie We must not eate that our bellie may be filled but that our bodie may be sustained for where the bellie is filled there the fire of lust is kindled But that bodie that is weakened with abstinence is free from the flame of vnlawfull concupiscence The rich glutton mentioned in the Gospel that was clothed in purple and fared delitiously euerie day for that in this world he would not abâ— aine froÌ„ meate when afterwards amidst the flames of hell fire he requested one onely drop of water he could not obtaine it Luc. 16. Like as all spiritual vertues are rooted and erected in the soule by abstâ—nence so all vices are nourished and confirmed in the bodie by gluttonie and excesse No man can attaine to spiritual perfection vnlesse he first vanquish in himselfe the vice of ouermuch eating For this reason the three children were not burned in the fierie fournace for that they were addicted to abstinence For this cause Daniel was deliuered froÌ„ the mouth of the lions for that he was a louer of abstinence No man is able to expell from himselfe the temptations of the diuel vnlesse he refraine in himselfe the inordinate appetite of eating to the full A Question Most deare brother I pray you tell me how I ought by abstinence to chastice my bodie The Answere Louing sister you ought to chastice your bodie in that soâ—te that it grow not proud Againe you ought to keepe it in that subiâ—ction that it fall not into vice yet with all to refresh it so that it may doe you seruice You must likewise so chastice it by abstinence that it do not perish If you afflict your flesh ouer much you kill your fellow citizen and againe if you feede it more then is necessarie you nourish your enemie Most deare sister as ofteÌ„ as you fast you ought to obserue this that you kill not your bodie but vice Wherefore most louing sister in Christ chastice your bodie by abstinence fast and abstaine from meates let your countenance and face looke pale through fasting not red through ouer much eating and drinking Let your bodie be drie and withered not fat and pampered Pamper not your flesh for wormes eate with that mediocritie that you be alwayes hungrie eate in that moderate manner that you alwayes feele hunger fill not your bellie with more then nature doth require Hunger thirst and abstaine and drie vp your bodie with fasting Beleeue me venerable sister you will neuer be able to vanquish temptations vnlesse you chastise your bodie by abstinence for by meate and drinke luxurie doth encrease Large commons cause carnalitie lust is alwayes a companion to satietie The cold of rising to matins quencheth the fire of lasciuiousnes There the diuells are most bold where they see most meate and drinke Most amiable sister in Christ as I haue alreadie told you if you will perfectly shunne the temptations of the flesh abstaine not onely from meates but also from all worldly delightes that after this present life ended you may be able to reioyce with the holy Angells in eternal beatitude Amen Of drunkennes CHAPT XXV MY ' most deare siâ—ter listen to the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ saying * Looke well to your selues least perhaps your heart be ouercharged with surfetting drunkennes Luc. 21. The Apostle S. Paul also by way of reprehending his disciples vsed these wordes * Be not drunke with wine wherein is riotousnes Ephes 5. Salomon saith likewise * Wine is a luxurious thing drunkennes tumultuous whosoeuer is delighted there with shall not be wise Pro. 20. Behold not wine when it waxeth yellow when the colour thereof shall shine in the glasse it goeth in pleasantly but in the end it will bite like a snake and as a basilisk it will power abroad poysons There is no secret where drunkennes is Wine hath destroyed very many and brought them into danger both of soule and bodie * Wine was created for ioyfullnes not for drunkennes Eccl. 31. Wheresoeuer fulnes doth abound there luxurie doth domineere A bellie that is strouted out with meate and wine hath commonly luxurie for his companion Drunkennes weakeneth the bodie entangleth the soule Drunkennes begetteth perturpatioÌ„ of mind DrunkeÌ„nes encraeseth furie of heart Drunkennes nourisheth the flame of fornication Drunkennes doth so alienate the mind that a man knoweth not himselfe A drunken man is so alienated from himselfe that he knoweth not where he is Many thinke it a praise to drinke much and not to be drunke whome the Prophet rebuketh saying * Woe to you that are mightie to drinke wine and stout in drunkennes Isai 5. And againe Woe to you that rise earely to follow drunkennes and to drinke euen vntill euening that you may be enflamed with wine The Prophet Ioel crieth out likewise saying * Awake you that be drunke and weepe and howle all ye that drinke wine in sweetnes Ioel. 1. He saith not ye that drinke wine in necessitie but ye that drinke wine in sweetnes that is in delight Drunkennes is a mortall sinne Drunkennes is a grieuous crime Drunkennes is esteemed as great a sinne as murther adulterie or fornication Drunkennes doth exclude a maÌ„ out of the kingdome of God Drunkennes doth
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
one coate least we should feare tribulation he for our sakes hath willingly endured the same and least death should seeme dread full vnto vs he hath voluntarily sustained death for vs. * All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupâ—scence of the eies and the pride of life which is not of the father but is of the world And the world passeth and the concupiscence thereof 1. Io. 2. Wherefore deare sister let vs not loue those things which are in the world least we perish with the world Dauid was a King and albeit he did abound with siluer and gold and ruled with a strong hand according to the interpretation of his name ouer many people yet he thought humbly of himselfe and said * I am poore and in labours from my youth Psal 67. And againe I am needie and poore Psal 69 And in an other place * I am a stranger with thee and a pilgrime as all my fathers Psal 38. Venerable sister let not transitorie allurements or contentmens delight your mind let neither temporal commodities make you merrie nor earthly losses and crosses make you mourne For so it is written If riches abound set not your heart vpon them Those things which ye possesse with loue we loose with griefe Listen ô spouse of Christ what I say He to whome all things in heauen and earâ—h do offer their seru ce became poore for vâ— Why what was the cause That by his pouertie he might mâ—ke 〈◊〉 rich You therefoâ—â— honâ—st virgin walk in the way in which Christ Iesuâ— your bridâ—â—roome haâ—h gone bâ—fore you 〈◊〉 your heauenly captaine with vnwearied steps Doublesse if you shall ouertake him you shall raigne with him Venerable sister behold the virginitie and pouertie of the blessed virgin Marie who wa so rich in our Lord and Sauiour that shee deserued to be his mother a d yet withall was so destitute of all worldly wealth that shee had neither midwife nor handmaid to assist and attend vpon her at his birth shee was likewise so needie and poore that for want of better lodging in â—eed of a bed shee laid her child in a manger Luc. 2. Moreouer S. Ioseph to whome shee was espoused was also verie poore in so much that he got hi liuing by playing the carpenter In like sort we read of the holy Apostles that they serued God in hunger and thirst in fastings often â—n cold and nakednes 2. Cor. 11. O spouse of Christ you haue examples by which you may contemne earthly riches and couet heauenly happines * For they that will be made rich in this world fall into tempâ—ation and the snare of the diuel and many desires vnprofitable and hurtfull which drowne men into deâ—â—ruction and perdition 1. Tim. 6. They easily contemne earthly riches who perfectly hope for hâ—auâ—nly because voluntarie pouertie leadeth a man to eternal felicitâ—e We came not to religion that we might passe ouer our time therein in pleasures but that by watching praying fasting singing and fighting against our spiritual aduetsaries we might by Christs assistance attaine to that kingdome which is promised vs. For for â—his cause we come naked into this world and are presented naked to baptisme that being naked and without impediment we might arriue to heauen What an absurd and vnseemely thing is it and contrarie to reason that he that was borne naked and came into the world hauing iust nothing should desire to enter rich into heauen * It is easier for a camel to passe through the eie of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 19. It is better to want then to superabound He is ouer couetous to whome God doth not suffise Deare siâ—â—er if for the loue of Christ we shall willingly in this world endure hunger and thirst and nakednes and other corporall affliction we shall reioyce with the same our Lord Iesus Christ in his heauenly kingdome Amen Of murmuring CHAPT XLVII THe lodging of our heart is sanctified by the grace of God and by the inhabitation of his holy spirit when there is charitie peace goodnes humâ—litie concord gentlene and other such vertues abiding in vs. These are our riches to wit good manner and vertu s. But if we begin to brawle murmure and contend among our selues we are presently depriued of all these spiritual graces Why Because vertues cannot remaine with vices * For a little leauen corrupteth the whole paste 1. Cor. 5. Euerie seruant of God ought seriously to consider how great an euil he doth incurre Iâ— for temporal things he murmure for by this meanes he that ought to be rich becommeth poore What are our riches certainely vertues We therefore loose our vertues if we murmure for meate or drinke or such like corporal commodities Murmuring is a grieuous sinne wherevpon S. Gregorie saith No man that murmureâ—h receiueth the kingdome of heauen no man can murmure that receiueth the same The heart of a foole is as the wheele of a carte carriyng hay murmuring aÌ„d making a scrikâ—ng noyse as it goeth on the way Many religious men and woemen behaue themselues after the same manner who are subiect to many carnal desires and neuer cease to murmure Wherefore venerable sister it is requisite that we follow the counsel of S. Paul saying * Neither do you murmure as certaine of them murmured to wit in the wildernes and perished by the destroyer 1. Cor. 10. It is a dangerous thing therefore for vs to murmure least perhaps we perish by the destroyer in tâ—e monasterie as they perished in the wildernes Let vs therefore keepe our tongues from murmuring least which God forbid as they perished in this world we perish in the world to come Let vs not muâ—mure least as they perished in this life we perish in the next Let vs beware of all murmuring least peraduenture we suffer that in our soules which they suffered in their bodies Againe the Apostle doth counsel vâ— saying * Neither let vs tempt Christ as certaine of them tempted and perished by serpents ibidem He tempteth Christ who murmureth for meate or drinke or apparaile as it is written of the same people * And they tempted God in their hearts so that they asked meates for their liues Psal 77. And againe * And they murmured in their tabernacles they heard not the voyce of our Lord. Psal 105. He tempteth Christ who in the monasterie murmureth by asking more then he doth neede He doeth against Christ who in the monasterie demandeth more then is requisite He sinneth against Christ who in the monasterie doth scandalize his superiours by importunatly vrging them for earthly and transitorie things And haue perished by serpents Why haue they perished by serpents vnlesse for that a serpent is full of poyson and euerie one that murmureth hath the poyson of the diuel an his tongue This the Apostle S. Iames doth auouch saying * The tongue is an vnquiet euil full of deadly poysoÌ„ Iam. 3.
stand below and the contemplatiue aboue And for that the arke is also said to haue beene triple vauted that is to haue had three loftes one aboue an other this doth insinuate that in the holy Church there are three orders to wit married folkes bachelours and virgins Of this contemplatiue life our Lord saith in the Gospel * If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the things that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen and come follow me Mat. 19. And of Marie Magdalen he saith Marie hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken away from her Luc. 10. The contemplatiue life shall not be taken away in this world neither in the next But the actiue life shall be taken away from a man in the world to come The actiue life hath an end in this world but not the contemplatiue because it continueth for euer The actiue life shall faile in this world but the conteÌ„platiue beginneth heere and shall be perfected in heauen Honesâ— virgin I councell you that for the loue of God you despise this present world for the loue of God withdraw your selfe from the cares of the world Endeauour to serue God without the hinderance of the world let no worldly solicitude withdraw you from the feare of God Let no worldly busines withdraw you from Gods seruice cast away from you whatsoeuer may hinder your good purposes Whatsoeuer the world doth loue and coÌ„mend do you hate and condemne with your whole mind Be you dead to the world and the world to you As one dead separate your selfe from the loue of this present life As one dead despise the glorie of the world My most louing sister in Christ as one alreadie dead and buried haue no care of the world As one lying dead in your sepulcher sequester your selfe from all earthly affaires My amiable sister in Christ contemne that liuing which you cannot haue being dead and gone If you shall doe this then doubtles after death you shall obtaine euerlasting blisse Amen Of curiositie CHAPT LIIII MOst deare sister I aduise you that from day to day you studie to goe fâ—reward in vertue and that you consider not the euills which others doe but the good workes which you are bound to doe Wherevpon a certaine wise man saith * In superfluous things search not many wayes Eccli 3. It is not needfull that you know those things that are remote from humane senses It is verie meet that he omit to censure other mens mindes who cannot perfectly know their hearts and cogitations Why Because our iudgement is vncertaine * vntill our Lord do come who also will lighten the hidden things of darknes and will manifest the counsells of the hearts 1. Cor. 4. It is also verie meet that he cease to sinne that meaneth to reprehend the life of an other man Foolish men whiles they seeke to carpe at other mens faultes shew their owne So long a man knoweth not his owne sinnes which he ought to know and lament with teares as he curiously considereth the faultes of others But when a man returneth to himselfe and considereth himselfe well he searcheth no more what to reprehend in others because he findeth many things in himselfe for which he ought to be sorrowfull He that considereth himselfe well findeth many things in himselfe which he may bewayle Wherevpon S. Gregorie saith We ought by so much the lesse to consider other mens hearts by how much we know that we are vnable to bring to light the darknes of their thoughts Also S. Isidorus saith We more easily carpe at other mens vices then consider their vertues neither are we curious to know any mans good but enquire onely what euill he hath committed Wherefore my beloued sister in Christ I giue you this admonition that you be alwayes more readie to reprehend your owne faultes then those of other men Rather looke vpon your owne imperfections then those of others Be carefull of your owne correction be solicitous of your owne saluation be prouident of your owne amendement be not inquisitiue into other mens affaires neuer desire to know what men say amoÌ„g themselues Seeke not to know what other men say or doe Beware of curiositie Trouble not your selfe about the life of others let no curiositie deceiue your mind let no desire of this detestable vice ouertake you vnawares least forgetting your owne manners you curiously consider those of others O spouse of Christ correct your owne fault with as great circumspection as you are carâ—full to carpe at those of other men be not desirous to know those things that are hidden Be not enquisitiue about those things whereof you ought not to enquire let passe as a secret what you haue learned by the authoritie of the holy scripture Seeke no more then what is written search after no more then what the holy Scriptures do set downe neuer desire to know more then is sitting Venerable siâ—eâ— know for certaine that curiositie is a dangerous presumption Curiositie is a damnable science it prouoketh to heresie it casteth downe the mind headlong into sacrilegious fables it maketh men hold in obscure causes it maketh theÌ„ hastie in vnknowne matters Most louing sister amend your life with all diligence that after this life you may merit to attaine to eternal happines Amen Of VVatchfulnes CHAPT LV. LOuing sister listen to our Lord Iesus Chriâ—â— speaking in the Gospel saying * Watch ye for you know not when the Lord of the house coÌ„meâ—h Marc. 13. And againe That which I say to you I say to all watch mat 13. The Apoâ—â—le S. Peter likewise writeth thus * Be wise and watch in prayers 1. Pet. 4. S. Paul also to enduce vs to watchfulnes giueth vs this fore-warning * When men shall say peace and securitie then shall sodaine destructioÌ„ come vpon them 1. Thes. 5. And Salomon saith * There are iust men and wise and their workes are in the hand of God and yet maÌ„ knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Ecc. 9. Why what is the reason Because all things saith he are reserued vncertaine for the time to come Deare sister in Christ for this cause our Lord hath concealed from vs the time of his comming that we through long expectation being vncertaine should at all times beleeue the true iudge to be approaching for that we know not when he will come Wherevpon S. Gregorie gâ—ueth vs this good admonition The mirth saith he of this present life ought to be passed ouer in that sort that the bitternes of the iudgement following neuer depart from our thought Oftentimes the diuel deceiueth a man to sinne and when he seeth him sorrowfull for the same he deceiueth him againe by securitie of mind And therefore deare sister in Christ it is verie expedient that at all times when we doe any thing that is good we call to mind the euill which we haue committed that whiles we assuredly know ouâ— faultes we neuer
vnaduisedly reioyce at our good workes For this cause our Lord would haue vs ignorant of the end of our life that we might alwayes stand in feare thereof that sithence we are vnable to see it we might daily prepare our selues for it S. Isidorus likewise least we should thinke our selues secure in this life doth admonish vs saying Neither let a iust man trust in his iustice nor a sinner despaire any thing of Gods mercie and fauour but let him haue in his heart hope and feare ioyntly together let him hope of Gods mercie in that wise that he alwayes feare his iustice Although the conuersation of holy men be neuer so praise-worthy yet it is vnknowne to mortall men what there end will be And therefore a man ought neuer to be without eare for that the satisfaction of penance is poised in the ballance of Gods diuine iuâ—gâ—ment not according â—o humane censure Wherevpon Cesarius giueth vs this caution By how much we are â—eâ—â—â—e oâ— thâ—ngs past anâ— gone by so much we ought â—o be carefull of thing to come Venerable siâ—eâ— hold this as an infallible truth that the whole lâ—fe of a wise man is the meditation of death And therefore my deare siâ—ter in Chriâ—â— if you be at all times watchfull in Gods seruice you shall by so doing shew your selfe truly wise If you daily eleuate your mind to God and haue in remembrance the day of your death you shall be blessed according to that which a certaâ—ne wise man saith * Blessed is the man that is alwayeâ— fearefull Prou. 28. For this cause I admonish you honest Virgin that you be alwayes fearefull and suspitious of your end Be alwayes craftie and carefull against the tentatâ—ons of the diuel Watch continually and fight incessantly against your ancient aduersarie Pray day and night with all watâ—hfulne and combat with courage against the diuells treacherieâ— During your whole life be at all times heedfull and warie and striue with all dil gence against the wily shifts of your ghoâ—tly enemie Hâ—aâ—e likewise honest virgin what Iesus Christ your beloued bridegroome sayeth in the Gospel Blessed is the seruant whome when his Lord commeth he shall find watching mat 24. If therefore you shall watch to the same our Lord Iesus Christ with your whole mind you shall be numbered among the blessed in eternal beatitude You shall be blessed if with all deuotion you lift vp the eies of your mind to that true light which is God You shall be blessed doubtlesse if you watch to God with all diligence because God hath promised a crowne to such as are watchfull in hâ—s seâ—uice Wherevpon it is said of the eies of the bridegroome in the Canticles * His eies as doues vpon the little riuers of waters which are washed with milke aÌ„d sit beside the most full streames CaÌ„t. 5. The eies of thâ— bride groome are holy men who liue simply like doues and shew the way of saluation to others by their preaching and examples They are said to sit vpon the riuers of waters because they alwayes conuerse in the refection of the holy scriptures who are washed with milke for that by Gods grace they are cleansed in baptisme froÌ„ their sinnes Now what can we better vnderstand by those most full streames beside which they sit then the profound and hidden sayings of the holy scriptures with which we refresh our selues whiles we drinke theÌ„ by reading them of hearing them read by otherâ— For like as doues are wont to sit neere vnto the streames of waters that in the water they may see the shadow of such birdes aâ— flie ouer them and by the same may shunne the talents of the greedie falcoÌ„ so holy men do see the snares of the diuells in the holy scriptures as it were in the waters and by the description which they see they do as it were by the shadow know their enemie and so escape his subtiltie Do you most honest sister comport your selfe after the same manner be diligent in meditating daily on the holy scripture for by thiâ— meanes you will be maâ—e skilfull how you may he able to auoid the deceipts of your aduersarie the diuel Honest virgin I admonish you further that you wholy â— commit your selfe to the direction of the holy Scripture that is to say that you doe nothing els but what you heare from â—he oracle of the holy Scriptures because there you shall finâ— how you may shune the diuells snares I admonish you likewise tâ—aâ— for feare of rauenous birdes that s the diuells you sit vpon the riuers oâ— the holy Scriptures leaâ—t you vnaware which God forbid become a prey to your enemies I entreat you also that you continually watch vpon the riuers of the holy Scriptures and that with all care and diligence yo seâ—ke to shunne the snares of your enemâ—â—s Aâ—as fooles that we are whence is it that we do not know nor vnderstand that our cogitations are apparant and knowne in the sight of ouâ— Lord before they are put in execution For the Psalmist saâ—â—h * God searcheth the heart anâ— raines Psalm 7. Therefore most louing sister let vs coÌ„sider at all t mâ—s that we aÌ„d in Gods presence and wâ—â—h all acknowledge that we are â—aâ—th and ashes Behold our God most terrible to behold rendring to â—uâ—â—â—e one accordâ—ng to his woâ—kes is at hand and will not delay he himselfe will come and wil saue vâ— Isay 55. Let vs therefore wa ch with all perseuerance and deuotion that when he shall come and knock he may not find vs sleeping but watching in this prayses and in his loue and in his holy seruice * Let vs walke whiles we haue the light that the darknes ouertake vs not Io. 12 For so the wisdome of God saith in the Prouerbs * Blessed is the man that heareth me and that watcheth at my dores daily and waiteth at the postes of my dores He that shall find me shall find life and shall draw saluation of our Lord. Prou. 8. Wherefore ô Virgin of Christ I admoniâ—h you that you behaue your selfe watchfull towards God with all care and diligence to the end you may find him your friend in the day of distresse Honest Virgin let no hâ—ppe find you vnprouided let there be no euent which your meditation doth not preuent make this supposition that there is nothing which may not happen Thâ—â—ke alwayes vpon future miserie in time of felicitie consider that there come a time of aduersitie Ponder alwayes in your mind that some michance or other may happen ere it be long It is the part of a wise man to fore-see such dangers as are like to ensue All things that are thought vpon before hand are by so much the better endured euills that are expected are the more patiently sustained a thing that is fore seene is the more welcome when it doth come Premeditation doth represse sodaine inuasions premeditation doth attenuat future troubles fore-sight doth asswage the comming of euills and gaineth the
coÌ„quest or vnexpected calamities Those things are most grieuous to be endured which are not thought vpon before hand Those things are most bitter into which we fall vnawares Vnexpected euills do afflict more then others A sodaine mischiefe doth molest verie much that which is not fore seene doth most of all trouble the mind A sodaine tempest of the sea doth cause feare a foe vnloked for doth cause terrour sodaine euents are most irk some sodaine accidents are most vnwelcome Wherefore my most deare sister in Christ prepare your heart both for prosperitie and aduersitie * In the day of good things be not vnmindfull of euills and in the day of euills be not vnmindfull of good things Eccli 11. Be watchfull in your senses leaâ—t you be defiled with vaine cogitations Loue the knowledge of the scriptures and contemne the vices of the flesh Most â—eare sister if you be watchfull to God with your whole heart and serue him all the time of your life with all deuotion with out all doubt you shall raigne with him in his heauenly kingdome Amen Of vvisdome or discretion CHAPT LVI MOst deare sister listen to our Lord Iesus Christ saying in the Gospel Be ye wise as serpents and simple as doues Mat. 10. Salomon also saith * The simplicitie of the iust shall direct them and the supplanting of the peruerse shall wast them Prou. 11. â— * The strength of thâ— simple the way of our Lord and feare is to them that worke euill Prou. 10. * The iustice of the simple shall direct his way and the impious shall fall in his impietie Prou. 11. * The innocent beleeueth euerie worde Prou. 14. * He that deceiueth the iust in a wicked way shall fall into his destruction and the simple shall possesse his goods Prou. 28. * Men of blood hate the simple but iust men seeke his soule Prou. 29. Holy rusticitie is onely profitable to it selfe and asmuch as it doth edifie and doe good in the Church of Christ by the merit of life so much it doth disedifie and doe hurt if it doth not resist those that gaine-say the truth S. Hierome likewise saith In the seruants and handmaides of God attire of bodie is not to be expected but simplicitie of mind Let neither a simple man nor a plaine honest man thinke that sanctitie doth meerely consist in rusticitie of speech but onely in a pure and simple conscience Of two imperfections it is better to haue a holy rusticitie or rudenes then a sinnefull eloquence A sacred rusticitie is more praise worthy then verbal loquacitie Deare sister in Christ if our intention be simple and sincere before God our actions will not be sinfull nor obscure in his sight They that know not how to be chast by iustice cannot be innocent by simplicitie or plainnes The Saincts and such as are elected begin the way of righteousnes and simplicitie with feare but end with charitie For God is not onely a beholder of our wordes but also of our heart and loueth them that serue him in simplicitie of heart Wherevpon the bridegroome speaketh in the Canticles saying * My doue is one my perfect one shee is the onely to her mother the elect to her that bare her Cant. 6. Our mother is the regenerating grace of God which chooseth one doue onely because it onely collecteth those that remaine in simplicitie and are not diuided from vnitie For many faithfull aslong as they attend to God aslong as they cherish one an other through one desire of Christ aslong as hauing one heart and one soule they coÌ„ioyne themselues in charitie of many members they make one bodie in which liuing all in simplicitie of vnitie they remaine one doue onely Those things which men contemne and deride are in great estimation before God Let vs therefore venerable sister desire almightie God to send downe the holy Ghost from heauen vnto vs who may make vs to haue the simplicitie of the doue and the wisdome of the serpent that we may be simple in malice and wise in good workes For the serpent is a craftie creature as we read of the Aspe in particular who seing the inchanter comming putteth one eare close to the ground and with his tayle stoppeth the other to the end he may not heare the voyce of the inchanter Where vpon the Prophet speaking of cruel men and such as are wise in wickednes vseth these wordes * They haue furie according to the similitude of a serpent as of the Aspe that is deafe and stoppeth his eares which will not heare the voyce of the inchanters and of the sorcerer inchanting wisely Psal 57. Do you therefore most louing sister imitate the serpent in this point that is shut your eares that you heare not euill wordes Honest virgin beseech almightie God that the oyle of a sinner may not fatte your head Psal 140. By the oyle of a sinner I meane the praise of a flatterer The serpent doth shut his eare that he may not heare the inchanter do you shut your eare in like manner that you may not heare a slaunderer The Aspe is carefull and craftie least he heare tâ—e charme or inchantement and so die be you likewise circumspect and carefull least euill wordes enter in by your eares and kill your soule Wherefore ô spouse of Christ neither the wisdome of the serpent ought to be in you without the simplicitie of the doue nor the simplicit e of the doue without the wisdome of the serpent to the end that the craft and wisdome of the serpent may stirre vp the simplicitie of the doue to beware of euill and the simplicitie of the doue may temper the wisdome of the serpent that it may doe â—hat which is good and laudable My most louing sister in Christ the doue hath likewise seuen vertues in her which you by the grace of the holy Ghost may â—aue in your seâ—fe The doue â—ften sitteth vpon the riuers of waters â—at seeing the hauke comming shee may diue into the water and so escape his talents in feeding shee selecteth the choisest graines of corne sâ—ee often nowrisheth others young ones shee striketh not with her bill shee is void of gall shee buildeth her nest in the holes of walls and vseth groning insâ—ed of other sweet songs Desire God therefore honest Virgin with all diligence tâ—at â—e will bestow vpon you these doue-like vertues to wit that you may sit vpon the riuers of the holy scriptures and by their admonition and counsel may escape the inuasion of the diuel In the holy scriptuâ—es select the choisest sentences by which you may be refreshâ—d and fed Nourish otherâ— young ones that is men first alienated from God and conuert them to God by your wordes and examples Strike not with your bill that is doe your neighbour no wrong neither speake any thing amisse of him Be void of gall that is be not angrie or spitefull Build your nest in the holes of rocks or walls that is put your coÌ„fideÌ„ce