there so famous as the Christian People or what creature under heaven so beloved as a religious soul to whom God himself cometh to feed her with his glorious flesh O unspeakable grace O admirable condescent O infinite love singularly bestowed upon Man But what shall I give unto the Lord in return of his grace for so eminent an expression of thy love There is no other thing more acceptable that I am able to give than to give my heart wholly to my God and to unite it most inwardly unto him Then shall all my inward parts rejoyce when my soul shall be perfectly united unto God Then he will say unto me if thou wilt be with me I will be with thee And I will answer him Vouchsafe O Lord to remain with me and I will gladly be with thee This is my whole desire that my heart be united unto thee CHAP. XIV Of the fervent desire of some devout Persons to receive the Body of Christ. The voice of the Discipie O How great is thy goodness O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee When I remember some devout persons who come unto thy Sacrament O Lord with greatest devotion and affection I am oftentimes confounded and blush within my self that I come so formally and coldly to thy Table of the holy Communion that I remain so dry and without heart affection That I am not wholly inflamed in thy presence my God nor so earnestly drawn and affected as many devout persons have been who out of a vehement desire of the Communion and a feeling affection of heart could not contain themselves from weeping but with the desire both of soul and body they earnestly longed after thee O God the living Fountain being not otherwise able to allay nor satisfie their hunger but by receiing thy body with all joy and spiritual greediness 2. O the most ardent faith of those persons A clear argument of thy sacred presence For they truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread whose heart burneth so mightily within them whilst thou O blessed Jesus conversest with them Such desire and devotion so vehement love and fervency is oftentimes far from me Be merciful unto me good Jesus sweet and gracious Lord and grant me thy poor needy creature to feed sometimes at least in this holy Communion somewhat of thy hearty affectionate love that my faith may be more strengthened my hope in thy goodness increased and that my charity once perfectly enflamed after the tasting of Heavenly Manna may never decay 3. Thy mercy O Lord is able to give me the grace I desire and to visit me most mercifully with the spirit of fervor when it shall please thee For although I burn not with so great desire as those that are so singularly devoted to thee yet notwithstanding by thy grace I desire to have this great inflamed desire praying and craving that I may participate with all such thy fervent lovers and be numbred among them in their holy company CHAP. XV. That the grace of devotion is obtained by humility and denial of our selves The voice of the Beloved THou oughtest to seek the grace of devotion instantly to ask it earnestly to expect it patiently and with confidence to receive it gratefully to keep it humbly to work with it diligently and to commit the term and manner of this Heavenly visitation to God until it shall please him to come unto thee Thou oughtest chiefly to humble thy self when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion and yet not to be too much dejected nor to grieve inordinately God often giveth in a short moment that which he hath long time denied he giveth sometimes in the end that which in the beginning of prayer he deferred to grant 2. If grace should be always presently given and at hand ever with a wish the weak Man could not well bear it Therefore the grace of devotion is to be expected with good hope and humble patience yet impute it to thy self and thy sins when it is not given thee or when it is secretly taken away It is sometimes a small matter that hindereth and hideth grace from us if yet it be to be called small and not rather a great matter that hindereth so great a good And if thou remove this be it great or small and perfectly overcome it thou shalt have thy desire 3. For presently as soon as thou from thy whole heart givest thy self to God and seekest not this nor that for thine own pleasure or will but setlest thy self wholly in him thou shalt find thy self united and quiet for nothing will relish so well and please thee so much as the good pleasure of the divine will Whosoever therefore with a single heart lifteth up his intention to God and purgeth himself from all inordinate love or dislike of any created thing he shall be the most fit to receive grace and meet for the gist of devotion For the Lord bestoweth his blessings there where he findeth the vessels empty And how much the more perfectly one forsaketh these low things and the more he dieth to himself by contempt of himself so much the more speedily grace shall come and enter in more plentifully and raise up higher the heart that is thus free 4. Then shall he see and be filled and wonder and his heart shall be enlarged within him because the hand of the Lord is with him and he hath put himself wholly into his hands for ever Behold so shall the Man be blessed that seeketh God with his whole heart and busieth not his soul in vain This man obtaineth the great favor of divine union in receiving the holy Eucharist for that he respecteth not his own devotion and comfort but above all devotion and comfort the honor and glory of God CHAP. XVI That we ought to manifest our necessities to Christ and crave his grace The voice of the Disciple O Most sweet and loving Lord whom I now desire to receive with all devotion thou knowest my infirmity and the necessity which I endure with how many sins and evils I am oppressed how often I am grieved tempted troubled and defiled I come unto thee for remedy I crave of thee comfort and succor I speak to him that knoweth all things to whom all my inward parts are open and who can only perfectly comfort and help me Thou knowest what good things I stand in most need of and how poor I am in vertues 2. Behold I stand before thee poor and naked calling for grace and craving mercy Refresh thy hungry beggar inflame my coldness with the fire of thy love inlighten my blindness with the brightness of thy presence Turn all earthly things to me into bitterness all things grievous and cross into patience all low and created things into contempt and oblivion Lift up my heart to thee in Heaven and suffer me not to wander upon Earth Be thou only sweet unto me from henceforth for evermore for thou only
the holy of Holies Thanks be unto thee Lord Jesus the light of everlasting light for the table of holy Doctrine which thou hast afforded us by thy Servants the Prophets and Apostles and other Teachers 5. Thanks be unto thee Creator and Redeemer of Man who to manifest thy love to the whole world hast prepared a great supper wherein thou hast set before us to be eaten not the typical Lamb but thine own most sacred Body and Blood rejoycing all the faithful with thy holy banquet and replenishing them to the full with thy Cup of salvation in which are all the delights of Paradise and the holy Angels do feast with us but yet with a more happy sweetness 6. O how great and honorable is the office of Gods Ministers to whom it is given with sacred words to consecrate the Sacrament of the Lord of glory with their lips to bless with their hands to hold with their mouth to receive and also to administer to others O how clean ought to be those hands how pure that mouth how holy that body how unspotted that heart where the Author of purity so often entreth Nothing but what is holy no word but good and profitable ought to proceed from his mouth which so often receiveth the Sacrament of Christ. 7. Simple and chaste ought to be the eyes that use to behold the body of Christ the hands pure and lifted up to Heaven that use to receive the Creator of Heaven and Earth Unto the Priests especially it is said in the Law be ye holy for that I your Lord God am holy 8. Assist us Almighty God with thy grace that we who have undertaken the office of Priest-hood may serve thee worthily and devoutly in all purity and with a good conscience And if we live not in so great innocency as we ought to do grant us notwithstanding in due manner to bewail the sins which we have committed and in the spirit of humility and with the full purpose of a good will to serve thee hereafter more fervently CHAP. XII That he who is to communicate ought to prepare himself with great diligence The voice of the beloued I Am the lover of purity and the giver of all sanctity I seek a pure heart and there is the place of my rest Make ready and adorn for me the great Chamber and I will keep with thee the Passover amongst my Disciples If thou wilt have me come unto thee and remain with thee purge out the old leaven and make clean the habitation of thy heart shut out the whole world and all the throng of sins sit like a sparrow solitary upon the house-top and think of thy offences in the bitterness of thy soul. For every lover prepareth the best and fairest room for his beloved and herein is known the affection of him that entertaineth his beloved 2. Know thou notwithstanding that the merit of no action of thine is able to make this preparation sufficient although thou shouldest prepare thy self a whole year together and think on nothing else Thou art of my mere grace and favor suffered to come to my Table like a beggar invited to dinner to a rich Man who hath nothing else to return him for his benefits but to humble himself and give him thanks Do what lieth in thee and do it diligently not for custome not for necessity but with fear and reverence and affection receive the body of thy beloved Lord God who vouchsafeth to come unto thee I am he that have called thee I have commanded it to be done I will supply what is wanting in thee come and receive me 3. When I bestow the grace of devotion give thanks to thy God for it is given thee not for that thou art worthy but because I have mercy on thee If thou have it not but rather dost feel thy self dry continue in Prayer sigh and knock and give not over until thou art meet to receive some crum or drop of saving grace Thou hast need of me not I of thee neither comest thou to sanctifie me but I come to sanctifie and make thee better Thou comest that thou maist be sanctified by me and united unto me that thou maist receive new grace and be stirred up again to amendment Neglect not this grace but prepare thy heart with all diligence and receive thy beloved into thy soul. 4. But thou oughtest not only to prepare thy self to devotion before Communion but carefully also to conserve thy self therein after thou hast received the Sacrament Neither is the careful guard of thy self afterwards less required than devout preparation before For a good guard afterwards is the best preparation again for the obtaining of greater grace because that a Man becometh therefore very indisposed if he presently pour himself out overmuch to outward comforts Beware of much talk remain in some secret place and enjoy thy God For thou hast him whom all the world cannot take from thee I am he to whom thou oughtest wholly to give thy self thatso thou maist live hereafter not in thy self but in me without all solicitude CHAP. XIII That a devout soul ought to desire with her whole heart to be united unto Christ in the Sacrament The voice of the Disciple HOw may I obtain this O Lord that I may find thee alone and open my whole heart unto thee and enjoy thee as my soul desireth And that no Man may look towards me nor any creature move me or eye me but thou alone maist speak unto me and I to thee as the beloved is wont to speak to his beloved and a friend to banquet with his friend This I pray for this I desire that I may be wholly united unto thee and may withdraw my heart from all created things and more and more by sacred Communion and often celebrating learn to relish Heavenly and eternal things O Lord God when shall I be wholly united to thee and absorpt by thee and be altogether forgetful of my self Thou in me and I in thee and so grant us both to continue in one 2. Thou art truly my beloved the choicest amongst Thousands in whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of her life Thou art indeed my peacemaker in whom is greatest peace and true rest without whom is labor and sorrow and infinite misery Thou art indeed a God that hidest thy self and thy counsel is not with the wicked but thy speech is with the humble and simple of heart O Lord how sweet is thy spirit who to the end thou mightest shew thy sweetness toward thy Children vouchsafest to feed them with the bread which descendeth from Heaven and is full of all sweetness Surely there is no other Nation so great that hath God nigh unto them as thou our God art present to all thy faithful ones unto whom for their daily comfort and for the raising up of their hearts to Heaven thou givest thy self to be eaten and enjoyed 3. For what other Nation is
sure more especially to instruct thy self before all thy loving friends If thou hast not the favor of Men be not grieved at it but take this to heart that thou dost not carry thy self so warily and circumspectly as it becometh the Servant of God and a devout religious Man It is better oftentimes and safer that a Man hath not many consolations in this life especially such as are agreeable to the flesh But that we have not at all or do very seldom tast divine consolations the fault is ours because we seek not after compunction of heart nor do altogether forsake the vain and outward comforts of this world 4. Know that thou art unworthy of divine consolation and that thou hast rather deserved much tribulation When a Man hath perfect contrition then is the whole world grievous and bitter unto him A good Man findeth always sufficient cause of mourning and weeping for whether he consider his own or his neighbors estate he knoweth that none liveth here without tribulation And by how much a Man looks narrowly into himself by so much the more he sorroweth Our sins and wickednesses wherein we are so enwrapt that we can seldom apply our selves to heavenly contemplations do Minister unto us matter of most just sorrow and inward compunction 5. Didst thou oftner think of thy death than of thy living long there is no question but thou wouldst be more careful to amend I believe thou wouldst willingly undergo any labor or sorrow in this world and not be afraid of the greatest austerity if thou didst consider within thy self the infernal pains in the other world But because these things enter not to the heart and we still love those things only that delight us therefore it is we remain very dull and cold in religion 6. It is often our want of spirit which maketh our miserable body so easily complain Pray therefore unto the Lord with all humility that he will vouchsafe to give thee the spirit of compunction And say with the prophet Psal. 80 Feed me O Lord with the bread of tears and give me plenteousness of tears to drink CHAP. XXII Of the consideration of humane misery MIserable thou art wheresoever thou be or whithersoever thou turnest unless thou turn thy self unto God Why art thou troubled when things succeed not as thou wouldest or desirest For who is he that hath all things according to his mind Neither I nor thou nor any Man upon earth there is none in this world be he King or Pope without some tribulation or other Who is then in the best case or condition even he who can suffer something for God 2. Many weak and infirm ones can say Behold what an happy life hath such an one how wealthy how great he is in how great power and dignity But lift up thine eyes to the riches of heaven and thou shalt see that all the goods of this life are nothing so to be accounted of They are very uncertain rather burdensome than otherwise because they are never enjoyed without carefulness and fear Mans happiness consisteth not in having abundance of wealth but a mean estate should content him it is truly misery enough even to live upon the earth The more a Man would be spiritual the more bitter to him is this present life because he seeth more clearly and perceiveth more sensibly the defects of humane corruption For to eat and to drink to sleep and to watch to labor and to rest and to be subject to other necessities of nature is doubtless a great misery and affliction to a religious Man that would gladly be free and delivered from all sin 3. For the inward Man is much oppressed with these outward and corporal necessities whilest we live in this world Therefore the holy Prophet prayeth with great devotion to be delivered from them saying Bring me O Lord out of my necessities But wo be to them that know not their own misery and a greater wo to them that love this miserable and corruptible life And some there be so much dote upon it that although with great labor and pains they can scarce get mere necessaries yet could they live here always they would care nothing at all for the Kingdom of Heaven 4. O how foolish are these and faithless in their hearts who lye so deeply sunk in the earth that they can mind or relish nothing but carnal things But miserable wretches as they are they shall in the end feel to their cost how vile and how nothing that was which they loved Whereas the Saints of God and all the devout friends of Christ respected not those things which pleased the flesh and which flourished in this life but longed for the everlasting riches with their whole hope and desire Their whole desire was carried upward to things durable and invisible that the desire of things visible might not draw them to things below O Brother lose not thy hope of coming forward in godliness there is yet time the hour is not yet past 5. Why wilt thou defer thy good purpose from day to day Arise and begin in this very instant and say Now is the time to be doing now is the time to be striving now is the best time to amend my self When thou art ill at ease and much troubled then is the time of deserving best thou must pass through fire and water before thou comest to the place of refreshing Unless thou dost earnestly force thy self thou shalt never get the victory over sin so long as we carry about us this frail body of ours we can never be without sin or live without trouble and sorrow We would gladly be quiet and freed from all misery but seeing by sin we have lost our innocency we have together with that lost also the true felicity Therefore it becomes us to have patience and to wait for the mercy of God till this our iniquity be put away and this mortality of ours be swallowed up of life 6. O how great is humane frailty which is always prone to evil to day thou confessest thy sins and to morrow thou committest the very same thou hast confessed Now thou art purposed to look well unto thy ways and within a while thou so behavest thy self as though thou hadst never any such purpose at all Good cause have we therefore to humble our selves and never to have any great conceit of our selves because we are so frail and so inconstant Besides that may quickly be lost by our own negligence which by the grace of God and our own great pains we have scarce at length obtained 7. What will become of us in the end who begin to wax cold so timely Wo be unto us if we will so give our selves unto ease as if all were in peace and safety when as yet there appeareth no sign of true holiness in our conversations We have need like young beginners to be newly instructed again to good life if happily there be any hope of
on the contrary How pitiful and grievous a thing it is to see them that live in a dissolute and disordered sort not applying themselves to that for which they are called O how hurtful a thing it is to neglect the good purposes of their vocation and to busie themselves in that which is not committed to their care 6. Be mindful of the profession thou hast made and have always before the eyes of thy soul the remembrance of thy Saviour crucified Thou hast good cause to be ashamed looking upon the life of Jesus Christ seeing thou hast as yet no more endeavored to conform thy self unto him though thou hast walked a long time in the way of God A religious person that exerciseth himself seriously and devoutly in the most holy life and passion of our Lord shall there abundantly find whatsoever is necessary and profitable for him neither shall he need to seek any better thing out of Jesus O if Jesus crucified would come into our hearts how quickly and fully should we be instructed in all truth 7. A fervent religious person taketh and beareth all well that is commanded him but he that is negligent and cold hath tribulation upon tribulation and on all sides is afflicted for he is void of inward consolation and is forbidden to seek eternal comforts A religious person that liveth not according to discipline lies open to great mischief to the ruine of his soul. He that seeketh liberty and ease shall ever live in disquiet for one thing or other will displease him 8. O that we had nothing elso to do but always with our mouth and whole heart to praise our Lord God! O that thou mightest never have need to eat nor drink nor sleep but mightest always praise God and only employ thy self in spiritual exercises thou shouldest then be much more happy than now thou art when for so many necessities thou art constrained to serve thy body Would God these necessities were not at all but only the spiritual refections of the soul which alas we taste of too seldom 9. When a Man cometh to that estate rhat he seeketh not his comfort from any creature then doth he begin perfectly to relish God Then shall he be contented with whatsoever doth befal him in this world Then shall he neither rejoyce in great matters nor be sorrowful for small but entirely and confidently commit himself to God who shall be unto him all in all to whom nothing doth perish nor die but all things do live unto him and serve him at a beck without delay 10. Remember always thy end and how that time lost never returns Without care and diligence thou shalt never get virtue If thou beginnest to wax cold it will be evil with thee but if thou give thy self to fervor of spirit thou shalt find much peace and feel less labor through the assistance of Gods grace and love of virtue The fervent and diligent Man is prepared for all things It is harder to resist vices and passions than to toil in bodily labors He that avoideth not small faults by little and little falleth into greater Thou wilt always rejoyce in the evening if thou spend the day profitably Be watchful over thy self stir up thy self warn thy self and whatsoever becomes of others neglect not thy self The more holy violence thou usest against thy self the more shall be thy spiritual profiting Amen THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. Of the inward Life THE Kingdom of God is within you saith the Lord. Turn thee with thy whole heart unto the Lord and forsake this wretched World and thy Soul shall find rest Learn to despise exteriour things and to give thy self to the interior and thou shalt perceive the Kingdom of God to come into thee For the Kingdom of God is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost which is not given to the wicked Christ will come into thee and shew thee his consolations if thou prepare for him a worthy mansion within thee All his glory and beauty is within and there he pleaseth himself The inward man he often visits and hath with him sweet discourses pleasant solace much peace wonderful familiarity 2. O faithful Soul make ready thy heart for this Bridegroom that he may vouchsafe to come unto thee and dwell within thee For he saith If any love me he will keep my words and we will come unto him and will make our abode with him Give therefore admittance unto Christ and deny entrance to all others When thou hast Christ thou art Rich and he will suffice thee He will be thy faithful and provident helper in all things so as thou shalt not need to trust in men For men are soon changed and quickly fail but Christ remaineth for ever and standeth firmly unto the end 3. There is little trust to be put in frail and mortal man though he be profitable and dear unto thee neither oughtest thou much to be grieved if sometimes he cross and contradict thee They that to day take thy part to morrow may be against thee and so on the contrary they often turn like unto the wind Put all thy trust in God let him be thy fear and thy love He will answer for thee and do in all things what is best Thou hast not here an abiding City and wheresoever thou be thou art a stranger and pilgrim Neither shalt thou ever have rest unless thou be most inwardly united unto Christ. 4. Why dost thou here gaze about since this is not the place of thy rest In Heaven ought to be thy dwelling and all Earthly things are to be lookt upon as it were by the way All things pass away and thou together with them Beware thou cleave not unto them lest thou be entangled and so dost perish Let thy thought be on the Highest and thy prayer directed unto Christ without ceasing If thou canst not contemplate high and heavenly things rest thy self in the passion of Christ and dwell willingly in his Holy wounds For if thou fly devoutly unto the wounds and precious marks of the Lord Jesus thou shalt feel great comfort in tribulation Neither wilt thou much care for being despised of men and wilt easily bear words of detraction 5. Christ was also in the World despised of men and in greatest necessity forsaken by his acquaintance and Friends in the midst of slanders Christ would suffer and be despised and darest thou complain of any Christ had Adversaries and Backbiters and wilt thou have all men thy Friends and Benefactors For what shall thy patience be crowned if no adversity happen unto thee If thou wilt suffer no adversity how wilt thou be the Friend of Christ Suffer with Christ and for Christ if thou desire to Reign with Christ. 6. If thou hadst but once perfectly entred into the secrets of Jesus and tasted a little of his ardent affection then wouldst thou not weigh thine own commodity or discommodity but wouldst rather rejoyce at slanders when they should chance to
goods And he that loseth Jesus loseth too much and more than the whole world He is most poor that liveth without Jesus and he is most rich that is well with Jesus 3. It is a piece of great skill to know how to converse with Jesus and great wisdom to know how to keep Jesus Be humble and peaceable and Jesus will be with thee Be devout and quiet and Jesus will stay with thee Thou mayest soon drive away Jesus and lose his grace if thou turn aside to outward things And if thou shouldest drive him from thee and lose him unto whom wilt thou flie and what friends wilt thou then seek Without a friend thou canst not well live and if Jesus be not above all a friend unto thee thou shalt be too sorrowful and desolate Thou doest therefore foolishly if thou doest trust or rejoyce in any other It is better for thee to have all the world against thee than Jesus offended with thee Amongst all things therefore that be dear unto thee let Jesus alone be thy chiefest beloved 4. Love all for Jesus but Jesus for himself Jesus Christ alone is singularly to be beloved who alone is found to be good and faithful above all friends For him and in him let as well friends as foes be dear unto thee and all these are to be prayed for that all may know and love him Never desire to be singularly commended or beloved for that appertaineth only unto God who hath none like unto himself Neither do thou desire that the heart of any should be set on thee nor do thou set thy heart on the love of any but let Jesus be in thee and in every good Man 5. Be pure and free within and intangle not thy heart with any creature Thou oughtest to be as it were naked and to carry a pure heart to God if thou wouldest be free to consider and see how sweet the Lord is And truly unless thou be prevented and drawn by his grace thou shalt never attain to that happiness to forsake and cast off all that thou alone mayest be united to him alone For when the grace of God cometh unto a Man then he is made able for all things And when it goeth away he is poor and weak and as it were left only unto the lash and scourge of every adversary In this thou oughtest not to be dejected nor despair but to resign thy self with all indifferency unto the will of God and to bear all things that befal thee for the glory of Christ for after winter followeth summer after night cometh day and after a tempest fair weather CHAP. IX Of the want of all comfort IT is no hard matter to despise humane comfort when we have divine It is much and very much to be able to want both humane and divine comfort and for the Glory of God to be willing to endure desolation of heart and to seek himself in nothing nor to regard his own merit What great matter is it if thou be chearful and devout at the coming of grace This hour is wished for of all Men. He rideth easily enough whom the grace of God carrieth And what marvel if he feel not his burden who is born up by the Almighty and led by the soveraign guide 2. We are always willing to have something for our comfort and a Man doth hardly put off and forsake himself The holy martyr St. Laurence overcame the world with his Prelates because he despised whatsoever seemed delightsom in the world and for the love of Christ patiently suffered Sixtus to be taken from him whom he most dearly loved He overcame therefore the love of Man by the love of the Creator and he rather chose the divine good pleasure than humane comfort See thou also learn to forsake some necessary thing and a beloved friend for the love of God Be not grieved when thou art forsaken by a friend knowing that we all at length must be separated one from another 3. A Man must fight long and mightily with himself before he get the full victory over himself and be able to draw his whole heart in to God When a Man trusteth in himself he easily slideth unto humane comforts but a true lover of Christ and a diligent follower of virtue betakes not himself to humane comforts nor seeketh such sensible sweetnesses but rather hard exercises and to sustain great labors for Christ. 4. When therefore spiritual comfort is given thee from God receive it thankfully but know that it is the gift of God not any desert of thine Be not puffed up joy not too much neither do thou presume vainly but be rather the more humble for that gift and more wary and sollicitous in all thine actions for that hour will pass away and temptation will succeed When consolation is taken from thee despair not presently but with humility and patience wait for the Heavenly visitation for God is able again to give thee greater consolation This is not new nor strange unto them that have experience in the way of God for the great Saints and ancient prophets had oftentimes experience of such kind of vicissitudes 5. For which cause one under the enjoyment of divine favor said I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved But in the want of this he addeth what he found in himself saying thou turn'dst thy face from me and I became troubled Yet doth he not despair in the midst of these changes but more earnestly prayeth unto the Lord and saith Unto thee O Lord will I cry and I will pray unto my God Lastly he receiveth the fruit of his prayer and witnesseth that he was heard saying The Lord hath heard me and taken pity on me the Lord is become my helper But wherein Thou hast turned saith he my sorrow into joy and thou hast compassed me about with gladness If great Saints have been so dealt withal we that are weak and poor ought not to despair if we be sometimes fervent and sometimes cold for the Spirit cometh and goeth according to the good pleasure of his will For which cause blessed Job saith Thou visitest him early in the morning and suddenly thou provest him 6. Whereupon therefore can I hope or wherein ought I to trust but in the great mercy of God alone and in the only hope of heavenly grace For whether I enjoy the presence of good Men or religious brethren or faithful friends or holy Books or excellent treatises or sweet songs and hymns all these help little and have little savor when grace forsaketh me and I remain left in mine own poverty At such time there is no better remedy thà n patience and the ordering of my self according to the will of God 7. I never found any so religious and devout that hath not had sometimes a withdrawing of grace or felt not some decrease of zeal There was never Saint so highly rapt and illuminated who first or last was not tempted For he is not
more powerful no Man more free than he that can leave himself and all things and set himself in the lowest place CHAP. XII Of the high way of the holy Cross. UNto many this speech seemeth hard Deny thy self take up thy Cross and follow Iesus But it will be much harder to hear that last word Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire For they that now willingly hear and follow the word of the Cross shall not then fear to hear the sentence of everlasting damnation This sign of the Cross shall be in Heaven when our Lord shall come to judgment Then all the servants of the Cross who in their life-time conformed themselves unto Christ crucified shall draw near unto Christ the Judg with great confidence 2. Why therefore fearest thou to take up the Cross which leadeth thee to a Kingdom In the Cross is salvation in the Cross is life in the Cross is protection against our enemies in the Cross is infusion of Heavenly sweetness in the Cross is strength of mind in the Cross is joy of spirit in the Cross is the height of virtue in the Cross is the perfection of sanctity There is no salvation of the soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the Cross. Take up therefore thy Cross and follow Jesus and thou shalt go into life everlasting He is gone before bearing his Cross and is dead for thee on the Cross that thou mayest also bear thy Cross and desire to die on the Cross with him For if thou diest with him thou shalt also live with him And if thou be his companion in pain thou shalt be partaker ith him also in glory 3. Behold in the Cross all doth consist and all lyeth in our dying upon it for there is no other way unto life and unto true inward peace but the way of the Holy Cross and of daily mortification Go where thou wilt seek whatsoever thou wilt thou shalt not find a higher way above nor a safer way below than the way of the Holy Cross. Dispose and order all things according to thy will and judgment yet thou shalt ever find that of necessity thou must suffer somewhat either willingly or against thy will and so thou shalt ever find the Cross. For either thou shalt feel pain in thy body or in thy soul thou shalt suffer tribulation of spirit 4. Sometimes thou shalt be forsaken of God sometimes thou shalt be troubled by thy neighbors and which is more oftentimes thou shalt be irksome to thy self neither canst thou be delivered or eased by any remedy or comfort but so long as pleaseth God thou oughtest to bear it For God will have thee learn to suffer tribulation without comfort and that thou subject thy self wholly to him and become more humble by tribulation No Man hath so cordial a feeling of the passion of Christ as he who hath suffered the like himself The Cross therefore is always ready and every where waits for thee Thou canst not escape it whithersoever thou runnest for wheresoever thou goest thou carriest thy self with thee and shalt ever find thy self both above and below without and within which way soever thou dost turn thee every where thou shalt find the Cross and every where of necessity thou must have patience if thou wilt have inward peace and enjoy an everlasting Crown 5. If thou bear the Cross willingly it will bear thee and lead thee to thy desired end to wit where there shall be an end of suffering though here there shall not If thou bear it unwillingly thou makest for thy self a new burden and encreasest thy load and yet notwithstanding thou must bear it If thou cast away one Cross without doubt thou shalt find another and that perhaps a more heavy one 6. Thinkest thou to escape that which no Man could ever avoid Which of the Saints in the world was without crosses and tribulation Verily Jesus Christ our Lord was never one hour without pain of suffering so long as he lived Christ saith he ought to suffer and arise again from the dead and so to enter into his glory Luke 24. and how dost thou seek any other way than this high way which is the way of the Holy Cross 7. The whole life of Christ was a Cross and Martyrdom and dost thou seek rest and joy Thou art deceived thou art deceived if thou seekest any other thing than to suffer tribulations for this whole mortal life is full of miseries and environed on every side with Crosses And how much the more one hath profited in spirit so much the heavier crosses he oftentimes findeth for the love he beareth to God increaseth the grief which he endureth for his banishment 8. But yet this Man though so many ways afflicted is not without some refreshing comfort for that he perceiveth much benefit to accrew unto him by the bearing of his Cross. For whilest he willingly putteth himself under it all the burden of tribulation is turned into the confidence of divine comfort And how much the more the flesh is wasted by affliction so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace And sometimes he is so comforted with the desire of tribulation and adversity for the love of conforming himself to the Cross of Christ that he would not wish at any time to be without sorrow and tribulation because he believeth that so much the more acceptable he shall be unto God how much the more and more grievous things he can suffer for him This is not the power of Man but it is the grace of Christ that can and doth so much in frail flesh that what naturally it always abhorreth and flyeth that by fervor of spirit it encounters with delight 9. It is not according to Mans inclination to bear the Cross to chastise and subdue the body to fly honors to suffer contumelies with a willing heart to despise himself and to wish to be despised to bear all adversities and dammages and to desire no prosperity in this world If thou considerest thy self thou shalt be able to perform no such matter of thy self But if thou trustest in the Lord strength shall be given thee from Heaven and the world and flesh shall be made subject to thy command Neither shalt thou fear thy enemy the Devil if thou be armed with faith and bearest the Cross of Christ. 10. Set therefore thy self like a good and faithful servant of Christ to bear manfully the Cross of thy Lord who was crucified for thee out of love Prepare thy self to bear many adversities and divers kinds of troubles in this miserable life for so it will be with thee wheresoever thou be and so surely thou wilt find it wheresoever thou hide thy self So it must be and there is no remedy or means to avoid tribulation and sorrow but to bear them Drink of the Cup of our Lord heartily if thou wilt be his friend and desirest to have part with him As for comforts leave them to
God let him do therein as shall best please him Set thou thy self to suffer tribulations and account them the greatest comforts for that the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory which is to come although thou alone couldest suffer them all 11. When thou shalt come to this estate that tribulation shall seem sweet and savory unto thee for Christ then thou mayst think it is well with thee for thou hast found a Paradise upon earth As long as it is grievous to thee to suffer and that thou desirest to fly it so long shalt thou be ill at ease and the tribulation thou flyest will follow thee every where 12. If thou dost set thy self to that thou oughtest to wit to suffer and to die to thy self it will quickly be better with thee and thou shalt find peace Although thou shouldest have been rapt even unto the third Heaven with Paul thou art not for this secured that thou shalt suffer no adversity I saith Jesus will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name It remaineth therefore that thou suffer if thou wilt love Jesus and perpetually serve him 13. O that thou wert worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus how great glory would it be unto thee what joy to all the Saints of God how great edification also to thy neighbor For all do commend patience though few desire to suffer With great reason thou oughtest to be willing to suffer a little for Christ since many suffer far greater things for the world 14. Know for certain that thou oughtest to lead a dying life And how much the more every one dyeth to himself so much the more doth he begin to live to God No Man is fit to attain unto Heavenly things unless he submit himself to the bearing of adversities for Christ. Nothing is more grateful unto God nothing more wholesome to thee in this world than to suffer willingly for Christ. And if it were in thy choice thou shouldest rather wish to suffer Adversities for Christ than to enjoy the delight of many comforts because hereby thou shouldest be more like unto Christ and more conformable to all the Saints For our worthiness and the proficiency of our spiritual estate consisteth not in many sweetnesses and comforts but rather in suffering great afflictions and tribulation 15. If there had been any better thing and more profitable to the health of Man than suffering surely Christ would have shewed it by word and example But he plainly exhorteth all the Disciples that followed him and all that desire to follow him to the bearing of the Cross and saith If any will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me So that when we have read and searched all let this be the last conclusion That by many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. 1. Of the inward Speech of Christ unto a Faithful Soul I Will hear what the Lord God will speak in me Blessed is the soul that heareth the Lord speaking in her and receiveth from his mouth the word of comfort Blessed are those ears that receive the sound of the divine voice and listen not to the whisperings of the world Blessed indeed are those ears that hearken not to the voice which soundeth outwardly but unto the truth which teacheth inwardly Blessed are the eyes that are shut to outward things but open to those things that are internal Blessed are they that enter into the inward things and endeavor to prepare themselves more and more by daily exercises to the attaining of Heavenly secrets Blessed be they that delight to converse with God and rid themselves of all worldly impediments 2. Consider these things my soul and shut up the door of thy sensual desires that thou mayest hear what thy Lord God speaketh in thee Thus saith thy beloved I am thy safety thy peace and thy life Keep thy self with me and thou shalt find peace Leave all transitory things and seek those that be everlasting What are all temporal things but deceiving snares And what do all creatures avail thee if thou be forsaken by the Creator Forsake therefore all earthly things and labor to please thy Creator and be Faithful unto him that thou mayest attain unto the true happiness CHAP. II. That truth speaketh inwardly without noise of words CHristian Speak Lord for thy servant heareth I am thy servant grant me unsterstanding that I may know thy testimonies Incline my heart to the words of thy mouth Let thy speech distil as the dew upon my soul. The Children of Israel in times past said unto Moses Speak thou unto us and we will hear thee Let not the Lord speak unto us lest we die Not so Lord not so I beseech thee But rather with the Prophet Samuel I humbly and earnestly intreat Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Let not Moses speak unto me nor any of the prophets but do thou rather speak my Lord God the inspirer and enlightner of all the Prophets for thou alone without them canst perfectly instruct me but they without thee can profit nothing 2. They indeed may sound forth words but they cannot give spirit and life they speak marvellous well but if thou be silent they inflame not the heart They may teach the letter but thou openest the sense They bring forth mysteries but thou unlockest the meaning of sealed things They declare thy commandments but thou helpest to fulfil them They shew the way but thou givest strength to walk in it They work only exteriorly but thou instructest and enlightnest the heart They water outwardly but thou givest fruitfulness They make a noise with words but thou givest understanding to the hearing 3. Let not therefore Moses speak unto me but thou my Lord God the everlasting Truth lest I die and prove unfruitful if I be warned outwardly only and not inflamed within lest the word heard and not fulfilled known and not loved believed and not observed turn to my condemnation Speak therefore Lord for thy servant heareth for thou hast the words of everlasting life Speak unto me to the comfort of my soul and to the amendment of my whole life and to thy praise and glory and everlasting honor CHAP. III. That the words of God are to be heard with humility and that many weigh them not CHrist. Son hear my words words of greatest sweetness excelling all the knowledg of the Philosophers and wise Men of this world My words are spirit and life not to be weighed by the understanding of Man They are not to be drawn to vain liking but to be heard with silence and to be received with all humility and great affection Christian. And I said Blessed is the Man whom thou shalt instruct O Lord and shalt teach thy law that thou mayest give him rest from the evil days and that he be not destroyed upon earth 2. Christ. I saith our Lord have taught the
Prophets from the beginning and cease not in these days to speak to every one but many are hardned and deaf to my speech The greater number do more willingly listen to the world than to God and follow sooner the desires of their flesh than the will of God The world promiseth temporal and small things and is served with great eagerness I promise most high and eternal things and the hearts of Men are nothing moved therewith Who is he that serveth and obeyeth me with equal care to that with which the world and the Lords thereof are served Blush O Sidon saith the Sea And if thou ask the cause hear wherefore For a little Prebend a long journey is undertaken for everlasting life many will scarce once lift a foot from the ground A thing of small value is sought after greedily for a penny sometimes there is foul contention sor a vain thing and sleight promise Men cease not to toil day and night 3. But alas for an unchangeable good for an inestimable reward for the highest honor and glory without end they are loth to take the least pains Blush therefore slothful and complaining Servant that they are found to be more ready to distruction than thou to life They rejoyce more in vanity than thou in the truth And yet they are sometimes frustrated of their hope but my promise deceiveth none nor sendeth him away empty that trusteth in me I will give that which I have promised I will fulfil that which I have said but to him that remains faithful in my love to the end I am the rewarder of all that are good and do try my devout servants with strong trials 4. Write my words in thy heart and think diligently of them for they will be very necessary in time of temptation What thou understandest not when thou readest thou shalt know in the day of visitation I am wont to visit my elect two several ways to wit with temptation and comfort And I daily read two lessons unto them one reprehending their vices another exhorting them to the increase of virtues He that hath my words and despiseth them hath within himself that shall judg him at the last day A prayer to implore the grace of devotion 5. O Lord my God thou art to me whatsoever is good Who am I that dare speak unto thee I am thy poorest servant and a most vile worm much more poor and contemptible than I can or dare express Remember yet O Lord that I am nothing and can do nothing Thou alone art good just and holy thou canst do all things thou doest all things thou fillest all things only the sinner thou sendest empty away Remember thy mercies and fill my heart with thy grace who will not that thy works be void and in vain 6. How can I bear up my self in this miserable life unless thou strengthen me with thy mercy and grace Turn not thy face from me delay not thy visitation draw not away thy comfort lest my soul become as the thirsty land unto thee Lord teach me to fulfil thy will teach me to live worthily and humbly in thy sight for thou art my wisdom thou dost truly know me and didst know me before the world was made and before I was born in the world CHAP. IV. That we ought to live in truth and humility before God CHrist. Son walk before me in sincerity and truth and ever seek me in simplicity of heart He that walketh before me in truth shall be defended from evil incursions and the Truth shall deliver him from seducers and from the detractions of the wicked If the Truth shall have made thee free thou shalt be truly free and shalt not care for the vain speeches of Men. Christian. Lord it is true According as thou saidst so I beseech thee let it be with me let thy Truth teach me and keep me and bring me safe to an happy end Let it deliver me from all evil affection and inordinate love and I shall walk with thee in great freedom of heart 2. Christ. I will teach thee saith the Truth these things that are right and pleasing in my sight Think of thy sins with great displeasure and grief and never esteem thy self any thing for thy good works Thou art in very deed a sinner thou art subject to and encumbred with may passions Of thy self thou always tendest to nothing thou art quickly cast down quickly overcome quickly troubled quickly dissolved Thou hast nothing wherein thou canst glory but many things for which thou oughtest to despise thy self for thou art much weaker than thou art able to comprehend 3. And therefore let nothing seem much unto thee whatsoever thou doest Let nothing seem great nothing precious and wonderful let nothing seem worthy of estimation nothing high nothing truly and commendable to be desired but that which is everlasting Let the eternal Truth above all things please thee Let thy own great unworthiness always displease thee Fear nothing blame and fly nothing so much as thy vices and sins which ought to displease more than the losses of any thing whatsoever Some walk not sincerely in my sight but led by a certain curiosity and pride will know my secrets and understand the high things of God neglecting themselves and their own salvation These oftentimes for that I resist them do fall into great temptations and sins for their pride and curiosity 4. Fear the judgments of God dread the wrath of the Almighty But discuss not the works of the highest Search thine own iniquities in how much thou hast offended and how much good thou hast neglected Some carry their religion only in Books some in pictures some in outward signs and figures Some have me in their mouths but little in their hearts There are others that being illuminated in their understandings and purged in their affection do always breath after things eternal and are unwilling to hear of the things of this world and do serve the necessities of nature with grief and these perceive what the Spirit of Truth speaketh in them because it teacheth them to despise Earthly and love Heavenly things to neglect the world and all the day and night to desire Heaven CHAP. V. Of the wonderful effect of divine Love CHristian I praise thee O Heavenly Father Father of my Lord Jesus Christ for that thou hast vouchsafed to remember me a poor Creature O Father of mercies and God of all comfort thanks be unto thee who sometimes with thy comfort refreshest me unworthy of all comfort I ever bless and glorifie thee with thy only begotten Son and the holy Ghost for ever and ever O Lord God the holy lover of my soul when thou shalt come into my heart all that is within me will rejoyce Thou art my glory and the exultation of my heart Thou art my hope and refuge in the day of my tribulation 2. But for that I am yet weak in love and imperfect in virtue I have need therefore
to be strengthened and comforted by thee visit me therefore often and instruct me with thy holy discipline Deliver me from evil passions and heal my heart of all inordinate affections that being cured within and well purged I may be made fit to Love strong to suffer and constant to persevere 3. Love is a great thing in very truth a great good which alone maketh every thing that is heavy light and beareth equally that which is unequal For it carrieth a Burden without a Burden and maketh every thing that is bitter sweet and savoury The noble Love of Jesus inforceth Man to do great things and stirreth him up to desire always what is most perfect Love will be aloft and not kept down with any base thing Love will be free and loose from all worldly affection to the end its inward sight be not prejudiced that it be not either entangled by any temporal prosperity or subdued by adversity Nothing is sweeter than Love nothing stronger nothing higher nothing more large nothing more pleasant nothing fuller nor better in Heaven or in Earth Because Love is born of God and cannot rest but in God above all Creatures 4. He that loveth flyeth runneth and rejoyceth he is free and not held in He giveth all for all and hath all in all for that he resteth in one Highest above all from whence all good floweth and proceedeth He respecteth not the gifts but turneth himself above all goods unto the giver Love oftentimes knoweth no measure but is inflamed above all measure Love feeleth no burden weigheth no pains desireth above its strength complaineth not of impossibility for that it thinketh all things lawful and possible It is therefore able to undertake all things and performeth and bringeth many things to pass whereas he that doth not Love fainteth and lyes down 5. Love watcheth and sleeping sleepeth not Being wearied is not tired straitned is not pressed frightned is not troubled But like a lively flame and burning Torch breaking upwards and securely passeth through all If any one loveth he knoweth what this voice cryeth A loud cry in the ears of God is the ardent affection of the Soul which saith My God my Love thou art wholly mine and I wholly thine 6. Enlarge me in Love that with the inward mouth of my heart I may taste how sweet it is to Love and to be melted and swim in thy Love Let me be possessed by Love mounting above my self with excessive fervor and admiration Let me Sing the Song of Love let me follow thee on high my Beloved let my Soul rejoycing through Love spend it self in thy Praise Let me Love thee more than my self and not my self but for thee and all in thee that truly Love thee as the law of Love commandeth which shineth out from thee 7. Love is swift sincere pious pleasant and delightful strong patient faithful prudent long-suffering manly and never seeking it self For where one seeketh himself there he falleth from Love Love is circumspect humble and upright not softly nor light not attending unto vain things sober chast constant quiet and guarded in all the senses Love is subject and obedient to Superiors mean and abject to it self devout and thankful unto God trusting and hoping always in him even then when God imparteth no sweetness unto it For without sorrow none liveth in Love 8. He that is not ready to suffer all things and stand to the will of his beloved is not worthy to be called a Lover A Lover ought to embrace willingly all that is hard and distasteful for his Beloved and not to turn away from him for any contrary accidents CHAP VI. Of the proof of a true Lover CHrist. Son thou art not yet a strong and prudent Lover Christian. Wherefore Lord Christ. Because thou givest over for a small adversity and too greedily seekest comfort A strong Lover standeth firmly in temptations and giveth not credit to the crafty perswasions of the enemy As I please him in prosperity so I am not unpleasant to him in adversity 2. A prudent Lover considereth not so much the gift of his Lover as the Love of the giver He rather esteemeth the good will than the value and placeth all gifts under his Beloved A noble Lover resteth not in the gift but in me above every gift All therefore is not lost if sometimes thou hast less taste of me than thou wouldest That good and sweet affection which thou sometimes feelest is the effect of present grace and a certain fore-taste of the heavenly Country whereon thou mayest not rely too much for it goeth and cometh But to fight against evil motions of the mind which may happen unto thee and to despise the suggestions of the Devil is a notable sign of virtue and shall have great reward 3. Let not therefore strange fancies forced into thee of any matter whatsoever trouble thee Retain a strong purpose and an upright intention to God Neither is it an illusion that sometimes thou art suddenly rapt on high and presently returnest again unto the accustomed vanities of thy heart For thou dost rather unwillingly suffer them than commit them and as long as they displease thee and thou strivest against them it is matter of reward and no loss 4. Know that thy antient enemy doth ever strive to hinder thy desire to good and to deliver thee from all religious exercise to wit from the devout memory of my passion from the profitable remembrance of thy sins from the guard of thine own heart and from the firm purpose of profiting in virtue He injecteth many evil thoughts into thy mind that he may cause a wearisomness and horror in thee to draw thee from Prayer and Holy reading Humble confession is displeasing unto him and if he could he would cause thee to cease from receiving the Sacrament Trust him not nor care for him although he should often set snares of deceit to intrap thee Charge him with it when he suggesteth evil and unclean thoughts unto thee Say unto him Away unclean Spirit blush miserable wretch thou art very unclean that bringest such things unto mine ears Away from me wicked deceiver thou shalt have no part in me But Jesus shall be with me as a strong Warrior and thou shalt stand confounded I had rather die and undergo any torment than consent unto thee Hold thy peace and be silent I will hear thee no more though thou shouldest work me many troubles The Lord is my light and my Salvation whom shall I fear If whole Armies should stand together against me my heart shall not fear The Lord is my helper and my redeemer 5. Fight like a good Soldier and if thou sometimes fall through frailty take greater strength than before trusting in my more abundant grace and take great heed of vain pleasing of thy self and of pride This brings many into error and makes them sometimes fall into almost incurable blindness Let the fall of the proud foolishly presuming of
good shall not be grounded in true joy nor enlarged in his heart but shall be many ways encumbred and straitned Thou oughtest therefore to ascribe nothing of good unto thy self nor attribute goodness unto any Man but give all unto God without whom Man hath nothing I have bestowed all and will that all be returned unto me again and with great strictness I require thanks 3. This is the truth that putteth to flight vain Glory and if heavenly grace and true Love enter in there shall be no envy nor straitness of heart neither shall there be any place for self-love For Divine Love overcometh all and enlargeth all the powers of the Soul If thou beest truly wise in me alone thou wilt rejoyce in me alone thou wilt hope For none is good but God alone who is to be praised above all things and to be blessed in all CHAP. X. That the World being despised it is a sweet thing to serve God CHristian Now I will speak again O Lord and will not be silent I will say in the ears of my God my Lord and my King that is on High Psal. 31. O how great is the abundance of thy goodness O Lord which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee But what art thou to them that Love thee What to them that serve thee with their whole heart Truly unspeakable is the sweetness of contemplating thee which thou bestowest on them that Love thee In this chiefly thou hast shewed me the sweetness of thy Love For that when I was not thou madest me and when I went astray far off from thee thou broughtest me back again that I might serve thee and hast commanded me to Love thee 2. O Fountain of everlasting Love what shall I say of thee How can I forget thee that hast vouchsafed to remember me even when I wasted away and perished Thou hast shewed mercy to thy Servant beyond all my expectation And hast exhibited thy favor and friendship beyond all merit What shall I return unto thee for this grace For it is not granted to every one to forsake all things to renounce the World and to undertake a life of Religious retiredness It is much that I should serve thee whom all Creatures are bound to serve It ought not to seem much unto me to serve thee but this rather seemeth much and marvellous unto me that thou vouchsafest to receive into thy service one so poor and unworthy and to joyn him with thy beloved Servants 3. Behold all is thine which I have and whereby I serve thee And yet contrarywise thou rather servest me than I thee Behold Heaven and Earth which thou hast created for the service of Man are ready at hand and do daily perform whatsoever thou dost command and this is little yea thou hast also appointed the Angels to the service of Man But that which excelleth all this is that thou thy self hast vouchsafed to serve Man and hast promised to give thy self unto him 4. What shall I give thee for all these thousands of benefits I would I could serve thee all the days of my life I would I were able at least for one day to do thee some worthy service Thou art truly worthy of all service of all honor and everlasting praise Thou art truly my Lord and I thy poor Servant that am bound to serve thee with all my might neither ought I ever to be weary of praising thee And this I wish to do this I desire and whatsoever is wanting unto me vouchsafe I beseech thee to supply 5. It is great honor a great glory to serve thee and despise all things for thee For great grace shall be given to them that shall willingly subject themselves to thy most holy service They shall receive the most sweet comfort of the holy Ghost that for thy love shall renounce all carnal delights they shall attain great freedom of mind that for thy names sake shall enter into the narrow way and shall have left off all worldly care 6. O sweet and delightful service of God by which Man is truly made free and holy O sacred state of religious employment which maketh Man equal to Angels pleasing to God terrible to Devils grateful and of great esteem to all the faithful O service to be imbraced and always wished for by which we obtain the greatest good and attain to that joy which never shall have end CHAP. XI That the desires of our heart are to be examined and moderated CHrist. Son thou oughtest to learn many things more which thou hast not well learned Christian. What are those Lord Christ. That thou frame thy desires wholly according to my pleasure and be not a lover of thy self but an affectionate follower of my will Thy desires oftentimes enflame thee and drive thee forwards with violence But consider whether thou art moved rather for my honor than for thine own profit If I be the cause thou wilt be well content with whatsoever I shall ordain But if there lurk in thee any self-seeking behold this is it that hindereth thee and weigheth thee down 2. Beware therefore thou lean not too much upon thy own preconceived desire without asking my counsel lest perhaps afterwards it repent thee and thou begin now to dislike that which before did please thee and which thou earnestly desiredst as the best For every affection that seemeth good is not presently to be followed nor every contrary affection at the first to be avoided It is expedient sometimes to use a restraint even in good desires and endeavors lest by importunity thou incurre distraction of mind and by thy want of self-government beget a scandal unto others or being gainsaid by others thou be suddenly troubled and fall 3. Yet sometimes thou oughtest to use violence and resist manfully thy sensual appetites and respect not what the flesh would or would not but rather to labor that even perforce it be subject to the spirit And it is to be chastised so long and to be forced under servitude until it readily obey in all things and learn to be content with a little and to be pleased with plain things and not to murmure against any inconvenience CHAP. XII Of patience and of striving against conoupiscence CHristian Lord God I perceive patience is very necessary unto me for that many adversities do happen in this life For howsoever I shall dispose of my peace my life cannot be without war and affliction Christ. So it is Son And my will is not that thou seek after that peace which is void of temptations or that which feeleth no contrariety but then think that thou hast found peace when thou art exercised with sundry tribulations and tried in many adversities 2. If thou say that thou art not able to suffer much how then wilt thou endure the Fire hereafter Of two evils the less is always to be chosen That thou maist therefore avoid everlasting punishment in the next World endeavor to suffer
to be profitable then grant unto me that I may use this unto thine honor But if thou knowest it will be hurtful unto me and not profitable to the health of my soul take away this desire from me For every desire proceedeth not from the holy Ghost though it seem unto Man right and good It is hard to judge rightly whether a good Spirit or the contrary drive thee to desire this or that or whether also by thine own spirit thou be moved thereunto Many are deceived in the end who at the first seemed to be led by a good Spirit 2. Always therefore whatsoever occurreth unto thy mind to be desired let it be desired and prayed for in the fear of God and with Humility of heart and above all thou oughtest to commit the whole unto me with resignation of thy self and thou oughtest to say Lord thou knowest what is best let this or that be done as thou pleasest Give what thou wilt and how much thou wilt and when thou wilt Deal with me as thou thinkest good and as best pleaseth thee and is most for thy honor Set me where thou wilt and deal with me in all things according to thy will I am in thy hand turn me and turn me again which way soever thou please Behold I am thy Servant prepared for all things for I desire not to live unto my self but unto thee and O that I could do it worthily and perfectly A Prayer for the fulfilling of the will of God 3. Grant me thy Grace O most gracious Jesus that it may be with me and labor with me and persevere with me until the end Grant me always to desire and will that which is most acceptable unto thee and best pleaseth thee Let thy will be mine and let my will ever follow thine and agree perfectly with it Let my will and nill be all one with thine and let me not will or nill any thing else but what thou willest or nillest 4. Grant that I may die to all things that are in the World and to love to be contemned for thy sake and not to be known in this world Grant that above all things that can be desired I may rest in thee and may quiet my heart in thee Thou art the true peace of the heart thou art the only rest out of thee all things are troublesom and unquiet In this very peace that is in thee the one chiefest eternal Good I will sleep and rest Amen CHAP. XVI That true comfort is to be sought in God alone WHatsoever I can desire or imagine for my comfort I look not for it here but hereafter For if I should alone have all the comforts of the world and might enjoy all the delights thereof it is certain that they could not long endure Wherefore my soul thou canst not be fully comforted nor have perfect delight but in God the comforter of the poor and the helper of the humble Expect a while O my soul expect the divine promise and thou shalt have abundance of all good things in Heaven If thou desire inordinately the things that are present thou shalt lose the celestial and eternal Use temporal things and desire eternal Thou canst not be filled with any temporal goods because thou art not created to enjoy them 2. Although thou shouldest enjoy all created good yet couldst thou not be happy thereby nor blessed but in God that hath created all things thy whole beatitude and happiness consisteth not such as is seen and commended by the foolish lovers of the world but such as the good and faithful Servants of Christ expect and the spiritual and pure in heart whose conversation is in Heaven sometimes have a foretast of Vain and short is all humane comfort Blessed and true is the comfort which is received inwardly from the Truth A Religious Man every where carrieth with him Jesus his comforter and saith unto him Be present with me Lord Jesus in every place and time Let this be my comfort to be willing to want all humane comfort And if thy comfort be wanting let thy will and just proving of me be unto me as the greatest comfort for thou wilt not be angry always neither wilt thou threaten for ever CHAP. XVII That all our care is to be placed in God CHrist. Son suffer me to do with thee what I please I know what is expedient for thee Thou thinkest as Man thou judgest in many things as humane affection perswadeth thee Christian. Lord what thou sayest is true Thy care for me is greater than all the care that I can take for my self For he standeth very totteringly that casteth not his whole care upon thee Lord so that my will may remain right and firm towards thee do with me whatsoever it shall please thee For it cannot be but good whatsoever thou doest with me 2. If it be thy will I should be in darkness be thou blessed and if it be thy will I should be in light be thou again Blessed If thou vouchsafest to comfort me be thou Blessed and if thou wilt afflict me be thou ever equally blessed Christ. Son Thus thou oughtest to be minded if thou wilt walk with me Thou must be as ready to suffer as to rejoyce Thou oughtest to be as willing to be poor and needy as full and rich 3. Christian. Lord I will willingly suffer for thee whatsoever thy pleasure is shall befall me I will receive indifferently from thy hand good and evil sweet and sowre delightful and sorrowful and give thee thanks for all that befalleth me Keep me from all sin and I will neither fear death nor Hell so as thou dost not for ever cast me from thee nor blot me out of the Book of life what tribulation soever befal me shall not hurt me CHAP. XVIII That temporal miseries after the example of Christ must be born patiently CHrist. Son I descended from Heaven for thy Salvation I took upon me thy miseries my own love and not any necessity drawing me thereunto that thou mightest learn patience and not grudgingly bear temporal miseries For from the hour of my birth until my death on the Cross I was not without suffering of grief I suffered great want of temporal things I often heard many complaints against me I bore patiently shame and reproaches for benefits I received ingratitude for miracles blasphemies for Heavenly Doctrine reprehensions 2. Christian. Lord for that thou wert patient in thy life-time chiefly fulfilling herein the commandment of thy Father it is reason that I a miserable sinner should shew my self patient according to thy will and for my souls welfare bear the burden of this corruptible life as long as thou wilt For although this present life be burdensom yet notwithstanding it is now by thy grace made very gainful and by thy example and the footsteps of thy Saints more plain and tolerable to the weak Yea much more comfortable also than it was in times past in the old Law
when the gate of Heaven remained shut and the way also to Heaven seemed darker when so few took care to seek after thy Kingdom Neither they also that then were just and such as should be saved could enter into the Heavenly Kingdom before the satisfaction of thy holy passion and death 3. O how many and great thanks am I bound to render unto thee that thou hast vouchsafed to shew unto me and to all the faithful a direct and sure way to thy everlasting Kingdom For thy life is our way and by holy patience we go unto thee that art our Crown If thou hadst not gone before us and taught us who would have taken care to follow Alas How many would stay behind and remain far off if they beheld not thy noble example Behold we are yet cold although we have heard of so many of thy wonders and thy Heavenly documents what would become of us if we had not so great a light given us to follow thee CHAP. XIX Of suffering of injuries and who is proved to be truly patient CHrist. What is it thou sayest Son Cease to complain considering my passion and that of my other Saints Thou hast not yet made resistance unto blood It is but little thou sufferest in comparison of them that have suffered so much were so strongly tempted so grievously afflicted so many ways tried and exercised Thou oughtest therefore to call to mind the more heavy sufferings of others that thou mayest the easier bear the little adversities which thou sufferest And if they seem not little unto thee beware lest thy impatience be cause thereof Yet whether they be little or great endeavor to bear all patiently 2. How much the better thou disposest thy self to suffering so much the more wisely thou doest and so much the greater reward shalt thou receive thou shalt more easily also endure it if both in mind and by exercise thou art well prepared thereunto Do not say I cannot suffer these things at the hands of such a person nor such things are not to be suffered by me for he hath done me great wrong and upbraided me with those things which I never thought of but of another I will willingly suffer and as I shall see cause Such a thought is foolish it considereth not the virtue of patience nor by whom it shall be crowned but rather weigheth the persons and the injuries offered 3. He is not truly patient that will not suffer but as much as he thinketh good and by whom he listeth But the true patient Man mindeth not by whom he is exercised whether by his Superiors or some of his equals or by his inferiors whether by a good and holy Man or by a perverse and unworthy person But indifferently from all creatures how much soever or how often soever any adversity befalleth him he taketh all this thankfully as from the hands of God and esteemeth it a great gain for that nothing before God how little soever so it be suffered for God shall pass without its reward 4. Be thou therefore always prepared for the fight if thou wilt have the victory Without a combat thou canst not attain unto the crown of patience If thou wilt not suffer thou refusest to be crowned But if thou desirest to be crowned fight manfully and endure patiently Without labor there is no coming to rest nor without fighting can the victory be obtained Christian. Lord let that be made possible to me by thy grace which seemeth impossible to me by nature Thou knowest that I can suffer but little and that I am quickly dismayed when a small adversity ariseth Let every exercise of tribulation be made amiable unto me and be welcom for thy name for to suffer and to be troubled for thy sake is very profitable for my soul. CHAP. XX. Of the acknowledging of our own infirmities and of the miseries of this life CHristian I will confess against me my unrighteousness I will confess unto thee O Lord my infirmities Oftentimes it is a small matter that dejecteth and grieveth me I purpose to act with courage but when a small temptation cometh it bringeth me into very narrow straits It is sometimes a very trifle from whence great temptations do proceed And whilest I think my self somewhat safe when I least expect it I find my self sometimes overcome with a small blast 2. Behold therefore Lord my lowness and frailty every way known unto thee Have mercy on me and deliver me out of the mire that I stick not fast therein and that I may not for ever remain dejected This is that which oftentimes strikes me at the very heart and confounds me in thy sight for that I am so subject to fall and weak in resisting of my passions And although though I do not altogether consent yet their continual assaults are troublesom and grievous unto me and it is a very irksom thing to live thus daily in conflict Hereby my infirmity is made known unto me for that wicked fancies do always much more easily invade than forsake me 3. O mighty God of Israel the zealous lover of faithful souls let it please thee to consider the labor and sorrow of thy Servant and assist him in all whatsoever he undertaketh Strengthen me with Heavenly strength lest the old Man the miserable flesh not fully as yet subject to the spirit prevail and get the upper hand against which I ought to fight as long as I breath in this miserable life Alas what a kind of life is this where tribulation and miseries are never wanting where all is full of snares and enemies For when one tribulation or temptation goeth away another first cometh yea and during the first conflict also many others come unlooked for one after another 4. And how can a life be loved that hath so many embitterments and is subject to so many calamities and miseries How is it called a life that begetteth so many deaths and plagues And yet it is loved and many seek to delight themselves therein The world is oftentimes blamed that it is deceitful and vain and yet it is not easily forsaken because the desires of the flesh bear so great a sway 5. Some things draw us to love it others to contemn it To the love of the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life do draw us but the pains and miseries that do justly follow them cause a hatred and loathsomness thereof 6. But alas vile pleasure overcometh the mind which is addicted to the world and she esteemeth it a delight to be even under thorns because she hath neither seen nor tasted the sweetness of God and the inward pleasantness of virtue But they that perfectly contemn the world and endeavor to live to God under holy discipline these are not ignorant of the divine sweetness promised to the true forsakers of the world and do more clearly see how grievously the world erreth and how it is many ways
deceived CHAP. XXI That we are to rest in God above all his gifts and benefits CHristian Above all things and in all things O my soul thou shalt ever rest in the Lord for he is the everlasting rest of the Saints Grant me O most sweet and loving Jesus to rest in thee above all creatures above all health and beauty above all glory and honor above all power and dignity above all knowledg and subtilty above all riches and arts above all joy and gladness above all fame and praise above all sweetness and comfort above all hope and promise above all desert and desire above all gifts and presents that thou canst give and impart unto us above all mirth and jubilee that the mind of Man can receive and feel lastly above Angels and Archangels and above all the Heavenly host above all visible and invisible things and above all that thou art not O my God 2. For that thou my Lord God art best of all thou alone art most high thou alone most powerful thou alone most full and sufficient thou alone most sweet and solacing thou alone most lovely and loving thou alone most noble and glorious above all things in whom all good things together both perfectly are and ever have been and shall be and therefore it is too little and not sufficient whatsoever thou bestowest on me besides thy self or revealest unto me of thy self or promisest whilest thou art not seen and not fully obtained for surely my heart cannot truly rest nor be fully contented unless it rest in thee and surmount all gifts and creatures whatsoever 3. O my most beloved Bridegroom Jesus Christ the most pure lover the governor of all creatures O that I had the wings of true liberty that I might flie and rest in thee O when shall it be fully granted me to consider in quietness of mind and see how sweet thou art my Lord God! When shall I fully gather up my self into thee that by reason of my love to thee I may not feel my self but thee alone above all sense and feeling in a manner not known unto every one but now I oftentimes sigh and bear my infelicity with grief for that many evils occurr in this vale of miseries which do often trouble grieve and overcloud me often hinder and distract me allure and intangle me for that I can have no free access unto thee nor enjoy thy sweet embracings wherewith thou ever favorest the blessed Spirits O let my sighs and manifold desolations on Earth affect thee 4. O Jesus the brightness of eternal glory and comfort of the pilgrim soul with thee is my tongue without voice and my very silence speaketh unto thee How long doth my Lord delay to come Let him come unto me his poor Servant and make me glad Let him put forth his hand and deliver miserable me from all anguish Come O come for without thee I shall have no joyful day nor hour for thou art my joy and without thee my table is empty A wretched creature I am and in a manner imprisoned and loaden with Irons until thou comfortest me with the light of thy presence and settest me at liberty and shewest a friendly countenance unto me 5. Let others seek what they please instead of thee but for me nothing else doth nor shall delight me but thou only my God my hope my everlasting salvation I will not hold my peace nor cease to pray until thy grace return again and thou speak inwardly unto me Christ. Behold I am here behold I come unto thee because thou hast called upon me Thy tears and the desire of thy soul thy humiliation and the contrition of thy heart have inclined and brought me unto thee Christian. And I said Lord I have called thee and have desired to enjoy thee being ready to refuse all things for thee For thou first hast stirred me up that I might seek thee Blessed be thou therefore O Lord that hast shewed this goodness to thy Servant according to the multitude of thy mercies 6. What hath thy servant more to say before thee but that he do greatly humble himself in thy sight always mindful of his own iniquity and vileness For there is none like unto thee in all whatsoever is wonderful in Heaven and Earth Thy works are very good thy judgments true and by thy providence all things are governed Praise therefore and glory be unto thee O wisdom of the Father let my mouth my soul and all creatures together praise and bless thee CHAP. XXII Of the remembrance of the manifold benefits of God CHristian Open O Lord my heart in thy Law and teach me to walk in thy Commandments Grant me to understand thy will and to remember thy benefits as well in general as in particular with great reverence and diligent consideration that henceforward I may be able worthily to give thee thanks But I know and confess that I am not able in the least point to give thee due thanks for the favors which thou bestowest upon me I am less than the least of all thy benefits and when I consider thy noble bounty the greatness thereof maketh my spirit to faint 2. All that we have in our soul and body and whatsoever we possess outwardly or inwardly naturally or supernaturally are thy benefits and do speak thee bountiful merciful and good from whom we have received all good things Although one have received more another less all notwithstanding are thine and without thee even the least cannot be had He that hath received greater cannot glory of his own desert nor extol himself above others nor insult over the lesser for he is greater and better that ascribeth least unto himself and is more humble and religious in rendring thanks And he that esteemeth himself vilest of all Men and judgeth himself most unworthy is fittest to receive great blessings 3. And he that hath received fewer ought not to be sorry nor take it grievously nor envy them that are enriched with greater store but attend rather unto thee and highly praise thy goodness for that thou bestowest thy gifts so bountifully so freely and so willingly without respect of persons All things proceed from thee and therefore in all things thou art to be praised Thou knowest what is fit to be given to every one and why this Man hath less and he more it is not ours but thine to judge who dost exactly know what is meet for every one 4. Wherefore my Lord God I esteem it as a great mercy not to have much of that which outwardly and in the opinion of Men might seem worthy of glory and applause so that he who considereth the poverty and unworthiness of his person ought not therefore to conceive grief or sorrow or to be therefore troubled but rather to take great comfort and to be glad for that thou O God hast chosen the poor and humble and the despised of this world for thy self and for thy familiar and domestick attendants
Witnesses are thy Apostles themselves whom thou hast made Princes in all the Earth And yet they lived without complaint in the world so humble and simple without all malice and deceit that they also rejoyced to suffer reproach for thy Name and what the world abhorreth they embraced with great affection 5. Nothing therefore ought so to rejoyce him that loveth thee and acknowledgeth thy benefits as thy will in him and the good pleasure of thy eternal appointment wherewith he ought to be so contented and comforted that he would as willingly be the least as any would wish to be the greatest and as peaceable and contented in the last as in the first place and as willing to be despised and contemned and to be of no esteem or account as to be preferred in honor before all others and to be greater in the world For thy will and the love of thy glory ought to be preferred before all things and to comfort him more and please him better than all the benefits which either he hath received or may receive CHAP. XXIII Of Four things that bring much peace CHrist. Son now I will teach thee the way of peace and true liberty Christian Do Lord I beseech thee as thou sayest for I shall be very glad to hear it Christ. Endeavor my Son to do rather the will of another than thine own Ever choose rather to have less than more Always seek the lowest place and to be inferior to every one Wish always and pray that the will of God may be wholly fulfilled filled in thee Behold such a Man entreth into the bounds of peace and quietness 2. Christian. Lord this thy short speech containeth much perfection It is little in words but full in sense and abundant in fruit For if it could faithfully be kept by me then should I not so easily be troubled For as often as I feel my self unquiet and afflicted I find that I have strayed from this Doctrine But thou that canst do all things and ever lovest the profiting of my soul increase in me thy grace that I may fulfil thy words and work out mine own salvation A Prayer against evil thoughts 3. My Lord God be not far from me my God have regard to help me for sundry thoughts have risen up against me and great fears afflicting my soul. How shall I pass through them without hurt How shall I utterly break them Christ. I saith he will go before thee and will humble the great ones of the earth I will open the Doors of the Prison and reveal unto thee hidden secrets Christian. Do Lord as thou sayest and let all my evil thoughts fly from before thy face This is my hope my only comfort to fly unto thee in every tribulation to trust in thee to call upon thee from my heart and to expect patiently thy comfort A Prayer for enlightning of the Mind 4. Enlighten me O good Jesus with a clear-shining inward light and drive away all darkness from the habitation of my heart Repress my many wandring thoughts and utterly break in pieces those temptations which violently assault me Fight strongly for me and vanquish those evil beasts I mean those inticing desires of the flesh that so peace may be obtained by thy power and that abundance of thy praise may sound in the holy Court of a pure conscience Command the Winds and Tempests say unto the Sea Be still and to the North Wind Blow not and a great calm shall ensue 5. Send forth thy light and thy truth that they may shine upon the earth for I am as the earth without form and void until thou enlighten me Pour out thy grace from above let thy Heavenly dew distil upon my heart supply fresh streams of grace to water the face of the Earth that it may bring forth good and excellent fruit Lift up my mind which is pressed down by the weight of sins Draw up my whole desire to Heavenly things that having tasted the sweetness of supernal happiness it may be irksome to me even to think of earthly vanities 6. Pluck me and deliver me from all the unlasting comfort of creatures for no created thing can fully comfort and quiet my desire Joyn me unto thee with an unseparable band of love for thou even alone dost satisfie him that loveth thee and without thee all things are vain CHAP. XXIV Of flying curious inquiry of the life of others CHrist. Son be not curious trouble not thy self with idle cares What is this or that to thee do thou follow me For what is it to thee whether that Man be such or no or whether this Man do or speak this or that Thou shalt not need to answer for others but shalt give account of thy self Why therefore dost thou trouble thy self Behold I know every one and do see all things that are under the Sun and do understand how it is with every one what he thinks what he would and at what his intention aims All things therefore are to be commited unto me but do thou keep thy self in good peace and let the unquiet be as unquiet as they will Whatsoever they shall have done or said shall fall upon themselves for they cannot deceive me 2. Be not careful for the shadow of a great name or for the familiarity of many nor for the private affection of Men for these things both distract and greatly darken the heart I would willingly utter my words and reveal my secrets unto thee if thou didst diligently observe my coming and didst open the Door of thy heart unto me Be careful and watch in prayer and humble thy self in all things CHAP. XXV Wherein the firm peace of the heart and true spiritual profiting consisteth CHrist. Son I have said Peace I leave with you my peace I give to you not as the world giveth give I unto you All do desire peace but all care not for those things that appertain unto true peace My peace is with the humble and meek of heart Thy peace doth consist in much patience If thou wilt hear me and follow my voice thou mayst enjoy much peace Christian. What then shall I do Lord Christ. In every thing attend unto thy self what thou doest and what thou sayest and direct thy whole intention unto this that thou mayst please me alone and desire or seek nothing besides me Of the sayings and doings of others judg nothing rashly neither do thou entangle thy self with things not commited unto thee and doing thus thou shalt be little or seldom troubled 2. But never to feel any trouble at all nor to suffer any grief of heart or body is not the state of this life but everlasting rest Think not therefore that thou hast found true peace if thou feelest no sorrow nor that then all is well if thou have no adversary nor that all is perfect if all things be done according to thy desire Neither do thou then esteem highly of thy self or account thy self to
be specially beloved if thou be in great devotion and sweetness for by these things a true lover of virtue is not known neither doth the profiting and perfection of a Man consist in these things 3. Christian. Wherein then Lord Christ. In offering thy self with all thy heart unto the will of God not seeking thine own interest neither in great nor little neither for a time nor for ever so that thou keepest one and the same countenance with thanksgiving both in prosperity and in adversity weighing all things with an equal balance If thou be of such courage and so patient in hope that when inward comfort is withdrawn from thee thou preparest thy heart to suffer greater things and dost not justify thy self as though thou oughtest not to suffer these and so great afflictions but justifiest me in whatsoever I appoint and praisest my Holy name Then thou walkest in the true and right way of peace And thou shalt have undoubted hope to see my face again with great joy And if thou attain to the full contempt of thy self then shalt thou enjoy as great abundance of peace as this thy state of sojourning in this World is capable of CHAP. XXVI Of the excellency of a free mind which humble Prayer sooner gaineth than Reading CHristian Lord it is the work of a perfect Man never to slack his mind from the attentive thought of heavenly things and as it were to pass without care amongst many cares not like a dull sluggard but by the priviledge of a free mind adhering to no creature with inordinate affection 2. I beseech thee my most gracious God preserve me from the cares of this Life lest I should be too much entangled thereby And for the many necessities of the body lest I should be caught by pleasure And from whatsoever is an obstacle to the Soul lest broken with troubles I should be overthrown I say not from those things that worldly vanity so greatly desireth But from those miseries that as punishments and as the common curse of mortality do weigh down and hinder the Soul of thy Servant that it cannot enter into freedom of Spirit as often as it would 3. O my God the ineffable sweetness embitter unto me all carnal comfort which may draw me away from the love of eternal things and may wickedly allure me to it self by the beholding of some present delightsome good Let me not be overcome O Lord let me not be overcome by flesh and blood Let not the World and the short glory thereof deceive me Let not the Devil and his subtil fraud supplant me Give me strength to resist patience to suffer and constancy to persevere Give me instead of all the comforts of the World the most sweet unction of thy Spirit and in lieu of carnal Love pour into my Soul the Love of thy name 4. Behold Meat Drink Cloaths and other necessaries for the maintenance of the body are burdensome unto a fervent Spirit Grant me to use such refreshments moderately and not to be intangled with an over great desire of them It is not lawful to cast away all things for that nature is to be sustained But to desire superfluities and those things that are rather pleasurable thy holy Law forbiddeth For otherwise the flesh would Rebel against the Spirit Herein I beseech thee let thy hand govern me and teach me that I may not exceed CHAP. XXVII That private Love most hindreth from the chiefest Good CHrist. Son thou oughtest to give all for all and to retain nothing of thy self Know that the Love of thy self doth hurt thee more than any thing in the World According to the Love and affection thou bearest them so doth every thing cleave unto thee more or less If thy love be pure simple and well ordered thou shalt be free from the bondage of things Covet not that which thou mayest not have Be not willing to have that which may hinder thee and deprive thee of inward liberty It is strange that thou committest not thy self wholly unto me from the bottom of thy heart with all things that thou canst desire or have 2. Why dost thou consume thy self with vain grief Why art thou tired with needless cares stand to my good will and thou shalt suffer no detriment at all If thou seekest this or that and wouldest be here or there to enjoy thine own commodity and pleasure thou shalt never be at quiet nor free from trouble of mind for in every thing somewhat will be wanting and in every place there will be some that will cross thee 3. Not every external thing therefore attained and heaped together helpeth thee but it rather availeth if thou despise it and dost utterly root it out from thy heart which thou must not understand only of thy revenues and wealth but of thy seeking after honor also and thy desire of vain praise all which do pass away with this world The place availeth little if the spirit of fervor be wanting neither shall that peace which is sought abroad long continue if the state of thy heart be destitute of a true foundation that is unless thou stand stedfast in me thou mayest change but not better thy self For when occasion doth happen thou shalt find not only those things which thou soughtest to fly but a great deal more A Prayer for purging the heart and obtaining of Heavenly wisdom 4. Christian. Strengthen me O God by the grace of thy holy Spirit Give me to be strengthened in my inward Man and to empty my heart of all unprofitable care and anguish not to be drawn away with the sundry desires of any thing either mean or precious but to look upon all things as passing away and that my self do also pass away together with them for nothing is permanent under the Sun where all things are vanity and vexation of spirit O how wise is he that so considereth them 5. Grant me Lord Heavenly wisdom that I may learn above all things to seek and find thee above all things to relish thee and to love thee and to think of all other things as they are according to the disposal of thy wisdom Grant me prudently to avoid him that flatters me and to suffer patiently him that contradicts me For it is a great part of wisdom not to be moved with every blast of words nor to give ear to an ill flattering Syren for so we shall go on securely in the way which we have begun CHAP. XXVIII Against the Tongues of Slanderers CHrist. Son take it not grievously if some think evil of thee and speak that which thou wouldest not willingly hear Thou oughtest to judg the worst of thy self and to think no Man weaker than thy self If thou dost walk spiritually thou wilt not much esteem of flying words It is no small wisdom to keep silence in an evil time and inwardly to run to me and not to be troubled with the judgment of Men. 2. Let not thy peace be in the
Tongues of Men For whether they interpret well or evil thou art not therefore another Man Where is true peace and true glory Is it not in me And he that coveteth not to please Men nor feareth to displease them shall enjoy much peace From inordinate love and vain fear ariseth all disquietness of heart and distraction of the mind CHAP. XXIX How we ought to call upon God and bless him when tribulation draweth near CHristian Blessed O Lord be thy name for ever since it pleaseth thee that this temptation and tribulation should come upon me I cannot flie it but have need to flie to thee that thou mayest help me and turn it to my good Lord I am now afflicted and it is not well with me I am much troubled with this present suffering And now dear Father what shall I say I am caught amidst straits save me from this hour Yet therefore came I into this hour that thou mayest be glorified when I shall be greatly humbled and by thee delivered Let it please thee Lord to deliver me for poor wretch that I am what can I doe and whither shall I go without thee Grant patience Lord even this time also Help me my God and then I will not fear how grievously soever I be afflicted 2. And now in these my troubles what shall I say Lord thy will be done I have well deserved to be afflicted and grieved Surely I ought to bear it and O that I could bear it with patience until the tempest be passed over and it become calm But thy omnipotent hand is able to take even this temptation from me and to asswage the violence thereof that I utterly sink not under it as oftentimes heretofore thou hast done unto me O my God my mercy And how much the more hard it is to me so much the more easie is this change of the right hand of the most High CHAP. XXX Of craving the divine aid and confidence of recovering grace CHrist. Son I am the Lord that giveth strength in the day of tribulation Come unto me when it is not well with thee This is that which most of all hindereth Heavenly consolation that thou art slow in turning thy self unto Prayer For before thou dost earnestly pray unto me thou seekest in the mean while many comforts and delightest thy self in outward things And hence it comes to pass that all doth little profit thee until thou consider that I am he that delivers those that trust in me and that out of me there is neither powerful help nor profitable counsel nor lasting remedy But now thou having recovered breath after the tempest gather strength again in the light of my mercies for I am at hand saith the Lord to repair all not only entirely but also abundantly and in a very plentiful measure 2. Is there any thing hard to me Or am I like unto him that promiseth and performeth not Where is thy faith Be firm and constant Take courage and be patient comfort will come to thee in due time Wait wait for me I will come and heal thee It is a temptation that vexeth thee and a vain fear that affrighteth thee What else doth the care for future contingencies bring thee but sorrow upon sorrow Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof It is a vain and unprofitable thing to be grieved or to rejoyce for future things that perhaps will never come to pass 3. But it is incident to Man to be deluded with such imaginations and a sign of a weak mind to be so easily drawn away by the suggestion of the enemy For he careth not so he delude and deceive thee whether it be true or false which he proposeth whether he overthrow thee with the love of present or the fear of future things Let not therefore thy heart be troubled neither let it fear Believe in me and put thy trust in my mercy When thou thinkest thy self furthest off from me oftentimes I am nearest unto thee When thou judgest that almost all his lost then oftentimes the greatest advantage of gaining is at hand All is not lost when any thing falleth out contrary Thou must not judg according to that which thou feelest for the present nor so take or give thy self over to any grief from whence soever it cometh as though all hope of delivery were quite gone 4. Think not thy self wholly left although for a time I have sent thee some tribulation or withdrawn thy desired comfort for this is the way to the Kingdom of Heaven And without doubt it is more expedient for thee and the rest of my Servants that ye be exercised with adversities than that ye should have all things according to your desires I know the secret thoughts of thy heart and that it is very expedient for thy welfare that thou be left sometimes without taste of spiritual sweetness and in a dry condition lest perhaps thou shouldest be puffed up with thy prosperous estate and shouldest please thy self in that which thou art not That which I have given I can take away and restore it again when I please 5. When I give it it is mine when I withdraw it I take not any thing that is thine for mine is every good and every perfect gift If I send thee affliction or any Cross whatsoever repine not nor let thy heart fail thee I can quickly succor thee and turn all thy heaviness into joy Nevertheless I am righteous and greatly to be praised when I deal thus with thee 6. If thou be wise and considerest this rightly thou wilt never mourn so dejectedly for any adversity that befalleth thee but rather rejoyce and give thanks yea account this thy only joy that afflicting thee with sorrows I do not spare thee As my Father hath loved me I also love you said I unto my beloved Disciples whom certainly I sent not out to temporal joyes but to great conflicts not to honors but to contempts not to idleness but to labors not to rest but to bring forth much fruit with patience My Son remember these words CHAP. XXXI Of the contempt of all creatures to find out the Creator CHristian Lord I stand in need of yet greater grace that I may reach to that pitch as that nor Man nor any creature may be a let unto me For as long as any thing detains me I cannot freely take my flight unto thee He desired to fly freely that said Who will give me wings like a Dove and I will fly and be at rest What thing more quiet than the single eye And what more free than he that desireth nothing upon Earth Man ought therefore to pass over all creatures and perfectly to forsake himself and to remain in excess of mind and to see that thou the Creator of all things hast nothing amongst creatures like unto thee And unless a Man be freed from the affection of all creatures he cannot with freedom of mind attend unto divine things And for this
must be present and it must be seasoned with the sweetness of thy wisdom 2. What is not savory unto him to whom thou art pleasing And whom thou delightest not what can be pleasant to him But the wise of this world and they that relish the things of the flesh come short of thy wisdom for in the world is much vanity and in the flesh is death But they that follow thee by the contempt of worldly things and mortification of the flesh are proved to be truly wise For they are changed from vanity to truth from the flesh to the spirit These relish God and what good soever is found in creatures they wholly refer unto the praise of their Maker Notwithstanding great yea very great is the difference between the sweetness of the creator and of the creature of eternity and of time of light uncreated and of light enlightned 3. O thou everlasting light surpassing all created lights dart the beams of thy brightness from above which may pierce all the most inward parts of my heart purifie rejoyce enlighten and enliven my spirit with all the powers thereof that I may cleave unto thee with abundance of joy and triumph O when will that blessed and desired hour come that I may be filled with thy presence and thou mayest be unto me all in all As long as this is not granted me I shall not have full joy Alas the old Man yet liveth in me he is not wholly crucified he is not perfectly dead He doth as yet lust strongly against the spirit and stirreth up inward wars and suffereth not the Kingdom of my soul to be in peace 4. But thou that rulest the power of the Sea and stillest the rising of the Waves thereof arise and help me scatter the People that desire war destroy them in thy might display thy greatness and let thy right hand be glorified for there is no hope nor refuge for me but in thee my Lord God CHAP. XXXV That there is no security from temptation in this life CHrist. Son there is no security in this life as long as thou livest thou shalt always have need of spiritual armor Thou livest among enemies and art assaulted on the right hand and on the left If therefore thou defendest not thy self on every side with the shield of patience thou canst not be long unwounded Moreover if thou fix not thy heart on me with a sincere will to suffer all things for me thou canst not bear the heat of this battel nor obtain the triumphant reward of the Saints in bliss Thou oughtest therefore manfully to go through all and to use a strong hand against whatsoever withstandeth thee For to him that overcometh is manna given but for the negligent there remains much misery 2. If thou seekest rest in this world how wilt thou then attain to everlasting rest Dispose not thy self to much ease but to much patience Seek true peace not in Earth but in Heaven not in Men nor in any other creature but in God alone Thou oughtest for the love of God willingly to undergo all things even labors griefs temptations vexations anxieties necessities infirmities injuries detractions reprehensions humblings shame corrections and contempts these help to virtue these try a Novice of Christ these make the Heavenly Crown I will give an everlasting reward for a short labor and infinite glory for transitory shame 3. Thinkest thou that thou shalt always have spiritual consolations at will My Saints had not so but they had many afflictions and sundry temptations and many discomforts in all which they did bear up themselves patiently and trusted rather in God than in themselves knowing that the sufferings of this time are not condign to the deserving of future glory Wilt thou have that straightways which many after many tears and great labors have hardly obtained Wait upon the Lord do manfully be of good courage do not despair do not fly but with constancy expose both body and soul for the glory of God I will reward thee in most plentiful manner and I will be with thee in all thy tribulations CHAP. XXXVI Against the vain judgments of Men. CHrist. Son cast thy heart constantly upon God and fear not the judgment of Men when thy conscience giveth testimony of thy piety and innocency It is a good and happy thing to suffer in such a way neither will it be burdensome to an humble heart nor to him that trusteth rather in God than in himself The most part of Men are given to talk much and therefore little heed is to be given them neither is it possible to satisfie all Although Paul endeavored to please all in the Lord and made himself all things unto all yet with him it was a very small thing that he should be judged of Mans judgment 2. He did for the edification and salvation of others as much as he could and lay in him yet could he not hinder but that he was sometimes judged and despised by others Therefore he committed all to God who knew all and he defended himself with patience and humility against evil tongues and such as thought vanities and lies and spake what they listed Yet sometimes notwithstanding he answered lest the weak should be offended by his silence 3. Who art thou that fearest a mortal Man To day he is and to morrow he is not seen Fear God and thou shalt not need to fear the terrors of Men. What harm can the words or injuries of any do thee He rather hurteth himself than thee neither can he avoid the judgment of God whosoever he be Have thou God before thine eyes and contend not with complaining words And if for the present thou seemest to be worsted and to suffer shame without desert do not therefore repine neither do thou lessen thy crown by thy impatience but rather lift up thy eyes to me in Heaven who am able to deliver thee from all shame and wrong and to render to every one according to their works CHAP. XXXVII Of a full and pure resignation of our selves for the obtaining freedom of heart CHrist. Son forsake thy self and thou shalt find me Make no self respecting choice of any thing appropriate nothing to thy self and thou shalt ever be a gainer For greater grace shall be given thee when thou dost perfectly resign thy self and not turn back to take thy self again Christian. Lord how often shall I resign my self and wherein shall I forsake my self Christ. Always and every hour as well in little things as in great I do except nothing but do require that thou be naked and void of all things Otherwise how canst thou be mine and I thine unless both within and without thou be free from all self will And how much the sooner thou dost this so much the better it will be with thee and how much the more fully and sincerely thou doest it so much the more shalt thou please me and so much the more shalt thou gain 2.
renounceth creatures flyeth the world hateth the desires of the flesh restraineth wandrings abroad blusheth to be seen in publick Nature is willing to have some outward comfort wherein she may be sensibly delighted but Grace seeketh comfort in God alone and delighteth above all visible things in the highest good 5. Nature worketh all for her own gain and profit she can do nothing freely but for bestowed benefits she hopeth to obtain either that which is equal or better either praise or favor and coveteth to have her works and gifts much esteemed but Grace seeketh no temporal thing nor desireth any other reward than God alone nor asketh more of temporal necessaries than what may serve her for the obtaining of things eternal 3. Nature rejoyceth to have many friends and kinsfolks she glorieth of noble place and birth pleaseth the powerful fawneth upon the rich applaudeth those that are like her self but Grace loveth even her enemies and is not puffed up with multitude of friends nor esteemeth place or birth but where it is joyned with greater virtue she rather favoreth the poor than the rich hath more compassion of the innocent than the powerful rejoyceth in the true not in the deceitful always exhorteth good Men to labor for the better gifts and by goodness to resemble the Son of God Nature quickly complaineth of want and trouble Grace constantly endureth need 7. Nature referreth all things to her self striveth and contendeth for her self but Grace reduceth all to God from whence originally they proceed she ascribeth no good to her self neither doth she arrogantly presume she contendeth not nor preferreth her opinion before others but in every apprehension and opinion submitteth her self unto the eternal wisdom and to the divine judgment Nature coveteth to know secrets and to hear news she will appear abroad and make proof of many things by her own senses she desireth to be known and to do those things for which she may be praised and admired but Grace careth not for hearing news nor to understand curious matters for that all this springeth from the old corruption of Man seeing here is nothing new and durable upon Earth She teacheth therefore to restrain the senses to avoid vain pleasing and ostentation humbly to hide those things that are worthy of praise and admiration and of every thing and every knowledg to seek profitable fruit and the praise and honor of God she will not have her self nor hers publickly praised but desireth that God should be blessed in his gifts who of mere love bestoweth all things 8. This Grace is a supernatural light and a certain special gift of God and the proper mark of the elect and pledg of everlasting salvation which raiseth up a Man from Earthly things to love the things of Heaven and of a carnal maketh him a spiritual Man How much the more therefore Nature is depressed and subdued so much the greater Grace is infused and the inward Man daily by new visitations more reformed according to the image of God CHAP. LV. Of the corruption of Nature and efficacy of divine Grace CHristian O Lord my God who hast created me after thy Image and likeness grant me this grace which thou hast shewed to be so great and so necessary to salvation that I may overcome my wicked nature which draweth me to sin and to perdition For I feel in my flesh the Law of sin contradicting the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the obeying of sensuality in many things neither can I resist the passions thereof unless thy most holy grace fervently infused into my heart do assist me 2. Thy grace O Lord and great grace is needful that nature may be overcome which is ever prone to evil from her youth For by Adam the first Man nature being fallen and corrupted by sin the penalty of this stain hath descended upon all Mankind in such sort that nature it self which by thee was created good and upright is now accounted for the sin and for the infirmity of corrupted nature for that the motion thereof left unto it self draweth to evil and to inferior things For the little power which remaineth is like a certain spark lying hidden in ashes This is natural reason it self encompassed about with great darkness yet still retaining power to discern good and evil and the difference between true and false although it be unable to fulfil all that it approveth and enjoyeth not now the full light of truth nor the soundness of her affections 3. Hence it is my God that after the inward Man I delight in thy Law knowing thy commandments to be good just and holy reproving also all evil and sin teaching that it is to be avoided But with the flesh I serve the law of sin whilst I rather obey sensuality than reason Hence it is that to will to do good is present with me but how to perform it I find not For this cause I often purpose many good things but because I want grace to help my weakness upon a light resistance I go back and faint Hence it is that I know the way of perfection and see clearly enough what I ought to do but pressed down with the weight of mine own corruption I rise not unto what is more perfect 4. O Lord how exceeding needful is thy grace for me to begin any good work to go forward and to accomplish it For without it I can do nothing but in thee I can do all things when thy grace doth strengthen me O Heavenly grace indeed without which our most worthy actions are nothing and no gifts of nature are to be esteemed Arts riches beauty or strength wit or eloquence are of no value with thee O Lord without thy grace For gifts of nature are common to good and bad but the peculiar gift of the elect is grace and love and they that bear this honorable mark are esteemed worthy of everlasting life This grace is so eminent that neither the gift of prophesie nor the working of miracles nor any speculation how high soever is of any esteem without it Neither faith nor hope nor other virtues are acceptable unto thee without love and grace 5. O most blessed Grace that makest the poor in spirit rich in virtues and makest the rich in many blessings to be humble in heart come come down unto me replenish me early with thy comfort lest my soul should faint for weariness and driness of mind I beseech thee O Lord that I may find grace in thy sight for thy grace is sufficient for me though other things that nature desireth be wanting If I be tempted and vexed with many tribulations I will not fear any evils whilst thy grace is with me that is my strength that giveth advice and help that is stronger than all enemies and wiser than all the wise 6. Thy grace is the mistress of truth the teacher of discipline the light of the heart the solace in affliction the driver away of sorrow the
expeller of fear the nurse of devotion the mother of tears What am I without it but a withered piece of wood and an unprofitable stalk only meet to be cast away Let thy grace therefore O Lord always prevent me and follow me and make me ever diligent in good works through Jesus Christ thy Son Amen CHAP. LVI That we ought to deny our selves and imitate Christ by the Cross. CHrist. Son look how much thou goest out of thy self so much mayst thou enter into me As to be void of all desire of external things maketh inward peace so the forsaking of our selves inwardly joyneth unto God I will have thee learn the perfect leaving of thy self to my will without contradiction and complaint Follow me I am the Way the Truth and the Life Without the way there is no going aright without truth there is no knowledge without life there is no living I am the way which thou oughtest to follow the truth which thou oughtest to trust the life for which thou oughtest to hope I am the way inviolable the truth infallible the life which cannot end I am the most straight way the supreme truth the true life yea the blessed life the uncreated life If thou remain in my way thou shalt keep the truth and the truth shall make thee free and thou shalt lay hold on everlasting life 2. If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments If thou wilt know the truth believe me If thou wilt be perfect sell all If thou wilt be my Disciple deny thy self If thou wilt possess a blessed life despise this present life If thou wilt be exalted in Heaven humble thy self upon Earth If thou wilt reign with me bear the Cross with me For only the Servants of the Cross find the way of bliss and true light 3. Christian. Lord Jesus forasmuch as thy way is narrow and contemptible unto the world grant me grace to imitate thee in suffering worldly contempt For the Servant is not greater than his Lord nor the Disciple above his Master Let thy Servant be exercised in thy holy life for therein my salvation and the true holiness doth consist whatsoever I read or hear besides it doth not recreate or delight me fully 4. Christ. Son now that thou knowest and hast read these things happy shalt thou be if thou do them He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him and will make him sit with me in the Kingdom of my Father Christian. Lord Jesus as thou hast said and promised so let it come to pass and grant that I may not wholly undeserve this favor I have received the Cross I have received it from thy hand I will bear it and bear it till death as thou hast laid it upon me Truly the life of a good retired person is the Cross but yet it is a guide to Paradise It is now begun it is not lawful to go back neither is it fit to leave that which I have undertaken 5. Let us then take courage my Brethren and go forwards together Jesus will be with us For Jesus's sake we have undertaken this Cross for Jesus's sake let us persevere in the Cross. He will be our helper who is our guide and forerunner Behold our King goeth before us who also will fight for us let us follow him manfully let none be dismaid but be we ready to die valiantly in the battle and let us not blemish our glory by flying from the Cross. CHAP. LVII That a Man be not too much dejected when he falleth into some defects CHrist. Son patience and humility in adversities are more pleasing to me than much comfort and devotion in prosperities Why art thou grieved for every little trifle spoken and done against thee Although it had been much more thou oughtest not to have been moved But now let it pass it is not the first that hath happened nor is it any new thing neither shall it be the last if thou live long Thou art manly enough as long as no adversity happeneth Thou canst give good counsel also and canst strengthen others with thy words but when any tribulation suddenly comes to thy door thou art destitute of counsel and strength See therefore thy great frailty which thou often hast experience of in every small occurrence It is notwithstanding intended for thy good when these and such like things befal thee 2. Put it out of thy heart the best thou canst and if it touch thee yet let it not deject thee nor trouble thee long bear it at least patiently if thou canst not joyfully Although thou be unwilling to hear it and conceivest indignation thereat yet restrain thy self and suffer no inordinate word to pass out of thy mouth whereby the little ones may be offended The storm which now is raised shall quickly be appeased and inward grief shall be sweetned by the return of grace I yet live saith the Lord and am ready to help thee and to give thee greater comfort than before if thou put thy trust in me and callest devoutly upon me 3. Be more patient and prepare thy self to greater suffering All is not lost if thou feel thy self often afflicted or grievously tempted Thou art a Man and not God thou art flesh not an Angel How canst thou look to continue ever in the same state of virtue when an Angel in Heaven hath fallen as also the first Man in Paradise I am he who will strengthen with health them that mourn and do raise up unto divine glory those that know their own infirmity 4. Christian. Lord blessed be thy word more sweet unto my mouth than the hony and the hony-comb What should I do in these my so great tribulations and straits unless thou didst comfort me with thy holy words What matter is it how much and what I suffer so as I may at length attain to the port of salvation Grant me a good end grant me a happy passage out of this world Be mindful of me O my God and direct me the right way to thy Kingdom Amen CHAP. LVIII Of not searching into high matters and into the secret judgments of God CHrist. Son beware thou dispute not of high matters nor of the secret judgments of God why this Man is left and that Man taken into so great favor why also this Man is so much afflicted and that Man so greatly advanced these things are beyond the reach of Man neither can any reason or disputation search out the judgment of God When the enemy therefore suggesteth these things unto thee or some curious people enquire of thee answer that of the Prophet Thou art just O Lord and thy judgment is right And again The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether My judgments are to be feared not to be discussed for they are such as cannot be comprehended by the understanding of Man 2. In like manner I
advise thee not to enquire nor dispute of the merits of the Saints which of them is holier than the other and which is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven These things oftentimes breed strife and unprofitable contentions they nourish also pride and vain glory from whence do spring envy and dissentions whilst one will proudly prefer this and the other another To desire to know and search out such things is to no purpose nor would it please the Saints for I am not the God of dissention but of peace which peace consisteth rather in true humility than in self exaltation 3. Some are carried with zeal of affection to love these or those most but this love is rather humane than divine I am He who made all the Saints and have given them grace I have given them glory I know what every one hath deserved I have prevented them with the blessings of my goodness I foreknew my beloved before the beginning of the world I chose them out of the world they chose not me first I called them by grace I drew them by mercy I led them through sundry temptations I have poured into them glorious comforts I have given them perseverance I have crowned their patience 4. I know both the first and the last I embrace all with inestimable love I am to be praised in all my Saints I am to be blessed above all things and to be honored in every one whom I have thus gloriously exalted and predestinated without any precedent merits of their own He therefore that contemneth one of the least of my Saints honoreth not the greatest for that I made both the less and the greater and he that dispraifeth any of my Saints dispraiseth also me and all the rest in the Kingdom of Heaven There all are one through the bond of love they think the same they will the same and they all love one another 5. But yet which is much more high they love me more than themselves and are drawn out of all themselves or any merits of their own For being ravished above self-love they are wholly carried out to love me in whom also they do fruitively rest Nothing can turn them back nothing can press them down for being full of the eternal Truth they burn with the fire of unquenchable love Let therefore carnal and natural Men who can affect no other but their private joys forbear to dispute of the state of Saints They add and take away according to their own fancies not as it pleaseth the eternal Truth 6. Many are ignorant but specially those that be slenderly enlightned and these can seldom love any with a perfect spiritual love They are as yet much drawn by a natural affection and humane friendship to this Man or to that and according to the experience they have of themselves in their Earthly affections so they frame an imagination of Heavenly things But there is an incomparable distance between the things which the imperfect ones imagine in their conceits and those which the illuminated ones do see by revelation from above 7. Beware therefore my Son that thou treat not curiously of these things which exceed thy knowledg but rather so apply thy endeavors that thou mayest at least have the meanest place in the Kingdom of Heaven And if any one did know which of the Saints exceed others in sanctity or were greater in the Kingdom of Heaven what would this knowledg avail him unless he should thereby humble himself the more in my sight and should rise up into the greater praising of my name He pleaseth God much better that thinketh of the greatness of his sins and the smalness of his graces and how far off he is from the perfection of the Saints than he that disputeth of their greatness or littleness 8. They are well and right well contented if Men could content themselves and refrain from these vain discourses They glory not of their own merits for they ascribe no good unto themselves but attribute all to me who of my infinite love have given them all things They are filled with so great love of the Divinity and with such an overflowing joy that there is no glory nor happiness that is or can be wanting unto them All the Saints how much the higher they be in glory so much the more humble they are in themselves and nearer and dearer unto me And therefore it is written That they did cast their Crowns before God and fell down upon their face before the Lamb and adored him that liveth for ever and ever 9. Many inquire who is greatest in the Kingdom of God that know not whether they shall ever be numbred there amongst the least It is a great thing to be even the least in Heaven where all are great for that all there shall be called and shall be indeed the Sons of God The least shall become a Thousand and the sinner of an Hundred years shall die For when the Disciples asked who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven they received this answer Unless you be converted and be come as little Children you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven 10. Wo be unto them that disdain to humble themselves willingly with little Children For the low gate of the Kingdom of Heaven will not give them entrance And wo be to the rich that have their comforts here for whilest the poor enter into the Kingdom of God they shall stand lamenting without Rejoyce you that be humble and you that be poor be you glad for yours is the Kingdom of God if you walk according to the truth CHAP. LIX That all our hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone CHristian Lord what trust have I in this life Or what is the greatest comfort that all things under Heaven do yield me Is it not thou my Lord God whose mercies are without number Where hath it been well with me without thee Or when could it be ill with me when thou wert present I had rather be poor for thee than rich without thee I rather choose to be a pilgrim on Earth with thee than to possess Heaven without thee Where thou art there is Heaven and there is death and Hell where thou art not Thou art my desire and therefore it behoveth me to sigh and cry and pray unto thee For I have none fully to trust in none that can seasonably help me in my necessities but thee alone my God Thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforter and most faithful unto me in all things 2. All Men seek their own gain thou only seekest my salvation and my profit and turnest all things to my good Although thou exposest me to divers temptations and adversities yet thou orderest all this to my advantage who art wont to try thy beloved ones a Thousand wayes In which trial thou oughtest no
less to be loved and praised then if thou didst fill me with Heavenly comforts 3. In thee therefore O Lord God I put my whole hope and refuge in thee I place my tribulation and anguish for I find all to be weak and unconstant whatsoever I behold out of thee For neither can many friends avail nor strong helpers aid nor wise councellors give any profitable answer nor the Books of the learned comfort nor any wealth deliver nor any secret or pleasant place defend if thou thy self dost not assist help strengthen comfort instruct and keep us 4. For all things that seem to belong to the attainment of peace and felicity without thee are nothing and do bring indeed no felicity at all Thou therefore art the end of all that is good the height of life the depth of wisdom and the strongest comfort of thy servants is to trust in thee above all things To thee therefore do I lift up mine eyes in thee O my God the Father of mercies I put my trust Bless and sanctifie my soul with thy Heavenly blessings that it may be made thy holy habitation and the seat of thy eternal glory and that nothing may be found in the Temple of thy glory that may offend the eyes of thy Majesty According to the greatness of thy goodness and multitude of thy mercies look upon me and hear the prayer of thy poor Servant who is far exiled from thee in the land of the shadow of death Protect and keep the soul of thy Servant amidst so many dangers of this corruptible life and by thy grace accompanying me direct it by the way of peace to the country of everlasting light Amen THE FOURTH BOOK A devout Exhortation unto the holy Communion The voice of Christ. COme unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I will refresh you saith the Lord. The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the world Take ye and eat that is my body that is given for you Do this in remembrance of me He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and life CHAP. I. With how great reverence Christ ought to be received The voice of the disciple THese are thy words O Christ the everlasting Truth though not spoken all at one time nor written in one and the self same place Because therefore they are thine and true they are all thankfully and faithfully to be received by me They are thine and thou hast spoken them and they are mine also because thou hast spoken them for my salvation I willingly receive them from thy mouth that they may be the deeper imprinted in my heart These so gracious words so full of sweetness and love do encourage me but mine own offences do dishearten me and my impure conscience driveth me back from the receiving of so great mysteries The sweetness of thy words doth encourage me but the multitude of my sins doth oppress me 2. Thou commandest me to come confidently unto thee if I will have part with thee and to receive the food of immortality if I desire to obtain everlasting life and glory Come saist thou unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I wil refresh you O sweet and loving word in the ear of a sinner that thou my Lord God shouldest invite the poor and needy to the participation of thy most holy body But who am I Lord that I may presume to approach unto thee Behold the Heavens cannot contain thee and thou saist Come ye all unto me 3. What meaneth this so gracious a condescension and this so loving invitation How shall I dare to come that know not any good in my self whereupon I may presume How shall I bring thee unto my House that have so often offended thy most gracious countenance The Angels and the Archangels honor thee the Saints and just Men do fear thee and saist thou Come ye all unto me Unless thou O Lord didst say it who would believe it to be true And unless thou didst command it who would attempt to come unto thee Behold Noah a just Man labored a Hundred years in the making of the Ark that he might be saved with a few and how can I in one hours space prepare my self to receive with reverenee the Maker of the world 4. Moses thy great Servant and thy especial friend made an Ark of incorruptible wood which also he covered with most pure Gold to put the Tables of the Law therein and I a corruptible creature how shall I dare so lightly to receive the Maker of the Law and the giver of life Solomon the wisest of the Kings of Israel bestowed Seven years in building a magnificent Temple to the praise of thy Name and celebrated the feast of Dedication thereof Eight days together he offered a Thousand peace-offerings and he solemnly set the Ark in the place prepared for it with the sound of Trumpets and joy and I the most miserable and poorest of Men how shall I bring thee into my House that can scarce spend one half hour religiously And I wish I could once spend about one half hour in a worthy and due manner 5. O my God how much did they endeavor to please thee and alas how little is that which I do How little time do I spend to prepare my self to receive I am seldom wholly recollected very seldom free from all distraction and yet surely no unbecoming thought ought to appear in the comfortable presence of thy Deity nor any creature wholly take me up for I am not to harbor an Angel but the Lord of Angels 6. And yet there is great difference between the Ark of the Covenant with its reliques and thy most pure body with its unspeakable virtues between those legal Sacrifices figures of future things and the true Sacrifice of thy body the complement of all antient Sacrifices Why therefore am I not more zealous in thy venerable presence Wherefore do I not prepare my self with greater care to receive thy holy things sith those holy antient Patriarchs and Prophets yea Kings also and Princes with the whole people have shewed such an affectionateness of devotion to thy divine service 7. The most devout King David danced before the Ark of God with all his might calling to mind the benefits bestowed in times past upon his Forefathers He made instruments of sundry kinds he published Psalms and appointed them to be sung with joy he also oftentimes sung to the harp being inspired with the grace of the holy Ghost He taught the people of Israel to praise God with their whole heart and with pleasant voices every day to bless and praise him If so great devotion was then used and such celebrating of divine praise before the Ark of the Testament what reverence and devotion is now to be performed by me and all Christian people at the Sacrament in receiving the
most precious body of Christ 8. O God the invisible Creator of the world how wonderfully dost thou deal with us how sweetly and graciously dost thou dispose of all things with thine elect to whom thou offerest thy self to be received in the Sacrament O this exceedeth all understanding This chiefly draweth the hearts of the religious and inflameth their affections For thy true faithful Servants that dispose their whole life to amendment by this most precious Sacrament oftentimes gain much of the grace of devotion and love of holiness 9. O the admirable and hidden grace of this Sacrament which only the faithful ones of Christ do know but the unbelieving and such as are slaves unto sin cannot have experience thereof In this Sacrament spiritual grace is given and strength which was lost is restored in the soul and the beauty disfigured by sin returneth again This grace is sometimes so great that out of the fulness of devotion which is here given not only the mind but the weak body also feeleth great increase of strength 10. Our coldness and negligence surely is much to be wailed and pittied that we are not drawn with greater affection to receive Christ in whom all the hope and merit of those that are to be saved doth consist For he is our sanctification and redemption he is the comfort of those who are here but travellers and the everlasting fruition of Saints It is much therefore to be lamented that many do so little consider this comfortable mystery which rejoyceth Heaven and preserveth the whole world O the blindness and hardness of Mans heart that doth not more deeply weigh so unspeakable a gift but rather cometh by the daily use thereof to regard it little or nothing 11. For if this most holy Sacrament should be celebrated in one place only and consecrated by one only Minister in the world with how great desires dost thou think would Men be affected to that place and to such a Minister that they might enjoy the celebration of these divine mysteries But now there are many Ministers and Christ is offered in many places that so the grace and love of God to Man may appear so much the greater how much the more this sacred Communion is spread through the world Thanks be unto thee good Jesus the everlasting shepherd that hast vouchsafed to refresh us who are poor and in a state of banishment with thy precious body and blood and to invite us to the receiving of these mysteries with the words of thy own mouth saying Come unto me all ye that labor and are burdened and I will refresh you CHAP. II. That the great goodness and love of God is exhibited to Man in this Sacrament The voice of the Disciple IN confidence of thy goodness and great mercy O Lord being sick I approach unto my Savior being hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life needy to the King of Heaven a Servant unto my Lord a creature to my Creator being disconsolate I come to thee my merciful comforter But whence is this to me that thou vouch-safest to come unto me Who am I that thou shouldest give thy self unto me How dare a sinner appear before thee And how is it that thou dost vouchsafe to come unto a sinner Thou knowest thy Servant and seest that he hath no good thing in him for which thou shouldest bestow this favor upon him I confess therefore my unworthiness and I acknowledg thy goodness I praise thy mercy and give thee thanks for this thy transcendent love For thou dost this for thine own sake not for any merits of mine to the end that thy goodness may be better known unto me thy love more abundantly shewed and thy gracious condescension may be the more eminently set forth Since therefore it is thy pleasure and thou hast commanded that it should be so this thy favor is also dearly pleasing to me and I wish that my sins may be no hindrance herein 2. O most sweet and benign Jesus how great reverence and thanks together with perpetual praise is due unto thee for the receiving of thy sacred body whose preciousness no Man is able to express But what shall I think of at this Communion now that I am to approach unto my Lord whom I am not able duly to honor and yet I desire to receive him with devotion What can I think better and more profitable than to humble my self wholly before thee and to exalt thy infinite goodness above me I praise thee my God and will exalt thee for ever and I do despise and submit my self unto thee in a deep sense of my own unworthiness 3. Behold thou art the Holy of Holies and I the skum of sinners Behold thou inclinest unto me who am not worthy so much as to look up unto thee Behold thou comest unto me It is thy will to be with me thou invitest me to thy banquet Thou wilt give me the food of Heaven and bread of Angels to eat which is no other indeed than thy self the living bread that descendest from Heaven and givest life unto the world world 4. Behold from whence doth this love proceed What a gracious condescension of thine appeareth herein How great thanks and praises are due unto thee for these benefits O how good and profitable was thy councel when thou ordainedst it How sweet and pleasant the banquet when thou gavest thy self to be our food How wonderful is this thy doing O Lord how mighty is thy power how unspeakable is thy truth For thou sayest the word and all things were made and this was done which thou commandest 5. A thing of great admiration that thou my Lord God true God and Man shouldest be exhibited unto us by the Elements of Bread and Wine Thou who art the Lord of all things and standest in need of none had pleased to dwell in us by means of this thy Sacrament preserve my heart and body unspotted that with a chearful and pure conscience I may often celebrate thy mysteries and receive them to my everlasting health which thou hast chiefly ordained and instituted for thy honor and for a perpetual memorial 6. Rejoyce O my soul and give thanks unto God for so noble a gift and so singular a comfort left unto thee in this vale of tears For as often as thou callest to mind this mystery and receivest the body of Christ so often dost thou remember the work of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merits of Christ. For the love of Christ is never diminished and the greatness of his propitiation is never exhausted Therefore thou oughtest always to dispose thy self hereunto by a fresh renewing of thy mind and to weigh with attentive consideration this great mystery of thy salvation So great new and joyful it ought to seem unto thee when thou comest to these holy mysteries as if the same day Christ first descending into the womb of the Virgin were become Man or hanging on the
Cross did suffer and die for salvation of Mankind CHAP. III. That it is profitable to communicate often The voice of the Disciple BEhold O Lord I come unto thee that I may be comforted in thy gift and be delighted in thy holy banquet which thou O God hast prepared in thy goodness for the poor Behold in thee is all whatsoever I can or ought to desire thou art my salvation and my redemption my hope and my strength my honor and my glory make joyful therefore this day the soul of thy Servant for that I have lifted it up to thee O Lord Jesus I desire to receive thee now with devotion and reverence I do long to bring thee into my house that with Zacheus I may obtain to be blessed by thee and to be numbred amongst the Children of Abraham My soul thirsteth to receive thy body my heart desireth to be united with thee 2. Give thy self to me and it sufficeth for besides thee no comfort is available I cannot be without thee nor live without thy visitation And therefore I must often come unto thee and receive thee for the welfare of my soul lest perhaps I faint in the way if I be deprived of thy Heavenly food For so most merciful Jesus thou once didst say preaching to the people and curing sundry diseases I will not send them home fasting lest they faint in the way Deal thou therefore in like manner now with me who hast vouchsafed to leave thy self in the Sacrament for the comfort of the faithful For thou art the sweet refection of the soul and he that eateth thee worthily shall be partaker and heir of everlasting glory It is necessary for me that do often fall and sin and so quickly wax dull and faint that by frequent prayer and confession and receiving of thy holy body I renew cleanse and inflame my self lest perhaps by long abstaining I should fall from my holy purpose 3. For the imaginations of Man are prone unto evil from his youth and unless some divine remedy help him he quickly slideth to worse This holy Communion therefore draweth back from evil and strengtheneth in good For if I be now so often slack and cold when I communicate or celebrate what would become of me if I received not this remedy and sought not after so great an help Though every day I be not fit nor well prepared to communicate I will endeavor notwithstanding at due times to receive the divine mysteries and to be partaker of so great a grace For this is one chief comfort of a faithful soul whilest she wandreth from thee in this mortal body that being often mindful of her God she receive her beloved with a devout mind 4. O the wonderful condescent of thy mercy towards us that thou O Lord God the Creator and giver of life to all spirits dost vouchsafe to come unto a poor soul and with thy whole Deity and Humanity to replenish her hunger O happy mind and blessed soul that obtains to receive thee her Lord God with devout affection and in receiving of thee to be filled with spiritual joy O how great a Lord doth she entertain How beloved a guest doth she harbor How pleasant a companion doth she receive How faithful a friend doth she take in How lovely and noble a spouse doth she embrace She embraceth him who is to be loved above all that is beloved and above all things that may be desired Let Heaven and Earth and all their furniture be silent in thy presence for what praise and beauty soever they have it is received from thy bounty and shall not equal the beauty of thy Name whose wisdom is infinite CHAP. IV. That many benefits are bestowed upon them that communicate devoutly The voice of the Disciple MY Lord God prevent thy Servant with the blessings of thy sweetness that I may approach worthily and devoutly to thy glorious Sacrament stir up my heart unto thee and deliver me from all dulness visit me with thy salvation that I may taste in spirit thy sweetness which plentifully lieth hid in this Sacrament as in a fountain Enlighten also my eyes to behold so great a mystery and strengthen me to believe it with undoubted faith For it is thy work and not Mans power thy sacred institution not Mans invention For no Man is of himself able to comprehend and understand these things which surpass the understanding even of Angels What therefore shall I unworthy sinner dust and ashes be able to search and comprehend of so high and sacred a mystery 2. O Lord in the simplicity of my heart with a good and firm faith and at thy commandment I come unto thee with hope and reverence and do truly believe that thou art present in the Sacrament Thy will is that I receive thee and that by love I unite my self unto thee Wherefore I implore thy mercy and do crave thy special grace to the end I may wholly melt and flow over with love unto thee and hereafter never harbor any external comfort For this most high and worthy Sacrament is the health of the soul and body the remedy of all spiritual weakness hereby my vices are cured my passions bridled temptations overcome or weakned greater grace is infused virtue begun increased faith confirmed hope strengthened and love inflamed and enlarged 3. For thou hast bestowed and still oftentimes dost bestow many benefits in this Sacrament upon thy beloved ones that communicate devoutly O my God the Protector of my soul the strengthner of humane frailty and the giver of all inward comfort Thou impartest unto them much comfort against sundry tribulations and liftest them up from the depth of their own dejectedness to hope in thy protection and dost inwardly refresh and illustrate them with new grace so that they who before Communion felt themselves heavy and indisposed afterwards being refreshed with Heavenly meat and drink do find in themselves a great change to the better And in such a way of dispensation thou dealest with thy elect that they may truly acknowledg and patiently prove how great their own infirmity is and what goodness and grace they receive from thee For they of themselves are cold dull and undevout but by thee they are made fervent chearful and full of devotion For who is there that approaching humbly unto the fountain of sweetness doth not carry away from thence at least some little sweetness Or who standing by a great fire receiveth not some small heat thereby Thou art a fountain always full and overflowing a fire ever burning and never decaying 4. Wherefore if I cannot draw out of the full fountain it self nor drink my fill I will notwithstanding set my lips to the mouth of this Heavenly conduit that I may draw from thence at least some small drop to refresh my thirst that so I may not be wholly dried up And though I be not altogether Heavenly nor so inflamed as the Cherubins and Seraphins notwithstanding I will
forgiven him CHAP. VIII Of the oblation of Christ on the Cross and resignation of our selves The voice of the Beloved AS I willingly offered up my self unto God my Father for thy sins my hands being stretched forth on the Cross and my body naked so that nothing remained in me that was not wholly turned into a sacrifice for the appeasing of the divine Majesty so oughtest thou also to offer up thy self willingly unto me every day as a pure and holy oblation with all thy might and affections in as hearty a manner as thou canst What do I require of thee more than that thou entirely resign thy self unto me Whatsoever thou givest besides thy self is of little account in my sight for I seek not any gift of thine but thy self 2. As it would not suffice thee to have all things whatsoever besides me so neither can it please me whatsoever thou givest if thou offerest not thy self Offer up thy self unto me and give thy self wholly for God and thy offering shall be acceptable Behold I offered up my self wholly unto my Father for thee and gave my whole body and blood for thy food that I might be wholly thine and thou remain mine But if thou abidest in thy self and dost not offer thy self up freely unto my will thy oblation is not entire neither will the union between us be perfect Therefore a free offering up of thy self into the hands of God ought to go before all thy actions if thou wilt obtain freedom and grace For this cause so few become inwardly free and illuminated for that they are loth wholly to deny themselves My saying is undoubtedly true unless a Man forsake all he cannot be my Disciple If thou therefore desirest to be my Disciple offer up thy self unto me with thy whole affections CHAP. IX That we ought to offer up our selves and all that is ours unto God and to pray for all The voice of the Disciple THine O Lord are all things that are in Heaven and in Earth I desire to offer up my self unto thee as a free oblation and to remain always thine O Lord in the simplicity of my heart I offer my self unto thee this day for a sacrifice of a perpetual praise to be thy Servant for ever Receive me with this holy oblation of thy precious body and may this be for my good and the good of all thy People 2. I offer unto thee O Lord all my sins and offences which I have committed before thee and thy holy Angels from the day wherein I first could sin to this hour upon thy merciful altar that thou mayest consume and burn them all with the fire of thy love and wash out all the stains of my sins and cleanse my conscience from all offences and restore to me again thy grace which I lost by sin forgiving me all my offences and receiving me mercifully to the kiss of peace 3. What can I do with my sins but humbly confess and bewail them and intreat always thy favor I beseech thee hear me graciously when I stand before thee my God All my sins are very displeasing unto me I will never commit them any more but I bewail and will bewail them as long as I live and am purposed to repent and according to my utmost power to please thee Forgive me O God forgive me my sins for thy holy Names sake save my soul which thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood Behold I commit my self unto thy mercy I resign my self into thy Hands Do with me according to thy goodness not according to my wickedness and iniquity 4. I offer up also unto thee all whatsoever is good in me although it be very little and imperfect that thou mayest amend and sanctify it that thou mayest make it grateful and acceptable unto thee and always perfect it more and more and bring me also who am a slothful and unprofitable profitable creature to a good and blessed end 5. I offer up also unto thee all the godly desires of pious persons the necessities of parents friends brethren sisters and of all those that are dear unto me and that have done good either to my self or to others for thy love and that have desired and begged of me to pray for them and all theirs that they all may receive the help of thy grace and comfort protection from dangers deliverance from pain and being freed from all evils may joyfully give worthy thanks unto thee 6. I offer up also unto thee my Prayers especially for them who have in any thing wronged grieved or slandered me or have done me any damage or displeasure and for those also whom I have at any time sadded troubled grieved and scandalized by words or deeds wittingly or at unawares that it may please thee to forgive us all our sins and offences one against another Take O Lord from our hearts all jealousy indignation wrath and contention and whatsoever may hurt charity and lessen brotherly love Have mercy O Lord have mercy on those that crave thy mercy give grace unto them that stand in need thereof and grant that we may be counted worthy to enjoy thy grace and attain to life everlasting Amen CHAP. X. That the holy communion is not lightly to be forborn The voice of the beloved THou oughtest often to have recourse to the Fountain of grace and of divine mercy to the Fountain of goodness and of all benignity that thou maist be healed of thy sins and passions and be made more strong and vigilant against all the temptations and deceits of the Devil The enemy knowing the great good and advantage which comes by the holy Communion endeavoreth by all means and occasions to withdraw and hinder faithful and pious persons from it 2. Some when they purpose to fit themselves for the holy Communion suffer worse assaults of the Devil For that wicked spirit as it is written in Iob cometh amongst the sons of God to trouble them according to his accustomed malice or to make them over fearful and perplexed that so he may diminish their affection or by subtile assaults take away their faith to the end they may either altogether forbear the Communion or at least come unto it but coldly But there is no heed to be taken of his frauds and suggestions be they never so filthy and hideous but all is to be turned back upon his own head Thou oughtest to contemn and scorn him a miserable wretch and not to omit the holy Communion for his assaults and the troubles which he raiseth 3. Oftentimes also an excessive care for the obtaining such a degree of devotion and some anxiety about confessing thy sins hindereth thee Follow herein the counsel of the wise and put away all doubt and scruple for it is an hindrance to the grace of God and prejudiceth the devotion of the mind For every small vexation and trouble omit not the holy Communion but the sooner confess thy sins and willingly forgive others
whatsoever offences they have done against thee and if thou hast offended any humbly crave pardon and God will readily forgive thee 4. What availeth it to delay long the confession of thy sins or to defer the holy Communion Purge thy self with speed spit out the venome presently make hast to apply this sovereign remedy and thou shalt find it to be better with thee than if thou deferredst it long If thou omittest it to day for this cause perhaps to morrow some greater will fall out and so thou maist be hindred a long time from the Communion and become more unfit With all possible speed shake off from thy self all present heaviness and sloth for it will not avail thee to continue long in disquietness and trouble of mind and for daily occurring impediments to withdraw thy self from the divine mysteries Yea it is very prejudicial to defer the Communion long for this usually causeth a greater dulness and undisposedness Alas some cold and dissolute people do willingly delay confession and defer the sacred Communion lest they should be engaged to the greater watch over themselves 5. O how little is their charity and how weak is their devotion that so easily omit the holy Communion How happy is he and acceptable to God who so ordereth his life and keepeth his conscience in such purity that he is ready and fit to communicate every day if it were convenient and might be done without others taking notice If one doth sometimes abstain out of humility or by reason of some lawful impediment he is to be commended for the reverence which therein he sheweth But if it proceedeth of dull slothfulness he must stir himself up and do what lieth in him and God will assist his desire for the good will he hath thereto which God doth chiefly respect 6. And when any lawful hindrance doth happen he must yet always have that good will and a pious intention to communicate and so shall he not lose the fruit of the Sacrament For every good Man may every day and hour profitably and without let receive Christ spiritually and yet on certain daies and at time appointed he ought to receive Sacramentally with an affectionate reverence the body of his Redeemer and rather seek the honor and glory of God than his own comfort For he communicateth mystically and is invisibly as often as he devoutly calleth to mind the mysterie of the Incarnation and the Passion of Christ and is inflamed with his love 7. He that prepareth not himself but when a Festival draweth near and when custome compelleth him thereunto shall usually be found to be unprepared for it Blessed is he that offereth himself up as a Sacrifice to the Lord as often as he doth celebrate or communicate Be not too long nor too short in celebrating but keep the accustomed manner of those with whom thou livest Thou oughtest not to be tedious and troublesom to others but to observe the received custom according to the appointment of thy Superiors and rather frame thy self to the profit of others than to thine own devotion or desire CHAP. XI That the Body of Christ and the holy Scriptures are most necessary unto a faithful soul. The voice of the Disciple O Sweetest Lord Jesus how great sweetness hath an holy soul that feasteth with thee in thy banquet where there is set no other food to be eaten but thy self her only beloved and most to be desired above all the desires of her heart And verily it should be a sweet thing unto me to pour out tears from the very bottom of my heart in thy presence and with holy Magdalene to wash thy feet with my tears But where is this devotion Where is there any so plentiful shedding of holy tears Surely in the sight of thee and thy holy Angels my whole heart should be inflamed and even weep for joy For I enjoy thee in the Sacrament truly present though hidden under another representation 2. For to behold thee in thine own divine brightness mine eyes would not be able to endure it neither could the whole world stand in the brightness of the glory of thy Majesty I do really enjoy and adore him whom the Angels adore in Heaven but I as yet in the mean time by faith they by sight and without a veil I ought to be content with the light of true faith and to walk therein until the day of everlasting brightness break forth and the shadowes of figures pass away But when that shall come which is perfect the use of Sacraments shall cease For the blessed in Heavenly glory need not any Sacramental remedy but rejoyce without end in the presence of God beholding his glory face to face and being transformed from glory to glory into the Image of the incomprehensible Deity they tast the word of God made flesh as he was from the beginning and as he remaineth for ever 3. Whilest I mind these wonderful things even all spiritual comfort whatsoever becometh tedious unto me for that as long as I behold not my Lord openly in his glory I make no account at all of whatsoever I see or hear in this world Thou art my witness O God that nothing can comfort me no creature can give me rest but thou my God whom I desire to behold everlastingly But this is not possible whilest I remain in this mortal life Therefore I must frame my self to much patience and submit my self to thee in all my desires For thy Saints also O Lord who now rejoyce with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven whilst they lived expected in faith and great patience the coming of thy glory What they believed I believe what they hoped for I also hope for whither they are come I trust I shall come by thy grace In the mean time I will go forward in faith strengthened by the examples of the Saints I have also godly books for my comfort and for the glass of my life and above all these thy most holy body for a singular remedy and refuge 4. For I perceive Two things to be chiefly necessary for me in the life without which this miserable life would be unsupportable unto me Whilst I am kept in the prison of this body I acknowledge my self to stand in need of Two things to wit food and light Thou hast therefore given unto me a weak creature thy sacred Body for the nourishment of my soul and body and thou hast set thy word as a light unto my feet without these Two I could not well live For the word of God is the light of the soul and thy Sacrament the bread of life These also may be called the Two Tables set on the one side and the other in the store-house of the holy Church One is the holy Table having the holy bread that is the precious body of Christ the other is that of the divine Law containing holy Doctrine teaching the true faith and certainly leading to that within the veil where is