liuely Sacramēt and whatsoeuer wanteth in me I beseeche thee my Lorde Iesu most holie blessed that thou beninglye and gratiouslie supplie in me for thou haste vouched safe to call all to thee saying Come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refreshe you I labour in the sweate of my bodie and am tormented with the sorowe of mine heart and charged with sinnes trauayled with temptations intriked and oppressed with many euill passions and there is none that may helpe or that maye deliuer me ne that maye make me safe but thou Lorde God my onely Sauiour to whome I commit me and all mine that thou kepe me and lead me into life euerlastinge accept me and take me into the laude glorye of thy name that haste ordeyned to me thy bodie and bloud to be my meate and drinke and graunt me Lorde I beseech thee that by the ofte receauinge of thy high misterie the feruour of deuotion maye daylie increase in me Of the vvorthines of the Sacrament of the Aultar and of the state of priesthood The .5 Chapter IF thou haddest the puritie of Angels and the holines of S. Iohn Baptist thou shouldest not for that be worthie to receaue nor touche this holy Sacrament for it is not graunted for the merites of man that a man shoulde consecrate and touche the Sacrament of Christe and take to his meate the breade of Angels It is a great misterie and it is a great dignitie of priests to whome it is graunted that is not graunted to Angels for priests onely that be duely ordeined in the Church haue power to singe Masse and to consecrate the bodye of Christ for a priest is the minister of God vsinge the worde of consecration by the commaundement and ordinance of God and God is there the principall doer and the inuisible worker to whom is subiect all that he willeth and all obeyeth to that he commaundeth Thou oughtest therefore more to beleeue almightie God in this moste excellent Sacrament then thine owne wit or any other visible tokē or signe And therefore with dreade and reuerēce it is to go to this blessed worke Take heede then diligentlie and see from whēce this mistery and seruice commeth that is geuen vnto thee by the touchinge of the handes of the bilhop Thou aste nowe made a priest and art consecrate to sing Masse Take heede therefore that thou faithfullye and deuoutlye offer thy sacrifice to God in due time and that thou keepe thy selfe without reproufe thou haste not made thy burden more light but hou arte nowe bounde in a straiter bonde of discipline and of muche more high perfection then thou were before A priest ought to be adorned with all vertues and to geue other example of good life his conuersation shoulde not be with the common people nor in the common waye of the worlde but with Angels in heauen or with perfect men in earth that be best disposed to serue God A priest also clothed in holye vestimentes beareth the place of Christ that he should humblie and meekly praye to our Lorde for him selfe for all the people he hath before him and behinde him the signe of the Crosse of Christ that he shoulde diligently remember his passion he beareth before him the Crosse that he maye diligently behould see the steppes of Christ and study feruentlye to folow them and behinde him also he is signed with the Crosse that he should gladly and meekly suffer all aduersities for the loue of God he beareth the Crosse before him that he shoulde bewayle his owne sinnes and he beareth it behinde hym that he maye through compassion beweepe the sinnes of other and knowe him selfe to be set as a meane betwene God and al the people and not to ceasse of prayer and holye oblation til he maye deserue of almighty God mercy grace VVhen a priest saith Masse he honoreth God he maketh Angels glad he edifieth the Chruche he helpeth the people that be a liue and geueth rest to them that be deade and maketh him selfe partaker of all good dedes Of the invvarde remembraunce and exercise that a man ought to haue afore the receauinge of the bodye of Christe The 6. Chapter LOrde when I thinke of thy worthines and of my great filthines I tremble stronglie and am cōfounded in my selfe for if I receaue thee not I flie the eternall life and if I vnworthylie receaue thee I runne into thy wrath VVhat shall I then do my good Lorde my helper my protectour comforter and right sure Counsailer in all my necessities Teache me good Lorde the right waye and purpose vnto me some readie erercise conuenable to the receauinge of this holye misterie for it is necessarye vnto me greatlie profitable to knowe howe deuoutlie and reuerentlie I ought to prepare mine heart to receaue it or to consecrate so great and so goodlie a Sacrifice as it is Of the discussing of our ovvne conscience and of the purpose of amendment The 7. Chapter IT behoueth thee aboue all thinges with soueraigne reuerence and profounde meeknes of hart and with full fayth and humble intent to the houour of God to celebrate take and receaue this holie Sacrament examine diligentlie thy couscience by true contrition and meeke confession and make it cleane after thy power so that thou know nothing that greueth or biteth thy cōscience or that may let thee to go frelie vnto it haue displeasure of all thy sinnes in generall for thy daylie excesses and offences haue sighinges and sorowinges more speciall And if the time will suffer it confesse vnto God in secrete of thine heart the miseries of all thy passions weepe and sorowe that thou art yet so carnall and worldly so vnmortified from thy passions so full of motiōs of concupiscences so vnware and so euill ordred in thy outward wits so oft wrapped in vayne phantasies so muche inclined to outwarde and worldlie thinges so negligent to inwarde thinges so redie to laughinge and dissolution so harde to weepinge and compunction so readie to easie thinges and to that that is likinge to the fleshe so slowe to penance feruor of spirite so curious to heare newe thinges and to see fayre thinges so lothe to meeke and abiect thinges so couetous to haue muche so scarse to geue so glad to holde so vnaduised in speakinge so incontinent to be still so euill ordred in maners so importune in deedes so greedie vpon meate so deafe to the word of God so quicke to rest so slowe to laboure so attentiue to fables so sleepye to holye vigils so hastie to thende so vnstable to take heede to the waye to the ende so negligent in the seruice of God so dull and so vndeuout to go to Masse so drye in thy housell so soone fallen at large to outwarde thinges so seldome gathered together to inwarde thinges so soone moued to anger and wrath so lightlye stirred to the displeasure of other so readie to iudge so rigorous to
let him be kinde and thankefull for such grace as he hath receaued patient when it is withdrawen and praye deuoutlie that it may shortlie come againe Let him be meeke and lowa in spirite that he lose it not agayne through his presumption and pride of hart Of the small number of the louers of the Crosse The .11 Chapter IEsus hath many louers of his kingdome of heauen but he hath fewe bearers of his crosse Manie desire his consolation but fewe desire his tribulation He findeth many felowes at eatinge and drinkinge but he findeth fewe that will be with him in his abstineÌ„ce and fastinge All men would ioye with Christ but fewe would any thinge suffer for Christe Many folowe him to the breakinge of his breade for their bodilye refection but few will folowe him to drinke a draught of the Chalice of his passion Manie maruayle and honour his miracles but fewe will folowe the shame of his crosse of his other vilanies Manie loue Iesu so longe as no aduersitie foloweth to them and can prayse him and blesse him when they receyue any benefit of him but if Iesu a litle withdraw him selfe from them and a litle forsake them anone they fall to some great grudginge or to ouergreat defection or into open desperation But they that loue Iesu purelie for him selfe and not for their owne profite and commoditie they blesse him as hartilie in temptation and tribulatioÌ„ and in all other aduersities as they doe in tyme of consolation And yf he neuer sent them consolation yet woulde they alway laude him and prayse him O how may the loue of Iesu doe to the helpe of a soule if it be pure and cleane not mixt with any inordinate lone to him selfe truelie nothing more May not they then that euer looke for worldlie comfortes and for worldlie consolations be called worldly inarchants and worldly louers rather then louers of God do they not openlye shewe by their dedes that they rather loue them selfe than God yes truelye O where maye be founde anye that will serue God freely and purelye without looking for some rewarde for it agayne And where may be founde any so spirituall that he is cleerelye deliuered and bereft from loue of him selfe and that is truely poore in spirite and is whollye auoyded from loue of creatures I trowe noue suche can be found but it be far hence and in far countryes If a man geue all his substaunce for God yet he is naught and if he doe great penaunce for his sinnes yet he is but litle and if he haue great cunning and knowledge yet he is far from vertue and if he haue greate vertue and brenninge deuotion yet much wanteth in him And that is specially one thing which is moste necessarye to him what is that that all thinges forsaken and him selfe also forsaken he go cleerely from him selfe and keepe nothinge to him selfe of anye priuate loue and wheÌ„ he hath done all that he ought to doe that he feele in him selfe as he had nothinge done nor that he thinke it great that some other might thinke great but that he thinke him selfe truely as he is an vnprofitable feruant for the authour of truth our Sauiour Christe saith when ye haue done all that is commaunded you to doe yet saye that ye be but vnprofitable seruauntes Then he that can thus doe may well be called poore in spirite and naked of priuate loue and he may well say with the prophete Dauid I am vnited in God and am poore and meeke in heart There is none more riche none more free nor any of more power then he that can forsake him selfe and all passinge thinges and that truelye can holde him selfe to be lowest and vilest of all other Of the vvay of the Crosse and bovve profitable patience is in aduersitie The 12. Chapter THe wordes of our Sauiour â—e thought very harde and greeuous wheÌ„ he saith thus Forsake your leife take the Crosse and folowe me But much more greeuous shall it be to heare these wordes at the last daye of iudgement Go ye from me ye cursed people into the fire that euer shall last But those that nowe gladlie heare and folowe the wordes of Christ whereby he counsaileth them to folowe him shall not then neede to dreade for hearinge those wordes of euerlastinge damnation The signe of the Crosse shall appere in heaueÌ„ when our Lorde shall come to iudge the worlde and the seruantes of the Crosse who conformed them selues here in this life to Christe crucified on the Crosse shal go to Christe their Iudge with greate fayth and trust in him VVhy doest thou then dreade to take this Crosse sith it is the verye waye to the kingdome of heauen and none but that In the Crosse is health in the Crosse is life in the Crosse is defense from our enemies in the crosse is infusion of heauenlie sweetnes in the Crosse is the strength of minde the ioye of spirite the highnes of vertue and the full perfection of all holines and there is no health of soule nor hope of euerlasting life but through vertue of the crosse Take therefore the Crosse and folowe Iesus and thou shalt goe into the lyfe euerlastinge He hath gone before thee bearinge his Crosse and died for thee vpon the Crosse that thou shouldest in like wise beare with him the Crosse of penance and tribulation and that thou shouldest be readie likewise for his loue to suffer death if neede require as he hath done for thee If thou die with him thou shalt liue with him and if thou be felowe with him in paine thou shalt be with him in glorie Beholde then how in the Crosse standeth all howe in dyinge to the worlde lieth all our health that there is no other waye to true and inward peace but the waye of the Crosse and of deadlie mortifyinge of the bodie to the spirite So whether thou wilt and seeke what thou list and thou shalt neuer finde aboue thee nor beneath thee within thee nor without thee more high more excellent nor more sure waye to Christ then the waye of the holy crosse Dispose euery thinge after thy will and thou shalt neuer finde but that thou must of necessitie somewhat suffer eyther with thy will or against thy will and so shalt thou alwaye finde the Crosse for either thou shalt feele paine in thy bodie or in thy soule thou shalt haue trouble of spirit Thou shalt be sometime as thou were forsaken of God Sometime thou shalt be vexed with thy neighbour and that is yet more painefull thou shalt sometime be greeuous to thy selfe and thou shalt find no meane to be deliuered but that it behoueth thee to suffer til it shall please almightie god of his goodnes otherwise to dispose for thee for he will that thou shalt learne to suffer tribulation without coÌ„solatioÌ„ that thou mayest therby learne whollie to submit thy selfe to him and by tribulation to be made more meeke then thou were
loue to God when it is rather done of carnalitie and of a fleshly loue then of a charitable loue for cōmonlie some carnall inclinatiō to our frēdes or some inordinate loue to our selfe or some hope of a temperall reward or a desire of some other profite moueth vs to doe the deede and not the pure loue of charitie Charitie seeketh not him selfe in that he doth but he desireth to doe onlie that which shalbe honour and praysinge to God He enuieth no man for he loueth no priuate loue neither wil he ioy in him selfe but he couereth aboue all thinges to be blessed in God He knoweth well that no goodnes beginneth originallie of mā and therefore he referreth all goodnes to God of whom all thinges proceede and in whom all blessed Saintes doe rest in euerlasting fruition Oh he that had but a lytle sparkle of this perfect charitie should feele sooth fastlie in his soule that all earthlie thinges be full of vanitie Of the suffering of other mens defaultes The .16 Chapter SVche defaultes as we can not amende in our selues nor in other we must patientlye suffer til our Lord of his goodnes wil other wise dispose And we shall thinke that happlye it is so best for to be for prouinge of our patience without which our merites are but litle to be pōdred Neuerthelesse thou shalte pray hartilye for such impedimētes that our Lorde of his great mercye and goodnes vouchsafe to helpe vs that we may patientlye beare them If thou admonishe any person once or twise and he will not take it striue not ouermuche with him but commit al to God that his wil be done and his honour in al his seruauntes for he can wel by his goodnes turne euil into good Study alway that thou maiest be patient in suffering of other mens defaultes for thou haste many thinges in thee that other doe suffer of thee and if thou canste not make thy selfe to be as thou wouldest how mayest thou then looke to haue another to be ordered in al thinges after thy wil VVe woulde gladlye haue other perfect but wil not amēde our owne defaultes VVe would that other should be straitly corrected for their offences but we will not be corrected It misliketh vs that other haue libertie but we will not be denyed of that we aske VVe wolde also that other should be restrained according to the statutes but we in no wise wilbe restrayned Thus it appeareth euidentlye that we seldome ponder our neighbour as we doe our selfe If al men were perfect what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God Therfore God hath so ordeyned that one of vs shal learne to beare anothers burden for in this world no man is without default no man without burden no man sufficiente to him selfe nor no man wise ynough of him selfe VVherefore it behoueth eche one of vs to beare the burden of other to comfort other to helpe other to enforme other and to instruct and admonish other in all charitie who is of most vertue appeareth beste in time of aduersitie Occasions make not a man frayle but they shewe openly what he is VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person The .17 Chapter IT be hooueth thee to breake thine owne wil in many thinges if thou wilte haue peace and concorde with other It is no litle thing to be in monasteries or in congregations and to continue there without complayning or missaying faithfully to perseuer there vnto the ende Blessed are they that there liue well and make a good ende If thou wilt stand surely in grace and muche profite in vertue holde thy selfe as an outlaw and as a pilgrime here in this life and be glad for the loue of God to be holden as a foole and as a vile person in the worlde as thou art The habite and tonsure helpe litle but the chaunging of life and the mortifying of passiōs make a person perfect and true religious He that seeketh any other thing in religion then purely god and the health of his soule shal finde nothing there but trouble and sorowe and he may not lōg stand there in peace and quietnes that laboreth not to be least and subiect to all It is good therfore that thou remember ofte that thou camste to religion to serue and not to be serued and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour not to be ydle or to tel vayn tales In religion a man shal be proued as gold in a fornace and no man may stand long there in grace and vertue but he wil with al his heart meeke him selfe for the loue of God Of the examples of holy fathers The .18 Chapter BEholde the liuely examples of holy fathers and blessed Saintes in whom flourished and shined all true perfection of life and perfecte religion And thou shalt see howe litle it is and welnigh as nothing that we doe nowe in these dayes in comparison of them O what is our life if it be to them cōpared They serued our Lorde in hunger and thirste in heate in colde in nakednes in laboure and in werines in vigiles and fastinges in prayers in holy meditations in persecutions and in many reproufes O how manye and howe greeuous tribulations suffered the Apostles Martyrs Confessours virgins other holy Saintes that would folowe the steppes of Christe They refused honours and all bodily pleasures here in this life that they might alway haue the euerlasting life O howe straite and abiecte a life led the holy fathers in wildernes how greeuous temptatiōs suffred they howe fiersly were they with their ghostly enemies assailed and how feruent prayer offered they dailye to God VVhat rigorous abstinence vsed they howe great zeale and feruour had they to spirituall profite how strong battayle helde they against all sinne and howe pure whole intent had they to God in all their deedes On the day they labored in the night they prayed And though they labored on the day bodily yet they prayed in minde and so they spent their time alway fruitfullye and thought euery houre shorte for the seruice of God and for the great sweetenes that they had in heauenly contemplatiō they forgot ofte times their bodily refection All riches honour dignities kinsemen and frendes they renounced for the Ioue of god They coueted to haue nothing in the world scarsely they would take that was necessary for the bodily kinde They were poore in worldly goodes but they were riche in grace vertue They were needy outwardly but inwardly in their soules they were replenished with grace and ghostly eōfortes To the world they were alienes and strangers but to God they were right deere and familier frendes In the sight of the world and in their owne sight they weare vile abiecte but in the sight of God and his Saintes they were precious singulerlye electe In the shined all perfection of vertue true meekenes simple obedience charitie patiēce
incumbred by an euill custome for that euill custome may be ouercome with a good custome And excuse thee not that thou art let by other men for if thou wilt leaue the familiaritie with other they will suffer thee to doe thy deedes without impediment Meddle thee not with other mens goodes neither busie thee in great mens causes haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe and diligentlie informe and admonishe thy selfe before all other If thou haue not the fauour of worldlie liuinge people sorowe not therfore but let this be thy daylie sorowe that thou behauest not thy selfe in thy conuersation as it beseemeth a good religious person for to doe It is more expedient and more profitable that a man sometime lacke consolations in this life the that he haue them alwayes after his owne will namelye fleshlie consolations Neuerthlesse that we haue not sometime heauenly consolations or that we so seldome feele them as we doe it is through our owne defaulte for we seeke not to haue the true compunction of harte nor we caste not fullie awaye from vs the false outwarde consolatiōs Holde thy selfe therfore vnworthy to haue any consolation and worthye to haue much tribulation VVhen a man soroweth perfectlye for his sinnes then all wordly cōfortes be painefull to him A good man findeth alway matter ynough why he ought iustlie so sorowe weepe for if he beholde him selfe or if he thinke on his neighbour he seeeth well that none liueth here without great miserie the more throughlie that he may consider him selfe the more sorow he hath And alwaye the matter of true sorowe and of true inwarde copunction is the remembraunce of our sinnes wherein we be so wrapped on euery side that seldome we may beholde any ghostly thinges But if we would more ofte thinke on our death then we doe on long lyfe no doubt but we should more feruentlie apply our selfe to amendment and I beeleue also that if we woulde hartily remember the paines of hell and of purgatorie that we shoulde more gladlye sustayne all labors and sorowes and that we shoulde not dreade anye paine in this world wherby we myght auoyde the paynes that are to come But forasmuch as these things goe not to the heart and we yet loue the flattering and false pleasures of this worlde therefore we remaine colde and voide of deuotiō and ofte it is through the weakenes of the spirite that the wretched bodie so lightlie complaineth Pray therfore meekelie to our Lorde that he of his great goodnes geue thee the spirite of compunction and saye with the prophete thus Feede me Lord with the breade of compunction and geue me to drinke water of teares in great abundance Of the consideringe of the miserie of mankinde and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth The .22 Chapter AVVretch thou act whosoeuer thou be withersoeuer thou turne thee but if thou turne thee to God VVhy arte thou so lightlie troubled for that it falleth not to thee as thou wouldest and desirest VVhat is he that hath all thinge after his wil neither thou nor I nor any man liuinge for none liue here without some trouble or anguishe be he kyng Or who thinkest thou is in moste fauour with God truelie he that suffreth gladlie moste for God But many persons weake and feeble in spirite saye thus in their heartes Lo howe good a life that man leadeth howe riche he is howe mightie he is how high in authoritie how great in sight of the people and how faire and beautifull in his bodily kinde but if thou take heede to the goodnes euerlastinge thou shalt well see that these worldlye goodes and worldly likinges are but litle worth and that they be more rather greuous then pleasaunt for they may not be had ne kept but by great labour and busines of minde The felicitie of man standeth not in abundance of worldlie goodes for the meane is best And verilie to liue in this world is but miserie and the more ghostlie that a man would be the more painfull it is to him for to liue for he feeleth more plainely the defaultes of mans corruption For why to eate to drinke to sleepe to wake to rest to labour and to serue all other necessities of the bodie is great miserie and great affliction to a deuout soule which woulde gladly be free from the bondage of sinne that it might without let serue our Lord in puritie of conscience and in cleannes of heart The inwarde man is greatlie greeued through the bodilie necessities in this world VVherefore the prophete Dauid desired that he might be deliuered from such necessities But woe be to them that knowe not their owne misery woe be to them that loue this wretched and this corruptible life for some loue it so muche that yf they might euer lyue here though they myght poorelye get their liuinge with labour begginge yet they would neuer care for the kingdome of heauē O madde and vnfaithfull creatures are they that so deepelie set their loue in earthly things that they haue no feeling nor taste but in fleshlie pleasures Truelie in the hour of death they shall knowe howe vile and howe naughtie it was that they so much loued But holle Saintes and deuout folowers of Christ they did not what pleased the fleshe ne what was pleasaunt in the sight of the world but all their whole intent and desire they helde to thinges inuisible and feared least by sight of thinges visible they might be drawen downe to the loue of them My welbeloued brother lose not the desire to profite in spirituall thinges for thou hast yet good time and space VVhy wilt thou any longer deferre the time Arise and now this same instant beginne and saye thus Nowe is time to laboure in good workes nowe is time to fight in ghostlie battaile and nowe is time to make amēdes for trespasse passed VVhen thou art troubled then is best time to merite and get rewardes of God It behoueth thee to go through fire and water before thou come to the place of recreation and but if thou can fullie haue the mastry ouer thy selfe thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne nor liue without great tediousnes and sorow VVe would gladlie be deliuered frō all miserie and sinne but because we haue through sinne lost our innocencie we haue lost also the verie ioye and felicitie VVherefore we must holde vs in patience and with good hope abide the mercie of God till wretchednes and miserie be ouerpassed and that this bodilie lyfe be chaunged into the life euerlastinge O how great is the frailtie of man that he is euer readie and prone to sinne This daye thou art confessed and to morow thou fallest againe Now thou purposest to beware and intendest to go forth stronglie in good workes and shortlie after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken such purpose Rightfullie theréfore we ought to meeke our selfe and neuer to thinke in vs any vertue or goodnes for that we be so fraile vnstable
ende of my life And anone he hearde inwardlie in his soule the answere of our Lord sayinge VVhat wouldest thou doe yf thou knewest thou shouldest perseuer doe nowe as thou wouldest doe then and thou shalt be safe and so anone he was comforted and committed himselfe whollie to the will of God and all his doubtfulnes ceassed and neuer after would he curiousie search to know what should become of him but rather he studied to knowe what was the will of god against him and how he might begin and ende all his deedes that he should doe to the pleasure of God and to his honour Trust in God and do good deedes sayth the prophete Dauid inhabite the earth and thou shalt be fedde with the riches of thy good deedes But one thing withdraweth manie from profitinge in vertue and from amendment of life that is an horrour and a false worldlie dreade that they may not abide the paine and labour that is needefull for the gettinge thereof Therefore they shall most profite in vertue before all other that enforce them selues mightilie to ouercome those thinges that be moste greeuous and contrarious to them For a man profiteth there moste there winneth most grace where he moste ouercommeth him selfe and wherin he most mortifieth his bodye to the soule But all men haue not in lyke much to mortifie and ouercome for some haue mo passions then some haue Neuerthelesse a feruent louer of god though he haue more greater passions thē other yet shall he be more stronger to profite in vertue then another that is better manered and that hath fewer passions but is lesse feruent to vertue Two thinges helpe a man much to amendment of lyfe that is a mightie withdrawinge of himselfe from those thinges that the bodye most inclineth him to and a feruent labour for suche vertues as he hath moste neede of Studie also to ouercome in thy selfe those thinges that most mislike thee in other men and take alwaye some speciall profite in euerie place wheresoeuer thou become as yf thou see any good example enforce thee to folowe it and yf thou see any euill example looke thou eschewe it As thy eye considereth the workes of other right so and in the same wise thy workes be considered of other O howe ioyous and howe delectable is it to see religious men deuoute and feruent in the loue of God well manered and well taught in ghostlie learning and on the contrarye part howe heauye and sorowfull is it to see them liue inordinatlie not vsinge those thinges that they haue chosen and taken them to Also how inconuenient a thinge is it a man to be negligent in the purpose of his firste callinge and to set his mynde to thinges that be not committed to hym Thinke ofte therefore on the purpose that thou haste taken and set before the eye of thy soule the memorie of Christes passion and if thou beholde well and diligentlie his blessed life thou mayest well be ashamed that thou haste no more conformed thee to him then thou haste done He that will inwardly and deuoutlie exercise him selfe in the moste blessed lyfe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe shall finde therein plenteouslye all that is necessarie for him so that he shall not neede to seeke any thinge without him O yf Iesu crucified were ofte in our hearts and in our remembrance we should soone be learned in all thinges that be necessarie for vs. A good religious man that is feruent in his religion taketh all thing wel and doth gladly all that he is commaunded to doe but a religious person that is negligent and slouthfull hath trouble vpon trouble suffereth great anguishe and paine on euerie side for he lackeeh the true inwarde comfort and to seeke the outward comfort he is prohibited Therefore a religious person that liueth without discipline is like to fall in great ruine Also he that in religion seeketh to haue libertie and releasinge of his dutie shall alwaye be in anguishe and sorowe for one thinge or other shall euer displease him Therefore take heede howe other religious persōs doe that be right straitlie kept vnder the rule of theire religion They goe seldome forth they liue hardly they eate poorelie and be cloathed grosselie they labour much speake litle watche longe rise earlie make longe prayers reade ofte and keepe them selues alwaye in some wholsome doctrine Beholde the Carthusiens the Cistersiens and manie other monkes and Nunnes of diuers religions howe they rise euerie night to serue our Lorde And therefore it were great shame to thee that thou shouldest waxe slowe and dull in so holie a worke where so manie laude prayse our Lorde O howe ioyous a life were it if we should nothinge else doe but with heart and mouth continuallye prayse our Lorde Nowe truelie yf we should neuer neede to eate drinke nor sleepe but that we might alwaye laude him and onelie take heede to spirituall studies then were we much more happie and blessed then we are nowe when we are bounde of necessitie to serue the bodie O would to God that these bodilie meates were turned into spirituall refections which alas for sorowe we taste but seldome VVhen a man is come to that perfection that he seeketh not his consolation in any creature then beginneth God first to sauour sweet vnto him and then he shall be contented with euery thinge that commeth be it in likinge or mislikinge Then shall he be glad for no worldlie profite be it neuer so great nor sorie for the wantinge of it for he hath set and established hym selfe whollie in God the which is vnto him all in all to whom nothing perisheth nor dyeth but all thinge liueth to hym and serueth him without ceassinge after his biddinge In euerie thinge remember the ende and that time lost can not be called againe VVithout labour and diligence thou shalte neuer get vertue If thou beginne to be negligent thou beginnest to be feeble and weake but yf thou applie thee to feruour thou shalt finde great helpe of God for the loue of vertue thou shalt finde lesse payne in all thy laboures then thou diddest first He that is seruent and louinge is alway quicke and readie to all thinges that be of God and to his honour It is more labour to resist vices and passions then it is to toyle and sweate in bodily labours He that will not flee small sinnes shalt be litle and litle fall into greater Thou shalt alway be glad at night when thou haste spent the daye before fruitfullye Take heede to thy selfe stirre thy selfe alwaye to deuotion Admonishe thy selfe and howesouer thou remember other forget not thy selfe and so much shalt thou profite in vertue as thou canst breake thine owne will and folowe the will of God Here beginneth the seconde Booke Of invvarde conuersation The firste Chapter THe kyngdome of God is within you saith Christ our Sauiour Turne thee therefore with all thy heart to God and forsake
haste considered other mens workes what haste thou profited thereby if thou haue forgotten thy selfe If thou wilt therfore haue peace in thy soule and be perfectly vnited to God in blessed loue set apart all other mens deedes and onely set thy selfe and thine owne deedes before the eye of thy soule that thou seest amisse in thee shortly reforme it Thou shalt much profit in grace if thou keepe thee free from all tēporall cares it shall hinder thee greatly if thou set price by any temporall thinges Therefore let nothing be in thy sight high nothing great nothing liking ne acceptable to thee but it be purely God or of God Thinke all comfortes vayne that come to thee by any creature He that loueth God and his owne soule for God despiseth all other loue for he seeth well that God alone which is eternall incomprehensible and that fullfilleth all thinges with his goodnes is the whole solace comfort of the soule and that he is the verie true gladnes of harte and none other but onlye he Of the gladnes of a cleane conscience The 6. Chapter THe glorie of a good man is the witnesse of God that he hath a good cōscience Haue therefore a good conscience and thou shalt alwaye haue gladnes A good conscience may heare many wronges and is euer mery and glad in aduersities but an euill conscience is alwaye fearefull and vnquiet Thou shalt reste thee sweetelie and blessedlie if thine owne hart reproue thee not Be neuer glad but when thou hast done well Euill men haue neuer perfect gladnes nor feele no inwarde peace for our Lorde sayth there is no peace to wicked people And though they say VVe be in good peace there shall no euill come to vs loe who may greeue vs or hurt vs beleeue thē not for sodēly the wrath of god shall fal vpon them vnlesse they amende and all that they haue done shall turne to nought and that they would haue done shall be vndone It is no greeuous thinge to a feruent louer of God to ioye in tribulation for all his ioye and glarie is to ioy in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ It is a short glorie that is geuen to man and commonlie some heauines foloweth after The ioye and gladnes of good men is in their owne conscience and the ioye of righteous men is in God and of God and their ioye is in vertue and in good life He that desireth the verie perfect ioy that is euerlastinge setteth litle price by temporall ioye and he that seeketh any worldlie ioye or doeth not in his harte fullie despise it sheweth him selfe openlie to loue but litle the ioy of heuen He hath great tranquilitie and peace of hart that neither regardeth prayses nor dispraises and he shall soone be pacified and cōtent that hath a good cōscience Thou art not the better because thou art praysed nor worse if thou be dispraysed for as thou art thou art And whatsoeuer be sayd of thee thou art no better then almightie God which is the searcher of mans hart will witnes thee to be If thou behoulde what thou art inwardlie thou shalt not care muche what the world speaketh of thee outwardlie Man seeth the face but God beholdeth the hart Man beholdeth the deede but God beholdeth the intent of the deede It is a great tokē of a meeke hart a man euer to doe well and yet to thinke himselfe to haue done but litle And it is a great signe of cleannes of life and of inward trust in God when a man taketh not his comfort of any creature VVhen a man seeketh no outward witnes for him selfe it appeareth that he hath wholly committed him selfe to God Also after the wordes of S. Paule he that commendeth him selfe is not iustified but he whom God commendeth and he that hath his minde alwaye lyfte vp to God and is not bounde with any inordinate affection outwardlie is in the degree and in the state of a holye and a blessed man Of the loue of Iesu aboue all thinges The .7 Chapter BLessed is he that knoweth how good it is to loue Iesu and for his sake to despise him selfe It behoueth the louer of Iesu to forsake all other loue beside him for he will be loued onelye aboue all other The loue of creatures is deceyuable and fayling but the loue of Iesu is faithfull and alwayes abydinge He that cleaueth to any creature must of necessitie fayle as doth the creature but he that cleaueth abydingly to Iesu shall be made stable in him for euer Loue him therefore holde him thy freende for whē all other forsake thee he will not forsake thee nor suffer thee finally to perishe Thou must of necessitie be departed from thy freendes and from all mans companye whether thou wilt or not and therfore keepe thee with thy Lorde Iesu lyuing and dying and commit thee to his fidelitie and he wil be with thee and helpe thee when all other forsake thee Thy beloued is of such nature that he will not admit any other laue for he will haue alonely the loue of thy hart and will sit therin as a king in his proper throne If thou couldest well auoyde from thee the loue of creatures he would alway abyde with thee and neuer woulde forsake thee Thou shalte in maner finde it all as lost whatsoeuer trust thou hast put in any maner of thing beside Iesu Put not thy trust therfore to any suche thing as is not but a quilfull of winde or as a holowe sticke which is not able to sustayne thee ne to helpe thee but in thy most neede will deceyue thee for man is but as hay and all his glorie is as a flowre in the feelde which sodenlye vanisheth and slideth awaye if thou take heede only to the outward appearaunce thou shalt soone be deceyued and if thou seeke thy comfort in any thing but in Iesu thou shalt feele thereby great spirituall losse but if thou seeke in all thinges thy Lord Iesu thou shalt truly finde thy Lorde Iesu and if thou seeke thy selfe thou shalt finde thy selfe but that shall be to thine owne great losse for truly a man is more greuous and more hurtfull to him selfe if he seeke not his Lorde Iesu then is all the worlde and more then all his aduersaries may be Of the familier freendship of Iesu The .8 Chapter VVhen our Lorde Iesu is present all thing is liking nothing seemeth harde to doe for his loue but when he is absent all thing that is done for his loue is paynefull and harde VVhen Iesu speaketh not to the soule there is no faythfull consolation but if he speake but one worde onely the soule feeleth great inwarde comfort Did not Mary Magdalene rise soone from weeping when Martha shewed her that her maister Christe was nigh called her yes truly O that is an happie houre when Iesus calleth vs from weeping to ioy of spirite Remember howe drye how vndeuout thou art without Iesu and
tuam a me factus sum conturbatus That is O Lord thou hast withdrawen thy ghostlye comfortes from me and I am lefte in great trouble and heauines and yet neuertheles he dispaired not therfore but prayed hartily vnto our Lorde and sayd Ad to domine clamabo ad deum meum deprecabor That is to saye I shall busilye crye to thee O Lorde and I shall meekelye praye to thee for grace and comfort And anone he had the effecte of his prayer as he witnesseth him selfe saying thus Audiuit dominus misertus est mei dominus factus est adiutor meus That is to say Our Lorde hath heard my prayer and hath had mercy on me and hath nowe agayne sent me his helpe and ghostlye comforte And therefore he sayth afterward Lord thou hast turned my sorow into ioye and thou haste belapped me with heauenlye gladnes And if almightie God hath thus done with holy Saintes it is not for vs weake and feeble persons to dispayre though we sometime haue feruour of spirite and be sometime left colde and voyd of deuotion The holy ghoste goeth and commeth after his pleasure and therefore the holy man Iob sayth Lorde thou graciously visitest thy louer in the morning tyde that is to saye in the time of comfort and sodenlye thou prouest him that is to say in withdrawing such comfortes from him VVherein then may I trust or in whom may I haue any confidēce but onelye in the great endlesse grace and mercy of God for why the company of good men nor the felowship of deuout brethrē and faithfull frendes neither the hauing of holy bookes or deuout treatises ne yet the hearing of sweete songes or of deuout hymnes may litle auayle and bring forth but litle comfort to the soule when we are left to our owne frailtie and pouertie And when we be so left there is no better remedie but patience with a whole resigning of our owne will to the will of God I neuer yet founde any religious person so perfect but that he had sometime absentinge of grace or some minishinge of feruour and there was neuer yet anye Saint so highlie rauished but that he firste or last had some temptation He is not worthy to haue the high gift of contemplation that hath not suffred for God some tribulation The temptations goinge before were wont to be a soothfast token of heauenlie comfort shortly comminge after And to them that be founde stable in their temptatiōs is promised by our Lorde great consolation And therfore he sayth thus He that ouercommeth I shall geue him to eate of the tree of life Heauenlie comfort is somtime geuen to a man that he may after be more stronge to suffer aduersities but after followeth temptation that he be not lifte vp into pride and thinke hym selfe worthie of such consolation The ghostlie enemie sleepeth not neither is the fleshe yet fullie mortified and therefore thou shalte neuer ceasse to prepare thy selfe to ghostlye battayle for thou haste enemyes on euerie side that euer will be readie to assaile thee and hinder thy good purpose all that they can Of yeeldinge thankes to God for his manifolde graces The .10 Chapter VVhy seekest thou rest heere syth thou arte borne to laboure dispose thy selfe to patience rather then to cōfortes to beare the Crosse of penaunce rather then to haue gladnes VVhat temporall man would not gladly haue spirituall comfortes if he might alwaye keepe them for spirituall comfortes excede far all worldlie delites and all bodelie pleasures for all worldlye delites be eyther foule or vayne but ghostlie delites are onelie iocunde and honest brought forth by vertues and sent of God into a cleane soule But such comfortes no man may haue when he woulde for the time of temptation tarieth not longe The false libertie of will and the ouermuch trust that we haue in our selfe be much contrary to the heauenlie visitations Our Lorde doeth well in sendinge such comfortes but we doe not well when we yeelde no thankes therefore to him againe The greatest cause why the giftes of grace maye not lightlie come to vs is for that we be vnkind to the gyuer and yelde not thankes to him from whom all goodnes commeth Grace is alway geuen to thē that be ready to yelde thākes therfore againe And therefore it shalbe taken from the proud man that is wont to be geuen to the meke man I wold none of that consolation that should take from me compunction nor any of that contemplatiō that should lift my soule into presūption Euery high thing in sight of man is not holy nor euery desire cleane and pure euery sweet thinge is not good nor euery deere thinge to man is alwaye pleasant to God VVe shall therefore gladlie take such giftes whereby we shall be the more readie to forsake our selfe and our owne will He that knoweth the comforts that come through the gifts of grace and knoweth also how sharpe and painefull the absentinge of grace is shall not dare to thinke that any goodnes commeth of him selfe but he shall openlye confesse that of him selfe he is right poore and naked of all vertue yeelde therefore to God that is his and to thy selfe that is thine that is to say thanke God for his manifolde graces and blame thy selfe for thine offences Holde in thee alwaye â sure grounde and a sure fouudation of meekenes and then the highnes of vertue shall shortlie be geuen vnto thee for the high tower of vertue may not longe stand but if it be borne vp with the lowe foundation of meekes They that be most great in heauen be least in their owne sight and the more glorious they be the meeker they are in them selues full of truth and heauenlie ioy not desirous of any vaine glory or praisinge of man Also they that be fullie stabled and confirmed iu God maye in no wise be lifte vp into pride and they that ascribe all goodnes to God seeke no vaine glorie nor vayne praysinges in the world but they desire onlie to ioye and to be glorified in God and desire in heart that he maye be honoured lauded and praysed aboue all thinges both in him selfe and in all his Saintes and that is alwaye the thinge that perfect men moste couet and moste desire to bringe about Be thou louinge and thankfull to God for the least benefite that he geueth thee and then shalt thou be the more apte and worthie to receaue of hym more greater benefites Thinke the least gift that he geueth is great the most despisable thinges accepte as speciall giftes and as great tokens of loue for if the dignitie of the geuer be well considered no gifte that he geueth shall seeme litle It is no litle thinge that is geuen of God for though he sende paine and sorowe we shoulde take them gladlie and thankefullie for it is for our ghostlie health all that he suffereth to come vnto vs. If a man desire to holde the grace of God
at the first No man feeleth the passion of Christe so effectuouslie as he that feeleth like paine as Christe did This Crosse is alway readie and euery where it abideth thee and thou mayest not flee nor fullie escape it whersoeuer thou become for in what place soeuer thou art thou shalt beare thy selfe about with thee and so alwaye shalt thou finde thy selfe Turne thee where thou wilt aboue thee beneath thee within thee and without thee and thou shalt finde this crosse on euery side so that it shall be necessarie for thee that thou alwaye keepe thee in patience and that it behoueth thee to doe if thou wilt haue inwarde peace and deserue the perpetuall crowne in heauen If thou wilt gladlie beare this Crosse it shall beare thee and bringe thee to the ende that thou desirest where thou shalt neuer after haue any thinge to suffer And if thou beare this Crosse against thy will thou makest a great burden to thy selfe and it will be the more greeuous to thee and yet it behoueth thee to beare it And if it happen thee to put away one crosse that is to saye one tribulatioÌ„ yet surely another will come and happlie more greeuous then the first was Trowest thou to escape that neuer yet any mortal man might escaped VVhat Saint in this world hath beene without this Crosse without some trouble Trulie our Lorde Iesu was not one houre without some sorowe and payne as longe as he liued here for it behoued him to suffer death and to rise againe and so to enter into his glorie and how is it then that thou seekest any other waye to heauen then this plaine high waye of the Crosse All the life of Christ was Crosse and martyrdome and thou seekest pleasure and ioy Thou errest greatlie if thou seeke anye other thinge then to suffer For all this mortall life is full of miseries and is all beset about and marked with Crosses the more highlie that a man profiteth in soiâ—ite the more painfull Crosses shall he finde For by the sooth fastnes of Christes loue wherein he daylie increaseth daylie appeareth vnto him more and more the paine of this exile But neuerthelesse a man thus vexed with paine is not left whollie without all comfort for he seeth well that great fruite and high rewarde shall growe vnto him by the bearinge of his Crosse And when a man freelie submitteth him selfe to such tribulatioÌ„ then all the burden of tribulation is sodenlie turned into a great trust of heauenlye consolation And the more the fleshe is punished with tribulation the more is the soule strengthned daylie by inwarde consolation And sometime the soule shall feele such comfort in aduersities that for the loue and desire that it hath to be conformed to Christe crucified it woulde not be without sorowe and trouble for it considereth well that the more that it may suffer for his loue here the more acceptable shall he be to him in the life to come But this workinge is not in the power of man but through the grace of God that is to saye that a frayle man should take and loue that which his bodilie kinde so much abhorreth and flieth for it is not in the power of man gladlie to beare the Crosse to loue the Crosse to chastise the bodie and to make it obedieÌ„t to the will of the spirite to flee honours gladlie to sustayne reproufes to despise him selfe and to couet to be despised patientlie to suffer aduersities with al displeasures thereof and not to desire any maner of profite in this worlde If thou trust in thy selfe thou shaltneuer bringe this matter about but yf thou trust in God he shall send thee strength from heauen and the worlde and the fleshe shalbe made subiect to thee yea and if thou be strongly armed with faith and be marked with the Crosse of Christ as his housholde seruant thou shalt not neede to feare thy ghostlie enemie for he shall also be made subiect to thee so that he shall haue no power against thee Purpose thy selfe therefore as a true faythfull seruant of God manfullye to beare the Crosse of thy Lorde Iesu that for thy loue was crucified on the Crosse prepare thy selfe to suffer all maner of aduersities and discommodities in this wretched life for so shall it be with thee whersoeuer thou hide thee and there is no remedie to escape but that thou must keepe thy selfe alwaye in patience If thou desire to be a deare and well beloued frende of Christ drinke effectuouslie with him a draught of the chalice of his tribulation As for consolations commit them to his will that he order them as he knoweth most expedieÌ„t for thee but as for thy selfe for as much as in thee is dispose thee to suffer when tribulatioÌ„s come take them as speciall consolations sayinge with the Apostle thus The passioÌ„s of this world be not worthy of them selues to bringe vs to the glorye that is ordeined for vs in the life to come yea though thou thy selfe mightest suffer asmuch as all men do VVheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest to that degree of patience that tribulatioÌ„ is sweete to thee for the loue of God is sauoury pleasauÌ„t in thy sight then maiest thou trust that it is wel with thee that thou art in good estate for thou haste founde paradise in earth But as long as it is greeuous to thee to suffer and thou seekest to flee so long it is not well with thee neither art thou in the perfect way of patieÌ„ce but if thou couldest bringe thy selfe to that estate that thou shouldest be at that is to suffer gladly for God and to dye fully to the worlde then shoulde it shortlye be better with thee and thou shouldest finde great peace but yet although thou were rapt with Paule into the third heaueÌ„ thou shouldest not therefore be sure without all aduersitie for our Sauiour speaking of S. Paul after he had bene rapt into heauen sayd thus of him I shall shewe him howe many thinges he shall suffer for me To suffer therefore to thee remayneth if thou wilt loue thy Lorde Iesu and serue him perpetually VVould to god that thou wexe worthy to suffer somewhat for his loue O howe great ioye shoulde it be to thee to suffer for him what gladnes to all the Saintes of heauen and howe great edifying to thy neighbour All men coÌ„mend patience and yet fewe men will suffer Righteously thou oughtest to suffer some litle thing for God that sufferest much more for the worlde And knowe this for certaine that after this bodily death thou shalte yet lyue the more that thou canst dye to thy selfe here the more thou beginnest to liue to God No man is apt to receyue the heauenlie rewarde but he haue first learned to beare aduersities for the loue of Christe for nothinge is more acceptable to God nor more profitable to man in this worlde then to be glad to suffer for Christ in somuch that if
God in nothing regardeth him selfe but fullie in his heart can despise him selfe also coueteth to be despised of other then maye he haue good trust that he hath somewhat profited in grace and that he shall in the ende haue great rewarde of God for his good trauaile Amen Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God The 9. Chapter SHall I Lorde Iesu dare speake to thee that am but duste and ashes verilie yf I thinke my selfe any better then ashes duste thou standest against me also myne owne sinnes beare witnes against me that I may not withsaye it but if I despise my selfe and set my selfe at naught and thinke my selfe but ashes and dust as I am then thy geace shall be nigh vnto me and the light of true vnderstandinge shall enter into my heart so that all presumption pride in me shall be drowned in the vale of meekenes through perfect knowinge of my wretchednes Thorough meekenes thou shalt shewe vnto me what I am what I haue bene and from whence I came for I am nought and knewe it not If I be left to my selfe theÌ„ am I nought and all is feeblenes and imperfection But if thou vouchesafe a litle to beholde me anone I am made stronge and am â—illed with a newe ioye and meruaile it is that I wretch am so soone lift vp from my vnstablenes into the beholdinge of heauenlie thinges and that I am so louinglie lifted vp of thee that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to earthlie likinges But thy loue Lorde causeth all this which preuenteth me and helpeth me in all my necessities and keepeth me warily from all perils daungers that I daylye am like to fall into I haue lost thee and also my selfe by inordinate loue that I haue had to my selfe and in seekinge of thee againe I haue founde both thee and me and therefore I will more deeply from henceforth set my selfe at naught and more diligentlye seeke thee then in time paste I haue done for thou Lorde Iesu thou doest to me aboue all my merites aboue all that I can aske or desire But blessed be thou in all thy workes for though I be vnworthy any good things yet thy goodnes neuer ceasseth to doe well to me also to manye other which be vnkind to thee and that are turned right farre from thee Turne vs Lorde therefore to thee agayne that we maye heÌ„ceforward be louing thankfull meeke deuout to thee for thou act our health thou art our vertue and all our strength in body and soule and none but thou to thee therfore be ioy and glory euerlastingly in the blisse of heauen Amen Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God as ende of euery vvorke The .10 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ I must be the ende of all thy workes if thou desire to be happy and blessed And if thou referre all goodnes to me from whom all goodnes commeth then shall be purged and made cleane in thee thine inwarde affections which els would be euill inclined to thy selfe and to other creatures If thou seeke thy selfe in any thing as ende of thy worke anone thou faylest in thy doinge and waxest drie and barrein froÌ„ all moysture of grace VVherfore thou must referre all thinges to me for I geue all Behold therfore all things as they be flowinge and springinge out of my soueraine goodnes and reduce all thinges to me as to their originall beginninge for of me both small and great poore and riche as of a quicke springinge wall drawe water of life He that serueth me freelie and with good will shall receaue grace for grace But he that will glorifie him selfe in him selfe or willfully ioye in any thinge beside me shall not be stablished in perfect ioye nor be delated in soule but he shalbe letted anguished many wayes from the true freedome of spirite Thou shalt therefore ascribe no goodnes to thy selfe nor thou shalt not thinke that any person hath anye goodnes of him selfe but that thou yeelde alwaye the goodnes to me without whom man hath nothing I haue geuen all and all will I haue againe and with great straitnes will I looke to haue thankings therefore This is the truth whereby is driuen awaye all maner of vaine glorye and pride of heart If heauenly grace and perfect charitie enter into thy hart then shall there no enuie nor vnquietnes of mind neither any priuate loue haue rule in thee For the charity of God shal ouercome all thinges and shall dilate and inflame all the powers of thy soule VVherfore if thou vnderstandest a right thou shalt neuer ioye but in me and in me onelie thou shalt haue trust for no man is good but God alone who is aboue all thinges to be honoured and in all thinges to be blessed That it is svveete and delectable to serue God and to forsake the vvorlde The 11. Chapter NOw shall I speake againe to thee my Lorde Iesu and not ceasse And I shall say in the eares of my Lord my God and king that is in heauen O howe great is the aboundance of thy sweetenes which thou haste hidde and kept for theÌ„ that dreade thee But what is it then to them that loue thee that with all their hart do serue thee verily it is the vnspeakeable swetenes of contemplation that thou geuest to them that loue thee In this Lord thou hast moste shewed the swetenes of thy charitie to me that wheÌ„ I was not thou madest me and when I erred farre from thee thou broughtest me againe to serue thee and thou coÌ„maundest me also that I shall loue thee O fountaine of loue euerlasting what shal I say of thee howe maye I forget thee that hast vouchedsafe to louinglye to remember me VVheÌ„ I was like to haue perished thou shewedst thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde thinke and desyre and hast sent me of thy grace and loue aboue my merites But what shall I geue thee againe for all this goodnes It is not geuen to all men to forsake the worlde to take a solitarye life and only to serue thee yet it is no great thing to serue thee whom euery creature is bounde to serue It ought not therefore to seeme any great thing to me to serue thee but rather it should seeme maruel and wonder to me that thou wilt vouchsafe to receaue so poore and so vnworthy a creature as I am into thy seruice and that thou wilt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruantes Lo Lorde all thinges that I haue all that I doe thee seruice with is thine and yet thy goodnes is suche that thou rather seruest me then I thee for lo heauen earth planets and starres with their contents which thou hast created to serue man be readye at thy biddinge and doe daylye that thou haste commaunded And thou haste also ordeyned aungels to the minysterie of man But aboue all this thou
haste vouchedsafe to serue man thy selfe and haste promised to geue thy selfe vnto hym VVhat shall I then geue to thee agayne for this thousand folde goodnes woulde to God that I might serue thee all the dayes of my lyfe or at the least that I might one daye be able to doe thee faythfull seruice for thou art woorthye all honour seruice and praysinge for euer Thou art my Lorde and my God and I thy poorest seruant most bounde before all other to loue thee and prayse thee and I neuer ought to ware werye of the praysinge of thee And that is it that I aske and that I desire that is to say that I may alway laude and prayse thee Vouchsafe therfore moste mercifull Lord to supply that wanteth in me for it is great honour to serue thee all earthly thinges to despise for the loue of thee They shal haue great grace that freely submit theÌ„ selues to thy holye seruice And they shall finde also the moste sweete consolation of the holye ghoste and shall haue great freedome of spirit that here forsake all worldlye busines and choose a harde and straite lyfe in this worlde for thy name O free and ioyfull seruice of God by the which a man is made free holy and also blessed in the sight of God O holye state of religion which maketh a man lyke to aungels pleasant to God dreadefull to wicked spirites and to all faythfull people right highlye commendable O seruice much to be embraced and alwaye to be desired by whom the high goodnes is wonne and the euerlasting ioye and gladnes is gotten without ende That the desires of the heart ought to be vvell examined and moderated The 12. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde it behoueth thee to learne many thinges that thou haste not yet well lerned VVhat be they Lorde that thou order thy desires and affections wholly after my pleasure and that thou be not a louer of thy selfe but a desirous folower of my wil in all things I knowe well that desires ofte moue to this thing or to that but coÌ„sider well whether thou be moued principally for mine honour or for thine owne If I be in the cause thou shalt be wel contented whatsoeuer I doe with thee but if any thinge remayne in thy harte of thine owne will that is it that letteth and hindreth thee Beware therefore that thou leane not muche to thine owne desire without my councell least happly it repent thee and displease thee in the ende that firste pleased thee Euerye affection and desyre of mans hart that seemeth good and holye is not forthwith to be folowed nor euery contrarious affection or desire is not hastily to be refused It is sometime right expedient that a man refraine his affections and desires though they be good least happlye by his importunitie he fall into vnquietnes of minde or that he be a let to other or be letted by other and so faile in his doinge and sometime it behoueth vs to vse as it were a violence to our selfe and stronglye to resist and breake downe our sensuall appetite and not to regard what the fleshe will or will not but alwaye to take hede that it be made subiect to the will of the spirite and that it be so long chastised and compelled to serue till it be ready to all thing that the soule commaundeth that it can learne to be coÌ„tent with a litle and can delight in simple thinges and not to murmure nor to grudge for any coÌ„trarious thinges that may befall vnto it Hovv vve should keepe patience and continually stryue agaynst all concupiscence The .13 Chapter O My Lord God as I heare say patience is muche necessarie vnto me because of many contrarious thinges which in this life daylie chaunce I see well that howesoeuer I doe order my selfe for peace yet can not my life be without some battaile and sorowe My sonne it is true that thou sayest wherfore I will not that thou seeke to haue suche peace as wanteth temptations or as feeleth not some coÌ„tradictioÌ„ But that thou trow beleue that thou hast found peace wheÌ„ that thou hast many troubles and art proued with many coÌ„trarious thinges in this worlde And if thou saye thou mayest not suffer suche thinges how shalt thou then suffer the fire of Purgatory Of two euils the lesse euill is to be taken Suffer therefore patientlie the litle paines of this world that thou mayest hereafter escape the greater in the worlde to come Trowest thou that worldlye men suffer litle or nothing yes truely thou shalt find none without some trouble though thou seeke the most delicat persons that be But percase thou sayest to me againe they haue many delectations folowe their owne pleasures so much that they ponder but litle all their aduersities VVell I will it be as thou sayest that they haue all that they can desire but howe longe trowest thou that it shall endure Soothly it shal sodenlye vanish awaye as smoke in the ayre so that there shall not be lefte anye remembraunce of their ioyes passed yet when they liued they were not without great bitternes and griefe for ofte times of the same thing wherein they had their greatest pleasure receaued they after great trouble and payne righteouslie came that vnto them that forasmuche as they sought delectations and pleasures inordinatelye that they shoulde not fulfill their desire therein but with greate bitternes and sorowe O howe shorte howe false and howe inordinate be all the pleasures of this worlde Soothlye for dronkenship and blindnes of hearte the worldlye people perceaue it not nor wil not perceaue it but as dombe beastes for a lytle plesure of this corruptible life they runne headlonge into euerlastinge death Therefore my sonne go not after thy concupiscence but turne thee lightly from thine owne wil. Delite thee in god and fixe thy loue stronglye in him and he shall geue thee the asking of thine heart And if thou wilt haue coÌ„solation aboundantlye and wilt receaue the soothfast comfort that commeth of God dispose thy selfe fullye to despise this world and put from thee whollye all inordinate delectations and thou shalt haue pleÌ„teously the comfort of God And the more that thou with drawest thee from the consolation of all creatures the more sweete blessed consolations shalte thou receaue of thy creatoure But soothlye thou canst not at the first come to such coÌ„solations but with heauines and laboure goinge before thy olde custome will somewhat withstande thee but with a better custome it may be ouercome The flesh will murmure against thee but with feruour of spirite it shall be restrained The olde auncient enemy thee freende wil â—et thee if he can but with deuout prayer He shall be driuen awaye and with good bodilye and ghostlye laboures his waye shalbe stopped so that he shall not dare come nigh vnto thee Of the obedience of a meeke subiect after the example of our Lorde Iesu Christe The 14.
Chapter My sonne saith our Sauiour Christe he that laboureth to withdrawe him from obedience withdraweth hym from grace And he that seeketh to haue priuate thinges loseth the thinges that be in common If a man can not gladlie submit him selfe to his superiour it is a token that his fleshe is not yet fullie obedient to the spirite but that it ofte rebelleth and murmureth Therefore yf thou desire to ouercome thy selfe and to make thy fleshe obeye meekelye to the will of the spirit learne first to obeye gladlye to thy superiour The outward enemye is the sooner ouercome yf the inner man that is the soule be not feebled nor wasted There is none worse nor any more greeuous enemye to the soule then thy selfe if thy fleshe be not well agreeinge to the will of the spirite It behoueth the therfore that thou haue a true despisinge and contempt of thy selfe yf thou wilt preuayle against thy fleshe and bloud But forasmuch as thou yet louest thy selfe inordinatlie therefore thou fearest to resigne thy will whollie to another mans will But what greate thinge is it to thee that art but doste and nought if thou subdue thy selfe to man for my sake when I that am almightie moste highe God maker of all thinges subdued my selfe mekelye to man for thy sake I made my selfe moste meeke and most lowe of all men that thou shoudest learne to ouercome thy pride through my meekenes Learne therefore thou ashes to be tractable learne thou earth and dust to be meeke and to bowe thy selfe vnder euerye mans foote for my sake learne to breake thine owne will to be subiect to all men in thine heart Rise in great wrath against thy selfe and suffer not pryde to reygne in thee but shewe thy selfe so litle and obedient and so noughtie in thine owne sight that as thee thinkes all men maye righteouslye go ouer thee and tread vpō the as vpon earth or claye O vaine man what haste thou to complaine O thou fowle sinner what mayest thou righteously say against them that reproue thee sith thou haste so ofte offended God and haste also so ofte deserued the paynes of hell But neuerthelesse my eye of mercie hath spared thee for thy soule is precious in my sight that thou shouldest thereby knowe the greate loue that I haue to thee and be therfore the more thankful to me againe and geue thy selfe to perfect true subiection and meekenes and to be ready in hart patiently to suffer for my sake thine owne contemptes and despisings whensoeuer they shal happen to fal vnto thee Amen Of the secrete and hid iudgementes of God to be considered that vve be not proude of our good deedes The .15 Chapter LOrd thou soundest thy iudgementes terribly vpon me and fillest my body bones with great feare and dreade my soule also trembleth very sore for I am greatly astonied for that I see that heauens be not clene in thy sight for sith thou foundest default in angels and sparedst thē not what shall become of me that am but vile and stinking carreyne Stars fel from heauen and I dust and ashes what should I presume Also some people that seemed to haue great workes of vertue haue fallen full lowe And suche as were fed with meate of aungels I haue seene after delyte in swynes meate that is to saye in fleshlye pleasures VVherefore it may be well sayde and verifyed that there is no holynes nor goodnes in vs if thou with drawe thy hand of mercy from vs nor that no wisedome maye auayle vs if thou Lorde gouerne it not nor any strength helpe if thou ceasse to preserue vs no sure chastitie can be if thou Lorde defende it not nor any sure keeping may profite vs if thy holy watchfulnes be not present for if we be forsaken of thee anone we be drowned and perishe but if thou a litle visite vs with thy grace we anone liue and be lifte vp agayne VVe be vnstable vnlesse thou confirme vs we be colde and dul but if by thee we be stirred to feruoure of spirite O howe meekely and abiectly ought I therfore to iudge of my selfe how much ought I in my heart to despise my selfe though I be holden neuer so good and holy in sight of the world and howe profoundly ought I to submit me to thy deepe and profound iudgementes sith I finde in my selfe nothinge els but naught and naught O substaunce that may not be pondered O Sea that may not be sailed in thee and by thee I finde that my substaunce is nothing and ouer all naught where is nowe the shadowe of this worldlye glorie and where is the trust that I had in it Truelie it is vanished awaye through the deepenes of thy secrete and hidde Iudgementes vpon me VVhat is fleshe in thy sight how may clay glorifye him selfe against his maker how may he be deceaued with vain prayses whose heart in truth is subiect to god All the worlde may not lift him vp into pride whō truth that God is hath perfectly made subiect vnto him nor he may not be deceaued with any flattering that putteth his whole trust in God For he seeth well that they that speake be vaine and nought and that they shall shortly faile with the sounde of wordes but the truth of God alway abideth Hovv a man shall order him selfe in his desires The .16 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ thus shalt thou say in euerye thing that thou desirest Lorde if it be thy will be it done as I aske and if it be to thy praysing be it fulfilled in thy name And if thou see it good and profitable to me geue me grace to vse it to thy honoure But if thou knowe it hurtfull to me and not profitable to the health of my soule then take from me suche desire Euery desire cōmeth not of the holy ghoste though it seeme rigteous good for it is sometime full harde to iudge whether a good spirit or an euil moueth thee to this thing or to that or whether thou be moued of thyne owne spirite Many be deceued in the ende which first seemed to haue beene moued of the holy ghoste Therfore with dreade of God and with meekenes of heart it is to desire and aske whatsoeuer commeth to our minde to be desired and asked and with a whole forsakinge of our selfe to committe all thinges to God and to saye thus Lorde thou knowest what thing is to me moste profitable doe this or that after thy will geue me what thou wilt asmuch as thou wilt and when thou wilt Doe with me as thou knowest best to be done and as it shall please thee and as shall be moste to thy honoure Put me where thou wilt and freelye doe with me in all thinges after thy will Thy creature I am and in thine handes leade me and turne me where thou wilte loe I am thy seruaunt ready to all thinges that thou commaundest for I desire not to lyue to
my selfe but to thee VVoulde to God it might be worthilye and profitablye and to thy honoure Amen A prayer that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled The 17. Chapter MOst benigne Lorde Iesu graunt me thy grace that it maye be alway with me and worke with me and perseuer with me vnto the end And that I may euer desire and wil that is most pleasaunt and acceptable to thee Thy will be my will and my will alwaye to folowe thy will best accord therewith Be there alwaye in me one will and one desire with thee and that I may haue no power to will or to not will but as thou wilt or wilt not And graunt me that I maye dye to all thinges that be in the world and for thee to loue to be despised and to be as a man vnknowen in this world Graunt me also aboue all thinges that can be desired that I may rest me in thee and fullye in thee pacifye my heart for thou Lord art the very true peace of heart and the perfect rest of bodye and soule and without thee all thinges be greeuous and vnquiet VVherefore in that peace that is in thee one high one blessed and one endlesse goodnes shall I alwaye rest me so may it be Amen That the verye true solace comfort is in god The .18 Chapter VVhat at soeuer I may desire or thinke to my cōfort I abide it not here but I trust to haue it hereafter for if I alone might haue all the solace and comfort of this worlde might vse the delites thereof after mine owne desire without sinne it is certaine that they might not long endure wherefore my soule may not fully be comforted nor perfectly refreshed but in God onely who is the comfort of the poore in spirite and the embracer of the meeke and lowly in heart Abide my soule abide the promise of god thou shalt haue aboundance of all goodnes in heauen If thou inordinatelye couete these goodnes present thou shalt lose the goodnes eternal Haue therfore goods present in vse and eternall in desire Thou mayest in no maner be satiate with temporal goodes for thou art not created so to vse thē as to rest thee in them for if thou alone haddest all the goodes that euer were created made thou mightest not theefore be happy and blessed but thy blessedfulnes and full felicitie standeth only in God that hath made all thinges of nought And that is not such felicitie as is commended of the foolishe louers of the worlde but such as good christen men women hope to haue in the blisse of heauen and as some ghostlye persons cleane and pure in heart sometime doe taste here in this present life whose conuersation is in heauen All worldly solace and all mans comfort is vaine and short but that comfort is blessed and soothfast that is perceaued by truth inwardly in the hart A deuout folower of God beareth alway about with him his comforter that is Iesu and sayeth thus vnto him My Lord Iesu I beseech thee that thou be with me in euery place and euerye time and that it be to me a special solace gladly for thy loue to want all mans solace And if thy solace want also that thy will and thy righteous prouing and assaying of me may be to me a singuler comfort and a high solace Thou shalt not alwaye be angrie with me neither shalt thou alwaye threate me So may it be Amen That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God The .19 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde to his seruant suffer me to doe with thee what I will for I knowe what is best and most expedient for thee Thou workest in many thinges after thy kindlie reason and after as thy affection and thy worldlie pollicie stirreth thee and so thou mayest lightlie erre and be deceued O Lorde it is true all that thou sayest thy prouidēce is much more better for me then all that I can doe or say of my selfe VVherfore it may well be sayde and verified that he standeth very casuallye that setteth not his wholle trust in thee Therefore Lorde while my witte abideth stedfast stable doe with me in all thinges as it pleaseth thee for it may not be but well all that thou doest If thou wilt that I be in light be thou blessed and if thou wilt that I be in darkenes be thou also blessed If thou vouchsafe to comfort me be thou highly blessed And if thou wilt that I shall liue in trouble and without all cōfort be thou in likewise muche blessed My sonne so it behoueth to be with thee if thou wilt walke with me as readye must thou be to suffer as to ioye and as gladlie be needye and poore as wealthy and riche Lorde I will gladlie suffer for thee whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fal vpon me Indifferētly will I take of thy hande good and bad bitter and sweete gladnes and sorowe and for all thinges that shall befal vnto me hartily wil I thanke thee Keepe me Lorde from sinne and I shall neither dreade death nor hel Put not my name out of the booke of life and it shall not greeue me what trouble soeuer befal vpon me That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde I descended from heauen and for thy health haue I takē thy miseries not compelled therto of necessitie but of my charitie that thou shouldest learne to haue patiēce with me not to disdayne to beare the miseries wretchednes of this life as I haue done for thee for from the first houre of my birth vnto my death vpō the crosse I was neuer without some sorowe or paine I had great lacke of temporall thinges I heard great cōplaintes made on me I suffered beningely many shames rebukes for my benefites I receaued vnkindnes for my miracles blasphemies for my true doctrine many reproufes O Lorde forasmuche as thou wert founde patient in thy life fulfilling in that moste specially the will of thy father it is seeming that I moste wretched sinner beare me patiently after thy will in all thinges and as long as thou wilt that I for mine owne health beare the burden of this corruptible life for though this life be tedious and as an heauy burden to the soule yet neuerthelesse it is nowe through thy grace made very meritorious and by exāple of thee of thy holie saints it is now made to weak persons more sufferable cleere and also muche more comfortable then it was in the olde lawe when the gates of heauen were shet and the waye thitherwarde was darke and so fewe did couet to seeke it And yet they that were then righteous and were ordeined to be saued before thy blessed passion and death might neuer haue come thither O what thankes am I bounde therfore to yeelde to thee that so louingly haste vouchedsafe to
shew to me and to all faythful people that will folow thee the very true and straite way to thy kingdome Thy holy life is our way and by thy patiēce we walke to thee who art our head and gouernour And if thou Lorde haddest not gone before and shewed vs the way who woulde haue endeuoured him to haue folowed howe many shoulde haue taried behind if they had not seene thy blessed examples goinge before VVe be yet slowe dull nowe we haue seene and hearde thy signes and doctrines what shoulde we then haue beene if we had seene no such light goinge before vs Truelie we should haue fixed our minde and loue whollye in worldlye thinges from the which keepe vs Lorde of thy great goodnes Amen Of patient suffering of iniuries and vvronges and vvho is truely patient The .21 Chapter My sonne what is it that thou speakest why complainest thou thus ceasse ceasse cōplaine no more consider my passion and the passions of my saintes and thou shalt well see that it is right litle that thou suffrest for me Thou hast not yet suffred to the shedinge of thy bloud and truelie thou haste litle suffred in comparison of them that haue suffred so many thinges for me in time past and that haue bene so strongly tempted so greeuouslye troubled and so manye wayes proued It behoueth thee therefore to remember the great greeuous thinges that other haue suffred for me that thou mayest the more lightly beare thy litle griefes and if they seeme not litle to thee loke thy impatiēce cause not that but neuertheles whether they be litle or great studie alwaye to beare them patientlie without grudginge or complayninge if thou may and the better that thou canst dispose thee to suffer them the more wiselier thou doest and the more merit shalt thou haue and thy burdē by reason of thy good custome and of thy good will shall be the lighter Thou shalt neuer saye I can not suffer this thinge of such a person nor it is not for me to suffer it he hath done me great wronge and layeth vnto my charge that I neuer thought but of another man I will suffer as I shall thinke Suche maner sayinges be not good for they consider not the vertue of patience nor of whom it shalbe crowned but they rather consider the persons and the offences done vnto them Therefore he is not truelie pacient that will not suffer but as much as he will and of whom he will for a true pacient man forceth not of whom he suffereth whether of his Prelate or of his felowe that is egall vnto him or of any other that is vnder him nor whether he be a good man and a holye or an euill man and an vnworthy but whensoeuer any aduersitie or wronge falleth vnto him whatsoeuer it be and of whom soeuer if be and howe ofte soeuer he taketh all thankfullie as of the hande of God and accompteth it as a riche gifte and a great benefite O God for he knowweth well that there is nothinge that a man may suffer for God that may passe without great merite Be thou therefore readie to battall if thou wilt haue victorie without battaile thou mayest not come to the crowne of patience and yf thou wilt not suffer thou refusest to be crowned VVherefore if thou wilt needlie be crowned resist stronglie and suffer patientlie for without laboure no man may come to rest nor without battaile no man may come to victorie O Lorde Iesu make it possible to me by grace that is impossible to me by nature Thou knowest well that I may litle suffer and that I am cast downe anone with a litle aduersitie wherfore I beseeche thee that trouble and aduersitie may hereafter for thy name be beloued and desired of me for truelie to suffer and to be vexed for thee is verie good and profitable to the health of my soule Of the knovvinge of our ovvne infirmities and of the miseries of this life The .22 Chapter I Shall knowledge against me all my vnrighteousnes and I shall confesse to thee Lorde all the vnstablenes of my hearte Ofte times it is but a litle thinge that casteth me downe maketh me dull and slowe to all good workes and sometime I purpose to stande stronglie but when a litle temptation cōmeth it is to me greate anguishe griefe and somtime of a right litle thing a greeuous temptation riseth and when I thinke my selfe to be somewhat surer and that as it seemeth I haue the higher hande sodenly I feele my selfe nere hand ouercome by a light temptatiō Beholde therfore good Lord beholde my weaknes and my frailnes best knowen to thee before all other haue mercy on me O Lord and deliuer me from the filthy dregs of sinne that my feete be neuer fixed in them But this is it that ofte grudgeth me sore and in maner cōfoundeth me before thee that I am so vnstable and weake and so feayle to resist my passions And though they drawe me not alwaye to consent yet neuerthlesse their cruell assaultes be very greeuous vnto me so that it is in maner tedious to me to liue in such battaile but yet such battaile is not all vnprofitable to me for thereby I knowe the better myne owne infirmities for I see well that such wicked fantasies doe rise in me muche sonner then they go awaye But would to God that thou moste strongest God of Israell the louer of all faythfull soules wouldest vouchsafe to beholde the labour and sorowe of me thy poorest seruant and that thou wouldest assist me in all things that I haue to do Strength me Lord with heuenlye strength so that the olde enimie the fiende nor my wretched flesh which is not yet fullye subiect to the spirite haue not power nor lordship ouer me against whom I must fight continuallye while I shall lyue in this miserable life But alas what life is this where no trouble nor miserie wanteth where also euery place is full of snares of mortall enimies for one trouble or temptation goinge awaye another commeth and the first conflict yet duringe many other sodenlye ryse more then can be thought Howe may this life therefore be loued that hath suche bitternes and that is subiect to so many miseries And howe may it be called a life that bringeth forth so many deathes so many ghostly infections and yet it is beloued muche delighted of in many persons The world is ofte reproued that it is deceiptful and vaine and yet it is not lightly forsaken especiallye when the concupiscences of the fleshe be suffered to haue rule Some thinges stirre a man to loue the worlde and some thinges to despise it the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eye and the pride of the hart stirre man to loue the worlde But the paines and miseries that folowe of it causeth hatred and tediousnes of it agayne But alas for sorowe a litle delectation ouercommeth the minde of thē that be much set
to loue the world and dryueth out of their hartes all heauenlie desires insomuch that many accompt it as a ioye of Paradise to liue vnder such sēsible pleasures and that is because they neither haue seene nor tasted the sweetnes in God nor the inwarde gladnes that cōmeth of vertues But they that perfectly despise the worlde and that studie to liue vnder holie discipline be not ignoraunt of the heauenlie sweetnes that is promised vnto ghostlie liuers and they see also howe greeuouslie the world erreth and howe greeuouslie it is deceyued in diuers maners Hovve a man shoulde rest in God aboue all thinges The 23. Chapter ABoue all thinges and in all thinges rest thou my soule in thy Lorde God for he is the eternall rest of all Angels and saintes Geue me Lord Iesus this speciall grace for to reste me in thee aboue all creatures aboue all helth and fayrenes aboue all glorye and honour aboue all dignitie and power aboue all cunninge and pollicie aboue all riches craftes aboue all gladnes of bodye and soule aboue all fame and praysing aboue all sweetnes and consolation aboue all hope and repromission aboue all merite and desire aboue all giftes rewardes that thou mayest geue or sende beside thy selfe and aboue all ioy and mirth that mans heart or minde may take or feele And also aboue all Angels and Archangels and aboue the company of heauenlie spirites aboue all thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thing that is not thy selfe For thou O Lord God art most best most highest most mightest most sufficient and most full of goodnes moste sweete moste comfortable moste fayre moste louinge moste noble and moste glorious aboue all thinge in whom all goodnes is together perfectlie and fully hath beene and shall be And therefore whatsoeuer thou geuest me beside thy selfe it is lytle and insufficient to me for my heart may not rest nor fullye be pacifyed but in thee so that it ascendeth aboue all giftes and also aboue all maner of thinges that be created O my Lorde Iesu Christ moste louing spouse moste purest louer and gouernoure of euerye creature who shall geue me winges of perfect libertie that I may fite high and rest me in thee O when shall I fullie tende to thee and see and feele how sweete thou art whē shall I wholly gather my selfe together in thee so perfectlye that I shall not for thy loue feele my selfe but thee onelie aboue my selfe and aobue all bodilie thinges and that thou visite me in such wise as thou doest visite thy faythfull louers Nowe I ofte mourne and complaine the miseries of this life and with sorowe and woe beare thē with right great heauines for many euill thinges happen daylie in this lyfe which ofte times trouble me and make me verie heauie greatlie darken mine vnderstanding They hinder me greatly and put my minde from thee and so encomber me many wayes that I can not haue free minde cleane desire to thee nor haue thy sweete imbracinges that to thy blessed Saintes be alwaye present VVherefore I beseeche thee Lorde Christ Iesu that the sighinges and the inwarde desires of my hart with my manifolde desolutions may somewhat moue thee and incline thee to heare me O Iesu the light and brightnes of euerlasting glory the ioy and comfort of all christien people that are walking labouring as pilgrimes in the wyldernes of this world my harte cryeth to thee by still desires without voyce and my silence speaketh vnto thee and sayth thus How longe carieth my Lorde God to come to me verilie I trust that he will shortlie come to me his poorest seruant and comfort me and make me ioyous glad in him And that he will deliuer me from all anguishe and sorowe Come Lord come for without thee I haue no glad daye nor houre for thou art all my ioye gladnes and without thee my soule is barren and voyde I am a wretche and in maner in prison and bounde with fetters till thou through the light of thy gracious presēce vouchsafe to visit me and to refresh me and to bring me againe to libertie of spirite and that thou vouchsafe to shewe thy fauourable and louinge countenance vnto me Let other seeke what they will but trulye there is nothinge that I will seeke nor that shall please me but thou my Lorde God my hope and euerlastinge helth I shall not cease of prayer till thy grace returne to me againe that thou speake inwardly to my soule saye thus Lo I am here I am come to thee for thou haste called me thy teares the desyre of thy hart thy meeknes and thy contrition haue bowed me downe and brought me to thee And I shall saye agayne Lorde I haue called thee and I haue desyred to haue thee ready to forsake all things for thee thou first haste stirred me to seeke thee VVherefore be thou alwaye blessed that haste shewed suche goodnes to me after the multitude of thy mercy VVhat hath thy seruant Lorde more to doe or saye but that he meeken him selfe before thy maiestie and euer haue in minde his owne iniquitie There is none like to thee Lorde in heauen nor in earth thy workes be good thy iudgementes be righteous by thy prouidence all things be gouerned VVherefore to thee which art the wisedome of the father be euerlasting ioy glory and I humbly beseech thee that my body and soule my harte and tounge and all thy creatures maye alwaye laude thee and blesse thee Amen Of remembringe of the great and manyfolde benefites of God The 24. Chapter OPen mine hart Lorde into the beholding of thy lawes and in thy cōmaundements teach me to walke geue me grace to knowe and to vnderstand thy will and with great reuerence and diligent consideratiō to remember thy manyfold benefites that I may from henceforth yeld to thee due thankes for thē againe But I knowe and confesse it for truth that I am not able to yeld to thee condigne thankinges for the least benefite that thou hast geuen me for I am lesse then the least benefite that thou hast geuen And whē I beholde thy noblenes and woorthines my spirite dreadeth and trembleth very sore for the greatnes therof O Lord all that we haue in body in soule inwardly outwardlye naturally or supernaturallye they be thy benefites and shew thee openly to be a blessed and good benefactour of whom we haue receiued such giftes And though one hath receaued more and another lesse yet they all be thy giftes without thee the least can not be had and he that hath more receaued may not rightfully glorify him selfe therein as though he had gotten it by his owne merite nor exalt him selfe aboue other nor disdayne other nor despise his inferiours therfore for he is greatest and moste acceptable to thee that least ascribeth to him selfe and that is for suche giftes the more meeke and deuout in yeldinge thankes to thee for
them agayne And he that through meekenes can holde him selfe moste vile and moste vnwoorthy of all other is the more apt to receaue of thy hande more larger giftes And he that hath receaued the fewer giftes ought not therefore to be heauy or to disdaine at it nor to be enuious against them that haue receaued the greater but rather he ought to lifte his minde vpwarde to thee and highlye to laude and prayse thy name that thou so liberallye so louinglye and so freelye withou acceptinge of persons departest thy giftes among thy people all thinges come of thee and therefore thou art in all thinges to be blessed Thou knowest what is expedient to be geuen to euery person and why one hath lesse and another more it is not for vs to reason or discusse but to thee onelye by whom the merites of euery man shall be discussed VVherefore Lorde I accompt it for a great benefite not to haue many giftes whereby outwardlie after maÌ„s iudgement laude and praysinge should folow And ouer that as me seemeth although a man consider and beholde his owne pouertie and the vilenes of his owne person he ought not therefore to take griefe heauines or deâ—ection but rather to conceaue thereby greate gladnes of soule for thou haste chosen and daylie doest chose poore meeke persons suche as be despised in the worlde to be thy familier and housholde seruauntes witnes thy Apostles whom thou madest princes of al the worlde which neuerthelesse were conuersaunt amonge the people without complayninge or missaying so meeke and simple without all malice and disceipte that they ioyed to suffer reproufes for thy name so farreforth that such thinges as the world abhorreth and flieth they coueted with great desire Thus it appeareth that there ought nothinge so much to comfort and glad thy louer and him that hath receaued thy benefites as that thy will and pleasure in him be fullfilled after the eternall disposition of him from the beginninge wherewith he ought to be so well contented and pleased that he woulde as gladly be holden least as other woulde be holden most and as peacefull woulde he be as well pleased in the lowest place as in the highest and as glad to be despised and abiect and of no name nor reputation in the world as other to be nobler or greater for thy will Lorde and the honour of thy name ought to excell all thinges and more ought it to please and comfort thy louer then all other benefits geuen or that might be geuen vnto him Of foure things that bring peace into the soule The 25. Chapter My sonne nowe shal I teach thee the very true waye of peace and of perfect libertie O Lorde Iesu doe as thou sayest for that is ryght ioyous for me to heare Studye my sonne rather to fulfill another mans will then thine owne Those alwaye to haue litle worldly riches rather then much seeke also the lowest place and desire to be vnder other rather then aboue and couete alwaye and praye that the will of God be whollye done in thee Lo such a person entreth soothfastlie into the verye true waye of peace and inward quietnes O Lorde this short lesson that thou haste taught me conteyneth in it selfe much high perfection It is shorte in wordes but it is full of sentence and fruitfull in vertue for if it were well and faithfullie kepte of me vnrestfulnes shoulde not so lightly spring in me as it hath done For as ofte as I feele my selfe vnrestfull and not contented I finde that I haue gone from this lesson and from this good doctrine But thou Lorde Iesu who hast all thinges vnder thy gouuernaunce and alwaye louest the health of mans soule increase more grace in me that I maye from henceforth fulfill these teachinges and that I may doe alway that shalbe to thy honoure and to the health of my soule Amen A prayer against euill thoughtes The .26 Chapter My Lorde Iesu I beseeche thee be not farre from me but come shortlye helpe me for vaine thoughtes haue risen in mine hart and worldly dredes haue troubled me verie sore howe shall I breake them downe howe shall I passe vnhurt without thy helpe I shall go before thee sayth our Lorde and I shall driue awaye the pride of thy hart then shal I set open to thee the gates of ghostlie knowledge and shall shew to thee the priuities of my secretes O Lorde doe as thou sayest and then shall flee from me all wicked fantasies and truelie this is my hope and my onelie comfort to flee to thee in euery trouble stedfastlie to trust in thee inwardlie to call to thee and patientlie to abyde thy comminge and thy heauenlie consolations which I trust shall shortlie come to me Amen A prayer for clarifying of mans minde The .27 Chapter CLarifie me Lorde Iesu with the cleerenes of the euerlastinge light and driue out of my heart all maner of darknes and all vaine imaginations fight stronglie for me and driue awaye the euill beastes that is to saye all my euill and wicked coÌ„cupiscences that peace of conscience may enter and haue full rule in me and that aboundaunce of lawde and praysinge of thy name maye sound continuallie in the chamber of my soule that is to saye in a pure cleane coÌ„science in me Commaunde the windes and tempestes of pride to ceasse bid the sea of worldlie couetise to be in rest and charge the north winde that is to saye the fiendes temptatioÌ„ that it blowe not and then shalbe great tranquillitie and peace in me Send out thy light truth of ghostlye knowledge that it maye shine vpon the earth barreyne and dry and sende downe thy grace from aboue and therewith annoynt my dry heart and geue me the water of inward deuotion to moiste therwith the drines of my soule that It may bring forth some good fruite that shall be liking and pleasaunt to thee Rayse vp my minde that is sore oppressed with the heauy burdeÌ„ of sinne and lifte vp my desire to the loue of heauenly thinges that by a taste of the heauenlie felicitie it may lothe to thinke on any earthly thinges Take me Lorde and deliuer me from the vile consolation of creatures which must of necessitie short lie perishe and fayle For there is nothing created that may fullye satisfye mine appetite Ioyne me therefore to thee with a sure bonde of heauenly loue for thou onely suffisest to thy louer And without thee all thinges be vaine and of no substaunce That it is not good to searche curiouslye another mans lyfe The 28. Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde looke thou be not curious in searchinge of any other mans lyfe neyther doe thou busie thy selfe with those thinges which doe not belonge vnto thee VVhat is this or that to thee folow thou me VVhat is it to thee whether this maÌ„ be good or bad or whether he saye or doe this or that Thou needest not to answere for another mans deedes
but for thine owne deedes thou must needly aunswere VVhy then doest thou medle where it needeth not I see and know euery man and euery thinge vnder the sunne I see and beholde and howe it is with euery person what he thinketh what he willeth and to what ende his worke draweth is open to me And therefore all thinges are to be referred to me Keepe thy selfe alwaye in good peace and suffer him that will alwayes searche another mans life be as busye as he will and in the ende shall fall vpon him as he hath done and sayde for he can not deceaue me whatsoeuer he be If thou admonishe anye person for his soule health looke thou do it not to get the thereby anye name or fame in the worlde nor to haue the familiaritie or pryuate loue of any person for suche thinges cause much vnquietnes of minde and will make thee also to lose the rewarde that thou shouldest haue of God and will bring greate darkenes into thy soule I woulde gladly speake to thee my wordes open to thee the secrete misteries of fraternall correction yf thou wouldest prepare thy soule ready against my cōminge and that thou wouldest open the mouth of thy hearte faithfullye to me Be thou prouident wake diligentlye in prayer humble thy selfe in euery thing and thou shalt finde great comfort in God and litle resistence in thy euen christen In vvhat thing the peace of heart and greatest profite of man standeth The 29. Chapter My sonne saith our Lord Iesu I sayd to my disciples thus My peace I leaue with you my peace I geue you not as the worlde geueth but much more then it maye geue All men desire peace but all men will not do that belongeth to peace My peace is with the meeke and milde in hart and thy peace shall be in much paciēce if thou wilt heare me and folowe my wordes thou shalt haue great plentie of peace O Lorde what shall I doe to come to that peace Thou shalt in all thy workes take good heede what thou doest and sayest and thou shalte set all thy whole intent to please me and nothing shalt thou couet or seeke without me and of other mens deedes thou shalt not iudge presumptuously nor thou shalt not medle with thinges that perteine not to thee if thou do thus it maye be that thou shalt litle or seldome be troubled but neuerthelesse to fele at no time any maner of trouble nor to suffer any heauines in body nor in soule is not the state of this lyfe but of the lyfe to come Thinke not therefore that thou haste found the true peace when thou feelest no greefe nor that all is well with thee when thou hast none aduersitie nor that all is perfect for that euery thing cōmeth after thy minde Nor yet that thou arte great in godds sight or specially beloued of him because thou hast great feruour in deuotion and great sweetnes in contemplation for a true louer of vertue is not knowen by all these thinges nor the true perfection of man standeth not in them VVherein then Lorde In offering of a man with all his hart wholly to God not seking him selfe nor his owne will neyther in greate thinges nor in small in tyme nor in eternitie but that he abide alwaye one and yeelde alwaye like thankes to God for things pleasant and displeasant waying them all in one like balance as in his loue Also if he be strong in God that when inwarde consolation is withdrawen he can yet stirre his harte to suffer more if God so will and yet iustifieth not him selfe nor prayseth him selfe therefore as holye and righteous then he walketh in the very true waye of peace and then he may well haue a sure and a perfect hope and trust that he shall see me face to face in euerlasting ioy and fruition in the kingdome of heauen And if he can come to a perfect and a full contempt and despisinge of him selfe then shall he haue full habundance of rest and peace in the ioye euerlastinge after the measure of his gifte Amen Of the libertie excellencie and vvorthinesse of a free mynde The .30 Chapter LOrde it is the worke of a perfect man not to sequester his minde from the beholding of heauenly thinges and among many cares to go as he were without care not in the maner of an ydle or of a desolate person but by the speciall prerogatiue of a free minde alwaye busy in goddes seruice not cleuinge by inordinate affection to any creature I beseeche thee therefore my Lord Iesu most meeke and mercifull that thou keepe me from the busines and cares of the worlde and that I be not ouermuch inquieted with the necessities of the bodilie kinde nor that I be not taken with the voluptuous pleasures of the worlde and the fleshe and that in likewise thou preserue me from all hinderance of the soule that I be not broken with ouermuch heauines sorow nor worldlye dreade And by these petitions I aske not onelie to be deliuered from such vanities as the world desireth but also from suche miseries as greeue the soule of me thy seruant with the common malediction of mankinde that is with corruption of the bodilie feelinge where with I am so greeued and letted that I maye not haue libertie of spirite to beholde thee when I would O Lorde God that art sweetnes vnspeakeable turne into bitternes to me all fleshlie delites which would drawe me from the loue of eternall thinges to the loue of a short and a vile delectable pleasure Let not the fleshe and bloude ouercome me nor the worlde with his short glory deceyue me nor the fiend with his thousand folde craftes supplant me but geue me ghostlie strength in resistinge patience in sufferinge and constancie in perseueringe Geue me also for all worldlie consolatiōs the most sweete consolations of the holy ghost and for al fleshly loue sende into my soule the loue of thy holy name Lo meat drinke cloathinge and all other necessaries for the body be painefull and troublesome to a feruent spirite which if it might woulde alwaye rest in God in ghostly thinges Graunt me therefore grace to vse such bodilye necessaries temperatlye and that I be not deceaued with ouermuch desire to them To forsake all thinges it is not lawfull for the bodilye kinde must be preserued but to seeke superfluous thinges more for pleasure then for necessitie thy holye lawe prohibiteth for so the fleshe woulde rebel against the spirite VVherfore Lord I beseech thee that thy hande of grace maye so gouerne and teache me that I exceede not by any maner of superfluitie Amen That priuate loue most letteth a man from God The .31 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde it behoueth thee to geue all for all and nothing to keepe to thee of thine owne loue for the loue of thy selfe more hurteth thee then any other thing in this world After thy loue and after thine affection euery thinge
haue thou full trust for I am nere to thee to helpe thee and to restore thee againe not onelie to like grace as thou haddest first but also to muche more in great aboundance Is there anye thinge hard or impossible to me or am I like to him that sayeth a thinge and doeth it not where is thy fayth Stand stronglie and perseuerantlie in me be stedfast abiding my promise and thou shall haue comfort in such time as it shall be most expedient for thee abide abide and tary for me and I shall come soone and helpe thee It is temptation that vexeth thee and a vaine dread that feareth thee much But what auayleth such feare of dreade for thinges that perchaunce shall neuer come but that the ghostlye enemye woulde thou shouldest haue sorowe vpon sorow Beare therefore patienlye thy troubles that be present and drede not ouermuche those that be to come for it suffiseth to euery daye his owne malice It is a vaine thing and vnprofitable to be heauy or glad for thinges that perchaunce shal neuer happen nor come but it is the vnstablenes of man that he will be deceaued so lightly to folowe the suggestion of the enemie for he careth not whether he maye deceiue by true suggestion or by false nor whether it be by loue of thinges present or by dreade of thinges to come Therfore be thou not troubled neither drede but trust stronglie in me in my mercy haue perfect hope for when thou weenest that thou art right farre from me ofte times I am right neere vnto thee and when thou weenest that all is lost then ofte times foloweth the greater reward It is not therefore all lost though some thinge happen against thy will and thou shalt not iudge therein after thy outwarde feelinge neyther shalt thou take anye griefe so sore to hart but that thou shalt haue good trust to escape it nor thou shalt not thinke thy selfe all whollie forsaken of me though I sende thee for a time some heauines and trouble for that is the surer way to the kingdome of heauen and doubtles it is more expedient to thee and to other of my seruauntes that ye sometime be proued with aduersities then that ye haue alway all things after your wils I know the hid thought of man and that it is much expedient to the health of the soule that he be lefte sometime to him selfe without ghostlie sauour or cōfort least haply he be raysed vp into pride and thinke him selfe better then he is That I haue geuen I maye take awaye and maye restore it againe when me shall list VVhen I geue a thing to anye person it is mine owne that I haue geuen and when I take it awaye againe I take none of his for euerye good gifte and euery perfect rewarde commeth of me If I sende to thee trouble or heauines in what wise soeuer it be take it gladly disdain it not neither let thy heart fayle thee therin for I may anone lifte thee vp againe and turne thy heauines into great ioye and ghostlye gladnes And verilie I am righteous and much to be lauded and praysed whē I doe so with thee If thou vnderstande a right and beholde thy selfe truelie as thou art thou shalt neuer be so directlie heauie for anye aduersitie but rather thou shalt ioye therein and thinke it as the greatest gifte that I spare not to scourge thee with such trouble and aduersitie for I sayde to my disciples thus As my father loueth me I loue you and yet I sent them not forth into the world to haue temporall ioyes but to haue great battailes not to haue honours but despites not to be ydle but to labor not to rest but to bringe forth much good fruite in patience and good workes My sonne remember well these wordes that I haue spoken to thee for they be true and can not be denyed Hovv vve should forget all creatures that vve might finde our Creator The .36 Chapter LOrde I haue great neede of thy grace that of thy great singuler grace or that I may come thither where no creature shall let nor hinder me from perfect beholdinge of thee for as longe as anye transitorye thinge holdeth me or hath rule in me I maye not flye freelye to thee He coueted to flye without let that sayde thus VVho shall geue me winges like to a doue that I may flie into the bosome of my sauiour into the holes of his blessed woundes and rest me there I see well that no man is more restfull nor more likinge in this world then is that man who alway hath his minde and whole intent vpwarde to God and nothinge desireth of the world It behoueth him therfore that would perfectlie forsake him selfe beholde thee to surmount al creatures and him selfe also through excesse of minde to see and behold that thou maker of all things hast nothing amōge all creatures like vnto thee but a man be cleerely deliuered frō the loue of creatures he may not fullie tend to his Creator And this is the greatest cause why there be so fewe cōtēplatiues that is to say because there be so fewe that willinglye will sequester them selues from the loue of creatures To cōtemplation is great grace required for it lifteth vp the soule and rauisheth it vp in spirit aboue it selfe And except a man be lift vp in spirite aboue him selfe and be clearelie deliuered from all creatures as in his loue and be perfectly and fullie vnited to God whatsoeuer he can or whatsoeuer he hath either in vertue or cunning it is but litle worth afore God Therefore he shal haue but litle vertue long shall he lye still in earthlie likinges that accounteth any thing great or worthy to be praysed but onelie God for all other thinges besides God are nought for nought are to be accoūted It is great difference betwene the wisdome of a deuout man lightened by grace and the cunninge of a subtill and studious clerke and that learninge is muche more noble and muche more worthy that commeth by the influence and gracious gifte of God than that that is gotten by the labour study of man Many desire to haue the gifte of contemplation but they will not vse suche thinges as be required to contemplation And one great let of contemplation is that we stande so longe in outward signes and in sensible things take no heede of perfect mortifying our body to the spirit I wote not howe it is nor with what spirit we be led nor what we pretend we that be called spirituall persons that we take greater labour and study for transitory thinges than we doe to knowe the inwarde state of our owne soule But alas for sorowe anone as we haue made a litle recollection to God we ten forth to outwarde thinges and doe not search our owne conscience with due examination as we shoulde do nor we heede not where our affection resteth newe sorowe
and whatsoeuer they finde in creatures they referre it all to the laude and praysing of the Creatoure for they see well that there is great difference betwixt the Creator and creature eternitie and time and betwixte the light made the light vnmade O euerlastinge light farre passinge all thinges that are made sende downe the beames of thy lightninges from aboue and purifye glad and clarifie in me al the inward parties of my heart Quicken my spirite with all the powers thereof that it may cleaue fast and be ioyned to thee in ioyfull gladnes of ghostlye rauishinges O when shall that blessed hour come that thou shalt visite me glad me with thy blessed presence so that thou be to me all in all As longe as that gifte is not geuen to me that thou be to me all in all there shall be no full ioye in me But alas for sorowe mine olde man that is my fleshly liking yet liueth in me and is not yet fully crucified nor perfectly deade in me for yet striueth the fleshe strongly against the spirit aud moueth great inward battayle against me and suffereth not the kyngdome of my soule to lyue in peace But thou good Lorde that hast the lordship ouer al the power of the Sea doest aswage the streames of his flowinges Aryse and helpe me breake downe the power of myne enemies which alwaye moue this battayle in me Shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes let the power of thy right hande be glorified in me for there is to me none other hope nor refuge but in thee onely my Lorde my God to whom be ioy honour and glorye euerlastingly Amen That there is no full suretie from temptation in this lyfe The 40. Chapter OVr Lorde sayeth to his seruaunt thus Thou shalte neuer be sure from temptation and tribulation in this lyfe And therefore armoure spiritual shal alway as long as thou liuest be necessarie for thee Thou art amoÌ„g thine enemies and shalt be troubled and vexed with them on euery side and but if thou vse in euery place the shielde of patience thou shalt not long keepe thee vnwounded And ouer that if thou set not thy hart stronglie in me with a readie will to suffer all thinges patientlie for me thou mayest not longe bear this ardoure nor come to the reward of blessed saints It behoueth thee therfore manly to passe ouer many thinges and to vse a stronge hande against all the obiections of the enemie To the ouercommer it promiseth Angels foode and to him that is ouercome is left much miserie If thou seeke rest in this lyfe howe then shalt thou come to the rest euerlastinge Set not thy selfe to haue rest here but to haue patience and seeke the true soothfast rest not in earth but in heauen not in man or anye creature but in God onelie where it is For the loue of God thou oughtest to suffer gladlie all thinges that is to saye all laboures sorowes temptations vexations anguishes needines sickenesse iniuries euill sayinges reprouinges oppressions confusions corrections and despisinges These helpe a man greatlie to vertues these proue the true knight of Christe and make redye for hym the heauenlie crowne and our Lorde shall yeelde him againe euerlastinge rewarde for this short laboure and infinite glorie for this transitorie confusion I â—owest thou that thou shalt haue alwaye spirituall coÌ„fortes after thy will Naye naye my Saintes had them not out manye great griefes and diuers temptations and great desolations but they bare all with great patience and more trusted in me then in them selues for they knewe well that the passions of this worlde be not able of them selues to get the glorye that is ordeined for theÌ„ in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ VVilt thou looke to haue anone that whiche others coulde not get but with great weepinges labours Abide paciently the comming of our Lorde doe manfully his bidding be coÌ„forted in him mistrust him not nor go not backe from his seruice for paine nor for dread but lay forth thy body and soule constantlye to his honour in all good bodylye and ghostly laboures And he shal reward thee againe moste plenteouslye for thy good trauayle and shal be with thee and helpe thee in euery trouble that shal befall vnto thee So may it be Amen Against the vaine iudgementes of men The 41. Châ—pter My sonne fixe thy hart stedfastly in God and dreade not the iudgmeÌ„tes of man where thine owne conscience withnesseth thee to be innocent and cleare It is right good and blessed sometime to suffer such sayinges and it shall not be greeuous to a meeke harte whiche trusteth more in God than in him selfe Many folke can saye many thinges and yet litle fayth is to be geuen to their sayinges to pleâ—â—e all men it is not possible For though S. Paule laboured all that he might to haue pleased al people in God did to all men all that he coulde for their saluation yet neuerthelesse he coulde not let but that he was sometime iudged of other He did for the edifyinge and health of other as much as in him was but that he shoulde not sometime be iudged of other or not be despised of other he coulde not lette wherefore he committed all to God that knoweth all thinge and armed him selfe with patience and meeknes against all thinges that might be vntruelye spoken against him And neuerthelesse sometime he answered againe lest that by his sileÌ„ce hurte or hinderance might haue growen to other VVhat art thou then that dreadest so sore a mortall man this daye he is and to morowe he appeareth not dread God and thou shalt not nede to dread man VVhat maye man do with thee in wordes or iniuries he hurteth him selfe more than thee and in the ende he shall not flee the iudgement of God whatsoeuer he be Haue alwaye God before the eye of thy soule and striue not agayne by multiplyinge of wordes And if thou seeme for a time to suffer coÌ„fusion that thou hast not deserued disdayne thou not therefore nor through impatience minishe nor thy rewarde but rather lifte vp thy harte to God in heauen for he is able to deliuer thee from all confusion and wronges and to rewarde euery man after his desert and muche more then he can deserue Of a pure and a vvholle forsakinge of our selfe and our ovvne vvill that vve might get the freedome of spirite and folovve the vvill of God The .42 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde forsake thy selfe and thou shalt finde me StaÌ„d without election and without folowinge of thine owne wil also without al proprietie thou shalt much profite in grace and if thou whollie resigne thy selfe into my handes and take nothinge to thee againe thou shalt haue the more grace of me O Lorde howe ofte shall I resigne me vnto thee in what thinges shall I forsake my selfe Alwaye and in euery houre in great thinges and in small I except none for in all thinges I will finde
thee naked and verie poore and voyde of thine owne will els howe maiest thou be mine and I thine but if thou be cleerely berefte within and without of thine owne will And the sooner that thou canst bringe it about so muche the sooner shall it be better with thee the more perfectlye and the more cleerely that thou canst doe it the more fully shalt thou please me and the more shalt thou winne Some persons resigne theÌ„ selues vnto me but it is with some exception for they trust not fullye to me and therefore they studye to prouide for theÌ„ selues And some at the beginning offer thous to me but after when any temptation commeth they soone turne agayne to their owne will and to that which they promised to forsake and therefore they profite litle in vertue And truely such persons shall neuer come to perfect clennes and to freedome of heart nor to the grace of familiaritie with me but through a perfect forsakinge of them selues and through a dayly offering of them and all that they haue wholly to me for without that maye no man haue perfect fruition and vnitinge with me I haue sayde to thee many times before and yet I say to thee againe forsake thy selfe and resigne thy selfe whollye to me and thou shalt haue great inward peace in me Geue all for all and nothinge keepe to thy selfe of thine owne will but stand purelye and stably in me and thou shalt haue me and thou shalt be so free in heart and in soule that darkenes of conscience nor thraldome of sinne shall euer haue power in thee Endeuour thy selfe therefore to get this freedome of spirite that I speake of pray for it studie for it and alwaye desire in thy harte that is to saye that thou mayest clerely be spoyled and bereft of all propertie and of thine owne will that thou beeing naked of all wordly thinges mayest folowe me that honge naked for thee vpon the Crosse that thou mayest dye to thy selfe to all worldlye thinges also as in thy loue and blessedly to liue to me Then if thou doe thus al vanities all vaine fantasies and all superfluous cares of the world and of the fleshe shall faile and fade and go awaye Then also immoderate dread and inordinate loue shall dye in thee and thou shalt blessedly lyue in me and I in thee Amen Hovve a man shall rule him selfe in outvvarde things and hovve he ought to call to God for helpe in all perils aud daungers The .43 Chapter OVr Lorde Iesu sayeth to his seruant thus Thou oughtest to take heede diligentlye that in euery place in euery deede and in euery outwarde occupation that thou doest thou be inwardlye free in thy soule and haue the rule ouer thy selfe and that all thinges be vnder thee as in thy loue and thou not vnder them but that thou be the Lorde gouernoure ouer thy deedes not as a seruaÌ„t or a bond man but rather exempted as a true Hebrewe that is to saye as a true christien man goinge into the number and into the freedome of the children of God which stand vpoÌ„ things present and looke towardes thinges euerlasting and beholde thinges transitorye with their lefte eye and thinges euerlastinge with their right eye whome worldlie goodes can not drawe downe to the loue of them but they rather drawe worldlie goodes to serue in suche wise as they be ordeyned to of God and as they be instituted to doe by the high maker of all thinges which leaueth nothing inordinate in his creatures Also if thou stande in euery aduenture and doubt that shal happen to thee not to the iudgment of thy outwarde apperance but anone in euery suche doubt thou entrest into thine owne soule by deuout prayer as Moyses did into the tabernacle to aske counsell of God thou shalte heare anone the aunswere of our Lorde which shall instruct thee sufficientlye in many thinges both present that are to come It is reade that Moyses had alwaye recourse to the tabernacle of God for doubtes and questions to be assolied and that he there asked the helpe of God through deuout prayer for the perils and daungers aswell of him selfe as of the people So shouldest thou enter into the secrete tabernacle of thine owne heart there aske inwardlie with good deuotion the helpe of God in all such doubtes perils VVe reade that Iosue and the children of Israel were deceaued of the Gabaonites because they gaue light credence to their sayinges did not firste aske counsaile of God as they should haue done and so by the fayre wordes of the Gabaonites and thorough a false pitie Iosue and the children of Israel were illuded and greatlie deceaued That a man shoulde not be importune in his busines The .44 Chapter My sonne saith our Lorde coÌ„mit alwaye thy cause to me and I shall well dispose it for thee wheÌ„ time shal come Abide mine ordinaunce and direction and thou shalte finde thereby great profite and helpe O Lorde gladlie will I commit all thinges to thee for it is litie that I can doe for my selfe VVould to God that I did not cleaue to desires of worldlie thinges but that I might alwaye offer my selfe whollye to thy will and pleasure My sonne so it is good for thee to doe for often times a man that trusteth muche in him selfe and in his owne will setteth his minde muche to bringe about this thinge or that as he desireth but when he hath attayned that he desireth theÌ„ beginneth he to feele all otherwise of it then he did before for the affections and desires of man be not alwaye one but ofte driue a man from one thinge to another Therefore it is no small thinge a man fullie to forsake him selfe though it be in right litle and small thinges For truelie the verie perfection of man is a perfect denyinge and a full forsakinge of himselfe And suche a man is verie free beloued for God But the olde auncient enemye the fiende which resisteth goodnes all that he maye ceasseth not longe from temptation but daye and night he maketh greeuous assaultes to see if he maye catche any vnware person into his snare of deceit Therefore wake ye and praye that ye be not deceaued by temptation That man hath no goodnes of him selfe and that he may not rightfully glorifye him selfe in any thing The 45. Chapter O Lorde what is man that thou doest vouchsafe to haue minde on him Or what hath he done for thee that thou wilt visit him with grace And what may he coÌ„playne although thou sometime forsake him Or what maye I righteouslye saye though thou graunt me not that I aske Truely I may well thinke and say thus I am nought nor I haue no goodnes of my selfe but in all thinges I am of my selfe al insufficieÌ„t and go to nought and but if I be holpen of thee and be inwardlie informed and taught by thee I shall be altogether sâ—outhfull and to all
thinge vnprofitable O Lorde thou arte alwaye one euer shalt be one alway good alway righteous and holy well righteously and blessedly disposing all thinges after thy wisedome but I wretche that alway am more redy prone to euill then to good am not alwaye abidinge in one for seuen times be chaunged vpon me Neuerthelesse it shall be better with me when it shall please thee to put to thy helpinge hand for thou onely act he that without man mayest helpe me and so coÌ„firme and stable me in thee that mine heart shall not so lightlie be changed from thee but that it maye be wholly fired in thee and finallye to rest in thee And verilye if I coulde cast awaye from me all mans comfort either for getting of deuotion or for that I am compelled therto of necessitie for that I finde no comfort in man then might I well trust in thy grace to haue of thee newe visitations newe heauenlie consolation But I confesse it for truth that I am vnworthy to haue anye suche consolations and I thanke thee as ofte as anye good thinge commeth to me for all that is good coÌ„meth of thee I am but vanitie and nought before thee an vnconstant man and a feeble and therefore whereof maye I righteously glorifie my selfe or why should I looke to be magnified Truelye vaine glorie is a perillous sickenes a greeuous pestilence a right great vanitie for it draweth a man from the true ioy that he should haue in God and robbeth him cleerelye of all heauenly grace For when a man pleaseth him selfe he displeaseth thee when he delighteth in mans praysinges he is depriued from the true vertues for the true stedfast ioye gladnes is to ioye in thee not in him selfe in thy name and not in his owne vertue nor in anye creature Therefore thy name be praysed and not mine thy workes be magnified and not mine and thy goodnes be alwaye blessed so that nothing be geuen to me of the laude and praysing of man Thou art my glory and the ioy of my hart in thee shall I be glorified and alway shall I ioy in thee and in my selfe nothinge but in my infirmities Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge them selues but I will seeke none but that is onely of thee for all mans glory all temporall honour and all worldlye highnes to thy eternall glorye compared is but as foolishnes and a great vanitie O truth O mercy O blessed trinitie to thee be laude honour and glory euerlastingly Amen Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised The 46. Chapter My sonne take it not to greefe though thou see other men honoured and exalted and thy selfe despised set at nought If thou raise vp thine hart to me in heaueÌ„ the despites of man in earth shall litle greeue thee O Lord we be here in great darknes and are soone deceyued with vanities but verilie if I beheld my selfe well I should openlie see that there was neuer any wrong done to me by any creature nor that I haue nothing wherof I maye righteoussie complayne But for as muche as I haue ofte sinned and greeuouslie offended against thee therefore all creatures be armed against me To me therefore is due confusion and despite to thee lande honour and glorye And vnlesse I can bring my selfe to this point that I woulde gladlye be despised and forsaken of all creatures vtterlye to seeme as nought in the worlde I may not be inwardlye pacified nor stablished in thee nor spirituallie be illumined nor yet fully vnited to thee That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people The 47. Chapter My sonne if thou set thy peace with anye person for thyne owne pleasure or worldlye frendshippe thou shalt alway be vnstable and neuer shalte thou be coÌ„tented but if thou haue alway recourse to the truth euerlasting that is God himselfe then the death or goinge awaye of thy dearest freende whatsoeuer he be shall litle greue thee The loue of thy frend ought alwaye to be referted to me and for me he is to be beloued howe good and howe profitable soeuer he seme vnto thee in this life VVithout me freÌ„dship is nought worth nor maye not long endure nor that loue is not true and cleane that is not knit by me Thou oughtest therefore to be so mortified in all such affections of worldlie men that in as much as in thee is thou wouldest couete to be without all mans comfort So muche a man draweth nerer to God as he can withdrawe hym selfe from the worlde and from all worldlie comfort and so muche the more he ascendeth higher to God as he can descend lower in him selfe and as he can waxe vile and abiect in his owne sight He that ascribeth any goodnes to him selfe withstandeth the grace of God and letteth it to liue in him for the grace of the holye ghoste seeketh alwaye a meeke and an humble heart If thou couldest perfectly annihilate thy selfe and whollie put out of thy heart all humane and create loue then shoulde I sayth our Lorde dwell in thee with great aboundaunce of my grace But when thou lookest to creatures then is righteouslie drawen from thee the sight of thy Creator Learne therefore to ouercome thy selfe for the loue of him that made thee like to hym selfe and thou shalt anone come to great ghostlie knowledge Howe lytle soeuer the thinge be that a man loueth yf he loue it inordinatlie it hindreth and letteth him greatlie from the true and perfect loue that he shoulde haue to God That vve should eschevv vayne seculer cunninge The .48 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lorde let not fayre and subtil wordes moue thee for the kingdome of heauen standeth not in wordes but in good vertuous workes Take hede to my wordes for they enflame the harte and lighten the vnderstandinge and bringe in also compunction of harte for sinnes past and cause also ofte times great heauenlie comfort sodenly to come into the soule Reade neuer in any scieÌ„ce to the inteÌ„t thou wouldest be called wise but studie rather to mortifie in thee all stirringes of sinnes as much as in thee is that shall be more profitable to thee than the knowledge of many harde and subtill questions VVhen thou hast reade and vnderstoode many doubtes yet neuerthelesse it behoueth thee to come to one that is beginninge of all thinges that is God him selfe and els thy knowledge shall litle auayle thee I am he that teacheth a maÌ„ cuÌ„ning do giue more vnderstaÌ„ding to meeke persons than can be taught by maÌ„s teaching And he to whom I speake sâ—al soone be made wise much shall he profit in spirite when payne and wo shall be to them that onelie seeke for curious learninge takinge litle heede to the waye to serue God The time shall come when Christ Lorde of Angels and master of all masters shall appere to heare the lesson of euery creature and to examine the conscience of euery person and then shall
other all that we heare or see nor to open our hart fullye but to very fewe and to seeke thee alway that art the beholder of mans hart not so be moued with euery flake of wordes but to desire in harte that all thinges in vs inwardly and outwardlye may be fulfilled after thy will howe sure a thinge is it also for the keepinge of heauenlye grace to flee the conuersation of worldly people all that we may and not to desire thinges that seeme outwardly to be pleasaunt and liking but with all the studye of our hart to seeke such thinges as bring in feruour of spirit and amendement of life It hath bene truelie a great hurte to many persons a vertue knowen ouer timelie praysed and contrariwise it hath beene right profitable to some a grace kept in silence and not lightlie reported to other in this frayle life that is full of temptation and priule enuie That vve shall put all our confidence in God vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord stande stronglie and truste faythfully in me VVhat be wordes but winde they flye in the ayre out they hurte neuer a stone on the grounde And if thou knowe thy selfe not giltie thinke that thou wilt suffer gladlie suche wordes for God It is but a litle thinge for thee to suffer sometime a hastie worde sith thou art not yet able to suffer harde strokes But why is it that so litle a thinge goeth so nigh thy heart but that thou art yet fleshelie and carnall and heedest to please men more then thou shouldest And because thou dreadest to be despised thou wilt not gladlie be reproued of thine offences and thou searchest therefore busilie and with great studie how thou mayest be excuâ—ed But behoulde thy selfe well and thou shalt see that the worlde yet liueth in thee and a vaine loue also to please man VVhen thou refusest to be rebuked and punished for thy defaultes it appereth euidentlie that thou art not yet soothfastlie meeke nor that thou art not yet deade to the worlde nor the worlde to thee yet truelye crucified But heare my wordes and thou shalt not neede to eare for the wordes of ten thousand men Loe yf all thinges were sayde against thee that might be most maliciouslie and vntruelie fayned against thee what shoulde they huit if thou suffered them to ouerpasse goe awaye truelie no more then a strawe vnder thy foote one heare of thy head they might not take from thee But he that hath not a manâ— heart inwardly nor setteth not God before the eye of his soule is soone moued with a sharpe word wheÌ„ he that trusteth in me will not stand to his owne iudgement shall be free froÌ„ all mans dreade for I am the Iudge that knoweth all secrettes I knowe howe euery thinge is done and I know also both him that doth the wroÌ„g and him that it is done to Of me this thinge is wrought and by my sufferaÌ„ce it is come about that the thoughtes of mennes heartes maye be knowen and when the time commeth I shall iudge both the innocent and hym that is giltie But firste through my righteous examination I will proue them bothe The witnes of man ofte times deceaueth but my iudgement alwaye is true and shall not be subuerted And howbeit it is sometime hid and not knowen but to fewe yet it is euer true and erreth not neither may erre though in the sigâ—â— of some persons it seemeth not so Therefore in euery doubt it behoueth to runne to me and not to leane muche to thine owne reason but with euery thinge that I shall sende thee to be content for a righteous man is neuer troubled with any thinge that I shall suffer to fall vnto him insomuch that though a thing were vntruelie spoken against him he shoulde not muche care for it neither shoulde he muche ioye though he were sometyme reasonablye excused for he thinketh alwayeâ— that I am he that searcheth mans hart and that I iudge not after the outwarde apperance for ofte times it shall be founde in my sight woorthy to be blamed that in mans sight seemeth muche woorthy to be praysed O Lord God most righteous Iudge stronge and patient which knowest the frayltie and malice of man be thou my strength and wholle coÌ„fort in all my necessities for mine owne conscience Lorde suffiseth me not for thou knowest in me that I knowe not And therefore in euery reproufe I ought alway to meeken my selfe and patiently to suffer all thinges in charitie after thy pleasure Forgeue me Lorde as ofte as I haue not so done and geue me grace of greater sufferaunce in time to come Thy mercy is more profitable and more sure maye for me to the gettinge of pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes then a trust in mine owne workes through defence of my darke conscience And though I dreede not my conscience yet I may not therefore iustifie my selfe for thy mercie remoued and taken awaye no man maye be iustified nor appere righteous in thy syght Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come The .52 Chapter My sonne sayth our Lord be not broken by impatieÌ„ce with the labour that thou hast taken for my sake nor suffer thou not tribulatioÌ„ to cast thee in dispaire nor into vnreasonable heauines or anguishe in any wise but be thou comforted strengthed in euery chaunce by my promises behests for I am able and of power to rewarde thee and other my seruauntes aboundantlie more then ye can thinke or desire Thou shalt not laboure long here nor alwaye be greeued with heauines tary a while my promises and thou shalt shortlye see an ende of all thy troubles One hour shall come when all thy labours and troubles shall ceasse and truely that hour will shortlye come for all is short that passeth with time Doe therefore as thou doest labour busily and faithfullye in my vineyarde and I shal shortly be thy reward VVrite reade singe mourne be still and pray and suffer gladlye aduersitye for the kingdome of heauen is more woorth then all these thinges and much more greater thinges then they are Peace shall come one daye which is to me knowen and that shall not be the day of this lyfe but a day euerlastinge with infinite cleerenes stedfast peace and sure rest without ending And then thou shalt not saye VVho shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death neither shalt thou neede to crie woe is me that my comming to the kingdome of heauen is thus prolonged For death shal then de destroyed and health shall be without ende of bodye soule insomuch that no maner of vnrestfulnes shall be but blessed ioye and moste sweetest and fayrest companye O if thou sawest the euerlastinge crownes of my Saintes in heauen in howe great ioye and glorye they are that sometime seemed to be vile persons and as
reprouinges and despising but grace ioyeth for the name of god to suffer theÌ„ both and take them when they come as speciall giftes of God Nature loueth idlenes and fleshlie rest but grace can not be ydle without doeinge some good deede and therefore she seeketh gladlye some profitable labours Nature desireth faire thinges and curious and abhorreth vile thinges and grosse but grace delighteth in meke and simple thinges she despiseth not harde thinges nor refuseth not to be clad in poore olde clothing and simple garmentes Nature beholdeth gladlie thinges temporall she ioyeth at worldlie winninges is heauie for worldlie leesinges and anone is moued with a sharpe word but grace beholdeth things euerlastinge and trusteth not in thinges temporall nor is not troubled with the losse of theÌ„ nor she is not grreeued with a frowarde worde for she hath layde her treasure in God and in ghostlie thinges whiche may not perishe Nature is couetous more gladlie taketh than geueth and loueth muche to haue propertie and priuate thinges but grace is pitifull and liberall to the poore she flieth singuler profite she is content with litle and iudgeth it more blessed to geue then to take Nature inclineth to the loue of creatures to the loue of the fleshe and to vanities and runnings about and to see newe thinges in the worlde but grace draweth a man to the loue of God and to the loue of vertues she renounceth all creatures she flieth the world she hateth desires of the fleshe restrayneth libertie and wandringes about and escheweth asmuch as she may to be seene among recourse of people Nature hath gladlye some outwarde solace wherein she maye faylably delight in her outwarde wittes but grace seeketh onelie to be comforted in God and to delight her in his goodnes aboue all thinges Nature doth all thinges for her owne winninge and singuler profite she may doe nothinge free but hopeth alwaye to haue like profite or better or laude or fauour of the people and coueteth much that her deedes and workes be greatlie pondred and praysed but grace seeketh no temporall thing nor none other reward for her hire but onely God she will no more of teÌ„porall goodes then shall neede for the gettinge of the goodes euerlastinge and careth not for the vayne prayse of the worlde Nature ioyeth greatlie in many freendes kinsfolkes and is glorified much of a noble place of birth and of her noble bloud and kinred she ioyeth with mightie men she flattereth riche men and is merie with them that she thinketh like to her in noblenes of the worlde but grace maketh a man to loue his enemies she hath no pride in worldlie freendes she regardeth not the noblenes of kynne ne the house of her father but if the more vertue be there she fauoureth more the poore then the riche she hath more compassion of an innoceÌ„t then of a mightie man she ioyeth euer in truth and not is falsehoode and alwaye comforteth good men more and more to profite and growe in vertue and goodnes and to seeke daylie more higher giftes of grace that they may through good vertuous workes be made like to the sonne of God Nature complayneth anone for wantinge of a right litle thing that she woulde haue or for a litle worldlie heauines but grace beareth gladlie all needines and wantinges of the worlde Nature inclynethe all thinges to her selfe and to her owne profite as much as she maye she argueth for her selfe and striueth and fighteth for her selfe but grace rendreth all thinges to God of whom all thinges doe flowe and springe originallie She ascribeth no goodnes to her selfe nor presumeth of her selfe she striueth not nor preferâ—eth her opinion before other mens but in euery sentence she submitteth her meeklie â—o the eternall wisedome and iudgement of God Nature coueteth to knowe and to here newe secret thinges she will that her workes be shewed outwarldlie and will haue experience of manye thinges in the worlde by her outwarde wittes she desyreth also to be knowen and to doe great thinges in the worlde whereof laude and praysinge maye folowe but grace careth not for anye newe thinges nor for anye curyous thinges whatsoeuer they be for she knoweth well that all suche vanities commeth of the corruption of sinne and that no newe thinge maye longe endure vpon earth She teacheth also to restraine the outwarde wittes and to eschewe all vayne pleasure and outwarde shewinge and meekelie keepeth secrete thinges that in the worlde were greatlie to be meruayled and praysed And in euerie thinge and in euerie science she seeketh some spirituall profite to her selfe and laude and honour to almightie God She will not that her good deedes nor her inwarde deuotion be outwardly knowen but most desireth that our Lorde be blessed in all his workes which geueth all thinges freelie of his high excellent charitie This grace is a light supernaturall and a spirituall gifte of God and it is the proper marke and token of elect people and an earnest penie of the euerlastinge life for it rauisheth a man fro loue of earthlie thinges to the loue of heauenlie thinges and of a fleshlie liuer maketh an heauenlie person and the more that nature is oppressed and ouercome the more grace is geuen and the soule thorough newe gratious visitations is daylye reformed more and more to the image of God Of the corruption of nature and the vvorthynes of grace The .60 Chapter O Lorde which haste made me to thine image and likenes graunt me this grace that thou haste shewed to me to be so great and so necessarye to the health of my soule that I may ouercome this wretched nature which draweth me alwaye to sinne and to the losinge of mine owne soule I feele in my fleshe the lawe of sinne fighting strongly against the lawe of my spirite which leadeth me as a thral or bondman to obey to sensualitye in manye thinges and I may not resist the passioÌ„s therof but if thy grace doe assist me therin I haue therefore great neede of thy grace and that of the great aboundaunce of thy grace If I should ouercome this wretched nature which alwaye fro my youth hath bene readie prone to sinne For after that nature was vitiate befiled by the sinne of the first man Adam the payne thereof descended into all his posteritie so that that nature which in the first creatioÌ„ was good righteous is nowe taken for sinne and corruption so farre forth that the motioÌ„s that are now lefte vnto nature drawe man alwaye vnto euill And that is for this reason for that the litle strength and mouinge to goodnes that yet remayneth in it is as a litle sparcle of fire that is hid and ouerhilled with ashes that is to saye the naturall reason of man which is all about belapped and ouerhilled with darkenes of ignoraunce whiche neuerthelesse hath power yet to iudge betwixt good and bad and to shewe the distance and diuersitie betwixt true and false Howbeit that
through weakenes of it selfe it is not able to fulfill all that it approueth nor hath not sith the firste sinne of Adam the full light of truth nor the sweetnes of affections to God as it had firste Of this it commeth most mercifull Lorde that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule I delite me in thy lawes and in thy teachinges knowinge that they are good and righteous and holie and that all sinne is euill and to be fled and eschewed and yet in my outwarde man that is to saye in my fleshelie felinge I serue the lawe of sinne when I obeye rather to sensualitie then to reason And of this it foloweth also that I will good but to perfourme it without thy grace I maye not for weakenes of my selfe And sometime I purpose to doe many good deedes but for that grace wanteth that shoulde helpe me I goe backeward and fayle in my doinge I knowe the waye to perfection and howe I shoulde do I see it euidentlye but for that I am so oppressed with the heauye burden of this corrupt bodye of synne I lye still and ryse not to perfection O Lorde howe necessarye therefore is thy grace to me to beginne well to continue well and to ende well for without thee I maye nothinge doe that good is O heauenlye grace without whom our merites are nought woorth nor the giftes of nature nothinge to be pondred neither craftes or riches any thinge to be regarded nor beautie strength wit nor eloquence nothinge maye auayle come thou shortlye and helpe me The gyftes of nature be common to good men and bad but grace and loue are the giftes of electe and chosen people whereby they be marked and made able and worthy to haue the kingedome of heauen This grace is of suche worthynes that â—eyther the gyfte of prophecie nor the workinge of miracles nor yet the gyfte of cunninge and knowledge maye nothinge auayle wihout it ne yet fayth hope or other vertues be not acceptable to thee without grace and charitie O blessed grace that maketh the poore in spirite to be ryche in vertue and hym that is ryche in worldlye goodes maketh meeke and lowe in heart come and descende into my soule and fulfill me with thy ghostlie comfortes that it fayle not nor faynt for werines drynes of it selfe I beseeche thee Lord that I may finde grace in thy sight for thy grace shal suffice to me though I doe wante that nature desireth For although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery side yet shall I not neede to drede whiles thy grace is with me for she is my strength she is my comfort and she is my counsayle and helpe she is stronger then all mine enemies and wiser then all the wisest of this worlde She is the maystres of truth the teacher in discpline the light of the hart the comfort of trouble the driuer awaye of heauines the auoyder of dreade the nourisher of deuotion and the bringer of sweete teares and deuoute weepinges VVhat am I theÌ„ without grace but a drie stocke to caste awaye Graunt me therefore that thy grace maye preuent me and folowe me and that It may make me euer busie and diligent in good workes vnto my death So may it be Amen That vve ought to forsake our selfe and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse The 61. Chapter My sonne as much as thou canst go out fro thy selfe and frothine owne will so much as thou mayest enter into me and as to desire nothing outwardlie bringeth peace inwardlie into mans soule so a man by an inwarde forsakinge of him selfe ioyneth him to God I will therefore that thou learne to haue a perfect forsaking and a full resigning of thy selfe into my hands without withsaying and complayninge and that thou folowe me for I am the waye I am the truth and I am the life VVithout a waye no man maye go and without truth no man maye knowe and without life no man maye lyue I am the waye which thou oughtest to goe the truth which thou oughtest to beleue the life which thou shalt hope to haue I am the waye that can not be defyled the truth which can not be deceyued and the life that neuer shall haue ende I am the waye moste straite the truth most perfect and the life most soothfast A blessed life and a life vnmade that made all things If thou dwell and abide in my waye thou shalt knowe the truth and truth shal deliuer thee and thou shalt come to euerlastinge life If thou wilte come to that lyfe kepe my coÌ„maundementes If thou wilt knowe the truth beleeue my teachinges If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou haste If thou wilt be my Disciple forsake thy selfe If thou wilt haue the blessed lyfe despise this present life If thou wilt be exalted in heauen meeke thee here in earth And if thou wilt reigne with me beare the Crosse with me for truely only the seruauntes of the Crosse shall finde the life of blessednes and of euerlastinge light O Lorde Iesu forasmuche as thy waye is narowe and straite and is also muche despised in the worlde geue me grace to beare gladlye the despisinges of the worlde There is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde nor any Disciple aboue his master Let thy seruaunt therefore be exercised in thy wayes for therein is the health and the very perfection of lyfe whatsoeuer I reade or heare beside that way it refresheth me not nor delighteth me not fullye My sonne forasmnche as thou knowest these thinges hast reade them all thou shalt be blessed if thou fulfil them He that hath my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I shall loue him I shall shewe my selfe vnto him and shall make him sitte with me in the kingdome of my father Lorde as thou hast sayde and promised so be it done to me I haue taken the Crosse of penaunce at thy hand and I shall beare it vnto my death as thou haste put it to me to doe For the lyfe of euery good man is the Crosse and it is also the way and leader to Paradise and nowe it is begonne it is not lawfull for me to go backe fro it ne it is not behouefull for me to leaue it Haue done therefore my welbeloued brethren go we forth together Iesu shall be with vs for Iesu we haue taken this Crosse for Iesu let vs perseuer and he shal be our helpe that is our guyde and leader â—â— our kinge goeth before vs that shall fyght for vs folowe we hym stronglye dreade we no perils but be we readye to dye stronglye with hym in battayle that we put no blot into our glorye nor minishe not our rewarde by flyinge cowardlye awaye from the Crosse That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes though he happen to fall into some defaulâ—es The .62 Chapter My sonne patience and mekenes in aduersitie please me more then
much consolation and deuotion in prosperitie VVhy art thou so heauy for a litle worde sayde or done against thee yf it had bene more thou shouldest not haue bene moued therwith but let it nowe ouerpasse it is not the first and it shall not be the last if thou lyue longe Thou art manfull inough as long as no aduersitie falleth to thee and thou canst well giue counsaile and well canst thou comfort and strengthen other with thy wordes But when aduersitie knocketh at thy doore thou failest anone both of counsayle and strength Beholde well therefore thy great frayltie which thou hast daylie experience of in litle obiectes Neuerthelesse it is for thy ghostly health that suche thinges and other like be suffered to come vnto the Purpose thy selfe in thy harte to doe the best that lieth in thee and then when suche tribulations shall happen to fall vnto thee although it greeue thee yet let it not whollie ouerthrow thee nor let it not longe tarie with thee And at the least suffer it pacientlie although thou maye not suffer it gladlie Moreouer though thou be loth to heare suche thinges and that thou feele great indignation therat in thy hart yet thrust thy selfe downe lowe in thine owne sight and suffer no inordinate worde passe out of thy mouth whereby any other might be hurt and then all such indignation shall be anone assuaged soone appeased in thee And then also that which before was taken to so great heauines to thee shall anone be made sweete pleasaunt in thy sight For yet lyue I sayth our Lorde redie to helpe thee and to coÌ„fort thee more then euer I did before if thou wilt whollye trust in me and deuoutly call for helpe to me Be quiet in hart prepare thy selfe yet to more sufferance For it is not all lost though thou feele thy selfe ofte troubled or greeuouslye tempted Thinke thou art a man and not God a fleshlye man and no Angell Howe mayest thou alwayes be in one state of vertue when that wanted to Angels in heauen and to the first man in Para dise the which stoode not longe I am he that rayse vp them that be sorowfull to health and comfort and those that knowe their owne vnstablenes I lifte them vp to be stabled in the sight of my Godhead for euer Lorde blessed be thy holâ—e word It is more sweeter to my mouth then honye combe VVhat should I doe in all my troubles and heauines if thou diddest not sometime comfort me with thy wholsome and sweete wordes Therefore it shall not force what trouble or aduersitie I suffer here for thee so that I maye in the ende come to the porte of euerlasting health Geue me a good ende and a blessed passage out of this worlde haue minde on me my Lorde my God and direct me by a straite and redy waye into thy kingdome I beseech thee Amen That a man shall not searche the iudgementes of God The .63 Chapter My sonne beware to dispute of highe-matters of the secret iudgemeÌ„ts of God why this man is so left forsaken of God and why this man is taken to so great grace why also one man is so much troubled and another so greatly aduaunced These thinges ouerpasse all mans knowledge for to serch gods iudgement no mans reason maye suffise nor yet this disputation Therfore when the ghostly enemy stirreth thee to such thinges or if any curious men aske of thee suche questions answer with the prophete Dauid and say thus Lord thou art righteous thy iudgemeÌ„ts are true and be iustified in them selfe thy indgements are to be dread not to be discussed by mans wit for they be to mans wit incomprehensible Beware also that thou search not nor reason not of the merites of Saintes which of them was holyer then other or which of them is higher in heauen Suche questions ofte times nourishe great strifes and vnprofitable reasoninges and proceede of pride vaine-glory wherby enuy springeth and disceÌ„tion that is to saye when one laboureth to prefer this Saint and another that And truely a desire to knowe such things rather displeaseth Saints then pleaseth them For I saith our Lord am not God of discention and strife but of vnitie and peace the which peace standeth rather in true meekenes than in exalting of them selues Some men be more stirred to loue this Saint or that and that with muche greater affection but truly that affection is oft time more rather a manly affectioÌ„ than a godlye Am not I he that haue made all Saints yes truelye and ouer that I haue giuen theÌ„ grace and I haue geuen them glorye I knowe all their merites I preuented them with the sweetnes of my blessinges I knewe my elect and chosen people before the worlde was made I haue chosen them from the worlde they haue not chosen me I called them by my grace I drewe them by my mercy I led them through temptations I sent them inwarde comfortes I gaue them perseueraunce I crowned their patience I knowe the first man and the laste I loue them all with an inestimable loue Thus I am to be praysed in all my Saintes and aboue all thinges to be blessed and honoured in all and in euery of them whom I haue so glorioussye magnifyed and predestinate without anye merites in them goeinge before Therefore he that despyseth the leaste of my Saintes doth no honour to the greatest for I haue made both the lesse and the more and he that disprayseth any of my Saintes he disprayseth me and other of my Saintes in the kingdome of heauen for they be all one faste vnited and knit together in one sure bonde of perfect charitie They feele all one thinge and they will all one thinge and they loue altogether all into one thinge and they loue me muche more then them selues or their own merites for they be rapt about themselues and be drawen from their owne loue and whollie be turned into my loue in the which they rest by eternal fruition There is nothinge that maye turne them from my loue nor that may thrust them downe out of their glorie for they be full of eternall trueth and burne inwarldlie in soule with fyre of euerlastinge charitie that neuer shall be quenched Let all them cease therefore that be carnall and beastly and that can not loue but priuate ioye to searche the state of my blessed Saintes in heauen for they put awaye and adde to their merites as they fauour and not after the pleasure of the eternall truth of God In many folkes is great ignoraunce but moste speciallie in them that haue so litle light of ghostlie vnderstanding that they can not loue any person with a cleane loue Many also be moued by a naturall affection or by a worldly frendship to loue this saint or that and as they imagine in earthly thinges so they imagine of heauenlye thinges but there is a distaunce incomparable betwixt thinges which imperfect men imagine
by naturall reason and which men truelye illumined with grace beholde by heauenlye contemplation Beware therefore my sonne to treate curiously of suche thinges for they passe thy knowledge and endeuour thy selfe that thou mayest be worthy so be nūbred with the least Saint that shall come to heauē And if percase a man might knowe who were holyer or who should be taken greater in the kingdome of heauen what shoulde that knowledge auayle him but if he would therby the more meeke him selfe and the more ryse thereby into the laude and praysinge of my name truelie nothinge Therefore he is much more acceptable to God that thinketh on the greatnes of his sinnes and of the littlenes of his vertues and howe farre he is from the perfectiō of the least Saint that is in heauē then he that argueth of their greatnes or of their litlenes or blessednes of life forgettinge them selfe It is better also with deuout prayers with weepinges and teares meekelie to praye to Saintes and to call to them for helpe then vaynelie to searche for their perfection They be verie well contented with the ioye that they haue if men woulde refrayne themselues from suche vayne arguments They glorifie not them selues of their merites ne they ascribe no goodnes to themselues but they referre all goodnes to me for they knowe well that I of my infinite goodnes and charitie haue geuen all vnto them And they be so muche fulfilled with loue of the godhead and with ouerpassing ioye that no glorie maye want in them nor anye felicitie And the higher that they be in heauen the meeker be they in them selues and the more nighe and the more louing to me Therefore it is written in the Apocalips that Saintes in heauen layde their crownes before God and fell prostrate on their faces before the meeke lambe that is Iesu and they woorshipped him as their Lorde God that is and shalbe lyuing euermore without ending Amen Manye searche who is highest in heauen that knowe not whether they shall be worthy to be numbred with the least that shall come thither for it is a great thinge to be the least in heauen where all be great for all that shall come thither shall be called the sonnes of God and so shall they be in deede the lest there shall be counted for a thousande and a sinner of a hundred yere shall be set at naught VVhen the Apostles asked amōg them selues who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of heauen they heard this answer of Christ but ye sayde he be conuerted from your sinne and be made meeke as litle children ye maye not enter into the kyngdome of heauen He therefore that meeketh him selfe as this litle childe he shalbe greatest in the kingdome of heauen VVoe then be to them that disdayne to meeke them selues with litle children for the meeke part of heauen will not suffer them to enter into it wo also be vnto the proude riche men that haue their cōsolation here for when the good poore men shall enter into the kingdome of God they shall stande weepinge and waylinge without Ioye ye then ye that be meeke and poore in spirite for yours is the kingdome of God so that ye walke and houlde your iorney assuredlye in the waye of truth That all our hope and trust is to be put in God onelye The 64. Chapter O Lorde what is the trust that I haue in this life or what is my moste solace of all thinges vnder heauen Is it not thou my Lorde God whose mercy is without measure where hath it beene well with me without thee or when hath it not beene well with me thou being present I had leuer be poore with thee then rich without thee I had leuer be with thee as a pilgrime in this world then without thee to be in heauen for where thou art ther is heauē and where thou art not there is both death and hell Thou arte to me all that I desire and therefore it behoueth me to sigh to thee to crie to thee hartily to praye to thee I haue nothinge to trust in that maye helpe me in my necessities but onelye thee for thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforte and thou arte my moste faithfull helper in euerye neede Man seeketh that is his but thou seekest my health and profite and turnest all thinges into the best for me for if thou sende temptations and other aduersities thou ordeinest all to my profite for thou art wont by a thousande wayes to proue thy chosen people In whiche proufe thou art no lesse to be lauded and praysed than if thou haddest fulfilled thē with heauenlie comfortes In thee Lorde therefore I put my trust and in thee I beare patientlye all my aduersities for I finde nothinge without thee but vnstablenes and follie for I see well that the multitude of worldlye freendes profiteth not nor that stronge helpers nothinge maye auayle ne wise counsayler geue profitable counsayle ne cunninge of doctours gyue consolation ne ryches delyuer in tyme of neede ne secrete place any thinge defende yf thou Lorde doe not assist helpe comforte counsail informe and defend For all thinges that seeme to be ordeined to mans solace in this world if thou be absent be right nought worth nor maye not bring to man anye true felicitie for thou art the ende Lorde of all good thinges the highnes of lyfe and the profounde wisedome of all things that is in heauen and in earth VVherfore to trust in thee aboue all thinges is the greatest comfort to al thy seruauntes To thee therefore I lifte mine eyes and in thee onely I put my trust my Lorde my God the father of mercy blesse thou and halowe thou my soule with thy heauenlie blessinges that it may be thy dwelling place and the seate of thy eternall glorie so that nothinge be founde in me at any tyme that maye offende the eye of thy maiestie Beholde me Lorde after the greatnes of thy goodnes and of thy manyfolde mercies and graciouslye heare the prayer of me thy poorest seruaunt outlawed and farre exiled into the countrey of the shadowe of death defend and keepe me amonge the manyfolde perils and daungers of this corruptible lyfe and direct me through thy grace by the waye of peace into the countrey of euerlastinge clearnes without ending Amen Finis Hereafter foloweth the fourth Booke of the folowinge of Christe which treateth moste speciallye of the Sacrament of the aultare Prologue COme to me saith our Lorde all ye that labour and be charged and I shall geue vnto you refection And the breade that I shall geue vnto you shall be my flesh for the lyfe of the worlde Take it and eate it for it is my bodye that for you shall be geuen in sacrifice doe ye this in remembrance of me for who so eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud he shal dwell in me and I in him These wordes that I haue sayde to you be
spirite and lyfe VVith hovve great reuerence Christe is to be receaued The firste Chapter O My Lorde Iesu Christe eternall truth these wordes aforesayde be thy wordes albeit they were not sayde in one selfe time nor written in one selfe place And for that they be thy wordes I will thankefully and faithfullie accept them They be thy wordes and thou haste spoken them and they be now myne also for thou haste sayde them for my health I will gladlye receyue them of thy mouth to the end they maye be the better sowen and planted in mine heart Thy wordes of so great pietie full of sweetnes and loue greatly excite me But Lorde my sinnes feare me greatlie and my coÌ„science not pure to receaue so great a misterie draweth me sore abacke The sweetnes of thy wordes prouoketh me but the multitude of mine offeÌ„ces charge me verie sore Thou commaundest that I shall come vnto thee faythfullie if I will haue part with thee receaue the nourishinge of immortalitie and couete to obteyne the glorie and life eternall Thou sayest Lorde come ye to me that laboure and be charged and I shall refreshe you O howe sweete and howe amyable a worde is it in the eare of a sinner that thou Lorde God wilt bidde me that am so poore and needie to the Communion of thy moste holie bodie But what am I Lorde that I dare presume to come to thee Loe heaueÌ„ and earth may not comprehende thee and thou sayest come ye al to me VVhat meaneth this moste meeke worthynes and this louelie and frendly biddinge howe shall I dare come vnto thee which knowe not that I haue done any thinge wel Howe shall I bringe thee into mine house which so ofte haue offeÌ„ded before thy face Angels and Archangels honor thee righteous men dreade thee And thou sayest yet Come ye all vnto me but that thou Lorde haddest sayde it who woulde beleue it to be true And but thou haste commaunded it who durst attempt to go vnto it Noe that iust man laboured an hundred yere to make the shippe to the end he might be saued with a fewe of his people Howe maye I prepare me then in an houre to receaue thee with due reuerence that art maker and Creatour of all the worlde Moyses thy seruant and great familier and speciall freende made the arke of timber not corruptible whiche he couered with right pure golde and put in it the tables of the lawe And I a corrupt creature how shall I so lightlie date receaue thee that art maker of the lawe geuer of grace and lyfe vnto all creatures The wise Salomon kinge of Israel edified a meruelous temple to the praysinge of thy name in the space of seuen yeres and by eight dayes halowed the feast of the dedication of the same he offred a thousande peacible hostes and put the arke of God in the place made readie for it with great melodie of clarions and trumpetres Howe dare I then that am moste poore amonge other creatures receaue thee into mine house who scarcelie haue well spent one houre of time or one halfe hower of my life O my good Lorde howe muche studied they to please thee and howe litle is it that I doe Howe litle time take I when I dispose me to be houseled seldome am I gathered together in thee and more seldome and I purged fro hauinge my mind ouermuch on worldlie thinges And certainly no vnprofitable thoughts ought to come into the holie presence of thy Godhead nor no creatures ought there to haue place for I shall not receaue an Angel but the Lorde of Angels into my heart Neuerthelesse there is great difference betwene the arke of God with his reliques and thy most pure precious bodie with his vertues which are mo then can be spoken and betwene the Sacrifice of the olde lawe that was but a figure of the newe lawe the true hoste of thy precious bodie whiche is the accomplishement of all the olde sacrifice VVhy then am I not more inflamed to come to thee why do I not prepare my selfe with greater diligeÌ„ce to receaue this holie and blessed SacrameÌ„t sith the holy auncient fathers the patriarches prophetes Kinges and Princes with all the people haue shewed so great affectioÌ„ towardes thy seruice in time passed The moste deuout blessed Kinge the Kynge Dauid went before the arke of God and honoured it with all his strength alwaye remembringe the great benefites before geueÌ„ vnto the fathers he made Organes of diuers maners also Psalmes which he ordeyned to be songe and he him selfe sang them with great gladnes and ofte times with his harpe he beinge fulfilled with the grace of the holie ghost taught the people of Israel to laude and prayse God with all their heart and dayly with their mouth to blesse him preache his goodnes And yf there were shewed then so great deuotion and remembraunce of laude and praysinge to God before the arke of the olde testament howe muche reuerence and deuotion ought we then nowe to haue in the presence of this holy Sacrament and in the receauinge of the moste excellent bodye of our Lorde Iesu Christe Many runue to diuers places to visite reliques of Saintes and meruayle greatlye when they heare of their blessed deedes they see great buyldinges of temples and beholde howe their bones and holie reliques be couered with silke and lapped in golde and loe thou my Lorde God thou arte present here with me vpon the Aultar the most holie Saint of Saintes maker of all thinges and Lorde of Angels Ofte times there is great curiositie and vanitie in the sight of suche thinges and litle fruite and amendemeÌ„t is had thereby and that speciallie where there is so light recourse and waueringe without anye contrition goinge before But thou my Lorde God my Lorde Iesus Christ god and man art here wholle present in the Sacrament of the Aultare where the fruit of euerlastinge health is had plenteoustie as ofte as thou art worthilie and deuoutlie receaued But if that shall be done fruitfullie there maye be no lightnes curiositie nor sensualitie but stedfast fayth deuoute hope and pure charitie O God inuisible maker of all the worlde howe maruaylousâ—ye doest thou with vs howe sweetelie and howe graciouslie disposest thou all thinges to thy chosen people to whom thou offerest thy selfe to be taken in this glorious Sacrameut Certainlie it surmounteth all vnderstandinge and it draweth the hartes and kindleth the affection of all deuout men The true faythfull people that dispose all their life to amendement receaue ofte times through this glorious Sacrament great grace and deuotion and great loue of vertue O meruaylous and secretlie hid is the grace of this Sacrament the which faythfull people of Christ doe onelie knowe for infidels and they that liue in sinne maye haue thereof no maner of experience In this Sacrament spirituall grace is geuen and the vertue that was lost in their soule is repayred and the
beautie that was deformed through sinne returneth agayne and the grace of this Sacrament sometime is so much that of the fulnes of deuotion that commeth thereby not onelie the minde but also the feeâ—le bodye recouer their former strength But verilye it is greatlie to be sorowed that we be so slowe and negligent and that we be stirred with no more affection to receyue Christ then we be for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued He is our health and our redemption he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen And it is also greatly to be sorowed that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie which gladdeth the heauen and preserueth all the world Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent and taketh litle heede thereto If this blessed Sacrament were ministred onelie in one place coÌ„secrate but by one priest in the world with how great desire thinkest thou the people would runne to that place and to that Priest that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries Nowe there be manye priestes and Christe is offred in many places that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde thankinges be to thee therefore my Lord Iesu that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie sayinge come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament The second Chapter O My Lorde Iesu trustinge in thy great goodnes mercye I come to the as a sicke man to him that shall heale him and as he that is hungrye thirstie to the fountayne of life that is needie to the Kinge of heauen as a seruaunt to his Lord a creature to his creator and as a desolate persoÌ„ to his meeke and blessed comfortour But howe is it that thou commest to me who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature Thou knowest thy seruant and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him seâ—â—e whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him I confesse therefore mine owne vnworthines and I knowledge thy goodnes I prayse thy pietie and yeelde thee thankings for thy great charitie Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes not for my merites that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare thy charitie the more largelie be shewed and thy meekenes the more highlie be commeÌ„ded Therefore because this pleaseth thee and thou hast coÌ„maunded that it shoulde thus be done thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not O my Lorde Iesu howe great reuerence and thankinges with perpetuall praysinges of thy name ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie whose dignitie no man is able to expresse But what shall I thinke in this communion and in goeinge to my Lorde God whom I can not worship as I ought to doe and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly But what may I think better or more healthfull to me then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee exaltinge thy infinite goodnes farre aboue me I laude thee my Lord God and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie I despise my selfe and submit me to thee and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie Thou arte the Saint of all Saints and I am the filth of all sinners and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me that am not worthye to looke towarde thee Thou commest to me thou wilt be with me thou biddest me to thy feast thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate and this Angelles foode to eate which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which desceÌ„dest from heauen and geuest lyfe to the worlde Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth and howe great goodnes shineth vpon vs and howe great thankes prayses are due to thee therfore O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it wheÌ„ thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten O Lorde howe meruailous is thy worke howe mightie is thy vertue and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth By thy worde all thinges were made and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded It is a meruaylous thinge worthy to be beleeued and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man that thou Lorde that art God and very man art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine and art eaten without consuminge of him that taketh thee and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges and that needest nothing in this world wouldest by this glorious Sacrament dwell in vs kepe thou mine heart my body immaculate that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times celebrate thy misteries and receiue them to my euerlastinge health which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour perpetuall memory O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift and so singuler a coÌ„fort left to thee in this vale of misery for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery takest the body of Christe so ofte thou workest the worke of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished the greatnes of his mercy is neuer consumed and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health It shoulde seeme to thee as newe and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort when thou singest masse or hearest it as if Christe the same daye first entred into the wombe of the virgin and were made man or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse for the health of mankinde That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled The .3 Chapter LOrde I come to the to theÌ„de that it maye be well with me through thy gifte and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great goodnes haste made redy for me In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire for thou art my health my redemption my hope my strength my honour and glorie Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house that I may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee and to be accompanied amonge the children
of Abraham My soule coueteth to receiue thy body my hart desireth to be vnited with thee betake thy selfe to me Lord and it suffiseth for without thee there is no comfort nor without thee I may not be nor without thy visitation I may not liue and therefore it behoueth me ofte times to goe to thee and for my health to receiue thee leste happilye if I should be defrauded from that heauenlie meat I should faile in the waye So thou sayedst thy selfe moste mercifull Iesu as thou were preaching to the people healedst them of their sicknesses I will not let thē returne into their houses fasting lest they fayle by the waye Doe with me therefore in like maner that hast left thy selfe in this glorious Sacrament for the comfort of all faithfull people Thou art onely the true refection of the soule and he that worthily eateth thee shall be partaker and heire of eternal glorie it is necessarie to me that so oft do offende so soone ware dull and slowe that by ofte prayers and cōfessions I may renewe my selfe purifie my selfe and kindle my selfe to quicknes feruour of spicite lest happily by long abstaining I might fall from that holy purpose for the wittes of man and woman be from their youth proude and readie to euil and but this heauenly lie medicine do helpe man maye anone fall to worse and worse therefore this holy communion draweth a man from euill and comforteth him in goodnes If I nowe be ofte times so negligent and slouthfull when I am cōmaunded what should I be if I receiued not that biessed medicine nor sought not for that great helpe And though I be not euery daye apte nor disposed to receyue my Creator neuerthelesse I shall take heede to receyue him in times conuenient so that I maye be partaker of so great a grace for it is one of the moste principall consolations to a faithfull soule that is to saye that as long as he is as a pilgrime in this mortall bodye that he ofte remember his Lorde God and receyue him that is his onely beloued aboue all thinges It is a marueilous goodnes of the great pitie that thou Lorde haste against vs that thou Creatour and geuer of Iyfe to all spirites vouchestsafe to come to a poore creature and with thy godhead manhood to refresh his hunger and neede O happie is that man and blessed is that soule that deserueth deuoutlie to receiue his Lorde God and in that receiuinge to be fulfilled with a spirituall ioy O howe great a Lorde doth he receiue howe welbeloued a gest doth he bringe into his house howe ioyous a felowe doth he receiue howe faithfull a freeude doth he accept howe noble a spouse doth he imbrace that receiueth thee For thou art onelie to be beloued before all other and aboue all thinges Let heauen and earth and all the ornamentes of them be still in thy presence for whatsoeuer they haue worthy laude or praise they haue that of the larges of thy gift and yet they maye not be lyke to the honour and glorie of thy name of whose wisedome there is no number nor measure That many commodities be geuen to them that deuoutly receaue this holye Sacrament The 4. Chapter O My Lorde God preuent thy seruant with the blessinges of thy sweetenes that he may deserue to go reuerently and deuoutly to this high Sacrament Stirrs vp my hart into a full beholdinge of thee and deliuer me from the great slouth and ydlenes that I haue bene in in time passed visite me in thy goodnes and geue me grace to taste inwardlie in my soule the sweetnes that is hid secretlie in this blessed Sacramēt as in a most plenteous fountaine Illumine also mine eyes to see and beholde so great a misterrie strengthen me that I maye alwaye faythfullie and vndoubtedly beleeue it for it is thy operation and not the power of man thy holie institutiō and not mans inuention And therefore to take and to vnderstand these thinges no man is sufficient of him selfe and they also ouerpasse the subtility of all Angels and heauenlye spirites VVhat may I then moste vnworthy sinner earth and ashes searche and talke of so high a secret but onelye that in simplenes of hart in a good stable fayth and by thy commaundement I come to thee with meeke hope and reuerence and beleue verily that thou art here present in this Sacrament God and man Thou wilt therefore that I shall receaue thee and knit my selfe to thee in perfecte charitie VVherefore I aske thee mercy and desire that thou geue me thy special grace that I maye from henceforth be fully molten and relented into thee flowe in thy loue and neuer after to intermit my selfe with any other comfort This moste high and moste worthy Sacrament is the life of the soule and body the medicine of all spirituall sicknes wherby all vices be cured passions refrayned temptations ouercome and diminished the greater grace is sent vertue increased and faith stablished hope strengthed and charitie kindled and spread abroade Thou haste geuen and ofte times geuest manye great giftes by this Sacrament to thy beloued seruantes that deuoutly receaue thee for thou thereby art the stronge vpholder of my soule the repairer of all the infirmities of man and the geuer of all inward consolation and of cōfort in tribulation and from thee deepnes of their owne desection thou raysest them againe into a strong hope of thy preseruation and renewest them and lightest them inwardlie with a newe grace so that they that felte them selues before receauing of that blessed Sacrament heauy and without affection after when they haue receaued it haue founde them selues changed into a great ghostly feruour And all this thou doest to thy elect people of thy great goodnes that they may see and knowe openlye by experience that they haue nothing of them selues but that all grace and goodnes that they haue they haue receaued of thee for of them selues they be colde dull and vndeuoute and by thee they be made feruent quicke in spirite and deuout folowers of thy will who maye go meekly to the fountaine of sweetnes but that he shall bringe awaye with him great plentie of sweetnes or who may stande by a great fyre but he shall feele great heate thereof and thou Lorde arte the fountaine of all sweetnes and the fyre alwayes brenning and neuer faylinge and therefore though I maye not drawe the fulnes of that fountaine nor drinke thereof to the full I shall neuerthelesse put my mouth to the hole of the heauenlie pipe that I maye take some litle droppe thereof to refreshe my thirst so that I be not all dried away And though I be not all heauenlye and brenninge in charitie as the Seraphins and Cherubins be neuerthelesse I shall endeuour me to set my selfe to deuotion and to prepare mine heart that I maye get some litle sparcle of the brenninge of heauenlie life through the meeke receuing of this
reproue so glad in prosperitie so feeble in aduersitie so ofte purposinge many good thinges and so seldome bringinge them to effecte And when thou haste thus confessed and be wept all these defaults and such other like in thee with great sorowe and displeasure of thine owne fraylenes set thee then in a full purpose to amende thy life and to profite alwaye from better to better and then with a full resigninge and a wholle will offer thy selfe into the honour of my name in the Aulter of thy hart as sacrifice to me that is to saye faythfullie committinge to me both thy bodie and soule so that thou mayest be worthye to offer to me this high sacrifice and to receyue healthfullie the Sacrament of my holie bodie for there is no oblation more worthie nor satisfaction greater to put awaye sinne then a man to offer him selfe purelie and whollie to God with the offeringe of the bodie of Christ in masse and in holie communion If a man doe that in him is and is truelie penitent as ofte as he commeth to me for grace and forgiuenes I am the Lorde that sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted to liue and I shall no more remember his sinnes but they all shall be forgeuen and pardoned vnto hym Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse and of a full forsakinge of our selfe The 8. Chapter OVr Lorde Iesus sayth to his seruant thus As I hanginge all naked with mine armes spread abroad vpon the crosse offered my selfe to God the father for thy sinnes so that nothinge remayned in me but that all went in sacrifice to please my Father and to appease his wrath agaynst mankinde so thou oughtest to offer thy selfe freelie to God as muche as thou mayest in a pure and holie oblation daylie in the Masse with all thy power and affection VVhat require I more of thee then that thou shouldest studie whollie to resigne thy selfe vnto me for whatsoeuer thou geuest beside thy selfe I regarde it not for I looke not for thy giftes but for thee For as it shoulde not suffise to thee to haue all thinges beside me so it maye not please me whatsoeuer thou geue beside thy selfe Offer thy selfe to me and geue thy selfe all to God and thy oblation shall be acceptable Lo I offered my selfe whollye to my father for thee and I gaue my bodye and bloude to thy meate that I shoulde be all whollie thine and thou mine But if thou haue a trust in thy selfe and doest not freelye offer thee to my will thy oblation is not pleasaunt and there shall be betwene vs no perfect vnitie Therefore a free offeringe of thy selfe into the handes of God must go before all thy workes if thou wilte obteine grace and the true libertie Therefore it is that so fewe be inwardlie illuminate and free because they can not whollye forsake them selfe for my words be true but a man renounce him selfe he may not be my disciple Offer thy selfe fullie to me with all thine affection and loue Amen That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God and to praye for all people The 9. Chapter LOrde all thinges be thine that be in heauen earth I desire to offer my selfe to thee in a free and perpetual oblation so that I may perpetuallie be with thee Lord in simplenes of hart I offer me this daye to thee to be thy seruant in the seruice sacrifice of laude perpetuall accept me with this oblation of thy precious bodye which I this daye offer to thee in the presence of thy holie Angels that be here present inuisible that it maye be to my health and to the health of all the people And Lorde I offer to thee all my sinnes and offences that I haue committed before thee and thy holie Angels fro the daye that I might first offende vnto this daye that thou vouchesafe through thy great charitie to put away all my sinnes to clense my cōscience of all mine offences and restore to me agayne the grace that I through sinne haue lost and that thou forgeue me all thinges past and receyue me mercifullie into a blessed kissing of peace and forgeuenes VVhat may I do then but meekelie cōfesse and bewaile my sinnes and continuallie aske mercye of thee forgeue me mercifull Lorde I beseeche thee for all my sinnes displease me muche and I will neuer commit them againe but sorow for them readie to doe penance and satisfactiō after my power Forgeue me Lorde forgeue me my sinnes for thy holie name saue my soule that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloode I commit my selfe whollie vnto thy mercie I resigne me whollie into thy handes doe with me after thy goodnes and not after my malice and wretchednes I offer also to thee all my good deedes though they be verie fewe and imperfect that thou amende them and sanctifie them and make them likinge and acceptable to thee and alwaye make them better and better and that thou bringe me though I be a slowe and an vuprofitable person to a blessed and a laudable ende I offer also to thee all the desires of deuout persons the necessitie of mine auncesters freendes brother sister and of all my louers and of all them that for thy loue haue done good to me or to any other that haue desired asked me to praye or to doe sacrifice for them or for their freendes whether they be aliue or deade that they maye the rather feele the helpe of thy grace and the gifte of thy heauenlie consolation thy protection from all perils and the deliuerance from all payne and that they so beinge deliuered from all euils may in spirituall gladnes yeelde to thee high laude and praysinges I offer to thee also my prayer and my peaceable offeringe for all them that haue in any thinge hindred me or made me heauy or that haue done me any hurt or greeue and for all them also whom I haue at anye time made heauy troubled greued or slaundered in worde or deede wittinglye or ignorantlye that thou forgeue vs altogether our sinnes and offences against thee and of eche of vs against other and that thou Lorde take fro our heartes all suspition and indignation wrath variance and whatsoeuer may let charitie or diminish fraternall loue that eche of vs shoulde haue to other haue mercie Lorde haue mercie on all them that aske thee mercie and geue grace to them that haue neede and make vs to stande in suche case that we be worthye to haue thy grace and finallye to come to the lyfe euerlastinge Amen That the holye Communion is not lightlye to be forborne The .10 Chapter IT behoueth thee to runne ofte to the fountayne of grace and mercye and to the fountaine of all goodnes and puritie that thou mayest be healed from thy passiōs and vices and be made more stronge against all the temptations and deceytfull crafte of our enemie The fiende knowinge the greatest
spiritual it is greeuous and tedious vnto me for as longe as I see not my Lorde openlie in his glorie I set it at naught al that I see and heare in this world Lord thou art my witnes that nothing may cōfort me nor any creature maye quiet me but thou my Lorde God whom I desire to see and beholde eternally but that is not possible for me to doe as longe as I shall be in this mortall life VVherefore it behoueth me to keepe my selfe in great patience and to submit my selfe to thee in euery thinge that I desire for thy holye Saintes that nowe ioy with thee abode in good fayth patience all whiles they liued here the comming of thy glory That they beleeued I beleeue that they hoped to haue I hope to haue and thither as they by thy grace be come I trust to come and till then I shall walke in faith take comfort of the examples of the sayde holy Saints I haue also holie bookes for my solace as a spirituall glasse to looke vpon aboue all these I haue for a singuler remedie thy holye bodye I perceue wel that two thinges be much necessarie vnto me in this worlde without which this miserable lyfe should be to me as importable for as long as I shall be in this body I cōfesse my selfe to haue neede of two things that is to say of meat light These two hast thou geuen vnto me that is to saye thy holy body to the refreshing of my bodye and soule and thou haste set thy word as a lanterne before my feete to shewe me the waye that I shall go VVithout these two I may not wel liue for the worde of God is the light of my soule and this Sacrament is the breade of my lyfe These two may also be called the two tables set here there in the spiritual treasure of holy Church The one is the table of the holy Aultar hauinge this holie bread that is the precious bodie of Christ The other is the table of the lawes of God conteining the holie doctrine of the lawe of God and instructing man in the right fayth and in the true beliefe leadinge him into the inwarde secrettes that be called Sancta Sanctorum where the inwarde secrettes of Scripture be hid and conteyned I yeelde thankinges to thee my Lorde Iesu the brightnes of the eternal light for this table of holie doctrine the which thou hast ministred to vs by thy seruauntes Prophetes Apostles and other doctours and thankings also be to thee the creator redeemer of mankinde that thou to shewe to all the worlde the greatnes of thy charitie preparedst a great supper in the which thou settest not forth the Lambe figured in the olde lawe but thy holy body and bloude to be eaten gladding thereby in that holy feast all faithful people and geuing them to drinke of thy chalice of health in the which be conteyned all the delightes of Paradise where Angels eate with vs with much more plenteous sweetenes O howe great and howe honourable is the office of Priestes to whom is geuē power to consecrate with the holye wordes of consecration the Lorde of all maiestie to blesse him with their lippes to holde him in their handes to receiue him into their mouthes and to minister him to other O howe cleane shoulde the handes be howe pure a mouth howe holye a bodye and howe vndefiled shoulde be the heart of a Priest to whom so ofte entreth the authour of al cleannes Truely there ought to procede from the mouth of a priest that so ofte receaueth the Sacrament of Christes bodie no worde but that is holy honest and profitable his eyes should be full simple and chaste that vse to behold the bodie of Christe his handes shoulde be full pure lifte vp into heauen which vse to touche the Creatour of heauen and earth and therefore it is speciallye sayde in the lawe to Priestes be ye holye for I your Lord God am holy O God almightie thy grace be with vs and helpe vs that haue receiued the office of priesthood that we may serue thee worthely and deuoutly in all puritie and in a good conscience And though we maye not liue in so great innocēcie as we ought to do yet geue vs grace at the least that we maye weepe and sorowe the euils that we haue done so that in spirituall meeknes and in full purpose of a good will we may serue thee hereafter Amen That he that shall be houseled ought to prepare hym selfe therto before vvith great diligence The .12 Chapter I Am the louer of al puritie and the liberall geuer of all holines I seeke a cleane heart there is my restinge place make ready for me a great chamber strawed that is thyne hart and I with my Disciples shall keepe mine Easter with thee If thou wilte that I shall come to thee and dwell with thee clense thee of all the olde filth of sinne and clense also the habitacle of thine heart and make it pleasaunt and fayre Exclude the worlde and all the clamorous noyse of sinne and sit solitarie as a sparowe in an house easinge and thinke vpon all thy offences with great bitternes of hart for a true louer will prepare to his beloued freende the best and the fayrest place that he can for in that is knowen the loue and affection of him that receyueth his freende But neuerthelesse I knowe that thou mayest not of thy selfe suffise to make this preparinge fullie as it ought to be in euerie point though thou went about it a wholle yere together and haddest none other thing in thy minde to thinke vpon but of my mercie and grace onely Thou art suffred to go vnto my table as if a poore man were called to the dinner of a riche man and he had none other thinge to geue him againe but onelie to humble him felfe and thanke him for it doe that in thee is with thy best diligēce and doe it not onelie of custome nor of necessitie onely for that thou art bounde to it but with dreade and reuerence and great affection take the bodie of thy beloued Lorde God that so louinglie vouchethsafe to come vnto thee I am he that hath called thee I haue commaunded that this thinge shoulde be done I shall supplie that wanteth in thee Come therfore and receaue me when I geue thee the grace of deuotion yeelde thankes to me therefore not for that thou art worthy to haue it but for that I haue shewed my mercy louinglye to thee And if thou haue not the grace of deuotion through receauinge of this Sacrament but that thou feelest thy selfe more drye and more vndeuout then thou were before yet cōtinue still in thy prayer wayle weepe and call for grace and ceasse not til thou mayest receaue some litle drop of this helthfull grace of deuotion Thou haste neede of me and not I of thee ne thou commest not to sanctifie
me but I come to sanctifie thee and to make thee better then thou were before Thou commest to be sanctified and be vnited vnto me and that thou mayest receaue a newe grace and be kindled a newe to amendement Do not forget this grace but alway with all thy diligence prepare thine heart and bringe thy beloued vnto thee and it behoueth thee not onelye to prepare thy selfe vnto deuotion before thou shalt be housled but also to keepe thy selfe therein diligentlye after the receauinge of the Sacrament And there is no lesse keeping requisite after then a deuout preparatioÌ„ is needefull before for a good keepinge after is the best preparation to receaue newe grace hereafter and a man shall be the more vndisposed thereto if he anone after he hath receaued the Sacrament geue him selfe to outward solace Beware of much speakinge abide in some secrete place and kepe thee with thy Lorde God for thou hast him that all the worlde may not take from thee I am he to whom thou must geue all so that fro henceforth thou liue not in thy selfe but onely in me That a deuout soule shoulde greatlye desire vvith all his heart to be vnited to Christe in this blessed Sacrament The .13 Chapter VVho shal graüt vnto me Lord that I maye finde thee onelie and opeÌ„ all mine heart to thee and haue thee as mine heart desireth so that no man maye deceaue me nor any creature moue me nor drawe me backe but that thou onelie speake to me and I to thee as a louer is wont to speake to his beloued and a freende with his beloued freende That is it that I praye for that is it that I desire that I may be whollie vnited to thee and that I maye withdraw my hart fro all things create and through the holie coÌ„munion and ofte saying Masse to sauor and taste eternall thinges Ah Lorde God when shall I be all vnited to thee and whollie be molten into thy loue so that I wholly forget my selfe Be thou in me and I in thee and graunt that we maye so abide alwaye together in one Verilie thou art my beloued elect and chosen before all other in whom my soule coueteth to abide all dayes of his life Thou art the Lorde of peace in whom is the soueraine peace and true rest without whom is labour and sorowe and infinite miserye Verilie thou art the head God and thy counsayle is not with wicked people but with meeke men and simple in heart O howe secrete and howe benigne is thy holy spirite which to the inteÌ„t thou woldest shewe to thy chosen people thy swetnes haste vouchedsafe to refreshe them with the most swete bread that desceÌ„deth from heauen Verilie there is none other nation so great that hath their goddes so nigh vnto them as thou Lorde God art to all thy faithfull people to whom for their daylie solace and to rayse their heartes into the loue of heauenly things thou geuest thy selfe as meat and drinke O what people be there that be so noble as the christien men are or what creature vnder heauen is so muche beloued as the deuout christien soule into whom God entreth and feedeth her with his owne glorious flesh and bloude O inestimable grace O meruaillous worthines O loue without measure singulerly shewed vnto man but what shall I yeelde againe to God for all this grace and high charitie Truelie there is nothing more acceptable to him then that I whollye geue mine heart and inwardly ioyne my selfe vnto him then shall all mine inward partes ioye in him when my soule is perfectlie vnited vnto him Then shall he say to me If thou wilte be with me I will be with thee And I shall answere to him againe and say Vouchesafe Lorde to abide with me and I will gladly abide with thee for that is all my desire that mine heart maye be fast knit vnto thee without departinge Amen Of the brenninge desire that some deuoute persons haue had to the body of Christe The 14. Chapter O Howe great multitude of sweetnes is it Lorde that thou hast hid for them that dreade thee But what is it theÌ„ for them that loue thee Verilie when I remember me of manye deuout persons that haue come to this holie Sacrament with so great feruoure of deuotioÌ„ I am then many times astonied and coÌ„founded in my selfe that I go vnto thy aultar and to the table of thy holy communion so coldely and with so litle feruour and that I abide still so drie and without any affection of hart and that I am not so whollie kindled before thee my Lorde God nor so stronglie drawen thereby in affection to thee as manie deuout persons haue beene the which of the great desire that they haue had to this holte communion and for a feeleable loue of hart that they haue had therto might not refrayne them from weping but effectuously with the mouth of their heart and bodie together opened their mouthes to thee Lorde that art the liuelie fountaine because they coulde not otherwise asswage ne tempt their huÌ„ger but that they tooke thy holie body which they did with great ioye and spirituall gredines Truelie the great brenninge sâ—ith of them is a probable argument of thy holy presence and they also knowe verily their Lorde in breaking of breade whose heartes so stronglye brenneth in them by the presence of their Lorde Iesu sacramentallye then walking with them But verily such affection and deuotion and so stronge feruour and loue be ofte time far from me Be thou there fore must swete and benigne Lorde Iesu mercifull and meeke vnto me and graunt me thy poore seruaunt that I maye feele sometime some litie part of the harty affection of thy loue in this holy Communion that my fayth maye the more recouer and amende mine hope through thy goodnes be the more perfect and my charitie being once perfectly kindled and hauing experience of the heauenlye Manna doe neuer fayle Thy mercy Lorde is stronge ynough to graunt to me this grace that I so muche desire and when the time of thy pleasure shall come beninglye to visite me with the spirit of a brenninge feruour to thee And though I doe not brenne in so great desire as suche speciall deuout persons haue done yet neuerthelesse I haue desired the grace to be inflamed with that brenninge desire praying and desiring that I maye be made partaker of all such thy feruent louers and to be numbred in their holy companye That the grace of deuotion is gotten thorough meekenes and for sakinge of our selfe The 15. Chapter IT behoueth thee abidinglie to seeke the grace of deuotion and without ceassing to aske it patientlie and faithfullie to abide it thankefullie to receaue it meekelie to keepe it studiouslie to worke with it and whollie to commit to God the time and maner of his heauenlte visitalion till his pleasure shall be to come vnto thee and principallie thou oughtest to meeke thee when thou feelest
but litle inward deuotion but thou shalt not be ouermuche caste downe therfore nor inordinatlie be heauie for our Lorde geueth many times in a short moment that he denied longe time before he geueth also sometime in the ende that in the beginninge of the prayer he deferred to graunt If grace shoulde alwayes anone be graunted and should anone be present after the will of the asket it shoulde not be well able to be borne by a weake and feeble person and therefore in a good hope and meeke patience the grace of deuotion is to be abiden and taried for and thou oughtest to impute it to thy selfe and to thine owne sinnes when grace is not geuen thee or that it is secretlie taken from thee Sometime it is but a litle thinge that letteth grace or hideth it awaye if it maye be called litle and not rather great that letteth and prohibiteth so good a thinge but whether it be litle or great if thou remoue it and perfectlye ouercome it it shall be graunted vnto thee that thou desirest and forthwith as thou betakest thy selfe with all thine hart to God and desirest neither this thinge nor that for thine owne pleasure but whollye puttest thy will to his will thou shalt finde thy selfe vnited to him and set in a great inwarde peace for nothing shall sauour so well to thee nor so muche please thee as that the will and pleasure of God be fullie dene in thee VVhosoeuer therefore in a pure simple harte lifteth his intent vp to God and voyde him selfe from all inordinate loue and displeasure of any worldlye thinge shall be more apte to receiue grace and shall be best worthy to haue the gift of deuotion For there our Lorde geueth his blessinge where he findeth the vessels empty and voide And the more perfectlye a man can renounce him selfe all worldly things can by despising of him selfe the more die to him selfe so much the sooner grace shal come and shall the more plenteouslie enter into him and the higher shall lifte vp his hart into God Then his harte shall see and abounde and shall marueile and be delated in him selfe for the hande of our Lord is with him and he hath wholly put him into his hande for euer Lo so shall a man be blessed that seeketh God with all his hart and taketh not his soule in vaine Suche a man in receiuinge this holye Sacrament deserueth great grace of the vniting in God for he looketh not to his owne deuotion and consolation but to the glorie and honour of God That vveshoulde open all our necessities to Christe and aske his grace The 16. Chapter O Moste sweete Lorde whom I desire deuoutly to receiue thou knowest the infirmitie and necessitie that I am in in howe many sinnes and vices I lye howe ofte I am greeued tempted troubled and defiled I come to thee for remedie and I make my prayer to thee for comfort I speake to him that knoweth all thinges to whom all my secrete and inward thoughtes be manifest and open and the which onelye mayest perfectlye counsayle me helpe me Thou knowest what I neede to haue and howe poore I am in vertue Lo I stande before thee poore naked askinge and desiringe thy grace Refresh me therefore thy poorest seruaunt begginge for spirituall foode kindle my hart with the fyre of thy loue and illumine my blindnes with the clerenes of thy presence turne all worldlye thinges into bitternes to me and all greeuous thinges contrarious thinges into patience and all create thinges into despisinge and into forgettinge of them Lifte vp myne harte to thee into heauen and suffer me not liue vaynlie nor to erre in this worlde Thou Lorde from henceforth shalt be sweete to me for euer for thou art onelye my meate and drinke my loue my ioye my sweetnes and all my goodnes woulde God that thou wouldest kindle me enflame me and turne me wholye into thee that I maye be made one spirite with thee by grace of inward vniting and meltinge of burning loue into thee suffer me not to depart from thee fastinge and drye but worke with me mercifullye as thou haste ofte times marueillouslye wrought with thy beloued seruauntes in tyme paste VVhat maruaile were it if I were all inflamed into thee and fayled in my selfe sith thou art the fyre alwaye burning and neuer fayling the loue purifying the hartes and lightning the vnderstanding of all creatures Of the burninge loue and great affection that vve shoulde haue to receyue Christe The 17. Chapter VVith high deuotiō and burninge loue and with all feruour and affection of the hart I desire to receiue thee Lord as many Saintes and deuout persōs haue desired thee in their communiō that most speciallie pleased thee in the holines of their life were in most burninge deuotion to thee O my Lorde God my loue eternall all my goodnes and felicitie without endinge I couet to receyue thee with as great desire as due reuerēce as any holie man euer did or might do though I be vnworthie to haue such feelinge in deuotiō as they had yet neuerthelesse I offer to thee the whole affection of my hart as verilie as if I onelie had all the burninge flaminge desires that they had ouer that all that a meeke minde maye imagine desire I giue and offer to thee with high reuerēce worship inwarde feruour I desire to reserue nothinge to my selfe but me and all mine I offer to thee in sacrifice freely and most liberally And also my Lorde God my creatour and redeemer with such affection reuerence laude and honour with such thankes dignitie and loue and with suche fayth hope and puritie I desire to receaue thee this daye as thy most holie and glorious mother the virgin Mary desired and receaued thee when she meekely and deuoutlie answered the Angel that shewed her the misterie of thy incarnation and sayde Ecce ancilla domini fiat secundum verbum tuum that is to saye Loe I am the hand mayd of God be it done to me after thy worde and as thy blessed precursour Saint Iohn the Baptist moste excellent of all Saintes was glad and ioyed in great ioye in the holle ghost through thy presence when he was yet in his mothers wombe And after when he saw thee walkinge amonge the people verie meekelie and with deuout affection he sayde The fceend of a spouse that standeth and heareth ioyeth with great ioye to heare the voyce of the spouse and so couete I in great and holie desires to be inflamed and to present my selfe to thee with all mine heart and also I offer and yeelde to thee all the laudes of deuont heartes the brenninge affectiōs excessiue thoughtes spirituall illuminations and heauenlie visions with all vertues and praysinges done or to be done by any creature in heauē or in earth for me and for all them that be cōmitted to my prayer that thou mayest be worthilie
lauded and glorified for euer Accept Lorde God my minde and the desires of the manifolde laudes and blessinges that by me are to thee due of right after the multitude of thy greatnes more then can be spoken And all these I yelde to thee and desire to yelde to thee euerye daye and euerye moment and with all my desire and affection meekelye exhort and praye all heauenlye spirites and all faythfull people to yelde with me thankinges and laudes to thee And I beseeche thee that all people tribes and touges maye magnifie thy holye and moste sweete name with great ioye and brenning deuotion and that all they that reuerentlie and deuoutlye minister this moste high Sacrament or with full faith receyue it maye thereby deserue to finde before thee thy grace and mercy and when they haue obteyned the deuotion that they desired and be spirituallye vnited to thee and be thereby well comforted and maruelouslye refreshed and be departed from thy heauenly table that they will haue me poore sinner in their remembraunce Amen That a man shall not be a curious searcher of this holye Sacrament but a meeke folovver of Christe subduinge alvvaye his reason to fayth The 18. Chapter THou must beware of a curious and an vnprofitable searching of this moste profounde Sacrament if thou wilt not be drowned in the great depth of doubtfulnes for he that is the searcher of Gods maiestie shall be anone thrust out of glorie God is of power to worke muche more then man may vnderstand neuerthelesse a meeke and an humble searchinge of the truth readie alwaye to be taught and to walke after the teachinges of holye fathers is sufferable Blessed is the simplicitie that leaueth the waye of harde questions and goeth in the playne and stedfast waye of the commaundementes of God Manye haue lost their deuotion because they woulde search higher thinges then perteineth to thē Faith and a good life is asked of thee and not the highnes of vnderstanding nor the depenes of the misteries of God If thou maye not vnderstād nor take such thinges as be with in thee howe maiest thou then comprehend those thinges that be aboue thee Submit thy selfe therefore meekelie to God and submit also thy reason to faith and the light of knowledge and true vnderstandinge shall be geuen vnto thee as it shalbe moste profitable and necessary for thee Some be greuously tempted of the fayth and of the Sacrament but that is not to be reputed to them but rather to the enemye therefore care not for him nor dispute not with thy thouhtes nor aunswere not to the doubtes that thine enemie shall laye vnto thee but beleue the wordes of God and beleue his Saintes Prophetes and the wicked enemye shall anone flee awaye fro thee And it is ofte times much profitable that the seruaunt of God shoulde feele and susteine suche doubtes for their more proufe and cōmonly the enemy tempteth not vnfaithfull people sinners whom he hath sure possessiō of but he tempteth vexeth in diuers maners the faithfull and veuout persons Go therefore with a pure and vndoubted faith and with an humble reuerence procede to this Sacrament and whatsoeuer thou canst not vnderstand commit it faithfullye to God for God will not deceaue thee but he shall be deceaued that trusteth ouermuch to him selfe God walketh with the simple persons he openeth him selfe and sheweth him selfe to meeke persons He geueth vnderstanding to them which are poore in spirite he openeth the wit to pure and cleane mindes and hideth his grace from curious men and proude men Mans reason is feeble and weake and anone maye be deceyued but faith is stable and true and can not be deceyued therefore all reason and all naturall workinge must folowe faith without further reasoning for faith and loue in this most holy and moste excellent Sacrament surmount and worke high in secrete maner aboue all reason O the eternal God and the Lorde of infinite power doth great thinges in heauen in earth that maye not be serched for if the workes of God were suche that they might be lightlye vnderstanded by mans reason they were not so marueylous and so inestimable as they be Here endeth the fourth booke of the folowinge of Christe the whiche fourth booke treateth moste principallye of the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar HERE BEGINNETH A GODLY Treatise and it is called a notable Lesson otherwise it is called the golden Epistle Iesu fili Dauid misereremei O matter Dei memento mei The exposition of the name of this lytle Booke A Right good and wholsome Lesson profitable vnto all Christians ascribed vnto S. Bernard and put among his workes I thinke by some vertuous man that woulde it shoulde thereby haue the more authoritie and the rather be reade and better be borne awaye for doubtlesse it is a good matter and edificatiue vnto all them that haue zeale and care vnto soule health and desire of saluation It is called in the Title Notabile documentum that is to saye A notable lesson And some do call it the golden Epistle It foloweth immediatlie after a litle worke called Formula honestae vitae the forme and maner of an honest life or of honest liuing IF you intend to please God and woulde obtaine grace to fulfill the same two thinges be vnto you very necessarye The first you must withdrawe your minde from all worldlie and transitorie thinges in such maner as though you cared not whether any such thinges were in this worlde or no. The seconde is that you geue and applye your selfe so whollie to God and haue your selfe in such a wayte that you neuer doe saye or thinke that you know suppose or beleue shoulde offende or displease God for by this meane you maye soonest and moste readily obtayne and winne his fauor and grace In all thinges esteeme and accōpt your selfe moste vile and moste simple and as verie naught in respect and regarde of vertue and thinke suppose and beleeue that all persons be good and better then you be for so shall you muche please our Lorde VVhatsoeuer you see or seeme to perceaue in anye person or yet heare of any christian take you none occasion therein but rather ascribe and applie you all vnto the best and thinke or suppose all is done or sayd for a good intent or purpose though it seeme contrarie for mans suspition and light iudgementes be soone and lightlie deceaued or begiled Despise no person willinglye nor euer speake euill of any person though it were neuer so true that you saye For it is not lawfull to shew in confession the vice or default of any person except you might not otherwise shewe and declare your owne offence Speake litle or nothing vnto your proper selfe laude or prayse though it were true and vnto your familier felowe or faythfull frende but studie to keepe secret and priuie your vertue rather then your vice yet were it a cruell deede for any persons to defame
how vnwise how vayne and how vncunning thou art when thou desirest any thing beside Iesu truely that desire is more hurtfull to thee than if thou haddest lost all the worlde VVhat may this worlde gene thee but through the helpe of Iesu To be without Iesu is a payne of hel and to be with Iesu is a pleasaunte Paradise If Iesu be with thee there maye no enimie greue thee he that findeth Iesu findeth a great treasure that is best aboue all other treasures and he that Ioseth Iesu loseth verie muche and more than all the world He is most poore that liueth without Iesu and he his moste riche that is with Iesu It is great cunning to be well cōuersaunt with Iesu and to keepe him is right great wisedome Be meke peacefull and Iesu shall be with thee be deuout and quiet and Iesu will abyde with thee Thou mayest anone dryue awaye thy Lorde Iesu and loose his grace if thou applye thy selfe to outwarde thinges and if through negligence of thy selfe thou loose him what freende shalte thou thē haue VVithout a freende thou mayest not long endure and if Iesu be not thy freende moste before all other thou shalt be verie heauye and desolate and be lefte without all perfect frendship And therefore thou doest not wisely if thou trust or ioye in any other thinge beside him VVe shoulde rather choose to haue all the worlde against vs then to offende God and therefore of all that be to thee lefe and dere let thy Lorde Iesu be to thee moste lefe and dere and moste specially beloued to thee aboue all other and let all other be beloued for him and he onelie for him selfe Iesu is onelie to be beloued for him selfe for he onelie is proued good and faythfull before all other freendes In him and for him both enimies and freendes are to be beloued and before all things we ought meekely with all diligence to praye to him that he may be beloued and honoured of all his creatures Neuer couer to be singulerly loued or commended for that belongeth onelye to God which hath none lyke vnto him and desire not that any thinge be occupied with thee in thy harte ne that thou be occupied with loue of any creature but that thy Lorde Iesu may be in thee and in euery good man and woman Be pure cleane inwardly without letting of any creature as nigh as thou canste for it behoueth thee to haue a right cleane and a pure hart to Iesu if thou wilt knowe and feele howe swete he is And verily thou mayst not come to that puritie vnlesse thou be preuēted and drawen through his grace that all other things set apart thou be inwardlye knyt and vnited to him VVhen the grace of God cōmeth to a man then is he made mightie and stronge to doe euery thinge that belongeth to vertue and when grace withdraweth then is he made weake feeble to doe any good deede and is in maner as he were lefte onely to payne and punishmentes And yf it happen so with thee yet dispaire not ouermuch therfore nor leaue not thy good deedes vndone but stande alwaye strōglye after the will of God and turne all thinges that shall come to thee to the laude and praysinges of his name For after winter commeth somer and after the night commeth the daye and after a great tempest sheweth agayne right cleare and pleasaunt weather Of the vvanting of all solace and comfort The 9. Chapter IT is no great thinge to despise mans comfort when the cōfort of God is present but it is a great thinge and that a right great thinge a man to be so stronge in spirit that he may beare the wantinge of them both and for the loue of God and to his honour to haue a readie will to beare as it were a desolation of spirite and yet in nothinge to seeke him selfe nor his owne merites VVhat proofe of vertue is it if a man be mery and deuout in God when grace commeth and visiteth the soule for that houre is desired of euery creature He rideth right safely whom the grace of God beareth supporteth and what maruell is it if he feele no burden that is borne vp by him that is almightie and that is led by the soueraigne guide that is God him selfe VVe be alwaye glad to haue solace consolation but we would hane no tribulation nor we will not lightly cast from vs the false loue of our selfe The blessed Martyr Saint Laurence through the loue of God mightily ouercame the loue of the worlde and of him selfe for he despised all that was likinge and delectable in the worlde And Sixtus the Pope whom he most loued for the loue of God he suffred meekelie to be taken frō him so through the loue of God he ouercame the loue of man for mans comfort he chose rather to folow the will of God Doe thou in like wise and learne to forsake some necessary and welbeloued freende for the loue of God and take it not greeuouslie when thou art left or forsaken of thy freende for of necessitie it behoueth worldlie frendes to be disseuered It behoueth a man to fight long and mightilye to striue with him selfe before he shall learne fully to ouercome him selfe or be able freely and readlly to set all his desires in God VVhen a man loueth him selfe and much trusteth to him self he falleth anone to mans comfortes but the verie true louer of Christe and the diligēt folower of vertue falleth not so lightlye to them neither seeketh much such sensible sweetenes ne such bodely delites but rather is glad to suffer great harde labours paine for the loue of Christ Neuerthelesse when ghostlye comfort is sent to thee of God take to meeklye and geue humble thankes for it but knowe it for certain that it is of the great goodnes of God that sendeth it to thee and not of thy deseruing and looke thou be not therefore lift vp into pride nor that thou ioye much thereof neither presume vainely therein but rather that thou be the more meeke for so noble a gifte and the more warie and fearefull in all thy workes for that time will passe awaye and the time of temptation will shortlye folowe after VVhen comfort is withdrawen dispayre not therefore but meekelye and patiently abide the visitation of God for he is able and of power to geue thee more grace and more ghostly comfort then thou haddest first Suche alteratiō of grace is no new nor straunge thinge to them that haue had experience in the waye of God for in great Saintes and holye prophetes was many times founde like alteration VVherefore the prophete Dauid sayth Ego dixi in abundantia mea non mouebor in aeternum That is to saye VVhen Dauid had aboundance of ghostly comfort he saide to our Lorde that he trusted he should neuer be remoued from such comfort But after when grace withdrewe he saide Auertisti faciem