not haue thee ignorant of which peraduenture is vnknowne to thee That the greater comfort consolation I desire to send my friends with the more troules aduersities afflictions I vse tovisit them But if thou wilt leaue Good wil thy dogge herewith me he may continually remayne in my presence shal neuer goe from me except thou thy selfe wilt yet neuerthelesse daylie must thou commend him to mee DE. Why is it needeful that I commend him to thee daylie sufficeth it not that I doe it once OVR LORD No and not for feare least I should forget thee but lest thou thy selfe proue vnmindefull of me and that thou mayest haue occasion euer to remember and haue mee in thy minde whereby I may gratifie and rewarde thee daylie and according to thy necessity and want may helpe and succour thee For nothing it is to me whither thou be mindefull or vnmindefull of me DE. I yeeld thee most humble thankes my sweete Lord and Master Long since haue I proued thy goodnes and beneuolence for which thou workest all thinges in vs only for our saluation and benefit CHAPTER 15. How Desire put in practise the scure wordes of his Lord and Master and what benefit he receaued thereby THus Desire departing out of the chamber of his Lord and Master leauing his hart still behinde with him he found Desire of God without the dore expecting his comming to whome he said What hast thou done so long time within thinkest thou my Lord Master taketh delight is pleased with many wordes beleeue me thou shalt sometime preuaile more with him with one word then with a hundered DE. Me thinketh I haue stayed to short a time with him DE. OF GOD. Now viewe consider all this house considering thou art receaned in hither DE. I will goe to my chamber DE. OF GOD. Goe in the name of God Now Desire did daylie reuolue in his minde the foure wordes which his Lord Master had deliuered him oft would say to himselfe I Theu Seruant and King And whensoeuer hee spake them whither he deuided them or joyned them yet euer they agreed well togither For joyning the first which is I. With the third which is A Seruant he said to himself I pronounce them rightly For for the loue of my Lord master I am a seruant Then joyning the first with the last which is a King Sill he semed to pronounce them rightly For being the seruant of God he said he was a King For to serue God that is to raigne Againe speaking them an other way joyning King with Seruant Still they agreed well togither For the King of heauen to the intent he might make me a King made himselfe a Seruant and whosoeuer will be a King it is necessary that first he make himselfe a Seruant Thus did Desire for his benefit many wayes joyne these foure wordes togither For if at any time he were oppressed with any externall aduersity presently would he say to himselfe I nothing regard what men say or thinke of me not esteeming whither they honor or cōtenine me I am a seruant or bondman these things are meete for such an on If he felt himself to be tempted with any voluptuous pleasure then said he to himselfe Be it farre from me that am a King to become the salue of filthy vice and pleasure So vile a seruitude befitteth not my Nobility Thus receaued Desire exceeding benefits by these words whither he joyned them in order or placed them contrarily For both did they quēch naughty desires kindled in him appeased mitigated all his adjuersities But now cōsidering the explication of these words may be infinit least I seeme to be tedious I refer the rest to the good consideration of others FINIS AN APPENDIX GATHERED out of the worke of Ludouicus Blotius an Abbot conteyning briefely the chiefe matter of the former Dialogue Thirteene short Precepts most necessarie for all men that desire to attaine to the perfect loue of God The first FOr the loue of thy Sauiour Iesus Christ who suffered most bitter torments for thy redēption renounce and forsake all sensuall delights pleasures whensoeuer thou wouldest or desirest to heare see smell taste touch or speake any thing call to thy remembrance and thinke that thou art then to obey God and reason speaking in thee and not thy sensuall appetite which shall moue and stirre thee Be also ready and content to want the delightes of the spirit according to the pleasure and ordinance of God And whensoeuer thou art comforted with an inward sweetnes and consolation rest not therein but beware thou abuse it not according to thy owne proper pleasure 2. Keepe euer a most carefull watch ouer thy seeing hearing and ouer thy speaking that they decline not after vnlawfull vaine and vnprofitable thinges Thou must be most vigilant and warie in speaking that thou vtter not more wordes or in other manner then shal beseeme thee Let all thy talke be short plaine and voide of strife and contention Gouerne and order carefully all parts of thy body Auoide and shunne immoderate laughter and all leuitie and wantonnesse in thy behauiour 3. Loue not any creature with an inordinate affection but mortifie thy selfe to all transitory things and carry a minde free from such allurements for in such a freedome is conteyned the most true and pleasant life 4. Kill and destroy with all possible care through a full resignation and deniall of thy selfe all thy passions and finfull affections and especiall thy stubborne and obstinate self-will Loue only before all thinges the holie will of God and still wish that it may be done and to that wholy submit thy selfe in such sort that whatsoeuer God will haue done that same thou shalt desire also In all things and at all all times preferre the prayse honor of God before thy owne profit priuate commodity 5. In all thinges that shall happen wisely expect the prouidence of God carefully commit thy selfe and all thine to him Knowing that he hath a care ouer thee All aduersity and tribulation be it internall or externall take as sent from the hand of God Beleeuing for certayne that he doth sende it thee for thy farther benefit and good of thy soule Beare it therefore patiently euen to the last houre giuing thankes to God and continually praysing him through whose permission and ordinance such a thing is befalne thee And be not troubled or moued for any iniury that snall be offered to thee nor impatiently complaine thereof to any man but calling to remembrance thy owne iniquity and ingratitude hould thy selfe worthy of all men to be reprehended blamed contemned vexed scorned and trode on Why shouldest thou be dejected for the words of men or for any thing that thou canst suffer from them Giue men leaue to thinke speake their plesures of thee let the world and the Diuell rage as they will at thee considering it commeth but by Gods
requisite that thou thy selfe endeuour al that in thee lyeth that God may prosper this thy good purpose DE. What think you needful for me to do HVM My Sonne I will tell thee If thy desire be to remayne here amongst vs and not to be expelled from hence by my Virgins thou must take my yongest daughter which brought thee in hither who is called Nihili-pensio that is contempt of al vnnecessary cares her thou must obey as thy gouernesse or Mistris to whome purposly we haue committed the charge to entertayne strangers and be the directix of nouices whosoeuer refuse to be obediēt to her neuer perseuer in that they vndertake DE. Most willingly I admit her and receaue her my gouernesse and desire to know of you Lady mother your name stocke conditions and degree how you come to be mother ouer these Virgins For as it is tould me I must knowe and learne the properties conditions state of all these Virgins vnder your gouerment to the intent that the better I know them the more I may loue them that when I shall depart from hēce I may the better be able to answere direct those that shal aske or seek to learne any thing of me HVM My name is Humility my Father Contempte of him selfe Knowledge of himselfe my Grandfather and his wife is called Knowledge of God My fore named Grandfather commeth from a citty called To marke and consider what I am what I haue beene what I shall be My Grandmother from a towne called Consideration of the Loue of God There are but two wayes to goe to the country of my Grandfather only two gates whereby to enter in the first is Man himselfe the other All creatures and men say no man can enter into either of these gates but by flying and that our Lord God himselfe builded this citty with his owne hands considering that none but he could finishe so commodious so beautifull so firme a building DE. Would our Lord God whose majesty and excellency is so great put himselfe to the building of such stony and clay workes HVM Yea truely for he is an excellent workeman and both a stilfull mason and carpenter and taketh great delight in making earthen works buildings DE. What is the cause that he doth this considering that he hath need of nothing HVM Nothing but his owne goodnes doth constrayne or moue him to do this whence it proceedeth that he neuer ceaseth to benefit others neither seeketh he or studieth with all thinges that he maketh and goeth about anie other thing but the benefit felicity and saluation of all men the honor and prayse to himselfe alone reserued And for this cause doth he make of so base and vile a matter so goodly and beaufull workes as he doeth that the worthines of the worke being compared with the basenes of the matter all men might admire him prayse him and loue him DE. I meruail that so excellēt a Lord as he is would seeke for prayse considering thereby he may be touched with vaine-glory HVM There is nothing lesse to be feared than that in him he being so perfit that no greater perfection can be added to him and all honor and glory that can be yeelded to him cannot be said vaine being only proper to him And how great honor soeuer we can giue to him yet in regarde of that which beseemeth him is due to him we can neuer honor him answerable to his dignitie And for that cause will he be exalted and praysed not that he desireth glory but because he is most iust and will that euery one haue that which is due to him then seing all prayse honor and glory is due to him alone being only good his will is that all prayse honor and glory be yeelded only to him But if anie other shall seeke or desire after glory they may iustly be called vaineglorious because they take it from him to whome it only appertayneth and he may truly be called a theefe that taketh to himselfe an other mans goodes against the will of the true owner CHAPTER 8. Humility continueth her speech DESIRE Now Lady Mother that you haue tolde me your parentage stocke I desire to knowe how you came to be chiefe Gouernesse of this house for in my opinion it is a great honour and dignity and I my selfe in time may come to be a gouernour for there is greate difference betweene commanding and obeyinge Humility hearing what he saide beganne to weepe of whome Desire demaunded the cause of her weepinge HVM My Sonne I cannot conteyne my teares to see that outwardly thou seemest clad with the habit of humilitie and yet inwardly thou appearest naked bare that in shew thou semest religious and virtuous but in hart and minde voyde of virtue and deuotion In vaine haue we vsed our passed discourse seing these thoughtes and desires of thine are so cleane repugnant from the wil of my father most dearly beloued Lord Iesus who neither in word nor deed euer sought or desired rule or gouernment came not into this world to be serued but to serue From which path who soeuer turneth and strayeth walketh the way of damnation not saluation But Oh vnhappy miserable creaturs that we are to whom it is alotted to rule and gouerne others considering how hard a taske we take in hand if we wil but commaund our selues as we ought Such honor is in deede but misery and full of cares labors wearines afflictions sorowes dangers most horrible feares and which if it be not well ordered gouerned is in the end accompanyed with ignominy and shame Oh ouer heauie burthen of rule cōmandement in which nothing is found put labor and trouble wherein hatred repining il wil is receiued from those that should acknowledg and yeeld obedience and thanks If thou remainest any time here amongst vs thou shalt finde by experience my sayings true Now to answere thy demaund how I came to be gouernesse I will for the Loue of God acquaynte thee with the meane When first I entered into this house I purposed and so perswaded my selfe that I was but a labouring beaste and the seruant of the other Virgins and this determination of mine I so resolued to performe and imprinted it deeply in my minde and hart continuallie calling it freshly to my minde and prayinge to God to make mee still desire it and that it woulde please him to make mee worthie to bee his Spouse and so through his appoynte-ment I came to be gouernesse although of my selfe I neither would or desired it Desire hearing Humilities discourse thought her a Virgin of very rare vertue in that for the Loue of God shee had so dejected and debased her selfe and perceauing her to be yet a Virgin vnderstood the Matrimony that shee spake of to be spirituall and not carnall and said DE. Then I perceaue who so will be a Superiour ruler must according as you haue
but the least tast of Gods loue in me wherein not my part duety to labour what I cold that he might be knowen honored and loued of all the world to pray that he would bestowe his grace on all men whereby he might of them be continually honored Therefore most accursed Wench flie farre from my sight Thou knowest not what charitable Loue is considering thou art the daughter of that wicked damnable and false Apostata For I would if it pleased God that he depriued me of all spirituall corporall good which of his bountie he hath bestowed on me and giue them to others who with them would honor and prayse him more then I doe who am so barraine and vnfruitfull a soyle and haue receaued his grace and giftes in vaine For I desire nothing in this world but Gods prayse and honor and will daily seeke it how dearely so euer I obtayne it See then wreatched Wench how farre thou art deceaued Markest thou not that God knoweth what he doeth he seeth plainely that these vessels into which so abundantly he infuseth his blessings be farre more pure of a more humble spirit then I my self And therefore iustly hath denyed mee such grace seing right well that I am full of pride a vessell filled with anger and malice which through haughtines of minde would proudely attempt to scale if it cold the heauens themselues which duely pondered I rest contented with the will and pleasure of my sweete Lord IESVS neither desire I to finde ought else but him CHAPTER 13. By what meanes we may expell all Malice from our selues THe third daughter of Malice is called Sloath a most dangerous enemy who is cold and lasie in spirituall exercises and the seruice of GOD Wherein consisteth the summe of our saluation Her am I wonte to answere in this manner Thou desirest Sister and willingly wouldest perswade me neither to frequent the seruice of GOD nor to vse at all anie spirituall exercises And therefore of purpose to conquer and subdue thee I will spende more time in watching and praying and diume contemplation where vnto she thus replyeth Seest not thou thy selfe euen frozen with a cold deuotion and to feele no whitte at all any zeale of Gods seruice in thee but to vse thy exercises against thy owne voluntary disposition which prouoketh iustly the indignation of God Neither doest thou ought els but tempt God therein who desireth no vnwilling or impulsiue seruices but such as proceede from a chearefull and willing minde Then reply I againe Away thou wicked wreatch I perceaue thy meaning Knowest thou not that at such time I shew my loue greater to God when I serue him with my owne will be it neuer so small then when I finde my selfe endued with extraordinary deuotion by him art thou ignorant that God sometimes of purpose withdraweth his grace thereby to try and prooue our strength And then when he perceaueth vs to offer vp and bestowe on him that little deuotion which is remayning in vs he doubleth his grace heauenly consolation in vs. Yet so that finding our selues voide of inwarde sensible grace we cast not cleane away our good will harty desire Therfore whereas thou askest why being so cold and cleane voide of deuotion yet I goe to pray considering as thou sayest that is but to tempt God assure thy selfe although I felt in me farre lesse deuotion and will to serue God yet that not withstanding I would frequent my prayers and would set my selfe in the sight of our Lord neither would I speake or desire ought of him but standing before him would yeeld to him al due honor and reuerence imagining himselfe to be present in my sight and that I beheld him and that there I stoode before his high diuine and fearefull Majesty That he who is the fire of loue would inflame my harte when he should thinke conuenient Therefore submit I my self to his holy will am content with that which it shall please him to graunt me And the weaker fainter and colder I finde my selfe so much the nearer I will come to this fire For if I will depart from it then shall I finde my selfe farre colder then before Therefore depart from me thou naughty Wench For I doe not vse frequent my daily prayers my deuout contemplations and spirituall exercises for my owne contentment comfort or delight but only to this end thereby to serue my Lord God honour him considering I know we it to be his holy will and pleasure that I should do so and that I exercise my selfe in all vertue and holines to the honour prayse of his holy name Now when this wicked mayden with her practises cannot withdrawe me from the Loue of God She taketh a new course and laboureth to winne my loue from my fellow Sisters And taking the assistance of her before named Nouices Suspition and rash iudgmēt assaulteth me againe perswadeth me to hate and malice my sisters and to carry a sinister opinion of them whereby I should either suspect some ill in them or else rashly without some just cause condemne thē hence proceede contempt repining murmuring and detraction But my selfe with the assistance of my Purpose marking her presently answere It beseemeth not so base and so abject a maide as my selfe to judge amisse of my sisters or Superiours neither lawfull for sinners to intermeddle with sacred vesselles or for beastes to come nigh the holy mountaine It best beseemeth me to account all my sisters vertuous and holy but my selfe most wreatched and full of foule sinne For it is a secret to me what all men are in the sight of GOD or in what manner they shall ende this mortall life As for my selfe I knowe right well that my pronesse to sinne and naughty appetites and desires woulde drawe me headlong to the pitte of hell were I not preserued by Gods diuine grace and mercie Therefore knowe I right vvell what I may feare of my selfe and suspect that is whether my conscience my wordes and deedes be good for I know my selfe but am a stranger to others And therefore so much as appertayneth to my fellowes I will choose the safest course that is to thinke and speake all good of them assuring my selfe thereby to gaine but neuer to loose For nothing is more dangerous then to be ruled by our owne will and to refuse a certainty for an vncertainety Charity neuer thinketh amisse And I finde it a charge great enough for me to judge and discerne mine owne conscience my affections my wordes and deedes and not to busie my selfe in censuring these not curiously to intermeddle in others actions For vvho made me a Iudge betweene God and my sisters or betweene them and their owne consciences Truly no man Avoide thou therefore or hast thou ought else to say I plainely see thou art nowe ouercome in seeking to suggest to me a suspition of my sisters vvhich is a most damnable and
chamber of his Lord and Master and of the mannerof Praying DE. One thing there remayneth yet which I would enteate of you that now considering You haue graunted me to be a seruant of this house you will farther bring me to the knowledge of my Master that I may se him kisse his hand DESIRE OF GOD. Follow me in I will graunt thy desire Now beganne Desie to feare and to tremble thinking that he must speake with a King of so great Majesty in his priuy chamber and so great was his feae and his astoynishment that neither could he or durst he presume to come neare him but nowe beganne to thinketo goe back againe But aduising better with himselfe and thinking that he was a sweete a noble and an affable King and curteous and gentle to all men he tooke hart againe trusting wholy to he gentlenes of him Hee Desire of God bidde him stay at the dore vntill he went in to his Master and told him how Desire desired to speake with him And now againe beganne Desire to be doubtfull how and in what manner he should speake to his Lord and Master When Desire of God comming to him tould him he had acuained his Master with his beingthere and therefore badde him goe in and he would stay for him there Now Desire beganne with exceeding great reuerence to enter the house and goe into the haule who so sone as he espied his Lord Master he fell prostrate on the ground and beganne to weepe not presuming to lift vp either his head or eyes For he had not forgot what an enemy he had beene sometime to his Master with how many wronges and iniuries he had offended him how ill and vnreuerently he had sometimes spoken of him with the remēbrance hereof he was not able to speake but stode weeping and sighing seing himselfe present before the Majesty of him he had so highly offended OVR L. What meaneth this weeping What doest thou here speakest thou nothing rise and say what thou wouldest haue DE. What may I presume to speake O Lord in presence of thy Majesty I acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to open my vncleane mouth in the presence of such a Lord admit me to be silent and to stand still and sigh and to bewaile and lament my owne iniquity OVR LORD Wherefore then art thou come hither DE. I of my selfe neuer came in hither for I hold my selfe vnworthy to abide in thy house much lesse worthy to enter thy chamber OVR LORD Who then brought thee hither DE. Thy selfe sweete Lord thou hast drawen me thou hast made me cry and call vpon thee thou hast commanded thy gates to be opened and that I should be brought in hither to thee My selfe am wholy ignorant of the cause hereof or what hath moued thee to it or what neede thou hast of me For I hold in more sufficient then that so vnworthy a wreatch a I am shold be thought worthy to be the meanest of thy seruāts a bondman slaue in this thy house although of my selfe I cannot deserue that and hould my selfe vnworthy to obteyne it But considering that it hath pleased thee to call me and that it pleaseth thee I shall abide with thee and speake to thee open thou O Lord I beseech thee my lippes and teach me what I shall say in thy presence Plant in mee thy spirit of feare and reuerence that thy Majesty be not offended by me or vnreuerendly worshipped or vnhonorably entreated from this time forewarde ofso vile a sinner as I acknowledge my selfe For it cannot be done without offering thee great iniurie And rather had I kil my selfe then to offer contempt ignominie or disgrace to thy Majesty For therby shold I offer great iniury and contempt to all Angels and Archangels and the whole fellowshippe of heauen who with so great reuerence and feruour doe loue and honor thee Teach me therefore O lord what I shal say or do to thee For I wholy resigne my self into thy hands Grant me therefore sweete Lord the spirit of Humilitie wherewith I may serue thee thy house all thy seruāts let my seruice be acceptable to thee be thou O Lord honored and glorified in me CHAPTER 14. How our Lord instructed Desire how he should behaue himselfe OVR LO Rise upandlay away all manner of feare If hēceforth thou wilt be vertuous and Godly behaue thy selfe according to thy duety I will neuer remēber the wrongs and iniuries thou hast done me And that thou mayest henceforth amend and become better I will deliuer thee only foure wordes which if thou remember and wilt only obserue shall be very beneficiall auaileable to thee The first two are I and Thou The other two A Seruant a King These foure wordes when thou canst well exercise and practize will bring thee to great perfection purity of hart and will defend deliuer thee from all perturbatiōs of the minde will instruct thee to liue peaceably friendly conuerse quietly with al men DE. Voutsafe O lord to direct me how I may exercise these foure words OVR LO Thou maist refer all thy exercises to these foure words for they are of great importace whole volumes might be written of them alone which of them selues were sufficient to teach great perfection Therefore when thou esoluest to speake vnto me if then thou finde thy self could distracted or discontēted for any thing that thou art cōmanded thinke to thy selfe that with these wordes alone I speake to thee I Thou And then exclude from thy minde the whole world what soeuer thou hast heard or seene in thy life imagining that none but I I Thou are left in this world The other two wordes Seruant King will auaile thee in liuing with thy Brothers in this House The first wherof Seruant will profit thee herein that thou maist imagine thy selfe the seruant of all men whereby thou shalt attayne Humilitie and Obedience The other word King will serue thee to remember that thou art King and commander ouer thy selfe For such Kings doe I enritch loade with al treasures For this time be contēt with this directiō haue peace quietnes so depart DE. Wherefore O Lord doest thou bidde me depart wilt that I forsake thy presence OVR LO Thinke not thy selfe worthy to abide alwaies with me but at such times only as I wil shal send for thee and then take thou heede that thou doe not offend in vaineglory or presumption For according to my owne will pleasure I wil cal thee But before thou goe hence leaue thy hart here with me that whersoeuer thou cōuerse thy better part may be with me DE. Most willingly sweet Lord I cōmit my hart to thy protection OVR LO I receaue it from thy willing offer yet thinke not alwaies that I will doe so for sometimes for thy benefit to humble thee I wil refuse to keep it And this one thing I wold
permission Doe thou in the meane time leane wholy to our LORD IESVS and silently keepe peace continually in thy hart If thou doest truly consider how shamefull and sharpe thinges thy Creator and Redeemer IESVSCHRIST hath suffered for thee most patiently thou wouldest endure any affliction whatsoeuer 6. Imagine thy self more base abject than any other creature remembring thy owne vilenesse and what thy sinnes haue deserued If thou thinke any good of thy selfe considering thou hast none if vnwisely thou like thy owne doinges and conceaue well of them herein thou shewest thy exceeding pride for which thou stinkest before the face of God What good soeuer is in thee it is Gods and not thine beware therefore in vsurping that which appertayneth to God Neither boast thereof or secke to please thy selfe in that vvhich shall so highly displease almightie God Farther think thy selfe vnworthy of the smallest benefitte it shall please God to bestowe on thee 7 Obey and followe in all lawfull thinges the will and commandement of other men thy owne selfe-will clearely abandoned and all appetites and desires vanquished and ouercome Most readely submit thy selfe to Obedience for nothing is more acceptable to God then Obedience and disobedience the thing which God most hateth 8 Content thy selfe with fewe and simple thinges following the example of our Sauiour Christ and his most blessed Mother Delight neither in vaine apparell nor gluttenous diet But thinke with thy selfe how vnthankfull thou shouldest be if thou shouldest murmur for thy meate not being curiously dressed considering our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST was offered for thy sake most bitter gall and vinegre to drinke If thou want sometime euen those thinges which are needefull for thee yet euer honour God and put thy trust and confidence in him who neuer forsaketh those that serue him although for their greater good he suffer them sometime to want 9 Loue all men sincerely as thy brothers and sisters representing the Image of GOD thy Creator Hartely wish the good of all men Shewe to all men especially to thy enemies and persecutors a milde and gentle countenance and behauiour and let all thy wordes be ciuill to them suppressing in thy selfe all bitternesse of hart with a mildnesse and sweetnesse of holy Charity Be euer ready to comfort and aide all men in necessity Haue pittie and compassion vpon all in misery rejoyce at other mens vertues as at thy owne and take other mens miseries as the misery of thy selfe imagining thou art subject to as much as any other 10 Contemne no man banish from thy hart with all possible diligence euill suspition and rash judgment Inure thy selfe to thinke well of all men Interpret with simplicity the sayings and doings of others to the best Preferre plainely all other men before thy selfe Imagine thou art more vile and ingrate then any other man liuing Say to thy selfe say also to GOD I am vnworthy to treade vppon the earth Oh that thou diddest vnderstand how willingly thou oughtest vndertake all seruile vvorkes for Gods sake how gladly thou shouldest obey and serue other for him For our Lord and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST himselfe being made man became a seruant and with humility washed the feete of his Disciples 11. Labour to please God rather then men and wish rather to be despised then honoured 12 Feede and nourish in thy selfe holy and vertuous thoughtes and euery where attende the presence of GOD hauing thy thoughts continually fixed on him whether thou feele sensible deuotion or no. These wordes following being oft thought vpon will helpe greatly to recollect thy spirittes and reuerendly to thinke on the presence of GOD. O Lord God thou art euer present to aide and assist me thou inhabitest and art abiding in the secrets of my soule 13. Whatsoeuer is not of god regard it not nor thinke that it doth appertaine to thee so mayest thou with a quiet minde attend his seruice And one thing is necessary which to obtayne thou must labour endeuour and doe vvhat lyeth in thy power yet so that thou wholie distrust thy selfe and all thou canst doe but haue all thy confidence in God alone in his mercy and goodnesse and in the helpe and assistance of his heauenly grace For without God thou canst doe nothing but sinne Reade ouer againe and againe these short rules and examine thy life and behauiour by them AN INDEX OF THE CHAPters of this Dialogue diuided into three partes THE first Chapter Desire goeth on Pilgrimage 2. He instructeth spiritual Pastors Prelats 3. Of the same Argument 4. Of the house of Humility 5. How Vaine-glory watcheth at the gates 6. By what meanes we may attaine to Humility 7. Of the purpose of Humility and her conference with Desire 8. Humility continueth her discourse 9. Humility still continueth her speach and teacheth how to fight against sinne 10. Of concupiscence of the flesh 11. Of concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life 12. How the other wicked Maydens may be ouercome 13. All malice may be expelled 14. Of other exercises of Humility 15. Of the vertues that be daughters to Humility 16. How all creatures be good and yet none is good but God 17. Of the same Argument 18. Of the manners cōditions of Simplicity 19. How purity of hart and Innocency might be preserued 20. Of Pouerty 21. Of Obedience 22. Of Chastity 23. The Conclusion of the first part THE SECOND PART 1. Of Patience 2. How God may be known by his cretures THE THIRD PART 1. Of the probation and exercise of the Loue of God 2. Of the loue of our Neighbour 3. Of the Loue of God of our Neighbour and of an other degree of loue and of the function thereof 4. Of the same 5. Of two other Purposs of the Loue of God to wit to desire nothing and to thinke vpon nothing 6. Of the same and of prayer also 7. Of the office of the Loue of God in an other degree a continuation of that which he beganne of the manner of praying 8. Of the third degree of Loue. 9. Of those thinges which the Loue of God hateth 10. How the Loue of God brought desire into the house 11. How Desire of God prepared Desire to eate of the fruit he gaue him 12. How Desire learned to sing 13. How Desire of God brought Desire into the chamber of his Lord and Master and of the manner of praying 14. How our Lord gaue Desire good directions to gouerne him selfe well 15. Desire exercised the foure wordes which our Lord taught him and what benefit hee reaped thereby FINIS