that this aungell had ben an erthly man and dredde that yf he had tolde it vnto hym he sholde haue sayd some worde that sholde vtterly haue greued hym more And whan the aungell sawe he wolde by no way tell it vnto hym he sayd vnto the squyer in this wyse Now sythe thou wylte not tell me thy greue I shall tell it the. Thou arte sayd the aungell in dyspayre of thy saluacyon but trust me faythfully thou shalte be saued for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes and surmounteth all synnes It is sothe sayd the squyer I wote wel that god is mercyfull but he is also ryghtfull and his ryghtwysnes must nedes punysshe synne And therfore I drede his ryghtfull Iugementes The aungell spake vnto hym agayne and tolde hym many grete examples how gracyous and mercyfull our lorde god is to synners But the squyer of whome we spake was so depely fallen in dyspayre that he coude take no comforte of ony thinge that he coude saye Than the aungell spake agayne to hym in this maner O sayd he that thou arte harde of byleue but wylte thou haue an open shewynge that thou shalte be saued Than sayd he to y e squyer I haue here thre dyce that I wyll throwe and thou shalte throwe them also who that hath moost of the dyce sykerly shall be saued A sayd the squyer how myght I in this throwynge of the dyce be certayne of my saluacyon helde it but a Iape that not withstandynge the aūgell threwe the dyce and he had on euery of the dyce vpwarde the nombre of syxe And he than bad the squyer throwe the dyce O than sayd the squyer certaynly that dare I not doo for I wote well though I caste more than thou hast caste sholde I not cast ne haue and yf I had lesse than sholde I fall in ferther dyscomforte but so specyally the aungell desyred and spake that at the last the squyer threwe the dyce and in throwynge by the gracyous myght and power of god euery dyce deuyded in two on euery dyce was the nombre of syxe and so he had the double that the aungell had and as he was meruaylynge therupon the aungell vanysshed out of his syght wherfore he thought veryly than it was an aūgell sente from god to brynge hym out of his sorowe and than he toke moche comforte and Ioye in the grete mercy goodnes of god in suche maner that all his dredes and sorowes were clene departed and he became a vertuous man and the very seruaunt of god and lyued blessydly And whan he sholde departe from this worlde he deuysed there sholde be a stone layde vpon hym with these wordes wryten aboute it that foloweth Here lyeth Iohn̄ holmes that of the mercy of god may saye alargys I knewe a worshypfull persone that was in the same abbey here in englonde where as he lyeth that redde the same wordes afore sayd wryten on his tombe Now than sythen our mercyfull lorde god sent thus his gracyous comforte to this man that was a worldly synfull man receyued hym to grace and brought hym out of dyspayre There sholde noo man be dyscomforted nor dyspayre of ony temptacyons for hardely god wyll cōforte hym whan he seeth his tyme and thoughe he sende not a man comforte shortely it shall be to his more mede therfore thynke alwaye whan ye thynke of ony temptacyons bodely or ghostly that ye stande in the blessynges of all holy chyrche for holy wryte sayth blessyd be they that suffreth temptacyons For whan they be well proued they shall haue the crowne of lyf the whiche almyghty god hath promysed to them that loue hym ¶ The tenth chapytre O ye chyldren of holy chyrche that hath forsaken the worlde for the helth of your soules pryncypally to please god comforte you in hym whome ye haue chosen to loue and serue for he wyll be to you full free and large as ye may se by example of Peter in the gospell where as he asked our lorde Ihesu cryst what rewarde he sholde haue that had forsaken all thynge to folowe hym And our lorde answered hym and sayd that he sholde Iuge with hym the twelue trybes of kynredes of Israell at the daye of dome and ferthermore our lorde sayd also vnto him that not onely one or two or some but he sayd all tho that forsake for his loue kynne frendes possessyons or ony erthly goodes they shall haue in this lyfe an hondred folde more and after blesse withouten ende Therfore syster cast awaye all suche false dredes that wolde trouble and lette you from loue and hope of our mercyfull lorde god for no thynge pleaseth soo moche the fende as to se the soules withdrawe from the loue of god And therfore he besyeth hymselfe full sore daye and nyght to lette and trouble loue and peas in mannes soule and on the other syde noo thynge confoundeth nor dyscomforteth hym so moche as whan he seeth a man sette all his desyre to haue the loue of god Alas though ye fele not that feruent loue of god shall ye by your Imagynacyon fall in dyscomforte and heuynes of herte thynke your selfe lost nay nay put awaye all suche dyscomfortable heuynes thynke well it cometh of your enemy the fende euer haue a good wyl to loue and please god and prynte well these wordes in your herte that a good wyll is excepte as for a dede in the syght of god and comforte you alwaye in the name of Ihesu for Ihesu is as moche to saye as a sauyour therfore thynke well euer therupon bere it in your mynde with his passyon and also his other grete vertues for no thynge shall so soone put awaye all dredefull temptacyons fantasyes as the remembraunce of this name Ihesu his bytter passyon and gloryous vertues These thre be shelde and spere armure strength to dryue downe the fendes power be he neuer so fyersly set to tempte man or woman specyally to thynke on his grete vertues how god the fader in hymselfe hath all dyuyne nature in whome is all myght and power and to whome is all thynge possyble and no thynge impossyble to hym And god the sonne is all wysdome that all thynge may make and gouerne and god the holy ghoost is all loue and bounte that in a moment of tyme all synnes may forgyue I saye not to you thre goddes but thre persones and one god in whome is all blysse and glory he is so fayre and bryght shynynge that all the aungelles meruayle of his beaute his gloryous blessydfull beaute presence fedeth and fulfylleth all the courte of heuen with suche myrthe and melody that is euerlastynge In hym is all benygnyte kepynge vs from vengeaunce and in hym is all grace and gentylnes curtesy fredome and largenes pyte mercy and forgyuenes Ioye swetenes and endles helth our socour he is in all trybulacyons whan we call vpon hym our
comforte our strength our helpe and our soules helth I wys syster this is our spouse whome ye desyre to loue and please the gretenes of his vertues ne the multytude of his Ioyes whiche spredeth to all them that be in the courte of heuen noo herte can thynke nor tonge tell for the blessydnes of his presence can can neyther be sayd nor wryten Ioye ye therâ—ore in our lorde cryst Ihesu cryst for he hath bought you full dere to brynge you to that blysse and therfore saye to hym O holy god in whome is all goodnes whose pyte and mercy made the to descende from the hygh trone downe in to this wretched worlde the valay of woo and wepynge and here to take our nature and in that nature thou suffrest payne and passyon with cruell sharpe deth to brynge our soules to thy kyngdome Therfore mercyfull lorde forgyue me all my synnes that I haue done thought and sayd Gloryous trinite sende me clennes of herte purete of soule restore me with thy holy vertues strength me with thy myght that I alway may withstande the fende and all euyll temptacyons O good lorde coÌ„forte me with thy holy ghoost and fulfyll me with perfyte grace and charyte that I may from hens forth lyue vertuously And loue the with all my herte with all my myght and with all my soule so that I neuer offende the but euer to folowe thy pleasures in wyll worde thought and dede now graunte me this good lorde that arte infynyte whiche eternally shall endure And now good syster yf ye doo thus I hope it shall do you grete ease And thoughe ye fynde noo maner of comforte swetnes nor deuocyon whan ye wolde be not therfore dyscomforted but suffre it mekely for ryght many there be that stryue with themselfe as though they wolde haue swete deuocyon by maystry And I saye you for trouth so wyll it not be had but by mekenes moche sooner it may be goten And that is as thus that a man holde and thynke hymselfe vnworthy to haue ony swetnes or comforte offre hymselfe lowly to the wyll of god and put his wyll fully to the wyll and mercy of that blessyd lorde for a man sholde not desyre to haue that swetnes deuocyon for his owne comforte and pleasaunce but purely and onely entendynge to please god and to folowe his wyll and than it suffyseth vnto vs whether we haue it or noo some also weneth that and they haue not suche swetnes deuocyon that they be out of grace but certaynly some there be that in them selfe feleth noo swetnes nor deuocyon that be in more grace then the other that feleth it for they haue many comfortes and better it were mekenes without felynge than felynge without mekenes Therfore syster suffre mekely and pacyently what euer falleth vnto you euer haue a good wyll to do that may be moost pleasynge to god and whan ony dyscomforte cometh by temptacyon or ymagynacyon of your enemy haue the wordes in your mynde that ofte is sayd in this wrytynge before whiche is that a good wyll shall be excepted for a dede for and ye desyre to be vertuous and to loue and please god it is excepted as for dede before our lorde god yf you so folowe it with your myght and power as whan reason cometh to you with a desyrefull wyll to lyue and doo well and yf ye ony tyme fele comforte swetnes and after fele these temptacyons as ye dyde before yet be ye not dyscomforted therfore ne thynke therupon Say not alas it is comen agayne it wyll neuer away from me And by the meane of your owne ymagynacyon fall agayne in dyscomforte doo not soo but comforte you in god be gladde that the fende hath enuy vnto you for whyle the lyfe is in the body he wyll alwaye trouble and tary the seruauÌ„tes of god he is so fully sette ayenst them with al malyce to dysease and dyscomforte theym in all the dyuerse maners that he can or may Saynt Augustyne sayth y e in many maner wayes temptacyons be hadde by the whiche the serpent adder enemye to all mankynde tourmenteth mannes soule And saynt Gregorye sayth that there is noo thynge in the worlde whiche we ought to be soo syker of god as whan we gaue these tourmentes and troubles And yf a man saye that bodely turmentes be medeful and not ghoostly turmentes he sayth not ryght for doubtles the ghoostly tourmentes be more greuous and paynefull that come ayenst mannes wyll than be bodyly tourmentes and soo moche more be they nedefull and therfore many men doo dyshonour to god that sayth with full aduysement that the fende in this world may more turment than god may gyue meryte wherfore truly there is no thyÌ„ge more medefull charytable nor more godly than for to strength and comforte the soule that the fende soo troubleth for who so comforteth them that be dyssolate and in sorowe the lorde of comforte Ihesu cryste our lorde and god wyll comforte them without ende in the blysse of heuen the whiche lorde thorugh the myght and meryte of his paynefull passyon and precyous blode hath put downe y e power of y e fondes hath grauÌ„ted to crysten soules the vyctory ouer them to the worstyp of all the hole trynyte fader sone and holy ghoost that lyueth reyneth withouten ende Amen ¶ Here endeth y e remedy ayenst the troubles of temptacyons ¶ Here begynneth a deuoute medytacyoÌ„ in sayenge deuoutly y e psalter of our lady w t dyuers ensamples THe gloryous mayster IohnÌ„ of the mouÌ„te in his moryall telleth whiche also I fouÌ„de in y e boke of frere Thomas of the temple In the tyme y e moost blessyd Domynyck the noble fader and leder moost famouse of y e ordre of prechers preched throughout the worlde in many regyons and exhorted incessauÌ„tly y e people to the laude and prayse of y e blessyd marye vyrgyn vndefyled to her angelyke coÌ„fraternyte It fortuned hym to preche at Rome in the audyence of the grete prelates of the worlde and shewed by fygures and examples this blessyd vyrgyn to be saluted moost specyally by her psalter All they meruaylled of thaffluence of his wordes They were astonyed at the grete wonders To whome he sayd O faythfull and true lordes and other true louers of the fayth here this synguler holsome sayenge to you all that ye may veryly knowe those thynges whiche I haue spoken to be true Take the psalter of this blessyd vyrgyne and in sayenge it call deuoutely vnto your remembraunce the passyon of cryste Thus I shewe vnto you that ye shall haue in experyence the spyryte of god bothe in sayenge and in forgyuynge Truely soo greate a flambe may not stonde in ony place without makynge hote Neyther soo grete lyghte without gyuynge lyght nor soo godly a medycyne without the vertue of makynge hole What sholde I saye more all the people gaue audyence and in maner astonyed they meruaylled of
nor wyll be tourned but wylfully departeth hym from the goodnes of god and in his wretchednes abydeth wylfully with full consent of wyll he that doth thus synneth in the holy ghoost whiche may not be forgyuen here nor elles where for he wyll not trust in the goodnes of the holy ghoost nor aske forgyuenes of his synnes And therfore he that wyll noo mercy aske noo mercy shall haue for his synnes be infynyte without repentaunce But thoughe a man or a woman haue or fele all these vycyous sterynges and as many moo as ony herte can thynke ayenst theyr owne free wyll and whan reason cometh to them they be sory therof flee alwaye hastely to the mercy of god it is to them but a preuynge or a clensynge of theyr synnes though they be neuer soo ofte in the nyght and the daye now vp now downe as wrestelers be thoughe ye haue ony tyme fall in ony synne ghoostly or flesshely layne therin wylfully by delyberacyon and full content of herte ye than ought to be sory and aske god forgyuenes with as grete contrycyon as god wyll gyue you grace and than thynke fully the goodnes of the holy ghoost surmounteth all synnes that euer was done or euer shall be done though a man had synned in them all as well in dede as thought he beynge truly contryte confessed mekynge hymselfe lowly to almyghty god and to his sacramentes of holy chyrche doubte ye not he so askynge mercy shall haue full forgyuenes of all his synnes for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes And therfore thoughe ye somtyme here by spekynge or elles of wrytynge or redynge in bokes sharpe wordes and harde sentences yet comforte your selfe and thynke well that all suche harde wordes be sayd and wryten to chastyse the synners and to withdrawe them from euyll and also to pourge and pure goddes specyall louers as the metall is in the fyre afore rehersed and in them god wyll make his hous And wete it well many wordes that seme full harde be ment full tenderly whan they be well vnderstonde and though some wordes be ment ryght hardely as the playne texte sheweth yet sholde ye not take them to you warde but comforte your selfe and thynke that all those harde sentences shall be fulfylled in Iewes and sarasyns for the crysten people that wyll be contryte trust in goddes mercy or haue a wyl so for to do they shal escape all perylles so y t they shall not perysshe but be saued where as the Iewes sarasyns in theyr perylles shal vtterly perysshe to pardycyon for they haue not the strength of Baptym ne the precyous oyntement of crystes passyon that sholde gyue to theyr soules lyf and helth Of this they haue example a grete fygure in holy wryte that where as Moyses ledde the chyldren of Israell ouer the reed see whiche were goddes people Moyses wente before them and smote the water with his rodde and therwith the water parted the chyldren of Israell wente ouer in suertye And they of egypte that folowed perysshed were drowned By Moyses I vnderstonde our lorde Ihesu cryste and by the yerde or rodde that departed y e water I vnderstonde his holy passyon and by the chyldren of Israell that were not perysshed all crysten people for ryght so our lorde Ihesu cryst came from his faders bosome to the see of trybulacyons temptacyons to be our guyde leder he gooth before vs with his precyous passyon smyteth awaye the perylles of our troublous temptacyons so that we shall not perysshe but it shall brynge vs to suertye of euerlastynge lyf and therfore gyue we to hym thankynges louynges infynyte praysynges as the chyldren of Israell dyde for thoughe a crysten man were neuer soo synfull thynkynge hymselfe y t he stode in the sentences of the hardest wordes that be wryten yet sholde he trust faythfully in the mercy of god for and he wyll forsake his synnes tourne hym to good and vertuous lyf he shall haue grace and forgyuenes and the harde sharpe wordes of dampnacyon sholde tourne hym to mercy and saluacyon For thus sayth our lord god in holy wryte by his prophete Ieremye though I make grete thretes I shall repent me of my wordes yf my people wyll repent them of theyr synnes O beholde the grete goodnes of our lorde and how pyte alwaye constrayneth hym to mercy worshyp and thankes be euer to his goodnes he is so benygne and mercyfull to them that be repentaunt that he frely wyll chaunge his sentences from sharpe vengeaunce to forgyuenes of the paynes that they be worthy to suffre gyue them alygeaunce or lyghter payne to suffre He sayth also by the prophete I saye I shall forgyue the synnes of euery man that with very true contrycyon wyll drawe hym to good and vertuous lyfe And this grete mercy shewed our lorde openly vpon the Cyte of Niniue and also by kynge Ezechie therfore lette noo man dyspayre but alwaye trust fully to goddes mercy that so well can redresse our myscheues and tourne all our woo to we le and our sorowe to Ioye O thou gloryous myghtyfull god that thus meruayllously werketh in thy creatures it is to se that thy mercy is large and brode whiche maketh the to chaunge thy sentence that before was bothe thy wyll and worde blessyd be thou good lorde in all thy vertues for thou canst may and wyll tourne and chaunge all our infyrmytees to our moost proufyte yf we wyll not flee from the but tourne to thy goodnes and aske mercy But for all this thy grete goodnes god forbede that ony man sholde be the more bolder to synne or wylfully and wyttyngly by delyberacyon sholde presume to falle to synne vpon trust of thy mercy And therfore our lorde is so mercyfull I surely trust that euery true courteys soule wyl be the more lothe to offende his goodnes and as for you that be tempted ayenst your wyll and wyll not for all the worlde dysplease god wylfully but that ye be thus begyled and encombred by the fende with many paynefull thoughtes be ye not afrayde of the fende nor of his ferefull assawtes for he is full sore dyscomforted whan that he seeth a man or a woman whiche he soo tempteth is not aferde of hym Somtyme the fende cometh and tempteth a soule fyersly lyke a dragon and somtyme he assaylleth hym lyke a rampynge lyon but and yf a creature strengthynge hymselfe saddely in the passyon of almyghty god and arme hym with that holy passyon a thousande suche fendes how someuer that they come shall haue noo more power ouer hym thenne hath as many flyes or gnattes And therfore strength you all in god and be not abasshed Soo to strength and arme you in hym though ye be synfull for he sayth hymselfe in the gospell he came for synners And in an other place of the gospell he saythe that he came for mercy and not for noo
vengeaunce and to be our shelde and strength and so lette vs humbly with a meke herte take hym And yf ye fele ony dredes by ymagynacyon or temptacyon or for wordes that ye haue herde or redde in bookes by the whiche ye doubte of saluacyon than thynke on the wordes that cryste hymselfe taught to a man that doubted sayenge and askynge of our lorde who sholde be saued for he thoughte it was to harde to hymselfe for to esche we all the poyntes that ledde man to pardycyon And our lorde badde hym for to saye Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem creatorem celi et terre Et in iesum christū filium cius Byleue sayd our lorde Ihesu that god the fader is almyghty and that no thynge to hym is impossyble but that he may forgyue all synnes and redresse all wronges and brynge the soules to his blysse and thynke ferthermore that his myght and power may do all that his wysdome can and his goodnes wyl and therfore truste fully that by his goodnes he wyll saue you and brynge you to euerlastynge Ioye whan he seeth best tyme for he hath bought you full dere with his precyous blode and paynefull deth And I dare sauely saye that there is none so synfull a caytyf whiche is crystened or wolde be crystened this daye on the erthe all thoughe he were in the syght of god dampnable and in the syght of all creatures also ye and yet were Iuged to be dampned by all scrypture and he wolde for sake his synne and be contryte and aske god forgyuenes he sholde haue mercy and forgyuenes of hym yf it were so that he stode in that case or had a good mynde to stonde so in the tyme of deth he sholde be saued the myght mercy of god is so grete that it surmounteth all his lawes Iugementes and scryptures And so our lorde Ihesus sheweth vs by an example in the gospell of a woman that was founde in aduoutry and by Moyses lawe whiche was ordeyned by god y t she sholde be stoned to the deth But the myght and the wysdome of that blessyd lorde god was soo gretely shewed to the pharyzens whiche accused her that they so largely perceyued theyr synnes that they myght not for shame deme her but stale awaye out of the temple And our lorde Ihesu wolde not deme her but of his gracyous mercy forgaue her all her synnes And therfore be a man or woman neuer soo synfull and that they fele neuer soo many bodely and ghostly synnes alwaye rysynge and sterynge within them they sholde neuer the rather dyspayre of the mercy of god ne be dyscomforted For there as moche synne is there is shewed moche mercy and grace and the goodnes of god is knowen by the forgyuenes of the synne whan a body turneth hym there from and is very contryte but god forbede as I sayd before that ony creature be the more recheles or bolde to synne wylfully for in so moche the mercy of god is so large we ought to be the more besy and dylygent to loue and prayse hym Almyghty god werketh lyke a leche for a leche suffreth somtyme the deed flesshe to growe on hym that he hath in cure but afterwarde he taketh away the same and maketh the quycke flesshe to growe and soo he heleth the pacyent Ryght soo dooth our lorde Ihesu cryste maker of heuen and erth suffreth somtyme a man or a woman to fall in deedly synne but afterwarde of his grete mercy and pyte he putteth to his hande of grace for they that were deedly wounded thorough synne he heleth them and wassheth away theyr synnes with the water of his well of mercy maketh in them quycke vertues to growe wherby he gyueth to theym euerlastynge lyfe Our lorde god is also lyke a gardyner for a gardyner suffreth somtyme wycked wedes to growe in his gardyn and whan the erth thorugh moysture of rayne wexeth tender he taketh pulleth awaye the wedes bothe rote rynde So in lyke wyse dooth our lorde Ihesu cryst he suffreth somtyme in his gardyn whiche is mannes soule wycked dedes of synne to growe but whan the herte of man wexeth tender by mekenes and moysture of contrycyon he than taketh away all the synnes bothe rote and rynde and planteth and setteth in his gardyn herbes and fruytes of good vertues and watreth them with the dewe of his blessyd goodnes wherby the soule of man shall come to euerlastynge Ioye and reste Now than sythen our lorde god is so good so pyteous and soo mercyfull to synners that wylfully offendeth hym by cōmyttynge of horryble synnes moche more he is mercyfull and hath pyte and compassyon of a soule that thorughe trouble and temptacyons falleth to synne for almyghty god suffreth often tymes the soule of man for to be tempted and vexed in withstandynge temptacyons wherof it deserueth the more meryte And therfore be ye not doubtefull nor heuy for it shall neuertourne you to peryll ne daunger but to grete proufyte For therby ye shall wynne the crowne of glorye and the palme of vyctorye whiche shall be gyuen to you for withstandynge of suche temptacyons to the fende it shall tourne to shame and confusyon and though it semeth to you somtyme that ye fele dyscorde bytwene god and you be not therfore recreaunt ne dyscomforted For almyghty god sayth by his prophete I saye A lytell whyle I haue forsaken and hydde my face from the but I shall call the to me agayne by my mafolde mercyes whiche euer shall endure ¶ The fyfte chapytre ANd therfore grutche not agaynst the wyll of god ne meruayle not of these temptacyons for the more that a man or a woman be tempted in this maner or in ony other agaynst theyr wyll and they withstande it that is to saye not wyllyngly consentynge therto but mekely suffreth the same the more they shall encreace in vertues to the proufyte of theyr soules in the syght of god thoughe it be hydde from them for perauenture whan ye be sharpely tempted ye thynke ye be to dull and neglygent in ghoostly excercyse thorughe wyckednes of your spyryte that is sore trauayled and vexed wherby ye thynke that ye haue a wyll consented to suche temptacyons as ye be tempted with but it is not so for ye shall vnderstonde that euery man and woman hath two wylles a good wyll and an euyll the euyll wyll cometh of sensualyte the whiche is euer inclynynge downwarde to synne and the good wyll cometh of grace whiche alwaye styreth the soule vp warde to all goodnes and therfore whan reason cometh to you ye haue alwaye a good wyll to do well as myscontent with all euyl thoughtes sterynges that ye fele and putteth your wyll onely to the wyll of god though ye thrugh suche wycked thoughtes sterynges by vyolence and sharpnes be enclyned to sensualyte yet ye do it not ne consent therto but it is the sensualyte that dooth it in you and your good
meue men women to tender conscience and to brynge them in suche erroures and maketh them wene somtyme whan they do euyll they do noo synne And somtyme that is well done they thynke it synne and maketh a venyall synne as greuous as a deedly And somtyme also the fende encombreth them so gretely that what soeuer they do or loue vndone they be so sore bytten in conscyence that they can no whyle togyder haue ony rest in them selfe And all this the cruell enemy dooth by the meane of puttynge them in a false drede and blynde conscyence that he bryngeth them to but the remedy of these and all other temptacyons is to be gouerned by theyr confessour or some other dyscrete persone and fully put them to theyr rule as afore is sayd and no thynge folowe theyr owne blynde conscyence For yf they folowe theyr owne conscyence it were a grete pryde in that he wolde holde his owne wytte better than the true counseyle of holy chyrche For a man that so wyll doo must nedes fall in grete errours and in to the fendes handes And yf suche an errour of cōscyence made to you by your ghostly enemy make you thynke that other men fele not that ye fele And for that cause they can not gyue you good counseyle or remedye And therfore ye nedes must folowe youre owne fantasyes yet for all this charge not your herte therwith but put away all suche errours of cōscyence as fast as they come to mynde and let them not tarye ne sinke in your soule And yf ony persone wyll saye that they may not ne can not put theym awaye they saye not truly for who so is in very wyll to doo away ony suche false suggestyon tofore god it is put awaye though they haue in them neuer soo false demynges and therfore haue ye neuer so many of them ayenst the wyll of his conscyence he nedeth not to drede them For out of doubte almyghty god wyll comforte hym or he dye and the lenger tyme that he suffreth suche vexacyon and trouble the more is he thankefull in the syght of god ¶ The nynth chapytre ALso though the fende put in you ony thought of dyspayre or make you to thynke that in the houre of deth ye shall haue suche euyll thoughtes and greuous sterynges and that ye than shall be but lost yet for all that byleue hym noo thynge but answere that ye haue fully put your truste in god and therfore for all his temptacions by the grete power of almyghty god and merytes of his passyon thynke verayly it shall be to you noo peryll of soule but tourne to the shame and confusyon of your ghostly enemye and yf ony creature man or woman speke to you sharpe or dyscomfortable wordes take it mekely and pacyently thynke that perauenture it is done by the temptacyon of the fende to trouble and lette you or that it is a chastysynge of god for some worde or dede that ye haue done contrarye to his wyll for our lorde god dooth lyke a kynde moder for a louynge moder that is wyse and well taught her selfe she wolde that her chyldren were vertuously and well nortured and yf she may knowe ony of theym with a defaute she wyll gyue theym a knocke on the heed and yf the defaute be more she wyll gyue hym a buffet on the cheke and yf he doo a grete faute she wyll sharpely lasshe hym with a rodde and thus dooth god that is our louynge fader from whome all vertue and goodnes cometh he wyll that his specyall chosen chyldren be vertuously and well taught in theyr soules and yf they doo a defaute he wyll knocke them on theyr hedes with some wordes of dyscomforte and dyspleasure and yf they doo a greter faute he wyll gyue them a buffet with grete sharpenes in sondry maners after the dyuerse condycyon of the defautes and yf they doo a moche greter trespas than he chastyseth theym moche more sharpely And all this our blessyd lord doth for the specyall loue he hath vnto vs for as he sayth hymselfe them that he loueth them he chastyseth Now truly and we toke good hede of these wordes we wolde be gladder of his chastysynge than of all this worldes cherysshynge and yf we so dyde all dysease and trouble sholde tourne vs to comforte and Ioye but it is full harde thus to doo in the tyme of sharpe heuynes whan a soule standeth naked from all ghoostly and bodely comforte to take and fynde Ioye in dysease al be it they that be in suche inwarde dures they must seke in all wayes how they may comforte themselfe in god and thynke and trust fully that god sente neuer suche chastysynge but that he wolde in longe tyme or in shorte sende comforte wherby they sholde be brought out of these heuynes For the prophete sayth many be the trybulacyons of ryght wysmen and all suche god shall delyuer and though ye fele somtymes sterynges of desyres of suche vnkyndly euyll thoughtes comforte you euer in the goodnes of god and in the paynefull passyon that his manhode suffreth for you for the fende tempteth many of the seruauntes of god to dysperacyon and drede of saluacyon as well worldely men as other ghoostly lyuers puttynge in worldely mennes myndes the greuousnesse of theyr synnes and to the ghoostly lyuers he putteth drede strayte conscyence in many more sondry wyses than I can tell and full gracyously god hathe comforted theym and brought theym out of theyr errours and now I am styred and moued for to tell you of one of them whiche was a squyer that hyght Iohn̄ holmes A narracyon This squyer that I haue named had ben a grete synfull man and soo at the last thorugh the beholdynge of his grete synnes And by the temptacyon of the fende he fell in to dyspayre soo depely and greuously that he had nygh loste his mynde And thus he was troubled forty dayes that he myght neyther slepe ne ete but wasted awaye and was in the poynte to destroye hymselfe but that blessyd gracyous lorde that is soo full of mercy and pyte wolde not haue hym loste And vpon a day as he walked in a wood alone an aungell came to hym in fourme of a man and saluted the squyer full goodly and talked with hym in full curteys maner sayenge vnto hym man thou semest to haue grete heuynes and sorowe tell me I praye the the cause of thy dysease Nay sayd the squyer it is not to be tolde to the. yes hardely sayd the aungell thou wotest not how well I may helpe and remoue thy dysease For a man beynge in dyscomforte sholde alwaye dyscouer his heuynes to some creature that myght ease hym for thorugh good counseyle he myght recouer comforte and he le or in some wyse haue remedye The squyer answered the aungell agayne and sayd that he wyste well he neyther coude ne myght helpe hym And therfore he wolde not tell it to hym This sady squyer wenynge alway