I say or woman dothe this in whom suche a blessed soule beareth rule Likewise ayenst angre wrathe and vayne glorye he setteth atte nought bothe honour and dishonour shame sclaunder and worshyppe in this worlde be nothyng in his reputation Ageynste remeÌ„braunce of displesures he prayeth for his euyll wyllers Suche a maner charitie teacheth and courageth this blessed soule to be occupied in meynteynynge and defendynge the myndes quietnes a thynge aboue all thinges in this worlde to be kept warely The reste that aungels in heuen haue is none other but this not to be mouid nor sturrid with these passioÌ„s of louyng of hating of be ing plesed of being disesed of tru sting of lustyng of abhorryng of coueting of refusing of reioysing of lamentynge of innumerable suche other that scourgethe and whippeth mans mynde by reason of the corrupte affection and loue that he beareth in his ytchyng bodye a loue most contrary to charitie the whiche hathe as moche ease as that hathe trouble You shall here a lesson of our mayster Christe the autor and preacher of charitie He aduysethe counsayleth and commaundeth me if I be his disciple not to resist ayenst euil to offre my left cheke to him that hathe be blowed me on the right to leaue my gowne to hym that hath taken from me my cote to walke two miles with him that hath vexed me and compelled me to walke one myle The forme of this lesson that Christe here gyueth is to enstruct and warne all christen men to regarde nothynge of the bodye or of the worlde aboue the reste quietnes of the mynde but that we shulde suffre the losse of our goodes with the hurte ye with the dethe of our bodyes rather then we shulde lose any smalle porcion of charitie to be moued with any passion of mynde wherby oure loue towarde god myght decaye It is not possible after Christes doctrine to take in this worlde by any kynde of violence so great damage or hurte in bodye or goodes as is the leest droppe of trou ble in the mynde where no tyrant nor the deuyll hym selfe hath any dominion For there onely ruleth our owne free wylle so that if we wyll disordre our mynde with any passion we be to our selfe more violent and cruell than the deuylle can be Wherfore my good sister let vs beleue our maister Christe and to the deathe lette vs neuer breake peace with god For if we do fare well all rest We breake peace with god when we tourne vs for anye cause to the care of this lyfe If you fele your selfe inordinatlye moued with displeasant wordes with angry countenances with euyll reportes with dispray ses with rebukes with false sclan der with vntrue compleyntes beware syster for surely you be not in charite with god If you mumble vpon coniectures if you fede vpon suspicions if you gnawe vpon shrewed tales if ye delyte to geue taunt for taunte beware agayne good syster for withoute doubte god and you be tweyne And if you beleue the son of god your selfe with your owne wylle do more then any fierce prince ouer you coulde do all thoughe he brought you to extreme wretchednes and at the laste to the dethe tourmented your body It is with out comparison worse to be beset with these passions than it is to suffre the panges of dethe But at this pointe peraduenture you wil say aske me whether we shulde forsake all the coÌ„modities of this worlde whether we shulde make no force to gette suche thinges as kepeth vp the welthe of oure body whether we shulde vtterly refuse all thynges ordeyned for this lyfe whether we shulde be cleane careles of good name No no syster not so Holy scripture forbedeth vs nothynge that is for vse or profytte as by Christes lawe it is not forbed to eate to drinke to haue and gette wherwith suche sustinance maye be maynteyned to gette children to haue money to haue possessiones to be in honour to be regarded but the worde of god suffreth not glottony and a delyte in the bely chere nor lechery and an vnlauful plesure in bodyly lustes nor couetousnes nor a gredy desyre to be ryche nor vayneglory a proude desire tobe magnified Like wyse the commaundement of god forbeadethe vs not the thynkynge of these and of suche other thinges but it is playne contrarye to the wylle of god that we shulde with any great intention solicitude or carefulnes of mynde prosecute these bodylye necessities And in the hauynge of the goodes promotions and honours we maye not iudge to be any higher at all then is to haue thinges for mans necessitie So that towarde them we may not beare any maner of loue or affectioÌ„ but only we must with suche a mynde take them to help forth this lyfe as the craftes men take the instrumentes and toles to helpe theyr handye workes that in the hauynge of ryches our minde considre nothing but a plenty of thynges apperteinynge to our vse and necessitees both for our selfe for our neighbours And thus we maye bethynke vs welle howe we shall lyue but it maye be no care nor yet any erneste studye leest therby our charitie with god be diminisâ—hed For holde faste my syster in your remeÌ„brance that to haue and kepe charitie with god is to loue god with your hole harte with your hole mynde with your hole power If anye smalle parte of your harte or of your mynde or of your wyt be bestowed in any affection or loue toward this life ye mynishe the perfection of your charitie with god the whiche requireth of you all and hole to be without a felowe by hym selfe alone loued You may right well syster putte youre mynde and wytte to gette these thynges that meinteine this lyfe but it must be done without all loue and affection there maye be no parte of loue spent in suche matters for your mynde can not with ani loue and affect labour to get and to holde this worldly coÌ„modities but in the meane seson your charitie with god is greatly decayed and welnyghe broken Also you betray your selfe to mystrust the promission of god with the whiche mistruste god is most displeased For there be thre causes noted that shuld chiefly moue mens mindes to desire these worldely goodes One is the loue of welthe ease myrthe and plesure an other loue of worshyppe honour and glorye the thyrde the doubtefulnes and mistruste of lyuyng here the whiche mistrust I saye is worste of all and moche more to be blamed then the other two For a felowe set to his pleasure loueth money to serue him to make merye and to make therwith good chere the other set vpon honor louith the present goodes bycause by them he wolde be regarded Both these men spende as faste as they gette and smalle store they putte in the vylenes of money but he that vpon mistrust seketh goodes loueth theÌ„ to hyde them to kept them as well from hym selfe as from other beinge
euer in fere either of famine scarce nes or of olde age or of sikenes or of tribulations and moche better confideÌ„ce and trust he putteth in his owne policy and prouision then he dothe in the goodnesse of god that made all and that norissheth vs all not leauynge the smallest gnatte the leaste worme or flye withoute dispensacion to haue conuenient sustenance and of manne he clerely is myndefull yet man can not trust hym wherfore the loue of this worlde vpon a mystruste of lyuynge is a thing in the sight of god moste detestable This I say we may vse this worlde but we may not abuse it whan for the worlde we breake charitie with god And if our hert be not holly geuen to loue god we haue not god with perfyte charitie god hath not our holle harte yf the worlde haue any parte This is the wey to come to perfit Charitie to kepe our harte oure soule oure mynde oure witte all holle for god the whiche kepyng of our harte and mynde hole is the reste and quietnes of the soule from the sayde temptations and passions And this is the driuing awey of the lettes and unpedimen tes to atteine charite wherof now here a litle more This perfecte loue of god maketh as we haue sayd the minde strong to withstond the thrusting and shulderyng of synne and the same bringeth forthe consequently the ioyfull rest quietnes from the forsayde passions whiche the corrupt loue of this lyfe bredeth So that this calmenes of mynde is a certayne effecte and worke of charitie And hope in god maketh vs fyrmely to awayte for the fulfillynge of the promesse of god in vs and to vs which hope is goteÌ„ by pacience that is a constant endurynge of aduersitie the whiche paciente endurynge is purchased with abstinence that is a stronge resistinge ageinst euill enticementis And feare of god causeth courage to flie to absteyn from euil the whiche feare of god groweth of an vndoubted beleue in our ma ster Christes techyng Thus from faythe we come to fere from feare to fleinge of synne and in fleinge of sinne we take a pacient mynde to suffre wherby we take hope trust in god through the whiche Hope our soule syttethe in a sure â—hayre of a certayn expectacion of that whiche is layde vp in stoore for vs in heuen And therof finally cometh in vs this charite whiche causeth vs to loue god for his infinite goodnes in the same promesse makynge wherof now we wayte for the fulfyllynge the whiche is also the thynge that enforceth ordreth all our thoughtes in suche a due rule that oure life therby rendreth in al his actis a swete sauour bothe to god and to man But ageyne let vs ones repete the effect of this lesson who so euer beleueth our master he fereth his punysshment and he that feareth to be punisshed of Christe refreyneth hym selfe from sensual lustes the whiche be the causes of punysshement he that kepeth of suche causes abydth wel and suffreth tribulation he that paciently suffrith tribulation hath a blessed hope and trust in god the whi che drawethe and pluckethe the mynde from worldly affections and the mynde ones frely discharged of all loue to this worlde streight taketh the pure burnyng charite toward god and that maketh quietnes reste and peace in our consciences Thus euery way we muste resolue our selfe to reste finally in the possession of charite or elles we neither can beleue nor feare Christe as we ought to doo nor refrayne euyll lustes as we ought to do nor suffre tribulatioÌ„s as we oughte to do nor hope in god as we ought to do nor leaue the loue of these worldly dregges as we oughte to doo but in the same we shall be drowned bothe night and daye durynge the space of this lyfe from whens we shall passe into miserable condition of body and of soule to endure without ende the indignation of god whome after this life we neuer se oneles we can nowe for his sake dispise this worlde the whiche thing passeth the power of mans feblenes to do excepte he vse the puisaunt myghte of Charitie the which bringeth so feruent a desire to loue god that nothinge beside is regarded and suche a swetenes feleth the charitable mynde in his desyre that he wil not forgo or diminish any part therof although he shuld suffre a thousand hurtes and iniuries Here the louiÌ„g disciple of Christ saincte Stephan howe he inflamed with charite prayeth aloude for his tourmentours craueth of god remission of their synnes alledgynge their ignoraunce for their excuse The bearynge of Christes crosse is made by this Charitie a swete yocke and and an easye bourden For he that with god is locked in charitie saith in all tribulations with the prophet Hieremy Non sum turbatus domine sequens te pastoreÌ„ Oh lorde in folowing the my ruler I can not be discomforted For as our eien see not nor persceyue not any sterres in the brode sky when the sonne is vp in lyke maner if the mynde be sette with charitie in god it neither feleth him selfe nor vtterly seeth any thynge elles in this world besydes god in whom for whome al his thoughtes be consumed I saye in god and for god charite kepeth his hole cours without interruption of any lette in this worlde And touchynge charite in god the whiche is vtter ly to forsake al loue of this world that therby we maye clene be ryd from all passions to loue and honour god alone lette this that we haue hitherto spoken be moughe Nowe a lyttell harken what is this sayinge to haue and kepe cha ritie Cruely it is to deriue and to take out from our loue in god an other loue towardes man for god For he that hath perfect charite in god loueth for goddes sake all men as hym selfe by cause in man he knoweth is the image of god the whiche image of god the charitable hart embraceth indiffe rently in the hole kynde of man withoute makynge exception of frende and no frende of well willers and ennemyes of kynsfolke and strangers but as the figure of god is equalle in all soo he equally fauoreth all For thoughe with obstinate synners and with men wedded to theyr passions he be displeased yet his displeasure be cometh hym as a louer that soroweth his frendes hurt Wherfore if he be a synner amended or conuerted he is full of gladnes and neuer cesseth he layenge his waite watche to do man good so that by his charite toward man for goddis sake he continuallye myndeth man well and therof he neuer sâ—aketh In visytynge the sycke in clothynge the naked in feding the hungry in refresshyng the pore in comfortinge the miserable in prayinge for synfulle in al workes of mercy pitie deuotion he laboureth with pleasure by reason of his fast loue toward god He freely and gladly forgyueth all maner displeasures of in iuries of rebukes of hurtes so
charitie then to make and bringe forth in vs vertu It is holy scriptures testimony that charite can not be ydle Alwaye than a charitable spirite is doing what so euer he doethe it muste nedes be a good werke For what can com from the loue of god but it shall sauer and smelle of god the whiche sauour is the onelye thynge that geueth to mans acte all the goodnes Nowe then my entierly beloued syster to obserue and kepe this mooste precious and mooste holy charitie with god you shal in few wordes haue a shorte reule The beste waye to kepe you frome fallynge out of charitie with god is neuer to suffre your christē neighbour to slepe in a displeasure with you and agayne that you neuer slepe in a displeasure with youre christen neyghbour Remembre we all be knytte in a faste kynrede vnder one father in heuē the whiche commaundeth vs to loue together as brotherne and systerne without regarde of high or lowe pore or riche whether your neigh bour be in defaulte or you this is to seye whether he be displeased with you or you with hym make therof no question care not for the begynnyng of wrathe but study euer for the ayde and incontinently folowe alwaye the counsell of our mooste charitable mayster Christe labour alway to make agreement that at all seasons you maye be redy to offre vppe to god your swete smellynge sacrifice the which is in goddis sence the delectable sauer of a charitable brethe whose strēgth is so myghty in his pleasaunt sente that it hathe his place amonge the incomparable sauours of heuen where god with al his sainctes and aungels smelleth it Do you beare awaye syster the shorte lesson that I haue gyuen to you SVSTER Whiche shorte lesson meane you brother For partly in writinge partely in communication I haue had many lessons of you of the whiche some I beare well awaye as yet it is out of my mynde howe you haue proued to me that a foole shoulde not lyue solitary that I muste forgette displeasures yf I forgyue theym that I shoulde euer enclyne and obey more to rea son then to any intreatie BROTHER It is welle good syster that you haue of these thynges remembrance but I thought not to aske you this I wolde you reher sed to me what you haue by me lerned of Charitie SVS Why brother call ye that the shorte lesson when it conteyneth so many lynes that it weryed me thre days to rede them ouer BRO. I thinke well that you were weryed more peraduenture with my vnsauerye tellynge then with the lengthe of the tale For surely the tale was but short SIS If that be a shorte tale I cōfesse to you brother that I can not telle what is shorte and what is longe For to me your lesson of charitie semed very longe BRO. It is not syster the numbre of wordes or of lynes that ma keth a tale or a boke to be called longe or shorte But the matter that is intreated maketh bothe so that of some matter you maye in verye fewe wordes here a verye longe tale and ageyn of som mater a great heape of wordes maketh but a shorte tale Like as we saye of tyme that it is but a littell while ago sins Fraunce was vnder our rule and that paper printynge of bokes gunnes be thynges inuented within fewe yeres and that the. iiii orders of freres beganne in christendome within a lyttell tyme paste yet in eche of these forsaide sayinges we vnderstonde more then a hundred yeres Contrarye wyse ye will saye that my lady princes hath lyen a great whyle atte Eltham and yet her grace hath not lien there one yere So you wyl say that it is a longe season syns you and I were to gither yet I was with you with in this moneth Whan you knok at a doore and tarye one houre you saye you haue very longe taried there Thus you may see it is the dignite the worthynes of the thynge that causeth the tyme to be named longe or shorte and not the tyme of his owne space In this maner it is in your lesson of charite the which is a matter so plentiful so copious so lōg so large so depe so highe that no tale therof can be called longe onles the teller tryfle in vayne wordes and then you maye saye his tale is long bicause he telleth and sheweth his folysshenes but spekynge directly of charite he neuer can saye to moche For whan we haue saide all that we can yet shal the matter of charitie lye in hepes infinite to be spoken more of For syster what tongue or penne of man can make an ende in tellinge the smallest portion of goddis sub stance this charitie is god and God is this charitie Therfore thynke not youre lesson longe of charitie For al that I haue sayd is in effecte nothynge SIS You haue somewhat made me knowe what is a long tale and what is a shorte but yet brother by cause the common prouerbe is trewe that womens wyttes in dede be shorte I praye you if it be possible lette my lesson be rehersed in fewe wordes BRO. It is a thing sister sone done to comprehend in a few lynes al that you haue hard of me For the sūme of the hole is This charitie conteyneth all the lawes of god and techeth vs our duetie bothe towarde god and man the which charite requireth a quyete spirite and no spirite is quiete that is subiecte to any passion Wherfore to haue charitie we must chace from vs al passiōs to rest so in our loue of god that nothyng withdraw vs nor plucke vs inordinately to any thoughte besyde god wherof shulde folow that in this worlde we wold rekē laughyng to be wepinge sorowe to be myrthe ryches to be pouertie misery to be welthe wisedome to be foly honour to be shame so depely we shuld be buryed in god that to this lyfe our senses shulde lye deed and quycke onely in the loue of god From the whiche true and entier loue of god we shulde take a loue with all hertes affecte to the hole kynd of man in whom beholde spiritually the image of god For the whiche image sake we shulde beare no lesse fauour to man than were sufficient to resiste and vtterly vaynquishe all hate without the remembrance of any grudge to be taken with any maner of occasion to be euer with all men ioyned in harte through our loue in god as fast as kynred ioyneth a few persons through a naturalle loue yea faster knytteth mens hartes to gethers charitie than nature can do This is the some of our lesson sister The whiche you shall haue agayne made shorte if you wyll SIS Nay brother I pray you let this be no shorter For in my mind it is all redy somewhat to shorte For I wolde disire you to lette me in ordre to aske you a repetition of myn hole lesson that I may in a shorte
A TREATISE OF CHARITIE â–¸ I Am welle mynded to stycke to my promesse of Charitie by cause you can not myslyke my writyng how rude ly so euer I wryte oneles you diminisshe your owne charitie For charitie taketh al thinges in good worthe and considereth more the good wyll of the werkeman then the beautie of the werke Herevppon I am bolded to shewe my mynde in fewe wordes what is charitie and howe we maye kepe charitie A sayenge moche vsed with euery man and woman but not so welle perceyued as it is coÌ„monly spoken Spekers of charitie be plentie kepers of charitie be very scase al though you wold make serche through out all religious cloysters To be withoute malice and hate is not inough yet very fewe be founde so clene nor it is not inough to loue in a slight or a common or in a meane wise If you kepe in you Charitie ye be spotles of all gruges and therwith ye loue in the moste hyghest degree of louynge bothe god and man god for hym selfe and man for goddis sake But here nowe me thinketh we be to sodemely entred with a skyp to the middes of this mater let vs make som conuenient beginning and thereafter lette vs procede For both you shall with the more ease gather the fruite of this lesson and I shal the better se what is taught if the sentences be layd in their due ordre And for as moche good syster as this thinge that we here take in hande to treate of is all holy all godly all heuenly farre passinge the reliques of sayntis farre passynge the halowed chalices Let vs I praye you beware of presumption to touche this matter with foule fingers It is our part to wasshe our handes cleane I meane as the matter is spirituall so our spirite must be prepared in a due reuerence accordyng to the highe dignitie of this vertue the water that cleÌ„seth our spirite and mynde is mekenes Herewith I say we must prepare vs both you to here and I to speke of holy cha ritie bycause Christe saithe that in charitie is conteyned al the law of god And goddis lawe dothe chiefely enforce ii thinges one to make vs by thretenyng of peynes to flee from syn an other to cause vs by promysinge of ioyes to folowe vertue It muste nedes then be true that Charite maketh men do bothe these thinges to forsake synne and to embrace vertue This is to sey by Charitie we refuse euyll and take good by charitie we flee doinge noughtly and cleue to doinge welle by charitie we escape disprayse and deserue praise by charitie we duely bothe feare and loue god fynally by cha ritie we be ryd from the bondage of our ennemy the prince of this worlde and be franke in the libertie of goddis kingedome ¶ In this speakynge of charite there semith to be an other streÌ„gth in the word than comenly we vnderstonde in our englishe tonge and surely the truthe is soo that farre aboue our comen vnderston dynge this worde sygnifieth the hole perfection of a cristen man It is a word borowed with vs of the latyne called Charitas If you nowe wyll considre what is the founteyne lyfe and soule of mans vertue the spacinge and rote of al his good werkes you shall see that it is only the tru loue of god For who so euer hath his mynde inwardly ameled bakeÌ„ through fyred with the loue of god he is the blessed man that kepeth goddis worde that fulfylleth al goddis lawe that neuer wylleth doinge euyl and euer willeth doing well in the perfect forme fashon shappe and kynde of well doing This loue of god that causethe suche perfections in man is called Charitie But remembre it maye not be taken in the weake coÌ„mon maner for all they haue not this charite that sey they loue God nor all they loue not God that so sey We be not as our seyinge soundeth but as god seeth our thoughtes so we be None of vs loueth god that enforceth to wylle any thynge besydes goddis will He loueth not god perfetly that thynketh any thynge besyde god he loueth not god perfitely that doth any thing without god The perfecte loue of god can not stande with any care or studye for this lyfe the perfyte loue of god abydeth not the couplynge with any other loue the perfect loue of god knoweth none affectioÌ„ to kin red it knoweth no difference betwene pore and riche it knoweth not what meneth myn and thyne it canne not diuyde a foo from a frende For he that truly and perfectly loueth god muste loue god alone nothynge besyde god nor with god but loue al indifferently in god and for god We that say we loue god when we scant ones in a day remembre god and yet neuer remembre we God in suche a maner but that more often and more ernestly we remembre other thynges in sayinge we loue god doinge thus we can not ê“ue true that we sey For the perfect louer of god is so wedded to god that iÌ„ his thought nothynge abideth but the quicke remembrance of god Our spirites and sensis be occupied with so many other matters that scante we haue leyser to think on god so farre we be from this charite the whiche I seye is a vertue of that dignitie power and maiestie that by it selfe it conteyneth al the preceptes of the patriarches all the lawes of the prophetes al the doctrine of Christe all the rules of the apostles all the inuentions of the holy churche ye more then all this charite hath a libertie of power ouer bothe the olde and the newe testament For the true louer of god the whiche is the charitable person is vnder no reule but he is a lorde aboue all lawes all inuentions all preceptis all commandementis that god hath gyuen to man For charitie hathe no bonde But alwey sister remembre that charite is not perfect oneles that it be burninge It is not a quenched loue a colde loue a loue growinge in the tethe or lyppes that is charite but the hotte feruente burnynge hartes affect towarde god is the loue that is vnderstaÌ„d in the name of charitie the which as is sayd doth not only conteyn all the doctrine of Christe but also it is aboue all lawes to rule rather than to be ruled The ende of all the course and walkynge of the sonne of god in this worlde was to leue amonge men this charitie The marke wherto our sauiour in all his prechynge and teachynge loked was to haue men indued with charite For our diuine mayster sawe that there neded no rehersal of sinnes the whiche were to be eschewed nor yet of vertues that were to be folowed if man could take cha ritie that is by it selfe sufficiente for all bothe to kepe menne from stumbling in the wey from wanderynge out of the wey and finallye to conducte men to the blessed wayes ende Here you se that the compasse and
circuite of charite is large and wyde in as moche as it comprehendeth al that can be spo ken either agaynste vice or with vertue You peraduenture thought that charite was nothynge els but to kepe pacience and not to be disple sed nor angry It is trouthe this poynt is one part of charitie but it is not all For what so euer the loue of god prouokethe vs to or the feare of god dryueth vs from all in one summe is concluded to be vnderstonde in charite Whervpon I maye if you kepe charitie say that you be the very doughter of god and moste dere syster of Christe But I feare me you haue more ofte spoken the worde charitie then you haue studyed to lerne what thynge shulde be Charitie and therby ye saye peraduenture of your selfe more then you doo For I haue noted your mynde to be somwhat troubled with certayne fantasies the which could haue no place in you if you were fylled with this charitie For here a lyttell more in fewe wordes what is the playne defini tion of this vertue as I fynde it written of a greatte holy man a commen doctour Charitie saythe he is a good and a gracious affect of the soule wherby mans harte hath no fantasye to esteme valour or pondre any thynge in this wyde worlde beside or before the care and study to knowe god For who so euer is inclyned to loue these erthly thynges it is not possible for him euer to atteyne so longe as he so doth to the assurid constant perfit vse of this charite bicause his mynd hath so manye and so diuerse lettes that hyndre and withdrawe hym from takynge the possession of this great treasure wherin be couched the heapes of al vertues And a lytel nowe to speke of these impedimentes and lettes it shall moche apperteyn to our purpose for we shall the quycklyer come to charitie if we can knowe and escape all the blockes that lye in our waye to lette vs not onely to lette vs to come to charite but to dryue and chase awaye frome vs this vertue that neither we canne come to it nor that to vs. The perfyte loue of god hath in it a meruaylous quietnes reste it is neuer moued styred nor caried away by no storme of worldly troubles but sytteth faste and sure in a cōtinual calmnes ayenst al wedders al blastes al stormes No rocke is more stylle then is the mynde of a charitable man when the worlde tūbleth rolleth tosseth it with the fomy wawes of temptations the which drowneth the myndes of all vs that be weke or sicke in charite I wolde therfore syster that you diligently lerned what be these blastes that turmoylen our myndes out of the reste the which charite requireth You shall vnderstand that there be certain motiōs called passions that soore assaulte our soule and bringeth our spirite to moche vnquietnes as to be moued with an ger is a great roling of the mynd to brede enuie to fede rancour to norishe malice to be myndefull of any iniurie to be studious of auēginge to be greued with euil spekinge to fume at backebyting to grudge at compleyntes to frette with chyding to striue for shame for sclaunder These be the thinges that suffre no mynde reste any of these passions troubleth the mynde continually from one fantasy to an other so that no quietnes can be had Agayne to studie for promotion to care for mariage to fishe for riches to be gredie of honour to be desirous of fauour to couette pre ferremente to gape for prayses these also be sharpe spurres that chasen the mynde and kepen the mynde euer styrrynge and voyde of quietnes Lykewise to ensu a delite of dein ty and swete fedynge to be taken with pleasure of the body to be ouer throwen with sorowe to perche vp with gladnes to holde vp the chyn to hygh in prosperite to hold downe the heed to low in ad uersite to be in bōdage vnder the fierse rules of cēsual lustes whose crueltie ouer man hath no pitie measure nor ende These and suche other be thynges that so troublen and disquieten mās minde y ◠quiet charite can not abyde there For loke a lytel vpon the vnmercifull man that can not forgyue see how he boyleth in his appetite to be auenged Loke vpon the enuious stomake howe he without rest freteth in couetyng the syghte of his hurte whome he spyteth Looke vppon the glotton howe beastly he purueyeth bealy chere Loke vpon the lecherer how busy he is in his vngracious thoughtes Loke vppon the couetous wretche howe without reason he scrapeth and shrapeth for gaines Loke vpon the ambitious felow howe he besturreth hym to gette worshippe These men throughe their corrupt fantasies be no lesse gredie to satisfye theyr desyres then the hungry the thursty bodyes through naturall necessitie seke to be refresshed Wherof we may se that slepyng and wakyng these mens myndes rolle without takynge reste Suche wrastlynge phantasyes suche inordinate appetites be called passions the whi che moue and styrre the soule contrary to his nature either by loue without reason or by hate without measure when we wyllyngly consent to the wynde of these sensible thynges The mother of al these passions is a parciall loue that we beare to our selfe that is to sey the loue of this carcas and of this lyfe To kylle in vs this mother of all mischefes our master Christe techeth vs to hate this lyfe and to set our bodye at nought He sayth it is the nexte way to fynde lyfe if we sette nothynge by the losse of this lyfe he saith the caring for our bo dy importeth bryngeth with it a mistruste of goddes prouidence as though god had better prouyded for the state of byrdes than for man whome he hath created after his owne image Now then to gette this reste that therby we may gette charitie we muste caste aweye the loue of this lyfe the whiche causeth all the sayde ruffelynge passions by the whiche our soule standeth in peryll of dethe For lerne you that to the soule it is a soore deathe to be seperated from god And these passions be they that onely plucke the soule from god and causeth the soule to forgette heuen in the busy occupations of this worlde the whiche worlde swarmeth full of deed soules that night and day trauelyn and sweatte in the workes of darkenes from whens they shall departe into an other darkenesse endles neuer to se the face of god And this is the conclusion of the passionat soule that lieth in the fet ters of filthy lustes without reste drawen nowe hyther nowe thyther in a continuall waueryng of vayne fantasies But on the other syde the quicke lyuinge soule that quietly resteth in the loue of god dryuethe from hym by the power of grace wherewith he is indued all these vnquiete passions If he stonde in feare to be moued with vncomely appetites he fastethe he watcheth he laboreth The mā
handeled rightwisely or vnrightwisely wel or euyll gentily or chorlysshely It were an angels condition to be nothynge changed or moued with wel or woo but to be continually none tenure in one temperature neither hering nor seinge nor felynge nor smellyng nor tastinge nor wysshynge nor myndyng any erthely thing besides god but hauinge continually a feruent desire to knowe to loue and to honour god But brother what meane you by this to speake thus as though it were possible to make of men angelles and more ouer to make of this worlde heuen as long as man is man and as long as this worlde is this worlde I reken hit not possyble to kepe vs thus clene from passions as you sey the perfecte rest of charitie requireth BRO. You entre with me nowe syster into a matter of a longe communication but at this tyme I wyl make you therto a very short answere Christe wold neuer teache man to praye and to aske of god thynges impossible to be opteyned He instructed vs to sey in our prayer Adueniat regnum tuum Oh lorde god let thy kyngedome be here amongest vs. Where the kynge dome of god is there god reignethe ouer suche subiectes as be worthy to haue suche a kyng and pleinly there is heuen where so euer is the kyngdome of god So that of this world there might be made an heuen Ageyn our maister and sauiour taught vs to pray Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in coelo et in terra Oh good lord graunte that thy wylle maye be fulfylled in this worlde as it is in heuen that we men may in euery thought and acte agre with thy wylle as angels do that we in this lyfe make no moore resistence agaynste thy pleasure then the blessed coÌ„pany of heuen doth This petition can not take effecte onles man be made lyke an angel all pure cleane from the dreggy appetites of this lyfe that is to say vtterly rydde from all passions the which euer stryue ageinst the wyll of god Nowe then in as moche as I beleue that Christ biddeth vs aske nothynge but the same maye be I think it possible to make of this worlde the kyngdome of god and to make men the kepers of goddis wyll The whiche two thynges to lyue in the kyngedome of god and to obserue and kepe goddes wyll I recken to be a perfection of aungels lyfe in heuen But syster remembre Christe biddethe vs not to attempte to performe this perfection by our own power for that were playnly impossible but it is our masters instruction that we shulde turne vs in prayer to god and of his infinite goodnes craue and aske his grace wherby we shal be comforted susteyned and coraged to say atte the laste with saynte Paule We be able to do all in hym that helpeth vs Iesus Christe This were to haue our spirite holly giuen to serue god to knowe god to loue god and nothynge els And if you wolde say that saint Paule cam not to this perfection nor none of the sayntes but the beste men were synners lette it so be yet be assured if man duely applye his wyl to be without synne so that in his wyll be no lacke nor faynynge this man before god is an aungell And sister as he shoteth nerer the marke than he doth that seeth none and shoteth at all aduentures so you seinge nowe and knowynge the very perfection of charitie you shall the better enforce towarde it thenne if you were beset with blynde ignorance Of al this mater sister with you I wyl not reson out of your Pater noster y â— which I think is inough for your requestes at this tyme. SIS I holde me contented brother and pray I wyl firste that I may thynke possible to be thus perfect Nexte that I may haue grace to enforce thitherward the vertuous power of my harte BRO. There is no more required of you but this applienge of your wyl to get grace but grace shall you neuer gette but if you aske it withoute any doute or mystrust in the good nes of god who is euer redye to gyue when he hereth one that accordyngly asketh And to shewe you what praier is shaped accordyngly to goddis eares it were a matter for no lyttell boke Therfore sister be contented to leaue your digressions and retorne to your purpose SIS I haue no purpose but to lerne and lerne I shulde if you taughte me to praye Yet leste I trouble you to moche I wyll goo forth to require of you what was the thyrde poynte in my lesson of charitie BRO. It was to shewe that charitie is not lyke one vertue but it is suche a thynge that by manye degres of diuerse vertues it must be gotten as a finall conclusion of all labour and trauaille in vertue As firste we muste be endued with an vndoubted Feyth to beleue perfectlye the history of our sauiour whose doctryne brought first into this worlde this charitie for an absolute coÌ„clusion of all lawes After this faithe we must entre into a fere of god not the feare of vile boÌ„dmen the which haue no mind to kepe their maisters pleasure but only loke vpoÌ„ the punish ment our feare muste be a reuerence to god lyke as louing childreÌ„ feare to displese their fathers By this reuerent and louing feare we muste procede to Abstinence that is to sey we must beare suche feare reuerence to god as shall cause vs for the honour of god to refreyne the sensuall inticementes of sinne the whiche bespotteth deformethe and defeateth the ymage of god in vs the greattest euyl that man hath To kepe this abstinence we muste gather pacyence a vertue that maketh stroÌ„ge our soule to suffre the violence of al resistence to vertue by the whiche pacience we shal take an hope to be parte takers of goddes mercyfulnes and to enioy a rewarde that passeth al the powers of men to shewe it Out of this springeth a feruente loue to god whiche is called charitie through which the mynd shal be setteled in such a qui etnes that all the chaungeable and sondry blastes of this worlde shall nothynge moue vs from our desire to rest in god And this min des reste perfect quietnes is the princypall effecte of charitie the conclusion and finalle perfection of all vertue I wyll nowe ende these maters with a wonderful prayse that the chosen vessell of god saynt Paule wryteth of charite of the whiche prayse I wolde haue you syster note and marke diligently what a dignite is in charite to be aboue al thinges pondred and regarded of al Christen men This apostle sayth in effect thus If al mighty god the father wolde gyue to me all giftes of his grace as to endue me with the holy spirite of prophe cy to make me a priuie counseilor of al the secrete misteries in heuen to cause by the power strengthe of faith to worke wonders to do miracles in quickenyng the deed in geuinge sight to the blinde yet all this not withstondynge I am not in the way of saluation If I wante charite Howe moche then shulde man bestowe endeuour enforce and exercise all his wyttes to gette and to kepe the possession of this high vertue the which is the soule of lyfe the grace of graces the one thing that ioyneth maÌ„ in fauor with god that god onli requireth of man for al his goodnes toward man It is suche a thinge this charitie that by thauctoritie of holy writte I wyl not only cal this vertu a godly thing but I say it is god hym selfe that who so euer kepeth in hym charitie he hath god with hym and he in god dwelleth that dwelleth in charite For bothe is charite and charitie is god to whome nowe and euermore be all glory prayse and honour Amen FINIS ¶ Thus endeth this treatise of Charitie LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAE BERTHELETI M. D. XXXIII CVM PRIVILEGIO Beware of presumption Mekenes What cha rite causeth Charitie is the hol perfection of a christen man What is charite The perfite loue of god Mat. 16. Mar. 8. Mat. 5. To kepe Charitie with god Saynete Stephan what is to kepe charitie Io. 14. 15. Mat. 5. Ibidem Fyue maner of loues Vertues of the bodye Vertues of the soule A ruâ—e to kepe charitie The repe tition of this treatise How charitie iâ— had To opâ—ein reâ—e of mynde Charitie is not like one vertue Feare of god AbstineÌ„ce Pacience