death and all Howe bee it in verye dede for any thyng that euer I read in them I neuer could yet find that euer those natural reasons were able to geue sufficieÌ„t comfort of them self for they neuer stretche so farre but that they leaue vntouched for lacke of necessary knowledge that special point which is not only the chief comfort of al but without which also al other comfortes are nothing that is to wit the referring the finall ende of theyr comforte vnto god and to repute and take for the special cause of couÌ„fort that by the paciente sufferaunce of theyr tribulacion they shall attayne his fauoure and for theyr payne receyue rewarde at his hande in heauen And for lacke of knowlage of this endâ— thei did as they nedes must leaue vntouched also the verye speciall meane without which we can neuer attaine to this comforte that is to wit the gracious ayde and helpe of God to moue stirre and guide vs foreward in the referring all our ghosâ—ly comforte yea and our worldly comforte too al vnto that heauenly end And therfore as I say for the lacke of these thinges all theyr comfortable couÌ„sayles are veri farre vnsufficient howe be it though they be farre vnable to cure our dysease of them selfe and therfore are not sufficieÌ„t to be taken for our phisitioÌ„s some good drugges haue they yet in theyr shoppes for which they may be suffered to dwel among our Apoticaryes if theyr medicines be not made of theyr owne braines but after the billes made by the greate phisition God prescribing the medicines him self correctyng the faultes of theyr erronious receiptes for without this way taken with them they shall not fayle to do as many bolde blind Apoticaries do which eyther for lucre or of a foolish pride geue sycke folke medicines of theyr owne deuisyng therwith kil vp in corners many such simple folke as they find so folish to put their liues in such lewde vnlearned blynd bayardes handes We shal therfore neyther fully receiue these philosophers reasons in this matter nor yeâ— vtterly refuse theÌ„ but vsing theÌ„ in such order as shal be seme theÌ„ the principal theffectual medicines against these diseases of tribulacioÌ„ shal we fetche froÌ„ that highe great excellent phisicion without whoÌ„ we could neuer be healed of our very deadly disease of damnacioÌ„ for our necessitie wherin the spirit of god spirituallye speaketh of himself to vs biddeth vs of al our helth geue him the honor therin thus sayth to vs. Honora medicum propter necessitatem enim ordinauit eum altissimus Honor thou the phisicioÌ„ for him hath the high god ordened for thi necessitie Therfore let vs require the high phisicioÌ„ our blessed sauior Christ whose holy manhed god ordened for our necessitie to cure our deadly woundes with the medicine made of yâ— most holesom blud of his own blessed bodi yâ— likewise as he cured by that incoÌ„parable medicine our mortal malady it may like him to send vs put in our miÌ„des such medicines at this time as agaiÌ„st yâ— sicknes sorowes of tribulacions may so coÌ„fort streÌ„gth vs in his grace as our deadly enemy the deuil maye neuer haue the power by his poisoned dart of murmure grudge and impacience to turne our short sicknes of worldly tribulacioÌ„ into the endles euerlastyng death of infernal daÌ„nacion ¶ The seconde Chapter That for a foundacion men must nedes begin vvith â—hyth SYth al our principal coÌ„fort must come of god we must first presuppose in him to whoÌ„ we shal with any gostly counsel geue ani effectual comforte one grounde to begin withal wherupon al yâ— we shall build must be supported stand yâ— is to wit the ground and foundacion of faith without which had ready before al the spiritual comfort that any man may speake of can neuer auaile a flye For likewise as it were vtterly vaine to lay natural reasons of comfort to hym that hath no wit so wer it vndoubtedli frustrate to lay spiritual causes of comfort to him that hath no faith For excepte a man first beleue that holye scâ—ipture is the worde of God that the worde of GOD is true how can a maÌ„ take any comfort of that that the scripture telleth him therin Nedes must the man take litle fruit of the scripture if he either beleue not that it wer the worde of God or els wene that thoughe it were it might yet bee for all that vntrue This faith as it is more fainte or more stronge so shall the comfortable wordes of holy scripture stande the man in more stede or lesse This vertue of faith can nether any maÌ„ geue hymself nor yet any one man another but though meÌ„ may with preachiÌ„g be ministers vnto god therin the man with his own frewyl obeying freely the inwarde inspiracion of god be a weake worker with almightye god therin yet is the faith in dede the gracious gyfte of god himself For as Saint Iames sayth Omne datum optimum omne donum perfectum desursum est descendens a patre luminum Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is geuen from aboue desceÌ„ding from the father of lightes Therfore feling our faith by many tokens very faint let vs pray to him that geueth it that it may please him to helpe encrease it And let vs fyrst say with the man in the gospell Credo domine adiâ—ua incredulitatem meam I beeleue good Lorde but helpe thou the lacke of my belyefe And after lette vs pray wyth the Apostles Domine adauge nobis fidem Lorde encrease oure fayth And fynallye let vs consider by Christes saying vnto them that if we would not suffer the strength and feruour of our faith to waxe luke warme or rather kaye colde and in maner lese his vigor by scatering our mindes abrode aboute so many triflyng thinges that of the matters of our faith we very seldom thinke it that we woulde withdrawe our thought fro the respect and regarde of al worldly fantasies and so gather our fayth together into a litle narrowe rowme And lyke the lytle graine of a musterd sede whiche is of nature hote set it in the garden of our soule al wedes pulled out for the better fedyng of our faith than shall it growe and so spreade vp in heighte that the byrdes that is to witte the holy Aungels of heauen shall brede in our soule and bryng forth vertues in the braunches of our fayth and then with the faithfull truste that throughe the true beliefe of goddes worde we shal put in his promise we shal be wel able to commaunde a great mountaine of tribulacion to voyde from the place where he stoode in our heart where as with a very feble faith and a faint we shal be scaÌ„t hable to remoue a litle hillocke And therefore as for the first conclusioÌ„ as we must of necessitie before any spiritual couÌ„fort presuppose the foundacion of faith So sith no man can
that we geue hym for our tribulacion more worthy thanke agayne and more rewarde meryteth in the very fast welth and felicitie of heaueÌ„ than our coÌ„formitie with our thankes geuen for and in oure worldly welth here And thys thing sawe the deuill whan he sayed to oure Lorde of Iob that it was no marueyle though Iob had a reuerent feare vnto god god had done so muche for hym and kept him in prosperitie but the deuill wiste well it was an hard thyng for Iob to be so louingâ— and so to geue thankes to god in tribulacioÌ„ and aduersitie and therfore was he glad to geat leaue of god to put hym in tribulacioÌ„ thereby trusted to cause hym murmure and grudge agaynste God with impacyence But the deuill had there a fall in hys owne turne For the pacience of Iob in the shorte tyme of hys aduersitie gate hym muche more fauâ—ure and thanke of God and more is renoumed in Scripture commended there for that than for all the goodnes of hys long prosperous lyfe Our Sauiour sayeth himselfe also that if we saye well by them or yelde them thanke that doe vs good we doe no greate thing therin therfore can we with reason looke for no greate thanke agayneâ— and thus haue I shewed you lo no litle preeminence that tribulacion hath in merite and therefore no litle preeminence of comfort in hope of heauenly rewarde aboue the vertues the merite and cause of good hope and comforte that cometh of welth and prosperitie ¶ The .xx. Chapter A Summary commendacion of tribulacionâ— ANd therefore good Cosin to finyshe oure talking for thys time leste I shoulde be to loÌ„g a let vnto your other busines if we lay fyrst for a sure grounde a verye faste fayth whereby we beleue to be true all that the Scripture sayth vnderstanden truely as the olde holy doctors declare it and as the Scripture of god instructeth his catholique churche than shal we consider tribulacion as a gracious gift of god a gift that he gaue speciallye his speciall frendes The thing that in Scripture is highly commended and praised a thing wherof the coÌ„trary long continued is perilous a thyng whiche but if God send it men haue nede by penaunce put vpon themselfe and seke it a thing that helpeth to pourge oure synnes passed a thyng that preserueth vs from synnes that ells woulde come a thyng that causeth vs to set lesse by the world a thyng that exciteâ—h vs to drawe more towarde God a thyng that muche minisheth our paynes in purgatory a thing that much encreaseth oure finall rewarde in heauen the thing by whiche oure Sauioure entred hys owne kyngdome the thing with whiche all his Apostles folowed him thither the thing whiche our Sauiour exhorteth all menne to the thing withoute whiche he sayeth we be not his Disciples the thing withoute whiche no man can geat to heaueÌ„ Whoso these thinges thinketh on and remembreth well shall in his trybulacyon neyther murmure nor grudge but first by pacience take hys payne in worth and than shall he growe in goodnes and thynke hymselfe wel worthy than shall â—e consyder that God sendeth it for his weale and thereby shall he be moued to geue God thanke thereforeâ— therewith shall his grace encrease and God shall geue him suche comforte by consydering that God is in his trouble euer more nere vnto hymâ— Quia deus iuxta est iis qui tribulato sunt corde God is neare saieth the Prophete to them that haue theyr hearte in trouble that hys ioye thereof shall minishe muche of hys payne and he shall not seke for vayne comforte ells where but speciallye truste in God and seke for helpe of hym submytting hys owne wyll wholy to Goddes pleasure and praye to God in hys hearte and praye hys frendes praye for hym and speciallye the Priestes as Sayncte Iames byddeth and beginne fyrste with confessyon and make vs cleane to God and ready to departe and be glad to goe to God puttyng purgatorye to his pleasure if we thus doe thys dare I boldely say we shall neuer lyue here the lesse of half an houre but shal with his comforte finde our hartes lighted and therby the griefe of our tribulacioÌ„ lessed and the more likelyhod to recouer and to liue the lenger Nowe if god will we shall hence than dooeth he muche more for vs. For he that this waye taketh cannot goe but well For of him that is loth to leaue thys wretched worlde my heart is much in feare lest he die not wel harde it is for him to be welcome that cometh agaynst his wyll that sayth to god whan he cometh to fetche hym welcome my maker magrye my teeth but he that so loueth him that he longeth to goe to him my harte cannot geue me but he shal be welcome all were it so that he should come ere he were wel pourged For charitie couereth a multitude of synnes and he that trusteth in god cannot be confounded And Chryste sayethâ— he that cometh to me I wyll not cast hym oute And therfore let vs neuer make our reconing of long lyfe kepe it while we maye because God hath so commaunded but if God geue thoccasion that with hys good wyll we maye goe lette vs be gladde therof and longe to goe to hym And than shall hope of heauen comfort our heauinesâ— and out of our transitory tribulacion shall we goe to euerlasting glory to whiche my good Cosin I pray god bryng vs both ☞ Vincent Mine owne good vncle I praye God rewarde you and at this time wil I no lenger trouble you I trowe I haue thys daye done you much tribulacion with my importune obieccions of very litle substauÌ„ce And you haue eueÌ„ shewed me an ensample of sufferauÌ„ce in bearing my foly so long and so paciently And yet shall I be so boulde vpoÌ„ you farther as to seke some tyme to talke forth of the remnaunte the most profitable poynte of tribulacion whiche you sayde you reserued to treate of last of all ¶ Anthony Let that be verye shortelye Cosin hardelyâ— while this is freshe in minde ☞ Vincent I truste good Uncle so to put thys in remembraunce that it shal neuer be forgotten with me Our lorde sende you such coumforte as he knoweth to be best Anthony That is well sayed good Cosin and I pray the same for you and for all our other frendes that haue nede of coÌ„fort for whome I thinke more thaÌ„ for your selfe you neded of some counsaile Vincent I shall wyâ—h thys good counsayle that I haue heard of you dooe them some coumforte I truste in GOD to whose kepynge I committe you Antony And I you also Farre well my owne good Cosin ¶ The seconde booke ☞ Vincent IT is to me good vncle no litle comfortâ— that as I came in here I heard of your folke that you haue hadde since my last being here GOD be thanked metely good rest and your stomake somwhat more come to you For verely albeit I had
instincte of the spirite of god that for causes sene vnto himselfe would rather that they should auoide it with their own temporal death than abyde the defyling and violacion of their chastitie But now thys good man neyther haâ—h any of goddes enemyes to be by hys owne death reuenged on nor any womaÌ„ that violentli pursue him by force to bereue him of his virginitie nor neuer fynde we that god proued any mans obedient mynde by the commaundement of his owne slaughter of himselfe therefore is his case both playne against gods open precept and the dispensacioÌ„ straunge and without sample no cause appearyng nor well imaginable but if he would thynke that he coulde no lenger liue without him nor take him â—o him in such wyse as he doeth other men but commaunde him to come by a forbyddeÌ„ way by which wiâ—hout oâ—her cause we neuer heard that he had any man before now where you thinke that you should after this bid hym tel you by what way he knoweth that his entente riseth vpon a true reuelationâ— not vpon a false illusionâ— he would bid you than again tel him by what meanes you know that you bee talkyng with hym well wakyng and not dreame it slepyng You may tel hym agayn that men thus talke together as you doe and in suche maner of wyse they maye proue and perceyue that they so doe by the mouing of themselfe and wyth putting the question therof vnto themselfe for their pleasure and the markynge and consyderyng thereof is in wakynge a daylye common thing that euery man dooeth or may doe wheÌ„ he wyl and whan they doe it they doe it but of pleasure but in slepe it happeth very seld that men dreame that they so doe nor in their dreame neuer put they question but for doubte and therefore it is more reason that whyle his reuelacioÌ„ is such also that happeth so seld and ofter happeth that meÌ„ dreame of such than haue such in dede therfore it is more reason you maye tell hym that he shewe you in such a rare thyng and a thing more lyke a dreame that himselfe is not aslepe than you in such a common thyng among folke that are waking and so seldome happyng in a dreame shoulde nede to shewe him wherby you know that you be not a slepe Besides this himself to whoÌ„ you should shewe it seeth and perceiueth the thyng that he would byd you proue but the thing that he woulde make you beleue the trueth of his reuelacion which you bid him proue you see not he wotteth wel himselfe and therfore ere you beleue it agaynst the Scripture it were well consonante vnto reason that he shoulde shewe you wherby he knoweth it for a true waking reuelacioÌ„ and not for a false dreamyng delusion Vincent Than shall he peraduenture saye to me agayne that whether I beleue hym or noâ— maketh hym no matter the thyng toucheth hymselfe and not me and himselfe is in himselfe as sure that it is a true reuelacioÌ„ as that he can tel that he dreameth not but talketh with me waking ☞ Antony Withoute doubte Cosin if he abide at that poynt and can be by no reason brought to doe so much as doubt and can by no meanes be shugged out of his dead slepe but will nedes take his dreame for a very trueth and as some by night rise walke aboute their chaumber in their slepe wil so rise and hange himself I can than no other wayes see but eyther bynde hym fast in hys bedde or els assaye whether that myghte happe to helpe him wyth which the coÌ„mon tale goeth that a caruers wyfe in such a frantyque fantasy holpe her husband to whome when he tolde he woulde vpon a good fryday nedes haue killed him selfe for Christes sake as Christe was killed for him she would not in vaynâ— pleade against his minde but well and wyselye put him in remembraunce that if he woulde dye for Christe as Christe dyed for hym it were then conuenient for him to dye euen after the same fashion and that might not be by hys owne handes but by the hand of some other for Christe pardye killed not him selfe and because her husband shoulde nede to make no moe ofcounsayle for that he woulde not in no wyse she offred him that for goddes sake she woulde secretly her selfe crucifye him on a great crosse that he had made to nayle a great crucifixe vpon wherof when he was verye glad yet she bethoughte her that Chryste was bounde to a pyller and beaten fyrste and after crowned wyth thorne wherupon when she hadde by hys owne assente bounde hym fast to a poste she lefte not beatyng wyth holye exhortacion to suffer so muche and so longe that or euer she lefte worke and vnbounde hym praying him neuerthelesse that she myghte put on his head and dryue it well down a crowne of thorne that she had wrytheÌ„ for him and brought hym he said he thought that was inough for that yere he woulde praye GOD to forbeare him of the remnaunt â—yl good friday come againe But wheÌ„ it came againe the next yeâ—e than was his lusâ—e paste he longed to folowe Chryste no farâ—her Vincent In dede vncle if this helpe him not than wyl nothing helpe him I trowe Antony And yet Cosin paraduenture the deuill might make him towarde suche a purpose first gladly firste suffer other payne and minishe hys feeling to therin that he maye therby the lesse feare hys death yet are peraduenture somtime suche thinges many moe to be assaide For as the deuil may hap to make him suffer so maye he hap to misse namely if his freÌ„des fal to praier against his teÌ„ptacioÌ„ for that can him self neuer do while he taketh it for none But for conclusion if the man be surely proued so inflexibly set vpon the purpose to destroye hym selfe as commauÌ„ded thereto by god that no good counsaile that meÌ„ can geue him nor any other thing that men maye doe to hym can refraine him but that he would shortly kyl him selfe thaÌ„ except onely good prayer made by his frendes for him I can fynde no farther shifteâ— but euer haue him in sighte or binde him fast in hys bedde And so muâ—â—e he nedes of reason be coÌ„tent so to be ordered for though him selfe take his faÌ„tasye for a true reuelacioÌ„ yet syth he can not make vs perceyue it for suche like wyse as he thinketh him selfe by his secret commaundement bounden to folowe it so must he nedes agree that sith it is against the playn prohibicion of god we be by the playne open precept bound to kepe him from it Vincent In this point vncle I can goe no farther but nowe if he were on the other side perceiued to mind his distruccioÌ„ to goe there about with heauines of heart thought dulnes what way wer there to be vsed with him theÌ„ ¶ Anthony Then were his teÌ„ptacion as I tolde you before properly pertaynyng to our matter for than were
of vertue in a reasonable creature can neuer be without prudence but also for that as I sayed euen in them that some men of most hardynes it shall well appeare to them that well waygh the matter that the mynde whereby they be ledde to destroye them selfe groweth of pusyllanymytie and very folyshe feare Take for the sample Cato vticensis whiche in Affrycke kylled him selfe after the greate victory of Iulyus Ceasaâ— had S. Austyn well declareth in his worke De ciuitate dei that there was no strength nor magnanimitie therin but playne pusyllanimitie and impotencye of stomake whereby he was forsed to the destruccyon of him selfe bâ—cause his hearte was to feble to beare the beholdynge of an other mannes glorye or the sufferynge of other calamyties that he feared shoulde fall on him selfe So that S. Austen well proueth that horryble dede is no acte of strength but an acte of the mind eyther drawen from the consyderacion of it selfe with some deuelyshe fantasye wherin the man hath nede to be called home with good counsayle or els oppressed by faint heart and feare wherin a good part of the counsayle must stande in lyfting vp his courage with good consolacioÌ„ and comforte and therfore if we found any suche religyouse person as was that father which Cassyon wryteth of that were of such austerytie and apparent ghostly lyuinge that he were with suche as knewe him reputed for a manne of syngular vertue and that it were perceyued that he had many visions appearing vnto him if it shoulde nowe be perceyued after the that yeâ— man went about secretlye to destroye him selfe who so shoulde happe to come to the knowledge thereof and entended to dooe hys deuor in the let Fyrst must he fynde the meanes to searche and fynde oute whether the man be in his maner and in his couÌ„tenaunce lightâ—ome gladde and ioyfull or dumpishe heauye or sadde and whither he goe there about as one that were full of the glad hope of heauen or as one that hadde his brest farsed full of tedyousnes wearynes of the worlde if he were founden of the fyrst fashion it wer a token that the deuyll hath by his fantasticall apparicions puffed him vp in such a pieuyshe pryde that he hath finally perswaded him by some illusyon shewed him for the proofe that gods pleasure is that he shal for his sake with his owne handes kyll him selfe Vincent What if a man so found it vncle what counsayle should a man geue him than ☞ Anthony That were somewhat out of our purpose Cosin syth as I tolde you before the man were not thaÌ„ in sorow and tribulacion wherof our matter speaketh but in a perylous meâ—ye mortall temptacion so that if we should beside our owne matter that we haue taken in hand entre into that to we might happe to make a longer worke betwene bothe than we coulde well fynyshe this daye Howebeit to be short it is soone sene that therein the counsayle and the effecte therof must in maner rest in geuing him warning of the deuilles sleyghtes that must be doone vnder suche pleasante swete maner as the man should not abhorre to heare it for whyle it coulde lightly be none other but that the man were rocked and songen a slepe by the deuylles crafte and therby his mynde occupyed as it were in a delectable dreame he shoulde neuer haue good audyence of him that would rudely boysteously shugge him and wake him and so shake him out therofâ— Therfore must you fayer easely touche him with some pleasaunte speâ—he awake him so that he waxe not wayward as children doe that are waked ere they lust to rise But when a maÌ„ hath first begon with his praise for if he be proude ye shall muche beter please him with a commendacion than with a dyrige thaÌ„ after fauor wonne therwithall a man maye lytle lytle insinuate the doubte of suche reuelacions not at the fyrst as it were that it were for any doubte of his but of some other men that in some other places talke of And peraduenture it shall not miscontent hym selfe to shewe greate perylles that maye fall therin in an other mans case than his own and shall begynne to preache vpon it Or if you were a man that hadde not a scrupulouse conscyence of an harmeles lye deuysed to doe good with all which kynde S. Iusten though he take alway for synne yet he taketh it but for venyal and. S. Hierome as by dyuers places of his bokes appeareth taketh not fully for so muche than maye you fayne some secrete frend of yours to be in suche case yâ— your selfe somewhat feare his perell and haue made of charytye this vyage for his sake to aske this good fathers counsayle And in the coÌ„munycacioÌ„ maye you bringe in these wordes of S. Iohn Nolite omni spiritui credere sed probate spiritus si ex deo sunt Geue not credence vnto euery spirite but proue whither they be of god And these wordes of S. Paule Angelus Sathane transfigurat se in angelum lucis The Aungell of Sathan transfygureth him selfe into the Aungell of light you shall take occasion the better if they happe to come in on his owne side but yet not lacke occasioÌ„ neyther if those textes for lacke of his offer come in vpon your owne occasion I saye shall you not lacke to enquyer by what sure vndeceiuable tokens a maÌ„ maye decerne the true reuelacions from the false illusions whereof a man shal finde many both here there in diuers other authors whole together diuerse goodly treatises of that good godly doctor M. Io. GersoÌ„ entâ—tuledâ— De probatione spirituuÌ„ As if the paâ—ti be natural wyse or any thing seme fantastical or whither the partie be poore spirited or poude which will somewhat appeare by his delyte in his owne prayse or if of wylynes or of an other pryde for to be praysed of humilitie he reâ—use to heare therof yet any litle faulte founde in him selfe or diffidence declared and mistrust of his owne reuelacions doutfull tokens told wherof him selfe shoulde feare lest they be the deuelles illusions Suche thinges as M. Gerson sayth will make him to spette out somewhat of his spitefull spirite if the deuill lye in his breste Or if the deuill be yet so subtyll that he kepe him selfe close in his warme denne and blowe out neuer a hote worde yet is it to be considered what end his reuelacions drawe to whither to any spirituall profite to him selfe or other folke or onely to vaine maruayles and wonders Also whither they withdrawe him from suche other good verteous busines as by the common rules of Christendome or any rules of his profession he was wont to vse or were bounde to be occupied in Or whither he fall into any singularitie of opinions agaynst the scripture of God or agaynst the commoÌ„ fayth of Chrystes catholique churche many other tokens are there in that worke of M. Gerson
this thinge than is it easy for the monke that we spake of to declare howe he knoweth his vision for a true reuelacion and not a false desusyon if there be so greate dyfference betwene them ☞ Anthony Not so easy Cosin yet as you wene it were for how can you proue vnto me that you be awake Vincent Mary lo doe I not wagge my hand shake my head and stampewith my feete here in the â—â—ore Anthony Haue you neuer dreamed ere this that you haue done the same Vincent Yes that I haue more to than that for I haue ere this in my slepe dreamed that I doubted whyther I were awake or aslepe and haue in good fayth thought that I dyd therupon euen the same thinges that I doe nowe in dede therby determined that I was not a slepe And yet haue I dreamed in good fayth farther that I haue been afterwarde at dyner there makinge merye with company haue tolde the same dreame at the table laughed wel therat that while I was aslepe I had by suche meanes of mouing the partes of my bodie coÌ„sideriÌ„g therof so verely thought my selfe waking ¶ Anthony And wil you not nowe sone trowe you whan you wake ryse laugh as well at your selfe whaÌ„ you see that you lye nowe in your warme bed aslepe agayn and dreame all this tyme while you wene so verely that you be wakyng and talkyng of these matters with me ☞ Vincent Goddes lorde vncle you goe nowe merely to worke with me in dede when you loke and speake so sadly and would make me wene I were aslepe ☞ Anthony It maye be that you bee so for any thyng that you can saye or dooe wherby you maye with any reasoÌ„ that you can make driue me to coÌ„fesse that your selfe be sure of the contrary syth you can doe nor saye nothing nowe wherby you be sure to be waking but that you haue ere this or hereafter maye thinke youre selfe as surely to doe the selfe same thynges in dede whyle you be all the while a slepe and nothyng doe but lye dreaming ☞ Vincent Well well vncle thoughe I haue ere thys thoughte my selfe awake whyle I was in dede aslepe yet for all thys I knowe wel inough that I am awake nowe and so doe you to thoughe I cannot fynde the woordes by which I maye with reason enforse you to confesse it but that alwaye you may dryue me of by the sample of my dreame Antony Thys is Cosin as me semeth very true and likewise semeth me the matter and difference betwene some kinde of true reuelacions and some kinde of false illusions as it standeth betwene the thynges that are done waking and the thynges that in our dreames seme to be done whyle we be slepyng that is to wete that he which hath that kynde of reuelacion from god is as sure of the trueth as we be of our owne dede whyle we be wakynge And he that is illuded by the Deuyll is in suche wyse deceyued and worse to than be they by theyr dreame yet reckoneth him self as sure for the tyme as the other sauinge that the one falsely weneth and the other truely knoweâ—h but I saye not Cosin that this kind of sure knowledge cometh in euery kynd of reuelacion for there are many kindes wherof were to long to talke nowe but I say that God doeth or may doe to man in some thing certaynly send some such Vincent Yet than maye this religious man of whom we spake when I shewe him the Scripture agaynst his reuelacion and therfore cal it an illusyon bidde me with reason goe care for my selfe for he knoweth well and surely hymselfe that his reuelacion is good and true and not any false illusion sith for al the generall commaundemente of god in the Scripture God maye dispence where he will and whan he wyll and maye commaunde him to doe the contrarie as he commaunded Abraham to kil his owne sonne and as Sampson had by inspiracion of God coÌ„maundement to kill himselfe with pulling downe the house on hys own head at the feast of the Philistines now if I would doe than as you bade me right now goe tell hym that such apparycions were illusions and sith that goddes worde is in the Scripture agaynst hym playne for the prohibicion he must proue me the trueth of his reuelacion wherby I may know that it is not a false illusioÌ„ Than shal he aske me again wherby that I can proue my selfe to be awake and talke with him and not to be aslepe and dreame so syth in my dreame I maye as surely wene so as I knowe that I doe so and thus shall he dryue me to the same baye to whiche I would bryng hym ☞ Anthony This is well sayed Cosin but yet coulde he not scape you so for the dispensacion of Goddes common precept whiche dispensacion he must saye that he hath by his reuelacioÌ„ is a thing of such sort as sheweth it selfe noughte false for it neuer hath had any sample lyke synce the worlde began tyll now that any maÌ„ hath read or heard of among faythfull people commeÌ„ded Firste in Abraham as touchyng the death of hys sonne god entended it notâ— but onely tempted the towardnes of the fathers obedience In Sampson all men make not the matter very sure whether he be saued or not but yet therin some matter cause appeareth for the Philistines beyng enemyes to god vsing Sampson for their mocking stocke in scorne of God it is well likely that God gaue hym the mynde to besâ—owe hys own lyfe vpon the reuenging of the displeasure â—hat those blasphemous Philistines did vnto god and that appeareth metely clerely by this that though hys strength failed hym when he wanted his heere yet had he not as it semeth that strength euermore at haÌ„d whyle he had hys heere but at suche tymes as it pleased god to geue it hymâ— which thyng appeareth by these wordes that the Scripture in some place of that matter sayeth Irâ—uit virtus dominni in Sampsonem The power or myght of god russhed into Sampson and so therfore whyle thys thyng that he dyd in the pullyng downe of the house was done by the special gyfte of strength thaÌ„ at that point geuen hym by god it well declareth that the strength of god and therwith the spirite of god entred into him Therfore S. Ausâ—eÌ„ also rehearseth that certayne holy verteous virgins in tyme of persecucion beyng by gods enemies infidels pursued vpon to be deâ—â—oured by force ranne into a water and drouned themselfe rather than they would be bereued of theyr virginitie and albeit that he thinketh that it is not lawful for any other mayde to folowe their sample but rather suffer other to dooe her any maner violence by force and commit sinne of his own vpon her against her wil than willingly and therby synfully herselfe become an homicide of her selfe yet he thinketh yâ— in theÌ„ it happed by the speciall
spoken of to considre by whyther the parsoÌ„ neyther hauing reuelacions of GOD nor illusions from the Deuill doe eyther for winning of moneyeâ— or wordely fauor faine his reuelacions him selfe to delude the people withall But nowe for our purpose if amonge any of the markes by which the true reuelacion may be knowen from the false illusions that maye him selfe bringe forthe for one marke the doinge or teaching of any thinge agaynst the scripture of GOD or the common faythe of the churche than haue you an entrye made you by which when you luste you maye entre into the speciall matter wherin he can neuer well flitte from you Or elles maye you if you lusâ—e â—ayne that your secrete frend for whose sake you come to him for counsayle is brought into that minde by a certayne apparicion shewed vnto him as him selfe â—ayth by an Aungell as you feare by the Deuill that he can be by you none other wayes perswaded as yet but that the pleasure of God is that he shall kyll him selfe and that if he so doe than shall he be therby so speciall partycypant of Chrystes passion yâ— he shall forthwith be caryed vp with Aungels into heauen for whiche he is so ioyful yâ— he fyrmelye purposeth vpon it no lesse glad to doe it than another man would be glad to voyde it And therfore maye you desyer his good counsayle to instructe you with some good substancyall aduyse wherwith you maye turne him from this error that he be not vnder hope of gods true reuelacion in body soule destroyed by the deuylles false delusion if he will in this thing study and labour to instructe you the thinges that him selfe shall fynd out of his owne inuencion though they be lesse effectual shal peraduenture more worke with him selfe toward his owne amendemet syth he shall of lykelyhod better lyke them than shall the double substanciall thinges tolde by another maÌ„ if he be lothe to thinke vpon yâ— syde therfore shrynke from the matter thaÌ„ is there none other waye but aduenture after the playne fashion to fal into the matter shew what you heare and to geue him counsayle exhortacion to the contrary but if you luste to saye that thus and thus hath the matter bene reasoned already betwene your frende and you and therin may you rehearse suche thinges that shoulde proue that the vision which moueth him is no true reuelacion but a false illusion Vincent Uerely vncle I well alow this that a man should as well in this thing as euery other wherin he longeth to do an other man good seke suche a pleasant waye as the partye shoulde be lykelye to lyke or at the leaste wyse well to take in worthe his communicacion and not so to enter in therunto as he whom he woulde helpe shoulde abhorre him and be lothe to heare him and therfore to take no profitte by him But nowe Uncle if it come by the one waye or the other to the poynte to heare me he will or shall what be the reasons effectuall with which I shoulde by counsayle conuert him ☞ Anthony All those by which you maye make him perceyue that him selfe is deceyued and that his visions be no godly reuelacions but very deuelyshe illusions And those reasons must you gather of the man of the matter and of the lawe of God or of some one of these Of the man if you can peraduenture shewe him that in suche a poynte or suche he is waxen worse synce suche reuelacions haue haunted him than he was before as in those yâ— are deluded whoso be well acquynated with them shall well marke and perceyue for they waxe more proude more wayward more enuious suspicious mysseiudging and deprauing other men with they delyte of theyr owne prayse and suche other spirituall vices of the soule Of the matter maye you gather if you haue proued his reuelacion before false or that they be thinges rather straunge then profytable for that is a good marke betwene Gods myracles and the deuylles wonders for Chryst and his sayntes haue theyr myracles alwaye tendyng to fruite and profit the Deuyll and his witches and Necromancer all theyr wonderfull workes drawe to no fruteful ende but to a fruitlesse ostentacioÌ„ shewe as it were a Iuggler that woulde for a shewe before the people playe maystryes at a feaste Of the lawe of God you must drawe your reasons in shewing by the scripture that the thing which he weneth God by his Aungell byddeth God hath his owne mouthe forbydden and that is you wote wel in the case that we speake of so easy to fynde that I nede not to rehearse it vnto you syth there is playne among the .x commaundementes forbydden the vnlawfull killing of any man and therefore of himselfe as S. Austen sayeth and all the churche teacheth except hymselfe be no man Vincent This is very true good vncle nor I will not dispute vpon any glosing of that prohibicion but syth we fynde not the contrary but that god maye dyspence with that commaundemente himselfe both licence and commaunde also if him lust any man to goe kil either an other maÌ„ or himselfe eyther thys maÌ„ that is now by suche a maruelouse vision induced to beleue that God so byddeth hym therefore thynketh himselfe in that case of that prohibicion discharged and charged wyth the contrary commaundement with what reason may we make hym perceiue that this vision is but an illusion and not a true reuelacion ☞ Anthony Naye Cosin Uincent you shal not nede in this case to requier those reasons of me but taking the Scripture of God for a grounde in thys matter you knowe very well your selfe you shall goe somewhat a shorter waye to worke if you aske this question of him that sith god hath forbidden the thyng once hymselfe though he maye dispence therewith if he will yet sâ—th the deuill maye fayne himselfe god and with a meruelouse vision delude one make as though god did it syth the deuill also is more lykely to speake agaynste gods commaundement than god agaynst hys owne you shall haue good cause I saye to demaunde of the man hymselfe wherby he knoweth that his visionâ— is gods true reuelacion and not the deuils false delusioÌ„ ☞ Vincent In dede vncle I thinke that woulde be an hard question for him maye a man haue vncle in such a thinge euen a very sure knowledge in his own mind ☞ Anthony Yea Cosyn God maye caste in the mynde of a man I suppose suche an inwarde lyghte and vnderstandyng that he cannot â—ayle but be sure therof And yet hâ— that is deluded by the deuill maye thinke him selfe as sure yet be deceiued in dedeâ— And suche a dyfference is there in a maner betwene them as is betwene the sight of a thing while we be waking loke theron the sight with which we see a thing in our slepe while we dreame â—herof Vincent This is a preaty similitude vncle in