as can be possiblye had in thys mortall life Of the excellencie of a free minde likewise that humble prayer is better thā reading The .xxx. Chapter THis truely is the work of a perfite man Lord neuer to release the minde from the handling occupying of the Scriptures heauenly thinges in the middes of many cares to passe ouer the life as it were without care not after the maner of the dull and sluggish person but in the excellency of a frée minde cleauing to no worldly thing with inordinate desire I beséeche thée O my most merciful god preserue kepe me frō the cares of this life least I be ouermuch inwrapped with the necessities of the body or least I be caught with the pleasures of those things which doe hurt the soule or least I be discouraged as one that is harthbroken wyth griefs sorows I meane not of those things which the lightnesse of the worlde doth couet with tooth and nayle but of those myseries which do grieue my mind with the common penall infelicity of our mortalitie doth hinder it that it can not enter into the libertie of the spirite as often as it listeth O my God my vnspeakable swéetenesse turne al carnal comfort into bitternesse which draweth mée away from the loue of things euerlasting and allureth with the beholding of I cannot tell what present delightfull goodnesse Let not flesh and bloud ouercome me Let not flesh bloud ouercome me O my God let not the worlde and the short glory therof deceiue me let not the deuill giue me a fal with his subtilty and craft Graunt me strength to resist pacience to suffer cōstancy to perseuer Graunt me in the steade of all worldly comforts the most pleasant annointing of thy spirite and in steade of carnall loue poure into mée the loue thy name Very meate and drinke and clothing the other necessaryes to the maintenance of our body are burdensome to a feruent spirite Cause that I may vse such nourishments temperately and that I be not entangled with the ouer gréedie desire of the same In dede I may not cast away al things bicause nature must be sustained Againe thy holy lawe forbiddeth to couet all superfluous and most delightfull things For else the flesh would ware prowde against the spirite Betwéene these two thinges let thy hande rule me I beséech thée and teach me that nothing be done ouermuch That men are most of all hindred from the comming of the highest felicity thorow the loue of themselues The xxxi Chapter LORDE SOnne thou must purchase the whole with the whole and not kéepe backe anye thing of thy selfe For to giue thée vnderstanding of this thy self-selfe loue doth more hurt thée than any thing else whatsoeuer it be and it happeneth that according to that loue and desire which thou hast euery thing doth more or lesse stick vnto thée Now if thou shalt be endued with a pure simple temperate loue thou shalt be void of the bondage of thinges Desire not that which thou maiest not haue Possesse not that which may entangle thée and which may depriue thée of the libertie of the minde It is a woonder that thou doest not vtterly cōmit thy self vnto me with thy whole heart with all these thinges which thou canst wish for or haue Why art thou consumed with vayne mournyng and pensiuenesse why art thou tired with superfluous cares shew thy self obedient vnto my pleasure thou shalt suffer no maner of losse or hindraunce For if to get thy selfe commodities and to haue thy wishes thou wilt apply thy minde to the séeking of things and wylt couet to chang the place wherin thou art thou shalt neuer attaine quietnesse nor be frée frō carefulnesse For in euery thing there shal be somewhat to find lacke off and in euery place there shal be one or other to be thy aduersary Therefore euery thing doth helpe when it is not gotten or plentifullye encreased but rather contemned cut out of the minde by the rootes which thing I woulde haue to be vnderstoode not onely of landes and riches but also of the ambicion of honour and desire of vaine praise All which doe peryshe with the worlde Besides the place doth little fence a man if feruent spirite be wanting Neyther doth that peace which is outwardelye sought for long continue if it lacke the true foundacion of the settled mind That is except thou shalt stande in me thou shalt chaunge but the place and not the minde For an occasion arising and being taken thou shalt find not onelye those thinges which thou doest flie from but also mo things too besides ¶ Prayers to attaine to cleannesse of minde the heauenly wisedome The .xxxij. Chapter SERVANT COnfirme me O God with the gift of thy holy spirite graunt me so great vertue and power that the inwarde man beyng strengthened I may ridde my selfe from all vnprofitable care and langour or féeblenesse and that I be not drawne with the sundry desires of any thing whether it be vile or precious but doe account both my self and all other things for transitoris corruptible forasmuch as nothing is continuallye permanent vnder the sunne Nay all things are but vaine torments of the minde Who so taketh these things in such sort it is he that hath wit aboue other Graunt me O Lorde heauenly wisdom that I may learne to séeke find thée aboue all things to sauor and loue thée aboue al things so to take other things according to the order of thy wisdom as they be in déede in themselues Graunt me both wisely to decline from flatterers pacyently to beare mine aduersaries For neither to be moued with euery blast of wordes nor yet to giue an eare vnto the flattering Mermayde that in déede is perfite wisedome and so shal we safely go forward the way we haue onely begunne Against yll speakers The .xxxiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne if any shall haue an euill opinion of thée or shall speake euyll of thée doe not thou take the same grieuously but rather thinke woorse of thine owne self than he doth and beléeue no man to be more weake than thy self If thou wilt go the secret way of vertue of the mind thou shalt not greatly estéeme flying words It is no small wysedome to kéepe silence in aduersitye and to turne thy mynde vnto me and nothing to bée troubled wyth the iudgement of the worlde Peace must not stay vpon the saying of men wyth whome whether thou be well or yll reported thou art not for that cause another man In mée in mée I saye true glory and true peace doth consist the same shall enioy it plentifully that neither coueteth to please men nor yet feareth to displease them All vnquietnesse of mynde and distracting of the senses doth surely procéede from inordynate loue and vayne feare How God must be called vpon and praysed in aduersities The .xxxiiij. Chapter SERVAVNT
precious than that it can abide to be ioyned with outwarde thinges Therefore whatsoeuer is a let to the same thou must cast it away frō thée if thou desire to be indued therewithall Séeke for a place of solitarinesse loue to dwell by thy self alone séeke for no mans communication but rather poure forth deuout prayers vnto God that both thy minde may be stirred vp and quickned and thy soule guiltie vnto it self of well dooing Set nothing by the whole worlde and preferre thy studye applyed to God before all outwarde thinges For thou canst not both apply thy selfe vnto me also be delighted with things transitory Thou must depart from thy acquaintance deare friends and thy mind must be called away from all worldly comfort Saint Peter doth admonishe the Disciples of Christ euen so to behaue themselues in thys worlde as straungers traueylers O how great faith and trust shall the person that shall dye haue whome the desire of no maner of thing doth kéepe still in the world But to haue a mynde thus secluded from all things belongeth to a man that is not sicke neither doth the sensual man knowe the libertie of the inward man. Surely if he will haue himselfe to be made spiritual he must renounce both things farre oft hard by must beware of no man more than himself If thou shalt once conquere thy selfe perfitely thou shalt the more easily subdue all other things For to triumph ouer a mans self is perfite victorie For he that hath himselfe subiect vnto himselfe in such sorte that both his appetite is obedient of reason his reason obedient vnto me in al things this man is both the conqueror of himself in déed also the Lorde of the world to which grice if thou desire to come thou must begin lyke a man and the hatchet must be put to the roote that thou maiest cut out and plucke vp by the roote the secrete inordinate loue both of thy selfe and of all priuate and carnall goodnesse For of this mans inordinate loue of himself all onely doth depende whatsoeuer by a man must be grubbed vp which mischiefe being ouercome subdued great peace and continuall calmenesse shall folow after But bicause fewe doe endeuor to dye perfitely vnto themselues and to depart out of themselues fully it hapneth that most of them do abide stil enwrapped in themselues cannot be caried vp in spirit aboue themselues But he that desireth to be conuersant with me fréely he must néedes slay and mortifie all his wicked inordinate affections and not cleaue desirously to any creature through priuate loue Of the diuers motions of Nature of Grace The Lix Chapter LORDE SOnne marke diligentlye the motions of Nature of Grace For they bée mooued after so suttle contrary a maner the one to the other that they can scātly be discerned but of the spiritual man one altogither lightned within Al mē in déed do couet the thing which is good do pretend some good thing in their sayings and déedes therfore are many deceiued with that shew countenance of a good thing Nature is subtile draweth intrappeth deceiueth many men and alwaies will haue hir selfe to be the proposed ende of hir doings But Grace behaueth hir selfe plainely and declineth from all kind of euill vseth no deceit and doth all thinges plainely for Gods sake resteth in him vnto the ende Nature refuseth to die to be kept vnder to bée ouercome to obeye to be subiect Grace studieth to mortifie hir selfe resisteth hir appetite desireth to be subiect and to be ouercome and will not vse hir owne libertie loueth to be kept at commaundement desireth not to beare rule ouer any man but is ready alwaies to liue to remaine to be vnder God to be in subiection with lowlinesse to al worldly things for Gods sake Nature studieth for hir owne commodity considereth what gaine maye growe vnto hir by another but Grace doth consider rather not what is profitable commodious to it self but what is profitable vnto many men Nature is gladly honored and magnified but Grace giueth al honor and glory vnto god Nature is afeard of reproch contempt but Grace reioyceth to be vsed reprochfully for the name of christ Nature loueth ydleyesse ease of body Crace not knowing howe to be ydle embraceth labour willingly Nature coueteth after curious and beautifull things and abhorreth the vyle and grosse things Grace is delighted with simple base things despiseth not things mishapen nor refuseth to be clad with olde rotten rags Nature beholdeth transitory things reioyceth at worldely gaines is sory for losse is prouoked to impacience with euery reprochfull word but Grace hath regard of things euerlasting doth not cleaue vnto corruptible thinges is not troubled with losse nor prouoked to anger with words somewhat spyteful and roughe bicause shée hath placed hir treasure in heauen where nothing is corruptible Nature is couetous more willingly receyueth then giueth as louing hir priuate commoditie but Grace is bountifull and liberall flying hir priuate profite content wyth fewe things iudging it more blessed to giue than to take Nature is prone vnto the creatures to fleshe to vanitie to gaddings about but Grace doth alure to God to vertues biddeth the Creatures adue flyeth the world hateth the desires of the flesh represseth gadding about is ashamed to be séene abrode Nature séeketh for outwarde comforts by the allurements wherof shée may be quieted but Grace séeketh comfort in God alone delighteth it selfe in the chiefest felicitie aboue the reach of all visible things Nature doth all things bycause of priuate gaine and commoditie nothing for naught shée alwayes looketh eyther for equall or greater recompence or else for praise and fauor for hir good déedes desireth that hir déedes gifts be greatly wayed set by But Grace séeketh for no worldely thing nor requireth any other rewarde or recompense for hir selfe then God alone nor coueteth mo things necessary to this life then so much as is néedefull to the attayning of lyfe euerlasting Nature reioiceth in the multitude of friends kinsfolkes bosteth in nobility and greatnesse of stock smyleth vpon the mighty flattereth the rich and doth sooth vp their sayinges that be like vnto hir selfe But Grace doth loue euen hir enimies also and is not prowde with the multitude of fryendes nor hath the place of hir birth noblenes of bloud in admiration reuerence vnlesse perhaps the greater vertue and godlinesse did there appeare The same doth more fauor the poore than the riche doth more lament the case of the innocent and harmelesse man than of the mightie reioyceth in the behalfe of him that is true not of him that is deceitfull doth alwayes exhort most of all to followe all those gifts that are best and to expresse the sonne of GOD in vertues and good
is great in déede which hath great charitie He is great in déedé which beyng small in hys owne iudgement doth accompt all Type of honour as a thing of nothing Hée is wyse in déede which reckneth all earthly thinges but for Mucke and Ordure that hée maye winne Christ vnto himselfe and hée is well learned in déede that doth Gods will and forsaketh his owne Of witte in our doings The fourth Chapter WEe muste not beléeue euerye thing that is spoken or put into our heades but the matter must warilye and at leysure be pondered howe it agréeth wyth the will of god Euill oftentimes alacke for pittie is sooner both credited spoken touching another man that good is so great is our infirmitie But such as be perfite doe not beléeue mans saying bicause they know mans weakenesse to be both prone vnto naughtynesse and oftentimes to offende and fall in his wordes It is a point of great wisedome neyther to be headlong hastie in those things that thou doest nor yet to bée so stiffe that thou wylt neuer giue ouer that which thou hast once coueted in thine heart It is a point of the like wisedome neither to credite euery mans words nor yet by by to vtter communicate vnto other those things which thou hast heard or credited Counsell with the wise and godly person and rather endeuor to bée instructed of him that is better than thy selfe to follow thine owne deuyses A good life maketh one wise to Godwarde and skilfull of many things The more humble and obedient euery man doth she we himselfe to God both the wiser and the more quiet is the same person in all things Of the reading of holy Scripture The fift Chapter TRuth must be sought for in the holye Scripture and not eloquence and they ought to bée reade with the same spirite as they are vttered forth vnto vs and in them profite rather than the subtiltie of reasoning shoulde be ensued neyther is it lesse méete for vs willingly to read godly and homely bookes than such as are difficult and profounde neyther let the authoritie of the writer mooue thée to cōsider whether he haue béene of small or great learning but let the loue of pure truth draw thée to reading and againe consider not what person it is that speaketh it but what thing it is that is spokē Men doe perishe but Gods truth abideth for euer and God speaketh vnto vs after diuers sortes without hauing any respect at all vnto persons Our owne curiositie doth oftentimes hinder vs whilest that wée couet to perceyue and discusse those thinges which shoulde be let alone in all respects If thou desire to haue fruite and commoditie by them reade thou them humbly simply faithfullye neuer couet after the name of knowledge Loue to be questioning wyth godly men and attentiuely heare their sayinges and be not offended at the nipping woordes of thyne Elders for they are not causelesse spoken Of the vnruely affections of the minde The .vi. Chapter WHensoeuer a man doth couet any thing inordinatelye by and by hée is made vnquiet in his mind The prowde or couetous man is neuer at reast wythin himselfe but he which is poore and humble of minde the same leadeth hys lyfe in perfite peace But he which hath not yet mortified the affections of his mind that person is both easily tempted and also is ouercommed with trifling and vile things One weake of mind and that as yet is halfe carnal and prone vnto sensualitie is scarcelie able to pull hymselfe wholy away from earthly desires and therefore while he doth withdrawe himselfe full often hée doth the same wyth sorrowfulnesse and if one doe withstande hym hée is soone mooued or angry But if he haue ensued that thing which he hath desired he is foorthwith pricked with the conscience of sinne bycause he hath obeyed his desire which doth no whit make to the peace which hée sought for Therefore true peace of minde is founde not in obeying but in resisting the desires and affections and that peace is not in the heart of the carnall man nor in one addicted to externall thinges but in a man that is feruent and spirituall Of fleeing vaine hope and pride The .vij. Chapter IT is a point of lightnesse to put hope in men other creatures bée not thou ashamed to bée a slaue to others for the loue of Iesus Christ and to seeme poore in this life Stay not vpon thine owne selfe but put thy hope in god Endeuour to thy power and God shal helpe thy good will and meaning put no confidence either in thyne owne knowledge or in the pollicie of any mortall man but rather in the fauor of God who both helpeth the humble also thrusteth down the prowde Glory not either in thy riches if thou haue them nor yet in thy friendes if they be mightie but glorie in God which both ministreth all things and desireth to gyue hymselfe aboue all things Aduaunce not thy selfe as touching either the mightinesse or beautie of thy body which being taken with some smal or light disease is by and by defaced Do not thou stand in thine owne conceite for thy towardnesse and wit least thou offend God whose gyft it is whatsoeuer goodnesse thou hast of nature Iudge not thy selfe better than other least perhappes thou be counted woorse wyth God who knoweth what is in man Be not prowde with well dooing For Gods iudgementes are farre other than the iudgementes of men whome that thyng doth many tymes dysplease which doth like men well ynough If there be any good thyng in thée thinke that there be better things in another man to the intent that thou mayest kéepe styll humblenesse of minde It doth no hurt at all though a man make himselfe inferiour to all men but it is hurtefull if a man doe preferre himselfe but before one man An humble man enioyeth contynuall peace but the minde of the hawtie person is tossed oftentimes with anger and ambition Of taking heede of ouermuch familiaritie The .viij. Chapter DIsclose not thy minde to euery man but communicate thy businesse wyth the person that is wise and Godlye Bée seldome times conuersaunt with youth and those that be not of the housholde of faith Flatter not the rich nor yet be desirous to liue with great men but rather associate thy selfe to modest and simple to godly and well manered persons and deale in thinges that are profitable Be familiar with no women but commende or praise all godly women vniuersally Wish to be familiar to God onely and his Aungels Eschue the familiarity of certaine men Charitie must bée hadde towarde all men but it is not expedient to bée famyliar with all men Sometime it chaunceth that one being vnknowne hath a verye good name and afterwards when that same partie is once knowne and present he groweth out of estimation and becommeth more obscure againe Wée thinke to our selues something that we shall
the more earnestly and sayth thus I haue made mine inuocation vnto thee O Lorde I haue made supplication vnto the Lorde At the last he hath the rewarde of his supplication and testifieth that he was hearde saying The Lord hath hearde me and taken pittie vpon me But wherin I pray you Thou sayth he hast turned my sorow into mirth ridding me from my sackecloth hast clad me with ioy Nowe if these things haue happened to men of so great holynesse we abiectes néedye persons must not dispaire although sometime we be in colde and sometime wée bée in colde and sometime in heate forasmuch as the spirite commeth and goeth according to his will and pleasure And for that cause Iob sayth Thou settest so much store by him that thou hast a regarde ouer him and daily doest care for him and makest proofe or tryall of him euery houre Therefore in what thyng else ought I to haue hope or whervnto else ought I to trust but onely to that mightie mercie of God and heauenlye grace For though I haue good men and godly brethren and faithful friends or bookes of holy scripture and trim communicatiō or swéete songs and balades with me yet doe al these things litle profite They like me but a little if being forsaken of Gods spirit I be left vnto mine owne néede or nakednesse At that time there is no better remedy than pacience and deniall of thy selfe according to the will of god Surely I neuer chaūced to talke with anye Godly person from whome the spirite of God hath not sometime béene withdrawen or which hath not felte a decrease of his heate Neither hath there euer béene any holy man so déepely rauished lightned in soule but that the same hath some time at the least béene tempted eyther fyrst or last For he is not worthy the high contemplacion of God who for Gods cause hath not béene exercised wyth some miserye For the temptacion going before is woont to be a token of the comfort that commeth after For heauenlye comfort is promised vnto them which haue béene tryed wyth temptacyons He that shall ouercome saith Christ to hym will I graunt to feede vppon the Tree of lyfe And Gods comforte is graunted that man may bée more strong to beare out aduersitie And temptacion doth follow least he shoulde be to prowde of that good commoditie The Deuill sléepeth not neyther is the fleshe yet mortified And therefore neuer cease to prepare thy selfe to battell For the vnquiet enimies are both vpon thy right hand thy left Of thankefulnesse for the benefits of god The .x. Chapter WHy doest thou séeke after quietnesse séeing thou art borne vnto labour Yéelde thy selfe rather vnto pacience than to comfort and to beare the Crosse than to ioye and gladnesse For what worldly man woulde not willingly liue alwayes in spirituall comfort if he might euermore haue and obtaine the same which comfort excelleth all the daynties of the worlde and pleasures of the fleshe For all worldelye delites are eyther dishonest or vaine but the spirituall are onely pleasaunt onely honest onely causer of vertues and inspired of God into pure mindes But these comfortes of GOD are such that no man can enioye them at his owne pleasure bicause temptacion doth no long time cease The false liberty of the soule and the ouermuch confidence of a mans own selfe doth much withstand the heauenly help or comfort God doth well which bestoweth the benefite of his comfort vpon man but man doth naught that doth not acknowledg the same wholy to come from God with thākesgiuing Herevpō it happeneth that Gods gifts can not flowe vnto vs bicause wée are vnthankefull to the giuer and doe not poure backe al things into the fountaine and spring againe He that is thankefull doth procure a new benefite and that is withdrawne from the hawtie vnthankefull which maye be bestowed vpon the modest thankefull I woulde not haue comfort that shoulde take from me the pricks of awe neither is that the cause of vnderstanding of things which hoysteth mée vp into pryde For whatsoeuer is high the same is not also holy neither is euery desire pure neither is the same healthfull whatsoeuer is swéet Neither is the same also acceptable vnto God whatsoeuer is déere vnto mē I receyue those benefites willinglye by the which I maye be made the more modest and fearefull and more readie to gyue ouer and forsake my self He that is taught and chastised wyth benefites receyued at Gods hande and the same afterwards be taken from him againe the same dareth not to attribute any goodnesse vnto himselfe but rather confesseth himselfe néedy and naked Giue vnto GOD that which is Gods and ascribe to thy selfe that which is thine owne that is to say giue thankes vnto God for his benefites and attribute sinne vnto thy selfe and for sinne thinke that punishmentes are due vnto thée Recken thy selfe alwaies in the lowest place and so shal the highest be giuen thée For there can be no highest without respect of the lowest Those account themselues for the least whome God reckeneth for chiefest bicause of their godlinesse and the more full of glory they be so much the more humblye they behaue themselues being full of truth and heauenlye glory not desirous of vaine glory It is not possible any way that they should waxe prowde which stande stayde vpon God and they which ascribe vnto GOD whatsoeuer goodnesse they haue attained the same do not couet after mutuall glory but desire that which is of God onely couet that God both in himselfe and in all other holy men may be praysed aboue all things and euermore dyrect their dooings to that ende Wherefore shewe thy selfe thankfull in small things and thou shalt bée woorthie to attaine to greater things Let euen the least and most base gifts be reckened of thée for verie great and notable For if the worthinesse of the giuer be considered no gift or quality ought to séeme smal or course For it is no small gift that is giuen of the high and mightie God insomuch that if he doe giue euen punishments and stripes the same ought to be welcome vnto vs bycause it maketh for our saluation whatsoeuer he suffereth to happen vnto vs He that desireth to kéepe stil the grace and fauor of God let the same shewe himselfe thankfull for the benefites giuen him and pacient when the same be taken from him and let him praye that they may come againe and let him be chary and modest that he forgo them not Of the small number of the louers of Christ his Crosse. The .xi. Chapter IEsus hath nowe many louers of his heauenly kingdom howbeit he hath few bearers of his Crosse he hath many desirous of comfort but fewe of calamitie He findeth a great sort partakers of hys table but fewe of his continencie All men will reioyce with Christ but fewe will suffer affliction with him Manye followe Iesus euen to the breaking of breade
contrary at the first chop to be auoyded It is sometime also expedient to brydle good affects and desires least either thou passé measure with the importunitie of minde or be an offence vnto other through thine owne vnrulinesse or whilst the same do resist thou as one troubled sodainely doe fal Sometime it is méete to vse violence to fight against the appetie and desire and not to make accoumpt what the flesh woulde either haue or not haue but rather endeuor that it maye be obedient to the spirit whether he will or no and that shée may be so long kept vnder and suffer bondage vntill such time as she be plyant and readie vnto all things and learne to be content with a fewe thinges and to be delighted with a simple state and condition and not to mutter or grutch against any incommoditie or aduersitie Of the maner of pacience and the fight against desires The .xiij. Chapter SERVANT WHy then O my Lorde God as farre as I doe perceiue pacyence and sufferance is very necessary for me For many aduersities are incident vnto this life of ours in so much that when I desire peace by all meanes possible yet can it not be brought about that I may leade ouer my life without warre and sorow LORDE It is euen as thou doest saye sonne Nay I will not haue thée to séeke after that peace that is voyde of temptacions or which féeleth not aduersities but to thinke with thy selfe that euen then also thou hast founde thy selfe peace when as thou shalt be searched and tryed with sundrye and manye turmoyling calamities of miseries and aduerse chaunces Now if thou wilt plead that thou art not able to beare or suffer so manye things how then shalt thou be able to abyde the euerlasting torment of Hell fire Of two euilles the lesse is alway to be chosen Therefore studie to take paciently for Gods sake thy present euilles that thou mayest escape those euerlasting punishmentes that are to come And thinkest thou that the men of this worlde either suffer no euill at all or little or none Thou shalt well finde that euen those that are most delicate and fine are not without their incommodities Thou wilt say peraduenture but these worldlings are incyted with many pleasures and obeye their owne will or sensualitie and therefore make little account of their miseries Put case al things happen vnto them as their heart would haue it how long will that indure and abide trow yée Forsooth those shall perishe like dung which in this life haue such wealth and abundaunce in such wise as no maner of remembrance of ioyes passed shall remaine Nay euen while they be aliue to they doe not enioy them without bitternesse and griefe feare For looke of what things they doe take pleasure of the very same manye times they receiue sorrow and reason good they shoulde so doe that they which intemperately hunt after pleasures shoulde likewise attaine vnto the same not without tartnesse and trouble I wisse they be all but very short and false or counterfeyte and inordinate filthie or dishonest yet doe not they sée this through drunkennesse and blindenesse but that they wyll néedes purchase themselues death of the soule like vnto brute beastes for a small or triflyng delight of this mortall life Wherfore sonne doe not thou follow the sensuall desires but turne thy wil away from them Be delighted in the Lorde and so shall he graunt thée the requestes of thy soule For if thou wilt be delighted in déede and haue large and plentifull comfort of me Wéete thou that felicitie and the ample rewarde of comfort doth consist in thy renouncing of all worldly things and of these féeble and weake pleasures and the further thou shalt pull thy selfe from all solace of humaine thinges so much the more sweete and the greater comfort shalt thou finde in mée But in déede thou shalte not attaine vnto those comforts without sorowfulnesse and labour of fighting For rooted custome doth stande against it howbeit shée shall be matched and maystred with better custome The fleshe will mutter against it Howbeit shée shall be bridled with the feruentsye of the spirite The olde Serpent will stirre thée forewarde and sharpen thée Howbeit he shall be chased away with prayers And againe with profitable labour a great entraunce shall bée stopped vp from his temptacions Of obeying our betters according to the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ. The .xiiij. Chapter LORDE SOnne hée that withdraweth himselfe from obedience the same withdraweth himself frō the fauor of God and he that séeketh after priuate thinges doth forgo the common He that doth not submit himselfe vnto his superior gladly and of his owne accorde the same in so doing declareth that he hath not yet so wholy tamed and schooled his owne fleshe but that it doth oftentimes wince mutter against him Wherefore learne spéedily to submit thy selfe to thy superior if thou couet to tame thy flesh For the outwarde enymie is the sooner maistred if the inwarde enimie be once ouerthrowne There is no more troublesome or woorse enimy vnto the soule than thou art vnto thy self whilest thou doest not agrée with thy spirite For thou must practise an vnfeined contempt of thy selfe if thou wilt be maister ouer flesh bloud for as much as thou doest yet loue inordinately and therfore art afearde to commit thy self altogither to the will of another But what great matter doest thou thou doest nothing if thou become subiecte to another man for Gods sake Whereas I béeing that Almightie and that Highest who haue made all things of naught haue humbly submitted my selfe vnto man for thy sake becommyng the veriest vnderling and basest of all other to the ende that thou mightest ouercome thys pride and hautinesse of thine with that humilitie and lowlinesse of mine Learne to obey thou dust learne to depresse thy selfe thou earth and stime and to put thy trust vnder al mens féete learne to breake thine owne will and to shewe thy selfe subiect vnto all men Waxe earnest against thy selfe and suffer not pryde or hautinesse to lyue in thée but make thy selfe so lowlye and simple that all men may go ouer thée and treade vppon thée like mire in the stréete What hast thou thou vaine man that thou canst rightly complain off What is there thou sincke of sinne that thou canst iustly reply vnto thē that dispraise and deface thée in asmuch as thou hast so oftentimes deserued hel torments by offending of God so many times And yet haue I gently spared thée hauing a care of thy soule to the intent that thou mightest alwaies shewe thy selfe thankefull for my benefites my loue beyng once knowne vnto thée and being euermore bent vnto true obedience and modesty mightest paciently beare the contempt of thy selfe Of considering the secret iudgements of God least we shoulde aduaunce our selues to much in prosperitie The .xv. Chapter SERVANT LOrde thou thundring agaynst me
with thy iudgements doest shake all my lims with feare trembling doest out of measure terrifie my hart This doe I ponder vpon amazedly that the very Heauens are not cleane in thy sight And if thou haue founde sinne in the very aungels themselues hast not spared them what shal then become of me If the Starres themselues haue fallen from heauen what may I being dust hope for They haue fallen down to the lowest places whose works did séeme laudable and praise worthy and they that did eate the bread of Aungels those sawe I to be delighted with Hogs meate and draffe Therefore Lorde there is no holinesse if thou once plucke backe thy hande No wisedome preuaileth if thou cease to gouerne No strength helpeth if thou leauest to kéepe and preserue No chastitie is in safetie vnlesse thou defende it No kéeping of a mans selfe doth profite vnlesse thy holye watching go withall For being once forsaken we are drowned and doe perysh and when thou doest take care ouer vs then we liue erected and lyfted vp We are in our owne respect but vnconstant Of thée we be confirmed and strengthned we are but warme of our selues of thée we are kindled Surely I must thinke of my selfe most humbly and basely must altogither way my selfe at nothing if that I séeme to haue any goodnesse in me I say again that I ought to submit my selfe most lowlye vnto those thy vnsearchable iudgments wherin I find that I am nought else but nothing of nothing O waight without mesure O sea that cannot be passed thorow wherein I finde my self to be nothing but altogither of nothing Where is then the couert of glory Where is then the confidence of glorie for the which thou hast bargayned Al vaine glory is swallowed vp in the gulfe of thy iudgements that thou hast of me What are all mortal men in thy sight Clay may boast it selfe against the Potter belike Can he ware prowd with vaine praises whose mind is subiect vnto god in the truth No though the whole worlde doe extol him after that the truth hath once made him subiect vnto it I say he shal be mooued with no bodies prayses that hath fixed his whole hope in god For euen al they that do speake are but nothing and shall fade away with the sounde of their owne wordes But the truth of the Lorde abideth for euer How we must be minded and what we ought to saye in such things as we desire to haue The .xvi. Chapter LORDE SOnne thus must thou saye in all thinges Lorde if it shall please thee let it bee euen so Lord if this shal be to thine honour bee it done in thy name Lorde if thou see that this shall be expedient and profitable for me bring it to passe that I maye vse it to thine honour but in case thou know that it shall not be for the health of my soule but hurtfull therevnto take this desire from me For euery desire is not of the holye spirite although it séeme right and good vnto man but harde it is to iudge whether a good or a wicked spirite doe enforce thée to couet after this or that or whether thou bée mooued rather within thine owne spirite Many men haue béene deceyued at the last which dyd séeme to be stirred at the first with a good spirit Therefore we must alwayes couet with the feare of God lowlinesse of mind whatsoeuer commeth into our heads by occasion to wishe for and the whole matter must bée committed to God with vnfained chiding of our selues and thus must we say Lord thou knowest whether of both is more expediēt for me do thou whether of both thou wilt thy self Giue me that thou wilt and as much as thou wilt and at what time thou wilt Deale with me as thou knowest it méete for me to be delt with al and as it liketh thée and as the thing may procure greatest glorie vnto thée Place me there where thou wilt deale fréely with me in al things I am in thy hands turne me and tosse me euery way Beholde I thy seruant am prest vnto al things for as much as I desire to liue I pray God accordingly and perfitely not vnto my selfe but vnto thee Pryaers to performe Gods will. The .xvij. Chapter SERVANT GRaunt vnto me O most bountifull Iesu thy fauour which may be assistant vnto me may labour with me may continue wyth mée to the verye ende Graunt vnto me euermore to will and couet the thinges which are acceptable and deare vnto thée Let thy will be my wil and let my will away follow thine and iustly agrée with thine Let one willing one nilling be common vnto vs both in such wise that I maye will or nill nothing but that which thou wyllest or nillest Graunt me to die vnto al things that are in the worlde and to loue to be contemned and not knowne in this world for thy sake Graunt me aboue all my wishes to repose and rest my self in thée and to haue a quiet and contented minde Thou art the true peace of the heart Thou art the onely rest out of thée are al things difficult and vnquiet In this peace that is to say in thée onely being the chiefest and euerlasting goodnesse will I sléepe and take my rest That true comfort must be sought for in God onely The xviij Chapter WHatsoeuer comfort I can wish for or imagine the same doe I not looke for here in this world but in the world to come Now if I alone had euen all the comforts that are any where and coulde enioy all maner delicates and dainties certaine it is that the same could not long continue or endure Therfore O my soule thou canst not attaine full comfort be perfitely refreshed sauing onely in God the comforter of the néedie and the helper of the modest Looke a litle while O my soule looke a little while after Gods promise and then thou shalt attaine plentie of all good things in heauen Now if thou wilt somewhat inordinately couet these present things thou shalt léese the euerlasting and heauenly things Let temporall thinges be in vse and occupying but let the euerlasting things be in thy desire Thou canst not be filled with anye temporall good thing bycause thou wast not created to enioye the same Albeit thou haddest all good things that are created yet couldest thou not be blessed notwithstanding Nay thy felicitie consisteth in God the creator of all things I meane not such as is thought so and praised of the folish worldlings but such as the good faithfull Disciples of Christ doe looke after such as the spiritual and cleane of hart whose conuersation is in heauen do sometime foretaste in this life Vaine and short is all mans comfort blessed and true is that which is receyued inwardly from the truth The godly person both euery where cary Iesus Christ hys comforter about
herby increased but also of the goodnesse wisdome and woonderfull determination purpose of Almightie God regenerating or renewing vs by water the Holy Ghost They are therefore with marueylous much gladnesse and chearefulnesse of minde present at this ceremonie ordeyned by Christ yea euen of their owne forwardnesse and accord much more than when they being desired are vsed as witnesses at the childes Baptisme They are I saye againe present at it most hartily to commit the childe vnto Gods tuition and to ioyne with others there present in prayer and to heare the most holy wordes of the Minister that baptiseth and to take inwardely a close and hid pleasure touching the Kite and fashion of the heauenlye mysterie and of the water of Regeneration and to triumph ouer the deuill as ye woulde say and to reioyce on the childes behalfe béeing made partaker of all the sacraments and to render due thanks vnto GOD and to allure other men by their good example vnto like dutie That which I now entende to speake may perhaps séeme to most men absurd and without reason and yet wil I speake it for al that séeing it is as true as the Gospell The Godly are glad more than a man will beléeue as often as they haue anye occasion gyuen to doe almes and the déedes of mercy and pity For they are fully resolued and out of doubt that whatsoeuer bounty and humanity is bestowed vpon their néedie neighbour the same is bestowed vppon Christ himselfe Therefore when they sée a poore man and beggar to resort vnto them for succour they think that they sée euen Christ in his owne person and they recken themselues happy whome Christ vouchsafeth to that honour to craue almes of them That saying in the Gospell is alwayes before theyr eyes In as much as ye haue done it to one of these my poore wretched brethreÌ„ ye haue done it vnto me Yea farther they thinke that they are many times tempted or prooued and they thinke that it may be Christ hymself comming vnto them in the likenesse of a beggar And they woonder at those mens lacke of fayth which if Christ were here corporally among vs as once he was saye they woulde denie him nothing though it were a great matter and yet with a deafe eare doe passe by refuse and despise Christ walking here and there about like a poore beggar and crauyng his almes They therfore as I haue sayde are not a little glad when they doe an almes déede shew liberalitie to their neighbors For beléeuing the words of the Gospell they beholde and looke vpon Christ in theyr neyghbour which will haue al that layde out for him that in his name is bestowed vppon wretched men and such as be altogither succorlesse Therefore they féede Christ béeing a hungry in their neighbour they gyue hym drinke being a thirst they receyue him into their house being a straunger they cloath him being naked they visite him being weak they comfort him being captiue or prisoner and if they be able they raunsome him also But among all these things of what soâ—â— and how excéeding great doe we thinke that ioy of the Godly to bée as often as and in a maner they daily do it and without ceassing they talke alone with their heauenly Father open their desires vnto him with so great delight and pleasure many times that being as it were rauished beside themselues they pray the whole daye togither without hauing any minde of their meate yea and continue al night in prayer also And surely if the godly do euer of any thing receiue a certaine smak or taste in this same life of the blessed lyfe to come they chieflye receyue the same by thys their talking togither and communing with almightie God that I speake of whereby it commeth that they are neuer without cause tired with praying And yet in such talke they are not onely busied and occupyed for themselues or for thinges properly pertaining to their owne behoofe but euen for the whole catholike Church for the christian common wealth for the spreading abroade of the Gospell and for the sanctifiyng of the name of god also In this exercise they do both craue all good things aswell for the soule as for the bodie at Gods hands as are peace quietnesse tranquilitie concorde of Princes plentye of things necessary to life and such other like and also make prayer to be frée from calamities both publique and priuate from warre famine pestilence and besides giue thanks to the goodnesse of God for the benefits receyued at his hande Now such talking togyther with God is so swéete and pleasant vnto theÌ„ that in maner hauing forgotten themselues and neglecting the care of their bodies they doe constantly perseuere continue in prayer as men raysed vpwarde with a certayne godly zeale and affection and neyther take their naturall rest nor long for meate but after a sort thinke theÌ„selues already among the blessed companye of Aungels as if they were become nowe immortall and not here conuersant in the world among men O happye creatures who thus being delighted doe at large enioy in their mindes coÌ„tinuall gladnesse vnspeakeable pleasure and the endlesse reioyce of Gods holy spirite The world cannot so much as imagine what maner of things these shoulde be nor beholde them as they saye but in a dreame the children of God doe onely know them We haue I thinke sufficiently declared and opened that which we tooke in hand that the faithfull and true louers of God doe alwaye reioyce in the Lorde howseeuer the worlde go to wéete aswell in sadnesse as in gladnesse We will yet say thus much more The right and true Christians doe take incredible delectacion especially among other men at his woonderfull ornature and beauty of the worlde at the varietie grace and order of heauenly bodies at the most pleasant sight of the Sunne at the starres shining by night at the amiablenesse of the earth and the most faire and as it were sprinking countenance of naturall things I meane so often as they doe sée as the Poet sayth The skie to shine the trees to budde The chearing vines to spring With braunches the boughes to bende With full Grapes that they bring The standing cornes to yeelde their fruits Each thing to florish out The Welles to bubble and with grasse The medowes clad throughout How reioyce they euen from the very bottome of their harts as oft as they do remember Gods goodnesse which woulde haue all the other Creatures to serue for mans necessities Woods Groues Hils large Medowes and Pastures Fields Gardens of pleasure fountaines springes of water brookes or foords ryuers and whatsoeuer things else are ministred out of these for the vse delyght foode of men woods trées herbes floures or blossomes beryes Pulse all kynde of corne or graine all sorts of things that haue life wilde beasts for hunting foules for hauking or fouling fishes for angling wéeles and for nets
the Lorde for all things I beseech thee the euerlasting father of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ for thy sonnes sake our Mediator high priest and aduocate that pouring forth plentifully into vs thy holy spirite thou wouldest stirre vppe encrease and keepe this same faith in our heartes For it is not in mans power to beleeue trust but commeth from aboue from almighty god neither haue we the same of our selues but we haue it as a gift from thee O most mercyfull father and we ought at all times to acknowledge our faith to come from thee to render hartie thanks vnto thee for the same Thus much had I in maner to declare touching the continuall Reioyce of the Godlye being mooued vppon occasion therevnto through that place of the Apostle to the Thessalonians where he sayth Be gladde alwayes pray without cessing giue thanks in al things And with that likewise to the Philippians Reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and againe I say reioyce By which words the Apostle biddeth the godly sort and them that doe cleane fast to him with full trust and affiance to be of good chéere spiritually iocund at all times in the memory and recounting of Gods good wil toward them and in the sure hope of atteyning saluation through our Lorde sauiour Iesus Christ howsoeuer that the worlde go Nowe happy is that man and happy in déede whatsoeuer he be that reposing himself onely at al times in God who taketh care for the Godly being mooued therevnto thorowe a certayne woonderfull and true fatherly loue and tender affection towarde vs as is the naturall father to his children whosoeuer I saye beléeuing the sonne of God to be our righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and fully perswaded with him selfe that there in no condemnation at all to be feared of thē that are ingraffed in Christ Iesu doth passe ouer the whole time of his life in spiritual ioy taking things present in good woorth nothing carefull with thought and pensiuenesse for things to come seruing alwayes in feare and exceedingly reioysing with trembling as that holy Prophet Dauid the Psalmograph doth admonish This therefore that we may doe in déede and without counterfeyting from the very bottome of our harts howsoeuer things go both in prosperitie and aduersity I praye the same our Lorde and God to graunt without whome there is neuer any syncere ioye and in whom onely the scripture biddeth vs to reioyce and bee excéeding glad alwayes to whom be prayse honor and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS Learning without true religion nothing woorth Noscere ipsum we ought not to aduaunce our selues of learning but rather to acknow ledge our ignorance and want of skyll There is no combat more xecellent then for a man to conquer himselfe An vpright conscience ought to be preferred before worldly knowledge The coūsayle of wisemen rather to be followed then thine owne fantasies A couetous mind neuer satisfied but an humble spirite leadeth his life in peace A poynt of lightnesse to trust in man or any other creature No hurt to make himselfe inferior to al men but to preferre himselfe before other it is hurtfull A harde thing to iudge wel of a man before he be tryed knowne To liue in subiection of other and not at a mans owne libertie doth very much auayle To stand to much in his owne opinion although it be good betokeneth pride and wilfull stubburnesse To much babling causeth sinne and hindeethr God is the searcher of the heart Mā ought to depende wholy vpon God. Comfort th
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