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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13680	Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers; Imitatio Christi. English.	Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.	1580 (1580)	STC 23973; ESTC S118358	156,757	336

other things and thinke hereof if thou mind to attaine vnto peace and quietnes yea thou shalt mightilie encrease if thou cast of worldlie cares contrariewise as greatlie decrease if thou make anie account of earthlie things Count nothing woonderful nothing excellent nothing grateful nothing acceptable but either God or y t which is of God as for worldlie pleasure deeme it but vaine The soule which loueth God in respect of GOD contemneth al things God alone which is eternal infinite and incomprehensible is the comfort of the soule and the true ioie of hart Chap. 6. The ioie of a good conscience THe glory of a good man consisteth in the testimonie of a good conscience If thy conscience be good thou hast continual ioie A man that hath a good conscience endureth much yea reioiceth in aduersitie but a wicked man is euermore timorous and vnquiet Sweete wilbe thy sleepe if thy conscience accuse thee not Reioice not but in wel dooing Wicked men at no time reioice in deede neither feele the peace of a godlie mind for as saith the Lord There is no peace vnto the wicked And though they saie they liue in peace can neuer be molested with aduersitie nor iniuried by man beleeue them not For suddenlie shal the heauie displeasure of God so fal vpon them that both their dooings shal come to naught and themselues vtterlie consume awaie For a godlie man to reioice in tribulation is no hard thing and so to reioice is to reioice of Gods fatherlie care Vaine is the praise which is either ascribed or receiued of men The praise of the righteous is in their conscience not in the tonge of men The righteous reioice of GOD in God and in the truth He that seeketh for true and eternal glorie contemneth worldlie praise but he that either coueteth or doth not contemne temporal he doubtles waieth but litle celestial glorie Great quietnes hath he that careth neither for praise nor dispraise And he is wel content and quiet whatsoeuer his condition be which hath a cleere conscience If thou beest praised thou art not the better nor the worser if thou art dispraised what thou art thou art and greater thou art not than God accounteth thee to be Consider what thou art within waie not what thou art thought to be abroade Man beholdeth the countenance but God the hart and man iudgeth of the deedes but God of the minde and intent Euermore to do wel and to count baselie of a mans owne selfe is a singular token of a modest minde So is it an argument of rare integritie and faith to contemne the comfort of worldlie things He that seeketh no recorde elsewhere hath doubtles wholie addicted himself to the seruice of God For he that praiseth himselfe saith Paule is not alowed but he whom the Lord praiseth To deale with God in minde and neuer to be moued outwardlie with anie perturbation is the propertie of him that is a spiritual man Chap. 7. That our Sauior Christ is to be loued aboue al things BLessed is he which knoweth what it is to loue Iesus and for his cause to contemne al things For loues sake euen the beloued must be left in asmuch as Iesus wilbe loued aboue al things The loue of earthlie things is deceiptful and fraile but the loue of Iesus doth endure and continue He which loueth worldlie thinges shal perish therewithal but he that embraceth Iesus abideth euer Loue him reteine his good wil which when al things vade awaie wil neuer forsake thee nor suffer thee to perish Wil thou nil thou one daie thou must leaue this world and therefore sticke to Christ both in life and death commit thee vnto him which alone can helpe thee when al things faile This thy freende is of that nature that he wil onelie be loued he alone claimeth thy minde for himselfe and he alone wil sit there like a King in his throne Therefore haue thou no felowship with earthlie thinges and Iesus gladlie wil abide with thee Thou shalt find that wel nigh lost whatsoeuer is spent vpon anie besides Iesus Neither trust nor staie vpon a wauering reede For al flesh is grasse and al the grace thereof is as the floure of the field If thou trust in man thou shalt easilie be deceaued yea if thou seeke comfort and profite by anie other thing thou shalt sustain great losse If thou seeke Iesus in al things thou shalt finde Iesus but if thou seeke thy selfe thou shalt finde thy selfe but to thy damnation For whosoeuer seeketh not Iesus doth more hurt himselfe than al the world againe and his enimies besides can doo Chap. 8. Of the familiaritie with Iesus WHile Iesus is present al thinges go wel and seeme comfortable but when he is absent nothing is sweete If Iesus speake not in the minde of man litle good can worldlie comfort doe him but speake he but a worde and great ioie shal he feele So Marie Magdalene arose quicklie from the place where she wept as soone as she heard by Martha that the Master was come and called for hir Happie is the houre wherein Iesus calleth from teares vnto the ioie of the Spirit How hard and drie art thou without Iesus How vaine and foolish if thou desire anie thing without Iesus Greater shal be thy losse if thou doo so than if thou shouldest leese the whole worlde For what can the world do without Iesus To be without Iesus is a bitter death but to abide with him is euen a pleasant life If Christ be with thee what enimie can hurt He which findeth Iesus findeth a good treasure or rather the cheefest felicitie he which leeseth Iesus leeseth too much What saied I too much He leeseth more than if he lost the whole world He that liueth without Iesus is most miserable but he whom Iesus fauoreth is for riches most welthie To liue with Iesus is great cunning and to know how to keepe him is most singular wisedome Be thou meeke and lowelie and Iesus wil come to thee Yea be thou godlie and quiet and Iesus wil abide with thee But turne thou once vnto outward thinges and thou doest make him forsake thee and so leese his fauor And if he once forsake thee vnto whome wilt thou flie or what freendes wilt thou finde Without a freende thou canst not long liue and if Iesus be not thy freende before al others thou shalt mourne without measure when he once doth leaue thee And therfore thou doest foolishlie if thou either trust or reioice in anie besides him Better were it to haue the whole world against thee than Christ Iesus alone Wherefore before al things which thou

place hide vnles thou be present and helpe strengthen comfort instruct and keepe For whatsoeuer seemes to belong to the attainement of peace and felicitie without thee is nothing and brings in deede no felicitie at al So that thou art the cheefest end the perfection of life and the profoundnes of speech in thee to trust aboue al things is the chiefest comfort of thy seruants On thee doo I looke in thee doo I trust O my God and Father of mercie Blesse make my soule holie with celestial happines that it may be thy sacred habitation and seate of eternal glorie a temple pure from al filthines which maie offend the eies of thy Maiestie O Lord according to the greatnes of thy mercie and according to the multitude of thy compassions looke vpon me and heare the supplication of thy poore seruant liuing far off a banished man in a sauadge contrie Protect and keepe the soule of thy poore seruant among so manie dangers of this mortal life and bring me by the conduction of thy fauor into the contrie of eternal glorie through the waie of peace Amen 1. Tim. 1 17. Now vnto the King euerlasting immortal inuisible vnto God onlie wise be honor and glorie for euer and euer Amen Faultes escaped in the Printing Pag. Line Fault Correction 59 23 laie laied 189 23 gaine it is gaue it was 262 24 coute couet 264   Chap. 92. Chap. 62. Certaine special praiers contained in this Booke Vse if thou wilt 1. Praise God for his benefits in the third booke chap. 6 page 121. chap. 10 page 133. chap. 12 page 137. chap. 40 page 198. chap. 47 page 213. 2. Confesse thine owne wickednes Gods righteousnes in y e third booke ch 16. p. 147. ch 23 p. 160. 3. Praie vnto God For a quiet conscience p. 178. grace to cal the benefits of God into mind in the third booke chap. 25 pag. 167. grace to contemne the world pag. 209. grace to doe the wil of God in y e 1. booke cha 19 p. 37. booke 3. chap. 18 pag. 151 154. grace to hope in God to loue him aboue al things booke 3 ch 24 pag. 163. Gods heauenlie comfort page 153 247. deliuerance out of troble in the third booke cha 35 pag. 185. ch 51 pag. 220. happines euerlasting ch 54 pag. 230. instruction spirituall pa. 111. true knowledge zeale pag. 116. the mercie of God cha 65. page 276. patience in trobles pag. 159 226 240 263. a pure mind pag. 183. a quiet conscience p. 178. spiritual instruction pag. 111. to haue thine vnderstanding opened pa. 173. zeale pag. 116. to auoid euil thoughts pag. 172. sinne pag. 155. vaine glorie pag. 210. tentation pag. 258. This discourse is diuided into three parts or Bookes the first whereof hath 25. Chapters whose contents be these Chap. 1 THat al worldly things are vain and to be contemned Page 1. Chap. 2 Against vaine glorie in spiritual things Page 3. Chap. 3 Of true knowledge or knowledge of the truth Page 6. Chap. 4 Wisedome must be vsed in al our dealings Page 10. Chap. 5 How to read and studie the holie Scriptures with profit Page 11. Chap. 6 That inordinate and carnal affections must be mortified Page 12. Chap. 7 Against vaine hope and vaine glorie Page 13. Chap. 8 What companie is to be refrained or folowed Page 15. Chap. 9 For obedience subiection Page 16. Chap. 10 Against idle meetings and vaine talke Page 18 Chap. 11 How to come vnto quietnes in mind and to a godlie life Page 19. Chap. 12 Of the profit gotten by aduersitie Page 22. Chap. 13 That no man either is or hath bin without tentation and how to suffer and resist the same Page 23. Chap. 14 Against rash iudgment Page 27. Chap. 15 Of the workes of charitie how to doo good workes Page 29. Chap. 16 That men which offend must be borne withal sometime Page 30. Chap. 17 The waie vnto quietnes both tēporal and eternal Page 32. Chap. 18 The virtuous life of the holie Fathers Page 33. Chap. 19 The exercise of a true Christiā Page 36 Chap. 20 Of solitarines and silence Page 40. Chap. 21 Preparatiues vnto godlines Page 45. Chap. 22 A viewe of the miserie of mankind Page 49. Chap. 23 That man ought to thinke vpon his end Page 52. Chap. 24 Of the last iudgement and of the punishment of sinne Page 58. Chap. 25 That we must earnestlie endeuor to amend our liues Page 63. The Chapters of the second Booke haue these contents Chap. 1 OF the inward life of man Page 70. Chap. 2 Of patience and humilitie two virtues necessarie to be in a Christian Page 75. Chap. 3 That wee ought to be at peace both with our selues and with al men Page 76. Chap. 4 Of purenes in mind and plaines in meaning Page 79. Chap. 5 Of the consideration of a mans selfe Page 80. Chap. 6 The ioie of a good conscience Page 82. Chap. 7 That our sauior Christ is to be loued aboue al things Page 85. Chap. 8 Of the familiaritie with Iesus Page 87. Chap. 9 Of the want of comfort Page 90. Chap. 10 Of thankfulnes vnto God for his benefits Page 95. Chap. 11 The smal nōber that loue Christ vnfeinedlie Page 98. Chap. 12 Of patient bearing the crosse of Christ. Page 101. The Chapters of the last booke haue these contents Chap. 1 OF the spiritual communication betweene Christ the faithful soule Page 110. Chap. 2 That the truth speaketh inwardlie without noise of words Page 111. Chap. 3 That the wordes of God with al reuerence should be heard and that they are not vnderstood of most men Page 113. Chap. 4 A praier for the attaining of the true knowledge of Gods heauenlie wil for zeale in religion Page 116. Chap. 5 That we must walke syncerelie and humblie before God Page 118. Chap. 6 A praier and thankes-giuing vnto God for his benefits Page 121. Chap. 7 The praise and force of godlie loue Page 122. Chap. 8 How to trie a friend also how to resist the enimie Page 125. Chap. 9 Of modest concealing the benefits of God Page 129. Chap. 10 That man must debase himselfe in the sight of God Page 133. Chap. 11 That al things are to be directed vnto God as to the principal end Page 135. Chap. 12 That it is a sweete thing to serue God to despise the world Page 137. Chap. 13 That the desire of the mind must be examined and bridled Page 140. Chap. 14 The waie vnto patience and to fight against fleshlie desires Page 142. Chap. 15 Of obedience to our betters after the example of Christ. Page 145. Chap. 16 That we are to consider the secret iudgements of God least we waxe proud in his gifts Page 147. Chap. 17 What wordes and manner wee should vse in desiring anie thing at the hands of God Page 149. Chap. 18 A praier for grace to do

imp is to the stock of a tree ought so to liue of his life as there may not appeere any deformitie in vs but that as he hath died so we must die also and as he is risen againe so we must rise againe likewise we must die I say vnto sin and rise againe vnto newnes of life for that is the death and the life which he speaketh of Which thing I haue said to the end that we which boast our selues to be Christes members should vnderstand that our vanting of that title is in vaine if we labor not to resemble him in al our whole life And in what things Not in raising the dead in giuing sight to the blinde in healing the sick or in fasting fortie daies for these are miracles which he wrought both by himselfe and by his Apostles for the confirming of his doctrine among men that they might receiue it as heauenly and comming from God and he wrought them once for al without any neede of hauing them done againe by vs but in folowing his virtues as his faith his obedience his patience his constancie his temperance his lowelines meekenes mildnes gentlenes perseuerance diligence earnestnes in praieng and thanksgiuing and many other things Al the which he did not to make a shew of them to vs but to traine vs to the same by his owne example not to impute them after such a sort vnto vs that we should be hild sor such as he himselfe is without being so in deede but to the intent that as he did them so we should do them too as he himselfe saith and as Peter saith to the end we should folow his footesteps And how shal we knowe that we be in him and are made partakers of his graces but by our endeuoring of our selues to keepe his commandements And soothlie the onelie meane to knowe and to be assured in our selues that we dwel in Christ Christ in vs is our keeping of his commandements as Saint Iohn teacheth adding further that our knoweing that he dwelleth in vs is by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs because that by that Spirit we endeuor to folowe him and to frame our selues to his wil whereby we yeelde proofe of the vnion that is betweene him and vs. For euen as the children of this world do witnes themselues to be al one with the world by folowing their worldlie lusts ambition couetousnes and pleasures which thing I saie also of the members of Satan so in like case the Christians shew themselues to be made one with Christ by his holy Spirit when they folow Christ step by step and make his life to serue them as a most perfect rule to leade their life by What remaineth then to be done in this ●ase Soothly that we on our part doe inforce our selues by eschewing al slothfulnes which being hurtful and noisome in al things is most hurtful and noisome in this behalfe forasmuch as it is of such importance that we cannot neglect it without wilful disappointing our selues of our saluation and soueraigne felicitie This waie is narrow and rough I confesse it is so as al Christians doe and so doth Christ himselfe say it also For in asmuch as thereby we must sorsake our selues to folowe Christ which is verie painful hard to the flesh which desrreth nothing but hir owne pleasures and commodities no doubt but we feele it to be very bitter and burthensome But what for that Yet must we take that waie without stepping aside one waie or other For that is the onelie way which after many labors and hard pinches leadeth in the end vnto life As for the other way it is very broade faire accompanied with great pleasures but the end thereof saith he leadeth vnto death Now it is much better to go by labor to rest by tribulation to ioie and by death vnto life than contrariwise to go by rest to labor by ioie to tribulation and by life to death for looke what things commeth last shal be euerlasting What thing then should hold vs back or hinder vs in this race If it be the world with al the goodes honors and pleasures thereof let vs vnderstande that al those things passe awaie like an arrow which is shot at a white the trace whereof is not perceiued any more when it is once past If it be the roughnes and vneasines of the waie let vs consider how there is nothing so vneafie nor so rough which becommeth not easie and smooth by continual vse If it be the infirmitie and weakenes of our nature let vs thinke vpon him which hath promised to stand by vs to helpe vs and to strengthen vs who being good wil helpe vs and being almightie wil also strengthen vs conditionalie that we praie to him continualie Aske saith he and it shal be giuen vnto you seeke and ye shal finde knocke at the doore and it shal be opened vnto you Prouided alwaies that we on our side doe straine our selues for he helpeth not them that are idle and doe nothing He giueth his Spirit but it is to such as feeling their owne feeblenes and being displeased with it doe earnestly desire and craue his Spirit To such as nothing aske nothing he doth giue It is euen he that worketh in vs howbeit not so long as we our selues sleepe not so long as we fold our armes acrosse and much lesse so long as we resist him The kingdome of GOD saith Iesus Christ suffereth violence and the violent plucke it to them And who be those violent Those which being inflamed with great desire and zeale to facion themselues like to their head do offer violence and force to themselues to the intent that their nature and flesh being restrained and brideled may not cast any impediment in the way of Gods Spirit which worketh in them which feeling themselues cold and lasie whether it be in praieng to God or in giuing him thankes for al things or in any work of godlines either towards God or towards their neighbors doe quicken and stir vp themselues without suffering themselues to go on and to be ouercome of their flesh which take paines to marke al their owne thoughts and affections and to restraine them frō passing their bounds from rouing astray setting a sure watch vpon their mind and folowing the counsel of the wise because that from the mind commeth the welspring of al euil which knowing how easie it is for them to slip aside at euery least occasion in the world doe set good gard vpon themselues continualie laboring to subdue aud ouercome themselues and finalie which by Christs Spirit do incessantly crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof And of a truth we be of our owne nature so contrarie to God and so bent to the seeking of our owne selues and our affections are so heady and vehement and we be haled vnto euil with so great force

so much the more highlie doth he ascend vp to God as the more deepelie he descendeth into and despiseth himself But he who arrogates anie good thing to himselfe letteth the fauor of God from dwelling within him For the holie spirit doth alwaies seeke a meeke and humble minde Couldest thou once bring thy selfe vnto nothing renounce the loue of this world surelie I would come and powre vpon thee most singular benefits But while thou lookest vpon creatures thou loasest the sight of the Creator Learne in al things to maister thy selfe for thy Makers sake so shalt thou attaine vnto the knowledge ● God Euen the vilest thing loued an● looked vpon vndiscreetlie doth defile a man and hinder him from happines Chap. 49. Against vaine and worldlie knowledge LORD MY sonne be not tho● carried awaie with the fair● and subtile speech of ma● For the kingdome of God is not i● worde but in power Listen to my wordes for they in flame the minde lighten the vnderstanding set men on fire an● bring the true comfort Reade nothing with a minde t● seeme the more learned onlie o● wise but to mortifie thy sinnes Fo● this wil more profit thee than th● knowledge of manie obscure an● hard questions Though thou haue read much ye● at the last thou must be faine t● come vnto one principle I onelie teach men wisedome an● I not men giue vnderstanding to the simple so that they whome I speake vnto do easilie prooue wise profit much in the spirit Woe to them who seeke manie things of man and neglect the waie to serue me The time wil come when the master of masters the Lord of angels euen I shal appeare to take an accoūt of al men and to examine the conscience of euerie one then wil I search Ierusalem with lights and discouer those things which laie hid ●n darkenes at what time tongues Thal ceasse and knowledge doo no good I euen I do so lift vp the humbled minde that in a moment it shal con●eaue more knowledge of the eternal truth than anie man by tenne yeeres studie can attaine vnto I teach neither ianglinglie to disquiet nor diuersitie of opinions to distract nor ambitiouslie to get fame ●or contentiouslie to obtaine victo●ie by force of argument I teach how to despise the world ●o loath things present to seeke ●auor eternal to flie vaine glorie ●o suffer iniuries to trust in me without me to couet nothing and to loue me highlie and zealouslie aboue al For by louing me some haue so profited in heauenlie things that to the admiration of men they haue spoken and haue gotten more by forsaking al than by anie studie But to some I speake common to other special things to some I comfortablie appeare in outward signes and figures to others my secrets appeare as cleerelie as the light The Scriptures in deede speake one and the same thing yet teach they not al men alike but I teach truth in the inward partes I search the hart and I know the thoughts I pricke forward to wel doing and giue to euerie man that which is needeful Chap. 50. That we should not couet after earthlie and outward things LORD MY sonne remember that thou be ignorant of manie things that thou esteeme thy selfe but for a dead man in this world euen for him to whome the whole world is crucified Thou must ouerpasse much as though thou heardest not and thinke alwaies on that which belongs to thy peace Better is it to turne from those things which mislike thee and to let euerie man haue his owne saieng than to contend with brauling wordes If thou be at a good point with God and haue his iudgement alwaies in thy minde thou shalt the more easilie beare it is thou be ouercome SERVANT O Lord to what passe are we come Behold if we loose a temporal thing we lament for a litle profit we run and labor yea though it be al the night long but the losse of our soule we vtterlie forget That which litle if anie thing at al profits we seeke after but that which is most necessarie we vtterlie neglect so gladlie doth man addict him wholie vnto outward things without speedie repentance welter in the same Chap. 51. That euerie man is not to be credited and that by wordes we easilie offend SERVANT O Lord help me now in this troble for vaine is the help of man How often haue I bin deceaued where I lookt for faith Againe there haue I found it where I lookt for none So vaine is the trust in men but in thee O God alone the saluation of the righteous doth consist We thanke thee O Lord our God for al whatsoeuer betideth vs miserable and weake ones which are easilie deceaued and changed with a litle What man is he that so wiselie and circumspectlie behaues himselfe in al things that he is neuer deceaued nor commeth into daunger Yea he who trusteth in the Lord and serueth him with a simple mind doth not so easilie and soone offend and though he fal sometime into trobles and perils yet either speedilie he escapeth or is strengthened so that he can endure them For thou Lord continuest with them vnto the ende who put their trust in thee Hard is it yea doubtles it is verie hard to find such faithful freendes as wil stick by vs in al extremities but thou Lord thou onelie art faithful in al things neither is anie like vnto thee Oh how wise was that good soule that saide My minde is rooted and built in Christ were I at that staie my mind so easilie would not be trobled with worldlie feare neither should the dartes of bitter wordes disquiet me But who can foresee al thinges Who can auoide miseries to come Now if things though fore-seene hurt manie-times how much more greeuouslie wil things nothing foreseene annoie But alas wretch that I am why haue I not better looked to my selfe Either why so lightlie haue I put confidence in others Hereby we declare our selues to be men and that fraile men too albeit manie vnrightlie account and flatteringlie do cal vs Angels Whom shal I credit Lord whom but onelie thee who art the verie truth and canst neither deceaue nor be deceaued For al men doubtles be liers and weake and vnconstant and fraile especialie in wordes that rashlie hande ouer head euerie thing maie not be credited whatsoeuer color of truth it beare Therfore not without great cause wisedome thou didest fore-warne to beware of men and fore-tel that a mans enimies should be those of his house-hold and saie that such are not to be beleeued who saie Lo here he is or there he is This haue I

toward these than toward those but that doo they rather of humane affection than of heauenlie I am he who made al the saincts who haue endowed them with gifts and exalted them to glorie I know what euerie one hath deserued I preuented them with most liberal blessings I before the world began fore-knew who were to be loued I choase them out of the world not they me I of my great fauor called them and drew them mercifulie vnto me I lead them through manifold tentations and powred most singular comforts vpon them I gaue them power to perseuere and crowned their patience I knowe both the first and the last I loue al men most wonderfulie I am to be praised in al my saintes and in each of them honored and glorified who haue so gloriouslie exalted such as I did predestinate and that without anie merites at al which they had done Therefore who so despiseth euen the least of my seruants doth not honor the great Because I haue made the smal as wel as the great so that he who derogates from anie of the saincts derogates from me and from al the partakers of the celestial kingdome For al are one through the band of loue they al thinke one thing they minde one thing and they loue al as one Yea which is far more strange they loue me more than themselues or anie merites of their owne For being rauished aboue themselues carried awaie frō al selfe-loue they proceede wholie into the loue of me so that nothing can either turne them awaie or keepe them downe For being ful of eternal truth they burne with y ● fire of loue vnquenchable Let therefore carnal and fleshlie men who know nothing but how to loue their priuate ioies surcesse from prating about the state of the godlie For they ad vnto and diminish from their praises according as in affection they are inclined not as pleaseth the eternal truth Manie are ignorant but they especialie who being smalie inlightened can seldome loue anie man with a perfect spiritual affection of loue Some through natural and humane affection are inclined toward these men and toward those and as they thinke of earthlie so they iudge of heauenlie things But vnspeakeable is the difference betweene those things which vnperfect men do dreame of and betwene that which men spiritualie inlightened from aboue do behold Therefore my sonne wade not curiouslie in those matters which passe the reach of thy wit but bend thy whole studie that thou maist be found the least in the kingdome of God Now in case a man knew who were either more holie for zeale or in place more honorable than the rest in the kingdome of heauen what good would that knowledge bring him but onlie to make him the more humble in my sight thereby and to breake the oftener into the praise of my Name He pleaseth God better that thinketh how great his sinnes and how litle his virtues are and how far he is from the perfection of godlie men than he doth which disputeth about the highnes basenes of the saincts of God They glorie not of their owne merites in asmuch as they ascribe no goodnes to themselues but confesse that whatsoeuer they haue commeth fro me who haue giuen them al things of mine infinite mercie and loue And they for their partes are filled with such fulnes of the Godhed and ioie that they lack no glorie nor felicitie at al. The saincts the more brighter in glorie the more humble are they and the nigher and deerer to me Therefore shal you finde it written that they cast their crownes before the throne of God and with faces toward y e ground before the lambe worshipped him who liueth for euer and euer Manie reason who is greatest in the kingdome of God which neuer recken whether they be themselues to be counted in the nomber of y e least In heauen to be euen the least is a great thing where al be great For al both shalbe called and are the children of God He that is least shal become as a thousand and he that is an hundred yeeres old being a sinner shal die as a yong man For when the disciples demanded who in y e kingdome of heauen should be greatest they had this answere made them Except ye be conuerted and become as litle children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen Whosoeuer therefore shal humble himselfe as this litle childe the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Wo then to them who disdaine to humble themselues with litle ones For the gate of the kingdome of heauen is too lowe for them to enter in thereat Wo also to the rich who haue their comforts in this worlde For they shal stand howling without when the poore are entered into the kingdome of God But ye meeke ones reioice and be glad yee poore For yours is the kingdome of God obeieng or walking in the truth Chap. 65. That al our trust and confidence must be fixed on God alone SERVANT O My Lord wherein is mine hope fixed in this life or what is my greatest comfort of al things which are anie where vnder the coape of heauen Is it thou my Lord and God whose mercie is infinite When was it with me either wel if thou wert absent or il if thou wert present Doubtles I would choose to be rather poore for thee than rich without thee and rather with thee to be a pilgrime on earth than without thee to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen where thou art not there is hel and destruction Thou alone art the thing which I desire therefore neede haue I to sigh to crie to praie vnto thee Finalie I can trust none that can dulie assist me in my trobles but thee alone my God thou art mine hope thou art my confidence thou art my comforter in al things most faithful Al men seeke their owne but thou desirest naught but my welfare and profit and turnest al things for me to good In that thou laiest me open to tentations and trobles it is altogether for my profit For thy woont is a thousand waies to trie such as thou louest In which trial thou oughtest no lesse to be loued and praised than if thou did est replenish me with al celestial comforts Wherefore in thee my Lord and GOD I place al mine hope and confidence on thee doo I laie al my calamities and trobles For without thee whatsoeuer I behold is al fraile and transitorie For neither can freends profit nor strong men helpe nor wise men counsel wel nor learned bookes comfort nor riches saue nor secret