Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	goodness_n	lord_n	merciful_a	1,997	5	8.9155	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13678	The following of Christ translated out of Latin into Englishe, newlie corrected and amended. VVherento also is added the golden epistle of Sainct Bernarde. And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of Mirandula.; Imitatio Christi. English.	Cyprian, Saint, d. 304. [Swete and devoute sermon of mortalitie of man]. aut; Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555?; Elyot, Thomas, Sir, 1490?-1546.; Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153. Epistola de perfectione vitae. English. aut; Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463-1494. Regulae duodecim portim excitantes portim dirigentes hominem in pugna spirituali. English.; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.	1585 (1585)	STC 23968; ESTC S103013	152,704	352

thy mercie from all perils and daungers O righteous father euer to be praysed the time is come that thou wilte thy seruaunt be proued And righteouslie is it done that I now shall suffer somewhat for thee now is the hour come that thou hast knowen from the beginninge that thy seruant for a time should outwardlie be set at naught and inwardlie to liue to thee and that he shoulde a litle be despised in the sight of the world and be broken with passions and sickenes that he might after rise with thee into a newe light and be clarified and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen O holie father thou haste ordeyned it so to be and it is done as thou hast commaunded this is thy grace to thy freende to suffer and to be troubled in this worlde for thy loue howe ofte so euer it be of what person soeuer it be in what maner soeuer thou suffer it to fall vnto him without thy counsayle prouidence nor without cause nothinge is done vpon earth Oh it is good to me Lorde that thou hast meekened me that I may therby learne to knowe thy righteous iudgementes and put from me all maner of presumption and highnes of minde And it is verie profitable to me that cōfusion hath couered my face that I maye learne thereby to seeke for helpe and succour to thee rather thē to man And I haue therby learned to dreade thy secrete terrible iudgementes which scourgest the righteous mā with the sinner but not without equitie and iustice I yeelde thankes to thee that thou haste not spared my sins but haste punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent me sorowes and anguishes within and without so that there is no creature vnder heauen that may comfort me but thou Lorde God the heauenlie leach of mans soule which strikest and healest and bringest a man nigh vnto bodilie death and after restorest him to health againe that he maye thereby learne to knowe the littlenes of his owne power the more fullie to trust in thee Thy discipline is fallen vpon me and thy rod of correctiō hath taught me vnder that rodde I whollie submit me strike my backe and bones as it shall please thee make me to bowe my croked will vnto thy will make me a meeke an humble disciple as thou hast sometime done with me that I may walke all after thy wil. To thee I commit my selfe and all mine to be corrected for better it is to be corrected by thee here then in time to come Thou knowest all thinges nothinge is hidde from thee that is in mans cōsciēce Thou knowest thinges to come before they fall it is not nedefull that any man teache thee or warne thee of any thinge that is done vpō the earth Thou knowest what is speedefull for me and howe much tribulation helpeth to purge the rest of sinne in me do with me after thy pleasure and disdayne not my sinfull life to none so well knowen as it is to thee Graunt me Lorde that to knowe that is necessarie to be knowen that to loue that is to be loued that to prayse that highlie pleaseth thee that to regarde that appeareth precious in thy sight and that to refuse that is vile before thee Suffer me not to iudge after my outwarde wits nor to geue sentēce after the hearinge of vncunninge men but in a true iudgement to discerne thinges visible and inuisible and aboue all thinges alway to searche and folowe thy will and pleasure The outwarde witnes of men be ofte deceyued in their iudgementes And in likewise the louers of the worlde be deceyued through louinge onelie of visible thinges VVhat is a man the better for that he is taken better truelie nothinge For a deceitfull man deceyueth an other a vayne mā deceyueth an other and a blinde feeble creature deceyueth an other when he exalteth him and rather confoundeth him then prayseth him For why howe muche soeuer a man be in light of God so much he is and no more sayth the meeke Saint Fraunces howe holye and howe vertuous soeuer he be taken in sight of the people That it is good that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion The 56. Chapter My sonne thou mayest not alwaye stande in the high feruēt desire of vertue ne in the highest degree of contemplatiō but thou muste of necessitie through the corruption of the first sinne sometime descende to lower thinges and against thy will and with great tediousnes to beare the burden of this corruptible body for as longe as thou bearest this bodie of death thou must neede feele some tediousnes and griefe of heart and thou shalt ofte times beweepe mourne the burden of thy fleshlie feelinges and the contradictiō of thy body to thy soule for thou mayest not for the corruption thereof perseuer in spirituall studies and in heauenlye contemplation as thou wouldest doe and then it is good to thee to flie to meeke bodilie laboures and to exercise thy selfe in good outwarde workes and in a stedfast hope and trust to abide my comminge and my newe heauenlie visitations and to beare thy exile and the drines of thy hart patientlie till thou shalt be visited by me agayne and be deliuered from all tediousnes and vnquietnes of minde VVhen I shall come I shall make thee forget all thy former laboures and to haue inwarde rest and quietnes of soule I shall also laye before thee the florishing medowe of holy scripture and thou shalte with great gladnes of heart in a newe blessed feeling fele the very true vnderstāding thereof and then quickly shalt thou runne the waye of my commaundementes and then shalt thou saye in great spirituall gladnes The passions of this world be not woorthy of thē selues to bring vs to the ioy that shall be shewed vs in the blisse of heauen To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus Amen That a man shall not thinke him selfe vvorthy to haue comfort but rather to haue sorovve and payne and of the profite of contrition The 57. Chapter LOrde I am not woorthy to haue thy consolation nor any spirituall visitatiō and therefore thou doest righteously to me when thou leauest me needy and desolate for though I might weepe water of teares like to the Sea yet were I not woorthy to haue thy con●olatiō for I am worthy to haue nothing but sorowe and paine for I haue so greeuouslye and so ofte offended thee and in so many things greatly trespassed against thee Therefore I may well saye and confesse for truth that I am not woorthy to haue thy leste cōsolation But thou Lord benigne and mercifull that wilt not thy workes doe perish to shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes in the vessels of thy mercy aboue all my merites or desert doest vouchsafe sometime to comforte me thy seruaunt more then I can thinke or deuise Thy cōsolations be not

through weakenes of it selfe it is not able to fulfill all that it approueth nor hath not sith the firste sinne of Adam the full light of truth nor the sweetnes of affections to God as it had firste Of this it commeth most mercifull Lorde that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule I delite me in thy lawes and in thy teachinges knowinge that they are good and righteous and holie and that all sinne is euill and to be fled and eschewed and yet in my outwarde man that is to saye in my fleshelie felinge I serue the lawe of sinne when I obeye rather to sensualitie then to reason And of this it foloweth also that I will good but to perfourme it without thy grace I maye not for weakenes of my selfe And sometime I purpose to doe many good deedes but for that grace wanteth that shoulde helpe me I goe backeward and fayle in my doinge I knowe the waye to perfection and howe I shoulde do I see it euidentlye but for that I am so oppressed with the heauye burden of this corrupt bodye of synne I lye still and ryse not to perfection O Lorde howe necessarye therefore is thy grace to me to beginne well to continue well and to ende well for without thee I maye nothinge doe that good is O heauenlye grace without whom our merites are nought woorth nor the giftes of nature nothinge to be pondred neither craftes or riches any thinge to be regarded nor beautie strength wit nor eloquence nothinge maye auayle come thou shortlye and helpe me The gyftes of nature be common to good men and bad but grace and loue are the giftes of electe and chosen people whereby they be marked and made able and worthy to haue the kingedome of heauen This grace is of suche worthynes that ●eyther the gyfte of prophecie nor the workinge of miracles nor yet the gyfte of cunninge and knowledge maye nothinge auayle wihout it ne yet fayth hope or other vertues be not acceptable to thee without grace and charitie O blessed grace that maketh the poore in spirite to be ryche in vertue and hym that is ryche in worldlye goodes maketh meeke and lowe in heart come and descende into my soule and fulfill me with thy ghostlie comfortes that it fayle not nor faynt for werines drynes of it selfe I beseeche thee Lord that I may finde grace in thy sight for thy grace shal suffice to me though I doe wante that nature desireth For although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery side yet shall I not neede to drede whiles thy grace is with me for she is my strength she is my comfort and she is my counsayle and helpe she is stronger then all mine enemies and wiser then all the wisest of this worlde She is the maystres of truth the teacher in discpline the light of the hart the comfort of trouble the driuer awaye of heauines the auoyder of dreade the nourisher of deuotion and the bringer of sweete teares and deuoute weepinges VVhat am I thē without grace but a drie stocke to caste awaye Graunt me therefore that thy grace maye preuent me and folowe me and that It may make me euer busie and diligent in good workes vnto my death So may it be Amen That vve ought to forsake our selfe and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse The 61. Chapter My sonne as much as thou canst go out fro thy selfe and frothine owne will so much as thou mayest enter into me and as to desire nothing outwardlie bringeth peace inwardlie into mans soule so a man by an inwarde forsakinge of him selfe ioyneth him to God I will therefore that thou learne to haue a perfect forsaking and a full resigning of thy selfe into my hands without withsaying and complayninge and that thou folowe me for I am the waye I am the truth and I am the life VVithout a waye no man maye go and without truth no man maye knowe and without life no man maye lyue I am the waye which thou oughtest to goe the truth which thou oughtest to beleue the life which thou shalt hope to haue I am the waye that can not be defyled the truth which can not be deceyued and the life that neuer shall haue ende I am the waye moste straite the truth most perfect and the life most soothfast A blessed life and a life vnmade that made all things If thou dwell and abide in my waye thou shalt knowe the truth and truth shal deliuer thee and thou shalt come to euerlastinge life If thou wilte come to that lyfe kepe my cōmaundementes If thou wilt knowe the truth beleeue my teachinges If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou haste If thou wilt be my Disciple forsake thy selfe If thou wilt haue the blessed lyfe despise this present life If thou wilt be exalted in heauen meeke thee here in earth And if thou wilt reigne with me beare the Crosse with me for truely only the seruauntes of the Crosse shall finde the life of blessednes and of euerlastinge light O Lorde Iesu forasmuche as thy waye is narowe and straite and is also muche despised in the worlde geue me grace to beare gladlye the despisinges of the worlde There is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde nor any Disciple aboue his master Let thy seruaunt therefore be exercised in thy wayes for therein is the health and the very perfection of lyfe whatsoeuer I reade or heare beside that way it refresheth me not nor delighteth me not fullye My sonne forasmnche as thou knowest these thinges hast reade them all thou shalt be blessed if thou fulfil them He that hath my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I shall loue him I shall shewe my selfe vnto him and shall make him sitte with me in the kingdome of my father Lorde as thou hast sayde and promised so be it done to me I haue taken the Crosse of penaunce at thy hand and I shall beare it vnto my death as thou haste put it to me to doe For the lyfe of euery good man is the Crosse and it is also the way and leader to Paradise and nowe it is begonne it is not lawfull for me to go backe fro it ne it is not behouefull for me to leaue it Haue done therefore my welbeloued brethren go we forth together Iesu shall be with vs for Iesu we haue taken this Crosse for Iesu let vs perseuer and he shal be our helpe that is our guyde and leader ●● our kinge goeth before vs that shall fyght for vs folowe we hym stronglye dreade we no perils but be we readye to dye stronglye with hym in battayle that we put no blot into our glorye nor minishe not our rewarde by flyinge cowardlye awaye from the Crosse That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes though he happen to fall into some defaul●es The .62 Chapter My sonne patience and mekenes in aduersitie please me more then

beautie that was deformed through sinne returneth agayne and the grace of this Sacrament sometime is so much that of the fulnes of deuotion that commeth thereby not onelie the minde but also the fee●le bodye recouer their former strength But verilye it is greatlie to be sorowed that we be so slowe and negligent and that we be stirred with no more affection to receyue Christ then we be for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued He is our health and our redemption he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen And it is also greatly to be sorowed that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie which gladdeth the heauen and preserueth all the world Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent and taketh litle heede thereto If this blessed Sacrament were ministred onelie in one place cōsecrate but by one priest in the world with how great desire thinkest thou the people would runne to that place and to that Priest that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries Nowe there be manye priestes and Christe is offred in many places that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde thankinges be to thee therefore my Lord Iesu that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie sayinge come ye all to me that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament The second Chapter O My Lorde Iesu trustinge in thy great goodnes mercye I come to the as a sicke man to him that shall heale him and as he that is hungrye thirstie to the fountayne of life that is needie to the Kinge of heauen as a seruaunt to his Lord a creature to his creator and as a desolate persō to his meeke and blessed comfortour But howe is it that thou commest to me who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature Thou knowest thy seruant and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him se●●e whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him I confesse therefore mine owne vnworthines and I knowledge thy goodnes I prayse thy pietie and yeelde thee thankings for thy great charitie Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes not for my merites that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare thy charitie the more largelie be shewed and thy meekenes the more highlie be commēded Therefore because this pleaseth thee and thou hast cōmaunded that it shoulde thus be done thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not O my Lorde Iesu howe great reuerence and thankinges with perpetuall praysinges of thy name ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie whose dignitie no man is able to expresse But what shall I thinke in this communion and in goeinge to my Lorde God whom I can not worship as I ought to doe and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly But what may I think better or more healthfull to me then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee exaltinge thy infinite goodnes farre aboue me I laude thee my Lord God and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie I despise my selfe and submit me to thee and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie Thou arte the Saint of all Saints and I am the filth of all sinners and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me that am not worthye to looke towarde thee Thou commest to me thou wilt be with me thou biddest me to thy feast thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate and this Angelles foode to eate which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which descēdest from heauen and geuest lyfe to the worlde Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth and howe great goodnes shineth vpon vs and howe great thankes prayses are due to thee therfore O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it whē thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten O Lorde howe meruailous is thy worke howe mightie is thy vertue and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth By thy worde all thinges were made and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded It is a meruaylous thinge worthy to be beleeued and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man that thou Lorde that art God and very man art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine and art eaten without consuminge of him that taketh thee and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges and that needest nothing in this world wouldest by this glorious Sacrament dwell in vs kepe thou mine heart my body immaculate that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times celebrate thy misteries and receiue them to my euerlastinge health which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour perpetuall memory O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift and so singuler a cōfort left to thee in this vale of misery for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery takest the body of Christe so ofte thou workest the worke of thy redemption and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished the greatnes of his mercy is neuer consumed and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health It shoulde seeme to thee as newe and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort when thou singest masse or hearest it as if Christe the same daye first entred into the wombe of the virgin and were made man or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse for the health of mankinde That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled The .3 Chapter LOrde I come to the to thēde that it maye be well with me through thy gifte and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great goodnes haste made redy for me In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire for thou art my health my redemption my hope my strength my honour and glorie Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house that I may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee and to be accompanied amonge the children

and singuler grace If thou see any persō sinne or commit any great crime openly before thee yet iudge not thy selfe to be better then he for thou knowest not how longe thou shalt perseuer in goodnes VVe be all frayle but thou shalt iudge no man more frayle then thy selfe Of the teaching of truth The .3 Chapter HAppye and blessed is that person whom truth teacheth and enformeth not by figures or by deceitful voyces but as the truth is our opinion and our wit many times deceiueth vs for we see not the truth What auayleth vs the knowledge of suche thinges as shal neyther helpe vs at the daye of iudgement if we knowe them nor hurt vs if we know them not It is therfore great folly to be negligent in suche things as be profitable and necessary to vs and to labour for such thinges that be but curious and damnable Truely if we doo so we haue eyes but we see not And what auayleth vs the knowledge of the kinde and working of creatures truely nothing He to whom the euerlasting worde that is Iesus speaketh ●is discharged of many vayne opinions and of that worde al thinges proceede and all thinges openlye shewe and crye that he is God No man without him vnderstādeth the truth ne rightfully iudgeth but he to whom al thinges is one and he that all thinges draweth into one aud all thinges setteth in one and desireth nothinge but one may quickly be established in heart and be fully pacifyed in God O truth that God art make me one with thee in perfect charitie for all that I reade heare or see without thee is greeuous to me for in thee is all that I wil or maye desire Let all Doctours be stil in thy presence and let all creatures keepe them in silence and thou only Lord speake to my soule The more that man is ioyned to thee and the more that he is gathered together in thee the more he vnderstandeth without labour high secrete misteries for he hath receyued from aboue the light of vnderstanding A cleane pure and a stable hart is not broken ne lightly ouercome with ghostely labours for he doeth al thing to the honour of God and for that he is cleerely mortifyed to him self therfore he coueteth to be free from folowing his owne wil. VVhat hindereth thee more then thy affections not fully mortifyed to the wl of the spirite truelye nothing more A good deuout man so ordereth his outwarde busines that it draweth not him to the loue of it but that he compell it to be obedient to the wil of the spirite to the right iudgemēt of reason VVho hath a stronger battayle then he that laboureth for to ouercome him selfe and that shoulde be our dayly labour our dayly desire to ouercome our selfe that we may be made stronger in spirite and increase daily frō better to better Euery perfectiō in this life hath some imperfection annexed vnto it and there is no knowledge in this worlde but that it is mixt with some blindens of ignorance And therfore a meeke knowing of our selfe is a more surer way to God then is the searching for highnes of cunning Cunning wel ordred is not to be blamed for it is good and cōmeth of God but a clean conscience and a vertuous life is muche better more to be desired Because some men studye to haue cunning rather then to liue well therfore they erre many times and bring forth litle good fruite or none O if they woulde be as busye to auoyde sinne and to plante vertues in their soules as they be to moue questions there shoulde not be so many euill thinges seene in the worlde ne so much euil example geuen to the people ne yet so much dissolute liuing in religiō At the daye of iudgement it shall not be asked of vs what we haue read but what we haue done nor howe well we haue sayde but howe religiously we haue liued Tell me nowe where be all the great clerkes and famous doctors whom thou haste wel-knowen when they liued they flourished greatly in their learning and now other men occupy their prebendes promotiōs and I can not tell whether they think any thing on thē in their life they were holden great in the world nowe is litle speaking of thē O howe shortly passeth away the glorye of this world with al the false deceauable plesures of it would to God their life had accorded well with their learning for then had they well studied and read How many perishe dayly in this worlde by vayne cunning that care litle for a good life ne for the seruice of God And because they desire rather to be great in the worlde then to be meeke therfore they vanishe awaye in their learninges as smoke in the ayre Truely he is great that hath great charitie and he is great that is litle in his owne sight and that setteth at nought all worldly honour And he is very wise that accompteth all worldly pleasures as vile dounge so that he maye winne Christe And that person is very wel taught that forsaketh his owne will and foloweth the will of God That light credence is not to be geuen to vvordes The .4 Chapter IT is not good lightly to beleeue euery worde or instinct that commeth but the thing is aduisedly and leasurely to be cōsidered pondered that almightie God be not offended through our lightnes But alas for sorowe we be so fraile that we anone beleeue of other euil soner then good But neuertheles perfect men be not so light of credence for they know well that the frayllie of man is more prone to euil thē to good and that it is in wordes very vnstable It is therefore great wisdome not to be hastie in our deeds ne to trust much in our own wits nor lightly to beleeue euery tale nor to shewe anone to other al that we heare or beleeue Take alway counsel of a wise man and couet rather to be instructed and ordred by other then to folowe thine owne inuention A good life maketh a man wise to God and instructeth him in many things that a sinful man shal neuer feele ne knowe The more meeke that a man is in him selfe the more obedient that he is to God the more wise the more peaceful shall he be in euery thing that he shal haue to do Of the readinge of holy Scripture The .5 Chapter CHaritie is to be sought in holye Scripture and not eloquence and it should be read with the same spirite that it was firste made VVe ought also to seeke in holy Scriture ghostlye profite rather then curiositie of stile and as gladly shall we reade simple and deuoute bookes as bookes of high learninge and cunninge Let not the authoritie of thine authour mislike thee whether he were of greate cunning or litle but that the loue of the verye pure truth styrr thee to reade Aske not who sayde this but take heede what is sayde Men

God in nothing regardeth him selfe but fullie in his heart can despise him selfe also coueteth to be despised of other then maye he haue good trust that he hath somewhat profited in grace and that he shall in the ende haue great rewarde of God for his good trauaile Amen Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God The 9. Chapter SHall I Lorde Iesu dare speake to thee that am but duste and ashes verilie yf I thinke my selfe any better then ashes duste thou standest against me also myne owne sinnes beare witnes against me that I may not withsaye it but if I despise my selfe and set my selfe at naught and thinke my selfe but ashes and dust as I am then thy geace shall be nigh vnto me and the light of true vnderstandinge shall enter into my heart so that all presumption pride in me shall be drowned in the vale of meekenes through perfect knowinge of my wretchednes Thorough meekenes thou shalt shewe vnto me what I am what I haue bene and from whence I came for I am nought and knewe it not If I be left to my selfe thē am I nought and all is feeblenes and imperfection But if thou vouchesafe a litle to beholde me anone I am made stronge and am ●illed with a newe ioye and meruaile it is that I wretch am so soone lift vp from my vnstablenes into the beholdinge of heauenlie thinges and that I am so louinglie lifted vp of thee that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to earthlie likinges But thy loue Lorde causeth all this which preuenteth me and helpeth me in all my necessities and keepeth me warily from all perils daungers that I daylye am like to fall into I haue lost thee and also my selfe by inordinate loue that I haue had to my selfe and in seekinge of thee againe I haue founde both thee and me and therefore I will more deeply from henceforth set my selfe at naught and more diligentlye seeke thee then in time paste I haue done for thou Lorde Iesu thou doest to me aboue all my merites aboue all that I can aske or desire But blessed be thou in all thy workes for though I be vnworthy any good things yet thy goodnes neuer ceasseth to doe well to me also to manye other which be vnkind to thee and that are turned right farre from thee Turne vs Lorde therefore to thee agayne that we maye hēceforward be louing thankfull meeke deuout to thee for thou act our health thou art our vertue and all our strength in body and soule and none but thou to thee therfore be ioy and glory euerlastingly in the blisse of heauen Amen Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God as ende of euery vvorke The .10 Chapter My sonne sayth our Sauiour Christ I must be the ende of all thy workes if thou desire to be happy and blessed And if thou referre all goodnes to me from whom all goodnes commeth then shall be purged and made cleane in thee thine inwarde affections which els would be euill inclined to thy selfe and to other creatures If thou seeke thy selfe in any thing as ende of thy worke anone thou faylest in thy doinge and waxest drie and barrein frō all moysture of grace VVherfore thou must referre all thinges to me for I geue all Behold therfore all things as they be flowinge and springinge out of my soueraine goodnes and reduce all thinges to me as to their originall beginninge for of me both small and great poore and riche as of a quicke springinge wall drawe water of life He that serueth me freelie and with good will shall receaue grace for grace But he that will glorifie him selfe in him selfe or willfully ioye in any thinge beside me shall not be stablished in perfect ioye nor be delated in soule but he shalbe letted anguished many wayes from the true freedome of spirite Thou shalt therefore ascribe no goodnes to thy selfe nor thou shalt not thinke that any person hath anye goodnes of him selfe but that thou yeelde alwaye the goodnes to me without whom man hath nothing I haue geuen all and all will I haue againe and with great straitnes will I looke to haue thankings therefore This is the truth whereby is driuen awaye all maner of vaine glorye and pride of heart If heauenly grace and perfect charitie enter into thy hart then shall there no enuie nor vnquietnes of mind neither any priuate loue haue rule in thee For the charity of God shal ouercome all thinges and shall dilate and inflame all the powers of thy soule VVherfore if thou vnderstandest a right thou shalt neuer ioye but in me and in me onelie thou shalt haue trust for no man is good but God alone who is aboue all thinges to be honoured and in all thinges to be blessed That it is svveete and delectable to serue God and to forsake the vvorlde The 11. Chapter NOw shall I speake againe to thee my Lorde Iesu and not ceasse And I shall say in the eares of my Lord my God and king that is in heauen O howe great is the aboundance of thy sweetenes which thou haste hidde and kept for thē that dreade thee But what is it then to them that loue thee that with all their hart do serue thee verily it is the vnspeakeable swetenes of contemplation that thou geuest to them that loue thee In this Lord thou hast moste shewed the swetenes of thy charitie to me that whē I was not thou madest me and when I erred farre from thee thou broughtest me againe to serue thee and thou cōmaundest me also that I shall loue thee O fountaine of loue euerlasting what shal I say of thee howe maye I forget thee that hast vouchedsafe to louinglye to remember me VVhē I was like to haue perished thou shewedst thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde thinke and desyre and hast sent me of thy grace and loue aboue my merites But what shall I geue thee againe for all this goodnes It is not geuen to all men to forsake the worlde to take a solitarye life and only to serue thee yet it is no great thing to serue thee whom euery creature is bounde to serue It ought not therefore to seeme any great thing to me to serue thee but rather it should seeme maruel and wonder to me that thou wilt vouchsafe to receaue so poore and so vnworthy a creature as I am into thy seruice and that thou wilt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruantes Lo Lorde all thinges that I haue all that I doe thee seruice with is thine and yet thy goodnes is suche that thou rather seruest me then I thee for lo heauen earth planets and starres with their contents which thou hast created to serue man be readye at thy biddinge and doe daylye that thou haste commaunded And thou haste also ordeyned aungels to the minysterie of man But aboue all this thou