to morowe may be thyne ennemyes therfore put no sure confideÌ„ce but in god whome thou shalte loue and fere aboue all thynge Here we haue no certen habytacyon but wheresoeuer we be in thys worlde we be as pilgryms and strangers and shall neuer haue rest wtout we be vnyte to crist Fyxe thyne iye of thy soule of the present thynges in this worlde of the pylgris that goone by the way whiche be nat taried by the beaute of those thynges that ben in their waye but theyr mynde renne moost of the ende of theyr iourney So lette the iye of your soule be fixed perfitly in heuen where be true iyes than shall we be lesse taryed in the vse of erthely thynges Beware that thou enclyne nat so moche vnto erthly thinges that thin appetite be nat therwith attached thou made subiecte to the great enemy the worlde so spiritually perisshe Lete thy medifacion be alwey of hym that is most highe directe thy coÌ„tynuall prayer to crist if thou can nat occupie thy miÌ„de iÌ„ the high contemplacion of god rest than in the possession of our sauiour lete thy contemplacion rest in his blessed woundes there thou shalt ê‘ceyue siÌ„guler comforte in all tribulacions bodely gostly And feere nat moche of the detraccion of euyll speche of the worldely people if thou gyue no cause therto For we haue example of oure maister crist that was most vile reputed and in hys moste necessite forsaken of his frendes and a queyntaunce Criste our leder wolde suffre and be dispised we desyre to be magnifyed loth to suffre iniure or wronge Criste had aduersaries detractours and we wolde haue all to be our freÌ„des and benefactours Howe shulne thy paâ—â—ence be crowned without aduersite And thou wylte suffre none aduersite howe shuldeste thou be the louer of criste If thou wylt regne with hym in perpetuall pleasure suffre with hym here temporall tribulacyons If thou my ghtest ones perfitely entre iÌ„ the â—â—ly deuocion of iesu cryste and perceyue a litell of hys feruent loue than thou shuldest but litell force all wordly auauntage or disauantage but shuldest rather ioye iÌ„ iÌ„iuries conteÌ„ptes shewed to the. For the perfite loue of god incyteth man to coÌ„tynue hym selfe in the inly loue of god that is free frome all inordynate affeccions and may without defaute holy conuerte hym selfe to criste and in hym haue perfyte reste fruycion He that praysethe the good of the worlde nat as they be extemed of the wordly peple but as they be of price in theyr selfe that ê‘son ys very wyse and rather instructed of god than of maÌ„ That soule that hath at lyberte the inwarde mocions of vertue pondereth but lytell the outwarde thinges he abidethe nother place nor tyme to haue vertuous exercise in good lyfe The inly man may soâ—e vnite calle to geder his inly powers vertues of his soule for they be neuer holy occupied with outwarde thiÌ„ges The outwarde labour or exercise is â—ecessarye for a tyme it letteth his soule but lytell of â—â—s ê‘feccions for euery thynge that behaÌ„ppith to hym â—heter it be aduersite or prosperyte he referreth yt to the wyll of god Loke howe moche more a maÌ„ loueth any wordly thynge than it shulde be loued so moche his mynde ys distracte lete fro the tru ordinate loue of god If thy soule were ê‘fytly pourged from all inordynate affeccions euery auenture and fortune comynge to the shulde be the augmentacion of vertue grace to thy soule The cause why manye thynges displease or trouble the is that thou art nat yet perfitly mortified in thy selfe ne pourged frome all iÌ„ordinate loue of erthly thiÌ„ges There is nothiÌ„ge that disordreth or fyleth the soule of man as in pure disordred loue of creatures If thou woldest syke no worly consolacion outwarde thou mightest haue thy meditacion and heuenly coÌ„solacion iÌ„ thy soule the whych excedeth all wordly traÌ„setory coÌ„fort as heuen excedeth erthe ¶ The seconde chaptre of the humble subieccyon of the subiecte to the prelate wHo so euer be with yâ— or contrary to the laboure with all thy myght to haue thy lorde god with the in euery viage or thiÌ„g that thou doeste and than thou mayste saye wythe Dauid the profite god is my helper I shall nat fere the ennemye of man The most immediate meane to god with the is to haue a good clene conscience And loke to who so euer god putteth furth his hande to helpe ther can no aduersite hurte hym And if thou canst kepe scylence and pacyence thou shalt without doute perceyue the helpe of god in thy nede He knowethe the tyme and the wayes of delyueraunce therfore refrayne committe thy selfe to hym It ê‘teineth to hym to helpe delyuer yâ— feythfull obedient soules fro ê‘yll ieopardie It ys expedyent for our humylyacion meryie that somtime other people knowe our defautes synnes that they may correcte repreue vs. whan man for hys owne defautes humyleth hym selfe thaÌ„ he hath more compassyon of the fraylte of other reconsylethe hym selfe to those that haue offended hym coÌ„trariwese he reconsileth them to hym Almighty god ê“tecteth defendeth the meke man obedyeÌ„t hym he knoweth counselleth enclineth hym selfe to hym sendeth great habundaunce of grace to hym she weth his secrete counsel to hym Also he inuiteth hiÌ„ draweth hym by grace benigly after his humyliacion depression he enhaunteth him to glory The meke obedyent soule ê“ued by iniury confusyon maye rest in peas For in asmoche it is coÌ„teÌ„pned of the worlde it is in maner coÌ„strained to fle reste in god neuer estimate thy selfe to haue ê‘fite ê“fite without thou repute thy selfe most vile of all other ¶ The .iii. chaptre of the restfull quyet persone TOke thou first be quiet thy selfe than thou mayste the better pacifie other A pacyeÌ„t maÌ„ more coÌ„mendable ê“fitable than a great lettred â—ipacyent A persone that is passionate lightely â—eueth the worst party coÌ„monly in euery thynge â—â—at ê‘sone that is content applyeth euery thynge â—t and that soule that is nat well content is inqÌ„et by diuerse suspicions nother quite in hymselfe ne yet suffereth other to be in pease speketh oftimes those thynges that be nat syttynge omyttethe to speke of those thynges that were expedieÌ„t to be spoken of He considereth what other be bounde to do is necligent in that that perteyneth to hym selfe Haue first a zele a respecte to thy selfe than thou maist better attende to the dedes of other Thou art redy to excuse thy ê“pre errour defautes wylte nat ê¯sider the fraylte of thy neyghbour But it were more accordiÌ„ge to equite to excuse thy neighbour to accuse thyselfe If thou wylt that other support suffre the thou must somtyme charitably support suffre other meÌ„ how ferre art thou from ê‘fite humylyte charite by the
vnkynde the elate persone I desire nat to haue that consolacoÌ„n by the whiche the compunccion of hert may be minysshed or remoued ne that desire or loue that with drawyth coÌ„teÌ„placion inciteth my frayle soule to elacyon Euery excellency is nat holy ne euery desyre pure ne enery swetnes good holsome There be diuers thynges full dere to man that be nat accepte to god we shulde accepte gladly the grace wherby we mai be made humble and tymerous to god and more prompte to forsake our propre appetites wylles That soule that is perfytelye enfourmed wyth the rewarde of grace lerned with the rod of subtraccâ—on of grace hath none audacite to ascribe any vertue or grace to it selfe but rather it reputeth coÌ„fesseth it selfe pore and naked yelde thou to god that is his to thy selfe that is thyne that is to say thanke our lorde for his graces thy selfe for thy synne for the whiche iuge thy selfe worthy for to haue peine sub traccion of grace There may no soule attaye thys hyghe degree of grace or perfeccion ne stande theriÌ„ without it grounde it selfe in humilyte obedyence Tho that be moste precious highe in the sighte of god be moste vyle lowe in theyr ê“pre consideracion the more precious that they be in grace the more meke they be full of trouthe of heuenly glory nat auidious of wordly vanite Tho that be roted ê‘fitly fixed in the drede loue of god may nat of no wise be obstynate or proude And tho that ascribe al the goodes that they receyue to almighty god they be nat desirous of the vayne coÌ„mendacyon of man but they rather desire the glory coÌ„meÌ„dacion whyche is of god alone and they labour that god be honoured loued of all his sayntes they refarre all theyr labours to the same ende Be thou kiÌ„de iÌ„ yeldynge thankes to god for the smale benefaytes that therby thou maiste deserue more greate ê“fitable graces Repute the lest giftes of god gret the naturall dyfformytees and specyall tokyns of loue for they be medycyns meanes to meke oureselfe If we wolde consider perfitly the honour and dignite of the lorde that grauÌ„teth vs those gyftes we shuld exsteme no gyft lytell ne vyle Howe may we Iuge that thynge lytell in acceptacion that is gyuen of yâ— great kiÌ„ge maker gouerner of yâ— worlde without whose wyl ê“uidence there fallethe no lefe â—to the tre And therfore he gyueth to diuers of hys electe people peynes tribulacions bodely gostly as me anes of euerlastynge ê“mocion who soeuer desyre to retayne the grace of god let hym be diligent iÌ„ yel dynge thankes for the graces that he hath receyued And euer applie thyselfe to wisdom mekenes lyst that thou lese the grace that thou haste receyued If yt fortune by teÌ„ptacioÌ„ or frailte to be withdra wen froÌ„ the. say inly in thy soule that thou haste deserued yâ— subtraccion therof paciently humbly pray for yâ— recoueringe therof thou maist nat by thy ê“pre merites be restored to the mercy grace loste by sinne but by the meane of faderly pyte and moste mercifull passion of Iesu criste ¶ The .xi. chaptre of the smalle noumbre of the louers of the crosse of Iesu IHesus the heuenly kynge hath many louers of his heuenly kyngdome but there be fewe that wyll take his crosse and folow hym There be many desirers of hys consolacion nat of his trybulacion he hath many redy to be parteners of his table repaste but none of his abstinence penaunce All men wolde be glad to haue ioye with hym but there be nat many that desire peyne tribulacion for his loue Many foloweth hym to be parteners of the fraccyon of his brede but there be fewe that wyll paciently driÌ„ke with hym of hys chalice of trybulacion And many meruelously commende hym for his great meracles but many of them be lothe to folowe the shame vilete of his crosse There be many that folowe hym in prosperite loue blesse hym as loÌ„ge as they receyue of hym prosperite and consolacion And if he withdrawe hym selfe for a season fro them by shewynge no tokyns of pleasure or consolacion they fall soone to lamentable coÌ„playnynge desperacion Tho that loue that lorde nat for ê“sperite ne coÌ„solacion of mynde alonly but principally for hym selfe they blesse hym as hertly iÌ„ teÌ„ptacion tribulacioÌ„ or any other necessite as they do in theyr perfite prosperite And if he shulde gyue to them euer in this worlde aduersite yet they shulde euer loue and thanke hym O howe myghty is the pure loue of Iesu nat ê‘mixed with any inordinauÌ„s of fauour or affeccion Tho that seche of god pryncipally by prayer or any other vertuous pleasure bodely or gostly may be called rather couetouse marchauntes than liberall louers the reason hereof we may perceyue for tho ê‘sons applie theyr seruice loue to our lorde for his benefaites they serue loue the benefaites afore god they loue the benefait â–ª gyftes in that they be profitable to theyr selfe so suiÌ„gly they may ryghtfully be called louers of their self rather thaÌ„ of god It is full hard to fiÌ„de any ê‘soÌ„ so spirituall that is ê‘fitly fre from all inordinate affeccions That ê‘sone shulde nat be ê“fitable or desirer only of those that be nere hym but of the farr extremites of yâ— worlde If a ê‘son were so vertuoê° that he wold leue all the worldes substaunce do gret penaunce had all knowlege and were feruent in deuocyon yet he shulde nat atteyne the most excellent great ê‘feccion in lyuynge to the whiche he may nat aproche without al other thynges forsaken he vtterly renounce his owne selfe holy forsake his owne wyll lyuynge beinge at liberte fre frome all priuate seuerall affeccions desires whan thou hast done all that thou knowest to be done exteme and iuge thy selfe as thou hadest of thy selfe no thynge done as the auctour of truthe our sauyour saith whan we haue done that is possible to be done yet we be of ourselfe vnprofitable seruauntes nat worthi to be rewarded but of his grace than we beynge pore frayle in body soule voyde of all meritorious vertue may coÌ„ueniently say with the ê“phete Dauid I am disolate pore There is none more ryche none more fre ne at liberte nor more of power than that soule that knoweth itselfe wyl be redy to forsake nat all worly thynges but also itselfe repute and iuge itselfe most vyle of al other ¶ The .xii. chaptre is of the royall victorioê° way of the holy crosse THere be many that repute yâ— wordes of our sauyour harde and peynefull whan he saythe we may nat be his disciples without we denie reuounce our owne wyll and take the crosse and folowe hym But it shal be more peynefull and sorowfull withoute comparison
that but alonly to be vylypeÌ„ded or despysed iÌ„ my pleasure honour ouer all desyre that whether thou lyue or dye god alwey be gloryfyed iÌ„ the or by the. ¶ The .lv. chapt a man beynge in heuynes desolacioÌ„ shulde coÌ„mytte hym into the handes of god to his grace sayinge LOrde god holy fader blessyd be thou now euer for after thy holy pleasure so thou hast done to me and all that thou dost is good I besech the good lorde that thy seruauÌ„t may ioy in the and nat in my selfe ne in none other thynge but in the or ordred to the for thou alone art verye gladnesse thou art my hope my crowne of reward thou good lorde arte my ioy honoure what haue I or any of thy seruauÌ„tis that we haue nat receyued of thy goodnes ye without our meryte all be thyne that thou haste gyuen and made I am but pore haue be in trauayle fro my youth often my soule is heuy vn to wepyng some tyme it is troubled agayn it selfe for passyoÌ„s fersly inrysynge I desyre good lorde the ioy of peace I aske yâ— peace of thy chosen chyldreÌ„ the which be norysshed fed of the iÌ„ the lyght of iÌ„ warde eternall ê¯solacyoÌ„ if thou good lorde grauÌ„t me peace if thou graunt me in wardly holy ioy than shall the soule of thy seruauÌ„t be full of louynge and deuoute praysynge of thy infynyte goodnes if thou withdrawe the fro me as thou haste often wonte to doo than I may nat ren the way of thy commaundemeÌ„tys that is to say fulfyll them but more thy seruauÌ„t is then arted to knocke his breste to knele for grace and consolacyon afore had for that it is nat with hym nowe as yesterday the daye before whan thy lanterne of lyghte shone vpon hym illumyned his soule and was defended fro the inwarde temptacyons vnder the shadowe shylde of thy wynges right wyse fader euer worthy to be most loued the hour is come that thy seruaunt shulde be proued in it is worthy father that thy seruauÌ„t suffer this hour som what for the Thou knew in thy eternall presens an houre for to come in the whiche for a lytell tyme thy seruauÌ„t shuld outwardly be ouercome yet withinforth be euer lyuynge ayenst the that he shuld be vy lypended centeÌ„pned and despysed for a tyme in the syght of men by sorys peynes passyon that he a ryse agayne with the in the morne of a new lyght of grace after that be gloryfyed in heuen for allsuch humylyacions holy father thou haste so ordeyned wylled after thy coÌ„maundement so be it fulfylled iÌ„ me This is thy grace yâ— thou good lorde shewest to thy frende to suffer troubles here in this worlde for thy loue as ofte whaÌ„ so euer in what so euer wyse thou dysposest or suffrest it to fall without thy counceyle and prouydence And also without cause nothynge is done here in erthe It is good to me good lorde that thou hast humbled me that I maye thex by lerne the ryghtwyse iugementes and therby caste fro me all pryde and presumpcyon of hert It is very ê“fitable to me that I haue suffred or had such coÌ„fusyon that I by the erudycyon of it shuld rather seke thy consolacyon than mannes in such aduersy te I haue lerned also therby to drede thy inscrutable iugemeÌ„tes whereby thou prouest scourgest the ryght wyse man and the wycked and that nat with out equyte and rightwysnes I thaÌ„ke the that thou haste nat spared my synnes but punysshed me with scourges of loue ye bothe within and without with sores and anguysshes no creature vnder heueÌ„ may coÌ„forte me in myne aduersytes but thou good lorde the very and heueÌ„ly leche of mannes soule that smytest and helyst agayne Thou ledest vs into sharpe peynes of body suffrest vs to be ledde into dedely synne sometyme and thou bryngest vs out therof agayne by thy great grace Thy dyscyplyne be vpoÌ„ me and thy scourge shall teche me the wayes of vertue and mekenes Lo fader I am here in and vnder thy handes I enclyne me vnder thy rodde of correccyon smyte my backe and my necke that I may bowe and refourme my crokydnes vnto thy wyll Make me meke and lowly that I may lyue alway at thy wyll I commyt me to the good lorde with all myne for to be correcte For better it is to be punysshed and correcte here than after this lyfe thou knowest all thynges and nothynge is hydde in mannes soule or concyens fro the afore any thynges be made thy wysdome knoweth theym for to be it is nat nedefull that any man teche or warne the of any thyng that is done here in erthe Thou knowest what profyte or peyne is expedyent to me and moche trybula cyon auayleth to pourge the fylthe and ruste of my horryble Synne and vyces therefore do thou with me after thy pleasure and despyse nat I beseke thy grace my synfull lyfe for thou knowest it best grauÌ„t me good lorde grace to knowe that I am bounde to knowe and to loue that I ought to loue to prayse yâ— thou wolde I shulde prayse and to repute that is pÌ„ cyous iÌ„ thy syght and to refuse all that is vyle afore the gyue me grace good lorde nat to Iuge thynges after myne outwarde syghte ne after the herynge or the relacyon of vncunnynge folke but truly to dyscerne of vysyble thynges spyrituall and aboue all thynges to enquyre and folowe thy wyll pleasure mannes wyttes be often dysceyued in iugement also the louers of the worlde be often dysceyued in louynge all onely thynges vysyble what is a man the better that men repute hym more or better thaÌ„ he is iÌ„ dede a deceyuer deceyueth another one vayne maÌ„ another one blynde man another one sycke persone another whyle he so exalteth hym And yet in trouthe he more confoundeth hym than auaunceth whyles he so vaynly dothe laude or prayse hym for howe great coÌ„mendable holy euery man is in thy syght so worthy great he is and no more ¶ The .lvi. chapter A man shulde gyue hym to huÌ„ble warkes whan he is nat inclyned or dysposed to hye warkes SOne thou mayst nat alway stande in feruent desyre of vertue nor in the hyghe degre of coÌ„temptacion but it is nedefull to the sometyme for the fyrst corrupcion of mankynde to descende to lower thynges and to bere the burden of this corruptyble lyfe with tedyousnes agaynst thy wyll for as loÌ„ge as thou berest thy mortall body thou shalt fele werynes heuynes of thy herte thou must therfore whyles thou lyuest in this mortall lyfe ofte mourne and sorowe of the burden and contradyccyon of thy bodye to thy soule for that thou mayst nat contynually and without cessynge gyue hede and cleue to spuÌ„all studyes and to godly coÌ„teÌ„placyon then it is expedyent to the to fle to lowe and outwarde
thy coÌ„maundement withe meke hope an reuerence And truely I belyue that thou arte here presente in thys holy sacramente very god and man And thou wylte I shall receyue the and Ioyne me vnto the by charyte wherfore I humbly pray and requyre that it may plese the to gyuevnto me thy specy all grace so that I may be all relented and flowe in thy loue in suche wyse that I shall not desyre any other consolacyon For thys hygh worthye sacrament ys the helthe of soule and body It ys the medycyne of all spyrytuall sekenes in the whyche my synnes be heyleed passyons be refrayned temptacioÌ„s be ouercome and mynysshed more greate graces be gyuyn the vertue begonne increased faythe ys enestabysshed hope ys made stronge and fortyfyed charyte ys brannynge spred abrode ¶ O my god the defender of my soule and the repayrer of the weykenesse of man and the sender of all Inwarde comforte Thou hast gyuen and dayly gyueth vnto thy well beloued frendes in thys holy sacrament deuoutly receyuynge it many commodites For thou infusest into theyr soules grete comfort agaynst dyuers trybulacions and frome the depnesse of theyr owne ouerthrowynge thou areysyst them to the hope of thy dyuyne helpe And with a newe grace thou inwardely renewest and lyghtnest theym in suche wyse as they that fele theym before the receyuynge of the Sacrament heuy and dull and ouerthrowen and without affeccyon and moyster of deuocyon ¶ After that they haue ben fedde wythe thys heuenly mete and brynke they haue founde them selfe chauÌ„ged into a merueylous Ioye whiche thynges thou doest vnto thy chosen people by dispensacion of thy pure bounte so that they mayeveryly knowe by open experyence that nothynge they haue nor may haue of them selfe and what grace or goodnes they haue it cometh of the. For of theym selfe they be colde harde vndeuoute but of the they be made feruent Ioyous deuoute For who ys he that cometh mykely vnto the fountâ—yne of swetnes and shall not brynge some litell quantite of swetnes therfrom I shall alwey put my mouthe vnto the hole of the heuenly pype of that founteyne that I maye at the lest take a lytell droppe to satysfie my thyrste so that I be nat all drye And though I may nat be heuenly enflamed as yâ— cherubiÌ„s ceraphyns yet wyll I enforce me to deuocioÌ„ and prepare my herte mykely to receyue thys holy louynge sacrament shall desyre to be enbraced with a lytell flame of that goodly loue O good Iesu holy right pyteous sauior what so euer vertue or goodnes yâ— fayleth in me I benigly beseche the graciously of thy pyte to supplye it by thy greate mercy Thou that hast called all feithfull creatures iÌ„sayiÌ„ge vnto theym â–ª come ye all vnto me that labour be charged I shall refresshe you But alas good lorde I pore synnerlabour in theswette of my vysage am tormented with sorow of my hert I am charged with siÌ„nes and trauailed with teÌ„p tacyons entryked and oppressed with many yuell passions And lorde there is none that may delyuer me or make me safe but thou my only god and sauyour to whome I commytt me and all my causes to th ende thou kepe me and lede me to the lyfe eternall Receyue me vnto the praisynges of thy name that hast made redy vnto me thy precyous body blode to mete and drynke My lorde god and sauyour grauÌ„te vnto me by thy greate bounte that in customable receyuynge of thy holy mysterye the affetcyon and desyre of my deuocyon may be encreased ¶ Of the dygnite of the sacrament of the aulter of thordre of presthod CapÌ„ .v. IF thou haddest the puryte of aungels and the holines ofsaynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst thou shuldest nat be worthye to receyue or trete of that holy sacrament for that is nat due to the merites of men that a man shulde consecrate treate of the sacrament of thys blessed body of Iesu crist aud take in mete the brede of aungels O great mysterye and the meruelous dignyte of prestys vnto whome is gyuen that that is nat graunted vnto the aungels For the prestis only duely ordred in the churche of crist haue power to do and to consecrate the holy dody of Iesu criste Certeynly the preest is the mynyster of god vsynge the worde of god by the coÌ„maundement and ordynaunce of god But god is the pryncipall iÌ„uysible werker to whome be submytted all creatures to be ordred after his wyll and all to obey vnto hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t Than thou oughtest more to beleue in almyghty god i yâ— right excellent sacrameÌ„t than to thy ê“pre will or any othervisible tokeÌ„ And therfore to thys holy werke thou oughtest to come with great drede and reuerence Take hede than and se from whome thys mysterye is gyuenvnto the and that is by the puttynge to of the handes of the Bysshoppe thou arte admyttede vnto that hye cometh Beholde nowe thou arte made a preste and sacreyd to do this holy mistery Se than that feithfully and deuoutly and in due tyme thou offre thy sacryfice vnto god and shewe thy selfe irreprouable wyth oute defaute Thou hast nat loused thy charge of lyuynge but hast bounde the wyth a more strayte bonde of discyplyne and arte holden to a more great parfeccyon of holynes The preeste ought to be adnowrded wyth all vertues and gyue all theyr example of good and holy lyfe Hys conuersacyon ought nat to be wyth comon people or the weyes of comon men but with the aungelles in heuen or wyth the perfight men in the erthe ¶ The preeste clothede wythe holy vestymentes occupyeth the cometh of Iesu criste to th ende that he may humbly praye vnto god for hym selfe for all other For he hath bothe before hym and behynde hym the sygne of the crosse that he may contynually remembre the passion of our lorde iesu crist Before hym he bereth the crosse to the ende that he dilygently beholde the traces and the examples of our lorde Iesu criste and that he feruently studye to folow theym Behynde hym also is signed with the crosse to the entent he shuldesuffre for the honoure of god all aduersytyes Iniuries done vnto hym of other Before hym he bereth the crosse for that he shulde be wayle ê“pre hys sines And behiÌ„de hym lyke wyse by great compassyon to sorowe the sinnes of other and to knowe hymselfe that he is a man betwene god and the synner And that he depart nat from oryson and froÌ„ yâ— holy oblacion to the tyme the he deserue to purchase the grace of god whan the preste sayth masse he honoureth god he gyueth ioy vnto the aungels he edyfieth the churche he hel peth the louiÌ„ge people he gyueth rest to them chat be passed and maketh hym selfe partyner of all good werkes ¶ A inwarde remembraunce and excercyse that a man ought to haue afore the receyuiÌ„ge of the body of our lorde Iesu crist CapÌ„ .vi. LOrde whan I thynke
the meane of victory Than lette vs cutte awaye oure inordinate affeccions passions that be the rotes of all iniquyetnes than we maye possesse a peasable mynde in god If we wolde euery yere indeuoure oure selfe to ouercome perfectly one vice we shulde in shorte space come to greate perfeccyon But I fere it be contrary bothe in riligion and worldly people that after longe coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce in lyuynge they ê‘ceyue that the state goynge afore hath be more vertuous pure than the present state that they be in The more we encrease in age and drawe to our dethe the more dilygently nor shulde labour for the perpetuall reward â–ª that be ordeined for those that order theyr lyues and labours therto The vertuous lyfe peynfull in the beginige by custome returneth to greate perfite pleasure It is harde to leue customes in pleasure But it ys more peyne without mesure to leue the eternall peasure that for daÌ„pnable custome shal be loste Eeuer striue mightâ—â—ly agaynst the fyrste mocions that incyteth vs to â—â—nne resist the euyll customs for the lenger they ê¯tynue the more harde it shal be to resist theÌ„ If thou woldest coÌ„sider howe great inly peas thou shuldest cause in thy selfe in other ineshewynge outwarde pleasurs i subduynge inordynat affeccions desires contrarye to reason I suppose thou woldeste be moche more diligent to come to spirituall encrease of lyfe ¶ The .xii. Chaptre is of the ê“fyte of aduersyte IT is expedient to vs to suffre aduersite wher by man retourneth hym to the ê¯syderacion of his present state wherin he reputeth hym selfe as a pylgrym therfore he hath no affiauÌ„ce iÌ„ this wordle Also it is expedient that we suffre contradiccyoÌ„ be coÌ„tempned of the louers of the worlde wherby we shal be induced to mekenes auoide vaine glory whan we ê‘ceyue our owne frailte be coÌ„teÌ„pned of the worlde we be compelled to leue our selfe the worlde holy to retourne vs to god in whom if we wolde feruently infixe our selfe it shulde nat be greâ—â—nede to syke outwarde coÌ„solacions The more a good soule be troubled bodely or gostly the more it knoweth god necessarie to it labourethe to haue hym by assistence of his grace Also than it lameÌ„the soroweth for the synnes yâ— it hath done more her tely praieth to be delyuered of his iâ—quietnes mysery also tribulacioÌ„ maketh a man wery of this wordle to desire blessedly to be deê‘ted therfro be with crist For he coÌ„sidereth that he shal neuer haue ê‘fite peas afore that we be with hym which by the pryce of his precius blode hath purchased ê‘petual plesure peas for hym selfe his seruauÌ„tis that a litell space wyll stryue ageynst synne wikednes ¶ The .xiii. chaptre of resisteÌ„ce ageinst teÌ„ptacions AS we rede iÌ„ scripture the wordes of Iob. The lyfe of man vpon erthe is temptacion Therfore it is expedyent that euery persone prudeÌ„tly gyue hede to watch in praier beleue nat the deuyl that neuer slepeth but with a thousande snaris and subtilties iÌ„portunably assaylynge vs finally iÌ„tendinge to deceyue vs. There be none so hooly in thys worlde but thei haue teÌ„ptacion if it be for the time greuous yet yf it be resisted it is very ê“fitable for therby man is mekende pourged infourmede by experience The seyntes that be nowe crownede in heuen obteyned theyr victory by tribulacion temptation And those that were as cowardis in tribulacion teÌ„ptacion finally ouercome be taken ê‘petually prysoners iÌ„ helle And ther is no religioÌ„ nor state so ê‘fite ne no place so holy in this worlde without aduersite teÌ„ptacion And therfore ther is nother ordre ne place here in this lyfe where man may be fully assured to auoide al perill of teÌ„ptacion for in thys corrupte body of ours we bere the mater of inordynate concupiscence teÌ„ptacion One teÌ„ptacion or tribulacion departinge another comynge to vs. therfore it is expedient that we be alweye armed wythe pacience and exercysed iÌ„ vertue There be many entendynge to fle temptacion that fall therin the more for by bodely fleynge a man shall nat be made suâ—e but by perfite pacience and mekenes we shall be made stronge to ouercome all our enemies and teÌ„ptacyons Tho that labour to auoyde the outwarde occasions and nat cut away the inly inordinate desires theyr trouble iniquyetnes shall more more encrease And thou shalte more lightly by pacyence and feythfull confidence in our lorde and sauyoure ouercome thy tribulacion than by thyn owne ê“pre vertue or strengthe And in great teÌ„ptacion vse the counsell of a wyse and discrete persone and be nat rygours to the persone tempted but euer be glad to conforte hym as thou woldest desire for to be done to yf thou were in lyke trouble The begynnynge of alleuyll teÌ„ptacion is inconstaunce of mynde lytell confideÌ„ce in god For as a shyp without a directour is moued with euery wynde so a soule that ys â—at stabled in god as the fyre proueth golde so teÌ„ptacyon the ryghtwyse man as a bell vntouched ys nat perfytely knowen whether it be hole of perfite â—ounde or dyscrased So man thouched by tribulaâ—â—on is knowen whether he be hole in the vertue of â—â—cience or nay ¶ And euer loke dyly gentely that the temptacyon in the begynnynge be resysted for thanne the ennemye is soone ouercome whanne he at hys fyrste enterynge fyndiethe the gate of owâ—e soule shyte agaynste hym ¶ That sykenesse that by contynuaunce ys in maner incurabylle in the begynnynge myghte haue bene recoueryde wythe a smalle an easy medycyne And this subtyll disceyuer assayleth mannes soule fyrste with thought only then with stronge ymaginacioÌ„ which folowith euyll delectacion vnclene mocion so at the laste the enemye entreth into the mynde with dedly consent to sine and for there was no resistence agaynst hym in the begynnynge he holy entreth in the conclusyon And euer the more remysse a soule be in resistynge the more vnmyghty is made to resyst and the enemy more stronge cruelle There be some yâ— in the begynnynge of theyr conuersion suffred gret tenptacion some in the ende of theyr lyfe And some by the space of all theyr lyfe And some that in the ê“cesse of all theyr life haue but smale tenptacion all this cometh of the great wysdome equite of god that passeth the state the merites of euerye soule ordreth all the trouble tenptacion in thys worlde to the perpetuall helthe of hys electe chyldren ther fore we shulde of no wyse desyre whan we be teÌ„ptid but the more mekely returne to oure lorde with deuoute prayer besiche hym for his faderly mercy pyte to directe preserue vs iÌ„ all teÌ„ptacion And afâ— thapostel Paule that it wolde plese hym so euer to pÌ„uent vs with his grace the we be not ouercome with the myght of teÌ„ptacion And amonge all the allectiues wherby we may enduce our
which man shulde be moste wroth with his owne offences it is no great matter of pacience to be coÌ„uersauÌ„t with meke tractable or charitable coÌ„pany for with suche persons euery body deliteth naturally to be accoÌ„paned but it is a signe of great vertue pacience to be ê¯uersant paciently with frowarde wrathfull euyll manered peple the be redy to ê“ue our pacience with coÌ„tradiccions iniuries wroÌ„ges Blessed be those that amonge this people be pacient for to them by theyr pacience perteyneth the kyngdome of heuen And that persone the by grace can applie hymselfe more to suffre pacieÌ„tly shal obteyne more peas may be called a coÌ„querour of hymselfe ouer the worlde a lorde a frende of crist the inheritour of heuen ¶ The .iiii. chaptÌ„ of pure miÌ„de a true entent MAn is eleuate lyft vp from erthely thinges vnto spirituall thynges by feithe clenesse â—f mynde as by the meane of two wynges Thy en â—ent must be simple without any duplycite and thy affeccion or desire pure from all disordinauÌ„ce The symple and true entent beholdeth god but the pure mynde apprehendeth taketh taste of hys ineffable swetnes If thou be fre frome all inly and iÌ„ordinat affeccion there shall no good operacyon lett the froÌ„ the wey of perfeccion That persone that enteÌ„deth bothe the pleasure of god the ê“fite of his neyghbour maye haue true inly lyberte of mynde if thy herte were perfitly ordred euery creature shulde be â— mirrour of lyfe a boke of holy doctryne to the. There is no creature so vnperfite or vile but iÌ„ some maner it sheweth the goodnes of god if thy sowle were pure frome al inordynate affeccioÌ„s thou shuldest see praise euery thinge in due order A pure cleâ—e herte ê‘ceyueth heuen hell comonly The iÌ„warâ—e disposicion of man is shewede by his outwarde conuersacion there is no ioye in this worlde to the â—ye of a clene conscience And coÌ„trariwise there ys no trouble or iniqÌ„etacion in coÌ„parison of the trowble of the mynde discoÌ„tent of euyll conscience As yâ—â—ron put in the fire is clensed from the rust made â—ere sheniÌ„ge so the obedyent soule made hotte in the fire of tribulacion is pourged from the rust of si â—e made clere iÌ„ conscience and made ardeÌ„t iÌ„ the loâ—e of god and so he ys chaunged into a newe man whan a soule begynneth to be remysse in vertuous labour than it fereth a litell labour receiueth gladly the outwarde coÌ„solacion But whan it beginethe ê‘fitlâ— to ouercome it selfe to walke mightyly in that wayâ—â—f god than it extemeth the labours or trowbles but light yâ— whiche before were grâ—uoê° â—portable ¶ The .v. chapt of the ê“pre coÌ„sideracion of man THere shulde novertuous persons haue great coÌ„fidence in theyr selfe For many tymes by the meane of our presuÌ„pcion or teÌ„ptacion we lacke bothe grace wysdome of true iugement yâ— spirituall lyght that we haue is but lytell yet we lese it sone by our neclygence And diuers tymes we be so farre ouersene that we wyll nat or can nat ê‘ceyue our ê“pre bliÌ„dnes Dyuers tymes we be euyll in our dedis in defence or excusacision of them we be worse There be diuers that estymate and thynke theyr dedes be done of zele and charite the whiche they do by iÌ„moderate passyon and carnalyte we be redye to repreue smalle offences iu our neyghbour to excuse our ê“pre great offences we be redye to note the iniuries that be done to vs but we coÌ„syder nat what other suffreth of vs. If we wolde coÌ„syder well our ê“pre offences we shulde more pacieÌ„tly suffre iuge the defautes of other The vertuous ê‘sone coÌ„sideringe howe he shall gyue accompte of his ê“pre offences coÌ„sidereth but litell the offeÌ„ces of other for whome he shall nat answere Thou shalt neuer be inly deuout without thou kepe syleÌ„ce of other meÌ„ nes warkes wordes dylygently beholde thyne owne If thou gyue thyne attendaunce to god to thy selfe only the outwarde conuersacyon of other shall the lesse moue the where art thou whan thou arte nat present to thy selfe If thou consider al other thynges thy selfe nat considered what shal it auaile the Thou shalt ê“fite specially iÌ„ gostley lyuiÌ„ge yf yâ— preserue thy selfe fro tumultuoê° wordly occupacion that religious soule may nat greatly ê“fyte gostly that moche applyeth it selfe to seculer occupacyons Lete nothiÌ„ge be so derely accept to the as thy lorde god or thynge ordred to hym estymate all delectacion or plesure of any creature nat ordred to hym but vaine a soule that ê‘fitly loueth god reputeth all thiÌ„ge vnder god his seintâ— but smale of price God of his incoÌ„preheÌ„sible goodnes replenissheth the worlde is yâ— ê‘tite solace of soule gladnes of herte ¶ The .vi. chapt of the gladnes of a good coÌ„science THe consolacion of a good soule is in coÌ„syderacion of a good clere conscience Labour euer to haue a good conscience and than thou shalt be contynually in gladnes myghty to bere pacyently aduersitees For a good ê¯science is euer glad amoÌ„ge aduersitees coÌ„trary wise an euyll coÌ„science is euer ferefull impacyent and inquiete Thou mayste rest suerly if thy herte beinge right repreue the nat Be notyme glade but whan thou doest wel The euyll people haue neuer true or perfite reste â—e perceyueth nat the inly peas of mynde for as owre lorde sayth by hys prophete Isaie there is no sure peas to wecked people and yf they thynke they he sure â—e doute nat aduersyte hauynge so great confydence in theyr selfe that they thiÌ„ke no thynge may remoue theym frome theyr estate Haue no confydence in suche maner of people for without they be retourned frome theyr iniquite thou shalt se yâ— wrathe of god fall vpon them and theyr subtylyte and false way shal be made vayne and theyr thought is shal perisshe and they also It is nat greuous for a ê‘fyte louer of god to ioy in tribulacioÌ„ for that is none other but to ioye in the crosse of Iesu cryste The honour or ioye that is gyuen to man of man ys but of smale quantite there foloweth that ioye for the moste parte heuynesse The ioye of good people ys in the conscience of theym nat in the vayne commendacion of men and the gladnes of theym ys of god and in hym theyr ioye in vertue of good lyfe Tho that desire the true eternall ioye forceth lytel of temporall felicite That persone hath tranquilite reste of herte that nother desireth wordly coÌ„mendacion ne forceth nat of temporall commendacyon Thou art nat more holy if thou be commended ne lesse vertuous if thou be dispreised whan soeuer yâ— be coÌ„mended or dispraysed thou arte as thou art as our lorde yâ— sercher of secrete myndes knoweth yâ— so thou art vertuous orvicious if thou coÌ„sider wel what thou art withiforth thou shalte litell force of yâ— outwarde
walke symple without colour or deceyte it maketh man to declyne and fle from all yll it pretendeth no snarys of deceyte and it maketh man do his werkys all purely for god in whom also he fynally doth rest nature doth dye agaynst his wyll he wyll nat gladly be oppressyd or ouercome ne he wyll gladly be obedyent or subdued vnder other but with vyolence grace doth the contrary for it maketh man to stodye to mortyfye hym selfe Also it resysteth to sensualyte and so brydeleth hir that she rebell nat grace maketh a maÌ„ to be subiecte to other It maketh hym to desyre to be ouercome It wyll natsuffer man to vse his owne lyberte It maketh man wyllynge to be euer vnder dyscyplyne It maketh man nat to coueyte domynacyon vpon other but alway to be on lyue and stande vnder God and for God to howe humbly to euery man Nature laboureth and studyeth euer to and for his owne profyte and gyueth hede what lucre aâ—auntage he may gette by other but grace attendeth nat to his owne ê“fyte but rather he attendeth what is good profytable to many nature desyreth gladlye honoure reuerence grace gyueth all honour and glory feythfully to god nature dredeth coÌ„fusyon coÌ„teÌ„pte grace ioyneth to suffre coÌ„tynually repreues turment for the name of Iesu Nature loueth Idlenes and bodyly rest and grace can nat be Idell but seketh gladly some profytable labour Nature seketh fayre thynges and curyous and aborreth vyle thynges and gros and grace delyteth in symple humble thynges it despyseth nat harde thynges nor to be idued with olde garmeÌ„tis Nature beholdeth teÌ„porall thynges and ioyeth at erthely lucres It is heuy at harme and anone iÌ„paci ent wrathfull at an iniurious worde but grace be holdeth thyngê eternall it doth nat iÌ„clyne ne cleue to teÌ„porall thyngê wherfore it is nat troubled iÌ„ losse of worldly goodes nevexed at sharpe and harde wordes for he hath put his treasoure ioy iÌ„ heueÌ„ where nothynge may perysshe nature is couetous and it soner gladlyer receyueth than gyueth Also it loueth properte pryuate thynges but grace is pyteous and large to the poore nedy it escheweth syngularyte it is content with fewe thynges it Iugeth that it is better and more blessyd to gyue than take Nature enclyneth a man to the loue of creatures as to his owne body to vayne syghte and mouynges and to such other thyngê but grace draweth to god and to vertues it forsaketh the worlde and creatures therof with allvanytes it hath carnall defyres it restrayneth wauerynge or wandrynge about it maketh man asshamed to be in open place Nature hath soone outwarde solace wherin his sensys delyte grace seketh solace in god only it delyteth in ce lestyall thynges aboue thynges vysyble nature moueth man to do all his dedes and warkes for ê“per auayle it wyll do nothyng frely but trusteth for his good dede eyther as good a dede or a better or at the fauour or laude of man therfore it setteth moche by them be they neuer so exyle but grace seketh nat any temporall thyng nor it asketh none other thyng but alone for towarde nor it asketh no more of temporall thyngê but that he maye be the helpe of them â—omâ— to thynges eternall Nature ioyeth of the multytude of carnall frendys and kynnes folke he hath pryde of noble kynÌ„e or of the noble place that he is borne in it gladdeth to be with myghty men and with his peris but grace maketh man to loue his enemyes nor he is nat proude of the multytude of freÌ„dys ne it reputeth nat nobylyte of freÌ„des or of place that he cometh of but if more vertue be there than with other it fauoureth more the pore thaÌ„ yâ— ryche it hath soner compassyoÌ„ vpoÌ„ an iÌ„nocent than vpon a myghty man it ioyeth euer in trothe nat in falshede it exorteth good folke to encrease of vertue and goodnes to be assymylate to the sone of God by â—tu nature soone coÌ„playneth of defaut or heuynes that he suffreth but grace suffereth pacieÌ„tly all euylles nature maketh all thynges bowe to hym it fyghtethe for hym selfe reproueth but grace referreth all his cause to God it maketh man to ascrybe no goodes that he hath to hym selfe but to god onely of whom all goodnes cometh orygynally it maketh man huÌ„ble nat to boste â–ª hym selfe presuÌ„ptuously it stryues nat nor â—ferreth nat his reason or seÌ„teÌ„ce before another but iÌ„ euery cause or fortune he submyttith hymselfe to the eternall wysedome iugemeÌ„t of god nature desyreth to know to here nouelties he wyll also apere forth warde and haue the syghte and experyens of many thynges by his outwarde senses he desyreth to do such thynges yâ— laude and great pray synge cometh of but grace doth nat desyre to know and perceyue newe or curyous thyngê For all such vayne desyres cometh of the olde corrupcyon of synne syth nâ— newe thynge and durable is vpon erthe graâ—e techeth the senses of man for to contrayn and let the vayâ—e glory â—â—t pleasour of man to eschewe all outwarde auauÌ„tage to hyde mekely such thynges as be laudable marueylous in hym to seke the laude and honour of god a profytable frutfulnes of euery thynge cuÌ„nynge that maÌ„ hath it wyll nat that man coÌ„mede hym selfe ne exalte his vertue but it wyll yâ— god be blessyd in his gyftes the which gyueth euery thynge after his fre charite without our deseruynges This is a supernaturall lyghte a specyall gyfte of God and it is a proper sygne and token of electe chosen persones an ernes of euerlastynge saluacion which lyfteth vp man fro theyse erthely thynges to loue thyngê celestiall it maketh a spuÌ„all person of a carnall the more therefore that nature is ouercome the more grace is yette in man dayly is inwarde man that is to say the soulevysyted renewed with inwarde graces vysytacyoÌ„ after the Image of God ¶ The .lx. chapter of the corrupcyon of nature and the workynge of grace LOrde god that hast made me to thy Image lykenes graunt me thy grace the whiche as thou hast afore shewed is so great necessary to my saluacioÌ„ yâ— I may therby vaynquyssh my right bad nature that draweth me to synÌ„e ê‘dicioÌ„ I fele in my flesshe a lawe of Synne that Impugneth the lawe of my mynde and maketh me thrall to synne to obey to sensualyte in many thynges nor I maye nat resyst the passyons or mocions therof but if thy holy grace infounded ardently to my hert assyst me Thy great abuÌ„daunt grace is nedefull to me that nature therby may be ouercome in me whiche is alwey prone to yll appetyte thought for that nature lynyally descendynge fro our fyrst fader Adam into his successyon after that it was vycyat defoyled by his synne the peyne therof desceÌ„did iÌ„to euery maÌ„ so that that nature the which
thy holy tabernacle and dwellynge place and the sâ—te of thy eternall glorye No thynge be fouÌ„de in me at any tyme that shulde offende thy hye maieste after the greatnes of thy goodnes and thy manyfolde mercyes beholde me and here gracyosly the prayer of me thy poore seruauÌ„t beynge farre exyled iÌ„ the regyon of the shadowe of deth defende and conserue the soule of me thy seruaunt good lorde whyle I laboure amonge the manyfolde perels of this corruptyble lyfe and dyrecte it by thy grace coÌ„tynuallye in this lyfe vnto yâ— fynall couÌ„trey of euerlastyng peace and claryte Amen ¶ Here endeth the thyrde booke of IhonÌ„ Gerson Emprynted in London by Rycharde Pynson in Flete strete at the Sygne of the george at the commaundement and instaunce of the right noble excelleÌ„t princes Margarete moder to our soueraygne lorde Kyng Henry the. vii couÌ„tesse of RychmouÌ„t Derby the yere of our lorde god M. CCCCC and xvii The .vii. day of October ¶ Here beginethe the forthe boke of the folowynge Iesu cryst of the conteÌ„pniÌ„ge of the world In prynted at the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the most excelleÌ„t prices Margarete moder vnto our souereine lorde kinge HeÌ„ry the .vii. Countes of RychemouÌ„t Derby And by the same Prynces it was traÌ„slated out of freÌ„che into Englysshe in fourme maner ensuynge The yere of our lorde god M. D. iiii ¶ Prologus COme to me saythe our mercyfull lorde all that laboreth and be charged and I shall gyue vnto you refeccyon And the bredde that I shall gyue vnto you shal be my flesshe for the lyfe of yâ— worlde Take ete it for it is my body that for you shal be gyuen â— sacryfice Do ye this in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me For who soeteth my flesse drynketh my blode he shall dwell in me â— in hym ¶ These wordes that I haue sayde vnto you belyfeâ— and spiryte of helthe ¶ In what great reuerence and feruent desyre we ought to receyue our lorde Iesu crist Capitulo primo O My lorde Iesu crist eternall trouthe these wordes beforesayde be thy wordes Albeit they haue nat ben sayde in one selfe tyme nor wrytten i one selfe place yet for that they be thy wordes I ought feythefully agreably to vnderstande theym They be thy wordes and thou hast ê“ferred them And they be now myn for thou hast sayde theym for my helthe I wyll gladly receythem of thy mouthe to th ende they may be the better so wen planted in my herte Thy wordes of so great pyte full of loue swetnes dileccion greatly excyteth me but lorde my ê“per synes fereth draweth backe my conscience nat pure to receyue so great a mystery The swetnes of thy wordes inciteth ê“uokethe me but the multytude of my synnes charge the sore greueth me Thou coÌ„mauÌ„dest that I shal come vn to the feythfully if I wyll haue parte with the to the ende I may receyue the norysshynge of imortalyte if I desyre to opteyne the Ioy and lyfe eternall Thou sayst lorde come ye to me that labour be charged I shall refresshe you O how swete amyable a worde is that in the Gre of a synner that thou my lorde my god lysleth of thy benygne grace to byd me that am so pore haue so moche nede of the holy coÌ„muny on of thy precyous body O good lorde what am I to presume to desyre yâ— that the heuen erthe may nat coÌ„prehende thou saist com ye all to me who asketh wylleth this right meke worthynesse and amyable byddynge Howe shall I dare come vnto the whiche feele nat that I haue done any good How shall I enterteine yâ— into my how 's whiche so often haue offended before thy glorious ryght benygne face The auÌ„gels arkasâ—gels honour the the holy iuste creatures drede the. thou sayst good lorde yet come ye allvnto me Lorde who shulde byleue thys thynge to be true if thy selfe sayd it nat And who is he that durste approche there vnto If thou dydest not coÌ„maunde it Noe that iust man labored by an hundreth yere to make the arke to the ende be myght be saued with a fewe of his people Howe may I preprayre me than in an howre to receyne the withe due reuerence coÌ„posour and creatour of all thys worlde Moyses thy greate famylier and speciall frende made tharke of tymber nat corruptyble whiche he couered with right pure gold put in the tables of the lawe I a corrupt creature howe shall I nowe dare receyue the that arte conditour of the Lawe and gyuer of grace and lyfe vnto all creatures The right wyse Salamankynge of Israeledifyed a ryche Temple to the praysig of thy name by the space of .vii. yere and by .viii. dayes halowed the feest of the dedicacoÌ„n of the same he offred a thousande hostys to pacifye thy goodnes with and put the arke of alyaunce in the place made redy for the same with the souÌ„ de of claryons and trumpettys Howe dare I than cursed and right pore amonge other creatures receyue the into my howse whiche vnnethe can knowe that I haue well passed and enployed one howre of tyme nouther to my knowelege that I haue deuoutely passed one halfe howre Do my god howe many haue there ben before me that haue studyede to do any thynge that myght please the. Alas howe lytell thing ys that I do albe it the tyme ys shorte Aud yet whan I despose me to receyue thy holy coÌ„munyon I am but losely gadred to gether and full coldly purged from all distraccioÌ„s of mynde And certeinly no cogitacions vnprofitable ought to come into the holy presence of thy deyte Also I ought nat to occupye me with any creature for I shall nat receyue an auÌ„gel but the lorde of aungels in to the secrete of my herte ¶ For there is a greate dyfference betwene the Arke of alyaunce with his relyques and the ryght pure and precious body with hys vertues nat faylynge but euermore duryng ¶ And betwene yâ— sacryfyce of the prefyguratyue lawe that was to come and the true hostye of thy precyous body that ys thaccomplesshement of all the olde sacryfyce ¶ Wherfore than shulde nat I be more inflamed in thy venerable presence and by more solycytude prepayre me to receyue the sacred and holy gyftes and benyfyttes of the. In so moche the holy auncyent patryarkes and prophettes kinges and prynces with all the people hath shewedeso greate affeccion towardes thyne honoure and dyuyne seruyce ityme passed ¶ The ryght deuout kynge Dauid inclyned to the arke of god with all his strengthe knowlegeynge remeÌ„berynge yâ— benefytes don vnto his faders he made orgayns of dyuers maners he composed psalmes instytute that they shulde be songen and he hym selfe sange theym with gladnes of ten tymes with the harpe of the holy goost Thys kynge inspired with the grace of hod hath taught the people of Israel to prayse god with all theyr hertes blessynge
honourynge prechynge dayly his holy name If so greate deuocoÌ„n remembrauÌ„ce was done with dyuyne seruice and praysynges before tharke of his testament howe great reuerence and deuocion ought we thanne to haue in the presence of the sacrament and en the sumpcoÌ„n of the ryght excellent body of â–ª our lorde Iesucrist Also all cristen people vse for to renne to dyuers places for to vysyte the relyques of sayntes and merueyleth to here the merueylous dedes and werkes of theym They beholde the great edyfyces or byldynges of temples and kesses the sacrefyed bones ofsayntes wrapped â— clothes ofsylke and golde and thou my lorde god saynt of all sayntes creature of all thynges lorde of all auÌ„gels thou arte here present on thys aulter before me Often tymes the curyosyte of men and noueltyes of thynges nat sene be of lytell â–ª frute and lesse to be setby pryncypally where there ys so light recours and great wauerynge wythoute ony contricyon â–ª but my god thou arte all present in thys blessed sacrament of the aulter very god and man iesus cryste in the whiche the frute eternall of helthe aboundethe and is perceyued all the tymes that thou art worthely receyued And to thys here draweth nat any lyghtnes of sensuall cuâ—yosyte but ferme feith deuoute hope and pure charyte O god inuysyble creatour of all the worlde Howe merueylously doeste thou wyth vs howe feythfull doest thou with theym that purposeth to receyue thy selfe in thys blessed sacrament ¶ Certeynly it suâ— mounteth all vnderstandynge draweth specyally the hertes of deuoute people to dyuocion and enbraceth their affeccion For thy true and feythfull freÌ„des that disposeth al their lyfe to amende theym receyueth often great grace of deuocyon and vertue of that moost worthyest sacrament O maruelous hidde grace whych the feythfull crysten people of our lorde only knoweth But the infideles and subgettes vnto synne may therof haue no experyence In that sacrament yâ— spirytuall graces be confermed and the vertue that was lost in the soule ys repayred and beautye by synne wasted is recouered Somtyme thys grace that often wyth the pleny tude of deuocyon gyuen nat only vnto the thought but also vnto the feble body the myght and strengthe is augmented wherfore it behoueth vs to haue sorowe and pyte of our slouthe and neâ—lygence that we be nat drawen with so great desyre and affeccyon to receyue our lorde iesu crist in whome is all hope and the meryte of theym that ought to be sauede For he is our helthe and redempcyoÌ„ and the consolacion of vyatours and the eternall fruycyon of sayntes ¶ Also we ought to haue sorowe of that so many vnderstandeth sauereth reuerenceth so lytell this holy sacrament which Ioyeth the heuen and kepethe all the worlde Alas thys blyndnes and hardnes of mennes hertes that wyll nat consydre so synguleâ— and inestymable a gyft as is giuen vnto vs but falleth inaduertence by dayly vsage For if the sacryfyce of thys holy sacrament were done only but in one place but of one preest in all the worlde wyth howe great desyre weneye the people wolde go to that plase and to that prrest to here the godly mysteryes done of hym But no we be made many preestys and in many places this holy sacrament â–ª ys ofofred to th ende that the grace and loue of god to man may the more appere and for so moche as thys holy communion ys sprede thorough oute the worlde Thankynges be vnto the good pastour eternall that hast vouchedsaue to refressh fede vs pore banysshed creatures wyth thy ryght precious body blode and also by thy wordes of thy ê“pre mouthe hast desyred vs to receyue thys holy mysterye sayinge com ye all vnto me that be charged and I shall refressh you ¶ Howe the great charyte bounte of god is shewede vnto man in the holy sacrament CapÌ„ .ii. OMy god I come vnto the puttynge my confidence in thy mercy and bountye I syke and. come vnto my sauyour I hungry and thursty vnto the fountayne of lyfe pore and nedy vnto the kynge of heuen the seruaunt vnto hys lorde the creature vnto his maker a persone desolate vnto hys pyteous comforter But wherof is thys that thou thus comest vnto me who am I that thou wylte gyue thus thyne owne selfe to Howe dare I a synner beholde to appere before the. And howe may it please the to come vnto suche a wretche Thou knowest thy seruaunt and well vnderstandeste that no thynge good ys in hym wherfore thou shuldeste do thys grace vnto me ¶ Than I confesse myne vnworthynesse and knowlege thy bountye and prayseth thy pyte and gyue vnto the thankes for thyne so moche great charyte Thou doest thys for thy â–ª selfe good lorde and nat for my me ryte to the ende that thy bountye may the more be knowen vnto me Thy charyte is more largely verifyed thy mekenesse commended more perfetely sythen that it thus pleaseth the and so thou hast commaunded it to be done this thy pleasure contenteth me and wyth my wyll my wyckednes shall nat resyste the. ¶ O swete and benyâ—â—e Ihesu howe great reuerence and gynynge thankes with perpetuall praysynges be due vnto the my goode Lorde Iesu Crist that by thy pleasure and wyll I may receyue thy blessed body whose worthynes no man is founde able to declare or expÌ„sse But what shall I thynke of this communion whane I shall come vnto the my lorde god whiche I can not duly honoure and yet I desyre deuoutly to receyue the. what maye I thynke better and more profytable for me thane to meke my selfe holy before the and to prayse thyne infynyte bounte aboue all thynge I prayse the me lorde god euerlastingly and dysprayse my selfe and submytte me vnto the depnesse of my wretchydnes ¶ O my god thou arte saynt of all sayntes and I the fylthe of all synners yet thou inclynest thy selfe vnto me that am nat worthy to beholde the. ¶ Alas my swete creature that so mekely comest vnto me and wylleth to be wyth me and desyrest me vnto thy dyner and gyueth vnto me the mete of heuen and the brede of aungels which is brede of lyfe and no lesse thynge than thyselfe whych is descended from heuen and gyue lyfe vnto yâ— worlde Lete vs se here what great loue procedeth frome the and what gentylnes doth shyne â–ª vpon vs. ¶ Howe great yeldynges of thankes and louynges be due vnto the of vs synners O howe profytable and howe helthe full was thy councell whanne thou instytute and ordeyned thys gracious gyfte ¶ O howe swete and Ioyous ys that feste wherin thou haste gynen vnto vs the fedynge of thy pÌ„cyons body ¶ O good lorde howe merueylous be thy operacyons and howe myghty is thy vertue and thy trouthe vnable be tolde Thou hast sayde and all thynges were don and all that thou haste commaunded hathe taken effecte A merueylous thynge to be beleued and ferre aboue yâ— understandynge of maÌ„