FYrste thou shalt exercyse thy selfe in the perfect and deepe knowlege of our lorde thy god callynge humbly to re­membraunce how excellent and incomprehensyble he is, as well as the grace (that thou canst optayne of god) shal assist the, this knowlege thou shalt indeuer thy self to optayne rather by feruent desire and deuoute prayer, then w^t highe studye and outeward laboure. It is the syngular gyfte of god and very precyus. Wherfore thou shalte wyth most humble and lowly hart very oftentyme desyre the same lorde god, that thou myghtest possesse him, most deuoutly praynge that he vochsafe to ma­nifest and shew hym selfe vnto the, that thou mayst know him, and hys hygh plea­sure and perfect wyl, saying in this maner (or lyke) in thy hert & secrete mynd with all desire and gostly affeccyon.

MOst gloryous maiestie of my lord god, whom to knowe is the very blysse and felicitie of mans soule, and there can no manne knowe thee as thou art without thou wylt open and shew [Page] thy selfe vnto hym. Moost humbly I be seke the (moost gracyus god and moste mercy­ful lorde) vouchesafe, of thy infynite mercy and goodnes, to lyghten at thys present, and euer, my hart, my mynd, and knowe­lege with the very true and perfect knowe­lege of thyne owne selfe, and of thy moost holy and perfect wyll, and godly pleasure to thy moost honor and glory. Amen.

¶Then shalt thou lyfte vppe thy heart and thoughte and consyder: not (with to greate vyolence but soberly,) the eternall euerla­stynge and the infynite power and myght of god whiche hath creatyd al thynge, con­syder hys moost excellent wysedome, hys vnmeasurable goodnes, and his incompre­hensible loue. Consyder what thy lord god is, who he is, what maner and how great he is, not in body, but in might power goodnes, wisedome & mercy. For he is very and only god most gloryus, most blessed, moost excellent, and mooste hyghest, aboue all thyng, the excellent and hyghe verytie and truthe it self, the euerlastyng and vnchan­gable goodnes, a very and sempyternall substance, a charytie infynite, whiche is so great, so excellent and ineffable in hym self that all dignitie, perfeccyon, and goodnes that is possible to be spoken, by word, can [Page] not suffycyently expresse any parte of hys moost inconprehensible nobilytie, dignitie, perfecciō, and goodnes. Way and consider well also that god is the very true, propre and natural place, rest, and centre of thy sole, in whom thi soule from the beginning fyrst restyd, by the perfect resemblance and symilitude of hyr, in the blessyd mynd of god, from whens (in the time of her creacion) she came in to the bodie, whyther shee must returne agayne, and in whome she must (by hym) rest, or els she shall perishe for euer, and looseth that blysse that she was creatyde to, and Iustly shall be caste in to the vnrestefull myserie and turmente of hell. After thys thought then turne thy thought vnto the mooste holy and blessyd trinitie. (Not musing to much theron) with most deuout and obedient faith most mekely and lowly adoure and worshyppe, laude and prayse it with all the myghtes of bodie and soule: saing in thy hert thus or lyke.

O Moost blessyd and moost holy trynitie of persons and moost swete and most gloryus vnitie in one godhed. I most humbly beseche thy myghtyfull and moost mercyfull maiestie, that the blessyd vnitie (which thou art in godhed) may flowe and runne, by most feruent loue, in to my soule [Page] and in to all creatures that be able to laude and prayse the. Amen.

THen consyder the blessed parsonage of god the father, howe he is the euerla­sting ineffable and incomprehensible good­nes which bryngyth forth incogytably of him self and substance, an euerlasting goodnes coequall and of one godhead, and sub­stance with hym selfe, which is his only son. Whych two (that is to say) god y^e father with hys sempeternall son, loue together the one the other in a charytie infinite, and with an vnmeasurable and euerlastynge delight, and this charitie or delight is god the holy goost. ¶Aspyracions, to come to the blessed knowlege of god the holy trinitie thou shalt fynd at the end of these excersies. Thou shalte also consider in this meditaci­on how al thynges are of thys blessed trini­tie thy lord god, and remayne and abyde by hym thorowe hys myght, that vpholdeth them, and are in hym more perfectly thē in their owne nature, therfore to hym be all honoure and glorye of creatures worldes without end.

¶Of the knowlege of god commeth and groweth in the soule of manne all vertue and goodnes. And of the ignorance of god aryseth all temptacyon all bytternes and [Page] dampnacion therefore thou owghteste to geue the more dylygence and to trauel the more earnestly to haue alway in thy me­morie swetely, louyngly & delectably, these thre (if thou canst) that is to say. His essence or goodnes, His presence, and his loue.

¶Fyrst attendynge and consyderyng his infynite nobilytie, his hyghnes, his right­wisenes, his swetenes, liberalitie and mer­cy, and other his innumerable perfeccions the whiche verely so farre passe, and excede so incomparably al wyt and vnderstāding of any creature, that what so euer of any of all these perfeccyons, all the creatures together, in all the whoole world can thinke or speake, it is lesse in comparison of hys hyghe worthines and perfeccion, then one lytle droppe of water in comparyson of the whoole mayne sea. And yet (marke well) he so myghty so great, so hyghe, and so won­derfull a lorde god, hath creatyd thy soule moost nobly vnto hys owne lykenes, and made it able and mete to be pertaker and to receaue his hygh maiestie and goodnes by loue of hym. For he hathe knytte vnto thy soule three excellent myghtes or powers, that not only in the lyfe to come in heauen, but also in this present life and world, thou myghtest know hym by thy vnderstanding [Page] in fayth, and goostly contemplacyon. And by thy wyll thou myghteste choose and loue hym. And by thy memorie thou migh­test reste in him and be knyt vnto him, thou myghtest remayne and dwell euer in hym. And playnely (yf thou weere not blyndyd by the deuell, the world and the fleshe, and the loue of thes) thou woldest be so rauished in the pleasure and loue of hym, that for Ioye and wonder thou shuldest not be able to stand, but faynt and synke. The Ioyes and sorows of this world thou shludest not marke, nor take any heede to them, nor passe for them any thyng at all. For thou woldest not suffer thy selfe in any wyse to be seperatyd not one momente, from the consyderacyon and loue of that hyghe and infinite goodnes.

¶Secondlye consyder and beholde with greate Ioye, gladnesse and thankefulnesse how so hyghe, excellent, wonderfull a lord of his euerlastynge loue and charytie, of­freth hym self euery where, in euery place, specyally in thy soule, very presently vnto the. Yea more nearer the then thou arte to thyne owne self, to vpholde thy lyfe and being, to conserue, to gouerne the and to saue the and to bring the to eternal blisse. Wherfore thou haste more neade to be ware and [Page] charie of thy honestie & of verteous couer­sacyon (yf thou wylt not dissemble) for as muche as thou dost all thynges, yea al that thou thynkest and spekest is openly done, spoken, and thought in his very presence, whiche seeth all thynges. Take heede therfore and consyder thy moste deare louyng lord god, thy creator & thy very hartes loue alway before the present, and walke in thy conuersacion) lyke a chaiste spouse with re­uerent feare, & louely shamefastnes meke­nes obedyence and pacyence, before the eies of so highe a maiestie of god, preparing thy selfe alway without ceassyng to please him, syghyng and desyryng in the botome of thy hart, to haue hys loue in thy hart and moost louyngly to enbrase hym.

¶Oh what abūdance of grace wold grow in thee yf thou coldest thus do. At the leaste do as thou maist vntyll more grace come. ¶Thyrdely consyder that the same so my­ghty and omnipotent lord of his vnmesurable charytie and of moost constant and free loue turneth hym selfe and hath speciall re­garde to the, so specyally and syngularly, that it passeth the vnderstanding & desire of the aungels. So great is his dignacion and goodnes toward the an vncleane and vyle worme, that he intendyth and taketh soo [Page] great hede and care for the, as though ther were no mo creatures left hym, neyther in heauen nor in earth but thou alone. He al­so hath deliuered the, and defendid the from many periles and dangers both of body and of soule, and dothe styll euery moment kepe the. He also vnaskyd, doth geue thee, allure the, and intyse the wyth so many be­nyfytes, gyftes and graces (thoughe thou be very vnkynd and most vnworthy vnto hym agayne) that thou canst not number the least part of them. And of the same hys charitie he geuyth the most free lybertie to come to hym euery momente, so that with onely a good thoughte and a louely desire thou maist obtaine and possesse infinite and euerlastynge goodnes whiche he his hym selfe. In so muche that thou mayst safely, surely, and most profitably open vnto hym (as vnto thy moost faithful louing and tru­stye frynde) all thy necessyties. Wherefore for a special laude and praise vnto so louing and so good a lord god (among the infynite number of these thinges that myght be spoken or written to hys honor) it shal help the greatly, to come to hys loue, contynually to remember and to haue meditacyon of his infynite and perpetuall goodnes, wysedome, mercy, swetnes, lowelynes and cha­ritie. [Page] That by this as by smal coles of fyre, thy hart may be kindled to rēder some loue for loue agayne. And that thou mayest be transformed and made lyke hym in lyke vertues and graces. Oh wolde God thou couldest and woldest exercise thy selfe con­tynually in these thre, how wold it delyght the to aryse earely and to watche wyth thy lorde god. How sone sholdest thou be dely­uered from thy vices and passions from al betternes, and from all temptacions be­ynge in maner dronken in the loue of thy sauyour. Yea thou shuldest be turned into a newe man, and be transformed in maner into almyghty god. For there is no exerci­se more holyer, and more fruteful thē this, whiche perced the harte of holye saint Au­gustine and other fryndes of god, with the darte of loue, when they wyth their inner eyes (lyghtened of god) did depely consyder the wonderfull tokens of the loue of God towardes them, specially in this incarna­cion, lyfe, and passion, wyth other innumerable benefites of so greate and myghtye a lorde god geuen vnto them, specyally whē they consydered earnestly the wonderfull charyte of god, wherby he hath geuen him selfe vnto vs, by his birth, as a felow in our nature, in the sacrament, as our foode. In [Page] hys death, as the pryce of our redempcion, and reigninge in heauē, as our euerlasting rewarde whiche he graunt vs of hys mer­cy and charitie Amen.

THou must haue a generall cōtri­cyon and hate of all thy sinnes & yf thou haste not made a general confessyon all redy then I wolde [Page] coūsel the to make one, intendynge wyth most ful and constante mynde to forsake & detest al kynde of synne and for the verye pure loue of God and deape hate of thy self and of al sinne to bewayle them as hartely as god shal gyue the grace. And that thou mayst come to the perfect hate of thy selfe, thou must beleue that ther is no creature ī the worlde that hath done so greate iniury and shewed so great contempte to God as thou. And therfore thou shalte Iudge thy selfe worthy of al the payne of hel and al y^e shame of the worlde, for thy manyfold and great synnes, for thy great neglygence, & thy wonderfull vnkyndnes shewed vnto God, for the whiche cause thou shall haue moost fyrme and perfecte wyl in god, to be redy to abyde and suffer al iniures, shame, mockage, reuyle, and contempte, that all creatures in the worlde be able or wyl lay vpon the, yea thou shalte offer thy selfe w^t a redy wyl to suffer al the paines of hel for thy enormytes and sinnes, And that thou mayst come to the pure and perfect sorow for thy synnes, thou shalt twyse in the day yf thou be not letted by obedience or charitie, set thy selfe in a corner conueniente, as it were before the Iudgement seat & syght of god, and adiuge thy selfe and thynke in [Page] thy mynd and conscience that thou haste deseruid euerlasting death and the sentence of god shalbe pronunced agaynst the thou canst not tel how sone. Not withstanding thou shalt yet hope stedfastly, that by prayer and penance with teares and contricion thou shalt optayne both mercy and grace at the hand of thy moost mercyful lord god Thou mayst sorow lamentably that thou hast done so greate inuiry and dishonor vnto the hyghe maiestie, wysedom, and in­fynite goodnes of thy lorde god, who is moost worthy of al laude and prayse, saing in thy hart and mynd wyth as harty deuo­cyon as grace wyll serue, thys prayer fo­lowyng whych is the very practyse of this present exercyse. But beware that thou be not to ferefull but take comfort and haue fyrme consydence and trust in the infinite merytes of god, whiche is euer redy to take the to grace and mercy and to restore the agayne vnto thy originall purenes, yf thou be redy to satisfye (as wel as thou canst) for thy synnes. Then shalt thou offer vp to god thy soule and bodye and what so euer thou hast in thys world for thy synnes, desyre­ynge and wyshyng in thy hart to consume and spend them all vnto nought for hys honor. And that y^u maist more effecteouse­ly [Page] offer vp in sacrifice thy soule wyth al the powers & myghtes thereof vnto god, thou shalt pray or thinke thus in thy harte.

¶Thou shalt also make a sacry­fyce and a lyuely hoost vnto god of thy bo­dye, as they did in the old testament layng wood vpon the aulter and put there on the sacrifice or hooste & so wyth fyre put there vnder they brent it vppon the aulter. In lyke maner must thou gather to gether by contrite remembraunce, thy sinnes vppon the aulter of thy harte and thy bodye must be the sacryfice, for it must be mortyfied specially from all vyces and synful worke and pleasure, and be slayne wyth discrete penaunce and wyth the fyre of charytye. For thou must lamente thy sinnes, for the very loue of god, & thou must do penaunce, [Page] and punyshe thy bodye and mortifye it for the pure loue of god. And yf it be thus con­sumed and offered vnto god wyth this fier thē shal it be a swete & a sauery sacryfice in the syght of god, and thus intending to do in ful mynde and purpose, thou shalte de­uoutely & hartely pray in thy harte to god in this maner.

¶Thou shalte also offer to god thy susten­tacyon temporall, desirynge in thy hart so to be mayntained & to vse thy necessaryes as it maye be to his eternal honour and thy soule helth and no otherwise, lacking or hauyng no regard to thy commoditie or any pleasure of thy selfe in them, but thou shalt rather desyre (yf yt please god) to be spoiled and to lacke al necessaries & to be very pore and nedy, as he hym selfe was poore & ne­dy in this worlde for thy loue. Thou shalte also take vppon the (by the discreate iuge­ment of thy father and goostly guide) some bodely penaūce wyth descrecion, and that for the great loue of god accordyng vnto y^e great enormytie of thy sinnes. Then shalt [Page] thou turne thy harte and thought vnto thy Lord Iesu as thoughe thou dydest stand or knele before his most blissed body hanging vpon the crosse wyth his precious woūdes flowing out y^e most precious bloud freshly full of woūdes on euery syde, and full of al payne and sorowe for thy sinnes sake. And in thy hart and wyth all thy harte, yf thou can, or as well as thou can, saye thus.

¶Then shalt y^u purpose fully in thy mynde to vse and to bestow, euery member of thy bodye, whych thou haste vsyd to sinne here after to the hygh honour of god, & to force and to compel thy selfe to the same, though it be neuer so harde and paynefull for the, that thou mayest make some amendes in afflicciō and penance vnto thy Lord God, the whiche labour and penaunce wyth the labours and paynes of thy state, thou shalt offer to God euery daye wyth teares (yf y^u can haue them) in the vnyon of the most holy [Page] deathe and passion of thy sauyour Iesu. Thou shalt be very sory in thy hart, y^t thou canst not be so sory and so heuy for thy sin­nes as thou oughtest to be. And thynke thy selfe for thy great offences worst of all cre­atures and worthy the deapest pyt of hell, bycause thou hast crucyfyed as moche as in the laye, agayne the son of God and hast troden vnder thy feate the precious bloude of eternall testament (wyth whiche y^u were redemed) and hast dishonored it and haste done contumelye and reproche vnto y^e spy­rite of grace. And to come to a more cleare knowlege of thy sinfull lyfe thou must cō ­syder and waye wel how often, how much and after what sorte, how greuouslye thou hast offended thy lorde god in all the tyme of thy whole lyfe, yea euery moment, so y^e ther is not one minute of thy tyme, nether any good worke in whome thou hast pure­ly and sincerely sought the honour of God as thou oughtest to haue done, but haste w^t a certayne and secret preuy venome of the loue of thy selfe or thy commoditie, delec­tacion or wyl, thou hast defiled it. And hast (in maner contynually sinned, all thy lyfe tyme) at the least eyther in omission, or in the vnperfect fulfyllinge that whiche thou art bonde to do by the order or state of thy [Page] lyfe, yf god wolde iudge accordynge vnto his Iustice, yea though thou haddest com­myttyd nothyng that were sininful deede, but onely in omission & vnperfecte doynge thy true duetye. Wherefore now while he abydeth the most mercifully, preuente hys face in humble confession washyng the bed of thy conscynce with teares euery night of thy sinnes, that is to saye, lament euery sinne wyth teares that comyth to thy remē braunce and humbly desyre thy Lord that he wyll not enter into iudgement with the hys seruaunt, for there can no man that lyueth be Iustifyed in hys presence & syghte. At the least consyder and waie depely how vnspekeably thou hast offēded in these two cōmaundemēts. Thou shalte loue thy lord god wyth all thy harte. &c. And thyne euen chrysten as thy selfe. And so more specially in the rest synnes, as thou shalt fynd reher­syd in the prayer and practyse of this exer­cyse. I wold thou shuldest waye and consyder well there, how and after what maner thou hast offended specially when y^u shalte haue that prayer & meditaciō, & thou shalte lament weepe and bewayle thy sinnes earnestly, vntyll that the blessed spirite of ad­opcion of the chyldren of God vouche safe to descend into thy harte berynge wytnes [Page] vnto thy spirite and soule that thou art the son of god and doest heare that meruelus & swete voyce of hym. That verely God the father hath pleasure in the, that is to saye, vntyll thou fealest in thy hart a perswasiō that god hath moost mercyfully forgeuen the thy sinnes and hath chosen the to be his seruaunt, and that thy state of thy lyfe doth please hym. It is but vayne to take vnto y^e any thynge of consolacyon spirituall or tē ­porall, or to prese vnto contemplacyon ex­cepte thou do ernestly and deuoutly eate & feade of this breade of penance and sorow for thy sinnes and dost receyue the blessyd spiritual adopcion, which vndoutly he wyl most hartely graunt to suche that deuoutly aske hym to hys glory and honour. Amen.

[Page] COnsider how thy fyue wittes are wonderful wekened and dysor­derid by the fall of our forefather and parent Adam. But a greate deale more infected and disorderyd, by thy owne actual synnes, the great abuse of thē. Wherefore that they may be redyer bro­ught againe vnto ther former and original purenes, wherin they were before the fall of adam, thou must nedes shut vppe and refrayne from all misuse of all thy senses, as thy syghte, hearing, taisting with thy tong, smellyng, and fealyng, in the crucyfied humanitie of Chryst, accordyng to hys exā ple wyth so greatte vyolence and laboure (thou shalt haue somewhat to do ther in) as thoughe thou were playnly dead, and all mortyfyed vnto the world. Thou muste lerne to haue a contynualle, eye inwardely vnto thy soule & spiritual lyfe, as thou hast vsed here tofore to haue all thy mynd and regard to owtward pleasure and worldly thynges. Thou must submyt and giue thy self vnto the disciplyne of swete Iesu and become hys scoler, choisinge hym vnto thy Lorde and maister, resynyng & compelling thy self al together, to obey hym in all thynges, so that thy wyllynge and nyllyng, thou vtterly and parfectely do caste away [Page] frō the, indeuoringe thy selfe most straightly to please & to obey thy most deare god & most louing master in all thynges, Wher­fore here after thou must do nothyng, be it neuer so lytle without his lycens. For at euery word that thou wilt speake, at euery morsel that thou wilte eate, at euery styrīg or mouyng of euery artycle or member of of thy body, thou must aske leaue of him in thy harte, that is to saye, thou muste exa­myne in thy conscience euery word & dede that thou shalt speake or doo whether it be to the honour of god or no, & to what ende thou wylt speake or do it, yf thy consience sincerely (not sekinge it selfe) do answere y^t it is to the glorye of god, then hast thou ly­cence to speke or to do, or els not. The ne­cessarye thynges that must needes be done or spoken thoughe it be certayne that they please god, yet shalt thou do euery one of them, and offer them vp wyth a newe in­tencion vnto god, in the vnion of the most holy workes and blessed merites of chryst, for the soule helthe of al men. And as thou arte doing or sayeng any thing outwarde­ly, haue alway one eye inwardly towarde thy selfe and thy conscience. And take hede and remember well when it is tyme for y^t to cease and leue of, and then inmediatlye [Page] leaue of thy talke or doing. And to optaine this grace, thou must accostome thy selfe, from thy very harte, feruently to pray and to intreate thy lorde god, euerye howre in maner what euer thou doist with this ma­ner of aspiracion, or lyke.

¶Oh Most swete sauiour Christ for thyne owne selfe sake & by al thy blessyd perfecti­ons and mercyes, by thy holye and moost blessyd manhed and thy holye fiue senses, whiche so perfectly obeyed reasō, that they semed swalowed vp of thy soule, which also were so sore pained and afflicted with most sorowful paynes in thy blessed passion for my saluacion, as though thou hadest had no senses or fealyng at al, I moost humbly besech the that thou vochesafe to swalowe vp in the merytes of thy blessed senses, al the fealyng and sensacion that I euer had, haue nowe, or euer may haue, and so knyt and sanctyfie in thy moost blessed and holy soule al my wittes and senses, that I neuer vse them here after to any sensualytie. Yf thou can not bere this prayer in thy mynd take the affecte and make desyre or peticiō in thy harte as wel as thou canste. Thou must labour to come vnto this vnyon and knitting vp of thy senses in god & thy lorde Iesu, and ther into remayne so fast vnto y^e [Page] crosse, that thou neuer starte from it, wal­kyng reuerently wyth moost honest & ma­ture or comely maners & behauoure of thy bodye and all thy senses, and euery where in the presence of thy lorde god. And thou must so obserue and kepe thy lord god, that he parte not from the, and thy fyue wyttes and senses wyth thy whole soule, & so vse thy selfe, that thou mayst thynke that thou seist nothing, thou hearest, fealest, smellest tastest, touchest, thou eatest, nor drynkeste nothing, but in all thinges thou seakest purely, not thy selfe, but only thy Lord God, and dost vse the creatures, in god, and for god, wyth feare and reuerence to thy bare nede. Thou must also in al thy necessites & perels commyte the care of thy selfe and of al thyne (yea of al thinges) w^t moost ful cō ­fidence and trust, into the most trustie pro­uidence of thy louing lord, whych wyl or­der al thinges swetely and delectably and wyl defēd the and fyght for the. Reken also al thynges besyde hym, for righte nought, and thus mayst thou come vnto wonder­full illuminacions and gostly influēce frō thy lorde god, yf thou for hys loue, canste crucyfie, renounce and forsake perfectlye thy selfe and al thinge. This exercyse is the grounde of al gostly life, and therfore thou [Page] must vse it and practyse it very long vntyl thou canst lerne and acostome to master & to forsake thy selfe in al thynges, & waite and kepe wel thy selfe and thy lorde god, & this blessed loue, for as moch as ther is no greater labour, then to obserue & kepe wel contynually thy lorde god and hys accep­table wyl and pleasure. Thou shalt alway labour to come to the depe and exact circū ­sicion, formacyon, and mortifycation of y^e inner powers of thy soule, as thy vnderstā ding, wyl and memorie. The which (as thy sensies wer, so are these greatly corrupted and infected, by the fal of our fyrst parent. But a great deale worse we haue corrup­ted them, and alienatyd them from god by oure owne sinnes. That these also maye be brought, & restored vnto their former state and perfeccion, vnto the whiche our Lord Iesus by his death restored them, and to y^e end and purpose, that they were creatyd & geuen vnto thy soule, thou must nedes continually desyre and intreate thy lorde god and neuer cease knockyng and callyng w^t most firme trust & confidence that he can & wyl helpe the. And that he vochsafe, for y^e moost blessed merytes of the moost holye myghtes and powers of his most gloryus crucified humanyty, to purifie, reforme, to [Page] gouerne and to light y^e powers of thy soule with stable knowlege, loue, and continual mynde and memorye that thou maist flow and tende toward, and into almyghty god & in hym to know and to vse al other thyn­ges. That thou maist come to that gyfte y^u must exercyse and quyken wyth diligente labour, thy vnderstandinge, to knowe and vnderstand hyghly and deapely what god almyghty is and what he hath. And when thou (after this maner) doist once knowe y^t he is the most best, most noblest, and most holyest of al, then shall thy wyl (perseauing that) indeuer and desire to loue him whom he perceauyth to be so excellent and moost best. But thou must circumcise, pul away and crucifye thy wil frō al thynges y^t thou maist loue and desire god alonly wyth thy bare and whole harte, and loue all other thinges for hym and in hym. Then must y^u also confirme thy wyll in most stedefast & stronge knotte and vnyon vnto the wyll of god. That if he wolde create hel in the, and put the therin thou must offer thy selfe to be redy for his eternall glorie and honor and for thy sinnes to suffer it by his grace. Thou shalt also ryd and make redy & apte thy memorye to haue the fruiciō of thi lord god for euer, without any impedyment or [Page] meane. These meanes or impedimētes ar the fancies and the imagynacions of other thinges besyde god or for god. Thou must kepe thy memorye cleane and pure (as it wer an wedloke chamber, from al strange thoughtes, phantasies & ymaginacions. And it must be trymmed and adorned w^t holy meditacions and vertues of chrystes holy crucified lyfe, and passion, y^t god may continually and for euer rest there in, how often, whē, and how long it shal please him Wherfore thou must vse it with often lo­uely and continuall desyres and holy afec­cions to god warde, thy louyng and moste kynde lorde and sauiour, that he only may cōtinually be shutt vp in the, that is to saye Thou must haue continuallye God in thy mynde and memorye, and that thy mynde and memorye may runne only vpon hym what euer thou dost or wher euer thou be. Thou must vse this exercise sōwhat lōg, as I sayde before, and thou must crye & praye moost hartely and continually for the spe­cyall helpe of god, and that by hsi mightes & powers, & by y^e praiers & blessyd merytes, of the gloryus virgyn Mary his mother, & the blyssed saintes in heuen thou shalt aske it. The wiche thing yf thou do not optaine at the fyrst, but abydest longe, for some are [Page] of a clammye nature, and muche geuen to phantasies, they be therfore the lōger in la­bour, be not discoraged nor ouerthrowē w^t tediousnes. Cease not, only perseuer & haue a stronge and a firme confidence and trust in our lorde whiche neuer leaueth those y^t putteth ther trust in him, and he wyl geue it the. For he is infinitly good and gracy­ous whiche in the simplenes of harte is so­ne founde, for he is wonne by loue and w^t louely and holy desires and affeccions, he wyl be optayned and sone gotten. For god is infinite loue it selfe, vse therefore often these aspiracions al the time that thou laborest in this exercyse or such as these be that foloweth.

THou must exercyse thy self very earnestlye in mortyficacion and abnegacion of al thinges whych may (in any maner of wyse) let the to draw nere & louingli to be ioined and knyt to thy Lord god: that is to say y^u must mortyfie in the al thyng that is not god, or for god, or y^e thing which god wyl not or loueth not. They are suffyciētly declarid by y^e godly father henry harp in his .xii. mortify­cacyons, [Page] whych are these, that shal folow here: In the whych thou shalt dilygently exercyse thy self by goostly and holy medy­tacyon, wyth oft and deuout prayer, mar­kyng well in euery one of them, the moost holy exemplar of thy lorde Iesu crucyfyed pryntyng that deapely in thy hart, vntyll that the nether powers of the soule (that is to say) sensies and sensuallytie put no impediment or let here after to the hygher powers of thy soule, as are reason, wyl and vnderstandyng, where by they myght not flowe and tend truly toward god & in god.

THe fyrst of thes is perfect morty­fycacyon of al loue and affeccyon and carefulnes for transytorie & worldly thinges. This thou must mortyfie so perfectly, that thou canst fynd in thy hart to resygyne and yelde them vp vnto the hyghe pleasure of God, wyth a quyete mynde, wythout secreat murmur or grudge, whether it shal plese him to geue them or to take them, so that thou doist not desyre nether to haue nether hold them, ne­ther to bestow them or gyue them but only for the pure loue & honour of god. Yea thou shalt desyre and wyshe to leaue them, that thou mighteste alwaye offer vp thy whole hart bare and pure vnto god amonge al [Page] casualties and mysfortunes. At the laste that thou maist make thes oblacions of thy hart vnto god in thy wyl and reason, and that thou mayste remayne resteful. For thys cause thou muste put awaye and vt­terlye forsake not onlye superfluouse and vnnecessary thynges, but also such thinges as thou haste onlye for thy pleasure and of curyositie. Yea, thou maiste not reste by- anye loue or affeccion in these thynges that are thy necessaryes, yf thou wylt not be a proprietarie before god, and shalt vse and take (at the least) y^u shalte learne to take and vse thy natural necessaryes wyth tedyousenes and lothsomnes, that thou mayst so muche the better conforme thy self vnto Chryst, and mayst bare & poore flye (as it were) in to his bare and nakyd armes.

THe second is the mortyfycacion of al affeccion in seking thy self. By which seking of thy self many louith them selues to wel, for in al the good dedes that euer they doo, and in al the euyl that they suffer of a certayne seruyle feare, they haue an eie & regard & seke busely their owne profit cōsolacyon and honour, as wel in the outward as in the inward giftes and goodnes of god, and do seke to exchewe and escape their owne hurt or hynderance, their con­fusyon, [Page] & punishement, as wel in thys pre­sent as in y^e world to come. And oftētimes whyle they repute and esteme theire dedes exercyses great and holy they fall, by the gyftes of god, in to goostly pryde, gostlye gluttonye & gredynes. Wherefore against these most dangerus and very great perels thou must dyligently labour and studie, in al thynges of a fylyall loue and of a ryght and holy intent, to seeke purely the honor the grace and pleasure of god. And wyth a syngle intent ordaine, dyrect and refer al thy workes to please and haue the fruicion of god and to rest in him alway, with al thy myghtes and powers without muche trouble or busynes with a certayne louely flo­wing and a louing inclynacion or bending of thy inward spirite to godwarde hauing thys thy inclynacion lyghtened with the knowlege of god by, faith, hope, & charytie. Thys is one fundacion and ground of gostly lyfe. Thou must labor wyth intencyon godly not to seke the secreate consolacyon of soul but rather to desyre al derelyctyon barrennes & aduersitie, that thou mightest be come one with god, and to haue fruicion of god with god.

[Page]THe thirde is the mortificacyon of al the affeccion of thyne owne sensualitie aboue or beside reasonable necessitie in the delight delectacion and plesure of meat and drynke of apparell and other temporall thinges, also in the pleasure and de­lyght in vayne & vnnecessary cogitacyons, wordes, gestures and talke with men or famylyars and fryendes for sensual loue only. Also in delectable appetytes, to haue or to see fayre & pleasant thynges, to heare newes and to occupye the sensies in vaine without resonable cause, as to se that, and heare this. These and al the solacyes and delightes of nature thou shal mortyfie and by full and perfect turnyg thy self from all such thynges as sensualytie is wont & doth delight to rest in: for thes make al deuocion and goostly exercyses both vnsauery and also more hard. Thou shalt also take great heede and be well ware that thou haue nor bere none affectyon in thy harte to any so­lace or syn be it neuer so lytle whō y^u doiste not labour to pulle vp by the roote. Thus must thou nedes do, that al sensualitie may vtterly be mortyfied, least the whol, heape of thy good workes come to nought.

THE fourth is the mortificacion of the affection of seculare and wordlye loue, the [Page] whiche causeth a mā to do many dedes of vertew, that he myght come to some com­moditie or honour by those wordly persōs to whom he is so affectionat ether fearing to displease them ether to sustayne any dā ­mage or discōmodytie or harme. This af­feccyonate loue thou must vtterly mortifie and also the carnal loue towarde, thy kinsefolkes, and the loue that thou haist goten amonge thy fryndes and that whiche thou berest to them for their benefytes, so that wythout all accepcyon of any person thou do loue purely god and goddes Image in them, grace and vertew, not flatteryng or vpholdinge, louinge, or dissemblinge anye mans vyce or sinne, but thyrst and desyre wyth all thy hearte the soule healthe of all menne. Thou muste mortyfie also the inordynate loue and affeccion that mouyth to anye vnquietnes, distraccion or desyre to haue the frendship or bodely presence of anye person, and paynteth thy fansye and mynd wyth ymaygynacions of them, spe­cyally in tyme of prayer, or els when thou woldest turne thy selfe vnto god, defylinge and infectyng thy harte as it were a very venome of the loue of god. Thou must therfore sley thys inordinate loue, and loue god only renouncing al creatures, that y^u maist [Page] be drawen vp wyth hys loue and mayst be swallowed vp all together in hym.

THe fyfte is the mortyficacyon of all affecciō in Idle thoughts which are wont to come in the mynd, & to trouble vs diuerse and sundry wayes, by insur­ges & greate flowynges (as it were a great mayne sea) & causeth the feruour of goddes loue & vertue to decaye in vs, though they abide not in y^e affectiō, thei must yet be mortified & al other noughty cogitacions whi­che we do suffer somtime by neglygence to enter into vs, with sensuall pleasur. These though they come not to deadly consente, yet do they defile the soule, they make heuy the holy goost, and do great dammage vn­to the soule. Bothe these noughtye though­tes and cogytacions and also the other y­dle thoughtes and cogytacyons, aryseth & commeth of our owne negligēce & vnmor­tificaciō bycause we do not labour & inde­uour ourselfe to compel w^t violēce our hart to holy thoughtes, but do suffer it to wan­der vpō superfluous and euyl thynges not to spend frutefully our tyme. And therfore when we returne our selfe inwardlye, we fynd our harte burdened and comberid w^t innumerable distraccions, whyche dothe hynder and distroye our gostly profet. Not [Page] these only therfore thou shalte cut of from thy harte, but also thou must vtterly put a­waye some lefull thoughtes, whether they be of lawful charge temporal of scruples of consience or of secreate or curius search of thynges, and thou must busely prynte into thy hearte the Image and memo­rye of thy lorde Iesu crucifyed for the, and of hys moost profund humlytie, pouertie, mildnes & of al his holy vertues, in thy outward mā, & also printe in thy hart y^e image & memory of his infynite charitie (wherby he created the & al thynges, and redemed y^e so preciously) in thy inner manne, that thy thoughtes maye turne into affection, and thy knowlege into loue. For y^e loue of god doth worke the mortyfycacion of nature, the lyfe of the spyrite, the worke and operacion gostly of the hier powers of the soule, the influence or flowyng into god and the solytarynes and departure from al creatu­res. Thou shalt also turne thy affectyon & whol desyre to come to perfect solitary & very lonnes & departure frō al creatures, not only ī body, but moch more in thy hart & affections y^t thou maist attayne y^e pure & syn­gle rest & quietnes of harte. This rest dothe norysh very greatly y^e louely influence and tendyng in to god: for solytarines, silence, [Page] and the strayt keping of thy hart, are as fundamentes and groundes of gostly lyfe.

THe syxte, is the mortifycacyon of all care & thought, which is not of iust necessytie, profyt, or obedyence, and also of al passyons vnmesurable myrth, heauines, hope, fear, loue, hate, anger, as shamfastnes, these muste be mortifed y^t nothing maye rest in thy hart but god or for god.

Wherefore thou must mortyfie all suche carefulnes vnnecessarie & al such passions natural. And al thy outward workes and occupacyons, that necessytie do requyre iustly of the thou must do them wythout much trouble or carefulnes of thy mynd, hauing thy whole hart & affeccion eleuatid and resygned in to the handes and wyll of god. For trewly by suche occupacyon thoughe it be laufull that distracteth thy hart, derkenneth thy wyt and vnderstandynge, thy affeccyon waxeth cold to god warde, al goostly exercise wil be vnsauerie to the, and thou shalte scante be able wyth great labor to recollect thy nether powers of thi soule in the time of praier. Wherfore yf thou wylt easely ouercome al temtacyons, labor busyly to beare alway thy mind and desire inwardly lyftyd vp and eleuatid vnto god, folowynge alwaye more the in­wardly [Page] exercyse of loue, then the outward workes of vertue. Vnto the whych poynt there can no man come except hee fyrst be rydd and delyuered from all thynge vnder god, and be so rapt in god, that he canne contēpne and dispice him self in al thinges for the pure loue of god. For pure loue of god makyth the spyryt pure symple and so free, that, without any payne or labour it can at al tymes turne and recolect it self in to god.

THe seuenth is the mortyfycacyon of al bitternes of hart toward our euen Chrystē whych arisith originally of dyuerse causes. Fyrst of presūpcyon of our owne merytes, where by we be redy and prone to iuge rashely other, and to dispyse them, we beyng ful of vnryghtwysenes oure selfes. For thys vnryghteousenes genderyth in vs indignacyon, and not compassyon. Secondly it arysyth of immortifycacyō, bycause we haue not mortified those thynges and the desyres of them wych in­flamith vs to murmur against our prelates and superiors and other that wyll not agre vnto our naughtynes or vycyousenes, but resist them. Thirdly, is aryseth of rancore and enuy or hate for some offences passed, for the whych we desyre to preuente and to [Page] take amysse the dedes of them whom we hate, and fynde in them somewhat that we myght rekuke. Fourthly it ariseth of enuy against & for the vertues of other which we lacke and haue not, and therfore we seke al meanes to extinct & to hyde them that wee might be preferred or takē as wel as they, or leaste they shoulde be more sete by or as muche as we. Fyftly it aryseth of a nawghty and exasperate and froward conscience, by the whiche (lyke a cockatryse) we desyre and wolde fayne hurte other, and to bring them vnto sinne wyth vs, for we enuy the grace of the holy gost, and of malyce (wherwyth we are full oure selfe) we take vnto the worst al thynges, & so sinne we against the holy goost. These and other bytternes and melancoly of harte, thou must distroy and consume in swetnes of the loue of god that thou mayst loue thy very enimeis and persecutours wyth as ful affection of thy harte as though they were thy moost dere frendes, as in very dede they be, for they do bryng & promote the vnto greate merytes. ¶The eyght is the mortifycacion of al a­fection vnto vayne glorye and lykynge of thy selfe, honoure, & to all pride of thy selfe in thy wordes and dedes, of thy graces and gyftes. To this thou shalte come, by clere [Page] and perfecte consyderacion and knowlege of thy owne vylenes, and by perfect desire of the contempte of thy selfe, that y^u mygh­test please, honour and worship god onely. Wherfore thou shalt ascribe vnto goddes only grace wyth chyldlyke faythfulnes & fydelyte, al the goodnes gyftes and graces of thy selfe and of all other, reputynge thy selfe mooste vnworthy of any of them and more vyle and wretched then al mē liuing, fyrst by reasō of the great greuousenes, the fylthynes or enormitie and the innumera­ble multytude of thy sinne & great vnkyndnes to god. Secondly, by reasō of Infinite sinnes whiche thou shouldest haue fall in, yf the only mercy of god had not preserued the. Thirdly by reason that ther is no syn­ner in this worlde, but yf he had receaued so many gyftes and graces of god as thou hast done, and had had so many occasyons to haue done wel as thou hast had, he wold haue seruyd god more faithfully then thou doyst. And thus shalt thou on the one par­ty be thankeful vnto god, and on the other syde thou shalt humble thy selfe very grea­tly. These well wayed, thou shalt desyre w^t all thy harte to be contempned, mocked, & ouer trodden of al men, and that for the ve­ry loue of god, and this is a very compen­dyous [Page] and a ryght waye to come to greate meryte.

¶The nynth is the mortificacion of all affection in inwarde and sensible gostly delyght, in grace, deuocion, loue and sensible swetnes in y^e nether myghtes and powers of the soule. The whiche swetnes, delyght, and deuocion sensyble be not very sancty­monye or very charitie in dede, but they be certayne gyftes of god, whiche are geuen to vs, not that we shoulde rest or contente our selues with them only, but for an helpe of oure infyrmytie that we myght moore earnestly mortyfie our selues. Wherfore if thou wylte knowe how much trew loue thou hast, loke howe moch thou art morti­fyed in these .xii. poyntes, for so moch very loue and sanctymonye thou haste and no more, yea al that thou canste aske of God what euer it be, yf thou do not referre and ordeyne them to the mortification of thy selfe, all are myxte wyth nature, whiche se­kyth her selfe al moost in all thynge, yea in god and in godly thynges, so subtylly that beyng stayed in one syde, she crepyth in on the other, eare we can wel deprehende her. Therfore ther are very fewe that come to the very knowlege of them selfe or do per­fectly mayster them selfe in al thynges.

[Page]Moreouer thou shalt mortyfie in thy selfe, all curyous inuestygacion or serche, all cu­ryous speculacion, knowlege and vnder­stādyng vnnecessary, of things or sciences as wel diuine as humane, in y^t which many do wast miserably their time & labor, euer lernyng (as the appostle saith) and neuer attaynyng or comyng to the knowlege of the trewth. For as muche as the perfecte lyfe of a christiane mā, is not groūded in highe knowlege but in profunde mekenes in ho­ly symplycitie and in y^e ardente loue of god wherein we ought to desyre to dye to al af­fection, to dye to oure selues, to sustayne payne and derelyctyon, that we myght bee perfectly knyte and vnyted vnto god & to be swallowed vp all together in hym.

¶The tenthe is mortification of all scru­pulousnes of conscience by ful confydence and trust in the goodnes of god. This scrupulousnes vexeth & troubleth very many, by reason of the inordinate loue that they haue to them selfes, by the which loue they feare more the vengeance of god, hell and hys ryghtwysenes, thē they loue hys goodnes, his honoure and prayse. And therfore of a seruyle feare they do all there good workes and do auoyde and eschewe all syn and euyll that they shonne. And therfore [Page] they do not amend faythfully their fautes, whose pryckinges and remorse troubleth them, nether can they haue ful confydence in god. For bycause that their loue to god­ward is but slender and smal, it gendereth in them but slender and smal confidence & trust in hym, where contrary wyse, if they had a greate and an ardente loue, it wolde gender in them a greate confydence and a ful trust in god. O blessed hope and trust in god, so longe as a man do not wexe the col­der in godlines, but is sturyd more earnestly to mortyfication & to the more pacyence in all aduersytie and to the more thankful­nes, blessed (I saye) is that hope and trust in God.

THe eleuenth is mortification of all inpaciēcie of hart for any outward aduersitie, infamy, derision, rebuke or cōtumely losse of goodes, sycknes, paine in bodye, persecution, and desolacion and derelyction of the mynde, the whiche may chance and fortune vnto a man by goddes permyssion, wyth the whiche he is wont to trye, hys dere frendes, and that of moost excellente charytie, to the euerlasting helth of them, in the whiche our lorde Iesu hym selfe was many wayes tryed, and for oure example and loue wyth moost mylde and [Page] meke harte sufferyd contumely shame sore strokes scorgīges, spettyng, thornes whip­pynges confucion wyth the intollerable tormentes of his crosse and passion, and he not withstāding, prayed for his ennemies. Nether coulde they laye vppon him so ma­ny and so paynefull tormentes, but he euer desyred to suffer many mo and moch greatter for the honoure of god his father & the saluacion of oure sowles. Therefore shoul­dest thou also suffer the lyke pacyently, yf god suffer them to come vppon the.

Fyrst that thou pretende neyther in harte, worde, nether dede any rancor nether ven­gaunce. Secondly, that thou beare no byt­ternes, or heuynes in thy harte, which byt­ternes ryseth of the in ordynate loue to thy selfe, but thinkinge thy selfe worthy to suf­fer moch worse and more greuous euilles: suffer thou al thinges mekely and offer thy selfe redie to suffer all aduersytie that may chaunce vpon the for euer here after. And thirdly thou shalte suffer all thynges by affection of perfect paciente wherby y^u maist be conformed & made like to the blessed life of thy dere lord Iesu, that is thou shalt not only suffer what commyth, but thou shalt long, in maner, and loke wyth greate, de­syre, and receaue with greate gladnes, and [Page] Ioy, all aduersitie, and be euer redie to suffer more greuous & greater. Here of shalte thou optayne greate aboundaunce & plen­tye of the loue of god, that shall so penetrat and purifie al the powers of thy soule, that thou shalte not (in maner) feale any paine, but shalte loue thy persecutors with as harty loue, as though they were thy neare and specyall frendes and louers.

¶The twelffe is the mortificacyon of al thyne owne wyl with ful perfect resignaci­on of thy selfe to suffer al derelicciō inward & outward paine & pressure or harts griefe and desolacyon, for the pure loue of god.

And bycause that a mā hath nothyng that he settyth more by then by his owne free wil (of whose abuse al vyce & syn springeth) therefore if thou resignest perfectlye thine owne wyl vnto god, inmedyatly (this fun­dacyon once ouerthrowen) al vyce and syn spryngyng here of, comyth to nowght.

Wherefore it is very profytable to such as are imperfect to make obedyence to some discrete person, and to geue them selfes vp to the wyll of another. To suche as be perfect it is necessary to haue a wyl to submyt thē selfes to other, when so euer it pleaseth god. It is expedyent for euery mā to marke wel and to execute in them selfes the wyll [Page] and pleasure of almyghty god. Thou shalt marke thre kyndes of obedyence, and thou shalt labour to come to the highest which is the obedience of vnion. The fyrst is of vow This ought to be outwardly in al commā ­dementes & preceptes of thy prelate with al spede & hilarite. The second the obedience of conformitie: and thys consistyth in the prompt and redye wyl inwardly, not only in cōmaundements & preceptes, but in any other thyng leful wythout commadement, and that purely for the loue of god w^tout al respect of any fauor of man, so that y^u wold­dest rather be contempned and dispysed of man for such obedience, then to be praysyd or to haue any rewarde for it. The third is the obedience of vniō w^t god which knittith so the wyl of man vnto the wyl of god, that it is become but owne wyl with it, so that what so euer god doth permyt and suffer to come vpon hym, yea in al inward pressure heauynes and agonye of spyryt desolacyon and dereliccyon, he is fully perswadyd & be leuith al together to come by the ordinaūce of apoyntmēt of the vnmesurable loue and mercy of god, and therefore he receauyth it with al affeccyon, be it neuer so hard, paineful, shameful or greuus, for thys time and for euerlastyng, accordyng to the example [Page] of his deare louyng lord and sauyor. Iesu whych from the most payneful agony and bloody swet in the garden vntil the crewell death vpon the crosse, he was destitute of al sensyble grace & consolacyon (as thoughe he had byn the extreme enemye of god) aby­dyng most crewell and most intollerable payne and tormetes, only beyng resignyd moost perfectly of loue into the handes and wyl of his father. When thou hast once optayned thes .xii. mortifycacyons, then shall thou wyth the powers of thy soule, be redy and able to flow and to haue recourse to god, and in hym to rest cōtynualy wyth out any let or impediment. Not withstan­dynge, thou must lerne to come to more cleare & playne knowelege how thou maist optaine and possesse the very trew loue and stable & sure vnyon betwene god and the myghtes and powers of thy soule, firste, in the ornament of actyue lyfe, by perfect me­kenes, obedyence, & other morall vertues and by the increase of them, also by faythe, hope, and charytie. Secondly in lyfe con­templatyue spyrytual, by burnyng and ar­dent aspiracions and the gyftes of the holy goost, and also other godly and gostly exer­cyes. Therfor thou shalt marke & obserue dylygently those thynges y^t thou shalt fynd [Page] declaryd brefely ī thes exercyses folowing next after this practyse that folowythe

¶Ther are no aspiraciōs for this exercise, but take some of the sentencies of the prac­tyse as shall lyke you.

THou must exercyse thy self in the cōstante very trew hate of al syn so that y^u woldest neuer comytte any (wer it neuer so lytle) for the fear of no dammage, sclaunder or torment in this world were it neuer so greate and dredeful. Al sinne muste neades be pullyd out of thy harte before any perfect vertue cane growe there, and eare thou canste be permyttyd to enter in to the harte of Iesu to be knyt and made one spiritually wyth hym. Thou shalt therefore hate nothynge so euyll as syn, yea the least that can be, for it dyuydythe and sondryth thy soule from god, and god from thy soul. In lyke maner thou shalt exercyse the in the dylygent and contynual serche, loue and geuynge of all and euery vertue be they neuer so wonder­ful [Page] or neuer so many, yea if thou wyst that euery drop of water in y^e sea were a vertue, thou shouldest labour for thē al, for the very honor of god. Thou oughtest (as muche as is possyble for the) to adorne & to crucyfie thy bodie wyth vertues, alway and euery where cōformyng it vnto Chryst crucyfied for the, accordynge to the example of hys most blessyd bodie which lyued alwaye cru­cyfied, and crucyfied he dyed and departyd this world, and that of hys infynite loue which was as freshe & new in hym toward vs, as it had ben the loue of a new maryed bryde gromme. Our loue therfore ought to be euer freshe and new towarde him, lyke the loue of a new maryd bryde that a faith­ful and trew spouse dothe beare towardes her moste louynge housebande.

THus by thys trewe & perfecte loue towarde oure swete loue Iesu, we shuld (in maner) sucke and draw in to vs oute of hys sacrate bodye thes fyue pryncypal vertues that folowe, with theyr daughters, and prynte thē very strongly & perfectly in our soule and bodie, that they myght shyne therein lyke as they were sterres in the firmamente. The first vertue is very true mekenes. This y^u shalt carye in thy feate, and shalt desyre thy Lord Iesu, [Page] by the precyus woundes of his moost holy feate and hys infynite humilitie whiche he shewed alway, but specyally in takynge vppon him manhed, that he wyl vochsafe to grant the to be so meke in al thyngs as his moost pleasant wyl, wyl requyre of the.

Thys humylitie, then thou haist perfectly optayned, when thou sorowest, lamentest & art vnfaynedly sory, as oft as any benefyte or honor is geuen or shewid vnto the, wher of thou verely thynkest thy selfe very vn­worthy and also when the perfecte desyre of al contempte perseueryth and abydethe in the in y^e myddest of al sclanders iniuries rebukes, paynes & sorowes that are layde vppon the, and thou thynkest thy selfe most worthy of them and of much worsse. Thys humilitie bryngeth forthe thre daughters, obedyens, pacyens, and sylens, or kepynge of the tonge. The true and very obedyent doth nat only obey his prelate for his pro­myses and hys vowes, but also he obeyeth al creatures. The very patiēt sufferith and beryth al thynges for the honor and loue of god be they neuer so paynful & sharpe that god permyttyth to com vppon hym, for he beholdyth and consyderyth how pacyenly our Lord Iesu sufferid his crosse and al his paynes & passyon for our helth. The meke [Page] person thoughe he be very wyse and ryght wel learnyd, yet he speakyth fewe, for all thinges are not gotten by muche talke and sayng many. For it wer better to lyue well and in fewe wordes to shewe y^t which thou canst say when nede is, and art demaūdyd And the very meke spekith lytle, for he is o­bedyent, & patient & kepeth wel his tonge. The seconde pryncypal vertue is true wis­dome or sapience in the exercyse and vse of all thy thoughtes workes and dedes. This wysdome wyll gouerne the strōgly and re­sonabli that thou shalt nether thinke, speke nether do any thinge (be it neuer so litle) as is the styrryng of any ioynte of thy bodye) but only of very reason, and the permyssyō and pleasure of God. This wisedome thou shalte carye in thy head pryntyng thy head into the pearsed head of Iesu chryste, most humbly besekynge him for the sorowe and payne y^t he suffered in his most holy head, y^t he wyll vochsafe to adorne thy head w^t hys godly wysdome as moche as it shall please hym, and he shall know to be necessary for the, to hys hyghe honoure, and the soule health of thyne euen christē. For certaine this wysdō is very necessary for all gostly lyfe, whiche ought to be instituted, begone and fully ended in an order & according vnto [Page] reason. Wysdome bryngeth thre daughters, the feare of god, dyscrecion, and sym­plycitie. The godly wyse offendyth god ne­uer for he that sinneth, he is not godly wise in that pointe, for al syn is foly and folysh­nes, and where euer abydeth wysedome godly, there is founde also the feare of god whiche is the begynninge of al wysedome. And with this feare we ought to be ador­ned alway like & after the maner of childrē and not lyke seruile seruantes. And then of his owne nature wyll discrescion folowe, the whiche laboryth to keepe a meane and a measure in all vertue, least doinge anye thynge more or lesse then reason dothe re­quyre or ryght is, god myght be offendyd. Holy simplicitie is to auoyde doublenes al troublesomnes and al curiousnes, to cleue vnto the high goodnes of god onlye, and to take all thinges good or bad immedyatly as at the hand of god, and not of any crea­ture, and render and referre them agayne vnto god, wysely to obserue and marke the wyll and ordinacion of god in all thynges to obaye god and al creatures for god, do­ynge all thynges in god symply and perfectly with a resigned minde a swete mildnes & not w^t rashnes, for god worketh all thyn­thinges in vs yf we gyue place to hym w^t [Page] out simplicite wisdō wold be curius & prod Where so euer the very feare of god and wise descrescion are possessed, error or syn can not lyghtly crepe in.

¶The thirde principall vertue is the trew charitie of god. This vertu thou shalt here in thy harte, lokinge well vpon and mar­king the throw pearced harte of Iesu christ printyng thy hart into it. Thou shalt most humbly and deuoutly desyre thy lord Iesu by the loue of his godly and woūdyd harte that he wyl vouchesafe to grante the (in y^e merytes of the same) the perfecte loue of of him selfe. The charitie of god begettith thre daughters, fayth, hope, and perseue­raunce. For hereof commyth al our faintnes and decay, that we do not perseuer, for bycause our charitie is lytle, & is not great inoughe which might beget perseuerance for he that attempteth & entreth any thing of very trewe charitie (be it neuer so harde & meruelus) he will not cease vntyl he hath opteyned it, for charitie begetteth faythe, by which we may do and worke wonders as also by fyrme and sure hope and trust in god, abidinge with confidens in his helpe and not in our owne power.

¶The fourth principall vertu is Iustice or ryghtwysnes whom thou shalte bere in [Page] thy ryght hand, and thou must marke wel and take good heede vnto the ryghte hande of Iesu Chryst how for ryghtwysenes sake it was fastened vnto the crosse with a gros and sturdy nayle, besechynge him mooste humbly by the moost bytter payne that he sufferyd in the precyus wound of his ryght hand, for rightwisenes by the loue y^t forced him to suffer y^e paine, that he wyl vochesafe to graunt vnto y^e very trew ryghtwysenes in all thy dedes, y^t thou mayst render to god almyghty that, which belongeth vnto him: as al honor and glorie, al loue and thankes gyuinge in al thy cogitacions, wordes, and dedes, in lyke sorte vnto thy superyor, to thy egual, & vnto thi inferior, suche thinges as belong vnto them, as ys thy dewtye to render vnto them, and also vnto thy body that thou mayst geue vnto it those thynges whiche belong vnto it, as in meate, drynke slepe, clothe & in other necessaryes no more nor no lesse then thou art bond. This ryght wisenes begettyth thre doughters. Mercy, truthe or verytie, and thankefullnes.

Ryghtwisenes is a meruelus vertue, the which geuithe to euery one that belongyth and is dew to them and bryngith forth mercy. Very & true mercye fyrste takyth com­passion vpon the soule of the euen chrysten [Page] as, for example. Yf a poore man shold aske an almes: fyrst of al (if it be expedient and oportunitie do serue) and thou doist hope of frute & goostly profit in him, and perceiuest that he is dyseasyd goostly and is in danger of syn, thou art bond to geue hym, a gostly almes for the comforte of the soule, whiche ought fyrst to be fed for it is muche better then the body, and then feade his body yf he nede and y^u be able. Rightousenes begettith verytie or treuthe whiche seaketh god in al thyngs, it begettyh also thankfullnes. For it is not possyble that a ryght wyse man shulde not be thankeful vnto god, and vnto al such as hath shewed him y^e way to come to god & haue holpen hym toward his soule healthe. The fifte principal vertue is veray and godly fortytude or strenghth gostly in fulfylynge and doynge al vertwe and in eradycatynge and dystroynge al vyce.

Trew fortytude careth for no creature nor fearyth nether the deuyl, neyther men ne­ther the whole worlde, nether the owne fleshe, but boldly and manfully goynge forward and passynge thorow al thynges, he can cōtepme easeli al thinges for goddes loue of whome he hath receauyd that fortytude. When any temtacyon comyth vp­pon a man where by he is forced to fal, thē [Page] doth this godly fortytude succure him and putteth him in minde sayng. What wilte y^u do, wylt thou offend god thy maker? why ther wylt thou. Abyde styl stedfastly where thou art now ryhtwel, least more myschefe come to the. This vertew of trew fortitude thou shalt bere in thy left hand, beholdinge and marking wel y^e left hand of thi sauiour Iesu Chryst, & most humbly beseke hym by the sorowe & payne of the precyous woūde of hys left hand, and by the wonderful for­tytude that he shewed in al his workes that he wyll vochesafe to powre in to thy soule and body very & trew fortitude as much as is necessarie for hys hyghe honour and thy saluacion. This godly and gostly fortitude begettyth thre daughters: Chastitie, so­bryetie, and pouertie. A strong man in god he stickes not nether tarieth not any wher, but strongely and stowtly passyth thorow al that euer is in the whoole worlde, as thoughe they appertaynyd nothynge at al vnto him, neyther feareth to passe thorowe fyer or water (trustinge in the helpe of god) vntyl he hath optayned that whiche he de­syereth. A stronge man in god is easely pleasyd and sone contentyd in al thynges yea wyth a peece of browne breade, wyth an homyly apparel, wyth poore and vyle [Page] houshold stuf, he sekith not curius paintīgs hangings, images, and suche other in hys chamber: lest suche shuld pul any porcyon of his loue from god, and stay & let hys hart that wold to god, for he wold perpetually without impediment cleaue vnto god. And therefore it begettyth chaistitie, for thys fortitude detestith & abhorrith al vnclennes that displeasyth and is hateful to god: it be­gettyth also sobryetie, for wyttyngely if wyl not admyt nor suffer anye ercesse or superfluitie. It bryngyth forth also pouer­tie, for it possesseth nothyng in this world, nor of thys world, & verely pouertie volūtarie, is a meruelus, yea & an excellent mean to possesse god. Thes foresayd vertues of our Lorde Iesu Christ y^u muste aske of him and labor to prynt them in to thy body and soule (as muche as in the lyeth) all thy lyfe tyme, conformynge thy selfe in thes holy vertues, to thy lord Iesu, as muche as is possible for y^e alway & eueriwher, beholding by deuoute contemplacyon, the image and memory of his crucyfied lyfe and death, and folowynge the same in thes vertues (that we haue spoken of) or at the least in the fyue pryncypal, stretchynge and nay­lynge thy self (in thes vertues) vnto hys cros, so that what so euer thou turnest thy [Page] selfe, ether on the ryght hande, ether on the lefte hande thou mayst beholde, on y^e parte of thy body and on that syde, one of these vertues of Iesu set before thyne eyes to be holde and to folowe. For oure Lorde Iesu wyl make none partakers of his death y^e refuseth to crucifye for his sake, his owne fleshe with vyces and lustes, and to morty­fye the same. More ouer al be it that y^e mor­tification and crucyfieng of our most vyle fleshe be nothing in comparisō of the crosse and death of oure lorde god. Yet that most myldest and mercyfull lorde, of his endles pitie and goodnes, dothe vochesafe to take thankefully the small crosses and paynes that we for hys loue do wyllingly bere and suffer, whether (by his permission and suf­feraunce) they be inwarde derelictyon and gostly tentaciō, ether outward iniures op­pressions and sorowes layde vpon vs. For how euer suche crosses come vpon vs, he taketh them thankefully, so that we bere them for hys sake and dye to our owne wil and desyre.

¶This exercise after thou haste well suc­ked and dygested it into thy hart thou shalt not forsake all dayes of thy lyfe.

THou must also exercyse thy selfe in the whoole shape and prefyte medytacyon of the lyfe and pas­sion of Chryst prynting deapely in to thy soule & fleshe his passion & deathe, that they shyne out of the like a lanterne, so that thou alwaye thinke and talke of them. For Chryste oure sauyor by the same rede­med vs, when the deuyl possessed vs as his slaues and bond men, that now we are the fathers of heuē, which by his only begottē sonne hath bought vs, paying by hym our dettes wherein we were bound vnto him. And for thys greate benefit we remayne detters vnto him for euer. Wherefore yf we wil repaye this det vnto him godly and thankefuly, we must prynt hys lyfe, passyō and death ī to the powers of our soule, and in to the sensies of our bodie, and in to al our fleshe, we must beare this his crosse vppon vs and folowe effecteously as thoughe we were become one with him in his lyfe and passion. And thus y^e dette that he paied for vs, we do some what recompence.

That thou mayst perfectly fulfyl the same thou must neades conforme or make lyke [Page] all thy thoughtes thy wordes dedes & thy maners, so lyke vnto the thoughtes, y^e wordes, the dedes and maners of thy lorde Ie­su chryst, that wheresoeuer thou be seene, harde or touched, there be nothinge found in y^e, but y^t which was in Iesu chryst & then shal be sene in y^t, that y^u art a very christiā, a seruante & louer of Chryste. And bycause that we are lyke hym in the nature of hys manhed, we must, according to this example, crucify oure nature in vs, bycause our nature dyd wyllynglye synne, as he ex­horteth vs in the holye gospell sayenge, deny and forsake thy selfe and take vp thy crosse vpon thy backe & folowe me. In this he commaundeth that we shoulde crucifye oure bodely nature and sensualytie wyth very true vertues. Our soule also we must confirme and make lyke vnto the most he­uye and sorowfull soule of our lorde Iesu, so shall we do, yf we sorow and lamente al waye the greate dishonour of god, the losse of soules, and our owne sinnes and the sin­nes of all men. And loke howe muche we wante in this conformytie, and folowing of christes passion in oure bodye and soule, so moche more we remayne in debte vnto oure lorde god. Certaynely a faythfull lo­uer of Iesu ought to drowne (in maner) & [Page] so prynte hym selfe into the lyfe and passy­on of hym y^t he shoulde feale that passion & lyfe more presente and more fastened into hym selfe, then hys owne payne or crosse y^t he suferith, yea yf he had any specyal paine or gryef in any member of his body & were sore vexed therewyth, yet shoulde he feele more the payne and passion of hys Lorde Iesu, then the sorowe that payneth hym in the member of hys owne bodie. Wherfore thou oughtes wyth greate desyre, and de­uoute harte, contynually to pray & intrete thy most gracious lorde Iesu, that he vochsafe to confyrme y^e most perfectly vnto hys mortifyed holy and crucyfyed humanytye by an ardent, an eleuate and a ful resygned spirite, and by a mortifyed, an heuy, and a compassionate soule, and also by an aflyc­tyd, a laborsome, a tormented and a pained bodye, or at the least thou shalte praye hym to sende the some bodely and contynuall payne or grefe to put the in mynde alwaye of hys bytter passion, that thou forgette it not, also that he vochesafe to rest in the and to take pleasure to worke in the wythout any inpedimente. We ought therfore to exercyse our selfes in the most blessid passion of oure lorde .vi. maners of wayes. Fyrste thou shalte exercise thy selfe in the passion [Page] of Iesu by imitacion or to folowe it. Secō ­dly by cōpassion or to haue cōpassiō therin. Thirdly by admyracion to haue wonder. Fourthly, by ioy, or to reioyse therin. Fiftly by resoluciō or to be resoluid therī. Syxtly by deuocion to rest therin. Fyrste thou oughtest to haue meditacion in this blessid passion that thou mightest folowe y^e same, for it is the hyghe & most perfectest imytacion that a man can haue, this is the hygh and most holyest relygion and most relygius perfecciō. To folow Christ in his death and passion is the rule and the example of oure sauiour, the rule of our lyfe in whō we may haue so moche the more confort & consolaciō, as we herein be the more con­formable and lyke oure lorde Iesu. And let vs thinke oure selfes so moche the more desolate, as we fynd oure selfes farre from this example & rule. Let vs therfore wyshe and desire as moch as lieth in vs, to be cast downe, to be set at nought, to be scornyd, afflycted scorged of all persons, and in the seruice that we do to God, to be rebuked of all men. Let vs be poore and barewyth poore and bare Iesu, let vs desyre to haue nothing. Yea let it be most payneful payne and vnmesurable sorow to haue any thīg, and to haue nothinge let it be perfecte Ioy [Page] & gladnes, let vs abhorre al, to tast swete & delectable thinges, & let vs rather desire to be refreshed w^t vyle homely & bytter thyn­ges, and let vs desyre, y^t al fode or mete may tast to vs rather galle then hony, bicause y^t Iesus dranke vineger & gal. And as I may saie breuely, let vs cōsider how he vsed him selfe in his passiō, and let vs conforme our selfe for our litle power vnto him as much as we can, keping and obseruyng alway y^e meane and moderacion that we excede not the measure of oure infyrmytie. Secondly thou must exercise thy selfe in the blessyd passion of thy Lord Iesu; that thou mayste take compassyon on hym moost innocent, cōsideryng his cruel, scorging, his scornes, his reuyles and rebukes reuoluyng in thy hart, howe greatly our Lord Iesu was dy­iectid & cōtempnyd in his most bitter passi­on, how great afflicciō & paine he suffered ī his hart & body, both by reason of his owne payne and passyon, & also by reason of hys compassyon towarde vs for our synnes.

Let vs consider with howe muche bytter sorow y^e very swet angells where repleanisshed with al, how moch greuyd our Lorde Iesu, not only the payne layd vppon hym, and our vnthankefullnes, but also the sore afflyccyon of hys deare mother, that stode [Page] by, whome he louyd moost dearely and fre he rredy to swone for sorow. Certaynly by reason of the excedyng grate and moost ar­dent burning loue that the one bare to the other, they suffered most payneful compas­sion, and the affliction of bothe partes was exceding greate. For the one sufferyd for y^e other sake. For the mother knew wel that her dere sonne suffered for her specyally as wel as for to redeme other. The sonne also knewe full well that the swerde of sorowe of hys passion perced the soule and harte of his his mother. And therfore was the passion of the sonne, the passion also of the mo­ther. Goo to thē good doughter the seruāt of god and the spowse of chryst, to se and turne these in thy harte wyth the rebukes and paynes of thy lorde and deare spowse, beholdyng hym suffer so greate and intol­lerable paynes for thy sake. Yf thou weere well and faste knytte vnto hym in perfecte charitie, thou woldest take excedyng great compassion vpon hym. Yf thou feale no­thing the payne of thy heade, thou arte not a member and one wyth hym. Playnely lyke as we shoulde take more compassion and pyty vpon the heade then on the other members, euen so oughtest thou in com­parably, to take more compassion vpō thy [Page] lorde Iesu, then thou woldest or shouldest do, vpon ether father or mother, chylde, kynsman, or most deare frend, yea then vppon thyne owne selfe, if thou shouldest suf­fer all these forsayde paynes that thy lorde suffered for y^e. Therfore now good dough­ter let vs drynke oure selfe dronke w^t gall, wormwode and myrre. Let vs feale and thinke on hys precius and payneful woun­des, let his rebukes, scourges & woundes pearce through the bottome of oure harte, let ther remayne nothing in vs, that is not all drowned in sorowe and vehemently af­flyctyd and troubled.

¶Thyrdly thou must beholde the passyon of oure sauioure Iesu to wonder and with admyracyon, consyderyng who it is, howe moche he sufferyd, and for whome he suf­fered. Who suffred? plainly the very sonne of god most myghtest, moost wysesest, and the very goodnes it selfe. And so good that howe muche so euer goodnes and nobylite thou ascrybest to hym, it is nothinge in re­specte of hys greatnes and excellence. All thinges be they neuer so good and neuer so greate and excellent, they are but one aske, yea they are but very vanytie and ryght nought, in comparison of hym. How great are they that he sufferyth certaynely trauel [Page] in a strainge contrey, banishement, flyght hunger, thurst, colde, heat, temtacions, ho­ryble, feares, persequucyons, wayte of his ennymies to be taken, traytory, spyttyn­ges, reuyles and rekubes, bondes, scorgin­ges, stormes, sorowes, plages and sores, strypes, woundes and death. For the very glory it selfe was spyghtfully spit on, right wysenes it selfe, was condempned. The Iudge of the worlde was iuged and aray­ned, he that toke wrong was blamed. The innocente was defamyd, god was blasphe­med, chryst was trodden vnder foote, lyfe it selfe was slayne, the sonne was derkenyd the moone wexed blacke, the starres were, scatered abrode, and al these thinges did he suffer paciētly, as it had ben a lambe which w^t one only becke, was able to haue drow­nid into the bottome of hel, al these vnkind and wycked people that so handled hym. But for whom suffered he? for moost vyle mancyples, for most synfull ennymyes of hys, yea for very deuilishe persons, and the chyldren (by imitacion) of the deuyll, for y^e contempners of the maiestie of god, & vn­kynd and vnthankefull seruauntes to the greate goodnesse of god. Wonder there­fore that suche and so greate a lorde wolde suffer suche and so greate paynes, for most [Page] vyle and moost abiecte sinners and wret­ches. But now of whome suffered he? Of his owne chosen, and specially chosē, vnto whom he shewed al goodnes and bountefulnes, of the most vylest, the most excellēt of the vnwyse and fooles, the most wysest, the whiche is the sempyternall worde and wysedome of God. The moost godlyst, of most vngodly & wycked. The euerlasting bryghtnes of the moost filthiest mater and corrupcion. In al these lyfte vp thy harte & mynde, and maruayle at the infynite goodnes and lyberalytie of almyghty god, that bought the wyth so great a price. Fourthly prynte the passion of thy lorde in thy harte to reioyse thereof, for thou oughtest to be glad and ioye in it with moste harty than­kes geuyng, for the redemcion of the na­ture of mā, for the restoring of angels, and of the greate clemencye and mercye of all­myghty god, And as for the redemcion of mankynde, thou oughtest to be wonderfully glad accomplyshed by chrystes most bytter passion and precyous death. Who is he I praye the, that wolde not reioyse and be glad, perceuinge hym selfe delyuered, by this moost blessed passion, frō euerlastinge death, from the shame of synne, frome the power of the deuyll? Who wolde not vn­mesurably [Page] excedyngly reioyse & beholding and consydering that the hygh and most al mighty lord god so wel doth loue him, that he wolde submyt and subiecte hym selfe vnto so greate vyces and affliction to redeme hym, not that he shoulde reioyse at the ab­iection and passion of oure lorde, but of the most gracious affect hereof, & of the tender affection and loue, that he declaryd in hys passion and afflyction, what prynce in the kyngdome or empyre of an emperour or kyng, perceuing hym selfe so greatly to be in fauoure and loue wyth his lord, that his lorde & master wold be redy to suffer death for hys sake, wolde he not very greatly re­ioyse and be glad in his whole hart. Howe moch more then ought we most vyle wretches, wycked synners, and noughty seruā tes, to reioyce and be glad perceauing that the king of al kynges and lorde of all lord­des oure creatour Iesus chryst, doth loue vs so feruently, that he wolde offer vp in sa­cryfice hym selfe vnto most foule and most vyle death. Let vs therefore be glad wyth ioye vnmeasurable that our lorde Iesu lo­uyth better eache one of vs, than any man dothe loue hym selfe. Let vs be gladde and reioyse, that by the blessed passion of Iesu y^e ruyne and breche of the angels is restored. [Page] Ther ought to be in vs greate Ioye & gladnes, syth we se y^t by the passion of chryste so noble and blessed a colege of the Angels is repayred, that there myght be one fold and one shepehard, and al to be one in one god. In this ought we and haue we good cause bothe wyth the heuenly courte and the mylytante churche of chryst here, to ioye and to be glade. O moost amyable, and verely moost venerable passion of oure sauioure whiche ioynyth to gether thynges, y^e were so farre a sonder, and knyttyth together thynges so farre sequestrated, and moost strongly and most fyrmely vnytith & byn­dyth them fast together wyth the bonde of moost perfecte loue in the felycitie of ioye sempiternall. But we ought to reioyse and to be glad specially perceauing in al these foresade thynges, the hyghe & wonderfull clemencye and mercy of god and of oure lorde Iesu christ. I thynke the cheafest and hygh glory and ioye of the goodnes of the good angels is perfectly to consider the clemency, mercy and benefites of god, & also his vnmesurable goodnes. And this ought to be the syngulare inwarde ioye of hym, y^t is contemplatyue, & that in y^e very marye of hys soule. For where, I pray the, dothe more apere y^e powryng vpō vs y^e most bontefull [Page] mercy, clemencye and goodnes, of y^e most swettest & most louing heuēly father & of our lord Iesu christ thē in his passion, wherin he suffered such sort & so greate, so fowle, so shameful & so greuous paynes & turmentes, & al to deliuer & to gloryfie hys wicked enmie for y^e redempciō of a very vanitie, worthy of euerlasting death. Let the deuoute persons enter w^t al deuocion into this stable & sure ioye, y^t he maye he refres­shed with the magnificētie of the goodnes of god. Let him approche and ascend vnhye in harte, by contemplacion of these, and let the most excellente and inenarrable clemē cye of Iesu be exalted in his harte. Fyftly y^u must haue medytacion of the moost blessed passion of oure sauyoure Iesu to reuolue thy harte and to transforme it into him, the whiche thou doyst when thou doyst not only folowe, and haist compassion, thou mer­ualyst and reioysest, but thou art wholy cō uerted and turned into thy lord Iesu christ crucyfied, so that in maner euery where & and alwaye the lorde Iesu chryst crucyfied metyth wyth the, yea then arte thou veryly and trewly resolued into hym, when thou leauyng thy selfe and going out of thy selfe and surmountynge and transsendynge all thing, yea aboue thy selfe abstracryd from [Page] all thynge, thou arte all together turned, into thy lorde Iesu crucified, so that thou canst se nothinge, y^u canst feale nothynge w^t in thy self, but only christ crucified, scornid reuyled and put to payne of pure loue for y^e. ¶Syxtly y^u must consyder & behold y^t most blessed passiō of thy lord to come to rest of inward swetnes, y^e which thing y^u dost, whē y^u being resolued (as I sayd) dost not cesse w^t a thursty hart or or feruent desyre, to reuolue & tosse in thy mind y^e most blessed passiō And enteryng as far as y^u arte able) into y^t infynite treasure of that blessyd passiō, me­kely and deuoutly thou doist melt for pure and deuoute loue, and wyth feruent deuo­cyon and burninge loue thou falleste from thy selfe, and doeste reste all together in chryste crucified. But y^e more y^t thou doste cleue & leane vnto him onlye, so moch the more y^u fallest & decaiest from thy self & dost relent by most deuout loue: and how moch y^e more that thou dost decay & leaue thy self by loue and deuocion, so moch the more thou dost cleaue & art knyt vnto thy loue y^t dyed for the, and doyst rest in hym. And so doth the cleauinge vnto chryst by loue and louely deuocion, increase one y^e other vn­tyll the spouse of chryst, that is to saye, thy soule, be all to gether swallowyed vp and [Page] deuoured of that moost burning hoote fur­nes of loue, of the passiō of thy spouse most dere beloued, in whose blessed armes thy soule restyth a slepe, haue therfore medyta­cion of the moost blessed passion of thy lord Iesu in folowyng it, to purge thy mynde & hart. By compassiō to get loue and vnion, wonderyng at it, to eleuate & lyfte vp thy harte reioysing therin, do delyte and con­forte thy hart, resoluing to come to parfect conformacion and lykenes: resting therin kepe thy deuocyon.

THou must circumcyse and purge thy soule very ernestly from all knowlege, loue, and remembraū ce of all creatures excepte them only whome thou must neades haue & vse in god and for god, and kepe thy sensies & wyttes at all tymes streghtly from all su­perfluitie vanytie and ydelnes. And kepe also thy bodye alwaye in symple homlynes [Page] in sobryetie and pouertye. And cast frome the ac ons all thinges that myght let the or be any impedyment at any tyme betwene thy soule and god, yea if it were but a mo­mente of time. And that thou myghtest fulfyl this y^e better, thou shalt marke well and dylygently all the meanes and lettes vysy­ble and inuisyble, al creatures sensible and insensyble, that euer dyd let the, or were any impedymente or meanes betwene the & god, or yet may be hereafter. And turne thi whole harte, verely and perfectly from thē & so cut them of from thy soule and turne thy whole harte to god. Thou shalt also cō ­syder wether thou be in suche place & state wherein thou maiste come to perfeccyon, yf thou be not thou must then seke suche a place and state. Al exteryal and outwarde thinges must be cut of and resigned, which thou vsest aboue & more then very and iust necessitie, w^t the which bare necessitye only for the loue of the pouertie of chryst thou must be contented. That is to saye, wyth two cotes or habytes to change and in like sorte of other necessarye apparell, wyth a fewe bokes, wyth one or two sober meales in the daie according to the time, chosinge alwaye in all thynges, the vyler or more homlier, that meke symplycitie may euery [Page] where shine & apere in the & in thy desires. For outward pouertie wyshed for and de­syred in harte, doth helpe wonderly moch to come to the verye profite and peace of y^e harte. And specially when thou arte very wel cōtent to lacke thy necessaries, or whē necessite compellyth, y^u dost vse necessaries in symplycite, & wyth tedyousnes & yerkesō nes. Moreouer a great forderaunce to per­fection are these thynges. To forsake vt­terly al exquisite delectacion & wilful fansy to any thinge, & to loue pouertie. Yf it seme expedient for the person, it is good also to make a vow to flye the vnnecessarye com­pany of all creatures. A stronge and sted­fast cleauyng vnto god. Symple and pure obedyence, a worde both to god and to thy superiours. A dylygent keping of thy hart mouth, and of al thy dedes, and such other. These thou must exercise, folowe and take as the very oportune and conuenyent me­anes to perfectiō. Thou must also exchew and a voyde all impedymentes, as thy con­science or thy coūseller shal teache y^e. Thou must therfore make a diligent serch of thy cōscience, least any vice or faute be it neuer so lytle, do sticke or cleaue inwardly or outwardly fast vnto the. Loke ther do remay­ne not wyth the, curious superflus, or a­ny [Page] vnnecessarye thyng. For so longe as it is so wyth the, the holy gooste can neuer worke perfectly in thee. For the greate synnes, in to the which we fal vnwares or of frayltie, & bewayle them, god forgeuyth them sooner, then the leaste faut that dothe cleane and remayne in vs, specially when we wil not acknowlege, or wyl not or care not to amende it.

¶Thou shalt, after thes, exercyse thy selfe in very true loue of al men, accordynge to the example and the charytie of thy sauyor Iesu Chryst, whiche with moost burninge loue and desyre, spent or bestowid him selfe al together, for al men, he also taught and shewid the way of saluacion and of perfec­cyon with moost holy godly doctryne, he gaue hym selfe also mooste wyllyngly and louinglye vnto al payne, contumely and confusyon, that myght chance vnto hym, for their saluacion. Wherfore, yf thou wilt take vpon the his lyfe vnfaynedly, thou must folow him in this point of loue. Thou must also leade alway an holy & a godlyke lyfe before al men, that by thi lyfe they may be drawne and prouokyd to folow the lyfe of Iesu Chryst thi Lord. Thou shalt teache wyth some good exhortacyon, thyne euen chrysten, yf it may stand with thy state and [Page] vocayon, at tyme conuenyent, the way to euerlastyng lyfe. Wherefore when thou cōmest to thy euen christen, y^u shalte leaue vaine talke, except thou haue any necessite or necessary matter, and shalte talke with hym of vertue and of grace & such things, wherby he may be y^e better, exhortyng him to the loue of god, & to folow the holy lyfe & loue of Iesu chryst, and that he wyl consy­der the nobilitie & worthynes of hys soule, howe in his soule god prynted his owne y­mage & lykenes, & hathe redemed the same his owne selfe, and howe the loue of god is the very lyfe of the soule, euen as the soule is the lyfe of the bodye, & as the body dyeth when the soul departeth frō the body, euen so doth the soule dye, whē the loue of god is absent & gone frō it. These wyth such lyke as the holy goost shall teach the y^u shalt put thy euen chrystē in mind of, if it may stand w^t thy state & calling, specially such as thou hast charge of thy next neighbours or such y^t wyl and be able to take thyne instruction & exortaciō, perswading thy self y^t god wil require at thy hande, the soules of them whome thou arte able and canste saue, as though they were thy owne members. Therfore y^u shalt not Iudge nor conempnt [Page] any man. Thou shalte not make sory nor harme any man, but loue euery mā as thy selfe, yea more in maner then thy selfe bycause he is better then thou arte. The whiche thinge that thou mayst the soner optaine perswade to thy selfe, that euery man is thy selfe. For in dede, we be one y^e member of the other, as saynt paule sayth, and therfore thou shalte, be glad wyth, and and of euery man, be sory wyth and for e­uery man, serue and do good to euery man that nedeth. Do the workes of mercy bodely and gostly vnto euery man, that nedeth wyth all thy harte as vnto thy selfe. Wher­fore accostome thy selfe, that as sone as y^u perceauyst any mocyon of dyspleasure or anger agaynst any other mā, what euer he be, or that any other vyce chance to come vpon the, or into thy mynde, lyfting vp thy hart swetly vnto god, to put it away as the poyson of the deuyll wherewyth he goeth aboute to kyll or to mynishe thy charytye in the, or to make the lumpish and vnlusty, and so to staye the from profiting in gostly lyfe. For somtyme it comyth of our owne tepyditie or coldnes, that noughty and harmefull cogytacions, put once from vs do returne agayne, and are a greate inpedy­mente and let vnto goostly lucre or gayne, [Page] yea thoughe we consente not to them, spe­cyally, when we do not extend and stretch forth oure selfe, wyth all oure powers and myghtes, to thinges before vs, that is to saye, to go forwarde and increase in vertue and perfection, nether wyth heuenly & godly desyres continually, as moch as we can to ocupie our hartes, therfore y^e enmyes of our soule, by our slacknes and tepidite, fynde easely a way to returne agayne vn­to vs, al though some tyme such cogitaciōs do trouble & wery vs not by our faute but by y^e only permyssiō of god for our exercise.

THou shalte exercyse thy selfe to obtayne the perfecte onynge or vnyon wyth god.

¶This vnion requireth a per­fect expoliacion and denudaciō or bare nakednes, or vtter forsakyng of all creatures, of al sinne, and of all delyght or pleasure. Fyrst y^u must deligently and bu­sely laboure to lyue, as much as is possible for the, naked and bare, both in affection & also in vnderstanding or mind, frō al crea­tures, so that thou shouldest feruentlye de­syre to be made naked and bare, yea from thyne owne selfe, and from all other thin­ges. And so to remayne, as thou shalte stād bare before the iudgemente seate of chryst and as bare & as barely as thy soule came out, by creacyon, from god, that thus thou mayst wythout any let or meane be knyte [Page] vnto god.

¶Thou must lyue also without sinne, and bycause that is scante possyble, thou shalte desyre to lyue wyth a strong and a stedfast turnynge of thy mynde from al sinne and wyth a feruent conuersacion and desyre of thy harte of al goodnes, which is god. For all sinne, be it neuer so small, lettyth this v­nion or knote. Wherfore thou shalt so ob­serue and kepe thy soule and bodye y^t thou shalt not moue nor sterre one member, but only in god.

¶Thou must nedes lyue also wythout all delight & pleasure. This thing because it is almost impossible, thou shalt supply it in al affection and desyre, where thou canst not lyue so in dede. For when thou hast any de­lyght or pleasure in thy selfe, god wil deny the, the delyght and swetnes whiche is in him. Wherfore suche lyfe let it alway at y^e least be in the desyre of thy harte, & bestow the vttermost of thy power vpon this way. And then, by this exercyse, thou shalte find thy selfe stayed & lettyd in many thinges, wherof thou thoughtest thy selfe clene rid. Wherfore endeuer thy self to be wel ware that no sinne be it neuer so lytle, do plese y^e for it selfe. As for thy self thou shalte desire that the bread that thou eatest myght sa­uoure [Page] or tayst no more to the then a stone, yet for his honour and glory that created breade, it shall please the that the breade sa­uoure well. But as sone as thou dost trust and feale delectaciō therin thou shalt turne thy harte vnto the laud and thākes of god the creatour of breade, and so is then the breade, vnsauery vnto the. And in like sort must thou do in all delectacion, vnto whō is not annexed any sinne. For the admyra­ble suauitie delyght and swetnes of the creatoure of all thynges, doth sprede it selfe in al thinges created, beyng not sinfull.

¶Thou shalt not suffer therfore any mea­ne or let of creatures to remayne in y^e, but turned out and made bare and naked of al thinges, thou shalte approch vnto the bare and pure godhed or diuinitie wythout any meane or staie of creature, for god desireth to haue the wythout any meane. Nether shalt thou thynke that hereby the holy in­uocacion and prayers to the saintes are ta­ken from the or shulde let the, which is for god and in god, for they are one spirite w^t hym. Not wythstanding thy chefe contem­placion and laboure shalbe in the contem­placion of thy lord god, whom thou shalte perceaue workyng and doing all goodnes and good workes, be they neuer so lytel, in [Page] al men, yea and it be but the mouing of thy fynger vnto a good dede. For that mocion is of god and goddes, for he is the lyfe of y^e soule. Wherfore laboure and indeuer thy selfe wyth continuall in turnyng (as moch as thou canst) do lyue in the very and per­fecte abstraction or departure and barenes of thy mynde and affection from all crea­tures, from sinne, and al delectacion. For these three (faythfully and long vsed & exer­cised) makes a man very heauenlyke & an­gelycal that he may moost frealy haue the fruycion of thy lord god as only experien­ce shal teach. And therfore laboure to puri­fye euermore, more & more, both thy mynd and also thyne affection from al phanthasi­es and imaginations, by y^e example of Iesu crucified, choysinge alway rather the byt­ter and vnpleasant, then the swet & pleasāt, rebuke rather then honour, wante rather then plentye. That thus cleuyng w^t a pure and cleane harte vnto god, thou mayst be come one spirite wyth him. Yet shall y^e su­periour vse this exercise other wyse then y^e subiecte. The innocent, otherwyse then the wycked, otherwyse the begynners, & otherwyse the perfecte. That thou mayst the so­ner optayne and come vnto the abnegaciō and forsakyng of all thinges, to the know­lege [Page] of the deuyne goodnes, and of thyne owne vylytie and vnworthynes, and also that thou maist come to the swetnes of brotherly loue, and that within short tyme, the whiche thing, the proprietoris or such that retayne in ther kepyng and affection anye thyng agaynst the professiō of pouertie, for such be called propryetories can not come to in many yeres, yea not al theyr life time wyth greate labours can neuer obtayne reuolue and tosse in thy mynde and memory wythout ceasing and wyth greate laboure or at the leaste cary aboute in thy desyre intencyon and wyll, these two most noble & excellent vertues that is to saye, humylitie and charitie, very long and often chawing or remembring and printing into thy hart these wordes, I am nought, I cā do nought I knowe nought, I haue nought, I desyre or couyt nought but one. Trewe mekenes sayth, I am nought of my selfe but viciousnes, nor I can do nought of myne owne myght but syn, I haue nought. For what­soeuer I haue or can haue of the creatures in this worlde, or of the gyftes of god with out god, what soeuer I see, I heare, or per­ceaue, it is vtterly nothyng in me. Weake I am wythout myght, ignorant I am with out knowlege or wyt. I am nought, I am [Page] nothing, nor nothyng am I able to do, ful of sinne and misery am I and therfore I do vtterly dyspayre of my selfe, my confydēce is only the mercy of my lorde Iesu. Nowe charitie and loue sayth, I couyte, I seke, I desyre nothing, but only my lorde god, put thy trust and confydence (oh my soule) in Iesu chryst & his goodnes, fyxe thy thought and desyre in the consideracion of hym, for loke how moch lesse thou thinkest thy self, so moche the more thou wylt couet to haue the loue of thy lorde Iesu chryst.

¶Thou shalte vnderstande that there are two kyndes of humylytie. The one is that aryseth of the trew acknowlege of thy sin­nes & thyne owne vilenes, by the iudgemēt of reasō. And this humilitie thou oughtest to exercyse towarde thyne euen chrysten, In comparison of whom, thou oughtest to brynge thy selfe to nought in thyne owne estymacion, and to esteme thy selfe, more vyle then anye other, and inferioure to al men, and that from the botome of thy hart. And thou shalt therfore aske mercy of thy lorde god, that is present wyth the, both for thyne owne sinnes and al others, and shalt excuse them in thine owne conscience and Iugement, beleauing that ther are no syn­ners so far gonne from god, but that they [Page] may and do oftē times, though not alway, turne them selfes vnto god and do loue & honour hym wyth a more synceare affec­tion, and more faythfully they do sorowe their sinnes and do purpose to amende thē selfes according to the grace geuen to thē of god then thou. Thou shalte beleue y^t ther can not be found any man, which if he had commytted so many and so greate synnes as thou, and had receaued so many graces and gyftes of god as y^u, but he wolde serue god more feruently then thou dost, if thou can not perswade this and beleaue this w^t al thy harte thou shalt, for this same cause repute thy selfe most proud wretch that ly­ueth, and more vyle then any man that ly­ueth. For this thy ipocrisy and pryde in ex­cusable most odyous to god, hath verylye blyndyd the that thou canst not know thy selfe, nor se how that, the mo benefites and graces thou hast receauid of god, the more greuus and greater are thy sinnes and ne­glygences, and therfore there shal be required of the a more strayghter rekeninge for euery one of thē. And this mekenes, as I haue sayd, loue, doth worke by reasō wherby a man estemyth hym selfe vyler then a­ny other creature, and most worthy of all turment and contumely, of all rebuke and [Page] paine. And this is the mekenes of such that are begynners and profyters and must go before, and that after it may be confirmed wyth this mekenes that foloweth.

¶The other mekenes, is, the mekenes of the perfecte and the mekenes whiche loue alone by her selfe dothe worke, whome the soule fealeth in her selfe by goostly syghte and knowlege of Iesu. For whom the holy goost doth lyghten the reason in the syght of Iesu Chryst, to consider clearly the holy humylytie, & charitie of his blessyd manhed & to tayst both of them by y^e goodnes of hys diuinitie, and by & by the soule perceauyth so great loue & ioy, in that sight (the whiche is very true holy and delectable) that it for gettith her selfe, and al thinges els, and leanith & cleuith holy to her moost swettest spowse and Lorde Iesu Chryst, by reason y^t she is caryed or borne, with al her whole loue, to consyder and to beholde him. She for that tyme, considerith not her synnes done in tymes past, nor her vnworthynes, but estemyth her selfe with all her synnes and good workes that euer she did as right nought, and nothing, as though ther were nothing in al the world but only her Lorde Iesu Cryst. Labor therefore dylygently by the consyderacyon of the mekenes and charytie [Page] of Iesu to iuge thy selfe w^t full beleue eyther els fealyng thy selfe, not only to be most wretch in the world, but also as very right nought. And labor to bring to nought in thyne owne estymacyon and iudgement thy self with al thy exercyse & good workes done in tyme paste, and to make thy selfe nakyd frō al thyngꝭ. Thus in the pouertie of spirite loue to feale thi selfe to be nought or nothyng, that thou maist ascrybe al thy goodnes only vnto thy Lord Iesu Chryst, that thy substāce (as the prophet saith) may be as a thing of nought before him not, estemyng thy selfe here after to be any thynge syth thou arte nothing. For without doute in comparyson of the increate and vnchā ­geable godly substance of thy Lorde Iesu which only hath very essence or being, and is al thinges in al thing, thou & al thinges els, are nothyng. For al peple and nacions in y^e world, they are before him, as thoughe they were not at al. And thus shalt thou not iudge thy euē christen nether good nether bad but thou shalte perceyue thē al equally with al other creatures to be nothynge as y^u art in regard of thy Lord Iesu, and in respect of his mekenes loue, mercy & glorie. For as muche as they are made of nought and should comme to nought, if they were [Page] not kept and conseruyd by him. Therefore whē loue, by the gift of y^e holy gost openith the inner eye to se and perceiue this verytie wyth the other cyrcumstances, the soule is made veryly meeke, for then she seyth her selfe euen as she is indede. And then she considereth not her selfe, nor doth not truste or leane to her selfe, but she tendith & bendyth her selfe al together in to the knowlege and loue of Iesu with stable medytacion and desyre beholdyng him continually. And then doth she worke more perfectly great wor­kes both inward & outwarde, then she was wont before. This sight of Iesu, cōforteth and liftith vp the soule so meruelously and swetli that she can not ioy or be glad of any ioye or comforte of his world, nether can she be heauy or sory for any aduersitie of the same. For she remaynith vnmouable and vnsensible vnto al suche worldly thinges, couiting to rest in Iesu only, hauynge euer her eyes on him, for he pullith out her feate from out of al the grynnes of sinne and of temtaciōs, & distraineth in her al y^e sterings and mocions of pryde and all vyces won­derful secreatlye, defendinge her from the myghty feare, from the arowe or dart that flyeth in the day, from the trouble that walkyth or commyth in the darkenes, from incursyon [Page] or inuadyng, & from the mydday fynde, and leadyth her by holy simplycytie (whiche is a secrete by pathe) vnto a stable and a sure vnyon with her selfe wherby she shal remayne and dwel in god & god in her ¶How thou shuldest labour contynually, couyting but only one whiche is only necessary, to come to this blessid vnyō by ardent or fyerie aspyracyons wyth mooste deape resignacyon of thy selfe it shal be declaryd here after.

LAST of al is this exercyse wherin thou must laboure to dwell & lyue in god. And that must thou optayne by these two vertues by true and lyuely fayth, by pure and ardente loue of god. For it is but a smale matter, & auayleth lytle, to haue god wythin the, yf thou lease hym lyghtly againe. But y^u must be also altogether hydden and swallowed vp in hym. Fyrst thou must constantly be­leue that thou arte in god, and god in the so long as thou remaynest in charitie, as. S. Iohn sayth, God is charytie and he that dwellyth in charytie he dwellyth in god, & god in hym. Chryst oure mayster monys­shyth vs sayng, dwel and abyde in me and I wyl abyde in you. He that remayneth in me and I in hym, he bryngeth forth much frute, for without me ye can do nought, he prayth also to his father that we myght be made one as he and the father is one. He that eateth my fleshe, & drynkyth my blood the same dwellith in me and I in him. But to perceaue and vnderstand that thynge, clearely and playnly, it is the greate gyfte of god, and therfore y^u must aske it earnest­ly of hym, and when thou perceauyst clearly, [Page] and plainly fealist thy selfe to be in God then must thou learne to abide & remayne in hym. The which is the most blessid treasure in this world, or in this lyfe. For whē thou lyuyst and abydest in god, thou must kepe the powers of thy soule, and thy sen­ces, as it were shut vp in god, frome gad­dyng vpon any worldy thynge or vanytie, as much and as nighe as is possible, wher-they haue a ioyefull securitie and safenes. For lyke as if thou woldest shute vp thy selfe in a very close chamber, where thou shuldest see nothyng, nether heare, tayste, nor touche any thing, but only that which were within the closet, & whatsoeuer were without, they coulde by no meanes nether harme the, nor touch the. Euen so when y^u doyst lyue and abyde in god, whatsoeuer y^u touchest, thou seist, thou hearest, or taistest it presentyth to the and declaryth to y^e god­des presēs which is now become vnto y^t al thing in al thinges. For thou sekyst and desyrest to fynde and to haue hym only in all thynge, and in euery thyng thou seyst hys blessid presens. And therfore al thinges both good and bad, that commith vpon the thou receauest them, not of any creature, but only immedyatly at the hand of god w^t out al curious serch from whēs, wherfore [Page] or by what chaunce or how they come, w^t out al trouble, feare or perplexity, and with al mekenes suffer them. And doyst render them agayne vnto god, sekynge in al thin­ges euer more the honor and the holy plea­sure of god, the mekenes and subdewynge of thy selfe, the amendement of thine owne lyfe, thy trew obedyence vnto god and vn­to al creatures for his honor, not againste his honor, but specially to obey thy supery ours with al humylitie, forsakynge in all thinge thyne owne proper wyl. And for as muche as thou and all creatures be in the power and regymente of god, therfore ther can no creature harme nor yet touche the, but it must fyrst touche god wythin whom thou hayst in closyd thy selfe, and transpo­syd and turned thy selfe al wholy into him and hys godly wyl and pleasure. And for this cause must thou nedes harkē more to god, and here hym, rather se hym, touche hym, and tayst hym moche more then any other thing. When thou perceauyst thy selfe thus knyte vnto god, that thou perce­uyst thy soule to be more fast, and ioyned more nerer vnto god then to thyne owne body, and by the same loue whiche hathe thus knyt the vnto god, dost perceaue that he is the very euerlastynge, the incompre­hēsible, [Page] ineffable and only goodnes out of whose power and might thy soule came by creacion, and is so lyke vnto god that ther is no creature that can knowe and per­ceaue throughly the dyngnitie & nobilytie of thy soule. Then I say, thou with this cō syderacion, kindelid, and styrred with the loue of god, thou mayst felyng this loue in thy harte at mydnight or in the morninge dayly if thou wilte exercyse thy selfe whensoeuer thou desyrest to enter, by oure saui­oure Iesu, and to knit thy selfe secretly vnto god inwardely in spirite, in this maner folowing. Thou shalt knele deuoutly only prostrate before the crucifixe, if thou may conueniently or in a secreate place, where thou canst not lyghtly be distracted, & fyrst saye this prayer that thou mayst come vn­to this knowlege, and maist perceaue thy selfe to dwel in god and god in the. For it is an excellēt gifte of god, and he only can and wyl redely geue it to y^e faithful and de­uoute peticionars, thou shalte therfore, I saye, make frome the bottome of thy hart, this humble peticion in thy mynde & harty desyre vnto god saying.

O Gloryous maiestie of infinite mercy and goodnes ineffable which fulfillist al the whole world & art euery where [Page] in euery thing bi thi might, thi essence, and presence, but specially in the soule of man, and singularli in the soule of them that are thi chosen suche as desirethe, sekythe and longyth after the, I moost humbly & hartely beseke the of thy infynitie goodnes and mercy, lyghten (wyth thi speciall grace) mi vnderstandinge and knowlege, that I may playnely and clerely parceaue and vnder­stand thy blessid presens in me and howe I am in the. And when I feale and perceaue thy holy presence, graunt me grace mooste mercyfull Lorde to holde the and kepe the wyth much reuerence, and with a reuerent feare, to walke and conuersant my selfe before the, kepyng al the powers of my soule and my senses chaystly and clerely from al worldly vaynities, that they al way may tende vpon the, and in al thing I may find and remember the, And what so euer I se, here, towche, feale, or tayst I may in them, se, heare, towche, feale and tayst the, more then them. And that I mai receaue al thing (what euer commyth vpon me) immediatly as at thy hand and sendyng, and seke there in to fulfily ioyful thi blessid wil & pleasure or my nighbors profyt and soule helth, or y^e amēdement of my lyfe and the meking of my selfe, and to obey the and al creatures [Page] for thy loue and honor, for sakyng vtterly mine owne wyl. By cause thou art in me and in al thinges, therefore I shoulde obey the in euery creature to thy glory & honour and my soule helth.

THou shalt say this forsayd prayer deuoutly kneling before the imayge of Christ crucyfed or crucyfyxe yf thou can conuenyently as I sayde before, or in suche place where y^u shalt not be distractyd. Then after this prayer thou shalt recollect thy selfe, fully beleuynge that thou verely syttest before thi bare, nakid and crucified lord Iesu, euen as he was veryly crucified and hange vpon the Crosse al nakyd and defaced with most cruel and blody woundes. And thoughe thou se hym not with thy bodely eyes thou oughtest yet to se him fayth­fully and inwardly with thy goostly eyes. For playnely (for as muche as thou doyste hartely desire to loue hym aboue al thinge and by harti loue doist moost hartely desire to be knyt vnto hym by grace in spyryt, vndoughtidly he is as verili present as he did hang vpon the crosse, and is now in the bo­some of the father. And bicause that the infinite dygnitie worthynes and nobylytie-of god canne not suffer the leaste sinne in hym that wold be knyt vnto hym and thou [Page] commenly fallest vnto some sin daily after thou haist parhaps byn knit vnto thi Lord god. Thou muste therefore ascende and come vp vnto thi lord god, vnto the godhed or dyuinitie of thy Lord Iesu by the moost precyous woundes of his blessid humanitie which he therfore sufferyd them, and arose agayne from death with them, and kepyth them styl in his blessid and holy bodye that we may clyme vp (as it were) by them vnto the blessyd godhed, therfore he sayth. There can none come vnto my father but only by me. I am the dore, who that commith in by me, they shal find pasture. Thou shalt therefore fyrst with most profunde mekenes fal down (yf place as I haue sayd wyl serue) or bowe very lowe downe at his most graciꝰ fete with y^e holy penitent Mary magdalene and there thou must do two thynges as she dyd. Fyrst y^u must with teares outward, or inward (as grace wyl serue) for thy sinnes swetly, & louyngly wet his fete, lamenting (of very loue) thy fawtes and synnes, com­mytting thē with most harty confidence in his mercy, and drowning them (as it were) in the most precious wounds of his blessid fete. Thou shalt offer thi self to his merci & al thy sinnes, fawtes and imperfeccyons great and smal, wherewith thou haist euer [Page] offendyd so louyng a father, specially sythe thou were last knyt vnto him For his most excellēt & noble maiesty can byde no meane nor let be it neuer so lytle, no not one vaine thought, or one litle morsel, eatē otherwise then it ought except the same be purgid and cleansed by penaunce. When thou hayste washed and weat the feate of thy sauyour Iesu after this sorte. The second thing that thou must do is thou muste wype the same blessyd feat with y^e lockes of thi head, that is to say. Thou must with mooste perfect wyl and purpose so forsake al syn, be they neuer so lytle y^t thou woldest rather suffer deathe then commit any sin. Then thou shalt with mooste ardent desyre wyshe and longe to optaine al vertues and to die perfectli vnto al vyce and imperfeccyons. And make this humble petycyon with harty deuocyon in thy affeccyon and mynde & not in voyce.

MOst dear sauyor Iesu the longyng" and desire of my soul, I humbly beseke the by the most blessid woūdes that thou sufferedst vpon the crosse for me, make me to sucke & drawe effecteously out of thy precious woūdes al kind of vertues. And make me to abhorre al sinne aboue al hateful thynges in this worlde, specyally pryde and vainglory, arrogācy mine owne [Page] wyl in obedience, irreuerencie towarde y^e and thy substitutes, al impacience, wrath, rancor, muche talke, detraction, and al vi­ces that commeth of them. And graunte me grace to drawe and sucke frome the precious woundes of thy most blessid fete, mooste profunde and lowe humylytie, perfecte pacience, obedience, and perfecte sylence, wyth all the kyndes that proce­dyth of these. And from thy blessyd head, crouned with thornes, graunt me grace to detest and forsake al pertynacie & stubbur­nes in my owne opinion and wysedome al abuse of my sences and disolucion, all the neglectyng of the holy feare of the, al flat­tery and feare of man, al indiscrection and my greate intēperaunce, my impure intencion, and sekyng of my selfe, and al other vyces belongyng here vnto.

¶Most mercyful sauiour Iesu I humbly beseke the for the most bitter payne, y^t thou sufferest in thy heade crowned wyth thor­nes, prynte into my head, and adorne it w^t thy godly wysedome so much as maye be moost to thy honour and my saluacyon.

That I may vnderstand thy infinite goodnes, & my vnmesurable vyle wretchednes.

¶Graunte me also thy holye and filyall feare, and hate of sin, be it neuer so small.

[Page]¶Graunte me cleare and perfect discreci­on, that I may se al the grinnes of sathan, and seking of my self, my errors & excesses. ¶Graunte me the holy simplicitie of thy lytle ones that I may purely take al thyn­ges to the best, and obey the and all men in the and for the, and wyth al symplycytie do, what euer be commaundyd me except sin, wythout gruging, resysting, or seking why or wherfore. And for thy most louing and swete harte, launced with a knyghtes speare for my loue and saluacion, graunte me grace to deteste and abhor al the pryua­te and inordynate loue of my selfe and of any creature, the abuse, the yrreuerence and neglygence of thy blessid sacramentes and gyftes, all mystruste, infydelytie and er­rors, al feare inordynate, wekenes of spy­ryte, and disperacion, my greate negligēce and vnstedfastnes in those thinges that be­longeth to my estate and callyng, and all other vyces that belongyth to any of these, and al kyndes and cyrcumstances that cō ­myth of any of these. Besekyng the (moost louynge lorde Iesu) of thy moost ardente & burninge charytie and loue of thy deuyne harte, and for that precyous wound and al the heuynes whiche thou sufferest therein, for my sake and loue and saluacion, graue [Page] and prynte into my hart thy woūdid hart, and fulfyl my harte with the most perfecte loue of the and charytie, whiche may sleye and mortifie in me, al pryuate and inordynate loue vnto my self and to al creatures, and make me to loue the only, wyth al my harte, al my soule, with al my mynde, and al my strenght, and to loue al men in the & for the as my selfe.

¶Grant me perfecte cōstance catholyque fayth to auoyde al errors.

¶Graunt me perfect hope and trust in the that I may in al trouble gostly and bodely, auoyde al desparacion, and euermore me­kely trust in thy mercyful helpe, protectiō and comforte.

¶Graunte me stabylitie & perseueraunce, that I may procede and encrease dayly frō vertue to vertue, and grow in al perfectiō.

¶Moost mercyful sauyour Iesu for the incōprehencible loue and sorow of thy woū ­ded and blessid right hand, graunt me gra­ce, to detest & abhorre al vnryghteousenes & wronge, & al bytter melacolynes of hart, al displeasure and enuy, al falsed, vntruthe and ypocrisie, al vnkyndnes and vnthankfulnes towardes the and thyne, besekynge the moost mercyful lord Iesu, for the most bytter payne and grefe of thy wounde in [Page] thy ryght hande to graunt me perfecte iu­stice and ryghtwysenes, that I may geue vnto the my lorde al honor and glory, thā ­kes, prayse, and obedyence in al my cogitacyons, wordes and dedes. And to gyue to my superiors, my eguals and inferyors, & vnto my bodye and soul al thynge that be­long vnto them, doing and performyng al thynges truly, that is my duety vnto them accordyng vnto my state and callyng.

¶Graunte me grace also to folow thy blessyd example in al mercy, pytie, compassiō, and boūtyfulnes both to my frendes and foes. Graunt me to folowe thy holy truth and godly zeale agaynst al vyce and sinne, both of myne owne and of other men, for thy honoures sake and theire soules helth. ¶Graunte me also the grace of thankefulnes that I may be thankeful and kynd al­waye vnto the my louyng lorde Iesu, for thy innumerable benefites and vnto eue­ry man, for there kyndnes and benefytes shewed vnto me.

¶Moost myghtyful maker and swete sauioure Iesu for the incomprehensyble loue and payne of the blessid wound in thy lefte hande I humbly beseke the graunt me vt­terly to deteste and abhor cowardnes, sluggysnes and slouth, al ydelnes and losse of [Page] tyme al vnclēnes of bodye and soule, al in­temperaunce and excesse in meate & dryn­ke and al other necessaryes, al gredynes & couetise, and al vyces and sinnes that commyth of any of these: humbly beseking the my lorde Iesu for the intollerable payne & sorow that thou sufferedst in the wound of thy lefte hande, powre into my sinful soule so muche fortytude, as is necessarie for me to thy honoure and my souls helth. Wher­by I may rule and gouerne my wyl & the powers and sences of my bodye and soule, so that nether fearyng the deuyl, the world nor men, nether yet mine owne wil or flesh life nor death I may māfully passe thorow and contemne al thinges for thy loue.

¶Graunt me grace to folow thy amyable chastytie of bodye and purytie of harte, y^t I may vehemently detest al vnclēnes, and that I may contynually kepe al my cogy­tacions and my senses from all sinne and occacyons thereof, and from al inpuritie & cleuynge vnto any creature.

¶Graunt me the grace to folowe also thy moost holy sobryetie, whereby I maye re­frayne and mortyfie al my sensies and po­wers of my body, from al inordinate delectacion, pleasure and superfluitie, and that I maye vse bare necessaries wyth y^e grace [Page] of the, wythout any lust or pleasure inordynate in them.

¶Graunte me grace also to folowe thy moost blessed voluntarye pouertye, which ledyth a man maruelous spedely vnto god whereby I maye, by thy grace be made & remayne so bare, so poore in spirite & so lose from al loue and delyght in any creature, & frō cleuyng to thy gostly giftes inwardly, and from al affection of temporal thinges outwardly, that I may vse and take my very necessaries, wyth lothesomenes & paine & y^t I may neuer desire to possesse any thing but that I bare and nakyd from al creatu­res, may fyxe my delyght, ioye and ful rest betwene thy blessyd bare armes, being crucyfied thus wyth the, and so to render and make amendes wyth my verteus lyfe, in some parte, that whyche wyth my former synful lyfe I toke from the, sekyng purely thy only glory and honoure here in nowe and euer. Amen.

AFter thou haiste made this deuoute petycion in thi harte, then must thou fully hope and trust that thy louynge Lord Iesu hathe in the vnmesurable sea of his infynitie merites consumed al thes thy fawtes and vtterly forgeuen them the.

Then al thy sinnes are lefte (as it were) [Page] beneth, thou must ascende vp vnto his blessed handes whiche are alway stretchyd out vnto his deare fryndes in token of singu­lare frindship thou shalt then in this place approche, in thy hart and desyre, vnto god askyng of hym and desyryng that y^u maiste be knyt vnto hym and made one with him in true loue and charytie. And firste thou mast put out of thy hart al carefulnes, al thy dystraccyon, casting and committing them in to the handes and pleasure of almyghty god, by whom there can nothing be lost nor peryshe. Then thou must set thy ful mind and behold thy Lord god, that is veryly present with the ther, which louith the most hartely, which also tarith for the: yea he knockyth and callyth the louingly. And so muste y^u knyt thi mind so earnestly vpon god that thou maist be as it were in­closed within thy lord god & thy selfe with in him, gatheryng and recolectinge al the powers of thy soule and bodyly sensies in y^e blessed woūdes of his most holy handes. And whyle thou art thus recollectyd thou shalt make these thre prayers in thy hart & mynd vnto god the thre persons in trinite.