Of the Imitation or folovving of Christe, and of the despising of all vanities of the vvorlde. The firste Chapter.

HE that foloweth me (say­eth Christe our Sauiour) walketh not in darknes, but he shall haue the light of life These be the words of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whereby we be admonished and warned, that we shall folowe his teachinges, and his maner of lyuing, if wee will truely be illumined, & be deliuered from all blind­nes of hearte. Let all the study of our heart be therfore from hēceforth, to haue our meditation wholly fixed in the lyfe, & in the holy teachinges of Iesus Christe: for his teach inges are of more vertue, & of more ghostlye strength, then are the teachinges of all Angels and Saintes. And he that thorough grace might haue the inner eye of his soule opened into the soothfast beholdinge of the Gospels of Christe, should finde in thē Manna, that is to say, spirituall foode of the soule: but [Page] it is often times seene, that some persons which ofte heare the Gospelles of Christ, haue litle sweetenes therein, and that is, for that they haue not the spirite of Christe. VVherefore, if we will haue the true vnderstanding of Christes Gospels, we must study to conforme our life to his life as nigh as we can. VVhat auaileth it a man to reason high secrete misteries of the Trinitie, if he lack meekenes, wherby he displeaseth the Trinitie? Truely no­thinge. For high curious reasons make not a man holie nor rightwise, but a good lyfe maketh hym beloued with God. I had rather feele compunction of hearte for my sinnes, then onely to knowe the diffinitiō of compunctiō. If thou couldest all the Bible without the booke, and also the sayinges of all Philosophers by hart, what should it profite thee without gra­ce and charitie? All that is in this worlde is vanitie, but to loue God, and onely to serue him. This is the most noble and the moste excellent wisdome that may be in any creature, by despisinge of this world to drawe daylie neerer and neerer to the kingedome of heauen. It is therefore a great vanitie to labour inordinatlie for worldly riches, which shortlye shall pe­rishe, and to couet honor, or any other inordinate pleasures or fleshlie delightes in this lyfe; wherby a man after this lyfe [Page 2] shall be sore and greeuouslye punished. Howe great a vanitie is it also to desire a longe life, and litle to care for a good life: to heede thinges present, and not to prouide for thinges that are to come: to loue thinges that shortlie shall passe away, and not to haste thither where is ioy euerlastinge. Also haue this common prouerbe ofte in thy minde, That the eye is not satisfied nor fullye pleased with the sight of any bodilye thinge, ne the eare with hearing: and therfore studye to withdrawe the loue of thy soule from all thinges that be visible, and turne it to thinges that be inuisible. For they that folowe their sensualitie, hurt their owne conscience, and leese the grace of God.

Against vayne seculer cunning, and of a meeke knovvinge of our selfe. The 2. Chapter.

EVery man naturallye desi­reth to knowe: but what auaileth knowledge without the dreade of God? A meeke husbād man that serueth god; is muche more acceptable to him, thē is a curious Philosopher, which consideringe the course of heauen, wil­fully forgetteth him selfe: He that wel [Page] knoweth him selfe, is vile and abiect in his owne sight, and hath no delight in the vaine praisinges of man. If I knewe all thinges that be in this world without charitie, what should it auaile me before God, that iudgeth euery man after his deedes? Let vs therfore cease from the desire of suche vaine knowledge: for oftē times is founde therin great distruction and deceipt of the enemy, wherby the soule is muche hindred and let from the perfect and true loue of God. They that haue great cunninge, desire commonly to be seene, and to be holden wyse in the worlde, and there be many thinges, that the knowledge of them bringe but litle profite and fruit to the soule, and he is verye vnwyse that taketh heede to any other thinge, then to that which shall profite hym to the health of his soule. VVordes feede not the soule, but a good life refresheth the minde, and a cleane conscience bringeth a man to a firme and stable trust in God. The more cunninge thou haste, if thou liue not thereafter, the more greeuouslie shalte thou therefore be iudged, for the misusinge thereof. There­fore raise not thy selfe into pride, for any crafte or cunninge that is geuen vnto thee, but haue therefore the more feare and dreade in thy heart: for certayne it is, that thou must hereafter yeelde there­fore [Page 3] the strayter accompt. If thou thinke that thou knowest many thinges, and hast great cunninge, yet knowe it for cer­taine, that there be many mo things that thou knowest not: and so thou mayest not rightwisely thinke thy selfe cunning, but oughtest rather to cōfesse thine igno­raunce and vncunninge. VVhy wilt thou preferre thy felfe in cūning before other, sith there be many other more excellent and more cunning then thou, and better learned in the law? If thou wilt any thinge learne and knowe, profitably to the health of thy soule, learne to be vn­knowen, and be glad to be holden vile & nought, & vncunninge as thou art. The most high and the moste profitable cun­ninge is this, a man to haue a soothfast knowledge, and a full despisinge of him selfe. Also a man not to presume of him­selfe, but alwaye to iudge and thinke wel and blessedly of other, is a signe & a token of great wisdome, and of great perfectiō and singuler grace. If thou see any persō sinne, or commit any great crime openly before thee, yet iudge not thy selfe to be better then he, for thou knowest not how longe thou shalt perseuer in goodnes. VVe be all frayle: but thou shalt iudge no man more frayle then thy selfe.

Of the teaching of truth. The .3. Chapter.

HAppye and blessed is that per­son whom truth teacheth and enformeth, not by figures, or by deceitful voyces, but as the truth is: our opinion and our wit many times deceiueth vs, for we see not the truth. What auayleth vs the knowledge of suche thinges as shal neyther helpe vs at the daye of iudge­ment if we knowe them, nor hurt vs if we know them not. It is therfore great folly to be negligent in suche things as be profitable and necessary to vs, and to labour for such thinges that be but cu­rious and damnable. Truely if we doo so, we haue eyes but we see not. And what auayleth vs the knowledge of the kinde and working of creatures? truely nothing. He to whom the euerlasting worde (that is Iesus) speaketh [...]is dis­charged of many vayne opinions, and of that worde al thinges proceede, and all thinges openlye shewe and crye, that he is God. No man without him vn­derstādeth the truth, ne rightfully iud­geth, but he to whom al thinges is one, and he that all thinges draweth into one, aud all thinges setteth in one, [Page 4] and desireth nothinge but one, may quickly be established in heart, and be fully pacifyed in God. O truth that God art, make me one with thee in per­fect charitie, for all that I reade, heare, or see without thee, is greeuous to me, for in thee is all that I wil or maye de­sire. Let all Doctours be stil in thy pre­sence, and let all creatures keepe them in silence, and thou only Lord speake to my soule. The more that man is ioyned to thee, and the more that he is gathered together in thee, the more he vnderstan­deth without labour high secrete miste­ries: for he hath receyued from aboue the light of vnderstanding. A cleane, pure, and a stable hart is not broken ne lightly ouercome with ghostely labours, for he doeth al thing to the honour of God: and for that he is cleerely mor­tifyed to him self, therfore he coueteth to be free from folowing his owne wil. VVhat hindereth thee more then thy affections not fully mortifyed to the wl of the spirite? truelye nothing more. A good deuout man so ordereth his out­warde busines, that it draweth not him to the loue of it, but that he compell it to be obedient to the wil of the spirite, & to the right iudgemēt of reason. VVho hath a stronger battayle then he that laboureth for to ouercome him selfe? and [Page] that shoulde be our dayly labour & our dayly desire to ouercome our selfe, that we may be made stronger in spirite, and increase daily frō better to better. Euery perfectiō in this life hath some imperfec­tion annexed vnto it, and there is no knowledge in this worlde but that it is mixt with some blindens of ignorance. And therfore a meeke knowing of our selfe is a more surer way to God; then is the searching for highnes of cunning. Cunning wel ordred is not to be bla­med, for it is good and cōmeth of God: but a clean conscience and a vertuous life is muche better, & more to be desired. Because some men studye to haue cun­ning rather then to liue well, therfore they erre many times, and bring forth litle good fruite or none. O if they woulde be as busye to auoyde sinne, and to plante vertues in their soules as they be to moue questions, there shoulde not be so many euill thinges seene in the worlde, ne so much euil example ge­uen to the people, ne yet so much disso­lute liuing in religiō. At the daye of iud­gement it shall not be asked of vs, what we haue read, but what we haue done, nor howe well we haue sayde, but howe religiously we haue liued. Tell me nowe, where be all the great clerkes and fa­mous doctors, whom thou haste wel-knowen? [Page 5] when they liued, they flourish­ed greatly in their learning, and now other men occupy their prebendes & pro­motiōs, and I can not tell whether they think any thing on thē: in their life they were holden great in the world, & nowe is litle speaking of thē. O howe shortly passeth away the glorye of this world, with al the false deceauable plesures of it? would to God their life had accorded well with their learning, for then had they well studied and read. How many perishe dayly in this worlde by vayne cunning, that care litle for a good life, ne for the seruice of God. And because they desire rather to be great in the worlde then to be meeke, therfore they vanishe awaye in their learninges as smoke in the ayre. Truely he is great that hath great charitie: and he is great that is litle in his owne sight, and that setteth at nought all worldly honour. And he is very wise, that accompteth all worldly pleasures as vile dounge, so that he maye winne Christe. And that person is very wel taught, that forsaketh his owne will, and foloweth the will of God.

That light credence is not to be geuen to vvordes. The .4. Chapter.

IT is not good lightly to be­leeue euery worde or instinct that commeth, but the thing is aduisedly and leasurely to be cōsidered & pondered, that almightie God be not offended through our lightnes. But alas for sorowe, we be so fraile, that we anone beleeue of other euil, soner then good. But ne­uertheles, perfect men be not so light of credence, for they know well, that the frayllie of man is more prone to euil thē to good, and that it is in wordes very vnstable. It is therefore great wisdome, not to be hastie in our deeds, ne to trust much in our own wits, nor lightly to beleeue euery tale, nor to shewe anone to other al that we heare or beleeue. Take alway counsel of a wise man, and couet rather to be instructed and ordred by other, then to folowe thine owne in­uention. A good life maketh a man wise to God, and instructeth him in many things, that a sinful man shal neuer feele ne knowe. The more meeke that a man is in him selfe, & the more obedient that he is to God, the more wise & the more peaceful shall he be in euery thing that he shal haue to do.

Of the readinge of holy Scripture. The .5. Chapter.

CHaritie is to be sought in holye Scripture, and not eloquence, and it should be read with the same spirite that it was firste made. VVe ought also to seeke in holy Scriture, ghostlye profite rather then curiositie of stile, and as gladly shall we reade simple and deuoute bookes, as bookes of high learninge and cunninge. Let not the authoritie of thine authour mislike thee, whether he were of greate cunning or litle: but that the loue of the verye pure truth styrr thee to reade. Aske not who sayde this, but take heede what is sayde. Men passe lightlye awaye, but the truth of God euer abideth. Almigh­tie God speaketh to vs in his Scripture in diuers maners, without acceptinge of persons: but our curiositie ofte letteth vs in reading of Scripture, when we will reason and argue thinges that we should meekely and simply passe ouer. If thou wilt profite by readinge of Scripture, reade meekely, simply, and faithfullye, & neuer desire to haue thereby the name of cunning. Aske gladlye, and heare meeke­ly the sayinges of Saintes, & mislike not the parables of ancient fathers, for they were not spoken without great cause.

Of inordinate affections. The 6. Chapter.

VVhen a man desireth any thinge inordinatelye, forth­with he is vnquiet in him selfe. The proude man, & the couetous man neuer haue rest: but thee meeke man, and the poore in spirite liueth in greate aboundance of rest & peace. A man that is not yet morti­fied to himselfe, is lightly tempted and ouercome in lietl and small temptations. And he that is weake in spirite, and is yet some what carnall, and inclined to sensible thinges, maye hardly withdrawe himselfe from worldly desires: And ther­fore he hath oft greate griefe & heauines in heart, when he withdraweth him from them, and he disdayneth anone, if any man resist him, and if he obteyne that he desireth, yet is he vnquieted with grudge of conscience, for he hath folowed his passion which nothinge helpeth to the getting of that peace be desired. Then by resisting of passions is gotten the very true peace of heart, and not by folowing of them. There is therfore no peace in the heart of a earnall man, nor in the hearte of a man that geueth him selfe all to out­ward thinges: but in the heart of a ghostli [Page 7] man or woman which haue their delite in God, is founde great peace and inwarde quietnes.

That vayne hope and elation of mynde are to be fled and auoyded. The .7. Chapter.

HE is vayne that putteth his trust in man, or in any creatu­re. Be not ashamed to serue other for the loue of Iesu Christe, and to be poore in this worlde for his sake: trust not thy selfe, but all thy trust set in God: doo that in the is to please him, & he shall well helpe forth thy good will. Trust not in thine owne cunning, neither in the cunning or polli­cie of any creature liuinge, but rather in the grace of God, which helpeth meeke persons, and those that presume of them selues, he suffereth to fall till they be meeke. Glorify not thy selfe in thy riches, nor in thy worldlie freends, for that they be mightie, but let all thy glorie be in god onelie that geueth all thinges, and that desireth to geue himselfe aboue all thin­ges. Exalt not thy selfe for the largenes or fayrenes of bodie, for with a litle sicke­nes it may be soone defouled. Ioy not in thy selfe for thy habilitie or readines of [Page] wit, least thou displease God, of whose gifte it is all that thou haste. Holde not thy selfe better then other, least happlye thou be thereby impaired in the sight of God, who knoweth all that is in man. Be not proude of thy good deedes, for the iudgementes of God be other then the iudgementes of man, to whom it dis­pleaseth ofte times, that pleaseth man. If thou haue any goodnes or vertue in thee, beleeue yet that there is much more goodnes & vertue in other, so that thou maiest alwaye keepe thee in meeknes. It hurteth not though thou holde thy selfe worse then any other, though it be not so in deede, but it hurteth much if thou pre­ferre thy selfe aboue any other, be he ne­uer so great a sinner. Great peace is with the meeke mā, but in the heart of a proud man is alwaye enuye and indignation.

That muche familiaritie is to be auoyded. The .8. Chapter.

OPen not thy heart to euery person, but to him that is wise, secrete, and dreadinge God. Be seldome with yonge folkes and straūgers: Harter not riche men, and afore great men do not lightly appeare. Accompanie thy selfe [Page 8] with meeke persons and simple in heart, who be deuoute & of good gouernaunce, and treate with them of things that may edify and strength the soule. Be not fami­lier to any woman, but all good women commend to God. Couete to be familier onelie with God and with his Angels: but the familiaritie of man, as much as thou mayest, looke thou eschewe. Charitie is to be had to all: but familiaritie is not expedient. Sometime it happeneth, that a person vnknowen thorough his good fame is much commendable, whose pre­sence after liketh vs not so muche. VVe weene sometyme with our presence to please other, when we rather displease them, through the euill maners and euil conditions that they see and will consi­der in vs.

Of meeke subiection and obedience, and that vve shall gladly folovve the counsayle of others. The 9. Chapter.

IT is a great thing to be obe­dient, to lyue vnder a pre­late, and in nothing to seeke our owne libertie. It is much more surer waye, to stande in the state of obedience, then in the state of [Page] prelacie. Many be vnder obedience more of necessitie then of charitie, and they haue great paine, and lightlye murmure and grudge: and they shall neuer haue li­bertie and freedome of spirite, till they whollye submit them selues vnto their superiour. Go here and there where thou wilt, and thou shall neuer finde perfect rest, but in meeke obedience vnder the gouernance of thy prelate. The imagi­ning and chaunging of place hath decea­ued many a religious person: Truth it is, that euery man is disposed to doe after his owne will, and best can agree with them that folowe his wayes. But if we will that God be amonge vs, we must sometime leue our owne will, though it seeme good, that we may haue loue and peace with other. VVho is so wise that he can fully knowe all thinges? truely none. Therefore trust not to muche to thyne owne witt, but heare gladlye the coun­sayle of other. And if percase the thinge which thou wouldest haue done be good and profitable, and yet neuerthlesse thou leauest thine owne will therein, and fo­lowest other, thou shalt finde much pro­fite therby. I haue often times heare say, that it is the more surer waye to heare and take counsell, then it is to geue it. It is good to heare euerie mans counsel, but not to agree, when reason requireth, it is [Page 9] a signe of a great singularitie of minde, and of much inward pride.

That vve shoulde auoyde superfluitie of vvor­des, and the company of vvorldly liuinge people. The .10. Chapter.

FLee the company of wordly liuinge people as much as thou maiest: for the trea­tinge of wordlie matters letteth greatlie the feruour of spirite: though it be done with a good intent, we be anone deceiued with vanitie of the world, and in maner are made as thral vnto it, if we take not good heede. I would I had helde my peace many times when I haue spoken, and that I had not beene so much amōge worldly company as I haue beene. But why are we so glad to speake and com­men together, sith we so seldome depart without some hurt of conscience? This is the cause, By our comminge together we thinke to comforte eche other, and to re­freshe our hearts when we be troubled with vaine imaginations, and we speake moste gladly of such thinges as we moste loue, or els of thinges that be moste con­tracious vnto vs. But alas for sorowe▪ [Page] all is vaine that we doo: for this out­ward comfort is no litle hinderance of the true inward comfort that commeth of God. Therfore it is necessarie, that we watche and pray, that the time passe not away from vs in ydlenes. If it be lawfull and expedient to speake, speake then of God, and of suche thinges as are to the edifyinge of thy soule, or of thy neigh­bours. An euill vse, and a uegligence of our ghostly profite, maketh vs oftē times to take litle heede how we should speake. Neuerthlesse, sometime it helpeth right much to the health of the soule, a deuout commoning of spirituall thinges, special­ly when men of one minde and spirite in God, doo meete, and speake and common together.

The meanes to get peace, and of desire to profite in vertues. The 11. Chapter.

VVe might haue much pea­ce, if we would not meddle with other mens sayinges and doeinges that belong not vnto vs. How may he longe liue in peace, that willfully will medle with other mens bu­sines, and that seeketh occasions abroade [Page 10] in the worlde, and seldome or neuer ga­thereth him selfe together in God. Bles­sed be the true, simple and meeke per­sons, for they shal haue great plentie of peace. VVhy haue many saintes bene so perfectly contemplatiue, for they alway studied to mortifie thē selues fro worl­dly desires, that they might freely with al the power of their hart tend to our lord. But we be occupied with our pas­sions, and be muche busied with tran­sitory thinges, & it is very seldome that we may fully ouercome any one vice: And we be nothing quicke to our due­ties, wherfore we remayne colde & slowe to deuotion. If we were perfectly mor­tifyed to the world and to the fleshe, and were inwardly purifyed in soule, we shoulde anone sauour heauēly thinges, and somewhat shoulde we haue expe­rience of heauenly contemplation. The greatest hinderance of the heauenly cō ­templation is, for we are not yet cleerly deliuered from al passions and concu­piscence, ne we enforce not our self to folowe the way that holy Saints haue gone before vs: but when any litle ad­uersitie commeth to vs, we be anone cast downe therin, and turne vs ouer soone to seeke mans cōfort. But if we woulde, as strong men, and as mightie champiōs fight strongly in this ghostlye battayle, [Page] we shoulde vndoubtedlye see the helpe of God come in our neede: for he is al­way redy to helpe al them that trust in him, and he procureth occasions of suche battayle, to thende we should ouercome and haue the victorye, and in the ende to haue the greater reward therfore. If we set the ende and perfection of our re­ligion in these outward obseruaunces, our deuotiō shal soone be ended. VVher­fore we must set our axe depe to the roote of the tree, that we (purged frō al passiōs,) may haue a quiet minde. If we wold euery yeare ouercome one vice, we should anone come to perfection: But I feare rather, that contrariwise we were better and more pure in the beginning of our conuersiō, then we be many yeres after we were cōuerted. Our feruor and desire to vertue should dayly increase in vs, as we increase in age: But it is now thought a great thing, if we may holde a litle sparcle of the feruor that we had fyrst: but if we would at the beginning break the euil inclination that we haue to our selfe and to our owne wil, we should after doo vertuous workes easily, and with great gladnes of heart. It is an harde thing to leaue euil customes, but it is more hard to breake our owne wil, but it is most harde, euermore to lye in payne, and endiessye to lose the ioyes [Page 11] of heauen If thou ouercome not small thinges and light, howe shalt thou then ouercome the greater? Refist therefore quickelie in the beginninge thy euill in­clinations, and leaue of whollie all thine euill customes, least happlie by litle and litle they bringe the after to greater dif­ficultie. O if thou wouldest consider how great inwarde peace thou shouldest haue thy selfe, and how great gladnes thou shouldest cause in other, in behauinge of thy selfe well, I suppose verilye thou wouldest be much more diligent to pro­fite in vertue, then thou haste bene be­fore this time.

Of the profite of aduersitie. The .12. Chapter.

IT is good, that we haue some­time griefes and aduersities: for they driue a man to beholde him selfe, and to see, that he is here but as in an exile, and be learned therby to know, that he ought not to put his trust in any worldly thing. It is good also, that we suffer sometime contradiction, and that we be holden of other as euill and wretched, and sinfull, though we doo well and intend well: far such thinges helpe vs to meekenes, [Page] and mightilye defende vs from vayne glorie & pride. VVe take God the better to be our iudge and witnes, when we be outwardlie despised in the worlde, and that the worlde iudgeth not well of vs. Therefore a man ought to settle him selfe so fullie in God, that what aduersitie so euer befall vnto him, he shall not nede to seke any outward cōfort. VVhen a good mā is troubled or tēpted, or is inquieted with euill thoughtes, then he vnderstā ­deth & knoweth that God is most neces­sarie to him, & that he may nothinge doo that is good without him, Then he soro­weth, waileth & prayeth for the miseries that he rightfully suffereth: Thē it yrketh him also the wretchednes of this life, & he coueteth to be dissolued frō this bodie of death, & to be with Christ. And thē also he seeth well, that there may be no ful peace nor perfect quietnes here in this world.

Of temptations to be resisted. The 13. Chapter.

AS longe as we liue ī this world we may not be fully without temptation. For as Iob sayth, temptation is the life of man vpon earth, therefore euery man should beware well against his tēp­tations, [Page 12] and watche in prayers that the ghostly enemy finde not time & place to deceiue him, which neuer sleepeth, but alwaye goeth about, seekinge whom he may deuoure. There is no man so perfect nor so holye in this worlde, that he some­time hath not temptations. And we may not fully be without thē: for though they be for the time verye greeuous and pain­full, yet if they be resisted, they be verye profitable: for a man by experiēce of such temptations is made more meeke, and is also purged & informed in diuers maner, which he should neuer haue knowen, but by experience of suche temptations. All blessed Sainctes that nowe be crowned in heauē, grewe and profited by tempta­tions and tribulations, and those that coulde not well beare temptations, but were finallye ouercome, be taken perpe­tuall prisoners in hell. There is no order so holy, ne no place so secrete, that is fully without temptatiō, and there is no man that is fully free from it here in this life: for in our corrupt body we beare the mat­ter whereby we be tempted, that is, our inordinate concupiscence, wherein we were borne. As one temptation goeth, another commeth, and so we shall alway haue somewhat to suffer: and the cause is, for we haue lost our innocencie. Many folke seeke to flee temptation, and they [Page] fall the more greeuouslie into it: For by onely fleeing we may not haue victory, but by meekenes & patience we be made stronger then al our enemies. He that only flieth the outward occasiòns, and cutteth not away the inordinate desires hid inwardly in the heart, shal litle pro­fite, and temptations shal lightly come to him againe, and greeue him more then they did fyrste, by litle and litle with pa­tience and sufferaunce, & with the helpe of God, thou shal sooner ouercome tem­ptations then with thine owne strength and importunitie. In thy temptation it is good that thou ofte aske counsayle, & that thou be not rigorous to no person that is tempted: but be glad to comfort him, as thou wouldest be comforted. The beginning of all euil temptatiōs is incō ­stancie of mind, & to litle a trust in God. For as a ship without guide is driuen hither and thither with euery storme, so an vnstable man that anone leaueth his good purpose in God, is diuerslye tem­pted. The fyre proueth gold, and temp­tation proueth the righteous man. VVe know not many times what we can suffer, but temptation sheweth plainely what we are, and what vertue is in vs. It is necessary in the beginning of euery temptation to be wel ware, for then the enemy is soone ouercome, if he be [Page 13] not suffered to enter into the heart, but that he be resisted and shut out assoone as he proffereth to enter: For as a bodily me­dicine is verie late ministred, when the sickenes hath bene suffred to increase by longe continuance: so is it of temptation. Firste commeth to the minde an vncleane thought, and after foloweth a stronge imagination, and then delectation and diuers euill motions, and in the ende fo­loweth a full assent, and so by litle & litle the enemy hath ful entrie, for he was not wisely resisted in the beginninge: and the more slowe that a man is in resisting, the more weake he is to resist, & the enemye is daylie the more stronger against him. Some persons haue their greatest temp­tations in the beginninge of their con­uersion, some in the ende, and some in maner all their lyfe tyme be troubled therewith, and there be many that be but lightlie tempted, and all this commeth of the great wisedome and righteousnes of God, which knoweth the state & merite of euery person, & ordeineth all thinges for the best, and to the euerlastinge health and saluation of his elect & chosen peo­ple. Therefore we shal not dispayre when we be tempted, but shall the more feruēt­lye praye vnto God, that he of his infi­nite goodnes and fatherlie pitie vouche­fase to helpe vs in euery ende, and that he, (according to the sayinge of S Pauie) [Page] so preuent vs with his grace in euerye temptation, that we may be able to su­stayne. Let vs then meeken our soules vnder the stronge hand of allmyghtie God, for he will saue all them, and exalt all them that be here meeke and lowly in spirite. In temptations and tribula­tiōs a man is proued howe much he hath profited, and his merite is thereby the greater before God, and his vertues are the more openlie shewed. It is no great meruaile if a man be feruent and deuoute when he feeleth no griefe: but if he can suffer patientlie in time of temptation or other aduersitie, and therewithall can also stirre himselfe to feruour of spirite, it is a token, that he shall greatly profite hereafter in vertue and grace. Some per­sons be kept from many great tempta­tions, and yet daylie they be ouercome through litle and small occasions, and that is of the great goodnes and suffe­rance of God to keepe them in meeknes, that they shall not trust ne presume of them selues, that see them sel­ues so lightlye, and in so lytle thinges daylie ouercome.

That vve shall not iudge lightly other mens deedes, nor cleaue much to our ovvne vvill. The 14. Chapter.

HAue alwaye a good eye to thy selfe, and beware thou iudge not lightlye other men. In iud­ging other men a man ofte la­boureth in vaine, ofte erreth, and lightly offendeth God: but in iudging him selfe and his owne deedes, he alwayes labo­reth fruitfully, and to his ghostly profite. VVe iudge oftentimes after our owne hart and affections, & not after the truth: for we ofte lose the true iudgmēt through our priuate loue. But if God were alwaye the whole intent of our desire, we should not so lightly erre in our iudgementes, nor so lightly be troubled, for that we be resisted of our will. But commonly there is in vs some inward inclinatiō, or some outward affection, that draweth our heart with them from the true iudgemēt. Many persōs through a secrete loue that they haue to their selfe, worke vndiscrete­lye after their owne will, & not after the will of God, and yet they weene not so: and they seeme to stand in great inwarde peace when thinges folowe after their minde, but if it folowe otherwise then they would, anone they be moued with [Page] impatiente, and be right heauy and pen­sife. By diuersities of opinions be sprong many times dissentions betwene fren­des and neighboures, and also betweene religious and deuoute persons. An olde custome is hardly broken, & no man will lightly be remoued from his owne will: but yf thou cleaue more to thine owne will or to thine owne reason, then to the meeke obedience of Iesus Christe, it will be long or thou be a man illumined with grace. For almightie God will, that we be perfectlie subiect and obedient to him, & that we ascend and rise high aboue our owne will, and aboue our owne reason, by a greate brenning loue, and a whole desire to him.

Of vvorkes done in charitie. The 15. Chapter.

FOr nothing in the world, nor for the loue of any creature, is euill to be done, but sometime for the neede and comfort of our neighbour a good deede may be deferred, or be turned into ano­ther good deede, for thereby the good deede is not destroyed, but is chaunged into better. VVithout charitie the out­warde deede is litle to be praysed: but whatsoeuer is done of charitie, be it ne­uer [Page 15] so litle, or neuer so despisable in sight of the worlde, it is right profitable before God, who iudgeth all thing after the in­tent of the doer, & not after the greatnes or worthines of the deede. He doth much that much loueth God, & he doth much that doeth his deede well, and he doeth his deede well, that doth it rather for the comminaltie then for his owne will. A deede sometime seemeth to be done of charitie and of loue to God, when it is rather done of carnalitie, and of a fleshly loue, then of a charitable loue: for cōmon­lie some carnall inclinatiō to our frēdes, or some inordinate loue to our selfe, or some hope of a temperall reward, or a de­sire of some other profite, moueth vs to doe the deede, and not the pure loue of charitie. Charitie seeketh not him selfe in that he doth, but he desireth to doe onlie that, which shalbe honour and praysinge to God. He enuieth no man, for he loueth no priuate loue, neither wil he ioy in him selfe, but he couereth aboue all thinges to be blessed in God. He knoweth well, that no goodnes beginneth originallie of mā, and therefore he referreth all goodnes to God, of whom all thinges proceede, and in whom all blessed Saintes doe rest in euerlasting fruition. Oh, he that had but a lytle sparkle of this perfect charitie, should feele sooth fastlie in his soule, that all earthlie thinges be full of vanitie.

Of the suffering of other mens defaultes. The .16. Chapter.

SVche defaultes as we can not amende in our selues nor in other, we must pa­tientlye suffer, til our Lord of his goodnes wil other wise dispose. And we shall thinke, that happlye it is so best for to be for prouinge of our patience, without which our merites are but litle to be pō ­dred. Neuerthelesse, thou shalte pray hartilye for such impedimētes, that our Lorde of his great mercye and goodnes vouchsafe to helpe vs, that we may pa­tientlye beare them. If thou admonishe any person once or twise, and he will not take it, striue not ouermuche with him, but commit al to God, that his wil be done, and his honour in al his seruaun­tes, for he can wel by his goodnes turne euil into good. Study alway, that thou maiest be patient in suffering of other mens defaultes, for thou haste many thinges in thee, that other doe suffer of thee: and if thou canste not make thy selfe to be as thou wouldest, how mayest thou then looke to haue another to be ordered in al thinges after thy wil? VVe woulde gladlye haue other perfect, but wil not amēde our owne defaultes. VVe would that other should be straitly cor­rected [Page 16] for their offences, but we will not be corrected. It misliketh vs, that other haue libertie, but we will not be denyed of that we aske. VVe wolde also, that other should be restrained accor­ding to the statutes, but we in no wise wilbe restrayned. Thus it appeareth eui­dentlye, that we seldome ponder our neighbour, as we doe our selfe. If al men were perfect, what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God? Therfore God hath so ordeyned, that one of vs shal learne to beare anothers burden: for in this world no man is without de­fault, no man without burden, no man sufficiente to him selfe, nor no man wise ynough of him selfe. VVherefore it be­houeth eche one of vs to beare the bur­den of other, to comfort other, to helpe other, to enforme other, and to instruct and admonish other in all charitie: who is of most vertue, appeareth beste in time of aduersitie. Occasions make not a man frayle, but they shewe openly what he is.

VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person. The .17. Chapter.

IT be hooueth thee to breake thi­ne owne wil in many thinges, if thou wilte haue peace and con­corde with other. It is no litle [Page] thing to be in monasteries or in congre­gations, and to continue there without complayning or missaying, & faithfully to perseuer there vnto the ende: Blessed are they that there liue well, and make a good ende. If thou wilt stand surely in grace, and muche profite in vertue, holde thy selfe as an outlaw, and as a pilgrime here in this life, and be glad (for the loue of God) to be holden as a foole, and as a vile person in the worlde, as thou art. The habite and tonsure helpe litle, but the chaunging of life, and the mor­tifying of passiōs make a person perfect and true religious. He that seeketh any other thing in religion, then purely god, and the health of his soule, shal finde nothing there but trouble and sorowe, and he may not lōg stand there in peace and quietnes that laboreth not to be least and subiect to all. It is good ther­fore that thou remember ofte, that thou camste to religion to serue, and not to be serued, and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour, & not to be ydle, or to tel vayn tales. In religion a man shal be proued as gold in a fornace, and no man may stand long there in grace and vertue, but he wil with al his heart meeke him selfe for the loue of God.

Of the examples of holy fathers. The .18. Chapter.

BEholde the liuely examples of holy fathers and blessed Saintes, in whom flourished and shined all true perfection of life and perfecte religion. And thou shalt see howe litle it is, and welnigh as nothing, that we doe nowe in these dayes, in comparison of them: O what is our life, if it be to them cōpared? They serued our Lorde in hunger and thirste, in heate & in colde, in nakednes, in laboure and in werines, in vigiles and fastinges, in prayers, & in holy medita­tions, in persecutions, and in many re­proufes. O how manye, and howe gree­uous tribulations suffered the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessours, virgins, & other holy Saintes, that would folowe the steppes of Christe? They refused honours and all bodily pleasures here in this life, that they might alway haue the euerlas­ting life. O howe straite and abiecte a life led the holy fathers in wildernes? how greeuous temptatiōs suffred they, howe fiersly were they with their ghostly ene­mies assailed, and how feruent prayer offered they dailye to God? VVhat ri­gorous abstinence vsed they, howe great zeale and feruour had they to spirituall [Page] profite? how strong battayle helde they against all sinne, and howe pure & whole intent had they to God in all their dee­des? On the day they labored, & in the night they prayed. And though they la­bored on the day bodily, yet they prayed in minde, and so they spent their time alway fruitfullye, and thought euery houre shorte for the seruice of God: and for the great sweetenes that they had in heauenly contemplatiō, they forgot ofte times their bodily refection. All riches, honour, dignities, kinsemen and frendes they renounced for the Ioue of god. They coueted to haue nothing in the world, & scarsely they would take that was ne­cessary for the bodily kinde. They were poore in worldly goodes, but they were riche in grace & vertue. They were needy outwardly, but inwardly in their soules they were replenished with grace and ghostly eōfortes. To the world they were alienes and strangers, but to God they were right deere and familier frendes. In the sight of the world, and in their owne sight they weare vile & abiecte, but in the sight of God and his Saintes they were precious, & singulerlye electe. In the shi­ned all perfection of vertue, true meeke­nes, simple obedience, charitie & patiēce, with other like vertues & gracious giftes of God: VVherefore they profited dayly in spirit, & obteyned great grace of God. [Page 18] They be lefte as an exāple to al religious persons: and more ought their examples to stirre them to deuotiō, and to profite more and more in vertue and grace, then the great multitude of dissolute & ydle persons shoulde anye thing drawe them abacke. O what feruour was in reli­gious persons at the beginning of their religion? what deuotion in prayers? what zeale to vertue? what loue to ghos­tlye discipline? and what reuerence and meeke obedience fiourished in thē vnder the rule of their superiour? Truely their deedes yet beare witnes, that they were holy and perfect, & so, mightily subdued the world, and thruste it vnder foote. Nowe a dayes he is accōpted vertuous, that is no offender, and that may with patience keepe some litle sparcle of that vertue and feruor that he had firste. But alas for sorowe, it is through our owne slouth and negligence, and through lo­sing of time, that we be so soone fallen from our first feruour into such a ghos­tly weaknes and dulnes of spirite, that in maner it is to tedious to vs for to liue. But woulde to God, that the desire to profite in vertue slepte not so vtterly in thee, that so ofte haste seene the holy examples of blessed Saintes.

Of the exercises of a good religious person. The 19. Chapter.

THe lyfe of a good religious man should shine in all ver­tue, and be inward, as it ap­pereth outwarde, and that much more inwarde: for al­mightie God beholdeth the heart. VVhom we should alwaye honour and reuerence, as if we were euer in his bodilye presence, and appere afore him as Angels clene and pure, shining in all ver­tue: we ought euery daye to renewe our purpose in God, and to stirre our heart do feruor and deuotiō, as though it were the firste daye of our conuersion, & dayly we shall pray and say thus: Helpe me my Lorde Iesu, that I may perseuer in good purpose, and in thy holy seruice vnto my death, & that I may nowe this present daye perfectly beginne, for it is nothinge that I haue done in time past. After our purpose, and after our intent shalbe our reward: And though our intent be neuer so good, yet it is necessarie, that we put therto a good will, and a great diligence. For if he that often times purposeth to doe well and to profite in vertue, yet fayleth in his doing, what shall he doe then, who seldome or neuer taketh such purpose? Let vs intend to doe the best [Page 19] we can, and yet our good purpose may happē to be hindred and letted in diuers maners. And our speciall hinderaunce is this, that we so lihgtly leaue of our good exercises that we haue vsed to doe before time: for it is seldome seene, that a good purpose wilfully broken may be recoue­red agayne without great spirituall hin­derance. The purpose of righteous men dependeth in the grace of God more then in thēselues, or in their owne wisedome: for man purposeth, but God disposeth: ne the waye that man shall walke in this worlde, is not in himselfe, but in the grace of God. If a good custome be sometime left of for helpe of our neighbour, it may soone be recouered: but if it be left of through slouth, or through our owne negligence, it will greatlie hinder vs, and hardly will it be recouered agayne. Thus it appereth, that though we incorage our selues all that we can to doe well, yet it is good that we alwaye take such good purpose, especiallie against such thinges as hinder vs moste. VVe must also make diligent searche both within vs & with­out vs, that we leaue nothing inordinate vnterformed in vs, as nigh as our frailtie may suffer. And if thou can not for frayl­tie of thy selfe doe thus continual [...]ie, yet at the least, that thou doe it once on the day, euening or morning. In the morning thou shalt take a good purpose for that [Page] daye folowinge, and at night thou shalte discusse diligentlie, how thou hast beha­ued thee the daye before, in worde, in deede, and in thought: for in them we doe ofte offend God aud our neighbour. Arme thee as Christes true knyght with meeknes and charitie, against all the ma­lice of the enemie. Refraine glotonie, and thou shalt the more lightlie refrayne all carnall desires. Let not the ghostly enemy finde thee all ylde, but that thou be rea­dinge, writing, prayinge deuoutlie, thin­kinge, or some other good labour doinge, for the comminaltie. Bodily exercises are to be done discretelie: for that that is pro­fitable to one, is sometime hurtfull to another: and also spirituall labours done of denotion, are more sure, done in priui­tie, then in open place. And thou must beware, that thou be not more readie to priuate deuotiōs, then to them, that thou arte bounde to by duetie of thy religion. But whē thy duetie is fulfilled, thē adde thereto, after as thy deuotion gyueth. All may not vse one maner of exercise, but one in one maner, another in another maner, as they shall feele to be most pro­fitable to thē. Also, as the time requireth, so diuers exercises are to be vsed, for one maner of exercise is necessary on the holy daye, another on the feriall daye: one in time of temptation, another in time of Peace and cōsolation: one when we haue [Page 20] sweetenes in deuotion, another, when deuotion withdraweth. Also against prin­cipall feastes we ought to be more diligēt in good workes, and deuoutlie to call for helpe to the blessed Saintes, that then be worshipped in the Churche of God, then in other times, and to dispose our selues in like maner, as if we shoulde then be taken out of this world, and be brought into the euerlastinge feast in heauen. And fith that blisse is yet differred from vs for a time, we may well thinke, that we be not yet readye nor worthye to come therto. And therefore we ought to pre­pare our selues to be more readie another time. For as S. Luke saith, Blessed is that seruaunt, whom our Lorde, when he shall come at the hour of death, shall finde readie: for he shall take him, and lifte him vp high aboue all earthlie thinges, into the euerlastinge ioye and blisse in the kingdome of heauen. Amen.

Of the loue of onelines and silence. The .20. Chapter.

SEeke for a cōuenient time to searche thine owne cō ­science, and thinke ofte on the benefites of god. Leaue of all curious thinges, and reade such matters as shal stirre thee to compunctiō [Page] of heart for thy sinnes, rather then to reade onelie for occupyinge of the time. If thou wilt withdrawe thy selfe from superfluous wordes, and from vnprofi­table runninges about, and from the hearinge of rumours and vayne tales, thou shalt finde time eonuenient to be occupied in holy meditations. The moste holie men and women that euer were, fled the company of worldlie liuing men with all their power, & chose to serue god in secrete of their heart: And one holye mā sayde: As ofte as I haue beene amōge worldlie cōpanie, I haue departed with lesse feruour of spirite then I came: and that we know well when we talke long, for it is not so harde to keepe allwaye si­lence, as it is, not to exceede in wordes when we speake much. It is also more light to be alwaye solitarti at home, then to go forth into the world, and not offēd. Therefore he that intendeth to come to an inwarde setting of his heart in God, and to haue the grace of deuotion, must with our Sauiour Christe. withdrawe him from the people. No man maye sure­lie appeace amōge the people, but he that woulde gladlie be solitarie if he might: nor no man is sure in prelacie, but he that would gladlie be a subiect: no, none maye surelie commaunde, but he that hath learned gladlie to obey: and none ioyeth trulie, but he, whose heart witnes­seth, [Page 21] that he hath a cleane conscience: ne none speaketh surelie, but he that would gladlie keepe silence, if he might. And al­waye the suretie of good men and bles­sed men hath beene in meekenes & dreade of God. And though such blessed men shi­ned in all vertue, yet they were not ther­fore lifte vp into pride, but were therfore the more diligent in the seruice of God, and the more meeke in all their doeings. And on the contrarywise, the suretie of euill men riseth of pride, and of presump­tion, and in the ende it deceaueth them. Therefore thinke thy selfe neuer sure in this life, whether thou be religions or seculer: for ofte times they that haue beene holden in the sight of the people moste perfecte, haue beene suffered to fall more greeuouslye for their presump­tion. Also it is muche more profitable to many persons that they haue some­times temptations (least happlye they thinke them selues ouermuch safe, and be thereby lift vp into pride, or run to see­king of outward consolation) then that they be alwayes without temptations. O how pure a conscience should he haue, that would despise all transitorie ioye, & neuer would meddle with worldlie busi­nes. And what peace & inward quietnes should he haue, that would cut away frō him all busines of minde, and onelye to thinke on heauenlye thinges. No man is [Page] worthy to haue ghostlye cōfortes, vnlesse he haue fie [...] beene well exercised in holy cōpunctiō. And if thou wilt haue cōpun­ctiō, goe into a secret place, & put frō thee all the clamorous noyse of the worlde: for the prophete Dauid saith, Let the sorowe for thy sinnes be done in thy secrete chā ­ber: ī thy [...]elle thou shalt finde great grace which thou maiest lightlye lose without. Thy Celle wel cōtinued, shal waxe sweete & pleasaunt to thee, & shall be to thee he­reafter a right deere frende: & if it be but euill kept, it shall growe verie tedious & yrkesome to thee. But if in the beginning thou be ofte therein, and keepe it well in good prayers & holy meditations, it shall be after to thee a speciall frende, and one of thy moste speciall comfortes, in silence and quietnes of hearte. A deuout soule profiteth much, and learneth the hidde sentēces of Scripture, and findeth there also manye sweete teares in deuotion, wherewith euery night she washeth her mightilie from all filth of sinne, that she may be so much the more familiar with God, as she is disseuered from the cla­morous noyse of wordly busines. There­fore, they that for the loue of vertue withdrawe them from their acquaintāce, and frō their worldlie frendes, our Lord with his aungels shall drawe nigh to them, and shall abide with them. It is better, that a man be solitarie, and well [Page 22] take heede of him selfe, then that he doe miracles in the world forgettinge him­selfe. It is also a laudable thinge in a re­ligious person, seldome to goe forth, sel­dome to see other, & seldome to be seene of other. VVhy wilt thou see that, the which it is not lawefull for thee to haue: The worlde passeth awaye with all his concupiscence and deceuable pleasures. Thy sensuall appetite moueth thee to go abrode, but when the time is past, what bearest thou home againe, but remorse of conscience, and vnquietnes of hart? It is ofte seene, that after a mery goinge forth foloweth a heauy returninge, and that a glad euentide causeth a heauie morning: and so all fleshly ioy entreth pleasantlie, but in the ende it biteth & slayeth. VVhat maiest thou see without thy Celle, that thou maiest not see within? Lo, heauen & earth, and all the elementes, whereof all earthly thinges be made: and what maiest thou elsewhere see vnder the sunne that may long endure? And if thou might see all earthly thinges, and also haue all bo­dilie pleasures presēt at once before thee, what were it but a vaine sight? Lyfte vp thine eyes therfore to God in heauē, and praye hartily, that thou maiest haue for­geuenes of thine offences. Leaue vayne thinges to them that wilde vaine, & take thou heede onelye to those thinges that our Lorde commaundeth thee. Shet fast [Page] the doore of thy soule, that is to saye, thy ymagination, and keepe it warilye from beholding of any bodilie thing as muche as thou maiest: and then lift vp thy mind to thy Lorde Iesu, and open thy heart faithfullie to him, and abide with him in thy Celle, for thou shalt not finde so much peace without. If thou haddest not gone forth so muche as thou haste done, nor haddest geuen hearinge to vaine tales, thou shouldest haue beene in muche more inward peace thē thou art: but forasmuch as it delighteth thee to heare newe thin­ges, it behoueth thee therefore to suffer sometime both trouble of heart, and vn­quietnes of minde.

Of compunction of the heart. The .21. Chapter.

IF thou wilt any thinge pro­fite to the health of thy soule keepe thee alwaye in the dreade of God, and neuer desire to be fullie at libertie, but keepe thee alwaye vnder some wholsome discipline. Neuer geue thy selfe to vndiscrete mirth for no maner of thinge, as nigh as thou mayest. Haue perfect compunction, and sorowe for thy sinnes, and thou shalt finde therby great inwarde deuotiō. Compunction openeth to the syght of the soule manye good [Page 23] thinges, which lightnes of heart, & vaine mirth soone driueth awaye. It is mer­uaile, that any man can be merye in this life, if he consider well, howe farre he is exiled out of his coūtrey, and how great perill his soule daylie standeth in: but through lightnes of heart, and negligēce of our defaultes, we feele not, nor we will not feele the sorowe of our owne soule: but often times we laugh, when we ought rather to weepe and mourne: for there is no perfect libertie, nor true ioye, but in the dreade of God, and in a good conscience. That person is right happie, that hath grace to auoyde from him all thinges that letteth him from beholdinge of his owne sinnes, and that can turne him selfe to God by inward compunction: and he is happie also that auoideth from him all thinges that may offend or greeue his conscience. Fight stronglie therefore against all sinnes, and dreade not ouermuch, although thou he incumbred by an euill custome, for that euill custome may be ouercome, with a good custome. And excuse thee not, that thou art let by other men, for if thou wilt leaue the familiaritie with other, they will suffer thee to doe thy deedes with­out impediment. Meddle thee not with other mens goodes, neither busie thee in great mens causes: haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe, and diligentlie informe and ad­monishe [Page] thy selfe before all other. If thou haue not the fauour of worldlie liuinge people, sorowe not therfore: but let this be thy daylie sorowe, that thou behauest not thy selfe in thy conuersation, as it beseemeth a good religious person for to doe. It is more expedient, and more pro­fitable, that a man sometime lacke conso­lations in this life, the that he haue them alwayes after his owne will, namelye, fleshlie consolations. Neuerthlesse, that we haue not sometime heauenly consola­tions, or that we so seldome feele them as we doe, it is through our owne defaulte: for we seeke not to haue the true com­punction of harte, nor we caste not fullie awaye from vs the false outwarde conso­latiōs. Holde thy selfe therfore vnworthy to haue any consolation, and worthye to haue much tribulation. VVhen a man soroweth perfectlye for his sinnes, then all wordly cōfortes be painefull to him A good man findeth alway matter ynough, why he ought iustlie so sorowe & weepe: for if he beholde him selfe, or if he thinke on his neighbour, he seeeth well, that none liueth here without great miserie, & the more throughlie that he may consi­der him selfe, the more sorow he hath. And alwaye the matter of true sorowe, and of true inwarde copunction, is the remem­braunce of our sinnes, wherein we be so wrapped on euery side, that seldome we [Page 24] may beholde any ghostly thinges. But if we would more ofte thinke on our death, then we doe on long lyfe, no doubt but we should more feruentlie apply our selfe to amendment: and I beeleue also, that if we woulde hartily remember the pai­nes of hell, and of purgatorie, that we shoulde more gladlye sustayne all labors and sorowes, and that we shoulde not dreade anye paine in this world, wherby we myght auoyde the paynes that are to come. But forasmuch as these things goe not to the heart, and we yet loue the flat­tering and false pleasures of this worlde, therefore we remaine colde, and voide of deuotiō, and ofte it is through the wea­kenes of the spirite, that the wretched bodie so lightlie complaineth. Pray ther­fore meekelie to our Lorde, that he of his great goodnes geue thee the spirite of compunction, and saye with the prophete thus: Feede me (Lord) with the breade of compun­ction, and geue me to drinke water of tea­res in great abundance.

Of the consideringe of the miserie of man­kinde, and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth. The .22. Chapter.

AVVretch thou act, whosoeuer thou be, withersoeuer thou turne thee, but if thou turne thee to God. VVhy arte thou so lightlie troubled, for that it falleth not to thee as thou wouldest and desirest. VVhat is he that hath all thinge after his wil? neither thou nor I, nor any man liuinge: for none liue here without some trouble or anguishe, be he kyng. Or who thinkest thou, is in moste fauour with God? truelie he that suffreth gladlie moste for God. But many persons weake and feeble in spirite, saye thus in their heartes: Lo, howe good a life that man leadeth, howe riche he is, howe mightie he is, how high in authoritie, how great in sight of the people, and how faire and beautifull in his bodily kinde: but if thou take heede to the goodnes euerlastinge, thou shalt well see, that these worldlye goodes and worldly likinges are but litle worth, and that they be more rather gre­uous then pleasaunt, for they may not be had ne kept, but by great labour and busines of minde. The felicitie of man standeth not in abundance of worldlie [Page 25] goodes, for the meane is best. And verilie, to liue in this world is but miserie: and the more ghostlie that a man would be, the more painfull it is to him for to liue, for he feeleth more plainely the defaultes of mans corruption. For why, to eate, to drinke, to sleepe, to wake, to rest, to la­bour, and to serue all other necessities of the bodie, is great miserie, and great af­fliction to a deuout soule, which woulde gladly be free from the bondage of sinne, that it might without let serue our Lord in puritie of conscience, and in cleannes of heart. The inwarde man is greatlie greeued through the bodilie necessities in this world. VVherefore the prophete Dauid desired, that he might be deliue­red from such necessities. But woe be to them that knowe not their owne misery, & woe be to them that loue this wretched and this corruptible life: for some loue it so muche, that yf they might euer lyue here, though they myght poorelye get their liuinge with labour & begginge, yet they would neuer care for the kingdome of heauē. O madde and vnfaithfull crea­tures are they, that so deepelie set their loue in earthly things, that they haue no feeling nor taste but in fleshlie pleasures. Truelie in the hour of death they shall knowe, howe vile and howe naughtie it was, that they so much loued. But holle Saintes, and deuout folowers of Christ. [Page] they did not what pleased the fleshe, ne what was pleasaunt in the sight of the world, but all their whole intent and de­sire they helde to thinges inuisible, and feared, least by sight of thinges visible they might be drawen downe to the loue of them. My welbeloued brother, lose not the desire to profite in spirituall thinges, for thou hast yet good time and space. VVhy wilt thou any longer deferre the time? Arise, and now this same instant beginne, and saye thus, Nowe is time to laboure in good workes, nowe is time to fight in ghostlie battaile, and nowe is time to make amēdes for trespasse passed. VVhen thou art troubled, then is best time to merite and get rewardes of God. It behoueth thee to go through fire and water, before thou come to the place of recreation, and but if thou can fullie haue the mastry ouer thy selfe, thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne, nor liue without great tediousnes and sorow. VVe would glad­lie be deliuered frō all miserie and sinne: but because we haue through sinne lost our innocencie, we haue lost also the verie ioye and felicitie. VVherefore, we must holde vs in patience, and with good hope abide the mercie of God, till wret­chednes and miserie be ouerpassed, and that this bodilie lyfe be chaunged into the life euerlastinge. O how great is the frailtie of man, that he is euer readie and [Page 26] prone to sinne. This daye thou art con­fessed, and to morow thou fallest againe. Now thou purposest to beware, and in­tendest to go forth stronglie in good wor­kes, and shortlie after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken such purpose. Right­fullie theréfore we ought to meeke our selfe, and neuer to thinke in vs any ver­tue or goodnes, for that we be so fraile & vnstable: Soone may it be lost through negligence, that with much labour, and speciall grace was hardlie gotten. But what shall become of vs in the ende, whē we so soone waxe dull and slow? Sothlie sorowe and woe shall be to vs, if we fail to bodilie rest nowe, as though we were in ghostly sikernes, whē there appeareth not as yet, neither signe nor token of vertue nor of good liuing in our conuer­sation. VVherefore it were expedient to vs, that we were yet againe instructed (as Nouices) to learne good maners, it happly there might by that meanes be founde hereafter any trust of amendment and spirituall profite in our conuer­sation.

Of the remembraunce of death. The .23. Chapter.

THe hour of death wil shortly come, & therefore take heede how thou orderest thy selfe: for the common prouerbe is true, To daye a man, to mo­rowe none. And when thou arte out of sight, thou arte anone out of minde, and soone shalt thou be forgottē. O the great dulnes and hardnes of mans heart, that only thinketh on thinges pre­sent, & litle prouideth for the life to come. If thou diddest well, thou shouldest so behaue thy selfe in euery deede, and in euery thought, as thou shouldest in this instant dye. If thou haddest a good con­science, thou shouldest not muche feare death. It were better for thee to leaue sinne, then feare death. O my deere bro­ther, if thou be not readie this daye, how shalt thou be readie to morow? To mo­row is a daye vncertaine, and thou canste not tel, whether thou shalt liue so longe. VVhat profite is it to vs to liue longe, when we therby so litle amende our life? Longe life doth not alwaye bringe vs to amendment, but ofte times increaseth more sinne. VVoulde to God that we might be one daye well cōuersant in this world? Manie recken their yeares of con­uersion, and yet there is but litle fruite [Page 27] of amendment, nor of any good example seene in their conuersation. If it be feare­full to die, peraduenture it is more pe­rillous to liue long. Blessed be those per­sons, that euer haue the houre of death before their eyes, and that euerie daye dispose themselues to die. If thou euer sawest anye man die, remember that thou must needelie goe the same waye. In the morninge doubt whether thou shalt liue to night, & at night thinke not thy selfe sure to liue till to morowe. Be alwaye readie, and liue in such maner, that death finde thee not vnprouided. Remember howe many haue died sodenlie and vn­prouided, for our Lorde hath called them in such an houre as they leaste thought. And when that last hour shall come, thou shalt begin to feele all otherwise of thy life passed, then thou haste done before: and thou shalt then sorowe greatlie, that thou hast beene so slowe and negligent in the seruice of God as thou haste beene. O how happie and wise is he therfore, that laboreth nowe to stand in such state in this lyfe, as he would be founde in at his death. Truely, a perfect despising of the worlde, and a feruent desire to pro­fite in vertue, a loue to be taught, a fruit­full labour in workes of penaunce, a rea­die will to obey, a forsaking of our selfe, and a willing suffering of all aduersities for the loue of God, shall geue vs a great [Page] truste, that we shall die wel. Now, whilest thou art in health, thou mayest doo many good deedes, but if thou be sicke, I can not tell, what thou mayest doe: For why, fewe be amended through sicknes. And likewise, they that go muche on pilgri­mage, be seldome thereby made perfect & holye. Put not thy trust in thy frendes and thy neighbours, neither deferre thy good deedes till after thy death: for thou shalt soonet be forgotten then thou wee­nest. Better it is to prouide for thy selfe betime, and to send some good deedes be­fore thee, then to trust to other, who per­aduēture will lightly forget thee: if thou be not nowe busie for thy selfe, & for thine owne soule health, who shall be busie for thee after thy death? Nowe is the time very precious, but alas for sorowe, that thou spēdest the time so vnprofitablie, in the which thou shouldest winne the life euerlasting. The time shal come, whē thou shalt desire one daye or one houre to amende thee, but I wot not whether it shalbe graunted vnto thee. O my deere brother, from how great perill & dreade mightest thou now deliuer thy selfe, yf thou wouldest alwaye in this lyfe dreade to offend God, and alwaye haue the com­minge of death suspect. Therefore studye nowe to liue so, that at the houre of death thou mayest rather ioye then dreade. Learue nowe to dye to the worlde, that [Page 28] thou mayest then liue with Christ. Learnt also to despise all worldlie thinges, that thou mayest then freelye go to Christe. Chastise nowe thy bodye with penance, that thou mayest then haue a sure and a stedfast hope of saluatiō. Thou art a fosle, if thou thinke to liue longe, sith thou art not sure to lyue one daye to the ende. Now many haue beene deceaued through trust of longe life, & sodenlie haue beene taken out of this worlde or they had thought. Nowe ofte hast thou heard say, that suche a man was slayne, and suche a man was drowned, and suche a man fell and brake his necke? This man as he eate his meat was strangled, and this man as he played tooke his death, one with fyre, another with yron, another with sicknes, and some by theft haue sodenly perished? And so the ende of all men is death, for the life of man as a shadowe sodenly sli­deth and passeth away. Thinke ofte, who shall remember thee after thy death, and who shall praye for thee? Doe nowe for­thy selfe all that thou canst, for thou wottest not when thou shalt dye, nor what shall folowe after thy death VVhi­lest thou hast time, gather thee riches immortall, thinke nothing abidingly, but on thy ghostly health. Set thy study onely on thinges that be of God, and that be­longe to his honor. Make thee frendes against that time, worship his Saintes, [Page] and folowe their steppes, that when thou shalt go out of this worlde, they may re­ceaue thee into the euerlasting taberna­cles. Keepe thee as a pilgrime, & as a strā ­ger here in this world, to whom nothing belongeth of worldlye busines. Keepe thy hearte alwaye free, and lifted vp to God, for thou hast no cittie here long abi­ding. Sende thy desires, and thy daylie prayers alwaye vpwarde to God, and praye perseuerantly, that thy soule at the houre of death, may blessedly depart out of this world, and goe to Christe.

Of the last iudgement, and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne. The 24. Chapter.

IN all thinges beholde the ende and ofte remember, howe thou shalt stande before the high Iudge, to whom nothing is hidde: who will not be pleased with rew ardes, nor receaue any maner excuses, but in all thinges wil iudge that is righteous and true O moste vnwise & moste wretched sinner, what shalt thou then answere to God, who knoweth all thy sinnes and wretchednes, sith thou dreadest here sometime the face of a mor­tal man? VVhy doest thou not nowe pro­uide for thy selfe against that daye, sith thou mayest not then be excused nor de­fended [Page 29] by none other? But euery man shall then haue ynough to doe, to an­swere for him selfe. Nowe thy labor is fruitfull, and weeping is acceptable, thy mourning is worthye to be hearde, and thy sorowe also is satisfactory & purging of sinnes. The pariēt man, who suffereth iniuryes and wronges of other, and yet neuerthelesse soroweth more for their malice, then for the wrong done to him selfe, hath a wholsome and blessed pur­gatory in this worlde, and so haue they that gladly can praye for their enemies, and for them that be contrarious vnto them, and that in their heart can forgeue those that offend them, and tary not Idge to aske forgeuenes. And so haue they also, that more lightly be stirred to mer­cye then to vengeance, and that can, as it were, by a violēce breake downe their owne will, and strongly resist sinne, and labour alway to subdue their body to the spirite. It is better nowe to purge sinne, and to put away vsce, then to reserue it to be purged hereafter. But verilye, we deceaue our selues by inordinate loue that we haue to our bodily kinde. VVhat shall the fyre of purgatorye deuoure, but thy sinne? truelye nothing. Therefore, the more thou sparest thy selfe nowe, and the more thou folowest thy fleshly liking the more greeuouslye shalt thou wayle hereafter, and the more matter thou re­sch. [Page] seruest for the fire of purgatory. In suche thinges as a man moste hath offended, shall he moste be punished. The slouthful persons shall be there pricked with bur­ning prickes of yron, and gluttons shall be tormented with great hunger & thirste. The lecherous persons, and louers of vo­luptuous pleasures shal be filled ful with brenning pitche and brimstone: and en­uious persons shall wayle and howle, as doe madde dogges. There shal no sinne be without his proper torment. The proude man shal be filled full with all shame and confusion, and the couetous man shall be pined with penurie & neede. One houre there in paine shall be more greuous then here a hundred yece in moste sharpest pe­naunce. There shall be no rest nor conso­lation to the damned soules: but here sometime we feele reliefe of our paynes, and haue sometime consolation of our frendes. Be now sorowful for thy sinnes, that at the day of iudgemēt thou mayest be saued with blessed Saintes. Then shall righteous men stande in great constancie against them that haue wronged them, and oppressed them here. Then shall he stande as a Iudge that here submitted himselfe meekelye to the iudgement of man. Then shall the meeke poore man haue great confidence and trust in God, & the obstinate proude man shal quake & breade. Thē shall it appeere, that he was [Page 30] wise in this worlde, that for the loue of God was content to be taken as a foole, and to be despised, and set at nought. Then shall it also please him muche the tribulation that he suffereth patiently in this world, and all wickednes shall stop his mouth. Then euery deuout person shall be ioyful and glad, and the vnreli­gious persons shall wayle and dreade. Then shall the fleshe, that hath beene with discretion chastised ioy more, then if it had beene nourished with all delec­tation and pleasure. Then shall the vile habite shine cleere in the sight of God, and the precious garmentes shall xare foule and lothsome to beholde. Then the poore cottage shall be more allowed, thē the pallace ouer gilted with golde. Then shall more helpe a constant patience, thē all worldly power and riches. Then shall meeke obedience be exalted more high, then all worldly wisedome and pollicie and then shall a good cleane conscience make vs more gladsome and mery, then the cunning of all philsophye. Then the despising of worldly goodes shalbe more of valure then all worldly riches & trea­sure. Then shalt thou haue more comfort for thy deuout prayinge, then for all thy delicate feedinge. Then shalt thou also ioye more for thy silence keepinge, then for thy long talkinge and iangling. Then good deedes shall plenteouslie be rewar­ded, [Page] and faire wordes shall litle be regarded. Then shall it please more a straite life and hard penance here, then all worldlie delectation and pleasure. Learne nowe therefore to suffer the small tribulations in this worlde, that thou mayest then be deliuered from the greater there ordey­ned for sinne. Firste proue here, what thou mayest suffer hereafter. And yf thou mayest not nowe suffer so lytle a payne, howe shalt thou then suffer the euerla­stinge tormentes? And yf nowe so litle a passion make thee impatient, what shall then doe the intolerable fire of purgato­rie or of hell? Thou mayest not haue two heauens, that is to saye, to ioye here, and to haue delectation here, and after to ioye also with Christe in heauen. Mo­reouer, if thou haddest lyued alwaye vnto this daye in honours, and fleshlye delectations, what should it profite thee nowe, if thou shouldest this present in­stant departe the worlde. Therefore all thing is vanitie, but to loue God, and to serue him. He that loueth God with all his heart, dreadeth neither death, tor­ment, iudgement nor hell, for a perfect loue maketh a sure passage to God: but if a mā yet delite in sinne, it is no meruaile though he dreade both death and hell. And though suche a dreade be but a thral dread, yet neuerthelesse it is good, that if the loue of God withdrawe vs not from [Page 31] sinne, that the drede of hell constraine vs therto. He that setteth apart the drede of God, may not longe stand in the state of grace, but soone shall he run into the snare of the deuill, and lightlye shall he therewith be deceaued.

Of the feruent amendinge of all our life, and that vve shall speciallie take heede of our ovvne soule health, before all other. The .25. Chapter.

MY sonne, be wakinge and diligent in the seruice of God, and thinke ofte wher­fore thou art come, and why thou haste forsakē the world: was it not that thou shoul­dest liue to God, and be made a spirituall man? yes truelie. Therefore stirre thy selfe to perfection, for in short time thou shalt receaue the full rewarde of all thy la­boures, and from thenceforth shall neuer come to thee neither sorowe nor dreade. Thy labour shalbe litle and short, and thou shalt receaue therefore againe euer­lastinge rest and comfort. If thou abide faythfull and feruent in good deedes, without doubt our Lorde will be fayth­full and liberall to thee in his rewardes. Thou shalt alwaye haue a good trust, that thou shalt come to the palme of vi­ctorie, [Page] but thou shalt not set thee in a full suretie thereof, least happlie thou waxe dul and proude in heart. A certaine per­son, which often times doubted whether he where in the state of grace or not, on a time fell prostrate in the Churche, and sayde thus: O that I might knowe, whe­ther I shoulde perseuer in vertue to the ende of my life. And anone he hearde in­wardlie in his soule the answere of our Lord, sayinge: VVhat wouldest thou doe yf thou knewest thou shouldest perseuer? doe nowe, as thou wouldest doe then, and thou shalt be safe, and so anone he was comforted, and committed himselfe whollie to the will of God, and all his doubtfulnes ceassed, and neuer after would he curiousie search to know what should become of him, but rather he stu­died to knowe, what was the will of god against him, and how he might begin and ende all his deedes that he should doe to the pleasure of God, and to his honour. Trust in God, and do good deedes, sayth the prophete. Dauid, inhabite the earth, and thou shalt be fedde with the riches of thy good deedes. But one thing with­draweth manie from profitinge in ver­tue, and from amendment of life, that is an horrour, and a false worldlie dreade, that they may not abide the paine and labour that is needefull for the gettinge thereof. Therefore they shall most profite [Page 32] in vertue before all other, that enforce them selues mightilie to ouercome those thinges that be moste greeuous and con­trarious to them. For a man profiteth there moste, & there winneth most grace, where he moste ouercommeth him selfe, and wherin he most mortifieth his bodye to the soule. But all men haue not in lyke much to mortifie and ouercome, for some haue mo passions then some haue. Ne­uerthelesse, a feruent louer of god, though he haue more greater passions thē other, yet shall he be more stronger to profite in vertue, then another that is better ma­nered, and that hath fewer passions, but is lesse feruent to vertue. Two thinges helpe a man much to amendment of lyfe, that is, a mightie withdrawinge of him­selfe from those thinges that the bodye most inclineth him to, and a feruent la­bour for suche vertues as he hath moste neede of. Studie also to ouercome in thy selfe those thinges that most mislike thee in other men, and take alwaye some spe­ciall profite in euerie place wheresoeuer thou become, as, yf thou see any good example, enforce thee to folowe it: and yf thou see any euill example, looke thou eschewe it. As thy eye considereth the workes of other, right so, and in the same wise thy workes be considered of other. O howe ioyous and howe delectable is it, to see religious men deuoute and fer­uent [Page] in the loue of God, well manered, and well taught in ghostlie learning: and on the contrarye part, howe heauye and sorowfull is it to see them liue inordinat­lie, not vsinge those thinges that they haue chosen and taken them to. Also, how inconuenient a thinge is it, a man to be negligent in the purpose of his firste cal­linge, and to set his mynde to thinges that be not committed to hym. Thinke ofte therefore on the purpose that thou haste taken, and set before the eye of thy soule the memorie of Christes passion: and if thou beholde well, and diligentlie his blessed life, thou mayest well be asha­med, that thou haste no more conformed thee to him then thou haste done. He that will inwardly and deuoutlie exercise him selfe in the moste blessed lyfe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe, shall finde therein plenteouslye all that is necessa­rie for him, so that he shall not neede to seeke any thinge without him. O yf Iesu crucified were ofte in our hearts, and in our remembrance, we should soone be learned in all thinges that be necessarie for vs. A good religious man that is fer­uent in his religion, taketh all thing wel, and doth gladly all that he is commaun­ded to doe, but a religious person that is negligent and slouthfull, hath trouble vpon trouble, & suffereth great anguishe and paine on euerie side, for he lackeeh [Page 33] the true inwarde comfort: and to seeke the outward comfort he is prohibited. Therefore a religious person that liueth without discipline, is like to fall in great ruine. Also he that in religion seeketh to haue libertie and releasinge of his dutie, shall alwaye be in anguishe and sorowe, for one thinge or other shall euer displea­se him. Therefore take heede howe other religious persōs doe, that be right strait­lie kept vnder the rule of theire religion. They goe seldome forth, they liue hardly, they eate poorelie, and be cloathed gros­selie: they labour much, speake litle, wat­che longe, rise earlie, make longe prayers, reade ofte, and keepe them selues alwaye in some wholsome doctrine. Beholde the Carthusiens, the Cistersiens, and manie other monkes and Nunnes of diuers re­ligions, howe they rise euerie night to serue our Lorde. And therefore it were great shame to thee, that thou shouldest waxe slowe and dull in so holie a worke, where so manie laude & prayse our Lorde. O howe ioyous a life were it, if we should nothinge else doe, but with heart and mouth continuallye prayse our Lorde. Nowe truelie, yf we should neuer neede to eate, drinke, nor sleepe, but that we might alwaye laude him: and onelie take heede to spirituall studies, then were we much more happie and blessed then we are nowe, when we are bounde of necessi­tie [Page] to serue the bodie. O would to God, that these bodilie meates were turned in­to spirituall refections, which (alas for sorowe) we taste but seldome. VVhen a man is come to that perfection, that he seeketh not his consolation in any crea­ture, then beginneth God first to sauour sweet vnto him, and then he shall be con­tented with euery thinge that commeth, be it in likinge or mislikinge. Then shall he be glad for no worldlie profite, be it neuer so great, nor sorie for the wantinge of it, for he hath set and established hym selfe whollie in God, the which is vnto him all in all: to whom nothing perisheth nor dyeth, but all thinge liueth to hym, and serueth him without ceassinge, after his biddinge. In euerie thinge remember the ende, and that time lost can not be called againe. VVithout labour and dili­gence thou shalte neuer get vertue. If thou beginne to be negligent, thou be­ginnest to be feeble and weake: but yf thou applie thee to feruour, thou shalt finde great helpe of God, & for the loue of vertue thou shalt finde lesse payne in all thy laboures then thou diddest first. He that is seruent and louinge, is alway quicke and readie to all thinges that be of God, and to his honour. It is more la­bour to resist vices and passions, then it is to toyle and sweate in bodily labours. He that will not flee small sinnes, shalt [Page 34] be litle and litle fall into greater. Thou shalt alway be glad at night, when thou haste spent the daye before fruitfullye. Take heede to thy selfe, & stirre thy selfe alwaye to deuotion. Admonishe thy selfe, and howesouer thou remember other, forget not thy selfe: and so much shalt thou profite in vertue, as thou canst breake thine owne will, and fo­lowe the will of God.

Of invvarde conuersation. The firste Chapter.

THe kyngdome of God is within you (saith Christ our Sauiour) Turne thee there­fore with all thy heart to God, and forsake this wret­ched worlde, and thy soule shall finde great inwarde rest. Learne to despise outwarde thinges, and geue thy [Page 35] selfe to inward thinges, and thou shalt see the kyngdome of God come into thy soule. The kingdome of God is peace & ioy in the holy ghoste, that is not graun­ted to wicked people. Our Lord Iesus Christ wil come to thee, and will shew to thee his consolations. If thou wilt make ready for him in thy heart a dwelling place, that is all that he desireth to haue in thee, and there is his pleasure to be. There is betwixt almightie God and a deuout soule manye ghostly visitinges, sweete inwarde speaking, great giftes of grace, many consolations, muche hea­uenly peace, & wonderous familiaritie of the blessed presence of God. There­fore thou faythfull soule, prepare thy heart to Christe thy spouse, that he maye come to thee, and dwell in thee: for he sayth him selfe, VVho so loueth me, will keepe my commaundement. And my fa­ther and I & the holy Ghoste shall come to him, and we shall make in him our dwelling place. Geue therfore to Christ free entrie into thy heart, and keepe out all thinges that may let his entrye: and when thou haste him, thou arte riche ynough, and he only shall suffise to thee, and then he shalbe thy prouider and de­fender, and thy faythful helper in euery necessitie, so that thou shalt not neede to put thy trust in any other without him. Man is soone changed, & lightly falleth [Page] away, but Christe abideth for euer, and stādeth strongly with his louer vnto the ende. There is no great trust to be put in man that is but mortall & frayle, though he be right muche profitable, and also much beloued vnto thee, nor any great heauines to be taken, though he some­time turne and be against thee: for they that this day be with thee, to morowe may happen to be against thee, and may ofte turne, as doth the winde. Put thy full trust therfore in God, and let him be thy loue and dreade aboue all thinges, and he will answere for thee, and will doe for thee in all thinges as shall be moste needeful and expedient for thee. Thou haste here no place of long abi­ding, for wheresoeuer thou become, thou arte but a straunger, and a pilgrime, and neuer shalt thou finde perfect rest, til thou be fullye vnited to God. VVhy doest thou looke to haue rest here, sith this is not thy resisting place? Thy ful rest must be in heauenly thinges, and all earthly thinges, thou mnst beholde as thinges transitorye, and shortly passing awaye: and be well ware thou cleaue not ouermuche to them, least thou be taken with loue of them, and in the ende perishe thereby. Let thy thought be al­way vpward to god, & direct thy prayers to Christe continually: and if thou maye not for frayltie of thy selfe alwaye oc­cupye [Page 36] thy minde in contemplation of the godhead, be then occupied with minde of his passion, & in his blessed woundes make thee a dwelling place. And if thou flie deuoutly to the wound of Christes side, and to the markes of his passion, thou shalt feele great comforte in euery trouble, and shalt litle force, though thou be openly despised in the world, & what euil wordes soeuer be spoken of thee, they shall litle greeue thee. Our maister Christe was despised in the worlde of all men, and in his most neede was forsaken of his acquaintaunce and frendes, and lefte among shames and rebukes. He would suffer wrongs, and be nought set by in the world, & we will not, that any person doe vs wrong, nor disprayse our deedes. Christ had many aduersaryes and backbiters, and we would haue all to be our freendes and louers. How should thy patience be crowned in heuen, if no ad­uersitie shoulde be fall to thee in earth. If thou wilt suffer none aduersitie, howe mayest thou be the frende of Christe? It behoueth thee to suffer with Christe, & for Christ, if thou wilt reigne with Christ. Truely, if thou haddest once entred into the bloudy woundes of Iesu, and had­dest there tasted a litle of his loue, thou shouldest litle care for lykinges or misli­kinges of the worlde, but thou shouldest rather haue greate ioye, when wronges [Page] and reproufes were done vnto thee: for perfecte loue of God maketh a man per­fectlye to despise him selfe. The true in­warde loue of God that is free from all inordinate affections, maye anone turne him selfe freelye to God, and lyfte him selfe vp in spirite, in contemplation, and fruitfullye rest him in Christe. Also he, to whom all thinges be esteemed as they be, and not as they be taken and thought to be of wordly people, is very wise, and is rather taught of God then of man. And he that can inwardly lifte his minde vp­warde to God, and litle regard outward thinges, needeth not for to seeke for time or place to goe to prayers, or to doe other good deedes or vertuous occupations. For the ghostlye man may soone gather him selfe together, and fixe his minde in God, for he neuer suffereth it to be fullye occupied in outward thinges. And there­fore his outward laboures, & his world­dlye occupations necessary for the time, hinder him not but litle, for as they come so he applieth him selfe to them, and re­ferreth them alwaye to the will of God. Moreouer, a man that is well ordred in his soule, forceth litle the vnkind demea­nour of worldlye people, ne yet their proude behauiour. As muche as a man loueth anye worldly thinge more then it should be beloued, so muche his minde is hindred & letted from the true ordinate [Page 37] loue that he should haue to God. If thou wexe well purged from all inordinate affections, then whatsoeuer should befall to thee, should goe to thy ghostlie profite, and to the great increasing of grace and vertue in thy soule. But the cause why so many thinges displease thee, and trouble thee, is, for that thou art not yet perfect­lie dead to the worlde, nor thou art not yet fullie seuered from the loue of earthly thinges: and nothinge so much defileth the soule, as an vncleane loue to crea­tures, if thou forsake to be comforted by worldly thinges outwardlie, thou mayest beholde more perfectly heauenlie things, and thou shalt then singe continuallie laudes and praysinges to him with great ioye and inwarde gladnes of heart, The whiche graunt thee and me the blessed Trinitie. Amen.

Of a meeke knovving of our ovvne defaultes. The second Chapter.

REgarde not muche who is with thee, nor who is against thee, but be this thy greatest studye, that God may be with thee. In euery thing that thou doest, haue a good conscience, and he shall well defende thee, and whomsoeuer he will helpe and defende, there may no ma­lice hinder ne greeue. If thou can be still, [Page] and suffer a while, thou shalt without doubt see the helpe of God come in thy neede. He knoweth the time and place howe to deliuer thee, and therefore thou must resigne thy selfe wholye to him. It pertayneth to him to helpe and deliuer from all confusion. Neuerthelesse, it is often times muche profitable to vs, for the more surer keeping of meekenes, that other men knowe our defaultes, and re­proue vs of them. VVhen a man meeketh him selfe for his offences, he lightly plea­seth other, and reconcileth himselfe to them whom he hath offended. The meeke man almightie God defendeth and com­forteth, to him he inclineth him selfe, and sendeth him great plentye of his grace. To him also he sheweth his secrettes, and louingly draweth him to him, and after his oppressions he lifteth him vp to glo­rie. The meeke man, when he hath suffred confusion and reproufe, is in good peace, for he trusteth in God, and not in the worlde. Moreouer, if thou wilt come to the highnes of perfection, thinke not thy selfe to haue profited any thinge in vertue, til thou canst feele meekely in thine heart, that thou haste lesse meekenes, and lesse vertue then any other hath.

Hovve good it is for a man to be peacefull. The 3. Chapter.

FIrste put thy selfe in peace, and then mayest thou the better pacifie other. A pea­cefull man and a patient profiteth more to him selfe, and other also, then a man learned, who is vnpeacefull. A man that is passionate turneth often times good into euill, & lightlie beleeueth the worse part: but a good peacefull man turneth all thinge to the best, and hath suspition to no man. But he that is not content, is ofte troubled with manye suspitions, and neither is he quiet him selfe, nor yet suf­freth he other to be quiet. He speketh oftē times that he shoulde not speake, and he omitteth to speake, that were more expe­dient to be spoken. He considereth great­lye what other be bounde to doe, but to that, where vnto he him selfe is bounden, he is full negligent. Haue therefore firste a zeale and a respect to thy selfe, and to thine owne soule, and then mayest thou the more righteously, and with the more due order of charitie haue zeale vpon thy neighboures. Thou arte anone ready to excuse thine owne defaultes, but thou wilt not heare the excuses of thy brethrē. Truely it were more charitable and more profitable to thee, that thou shouldest ac­cuse [Page] thy selfe, and excuse thy brother: for if thou wilt be borne, beare other. Behold how farre thou art yet from perfect mee­kenes and charitie, which can not be an­gry with none, but with them selues. It is no great thinge to be well conuersant with good and tractable men, for that naturallie pleaseth all people, and euery man gladlie hath peace with them, and moste loueth them that folowe their ap­petite, but to liue peaceablie with euill men, and with frowarde men that lacke good maners, and be vntaught, and that be also contrarious vnto vs, is a great grace and a manlie deede, and muche to be praysed: for it can not be done, but through great ghostlie strength. Some persons can be quiet them selues, and can also liue quietlie with other: and some can neither be quiet them selues, nor yet suffer other to be quiet. They be greeuous to other, but they be more greeuous to them selues. Some can keepe them selues in good peace, and can also bringe other to liue in peace, and neuerthelesse all our peace while we be in this mortall lyfe, standeth more in meeke sufferinge of troubles, and of thinges that be contra­rious vnto vs, then in the not feelinge of them, for no man may liue here without some trouble. And therefore he that can best suffer, shall haue moste peace, and is verie true ouercome of him selfe, is a Lord [Page 39] of the world, a frende to Christe, and the true inheritour of the kingdome of hea­uen.

Of a pure mind, and a simple intent. The .4. Chapter.

MAn is borne vp from earthlye thinges with two winges, that is to saye, with plainnes and cleannes: plainnes is in the in­tent, & cleannes is in the loue. The good, true, and playne intēt looketh toward God, but the cleane loue taketh a saye, and tasteth his sweetnes. If thou be free from all inordinate loue, there shall no good deede hinder thee, but that thou shalt therewith increase in the way of perfection. If thou intende well, and seeke nothinge but God, and the profite of thine owne soule, & of thy neighbours, thou shalt haue great inward libertie of minde. And if thy heart be strayte with God, then euery creature shall be to thee a mirrour of life, & a booke of holie doc­trine, for there is no creature so litle nor so vile, but that it sheweth and represen­teth the goodnes of God. And if thou were inwardlie in thy soule pure and cleaue, thou shouldest then without let­tinge take all thinges to the best. A cleane heart pearceth both heauē and hell. Such as a man in his conscience inwardlye, [Page] suche he sheweth to be by his outward conuersation. If there be any true ioye in this worlde, that hath a man of a cleane cōscience. And if there be anye where tri­bulation or anguishe, an euill conscience knoweth it best. Also, as yron put into the fire is clensed fro ruste, and is made all cleane and pure, right so, a man turninge him selfe whollie to God, is purged from all slouthfulnes, & sodenlie is chaunged into a new man. VVhen a man beginneth to waxe dull & slowe to ghostlie busines, then a litle labour feareth him greatlie, and then taketh he gladly outward com­fortes of the worlde, and of the fleshe: but when he beginneth perfectlye to ouercome him selfe, and to walke strōglye in the way of God, then he regardeth the laboures but litle, that he thought before to be right greeuous, and as importable to hym.

Of the knovvinge of our selfe. The .5. Chapter.

VVe may not trust muche in our selues, nor in our owne wit, for ofte times through our presumption we lacke grace, and right litle light of true vnderstanding is in vs: and that we haue, many times we lose through our owne negligēce, and yet doe we not [Page 40] see, neither will we see howe blinde we are. Ofte times we doe euill, and in de­fence thereof we doe muche worse, and sometime we be moued with passion, and we weene it to be of a zeale to god. VVe can anone reproue small defaults in our neighbours, but our owne defaults that be muche greater we will not see. VVe feele anone, and ponder greatly what we suffer of other, out what other suffer of vs, we will not consider. But he that woulde well and righteously iudge his owne defaults, shuld not so rigorously iudge the defaults of his neighbours. A man that is inwardlye turned to God, taketh heede of him selfe before all other: and he that can well take heede of him selfe, can lightly be still of other mens deedes. Thou shalt neuer be an inward man, and a deuout folower of Christe, onlesse thou canste keepe thy selfe from medling on other mens deedes, & canste specially take heede of thine owne. If thou take heede wholy to God and to thy selfe, the defaultes which thou seest in other shall litle moue thee. VVhere art thou, when thou art not present to thy selfe? And when thou haste all runne about, and much haste considered other mens workes, what haste thou profited thereby, if thou haue forgotten thy selfe? If thou wilt therfore haue peace in thy soule, and be perfectly vnited to God in [Page] blessed loue, set apart all other mens deedes, and onely set thy selfe and thine owne deedes before the eye of thy soule, & that thou seest amisse in thee, shortly reforme it. Thou shalt much profit in grace if thou keepe thee free from all tē ­porall cares, & it shall hinder thee great­ly, if thou set price by any temporall thinges. Therefore let nothing be in thy sight high, nothing great, nothing liking ne acceptable to thee, but it be purely God, or of God. Thinke all comfortes vayne that come to thee by any creature. He that loueth God and his owne soule for God, despiseth all other loue: for he seeth well that God alone which is eter­nall, incomprehensible, and that fullfil­leth all thinges with his goodnes, is the whole solace & comfort of the soule, and that he is the verie true gladnes of harte, and none other but onlye he.

Of the gladnes of a cleane conscience. The 6. Chapter.

THe glorie of a good man, is the witnesse of God, that he hath a good cōscience. Haue therefore a good conscience, and thou shalt alwaye haue gladnes. A good conscience may heare many wronges, and is euer mery and glad in aduersities, but an euill [Page 41] conscience is alwaye fearefull and vn­quiet. Thou shalt reste thee sweetelie and blessedlie, if thine owne hart reproue thee. not. Be neuer glad, but when thou hast done well. Euill men haue neuer perfect gladnes, nor feele no inwarde peace, for our Lorde sayth, there is no peace to wic­ked people. And though they say, VVe be in good peace, there shall no euill come to vs, loe who may greeue vs, or hurt vs? be­leeue thē not, for sodēly the wrath of god shall fal vpon them, vnlesse they amende, and all that they haue done shall turne to nought, and that they would haue done shall be vndone. It is no greeuous thinge to a feruent louer of God to ioye in tri­bulation, for all his ioye and glarie is to ioy in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. It is a short glorie that is geuen to man, and commonlie some heauines foloweth after. The ioye and gladnes of good men is in their owne conscience, and the ioye of righteous men is in God, and of God, and their ioye is in vertue and in good life. He that desireth the verie perfect ioy that is euerlastinge, setteth litle price by temporall ioye: and he that seeketh any worldlie ioye, or doeth not in his harte fullie despise it, sheweth him selfe openlie to loue but litle the ioy of heuen. He hath great tranquilitie and peace of hart, that neither regardeth prayses nor dispraises, and he shall soone be pacified and cōtent [Page] that hath a good cōscience. Thou art not the better because thou art praysed, nor worse if thou be dispraysed, for as thou art, thou art. And whatsoeuer be sayd of thee, thou art no better then almightie God (which is the searcher of mans hart) will witnes thee to be. If thou behoulde what thou art inwardlie, thou shalt not care muche what the world speaketh of thee outwardlie. Man seeth the face, but God beholdeth the hart, Man beholdeth the deede, but God beholdeth the intent of the deede. It is a great tokē of a meeke hart, a man euer to doe well, and yet to thinke himselfe to haue done but litle. And it is a great signe of cleannes of life, and of inward trust in God, when a man taketh not his comfort of any creature. VVhen a man seeketh no outward wit­nes for him selfe, it appeareth that he hath wholly committed him selfe to God. Also after the wordes of S. Paule, he that commendeth him selfe, is not iustified, but he whom God commendeth, and he that hath his minde alwaye lyfte vp to God, and is not bounde with any in­ordinate affection outwardlie, is in the degree, and in the state of a holye and a blessed man.

Of the loue of Iesu aboue all thinges. The .7. Chapter.

BLessed is he that knoweth how good it is to loue Iesu, and for his sake to despise him selfe. It behoueth the louer of Iesu to forsake all other loue beside him, for he will be loued onelye aboue all other. The loue of creatures is deceyuable and fay­ling, but the loue of Iesu is faithfull and alwayes abydinge. He that cleaueth to any creature, must of necessitie fayle, as doth the creature: but he that cleaueth abydingly to Iesu, shall be made stable in him for euer. Loue him therefore, & holde him thy freende, for whē all other forsake thee, he will not forsake thee, nor suffer thee finally to perishe. Thou must of ne­cessitie be departed from thy freendes, and from all mans companye, whether thou wilt or not, and therfore keepe thee with thy Lorde Iesu lyuing and dying, and commit thee to his fidelitie, and he wil be with thee and helpe thee, when all other forsake thee. Thy beloued is of such nature, that he will not admit any other laue, for he will haue alonely the loue of thy hart, and will sit therin, as a king in his proper throne. If thou couldest well auoyde from thee the loue of creatures, he would alway abyde with thee, and ne­uer [Page] woulde forsake thee. Thou shalte in maner finde it all as lost, whatsoeuer trust thou hast put in any maner of thing beside Iesu. Put not thy trust therfore to any suche thing as is not but a quilfull of winde, or as a holowe sticke, which is not able to sustayne thee, ne to helpe thee, but in thy most neede will deceyue thee, for man is but as hay, and all his glorie is as a flowre in the feelde, which sodenlye va­nisheth and slideth awaye: if thou take heede only to the outward appearaunce, thou shalt soone be deceyued: and if thou seeke thy comfort in any thing but in Iesu, thou shalt feele thereby great spiri­tuall losse: but if thou seeke in all thinges thy Lord Iesu, thou shalt truly finde thy Lorde Iesu, and if thou seeke thy selfe, thou shalt finde thy selfe, but that shall be to thine owne great losse: for truly a man is more greuous and more hurtfull to him selfe, if he seeke not his Lorde Iesu, then is all the worlde, and more then all his aduersaries may be.

Of the familier freendship of Iesu. The .8. Chapter.

VVhen our Lorde Iesu is present, all thing is liking, & nothing seemeth harde to doe for his loue, but when he is absent all thing that is done for his loue is [Page 43] paynefull and harde. VVhen Iesu spea­keth not to the soule, there is no fayth­full consolation: but if he speake but one worde onely, the soule feeleth great in­warde comfort. Did not Mary Magda­lene rise soone from weeping, when Martha shewed her that her maister Christe was nigh, & called her? yes truly. O that is an happie houre, when Iesus calleth vs from weeping to ioy of spirite. Remember howe drye & how vndeuout thou art without Iesu, and how vnwise, how vayne, and how vncunning thou art when thou desirest any thing beside Iesu: truely that desire is more hurtfull to thee, than if thou haddest lost all the worlde. VVhat may this worlde gene thee, but through the helpe of Iesu? To be without Iesu is a payne of hel: and to be with Iesu is a pleasaunte Paradise. If Iesu be with thee, there maye no eni­mie greue thee: & he that findeth Iesu, findeth a great treasure that is best aboue all other treasures: and he that Ioseth Iesu, loseth verie muche, and more than all the world. He is most poore that liueth without Iesu, and he his moste riche that is with Iesu. It is great cunning to be well cōuersaunt with Iesu, and to keepe him is right great wisedome. Be meke & peacefull, and Iesu shall be with thee: be deuout and quiet, and Iesu will abyde with thee. Thou mayest anone dryue [Page] awaye thy Lorde Iesu, and loose his gra­ce, if thou applye thy selfe to outwarde thinges: and if through negligence of thy selfe thou loose him, what freende shalte thou thē haue? VVithout a freende thou mayest not long endure, and if Iesu be not thy freende moste before all other, thou shalt be verie heauye and desolate, and be lefte without all perfect frend­ship. And therefore thou doest not wisely if thou trust or ioye in any other thinge beside him. VVe shoulde rather choose to haue all the worlde against vs, then to offende God, and therefore of all that be to thee lefe and dere, let thy Lorde Iesu be to thee moste lefe and dere, and moste specially beloued to thee aboue all other, and let all other be beloued for him, and he onelie for him selfe. Iesu is onelie to be beloued for him selfe, for he onelie is pro­ued good and faythfull before all other freendes. In him and for him both eni­mies and freendes are to be beloued, and before all things we ought meekely with all diligence to praye to him, that he may be beloued and honoured of all his crea­tures. Neuer couer to be singulerly loued or commended, for that belongeth onelye to God, which hath none lyke vnto him, and desire not that any thinge be occu­pied with thee in thy harte, ne that thou be occupied with loue of any creature, but that thy Lorde Iesu may be in thee, [Page 44] and in euery good man and woman. Be pure & cleane inwardly without letting of any creature, as nigh as thou canste: for it behoueth thee to haue a right clea­ne, and a pure hart to Iesu, if thou wilt knowe and feele howe swete he is. And verily thou mayst not come to that puri­tie, vnlesse thou be preuēted and drawen through his grace, & that all other things set apart, thou be inwardlye knyt and vnited to him. VVhen the grace of God cōmeth to a man, then is he made mightie and stronge to doe euery thinge that be­longeth to vertue, and when grace with­draweth, then is he made weake & feeble to doe any good deede, and is in maner as he were lefte onely to payne and pu­nishmentes. And yf it happen so with thee, yet dispaire not ouermuch therfore, nor leaue not thy good deedes vndone, but stande alwaye strōglye after the will of God, and turne all thinges that shall come to thee to the laude and praysinges of his name. For after winter commeth somer, and after the night commeth the daye, and after a great tempest sheweth agayne right cleare and plea­saunt weather.

Of the vvanting of all solace and comfort. The 9. Chapter.

IT is no great thinge to de­spise mans comfort, when the cōfort of God is present: but it is a great thinge, and that a right great thinge, a man to be so stronge in spirit that he may beare the wantinge of them both, and for the loue of God, and to his honour, to haue a readie will, to beare as it were a desolation of spirite, and yet in nothinge to seeke him selfe nor his owne merites. VVhat proofe of vertue is it, if a man be mery and deuout in God when grace commeth and visiteth the soule? for that houre is desired of euery creatu­re. He rideth right safely, whom the grace of God beareth & supporteth: and what maruell is it if he feele no burden, that is borne vp by him that is almightie, and that is led by the soueraigne guide that is God him selfe? VVe be alwaye glad to haue solace & consolation, but we would hane no tribulation, nor we will not lightly cast from vs the false loue of our selfe. The blessed Martyr Saint Laurence through the loue of God mightily ouer­came the loue of the worlde, and of him selfe, for he despised all that was likinge and delectable in the worlde. And Sixtus the Pope, whom he most loued for the [Page 45] loue of God, he suffred meekelie to be ta­ken frō him, & so through the loue of God he ouercame the loue of man, & for mans comfort he chose rather to folow the will of God. Doe thou in like wise, and learne to forsake some necessary and welbeloued freende for the loue of God, and take it not greeuouslie, when thou art left or forsaken of thy freende: for of necessitie it behoueth worldlie frendes to be disse­uered. It behoueth a man to fight long, and mightilye to striue with him selfe, before he shall learne fully to ouercome him selfe, or be able freely and readlly to set all his desires in God. VVhen a man loueth him selfe, and much trusteth to him self, he falleth anone to mans com­fortes: but the verie true louer of Christe, and the diligēt folower of vertue, falleth not so lightlye to them, neither seeketh much such sensible sweetenes, ne such bo­dely delites, but rather is glad to suffer great harde labours & paine for the loue of Christ. Neuerthelesse, when ghostlye comfort is sent to thee of God, take to meeklye, and geue humble thankes for it: but knowe it for certain, that it is of the great goodnes of God that sendeth it to thee, and not of thy deseruing: and looke thou be not therefore lift vp into pride, nor that thou ioye much thereof, neither presume vainely therein, but rather that thou be the more meeke for so noble a [Page] gifte, and the more warie and fearefull in all thy workes: for that time will passe awaye, and the time of temptation will shortlye folowe after. VVhen comfort is withdrawen, dispayre not therefore, but meekelye and patiently abide the visita­tion of God, for he is able, and of power to geue thee more grace, and more ghostly comfort, then thou haddest first. Suche alteratiō of grace is no new nor straunge thinge to them that haue had experience in the waye of God, for in great Saintes, and holye prophetes was many times founde like alteration. VVherefore the prophete Dauid sayth: Ego dixi in abun­dantia mea, non mouebor in aeternum. That is to saye, VVhen Dauid had aboundance of ghostly comfort, he saide to our Lorde, that he trusted he should neuer be remo­ued from such comfort. But after, when grace withdrewe, he saide: Auertisti faciem tuam a me, & factus sum conturbatus. That is, O Lord, thou hast withdrawen thy ghost­lye comfortes from me, and I am lefte in great trouble and heauines: and yet ne­uertheles, he dispaired not therfore, but prayed hartily vnto our Lorde, and sayd: Ad to domine clamabo, & ad deum meum depre­cabor. That is to saye, I shall busilye crye to thee, O Lorde, and I shall meekelye praye to thee for grace and comfort. And anone he had the effecte of his prayer, as he witnesseth him selfe, saying thus: [Page 46] Audiuit dominus, & misertus est mei, dominus factus est adiutor meus, That is to say, Our Lorde hath heard my prayer, and hath had mercy on me, and hath nowe agayne sent me his helpe and ghostlye comforte. And therefore he sayth afterward: Lord, thou hast turned my sorow into ioye, and thou haste belapped me with heauenlye gladnes. And if almightie God hath thus done with holy Saintes, it is not for vs weake and feeble persons to dispayre, though we sometime haue feruour of spi­rite, and be sometime left colde and voyd of deuotion. The holy ghoste goeth and commeth after his pleasure, and therefore the holy man Iob sayth: Lorde, thou gra­ciously visitest thy louer in the morning tyde, that is to saye, in the time of com­fort, and sodenlye thou prouest him: that is to say, in withdrawing such comfortes from him. VVherein then may I trust, or in whom may I haue any confidēce, but onelye in the great endlesse grace and mercy of God? for why? the company of good men, nor the felowship of deuout brethrē and faithfull frendes, neither the hauing of holy bookes, or deuout trea­tises, ne yet the hearing of sweete songes, or of deuout hymnes may litle auayle, and bring forth but litle comfort to the soule, when we are left to our owne frail­tie and pouertie. And when we be so left, there is no better remedie but patience, [Page] with a whole resigning of our owne will to the will of God. I neuer yet founde any religious person so perfect, but that he had sometime absentinge of grace, or some minishinge of feruour: and there was neuer yet anye Saint so highlie ra­uished, but that he firste or last had some temptation. He is not worthy to haue the high gift of contemplation, that hath not suffred for God some tribulation. The temptations goinge before, were wont to be a soothfast token of heauenlie com­fort shortly comminge after. And to them that be founde stable in their temptatiōs, is promised by our Lorde great consola­tion. And therfore he sayth thus: He that ouercommeth, I shall geue him to eate of the tree of life. Heauenlie comfort is som­time geuen to a man, that he may after be more stronge to suffer aduersities: but after followeth temptation, that he be not lifte vp into pride, and thinke hym selfe worthie of such consolation. The ghostlie enemie sleepeth not, neither is the fleshe yet fullie mortified: and there­fore thou shalte neuer ceasse to prepare thy selfe to ghostlye battayle, for thou haste enemyes on euerie side, that euer will be readie to assaile thee, and hinder thy good pur­pose all that they can.

Of yeeldinge thankes to God for his mani­folde graces. The .10. Chapter.

VVhy seekest thou rest heere, syth thou arte borne to la­boure? dispose thy selfe to patience, rather then to cō ­fortes, to beare the Crosse of penaunce, rather then to haue gladnes. VVhat temporall man would not gladly haue spirituall comfor­tes, if he might alwaye keepe them? for spirituall comfortes excede far all world­lie delites, and all bodelie pleasures, for all worldlye delites be eyther foule or vayne, but ghostlie delites are onelie io­cunde and honest, brought forth by ver­tues, and sent of God into a cleane soule. But such comfortes no man may haue when he woulde, for the time of tempta­tion tarieth not longe. The false libertie of will, and the ouermuch trust that we haue in our selfe, be much contrary to the heauenlie visitations. Our Lorde doeth well in sendinge such comfortes, but we doe not well, when we yeelde no thankes therefore to him againe. The greatest cause why the giftes of grace maye not lightlie come to vs, is, for that we be vn­kind to the gyuer, and yelde not thankes to him, from whom all goodnes com­meth. Grace is alway geuen to thē that [Page] be ready to yelde thākes therfore againe. And therefore it shalbe taken from the proud man, that is wont to be geuen to the meke man. I wold none of that con­solation that should take from me com­punction, nor any of that contemplatiō that should lift my soule into presūption. Euery high thing in sight of man, is not holy, nor euery desire cleane and pure: euery sweet thinge is not good, nor euery deere thinge to man, is alwaye pleasant to God. VVe shall therefore gladlie take such giftes, whereby we shall be the more readie to forsake our selfe, and our owne will. He that knoweth the comforts that come through the gifts of grace, and knoweth also how sharpe and painefull the absentinge of grace is, shall not dare to thinke, that any goodnes commeth of him selfe, but he shall openlye confesse, that of him selfe he is right poore, and naked of all vertue: yeelde therefore to God, that is his, and to thy selfe that is thine: that is to say, thanke God for his manifolde graces and blame thy selfe for thine offences. Holde in thee alwaye â sure grounde, and a sure fouudation of meekenes, and then the highnes of ver­tue shall shortlie be geuen vnto thee: for the high tower of vertue may not longe stand, but if it be borne vp with the lowe foundation of meekes. They that be most great in heauen, be least in their owne [Page 48] sight: and the more glorious they be, the meeker they are in them selues, full of truth and heauenlie ioy, not desirous of any vaine glory or praisinge of man. Also they that be fullie stabled and confirmed iu God, maye in no wise be lifte vp into pride: and they that ascribe all goodnes to God, seeke no vaine glorie nor vayne praysinges in the world, but they desire onlie to ioye, and to be glorified in God, and desire in heart, that he maye be ho­noured, lauded and praysed aboue all thinges, both in him selfe, and in all his Saintes: and that is alwaye the thinge that perfect men moste couet, and moste desire to bringe about. Be thou louinge and thankfull to God for the least bene­fite that he geueth thee, and then shalt thou be the more apte and worthie to re­ceaue of hym more greater benefites. Thinke the least gift that he geueth, is great, & the most despisable thinges acce­pte as speciall giftes, and as great tokens of loue: for if the dignitie of the geuer be well considered, no gifte that he geueth shall seeme litle. It is no litle thinge that is geuen of God: for though he sende paine and sorowe, we shoulde take them gladlie and thankefullie, for it is for our ghostlie health, all that he suffereth to come vnto vs. If a man desire to holde the grace of God, let him be kinde and thankefull for such grace as he hath re­ceaued, [Page] patient when it is withdrawen, and praye deuoutlie, that it may shortlie come againe. Let him be meeke and lowa in spirite, that he lose it not agayne through his presumption and pride of hart.

Of the small number of the louers of the Crosse. The .11. Chapter.

IEsus hath many louers of his kingdome of heauen, but he hath fewe bearers of his crosse. Manie desire his con­solation, but fewe desire his tribulation. He findeth many felowes at eatinge and drinkinge, but he findeth fewe that will be with him in his abstinē ­ce and fastinge. All men would ioye with Christ, but fewe would any thinge suffer for Christe. Many folowe him to the brea­kinge of his breade, for their bodilye re­fection, but few will folowe him to drin­ke a draught of the Chalice of his passion. Manie maruayle and honour his mira­cles, but fewe will folowe the shame of his crosse, & of his other vilanies. Manie loue Iesu so longe as no aduersitie folo­weth to them, and can prayse him, and blesse him, when they receyue any benefit of him: but if Iesu a litle withdraw? him selfe from them, and a litle forsake them, [Page 49] anone they fall to some great grudginge, or to ouergreat defection, or into open desperation: But they that loue Iesu pu­relie for him selfe, and not for their owne profite and commoditie, they blesse him as hartilie in temptation and tribulatiō, and in all other aduersities, as they doe in tyme of consolation. And yf he neuer sent them consolation, yet woulde they alway laude him, and prayse him. O how may the loue of Iesu doe to the helpe of a soule, if it be pure and cleane, not mixt with any inordinate lone to him selfe? truelie nothing more. May not they then that euer looke for worldlie comfortes, and for worldlie consolations, be called worldly inarchants, and worldly louers, rather then louers of God? do they not openlye shewe by their dedes that they rather loue them selfe than God? yes truelye. O where maye be founde anye that will serue God freely and purelye, without looking for some rewarde for it agayne? And where may be founde any so spirituall, that he is cleerelye deli­uered and bereft from loue of him selfe, and that is truely poore in spirite, and is whollye auoyded from loue of crea­tures? I trowe noue suche can be found but it be far hence, and in far countryes If a man geue all his substaunce for God yet he is naught: and if he doe great pe­naunce for his sinnes, yet he is but litle▪ [Page] and if he haue great cunning and know­ledge, yet he is far from vertue: and if he haue greate vertue and brenninge deuo­tion, yet much wanteth in him, And that is specially one thing, which is moste ne­cessarye to him: what is that? that all thinges forsaken, and him selfe also for­saken, he go cleerely from him selfe, and keepe nothinge to him selfe of anye pri­uate loue, and whē he hath done all that he ought to doe, that he feele in him selfe, as he had nothinge done, nor that he thinke it great, that some other might thinke great, but that he thinke him selfe truely, as he is, an vnprofitable feruant: for the authour of truth, our Sauiour Christe saith, when ye haue done all that is commaunded you to doe, yet saye that ye be but vnprofitable seruauntes. Then he that can thus doe, may well be called poore in spirite, and naked of priuate loue: and he may well say with the pro­phete Dauid, I am vnited in God, and am poore and meeke in heart. There is none more riche, none more free, nor any of more power, then he that can forsake him selfe, and all passinge thinges, and that truelye can holde him selfe to be lowest and vilest of all other.

Of the vvay of the Crosse, and bovve profi­table patience is in aduersitie. The 12. Chapter.

THe wordes of our Sauiour [...]e thought very harde and greeuous, whē he saith thus: Forsake your leife, take the Crosse, and folowe me. But much more greeuous shall it be, to heare these wordes at the last daye of iudgement: Go ye from me ye cursed people into the fire that euer shall last. But those that nowe gladlie heare and folowe the wordes of Christ, whereby he counsaileth them to folowe him, shall not then neede to dreade for hearinge those wordes of euerlastinge damnation. The signe of the Crosse shall appere in heauē, when our Lorde shall come to iudge the worlde, and the seruantes of the Crosse, who conformed them selues here in this life to Christe crucified on the Crosse, shal go to Christe their Iudge with greate fayth and trust in him. VVhy doest thou then dreade to take this Crosse, sith it is the verye waye to the kingdome of hea­uen, and none but that? In the Crosse is health, in the Crosse is life, in the Crosse is defense from our enemies, in the crosse is infusion of heauenlie sweetnes, in the Crosse is the strength of minde, the ioye of spirite, the highnes of vertue, and the [Page] full perfection of all holines, and there is no health of soule, nor hope of euerla­sting life, but through vertue of the crosse Take therefore the Crosse, and folowe Iesus, and thou shalt goe into the lyfe euerlastinge. He hath gone before thee bearinge his Crosse, and died for thee vpon the Crosse, that thou shouldest in like wise beare with him the Crosse of pe­nance and tribulation, and that thou shouldest be readie likewise for his loue to suffer death, if neede require, as he hath done for thee. If thou die with him, thou shalt liue with him: and if thou be felowe with him in paine, thou shalt be with him in glorie. Beholde then how in the Crosse standeth all, & howe in dyinge to the worlde lieth all our health, & that there is no other waye to true and in­ward peace, but the waye of the Crosse, and of deadlie mortifyinge of the bodie to the spirite. So whether thou wilt, and seeke what thou list, and thou shalt neuer finde aboue thee, nor beneath thee, within thee, nor without thee, more high, more excellent, nor more sure waye to Christ, then the waye of the holy crosse. Dispose euery thinge after thy will and thou shalt neuer finde, but that thou must of necessitie somewhat suffer eyther with thy will, or against thy will, and so shalt thou alwaye finde the Crosse: for either thou shalt feele paine in thy bodie, [Page 51] or in thy soule thou shalt haue trouble of spirit. Thou shalt be sometime as thou were forsaken of God. Sometime thou shalt be vexed with thy neighbour, and, that is yet more painefull, thou shalt sometime be greeuous to thy selfe, and thou shalt find no meane to be deliuered, but that it behoueth thee to suffer til it shall please almightie god of his goodnes otherwise to dispose for thee: for he will, that thou shalt learne to suffer tribula­tion without cōsolatiō, that thou mayest therby learne, whollie to submit thy selfe to him, and by tribulation to be made more meeke, then thou were at the first. No man feeleth the passion of Christe so effectuouslie, as he that feeleth like paine as Christe did. This Crosse is alway rea­die, and euery where it abideth thee, and thou mayest not flee, nor fullie escape it, whersoeuer thou become, for in what place soeuer thou art, thou shalt beare thy selfe about with thee, and so alwaye shalt thou finde thy selfe. Turne thee where thou wilt, aboue thee, beneath thee, within thee, and without thee, and thou shalt finde this crosse on euery side, so that it shall be necessarie for thee, that thou alwaye keepe thee in patience: and that it behoueth thee to doe, if thou wilt haue inwarde peace, and deserue the per­petuall crowne in heauen. If thou wilt gladlie beare this Crosse, it shall beare [Page] thee, and bringe thee to the ende that thou desirest, where thou shalt neuer after haue any thinge to suffer. And if thou beare this Crosse against thy will, thou makest a great burden to thy selfe, and it will be the more greeuous to thee, and yet it behoueth thee to beare it. And if it happen thee to put away one crosse, that is to saye, one tribulatiō, yet surely another will come, and happlie more greeuous then the first was. Trowest thou to escape, that neuer yet any mortal man might escaped VVhat Saint in this world hath beene without this Crosse, & without some trouble? Trulie, our Lorde Iesu was not one houre without some sorowe and payne, as longe as he liued here, for it behoued him to suffer death, and to rise againe, and so to enter into his glorie: and how is it then, that thou seekest any other waye to heauen then this plaine high waye of the Crosse? All the life of Christ was Crosse and martyr­dome, and thou seekest pleasure and ioy. Thou errest greatlie, if thou seeke anye other thinge then to suffer: For all this mortall life is full of miseries, and is all beset about and marked with Crosses, & the more highlie that a man profiteth in soi [...]ite, the more painfull Crosses shall he finde, For by the sooth fastnes of Christes loue, wherein he daylie increaseth, daylie appeareth vnto him more and more the [Page 52] paine of this exile. But neuerthelesse, a man thus vexed with paine, is not left whollie without all comfort, for he seeth well, that great fruite and high rewarde shall growe vnto him by the bearinge of his Crosse. And when a man freelie sub­mitteth him selfe to such tribulatiō, then all the burden of tribulation is sodenlie turned into a great trust of heauenlye consolation. And the more the fleshe is punished with tribulation, the more is the soule strengthned daylie by inwarde consolation: And sometime the soule shall feele such comfort in aduersities, that for the loue and desire that it hath to be conformed to Christe crucified, it woulde not be without sorowe and trouble: for it considereth well, that the more that it may suffer for his loue here, the more ac­ceptable shall he be to him in the life to come. But this workinge is not in the power of man, but through the grace of God, that is to saye, that a frayle man should take and loue that, which his bo­dilie kinde so much abhorreth and flieth: for it is not in the power of man, gladlie to beare the Crosse, to loue the Crosse, to chastise the bodie, and to make it obediēt to the will of the spirite, to flee honours, gladlie to sustayne reproufes, to despise him selfe, and to couet to be despised: pa­tientlie to suffer aduersities, with al displeasures thereof, and not to desire [Page] any maner of profite in this worlde. If thou trust in thy selfe, thou shaltneuer bringe this matter about: but yf thou trust in God, he shall send thee strength from heauen, and the worlde, and the fleshe shalbe made subiect to thee: yea, and if thou be strongly armed with faith, and be marked with the Crosse of Christ, as his housholde seruant, thou shalt not neede to feare thy ghostlie enemie, for he shall also be made subiect to thee, so that he shall haue no power against thee. Purpose thy selfe therefore as a true faythfull seruant of God, manfullye to beare the Crosse of thy Lorde Iesu, that for thy loue was crucified on the Crosse: prepare thy selfe to suffer all maner of aduersities and discommodities in this wretched life: for so shall it be with thee, whersoeuer thou hide thee, and there is no remedie to escape, but that thou must keepe thy selfe alwaye in patience. If thou desire to be a deare and well belo­ued frende of Christ, drinke effectuouslie with him a draught of the chalice of his tribulation. As for consolations, commit them to his will, that he order them as he knoweth most expediēt for thee: but as for thy selfe, & for as much as in thee is, dispose thee to suffer, & when tribulatiōs come, take them as speciall consolations, sayinge with the Apostle thus: The pas­siōs of this world be not worthy of them [Page 53] selues, to bringe vs to the glorye that is ordeined for vs in the life to come, yea, though thou thy selfe mightest suffer as­much as all men do. VVhē thou cōmest to that degree of patience, that tribulatiō is sweete to thee, & for the loue of God is sa­uoury & pleasaūt in thy sight, then maiest thou trust, that it is wel with thee, & that thou art in good estate, for thou haste founde paradise in earth. But as long as it is greeuous to thee to suffer, and thou seekest to flee, so long it is not well with thee, neither art thou in the perfect way of patiēce: but if thou couldest bringe thy selfe to that estate, that thou shouldest be at, that is, to suffer gladly for God, and to dye fully to the worlde, then shoulde it shortlye be better with thee, and thou shouldest finde great peace: but yet, al­though thou were rapt with Paule into the third heauē, thou shouldest not there­fore be sure without all aduersitie: for our Sauiour speaking of S. Paul, after he had bene rapt into heauen, sayd thus of him: I shall shewe him howe many thinges he shall suffer for me. To suffer therefore to thee remayneth, if thou wilt loue thy Lorde Iesu, and serue him per­petually. VVould to god, that thou wexe worthy, to suffer somewhat for his loue. O howe great ioye shoulde it be to thee, to suffer for him? what gladnes to all the Saintes of heauen? and howe great edi­fying [Page] to thy neighbour? All men cōmend patience, and yet fewe men will suffer. Righteously thou oughtest to suffer some litle thing for God, that sufferest much more for the worlde. And knowe this for certaine, that after this bodily death thou shalte yet lyue, & the more that thou canst dye to thy selfe here, the more thou beginnest to liue to God. No man is apt to receyue the heauenlie rewarde, but he haue first learned to beare aduersities for the loue of Christe, for nothinge is more acceptable to God, nor more profitable to man in this worlde then to be glad to suffer for Christ, in somuch that if it were put in thy election, thou shouldest rather chose aduersitie then prosperitie, for then by the pacient sufferinge thereof thou shouldest be more like to Christe, and the more confirmed to all his saintes. Our merite, and our perfectiō of life standeth not in consolations and sweetnes, but rather in sufferinge of great greeuous aduersities and tribulations. For if there had bene any nearer or better waye for the health of mans soule then to suffer, our Lorde Iesu would haue shewed it by wordes, or by examples: But for there was not, therefore he openlie exhorted his disciples that folowed him, and all other that desired to folowe him, to for­sake their owne will, and to take the Crosse of penance and folowe him, saying [Page 54] thus, VVho so will come after me, for­sake he his owne will, take he the Croue, and folowe he me. Therefore all thinges searched and redde, be this the finall con­clusion, that by many tribulations it behoueth vs to enter into the kingdome of heauen. To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus. Amen.

Of the invvarde speakinge of Christ to a faythfull soule. The firste Chapter.

I Shall take heede, saith a de­uout soule, and I shall heare what my Lorde Iesu shall speake in me. Blessed is that man whiche heareth Iesu speaking in his soule, and that taketh of [Page 55] his mouth some worde of comforte, and blessed be the eares that heare the secret rowninges of Iesu, and heede not the deceytfull rowninges of this world. And blessed be the good playne eares that heede not the outwarde speache, but ra­ther take heede what God speaketh and teacheth inwardlye in the soule. Blessed be the eyes also, that be shutte from sight of outwarde vanities, & that take hede to the inwarde mouinges of God. Blessed be they also that get them vertues, and prepare them by good bodily and ghostly workes, to receyue dayly more and more the secrete inspirations and inward tea­chinges of God. Also, blessed be they that set them selues wholly to serue God, and for his seruice set apart all lettinges of the world. O thou my soule, take heede to that is sayde before, and shet the dores of thy sensualities, that are thy fyue wittes, that thou mayest heare inwardlye, what our Lord Iesu speketh in thy soule. Thus saith thy beloued, I am thy health, I am thy peace, I am thy lyfe, keepe thee with me, and thou shalt finde peace in me. For­sake the loue of transitorie thinges, and seeke thinges that be euerlasting VVhat be all temporall thinges but deceauable? and what may any creature helpe thee, if thy Lord Iesu forsake thee. Therefore all creatures, and all worldlye thinges for­saken & lefte [...] that in thee is, to make [Page] thee pleasaunt in his syght, that after this lyfe thou mayst come to the life euer­lasting, in the kingdome of heauen. Amē.

Hovve allmightie God speaketh invvardlye to mans soule vvithout sounde of vvordes. The .2. Chapter.

SPeke Lord, for I thy seruāt am readie to heare thee, I am thy seruant: geue me wisedome & vnderstanding to knowe thy commaunde­ments. Bowe my heart to folowe the wordes of thy holy teachings that they may distil into my soule, as dewe into the grasse. The children of Is­rael sayde to Moyses: Speake thou to vs, and we shall heare thee: but let not our Lorde speake to vs, least haply we dye for dreade. Not so Lord, not so I be­seeche thee, but rather I aske meekelye with Samuel the prophete, that thou vouchsafe to speake to me thy selfe, and I shall gladlye heare thee. Let not Moy­ses, nor any other of the prophets speake to me, but rather thou Lorde, who art the inward inspirour and geuen of light to all prophets: for thou alone without them mayest fully informe and instruct me. They without thee maye litle profite me. They speake thy wordes, but they geue not the spirite to vnderstand the [Page 56] wordes. They speake fayre, but if thou be still, they kindle not the heart. They shewe faire letters, but thou declarest the sentence. They bring forth great high misteries, but thou openest therof the true vnderstanding: they declare thy commaundements, but thou helpest to performe them. They shew the way, but thou geuest comfort to walke therein. They doe all outwardly, but thou illu­minest and infourmest the heart within. They water onely outwardly, but it is thou, that geuest the inwarde growing. They crye all in wordes, but thou geuest to the hearers vnderstanding of the wordes that be hard. Let not Moyses therfore speake to me, but thou my Lorde Iesu, who art the euerlasting truth, least happely I dye, and be made as a man without fruit, warmed outwardly, and not inflamed inwardly, and so to haue the harder iudgement, for that I haue hearde thy word, & not done it: knowen it, and not loued it: beleeued it, and not fulfilled it. Speake therefore to me thy selfe, for I thy seruaunt am readye to heare thee. Thou hast the wordes of eter­nall life, speake them to me, to the full comfort of my soule, and geue me amendement of all my life past, to thy ioy, honor and glory euerlastingly. Amen.

That the vvordes of God are to be hearde vvith great meekenes, and that there be but fevve that ponder them, as they ought to doe. The .3. Chapter.

MY sonne sayth our Lord, heare my wordes, and folow them, for they be moste sweet, farre passing the wisedome & cun­ning of all philosophets, and wise men of the worlde. My words be spirituall and ghostly, and can not be fully comprehended by mans wit, nei­ther are they to be turned or applyed to the vayne pleasure of the hearer, but are to be heard in silēce with great meeknes and reuerence, and with great inward affection of the heart, and also in great rest and quietnes of body and soule. O blessed is he, lord, whom thou infourmest & teachest, so that thou mayest be meelie and mercifull. Lorde vnto him in the euil day, that is to say, in the day of the most dreadful iudgement, that he be not then left desolate & comfortlesse in the land of dānation. Then sayth our Lord againe: I haue taught prophetes from the be­ginning, and yet cealse I not to speake to euery creature, but many be deafe, & will not heare, & many heare the worlde more gladly then me, and more lightly [Page 57] folowe the appetite of the fleshe, thē the pleasure of God. The worlde promiseth temporall thinges of small value, & yet is he serued with great affectiō: but God promiseth high thinges, and thinges eternall, and the hearts of the people be slowe & dul. Oh, who serueth & obeyeth God in all thinges with so great desire, as he doth the worlde, and as worldly princes be serued & obeyed? I trow none: for why? for a litle prebend great iour­neyes be taken, but for the life euerla­s [...]ing, the people wyll scarsely lift their feete once from the grounde. A thing that is of small price, many times is bu­sily sought, and for a penie is sometime great strife, and for the promise of a litle worldlye profite, men eschewe not to swinke and sweate both day and night: But alas for sorowe, for the goods euer­lasting, and for the rewarde that may not be esteemed by mans ha [...]e, and for the high honour & glory that neuer shall haue ende, men be slowe to take any maner of payne and labour. Be thou the­refore ashamed thou slowe seruaunt of God, that they be founde more ready to workes of death, then thou art to works of life, and that they ioy more in vanitie, then thou in truth: and yet they be ofte deceyued of that that they haue most trust in, but my promise deceueth no man, nor leaueth no man that trusteth in [Page] me without some comfort. That I haue promised I will performe, & that I haue sayd I will fulfill to euery person, so that they abide faythfully in my loue & dread vnto the ende, for I am the rewarder of all good men, and a strong prouer of all deuout soules. VVrite my wordes there­fore in thy hart diligētly, and ofte thinke thou vpō them, and they shall be in time of temptatiō much necessarie vnto thee. That thou vnderstandest not when thou readest it, thou shalt vnderstande in the time of my visitation. I am wont to vi­site my seruauntes two maner of wayes, that is to say, with temptation, and with consolation: and two lessons dayly I reade vnto them, one wherby I rebuke their vices, another whereby I stirre thē to encrease in vertues: and he that kno­weth my wordes and despiseth thē, hath that that shall iudge him in the last day.

A prayer to obteyne the grace of deuotion. The .4. Chapter.

Lord Iesu, thou art all my ri­ches, and all that I haue, I haue it of thee. But what am I (Lorde) that I dare thus speake to thee, I am thy poor­est seruaunt, & a worme most abiect, more poore, and more dispisable than I can or [Page 58] bare say. Beholde (Lorde) that I am nought, that I haue nought, and of my selfe I am nought worth: thou art only good, righteous and holy, thou orderest all things, thou giuest all things, & thou fulfillest all things with thy goodnes, leauing only the wretched sinner barrain and voyde of heauēly comfort. Remem­ber thy mercies, and fill my harte with thy manifolde graces, for thou wilte not that thy works in me be made in vaine. How may I beare the miseries of this lyfe, vnlesse thy grace and mercy doe cō ­fort me therin? Turne not thy face from me, defer not thy visiting of me, ne with drawe not thy comforts from me, lest happily my soule be made as dry earth without the water of grace, and as it were a thing vnprofitable to thee. Tea­che me, Lorde, to fulfill thy will, and to liue meekly and worthily before thee, for thou art all my wisedome and running, and thou art he that knowest me as I am, and that knewest me before the world was made, and before that I was borne or brought into this lyfe.

Hovve vve ought to be conuersant before God in truth and meekenes. The 5. Chapter.

MY sonne, sayth our lord Iesu, walke before me in truth and meekenes, and seeke me alwayes in simplenes and playnnes of hart. He that walketh in truth, shall be defended from all perils and daungers, and truth shall deliuer him frō all decey­uers, and from all euil sayings of wicked people. If truth deliuer thee, thou art ve­ry free, and thou shalt litle care for the vayne sayinges of the people. Lord it is true all that thou sayest, be it done to me after thy saying. I beseeche thee that thy truth may teache me and kepe me, and finally leade me to a blessed ending, and that it may deliuer me from all euil affections, and from all inordinate loue, that I may walke with thee in freedome of spirite, and libertie of harte. Then truth sayth agayne, I shall teache thee what is acceptable and liking to me: Thinke on thy sinnes paste, with great displeasure and sorowe of harte, & neuer thinke thy selfe worthy to be called holy or vertuous for any good deedes that thou hast done, but thinke howe great a sinner thou art, be [...]apped and bounde with great and manifolde sinnes and [Page 59] passions, and that of thy selfe thou dra­west to nought, soone fallest, soone art ouercome, soone troubled, and soone art thou broken with labour and payne: and thou hast nothing whereof thou mayst righteously glorifie thy selfe, but many things thou hast wherfore thou oughtest to despise thy selfe, for thou art more vn­stable and more weake to ghostly works, then thou knowest or mayst thinke. Let nothing therfore seeme great to thee, no­thing precious, nothing worthy any re­putation, nor woorthy to be praysed in thy sight, but that is euerlasting. Let the euerlastinge truth be most liking & moste pleasaunt to thee aboue all other thin­ges, and that thine owne sinne and vi­lenes be moste misliking and moste dis­pleasaunt to thee. Dreade nothing so much, nor reproue nothing so much, ney­ther let any thing be to thee so much ha­ted, nor flee nothing so muche as thy sinnes and wickednes: for they should more displease thee, then should the losse of all worldly thinges. Some there be that walke not purelye before me, for they through pride and curiositie of thē selues desire to searche and know high thinges of my godhead, forgetting them selues, & the health of their owne soules: such persons fall oft times into great lē ­ptations and greeuous sinnes by their pride and curiositie, for the which I am [Page] turned against them, & leaue them to thē selues, without helpe or counsaile of me. Dreade therfore the iudgemetes of God, & the wrath of him that is almightie, and discusse not, nor searche his secretes, but searche well thine owne iniquities, How ofte, & how greeuouslie thou haste offen­ded him, & howe many good deedes thou haste negligētlie omitted & lefte vndone, whiche thou mightest well haue doone. Some persons beare their deuotion in bookes, some in images, some in outward tokens and figures: some haue me in their mouth, but litle in their heart: but some there be, that haue their reason clee­rely illumined with the light of true vn­derstandinge, whereby their affectiō is so purged and purified from loue of earthly thinges, that they maye alwaye couete & desire heauenlie thinges: in so much as it is greeuous to thē for to heare of earthly likinges, and it is to them also a right great payne to serue the necessities of the body, and they thinke all the time as lost, wherein they go about it. Suche persons feele and knowe well, what the spirite of truth speaketh in their soules, for it tea­cheth them to despise earthlie thinges, and to loue heauenlie thinges: to forsake the worlde that is transitorie, and to de­sire both daye and night, to come thither where is ioy euerlastinge, to the which bringe vs our Lorde Iesus. Amen.

Of the meruaillous effect of the loue of God. The .6. Chapter.

BLessed be thou heauenlie fa­ther, the father of my Lorde Iesus Christe, for thou haste vouchesafed to remember me thy poorest seruant, and som­time doest comfort me with thy gracious presence, that am vnwoorthy al comfort: I blesse thee, and glorifye thee alwaye, with thy onelye begotten sonne, and the holy Ghoste without endinge. Amen.

O my Lord God moste faythfull louer, when thou commest into my heart, all mine inwarde partes doe ioye. Thou art my glorie, and the ioye of my heart, my hope and wholle refuge in all my trou­bles. But forasmuche as I am yet feeble in loue, & vnperfect in vertue, therefore I haue neede of more comforte and helpe of thee. Vouchsafe therefore ofte times to visite and instruct me with thy holye teachinges. Deliuer me from all euill pas­sions, and heale my sicke hart from all inordinate affections, that I may be in­wardlie healed and purged from all inor­dinate affections and vices, and be made apte and able to loue thee, stronge to suf­fer for thee, and stable to perseuer in thee. Loue is a great thinge and a good, and onelie maketh heauye burdens light, and beareth in like balaunce things pleasaūt [Page] and displeasant: it beareth a heauie bur­den, and feeleth it not, and maketh bitter thinges to be sauerie and sweete. Also the noble loue of Iesu perfectlie printed in mans soule, maketh a man to doe great thinges, and stirreth him alwaye to de­sire perfection, and to growe more and more in grace and goodnes. Loue will alwaye haue his minde vpwarde to god, and will not be occupied with loue of the worlde. Loue will also be free from all worldlie affections, that the inwarde sight of the soule be not darked or let, nor that his affectiō to heauenly thinges be put from his free libertie by inordinat winninge or losinge of worldly thinges. Nothinge therefore is more sweete then loue, nothinge higher, nothinge stronger, nothinge larger, nothinge ioyfuller, no­thinge fuller, nor any thinge better in heauen or in earth: for loue descendeth from God, and may not rest finallie in anye thinge lower then God. Suche a louer flieth high, he runneth swiftlie, he is merie in God, he is free in soule, he geneth all for all, and hath all in all: for he resteth in one high goodnes aboue all thinges, of whom all goodnes floweth and proceedeth the beholdeth not onelee the gifte, but the geuer aboue all giftes. Loue knoweth no measure, but is feruent without measure. It feeleth no burden, it regardeth no labour, it desireth more thē [Page 61] it may attaine, it complaineth of none impossibilitie, for it thinketh all thinge that maye be done for his beloued, possi­ble and lawfull vnto him. Loue therefore doth many great thinges, and bringeth them to effect, wherein he that is no louer fainteth and faileth. Loue waketh muche, and sleepeth litle, and sleepinge sleepeth not: it fainteth, and is not werie: is restrained of libertie, and is in great freedome. He seeth causes of feare, and feareth not, but as a quicke bronde or sparkle of fire, flameth alwaye vpwarde by feruoure of loue into God, & through the especiall helpe of grace is deliuered from all perils and daungers. He that is thus a ghostlie louer, knoweth well what his voyce meanes, which sayeth thus: Thou Lorde God art my wholle loue and my desire, thou art all mine, and I all thine. Spreade thou my heart into thy loue, that I may taste and feele howe sweete it is to serue thee, and how ioyful it is to laude thee, aud to be as I were all molten into thy loue. O I am bounden in loue, and go farre aboue my selfe: for the wonderfull great feruour that I feele of thy vnspeakeable goodnes, I shall singe to thee the songe of loue, and I shall fo­lowe thee my beloued by highnes of thought, wheresoeuer thou go, and my soule shall neuer be werie to prayse thee with the ioyfull songe of ghostlie loue, [Page] that I shall sing to thee. I shall loue thee more then my selfe, and not my selfe but for thee, and all other in thee and for thee, as the lawe of loue commaundeth, which is geuen by thee. Loue is swifte, pure, meeke, ioyous and glad, stronge, pa­tient, faythfull, wise, forbearing, manlye, & neuer seeking him selfe, nor his owne will, for whensoeuer a man seeketh him selfe, he falleth fro loue. Also loue is cir­cumspect, meeke, righteous, not tender, not light, nor heedinge vayne thinges: sober, chaste, stable, quiet, and well stabled in his outwarde wittes. Also, loue is sub­iect and obedient to his prelate, vile and despisable in his owne sight, deuout and thankfull to God, trusting, and alwaye hoping in him, and that whē he hath but litle deuotion, or litle sauor in him: for without some sorowe or payne no man may lyue in loue. He that is not alwaye redy to suffer, and to stand fullye at the will of his beloued, is not woorthy to be called a louer, for it behoueth a louer to suffer gladlye all harde and bitter thinges for his beloued, and not to decline from his loue for no contrariou thing that may befall vnto him.

Of the proufe of a true louer of God. The 7. Chapter.

MY sonne, saith our Sauiour Christe, thou art not yet a stronge and a wyse louer: for whye? for a litle aduer­sitie thou leauest anone that thou haste begon in my seruice, and with great desire thou seekest outward consolatiōs. But a strong and a faithful louer of God standeth stable in all aduersities, and ge­ueth litle heede to the deceitfull persua­sions of the enemy, and as he pleseth him in prosperitie, so he displeaseth him not in aduersitie. A wise louer cōsidereth not so much the gifte of his louer as he doth the loue of the geuer. He regardeth more the loue then the gifte, and accompteth all giftes litle in comparison of his be­loued, who geueth them to him. A noble louer resteth not in the gifte, but in me aboue all giftes. Furthermore, it is not all lost, though thou sometime feele lesse de­uotion to me, and to my Saintes then thou wouldest doe, & on that other syde, the sweete ghostly desire that thou feelest sometime to thy Lord Iesu, is the feleable gift of grace geuen to thy comfort in this life, & a taste of the heauenly glory in the lyfe to come: but it is not good, that thou leane ouermuch to such cōfortes, for they [Page] ligthly come and go after the will of the geuer: but to striue alwaye without ceas­sing against all euill motiōs of sinne, and to despise all the suggestions of the ene­my, is a token of perfect loue, & of great merite & singuler grace. Let no vanities, nor no strange fantasies trouble thee, of what matter soeuer they be. Keepe thine intent and thy purpose alway whole and strong to me, and thinke not that it is an illusion, that thou art sodenlie rauished into excesse of minde, and that thou art soone after turned agayne to thy fyrst lightnesse of hart, for thou suffrest suche lightnesse rather against thy will, than with thy will. And therefore if thou be dis­pleased therewith, it shal be to thee great merite and no perdition. I knowe (sayth our Lorde) that the olde auncient enimie the feende, will assay to let thy good wil, and to extinct the good desire that thou hast to me, and to all goodnes, all that he can, and he will also hinder thee from all good workes, and deuout excercises if he may: that is to saye, from the honour and worship that thou art bounde to geue to me and to my saintes, and from minde of my passion, and from the remembraunce of thine owne sinnes, from a diligent keeping of thy harte in good meditatiōs, and from a stedfast purpose to profite in vertue. He will also put into thy mynde many ydle thoughts, to make thee yrke, [Page 63] and to be soone werye with prayer, and with readinge, and with all other good vertuous workes. A meke confession dis­pleaseth him much, and if he can he will let a man that he shall not be houseled. But beleue him not, nor care not for him though he assayle thee neuer so muche. Make all his malice returne to him selfe agayne, and saye to him thus, Go from me thou wicked spirit, and be thou asha­med, for thou art foule and vglye, that wouldest bringe suche thinges into my mynde. Go from me thou false deceyuer of mankinde, thou shalt haue no part in me, for my Sauiour Iesu standeth by me as a mightie warriour and a stronge champion, and thou shalt flye awaye to thy confusion. I had leuer suffer the most cruell death, then to consent to thy ma­licious stiringes. Be still therefore thou cursed feende, and cease thy malice, for I shall neuer assent to thee, though thou vexe me neuer so muche. Our Lorde is my light and my health, whom shal I dreade? and he is the defender of my life, what shall I feare? Truely though an hoste of men arise against me, my hart shall not dread them: For why? God is my helper and my redeemer. Then sayth our Lorde agayne to such a soule, striue alwaye as a true knight against all the styringes of the enymie. And if thou be sometyme through thy frailtie ouercome, rise so one [Page] againe, and take more strength then thou haddest first, & trust vertlie to haue more grace, and more comfort of God, than thou haddest before. But beware alwaye of vainglorie and pride, for therby many persons haue fallen into greate errours, and into great blindnes of soule, so farre, that it hath bene right nigh incurable. Be it therefore to thee a great exemple, and a matter of perpetuall meekenes, the fall & ruine of suche proude folkes, that foolishlie haue presumed of them selfe, & haue in the end finallie perished by their presumption.

Hovve grace is to be kept close through the vertue of meekenes. The .8. Chapter.

MY sonne, it is muche more ex­pedient, and muche more surer way for thee, that thou hide the grace of deuotion, and not to speake much of it nor much to regard it, but rather to dispise thy selfe the more for it, and to thinke thy selfe vnworthy any such gracious gift of god than to speke of it. And it is not good to cleaue muche to suche affections as may be soone turned into the cōtrary. VVhen thou hast the grace of deuotion, consider how wretched & needy thou wert wont to be, when thou haddest no such grace [Page 64] The profite and increase of life spiri­tuall is not onely when thou hast deuo­tion, but rather when thou canst meekly and patienly beare the withdrawing & absenting thereof, and yet not to leaue thy prayers, nor thy other good deedes that thou art accustomed to doe, vn­done, but to thy power, and as far as in thee is, doest thy best therin, and forget­test not thy duetie therefore, nor art not negligent for any dulnes or vnquietnes of minde that thou feelest. Neuerthelesse there be many persons, that when any aduersity falleth to them, they be anone vnpatient, and be made thereby very slowe and dull to doe any good deede, and they hinder them selues greatly. For it is not in the power of man the waye that he shall take, but it is onelye in the grace of God to dispose that after his will, and to sende comforte when he will, and as muche as he will, and to whom he will, as it shall please him, and none otherwise. Some vnware persons through an vndiscrete desire that they haue had to haue the grace of deuotion, haue destroyed them selues, for they woulde doe more then their power was to doe, and would not knowe the mea­sure of their gift, nor the litlenes of their owne strength, but rather woulde fo­lowe the pride of their heart, then the iudgement of reason. And because they [Page] presumed to doe greater thinges then was pleasant to God, therefore they lost anone the grace that they had before, & were lefte needy and without comfort, which thought to haue builded their ne­stes in heauen: and so they were taught not to presume of them selues, but mee­kely to trust in God, and in his goodnes, Also, such persons, as be beginners, and yet lacke experience in ghostly trauayle, maye lightly erre, and be deceiued, vn­lesse they will be ruled by counsayle of other. And if they will needlye folowe their owne counsaile, and will in no wise be remoued from their owne will, it will be very perillous to them in the ende. And it is not lightly seene, that they that be wise and cunning in their owne sight, will be meekely ruled or ordered by other. It is better to haue litle cun­ning with meekenes, then great cun­ninge with vayne liking therein: and it is better to haue litle cunninge with grace, then muche cunninge, whereof thou shouldest be proude. Also, he doth not discretely, that in time of deuotion setteth him selfe also to spirituall mirth, and as it were, to a heauenly gladnes, & forgetteth his former desolation, and the meeke drede of God. Neither doeth he well or vertuously, that in time of trou­ble, or any maner aduersitie or greefe beareth him selfe ouer much desperatlye, [Page 65] and doth not feele or thinke so faithfully of me as he ought to doe. He that in time of peace and ghostly comfort will thinke him selfe ouermuche sure, commonly in time of battaile and of temptation, shall be founde ouermuche deiect & fearfull: but if thou couldest alwaye abide meeke and litle in thine owne sight, and coul­dest order well the motiōs of thine owne soule, thou shouldest not so soone fall in­to presumption or dispaire, nor so lightly offend almightie God. VVherfore this is good and wholsome counsell, that when thou haste the spirite of feruour, thou thinke, howe thou shalt doe, when that feruor is passed, and then whē it happe­neth so with thee, that thou thinke that it may soone come againe, which to my honoure, & to thy prouing I haue with­drawen for a time. And it is more profi­table to thee, that thou shouldest be so proued, then that thou shouldest alway haue prosperous thinges after thy will: for why? merites are not to be thought great in any person, because he hath manye visions, or many ghostlye com­fortes, or for that he hath cleere vnder­stāding of Scripture, or that he is set in high degree: but if he be stablye grounded in meekenes, and fulfilled with charitie, and seeke wholly the worship of God, & in nothing regardeth him selfe, but fullie in his heart can despise him selfe, & also [Page] coueteth to be despised of other, then maye he haue good trust, that he hath somewhat profited in grace, and that he shall in the ende haue great rewarde of God for his good trauaile. Amen.

Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God. The 9. Chapter.

SHall I, Lorde Iesu, dare speake to thee, that am but duste and ashes? verilie, yf I thinke my selfe any bet­ter then ashes & duste, thou standest against me, & also myne owne sinnes beare witnes against me, that I may not with­saye it: but if I despise my selfe, and set my selfe at naught, and thinke my selfe but ashes and dust, as I am, then thy geace shall be nigh vnto me, and the light of true vnderstandinge shall enter into my heart, so that all presumption & pride in me shall be drowned in the vale of meekenes, through perfect knowinge of my wretchednes, Thorough meekenes thou shalt shewe vnto me what I am, what I haue bene, and from whence I came, for I am nought, and knewe it not. If I be left to my selfe, thē am I nought, and all is feeblenes and imperfection. [Page 66] But if thou vouchesafe a litle to beholde me, anone I am made stronge, and am [...]il­led with a newe ioye, and meruaile it is, that I wretch am so soone lift vp from my vnstablenes, into the beholdinge of heauenlie thinges, and that I am so lo­uinglie lifted vp of thee, that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to earthlie likinges. But thy loue, Lorde, causeth all this, which preuenteth me, and helpeth me in all my necessities, and keepeth me warily from all perils & daungers, that I daylye am like to fall into. I haue lost thee, and also my selfe by inordinate loue that I haue had to my selfe, and in seekinge of thee againe, I haue founde both thee and me, and therefore I will more deeply from henceforth set my selfe at naught, and more diligentlye seeke thee, then in time paste I haue done: for thou Lorde Iesu, thou doest to me aboue all my meri­tes, & aboue all that I can aske or desire. But blessed be thou in all thy workes, for though I be vnworthy any good things, yet thy goodnes neuer ceasseth to doe well to me, & also to manye other, which be vnkind to thee, and that are turned right farre from thee. Turne vs Lorde therefore to thee agayne, that we maye hēceforward be louing, thankfull, meeke & deuout to thee, for thou act our health, thou art our vertue and all our strength in body and soule, and none but thou: to [Page] thee therfore be ioy and glory euerlastin­gly in the blisse of heauen. Amen.

Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God, as ende of euery vvorke. The .10. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Sauiour Christ, I must be the ende of all thy workes, if thou desire to be happy and blessed. And if thou referre all goodnes to me, from whom all goodnes commeth, then shall be purged and made cleane in thee thine inwarde affections, which els would be euill inclined to thy selfe and to other creatures. If thou seeke thy selfe in any thing as ende of thy worke, anone thou faylest in thy doinge, and waxest drie and barrein frō all moysture of grace. VVher­fore thou must referre all thinges to me, for I geue all. Behold therfore all things as they be, flowinge and springinge out of my soueraine goodnes, and reduce all thinges to me as to their originall be­ginninge, for of me both small and great, poore and riche, as of a quicke springinge wall, drawe, water of life. He that serueth me freelie and with good will, shall re­ceaue grace for grace: But he that will glorifie him selfe in him selfe, or willfully ioye in any thinge beside me, shall not be stablished in perfect ioye, nor be delated [Page 67] in soule, but he shalbe letted & anguished many wayes from the true freedome of spirite. Thou shalt therefore ascribe no goodnes to thy selfe, nor thou shalt not thinke, that any person hath anye good­nes of him selfe, but that thou yeelde al­waye the goodnes to me, without whom man hath nothing. I haue geuen all, and all will I haue againe, and with great straitnes will I looke to haue thankings therefore. This is the truth, whereby is driuen awaye all maner of vaine glorye and pride of heart. If heauenly grace and perfect charitie enter into thy hart, then shall there no enuie nor vnquietnes of mind, neither any priuate loue haue rule in thee: For the charity of God shal ouer­come all thinges, and shall dilate and in­flame all the powers of thy soule. VVher­fore, if thou vnderstandest a right, thou shalt neuer ioye but in me, and in me onelie thou shalt haue trust, for no man is good but God alone, who is aboue all thinges to be honoured, and in all thinges to be blessed.

That it is svveete and delectable to serue God, and to forsake the vvorlde. The 11. Chapter.

NOw shall I speake againe to thee my Lorde Iesu, and not ceasse. And I shall say in the eares of my Lord, my God and king that is in heauen. O howe great is the aboun­dance of thy sweetenes, which thou haste hidde and kept for thē that dreade thee? But what is it then to them that loue thee, & that with all their hart do serue thee? verily, it is the vnspeakeable swe­tenes of contemplation, that thou geuest to them that loue thee. In this Lord, thou hast moste shewed the swetenes of thy charitie to me, that whē I was not, thou madest me, and when I erred farre from thee, thou broughtest me againe to serue thee, and thou cōmaundest me also, that I shall loue thee. O fountaine of loue euerlasting, what shal I say of thee? howe maye I forget thee, that hast vou­chedsafe to louinglye to remember me? VVhē I was like to haue perished, thou shewedst thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde thinke and desyre, and hast sent me of thy grace and loue aboue my me­rites. But what shall I geue thee againe for all this goodnes? It is not geuen to all men to forsake the worlde, & to take [Page 68] a solitarye life, and only to serue thee, & yet it is no great thing to serue thee, whom euery creature is bounde to serue. It ought not therefore to seeme any great thing to me to serue thee, but ra­ther it should seeme maruel and wonder to me, that thou wilt vouchsafe to re­ceaue so poore, and so vnworthy a crea­ture as I am into thy seruice, and that thou wilt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruantes. Lo Lorde, all thinges that I haue, & all that I doe thee seruice with, is thine: and yet thy goodnes is suche, that thou rather seruest me, then I thee: for lo, heauen & earth, planets and star­res with their contents, which thou hast created to serue man, be readye at thy biddinge, and doe daylye that thou haste commaunded. And thou haste also ordey­ned aungels to the minysterie of man. But aboue all this, thou haste vouched­safe to serue man thy selfe, and haste pro­mised to geue thy selfe vnto hym. VVhat shall I then geue to thee agayne for this thousand folde goodnes? woulde to God that I might serue thee all the dayes of my lyfe, or at the least, that I might one daye be able to doe thee faythfull seruice, for thou art woorthye all honour, ser­uice, and praysinge for euer. Thou art my Lorde and my God, and I thy poorest seruant, most bounde before all other to loue thee, and prayse thee, and I neuer [Page] ought to ware werye of the praysinge of thee. And that is it that I aske, and that I desire, that is to say, that I may alway laude and prayse thee. Vouchsafe ther­fore, moste mercifull Lord, to supply, that wanteth in me, for it is great honour to serue thee, & all earthly thinges to despise for the loue of thee. They shal haue great grace that freely submit thē selues to thy holye seruice. And they shall finde also the moste sweete consolation of the holye ghoste, and shall haue great freedome of spirit, that here forsake all worldlye bu­sines, and choose a harde and straite lyfe in this worlde for thy name. O free and ioyfull seruice of God, by the which a man is made free, holy, and also blessed in the sight of God. O holye state of religion, which maketh a man lyke to aungels, pleasant to God, dreadefull to wicked spirites, and to all faythfull people right highlye commendable. O seruice much to be embraced, and alwaye to be de­sired, by whom the high goodnes is wonne, and the euerlasting ioye and gladnes is gotten without ende.

That the desires of the heart ought to be vvell examined and moderated. The 12. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lorde, it behoueth thee to learne ma­ny thinges that thou haste not yet well lerned. VVhat be they Lorde? that thou order thy desires and affections wholly after my pleasure, and that thou be not a louer of thy selfe, but a desirous folower of my wil in all things. I knowe well that desires ofte moue to this thing or to that: but cōsider well, whether thou be moued principally for mine honour, or for thine owne, If I be in the cause, thou shalt be wel contented, whatsoeuer I doe with thee: but if any thinge remayne in thy harte of thine owne will, that is it that letteth and hindreth thee. Beware therefore that thou leane not muche to thine owne desire without my councell, least happly it repent thee, and displease thee in the ende, that firste pleased thee, Euerye affection and desyre of mans hart that seemeth good and holye, is not forthwith to be folowed, nor euery con­trarious affection or desire is not hastily to be refused. It is sometime right expe­dient, that a man refraine his affections and desires, though they be good, least happlye by his importunitie he fall into [Page] vnquietnes of minde, or that he be a let to other, or be letted by other, and so faile in his doinge: and sometime it behoueth vs to vse as it were, a violence to our selfe, and stronglye to resist and breake downe our sensuall appetite, and not to regard what the fleshe will or will not, but alwaye to take hede that it be made subiect to the will of the spirite, and that it be so long chastised, and compelled to serue, till it be ready to all thing that the soule commaundeth, & that it can learne to be cōtent with a litle, and can delight in simple thinges, and not to murmure nor to grudge for any cōtrarious thinges that may befall vnto it.

Hovv vve should keepe patience, and continually stryue agaynst all concupiscence. The .13. Chapter.

O My Lord God (as I heare say) patience is muche necessarie vn­to me, because of many contra­rious thinges, which in this life daylie chaunce. I see well, that howeso­euer I doe order my selfe for peace yet can not my life be without some battaile and sorowe. My sonne, it is true that thou sayest: wherfore, I will not, that thou seeke to haue suche peace as wan­teth temptations, or as feeleth not some cōtradictiō: But that thou trow & beleue [Page 70] that thou hast found peace whē that thou hast many troubles, and art proued with many cōtrarious thinges in this worlde. And if thou saye, thou mayest not suffer suche thinges, how shalt thou then suffer the fire of Purgatory? Of two euils, the lesse euill is to be taken. Suffer therefore patientlie the litle paines of this world, that thou mayest hereafter escape the greater in the worlde to come. Trowest thou, that worldlye men suffer litle or nothing? yes truely, thou shalt find none without some trouble, though thou seeke the most delicat persons that be. But per­case thou sayest to me againe, they haue many delectations, & folowe their owne pleasures so much, that they ponder but litle all their aduersities. VVell, I will it be as thou sayest, that they haue all that they can desire, but howe longe trowest thou that it shall endure? Soothly, it shal sodenlye vanish awaye as smoke in the ayre, so that there shall not be lefte anye remembraunce of their ioyes passed, & yet when they liued they were not without great bitternes and griefe, for ofte times of the same thing wherein they had their greatest pleasure, receaued they after great trouble and payne, & righteouslie came that vnto them, that forasmuche as they sought delectations and pleasures inordinatelye, that they shoulde not ful­fill their desire therein, but with greate [Page] bitternes and sorowe. O howe shorte, howe false, and howe inordinate be all the pleasures of this worlde? Soothlye, for dronkenship and blindnes of hearte the worldlye people perceaue it not, nor wil not perceaue it, but as dombe beastes, for a lytle plesure of this corruptible life, they runne headlonge into euerlastinge death. Therefore my sonne, go not after thy concupiscence, but turne thee lightly from thine owne wil. Delite thee in god, and fixe thy loue stronglye in him, and he shall geue thee the asking of thine heart. And if thou wilt haue cōsolation aboun­dantlye, and wilt receaue the soothfast comfort that commeth of God, dispose thy selfe fullye to despise this world, and put from thee whollye all inordinate de­lectations, and thou shalt haue plēteous­ly the comfort of God. And the more that thou with drawest thee from the consola­tion of all creatures, the more sweete & blessed consolations shalte thou receaue of thy creatoure. But soothlye thou canst not at the first come to such cōsolations, but with heauines and laboure goinge before, thy olde custome will somewhat withstande thee, but with a better cu­stome it may be ouercome. The flesh will murmure against thee, but with feruour of spirite it shall be restrained. The olde auncient enemy thee freende wil [...]et thee if he can, but with deuout prayer. He shall [Page 71] be driuen awaye, and with good bodilye and ghostlye laboures his waye shalbe stopped, so that he shall not dare come nigh vnto thee.

Of the obedience of a meeke subiect, after the example of our Lorde Iesu Christe. The 14. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Sauiour Christe, he that laboureth to withdrawe him from obedience, withdraweth hym from grace: And he that seeketh to haue pri­uate thinges, loseth the thinges that be in common. If a man can not gladlie submit him selfe to his supe­riour, it is a token that his fleshe is not yet fullie obedient to the spirite, but that it ofte rebelleth and murmureth. There­fore yf thou desire to ouercome thy selfe, and to make thy fleshe obeye meekelye to the will of the spirit, learne first to obeye gladlye to thy superiour. The out­ward enemye is the sooner ouercome, yf the inner man, that is the soule, be not feebled nor wasted. There is none worse, nor any more greeuous enemye to the soule, then thy selfe, if thy fleshe be not well agreeinge to the will of the spirite. It behoueth the therfore, that thou haue a true despisinge and contempt of thy [Page] selfe, yf thou wilt preuayle against thy fleshe and bloud. But forasmuch as thou yet louest thy selfe inordinatlie, therefore thou fearest to resigne thy will whollie to another mans will. But what greate thinge is it to thee that art but doste and nought, if thou subdue thy selfe to man for my sake, when I, that am almightie, & moste highe God, maker of all thinges subdued my selfe mekelye to man for thy sake? I made my selfe moste meeke and most lowe of all men, that thou shoudest learne to ouercome thy pride through my meekenes. Learne therefore, thou ashes, to be tractable, learne thou earth and dust, to be meeke, and to bowe thy selfe vnder euerye mans foote for my sake: learne to breake thine owne will, & to be subiect to all men in thine heart. Rise in great wrath against thy selfe, and suffer not pryde to reygne in thee, but shewe thy selfe so litle and obedient, and so noughtie in thine owne sight, that as thee thinkes, all men maye righteouslye go ouer thee, and tread vpō the, as vpon earth or claye. O vaine man, what haste thou to complaine. O thou fowle sinner what mayest thou righteously say against them that reproue thee, sith thou haste so ofte offended God, and haste also so ofte deserued the paynes of hell? But ne­uerthelesse, my eye of mercie hath spared thee, for thy soule is precious in my sight, [Page 72] that thou shouldest thereby knowe the greate loue▪ that I haue to thee, and be therfore the more thankful to me againe, and geue thy selfe to perfect & true sub­iection and meekenes, and to be ready in hart, patiently to suffer for my sake thine owne contemptes and despisings, when­soeuer they shal happen to fal vnto thee. Amen.

Of the secrete and hid iudgementes of God to be considered, that vve be not proude of our good deedes. The .15. Chapter.

LOrd, thou soundest thy iud­gementes terribly vpon me, and fillest my body & bones with great feare and dreade: my soule also trembleth very sore, for I am greatly astonied, for that I see that heauens be not clene in thy sight, for sith thou foundest default in angels, and sparedst thē not, what shall become of me, that am but vile and stin­king carreyne? Stars fel from heauen, and I dust and ashes, what should I presume? Also some people that seemed to haue great workes of vertue, haue fallen full lowe. And suche as were fed with meate of aungels, I haue seene after de­lyte in swynes meate, that is to saye, in fleshlye pleasures. VVherefore it may be [Page] well sayde and verifyed, that there is no holynes nor goodnes in vs, if thou with: drawe thy hand of mercy from vs, nor that no wisedome maye auayle vs, if thou Lorde gouerne it not: nor any strength helpe, if thou ceasse to preserue vs: no sure chastitie can be, if thou Lorde defende it not, nor any sure keeping may profite vs, if thy holy watchfulnes be not present: for if we be forsaken of thee, anone we be drowned and perishe: but if thou a litle visite vs with thy grace, we anone liue, and be lifte, vp agayne. VVe be vnstable, vnlesse thou confirme vs, we be colde and dul, but if by thee we be stirred to feruoure of spirite. O howe meekely and abiectly ought I therfore to iudge of my selfe, & how much ought I in my heart to despise my selfe, though I be holden neuer so good and holy in sight of the world: and howe profoundly ought I to submit me to thy deepe and profound iudgementes, sith I finde in my selfe nothinge els but naught and naught? O substaunce that may not be pondered. O Sea, that may not be sailed: in thee, and by thee I finde that my sub­staunce is nothing, and ouer all naught where is nowe the shadowe of this worldlye glorie, and where is the trust that I had in it? Truelie it is vanished awaye through the deepenes of thy se­crete and hidde Iudgementes vpon me. [Page 73] VVhat is fleshe in thy sight? how may clay glorifye him selfe against his maker? how may he be deceaued with vain pray­ses whose heart in truth is subiect to god? All the worlde may not lift him vp into pride, whō truth, that God is, hath per­fectly made subiect vnto him, nor he may not be deceaued with any flattering, that putteth his whole trust in God. For he seeth well, that they that speake be vaine and nought, and that they shall shortly faile with the sounde of wordes, but the truth of God alway abideth.

Hovv a man shall order him selfe in his desires. The .16. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Sauiour Christ, thus shalt thou say in euerye thing that thou desi­rest. Lorde, if it be thy will, be it done as I aske, and if it be to thy praysing, be it fulfilled in thy name. And if thou see it good and profi­table to me, geue me grace to vse it to thy honoure. But if thou knowe it hurtfull to me, and not profitable to the health of my soule, then take from me suche de­sire. Euery desire cōmeth not of the holy ghoste, though it seeme rigteous & good, for it is sometime full harde to iudge, whether a good spirit or an euil moueth [Page] thee to this thing or to that, or whether thou be moued of thyne owne spirite. Many be deceued in the ende, which first seemed to haue beene moued of the holy ghoste. Therfore with dreade of God, and with meekenes of heart it is to desire and aske whatsoeuer commeth to our minde to be desired and asked, and with a whole forsakinge of our selfe to committe all thinges to God, and to saye thus: Lorde, thou knowest what thing is to me moste profitable, doe this or that after thy will, geue me what thou wilt, asmuch as thou wilt, and when thou wilt. Doe with me as thou knowest best to be done, and as it shall please thee, and as shall be moste to thy honoure. Put me where thou wilt, and freelye doe with me in all thinges after thy will. Thy creature I am, and in thine handes, leade me and turne me where thou wilte, loe, I am thy seruaunt ready to all thinges that thou commaun­dest, for I desire not to lyue to my selfe, but to thee. VVoulde to God it might be worthilye and profitablye, and to thy honoure. Amen.

A prayer, that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled. The 17. Chapter.

MOst benigne Lorde Iesu, graunt me thy grace, that it maye be alway with me, and worke with me, and perseuer with me vnto the end. And that I may euer desire and wil that is most pleasaunt and acceptable to thee. Thy will be my will, and my will alwaye to folowe thy will, & best accord therewith. Be there alwaye in me one will, and one desire with thee, and that I may haue no power to will or to not will, but as thou wilt or wilt not. And graunt me that I maye dye to all thinges that be in the world, and for thee, to loue to be despised, and to be as a man vnknowen in this world. Graunt me also aboue all thinges that can be desired, that I may rest me in thee, and fullye in thee pacifye my heart, for thou Lord art the very true peace of heart, and the perfect rest of bodye and soule, and without thee all thinges be greeuous and vnquiet. VVherefore, in that peace that is in thee, one high, one blessed, and one endlesse goodnes shall I alwaye rest me, so may it be. Amen.

That the verye true solace & comfort is in god. The .18. Chapter.

VVhat at soeuer I may desire or thinke to my cōfort, I abide it not here, but I trust to haue it hereafter: for if I alone might haue all the so­lace and comfort of this worlde, & might vse the delites thereof after mine owne desire without sinne, it is certaine, that they might not long endure: wherefore my soule may not fully be comforted, nor perfectly refreshed, but in God onely, who is the comfort of the poore in spi­rite, and the embracer of the meeke and lowly in heart. Abide, my soule, abide the promise of god, & thou shalt haue aboun­dance of all goodnes in heauen. If thou inordinatelye couete these goodnes pre­sent, thou shalt lose the goodnes eternal. Haue therfore goods present in vse, and eternall in desire. Thou mayest in no maner be satiate with temporal goodes, for thou art not created so to vse thē, as to rest thee in them: for if thou alone haddest all the goodes that euer were created & made, thou mightest not thee­fore be happy and blessed, but thy blessed­fulnes and full felicitie standeth only in God, that hath made all thinges of nought. And that is not such felicitie as [Page 75] is commended of the foolishe louers of the worlde, but such as good christen men & women hope to haue in the blisse of heauen, and as some ghostlye persons cleane and pure in heart sometime doe taste here in this present life, whose con­uersation is in heauen. All worldly so­lace, and all mans comfort is vaine and short, but that comfort is blessed and soothfast, that is perceaued by truth in­wardly in the hart. A deuout folower of God beareth alway about with him his comforter, that is Iesu, and sayeth thus vnto him: My Lord Iesu, I beseech thee that thou be with me in euery place, and euerye time, and that it be to me a special solace, gladly for thy loue to want all mans solace. And if thy solace want also, that thy will, and thy righteous prouing and assaying of me, may be to me a singuler comfort, and a high solace. Thou shalt not al­waye be angrie with me, neither shalt thou al­waye threate me. So may it be. Amen.

That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God. The .19. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Lorde to his seruant, suffer me to doe with thee what I will, for I knowe what is best and most expedient for thee. Thou workest in ma­ny thinges after thy kindlie reason, and after as thy affection, and thy worldlie pollicie stirreth thee: and so thou mayest lightlie erre and be deceued. O Lorde, it is true all that thou sayest, thy prouidēce is much more better for me, then all that I can doe or say of my selfe. VVherfore it may well be sayde and verified, that he standeth very casuallye, that setteth not his wholle trust in thee. Therefore Lorde, while my witte abideth stedfast & stable, doe with me in all thinges as it pleaseth thee, for it may not be but well all that thou doest. If thou wilt, that I be in light, be thou blessed, and if thou wilt, that I be in darkenes, be thou also bles­sed. If thou vouchsafe to comfort me, be thou highly blessed. And if thou wilt, that I shall liue in trouble, and without all cōfort, be thou in likewise muche blessed. My sonne, so it behoueth to be with thee, if thou wilt walke with me: as readye must thou be to suffer, as to ioye, and as gladlie be needye and poore, as wealthy [Page 76] and riche. Lorde, I will gladlie suffer for thee whatsoeuer thou wilt shall fal vpon me. Indifferētly will I take of thy hande good and bad, bitter and sweete, gladnes and sorowe, and for all thinges that shall befal vnto me, hartily wil I thanke thee. Keepe me, Lorde, from sinne, and I shall neither dreade death nor hel. Put not my name out of the booke of life, and it shall not greeue me, what trouble soeuer befal vpon me.

That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lorde, I descended from heauen, and for thy health haue I takē thy miseries, not compelled therto of necessitie, but of my chari­tie, that thou shouldest learne to haue pa­tiēce with me, & not to disdayne to beare the miseries & wretchednes of this life, as I haue done for thee: for from the first houre of my birth vnto my death vpō the crosse, I was neuer without some sorowe or paine. I had great lacke of temporall thinges, I heard great cōplaintes made on me, I suffered beningely many shames & rebukes, for my benefites I receaued vnkindnes, for my miracles, blasphemies, & for my true doctrine many reproufes. [Page] O Lorde, forasmuche as thou wert fo­unde patient in thy life, fulfilling in that moste specially the will of thy fa­ther, it is seeming, that I moste wret­ched sinner beare me patiently after thy will in all thinges, and as long as thou wilt, that I for mine owne health, beare the burden of this corruptible life: for though this life be tedious, and as an heauy burden to the soule, yet neuer­thelesse, it is nowe through thy grace made very meritorious, and by exāple of thee, & of thy holie saints, it is now made to weak persons more sufferable & cleere, and also muche more comfortable then it was in the olde lawe, when the gates of heauen were shet, and the waye thither­warde was darke, and so fewe did couet to seeke it. And yet they that were then righteous, and were ordeined to be sa­ued, before thy blessed passion and death might neuer haue come thither. O what thankes am I bounde therfore to yeelde to thee, that so louingly haste vouched­safe to shew to me, and to all faythful people that will folow thee, the very true and straite way to thy kingdome. Thy holy life is our way, and by thy pa­tiēce we walke to thee, who art our head and gouernour. And if thou Lorde had­dest not gone before, and shewed vs the way, who woulde haue endeuoured him to haue folowed? howe many shoulde [Page 77] haue taried behind, if they had not seene thy blessed examples goinge before? VVe be yet slowe & dull, nowe we haue seene and hearde thy signes and doctrines: what shoulde we then haue beene, if we had seene no such light goinge before vs: Truelie, we should haue fixed our minde and loue whollye in worldlye thinges, from the which keepe vs Lorde of thy great goodnes. Amen.

Of patient suffering of iniuries and vvronges, and vvho is truely patient. The .21. Chapter.

My sonne, what is it that thou speakest, why complainest thou thus? ceasse, ceasse, cō ­plaine no more, consider my passion, and the passions of my saintes, and thou shalt well see, that it is right litle that thou suffrest for me. Thou hast not yet suffred to the shedinge of thy bloud, and truelie, thou haste litle suffred in comparison of them that haue suffred so many thinges for me in time past, and that haue bene so strongly tempted, so greeuouslye trou­bled, and so manye wayes proued. It be­houeth thee therefore to remember the great greeuous thinges that other haue suffred for me, that thou mayest the more lightly beare thy litle griefes: and if they [Page] seeme not litle to thee, loke thy impatiē ­ce cause not that: but neuertheles, whe­ther they be litle or great, studie alwaye to beare them patientlie without grud­ginge or complayninge, if thou may, and the better that thou canst dispose thee to suffer them, the more wiselier thou doest, and the more merit shalt thou haue, and thy burdē by reason of thy good custome and of thy good will shall be the lighter. Thou shalt neuer saye, I can not suffer this thinge of such a person, nor it is not for me to suffer it: he hath done me great wronge, and layeth vnto my charge that I neuer thought, but of another man I will suffer as I shall thinke. Suche ma­ner sayinges be not good, for they consider not the vertue of patience, nor of whom it shalbe crowned, but they rather consider the persons and the offences done vnto them. Therefore he is not truelie pacient that will not suffer but as much as he will, and of whom he will: for a true pacient man forceth not of whom he suffereth, whether of his Prelate, or of his felowe that is egall vnto him, or of any other that is vnder him nor whe­ther he be a good man and a holye, or an euill man and an vnworthy, but when­soeuer any aduersitie or wronge falleth vnto him whatsoeuer it be, and of whom soeuer if be, and howe ofte soeuer, he ta­keth all thankfullie as of the hande of [Page 78] God, and accompteth it as a riche gifte, and a great benefite, O God, for he know­weth well that there is nothinge that a man may suffer for God that may passe without great merite. Be thou therefore readie to battall, if thou wilt haue victo­rie: without battaile thou mayest not come to the crowne of patience, and yf thou wilt not suffer, thou refusest to be crowned. VVherefore, if thou wilt need­lie be crowned, resist stronglie, and suffer patientlie, for without laboure no man may come to rest, nor without battaile no man may come to victorie. O Lorde Iesu, make it possible to me by grace, that is impossible to me by nature: Thou knowest well that I may litle suffer, and that I am cast downe anone with a litle aduersitie, wherfore I beseeche thee, that trouble and aduersitie may hereafter for thy name be beloued and desired of me, for truelie, to suffer, and to be vexed for thee, is verie good and profitable to the health of my soule.

Of the knovvinge of our ovvne infirmities, and of the miseries of this life. The .22. Chapter.

I Shall knowledge against me all my vnrighteousnes, and I shall confesse to thee Lorde all the vnstablenes of my hearte. Ofte times it is but a litle [Page] thinge that casteth me downe, & maketh me dull and slowe, to all good workes, and sometime I purpose to stande stron­glie: but when a litle temptation cōmeth, it is to me greate anguishe & griefe, and somtime of a right litle thing, a greeuous temptation riseth, and when I thinke my selfe to be somewhat surer, and that, as it seemeth, I haue the higher hande, sodenly I feele my selfe nere hand ouer­come by a light temptatiō. Beholde ther­fore, good Lord, beholde my weaknes and my frailnes, best knowen to thee before all other: haue mercy on me, O Lord, and deliuer me from the filthy dregs of sinne, that my feete be neuer fixed in them. But this is it that ofte grudgeth me sore, and in maner cōfoundeth me before thee, that I am so vnstable and weake, and so feayle to resist my passions. And though they drawe me not alwaye to consent, yet ne­uerthlesse, their cruell assaultes be very greeuous vnto me, so that it is in maner tedious to me, to liue in such battaile: but yet such battaile is not all vnprofitable to me, for thereby I knowe the better myne owne infirmities, for I see well, that such wicked fantasies doe rise in me muche sonner then they go awaye▪ But would to God, that thou moste strongest God of Israell, the louer of all faythfull soules, wouldest vouchsafe to beholde the labour and sorowe of me thy poorest ser­uant, [Page 79] and that thou wouldest assist me in all things that I haue to do. Strength me Lord with heuenlye strength, so that the olde enimie the fiende, nor my wret­ched flesh, which is not yet fullye subiect to the spirite, haue not power nor lord­ship ouer me, against whom I must fight continuallye, while I shall lyue in this miserable life. But alas, what life is this, where no trouble nor miserie wanteth, where also euery place is full of snares & of mortall enimies? for one trouble or temptation goinge awaye, another com­meth, and the first conflict yet duringe, many other sodenlye ryse more then can be thought. Howe may this life therefore be loued that hath suche bitternes, and that is subiect to so many miseries? And howe may it be called a life, that bringeth forth so many deathes, & so many ghostly infections? and yet it is beloued & muche delighted of in many persons. The world is ofte reproued, that it is deceiptful and vaine, and yet it is not lightly forsaken, especiallye when the concupiscences of the fleshe be suffered to haue rule. Some thinges stirre a man to loue the worlde, and some thinges to despise it: the con­cupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eye, and the pride of the hart, stirre man to loue the worlde. But the paines and miseries that folowe of it, causeth hatred and tediousnes of it agayne. But [Page] alas for sorowe, a litle delectation ouer­commeth the minde of thē that be much set to loue the world, and dryueth out of their hartes all heauenlie desires, inso­much that many accompt it as a ioye of Paradise to liue vnder such sēsible plea­sures, and that is, because they neither haue seene nor tasted the sweetnes in God, nor the inwarde gladnes that cō ­meth of vertues. But they that perfectly despise the worlde, and that studie to liue vnder holie discipline, be not ignoraunt of the heauenlie sweetnes that is promi­sed vnto ghostlie liuers: and they see also howe greeuouslie the world erreth, and howe greeuouslie it is deceyued in di­uers maners.

Hovve a man shoulde rest in God aboue all thinges. The 23. Chapter.

ABoue all thinges, and in all thinges rest thou my soule in thy Lorde God, for he is the eternall rest of all Angels and saintes. Geue me Lord Iesus, this speciall grace for to reste me in thee aboue all creatures: aboue all helth and fayrenes, aboue all glorye and honour, aboue all dignitie and power, aboue all cunninge and pollicie, aboue all riches & craftes, aboue all gladnes of bodye and [Page 80] soule, aboue all fame and praysing, aboue all sweetnes and consolation, aboue all hope and repromission, aboue all merite and desire, aboue all giftes & rewardes, that thou mayest geue or sende beside thy selfe, and aboue all ioy and mirth that mans heart or minde may take or feele: And also aboue all Angels and Archan­gels, and aboue the company of heauen­lie spirites, aboue all thinges visible and inuisible, and aboue all thing that is not thy selfe. For thou, O Lord God, art most best, most highest, most mightest, most suf­ficient, and most full of goodnes: moste sweete, moste comfortable, moste fayre, moste louinge, moste noble, and moste glorious aboue all thinge, in whom all goodnes is together perfectlie and fully, hath beene and shall be. And therefore, whatsoeuer thou geuest me beside thy selfe, it is lytle and insufficient to me for my heart may not rest, nor fullye be pacifyed but in thee, so that it ascen­deth aboue all giftes, and also aboue all maner of thinges that be created. O my Lorde Iesu Christ moste louing spou­se, moste purest louer and gouernoure of euerye creature, who shall geue me winges of perfect libertie, that I may fite high, and rest me in thee. O when shall I fullie tende to thee, and see, and feele how sweete thou art: whē shall I wholly gather my selfe together in thee, so per­fectlye [Page] that I shall not for thy loue feele my selfe, but thee onelie aboue my selfe, and aobue all bodilie thinges, and that thou visite me in such wise as thou doest visite thy faythfull louers? Nowe I ofte mourne and complaine the miseries of this life, and with sorowe and woe beare thē with right great heauines: for many euill thinges happen daylie in this lyfe, which ofte times trouble me, and make me verie heauie, & greatlie darken mine vnderstanding. They hinder me greatly, and put my minde from thee, and so en­comber me many wayes, that I can not haue free minde & cleane desire to thee, nor haue thy sweete imbracinges that to thy blessed Saintes be alwaye present. VVherefore I beseeche thee Lorde Christ Iesu, that the sighinges and the inwarde desires of my hart, with my manifolde desolutions, may somewhat moue thee, and incline thee to heare me. O Iesu the light and brightnes of euerlasting glory, the ioy and comfort of all christien peo­ple that are walking & labouring as pil­grimes in the wyldernes of this world, my harte cryeth to thee by still desires without voyce, and my silence speaketh vnto thee, and sayth thus: How longe carieth my Lorde God to come to me, verilie I trust that he will shortlie come to me his poorest seruant, and comfort me, and make me ioyous & glad in him, [Page 81] And that he will deliuer me from all an­guishe and sorowe. Come Lord come, for without thee I haue no glad daye, nor houre, for thou art all my ioye & gladnes, and without thee my soule is barren and voyde. I am a wretche, and in maner in prison, and bounde with fetters, till thou through the light of thy gracious presēce vouchsafe to visit me, and to refresh me, and to bring me againe to libertie of spi­rite, and that thou vouchsafe to shewe thy fauourable and louinge countenance vnto me. Let other seeke what they will, but trulye there is nothinge that I will seeke, nor that shall please me, but thou my Lorde God, my hope and euerlastinge helth. I shall not cease of prayer till thy grace returne to me againe, & that thou speake inwardly to my soule, & saye thus, Lo I am here, I am come to thee, for thou haste called me, thy teares & the desyre of thy hart, thy meeknes and thy contrition haue bowed me downe, and brought me to thee. And I shall saye agayne, Lorde I haue called thee, and I haue desyred to haue thee, ready to forsake all things for thee, thou first haste stirred me to seeke thee. VVherefore be thou alwaye blessed that haste shewed suche goodnes to me, after the multitude of thy mercy: VVhat hath thy seruant (Lorde) more to doe or saye, but that he meeken him selfe before thy maiestie, and euer haue in minde his [Page] owne iniquitie? There is none like to thee Lorde, in heauen nor in earth, thy workes be good, thy iudgementes be righteous, & by thy prouidence all things be gouerned. VVherefore to thee which art the wisedome of the father, be euer­lasting ioy & glory, and I humbly beseech thee, that my body and soule, my harte and tounge, and all thy creatures, maye alwaye laude thee, and blesse thee. Amen.

Of remembringe of the great and many­folde benefites of God. The 24. Chapter.

OPen mine hart, Lorde, into the beholding of thy lawes, and in thy cōmaundements teach me to walke, geue me grace to knowe and to vn­derstand thy will, and with great reuerence and diligent considera­tiō to remember thy manyfold benefites, that I may from henceforth yeld to thee due thankes for thē againe. But I knowe and confesse it for truth, that I am not able to yeld to thee condigne thankinges for the least benefite that thou hast geuen me, for I am lesse then the least benefite that thou hast geuen. And whē I beholde thy noblenes and woorthines, my spirite dreadeth and trembleth very sore for the greatnes therof. O Lord, all that we haue [Page 82] in body & in soule, inwardly & outward­lye, naturally or supernaturallye, they be thy benefites, and shew thee openly to be a blessed and good benefactour, of whom we haue receiued such giftes. And though one hath receaued more, and another lesse, yet they all be thy giftes, & without thee the least can not be had: and he that hath more receaued, may not rightfully glorify him selfe therein, as though he had gotten it by his owne merite, nor exalt him selfe aboue other, nor disdayne other, nor despise his inferiours therfore: for he is greatest and moste acceptable to thee, that least ascribeth to him selfe, and that is for suche giftes the more meeke and deuout, in yeldinge thankes to thee for them agayne. And he that through meekenes can holde him selfe moste vile, and moste vnwoorthy of all other, is the more apt to receaue of thy hande more larger giftes. And he that hath receaued the fewer giftes, ought not therefore to be heauy, or to disdaine at it, nor to be enuious against them that haue receaued the greater, but rather he ought to lifte his minde vpwarde to thee, and highlye to laude and prayse thy name, that thou so liberallye, so louinglye, and so freelye, withou acceptinge of persons, departest thy giftes among thy people: all thinges come of thee, and therefore thou art in all thinges to be blessed. Thou knowest [Page] what is expedient to be geuen to euery person, and why one hath lesse, and an­other more, it is not for vs to reason or discusse, but to thee onelye, by whom the merites of euery man shall be discussed. VVherefore Lorde, I accompt it for a great benefite not to haue many giftes, whereby outwardlie, & after mās iudge­ment, laude and praysinge should folow. And ouer that, as me seemeth, although a man consider and beholde his owne pouertie, and the vilenes of his owne person, he ought not therefore to take griefe, heauines, or de [...]ection, but rather to conceaue thereby greate gladnes of soule: for thou haste chosen, and daylie doest chose poore meeke persons, & suche as be despised in the worlde, to be thy familier and housholde seruauntes, wit­nes thy Apostles, whom thou madest princes of al the worlde, which neuerthe­lesse were conuersaunt amonge the peo­ple without complayninge or missaying, so meeke and simple without all malice and disceipte, that they ioyed to suffer re­proufes for thy name, so farreforth, that such thinges as the world abhorreth and flieth, they coueted with great desire. Thus it appeareth, that there ought no­thinge so much to comfort and glad thy louer and him that hath receaued thy benefites, as that thy will and pleasure in him be fullfilled after the eternall dis­position [Page 83] of him from the beginninge, wherewith he ought to be so well con­tented and pleased, that he woulde as gladly be holden least, as other woulde be holden most, and as peacefull woulde he be, & as well pleased in the lowest place, as in the highest: and as glad to be despi­sed and abiect, and of no name nor repu­tation in the world, as other to be nobler or greater: for thy will, Lorde, and the honour of thy name ought to excell all thinges, and more ought it to please and comfort thy louer, then all other benefits geuen, or that might be geuen vnto him.

Of foure things that bring peace into the soule. The 25. Chapter.

My sonne, nowe shal I teach thee the very true waye of peace and of perfect liber­tie. O Lorde Iesu, doe as thou sayest, for that is ryght ioyous for me to heare. Studye my sonne rather to fulfill another mans will, then thine owne. Those alwaye to haue litle worldly riches, rather then much: seeke also the lowest place, and desire to be vn­der other, rather then aboue, and couete alwaye and praye, that the will of God be whollye done in thee. Lo, such a person entreth soothfastlie into the verye true [Page] waye of peace and inward quietnes. O Lorde, this short lesson that thou haste taught me, conteyneth in it selfe much high perfection. It is shorte in wordes, but it is full of sentence, and fruitfull in vertue: for if it were well and faithfullie kepte of me, vnrestfulnes shoulde not so lightly spring in me as it hath done. For as ofte as I feele my selfe vnrestfull, and not contented, I finde that I haue gone from this lesson, and from this good do­ctrine. But thou Lorde Iesu, who hast all thinges vnder thy gouuernaunce, and alwaye louest the health of mans soule, increase more grace in me, that I maye from henceforth fulfill these teachinges, and that I may doe alway, that shalbe to thy honoure, and to the health of my soule. Amen.

A prayer against euill thoughtes. The .26. Chapter.

My Lorde Iesu, I beseeche thee be not farre from me, but come shortlye, & helpe me, for vaine thoughtes haue risen in mine hart, and worldly dredes haue troubled me verie sore, howe shall I breake them downe? howe shall I passe vnhurt without thy helpe? I shall go before thee, sayth our Lorde, and I shall driue awaye the pride of thy hart, then [Page 84] shal I set open to thee the gates of ghost­lie knowledge, and shall shew to thee the priuities of my secretes. O Lorde, doe as thou sayest, and then shall flee from me all wicked fantasies, and truelie this is my hope, and my onelie comfort, to flee to thee in euery trouble, stedfastlie to trust in thee, inwardlie to call to thee, and patientlie to abyde thy comminge, and thy heauenlie consolations, which I trust shall shortlie come to me. Amen.

A prayer for clarifying of mans minde. The .27. Chapter.

CLarifie me, Lorde Iesu, with the cleerenes of the euerla­stinge light, and driue out of my heart all maner of dark­nes, and all vaine imagina­tions, fight stronglie for me, and driue awaye the euill beastes, that is to saye, all my euill and wicked cōcupiscences, that peace of conscience may enter and haue full rule in me, and that aboundaunce of lawde and praysinge of thy name, maye sound continuallie in the chamber of my soule: that is to saye, in a pure & cleane cōscience in me. Commaunde the windes and tempestes of pride to ceasse, bid the sea of worldlie couetise to be in rest, and charge the north winde, that is to saye, [Page] the fiendes temptatiō, that it blowe not and then shalbe great tranquillitie and peace in me. Send out thy light & truth of ghostlye knowledge, that it maye shine vpon the earth barreyne and dry, and sende downe thy grace from aboue, and therewith annoynt my dry heart, and geue me the water of inward deuo­tion, to moiste therwith the drines of my soule, that It may bring forth some good fruite, that shall be liking and pleasaunt to thee. Rayse vp my minde, that is sore oppressed with the heauy burdē of sinne and lifte vp my desire to the loue of hea­uenly thinges, that by a taste of the hea­uenlie felicitie, it may lothe to thinke on any earthly thinges. Take me Lorde, and deliuer me from the vile consolation of creatures, which must of necessitie short: lie perishe and fayle. For there is nothing created, that may fullye satisfye mine appetite. Ioyne me therefore to thee with a sure bonde of heauenly loue, for thou onely suffisest to thy louer. And with­out thee all thinges be vaine, and of no substaunce.

That it is not good to searche curiouslye another mans lyfe. The 28. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Lorde, looke thou be not curious in searchinge of any other mans lyfe, neyther doe thou busie thy selfe with those thinges, which doe not belonge vnto thee. VVhat is this or that to thee? folow thou me: VVhat is it to thee, whether this mā be good or bad? or whether he saye or doe this or that? Thou needest not to answere for another mans deedes, but for thine owne deedes thou must needly aunswere. VVhy then doest thou medle where it needeth not? I see and know euery man, and euery thinge vnder the sunne, I see and beholde, and howe it is with euery person, what he thinketh, what he wil­leth, and to what ende his worke dra­weth, is open to me. And therefore all thinges are to be referred to me. Keepe thy selfe alwaye in good peace, and suffer him that will alwayes searche another mans life, be as busye as he will, and in the ende shall fall vpon him as he hath done and sayde, for he can not deceaue me whatsoeuer he be. If thou admonishe anye person for his soule health, looke thou do it not, to get the thereby anye [Page] name or fame in the worlde, nor to haue the familiaritie or pryuate loue of any person, for suche thinges cause much vn­quietnes of minde, and will make thee also to lose the rewarde that thou shoul­dest haue of God, and will bring greate darkenes into thy soule. I woulde gladly speake to thee my wordes, & open to thee the secrete misteries of fraternall corre­ction: yf thou wouldest prepare thy soule ready against my cōminge, and that thou wouldest open the mouth of thy hearte faithfullye to me: Be thou prouident, wake diligentlye in prayer, humble thy selfe in euery thing, and thou shalt finde great comfort in God, and litle resistence in thy euen christen.

In vvhat thing the peace of heart, and greatest profite of man standeth. The 29. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Lord Iesu, I sayd to my disciples thus: My peace I leaue with you, my peace I geue you, not as the worlde geueth, but much more then it maye geue. All men desire peace, but all men will not do that belongeth to peace. My peace is with the meeke and milde in hart, and thy peace shall be in much paciēce: if thou wilt heare me, and folowe my wordes, thou shalt haue great [Page 86] plentie of peace. O Lorde what shall I doe to come to that peace? Thou shalt in all thy workes take good heede what thou doest and sayest, and thou shalte set all thy whole intent to please me, and nothing shalt thou couet or seeke with­out me, and of other mens deedes thou shalt not iudge presumptuously, nor thou shalt not medle with thinges that per­teine not to thee, if thou do thus it maye be that thou shalt litle or seldome be trou­bled: but neuerthelesse, to fele at no time any maner of trouble, nor to suffer any heauines in body nor in soule, is not the state of this lyfe, but of the lyfe to come. Thinke not therefore that thou haste found the true peace when thou feelest no greefe, nor that all is well with thee when thou hast none aduersitie, nor that all is perfect for that euery thing cōmeth after thy minde. Nor yet that thou arte great in godds sight, or specially beloued of him, because thou hast great feruour in deuotion, and great sweetnes in contem­plation, for a true louer of vertue is not knowen by all these thinges, nor the true perfection of man standeth not in them. (VVherein then Lorde?) In offering of a man with all his hart wholly to God, not seking him selfe, nor his owne will, neyther in greate thinges nor in small, in tyme nor in eternitie, but that he abide alwaye one, and yeelde alwaye like [Page] thankes to God for things pleasant and displeasant, waying them all in one like balance as in his loue. Also if he be strong in God, that when inwarde consolation is withdrawen he can yet stirre his harte to suffer more if God so will, and yet iu­stifieth not him selfe, nor prayseth him selfe therefore, as holye and righteous: then he walketh in the very true waye of peace, and then he may well haue a sure and a perfect hope and trust that he shall see me face to face, in euerlasting ioy and fruition in the kingdome of heauen. And if he can come to a perfect and a full con­tempt and despisinge of him selfe, then shall he haue full habundance of rest and peace in the ioye euerlastinge, after the measure of his gifte. Amen.

Of the libertie, excellencie, and vvorthi­nesse of a free mynde. The .30. Chapter.

LOrde it is the worke of a per­fect man, not to sequester his minde from the beholding of heauenly thinges, and among many cares, to go as he were without care: not in the maner of an ydle or of a desolate person, but by the speciall prerogatiue of a free minde, alwaye busy in goddes seruice, not cleuinge by inordi­nate affection to any creature. I beseeche [Page 87] thee therefore my Lord Iesu, most meeke and mercifull, that thou keepe me from the busines and cares of the worlde, and that I be not ouermuch inquieted with the necessities of the bodilie kinde, nor that I be not taken with the voluptuous pleasures of the worlde, and the fleshe, and that in likewise thou preserue me from all hinderance of the soule, that I be not broken with ouermuch heauines, sorow, nor worldlye dreade. And by these petitions I aske not onelie to be deliue­red from such vanities as the world de­sireth, but also from suche miseries as greeue the soule of me thy seruant, with the common malediction of mankinde, that is, with corruption of the bodilie feelinge, where with I am so greeued and letted, that I maye not haue libertie of spirite to beholde thee when I would. O Lorde God, that art sweetnes vnspea­keable, turne into bitternes to me all fleshlie delites, which would drawe me from the loue of eternall thinges to the loue of a short and a vile delectable plea­sure: Let not the fleshe and bloude ouer­come me, nor the worlde with his short glory deceyue me, nor the fiend with his thousand folde craftes supplant me, but geue me ghostlie strength in resistinge, patience in sufferinge, and constancie in perseueringe. Geue me also for all world­lie consolatiōs, the most sweete conso­lations [Page] of the holy ghost, and for al fleshly loue, sende into my soule the loue of thy holy name. Lo meat, drinke, cloathinge, and all other necessaries for the body be painefull and troublesome to a feruent spirite, which if it might, woulde alwaye rest in God, & in ghostly thinges. Graunt me therefore grace to vse such bodilye ne­cessaries temperatlye, and that I be not deceaued with ouermuch desire to them. To forsake all thinges it is not lawfull, for the bodilye kinde must be preserued, but to seeke superfluous thinges, more for pleasure, then for necessitie, thy holye lawe prohibiteth: for so the fleshe woulde rebel against the spirite. VVherfore Lord, I beseech thee, that thy hande of grace maye so gouerne and teache me, that I exceede not by any maner of superfluitie. Amen.

That priuate loue most letteth a man from God. The .31. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Lorde it be­houeth thee to geue all for all, and nothing to keepe to thee of thine owne loue, for the loue of thy selfe more hurteth thee, then any other thing in this world. After thy loue, and after thine affection euery thinge cleaneth to thee more or [Page 88] lesse. If thy loue be pure, simple, and well ordered, thou shalte be without inordi­nate affection to any creature. Couete therefore nothing that is not lawfull for thee to haue, and haue nothing that may let thee from ghostlye trauayle, or that maye take from thee inwarde libertie of soule. It is meruail, that thou committest not thy selfe fullye to me with all thy heart, with all thinges that thou mayest haue or desire. VVhye art thou thus con­sumed with vaine sorowe? why art thou weried with superfluous cares? Stande at my will, and thou shalt finde nothing that shall hurt or hinder thee: but if thou seeke this thing or that, or wouldest be in this place or in that for thine owne pro­fite, and for thine owne pleasure, thou shalt neuer be in rest, nor euer free from some trouble of minde: for in euery place shal be found something that will mislike thee. Transitorie thinges when they be had and greatly multiplied in the world, do not alway helpe mans soule to peace, but rather when they be despysed and fullie cut out of the loue and desire of the hart, and that not to be vnderstand onely of golde and siluer, and other worldlye riches, but also of desire of honours and praysinges of the worlde, which shortlye vanisheth and passeth awaye, as doth the smoke with the winde: the place helpeth little yf the spirite of feruour [Page] be awaye. Also the peace that a man get­teth outwardelye, shall not long stande who [...]e, if it be voyde from the true in­ward peace of hart, that is to say, though thou chaunge thy place, yet it shall litle amende thee, vnlesse thou stande stedfast in me: for by newe occasions that shall daylie rise, thou shalte finde that thou hast fled, & percase muche more perillous, and muche more greuous thinges than the first were.

A prayer for the purginge of mans soule, and for heauenlye vvisdome and the grace of God to be obteyned and had. The 32. Chapter.

COnfirme me Lorde, by the grace of the holye ghost, and geue me grace to be stronge in­wardlye in soule, and auoyde out thereof all vnprofitable busines of the worlde, and of the fleshe that it may not be led by vnstable desires of earthlie thinges. And that I maye be­holde all thinges, as they be, transitorie, and of short abidinge, and me also to go with them: for nothinge vnder the Sun may longe abide, but all is vanitie, and affliction of spirite. O howe wise is he that feeleth and vnderstandeth this to be true that I haue sayde. Geue me (Lord) [Page 89] therefore heauenlye wisedome, that I maye learne to seeke thee, and to finde thee, and aboue all thinges to loue thee, and all other thinges to vnderstande and knowe, as they be, after thorder of my wisedome, and none otherwise, and geue me grace also, wiselie to withdrawe me from them that flatter me, and patiently to suffer thē that greue me: for it is great wisedome not to be moued with euery blast of wordes, nor to geue eare to him that flattereth, as doth the mairmayde. The waye that is thus begon, shall bring him that walketh in it, to a good and a blessed ending.

Agaynst the euill sayinges of detractours. The 33. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Sauiour Christ, thou shalt not take it to griefe, because some per­sons thinke euill, or say euill of thee, that thou wouldest not gladlye heare, for thou shalt yet thinke worse of thy selfe, and that no man is so euill as thou arte. If thou be well ordred inwardlye in thy soule, thou shalt not muche care for suche flyinge wordes. And it is no litle wise­dome, a man to keepe him selfe in silence, and in good peace, when euill wordes be spoken to him, and to turne his heart to [Page] God, and not to be troubled with mans iudgement. Let not thy peace be in the heartes of men, for whatsoeuer they say of thee, good or bad, thou art not there­fore a nother man: but as thou art, thou art. VVhere is the true peace and glorie, is it not in me? yes truely: Therefore he that neither desireth to please man, nor dreadeth not to displease him, shall haue great plentie of peace: for of inordinate loue, and vaine dread, commeth all vn­quietnes of heart, and vnrestfulnes of minde.

Hovve almightie God is to be invvarldlye called vnto, in time of tribulation. The 34. Chapter.

LOrde, thy name be blessed for euer: that thou woul­dest this temptation and tribulation should fal vpon me, I maye not escape it, but of necessitie I am dri­uen to flee to thee, that thou vouchsafe to helde me, and to turne all into gohstlye profite. O Lorde, I am nowe in trouble, & it is not well with me, for I am greatly vexed with this present passion. And nowe moste best beloued fa­ther, what shall I say, I am nowe taken with anguishes and troubles on euerye side, saue me in this houre, but I trust [Page 90] that I am come into this houre, that thou shalt be lauded and praysed when I am perfectlye made meeke before thee, and that I am clerely deliuered by thee, be it therfore pleasaunt to thee to deliuer me. For what may I most sinneful wretch doe, or whither may I goe without thee? Giue me patiēce nowe at this time in all my troubles: helpe me my Lord God, and I shall not feare ne dread what troubles soeuer fall vpon me. And nowe what shal I say, but that thy will be done in me? I haue deserued to be troubled & greeued, and therefore it behoueth that I suffer as long as it shall please thee, but woulde to God that I might suffer gladlye till the furious tempestes were ouerpassed, and that quietnes of hart might come againe. Thy mightie hande (Lorde) is stronge ynough to take this trouble from me, and to aswage the cruel assaults thereof, that I doe not vtterly fayle, as thou hast ofte times done to me before this time, & the more harde that it is to me, the more light it is to thee. And when I am clerely deliuered by thee, then shall I saye, This is the changing of the right hande of him that is highest, that is, the blessed Trinitie, to whom be ioye, honour, and glorye euerlastingly. Amen.

Of the helpe of God to be asked, and of a full trust to recouer through deuout prayer our former grace. The .35. Chapter.

My sonne, I am the Lorde that sendeth comfort in tyme of tribulation, come therefore to me, when it is not well with thee. This is it that letteth thee most, that thou turnest thee ouer slowlie to me, for before thou pray harti­lie to me, thou seekest many other com­forts, and refreshest thy spirites in out­warde thinges. And therefore all that thou doest litle auayleth thee, til thou canst beholde and see, that I am he that sendeth comfort to all that faithfully doe call to me, and that there is not without me any profitable counsayle nor perfect remedie. But nowe take a good spirite to thee, and after thy troubles be thou com­forted in me, & in the light of my mercie haue thou full trust, for I am nere to thee to helpe thee, and to restore thee againe, not onelie to like grace as thou haddest first, but also to muche more, in great aboundance. Is there anye thinge hard or impossible to me? or am I like to him, that sayeth a thinge, and doeth it not? where is thy fayth? Stand stronglie and perseuerantlie in me, be stedfast, abiding [Page 91] my promise, and thou shall haue comfort in such time as it shall be most expedient for thee: abide, abide, and tary for me, and I shall come soone, and helpe thee. It is temptation that vexeth thee, and a vaine dread that feareth thee much. But what auayleth such feare of dreade for thinges that perchaunce shall neuer come, but that the ghostlye enemye woulde thou shouldest haue sorowe vpon sorow. Beare therefore patienlye thy troubles that be present, and drede not ouermuche those that be to come: for it suffiseth to euery daye his owne malice. It is a vaine thing and vnprofitable, to be heauy or glad for thinges, that perchaunce shal neuer hap­pen nor come, but it is the vnstablenes of man, that he will be deceaued, & so lightly to folowe the suggestion of the enemie, for he careth not whether he maye de­ceiue by true suggestion or by false, nor whether it be by loue of thinges present, or by dreade of thinges to come. Therfore be thou not troubled, neither drede, but trust stronglie in me, & in my mercy haue perfect hope, for when thou weenest, that thou art right farre from me, ofte times I am right neere vnto thee: and when thou weenest that all is lost, then ofte times foloweth the greater reward. It is not therefore all lost, though some thinge happen against thy will, and thou shalt not iudge therein after thy outwarde [Page] feelinge, neyther shalt thou take anye griefe so sore to hart, but that thou shalt haue good trust to escape it: nor thou shalt not thinke thy selfe all whollie for­saken of me, though I sende thee for a time some heauines and trouble, for that is the surer way to the kingdome of hea­uen: and doubtles, it is more expedient to thee, and to other of my seruauntes, that ye sometime be proued with aduer­sities, then that ye haue alway all things after your wils. I know the hid thought of man, and that it is much expedient to the health of the soule, that he be lefte sometime to him selfe without ghostlie sauour or cōfort, least haply he be raysed vp into pride, and thinke him selfe better then he is. That I haue geuen, I maye take awaye, and maye restore it againe, when me shall list. VVhen I geue a thing to anye person, it is mine owne that I haue geuen, and when I take it awaye againe, I take none of his: for euerye good gifte, and euery perfect rewarde commeth of me. If I sende to thee trou­ble or heauines, in what wise soeuer it be, take it gladly, & disdain it not, neither let thy heart fayle thee therin, for I may anone lifte thee vp againe, and turne thy heauines into great ioye and ghostlye gladnes. And verilie, I am righteous, and much to be lauded and praysed, whē I doe so with thee. If thou vnderstande [Page 92] a right, and beholde thy selfe truelie as thou art, thou shalt neuer be so directlie heauie for anye aduersitie, but rather thou shalt ioye therein, and thinke it as the greatest gifte, that I spare not to scourge thee with such trouble and ad­uersitie: for I sayde to my disciples thus: As my father loueth me I loue you: and yet I sent them not forth into the world, to haue temporall ioyes, but to haue great battailes, not to haue honours, but despites, not to be ydle, but to labor, not to rest, but to bringe forth much good fruite in patience and good workes. My sonne, remember well these wordes that I haue spoken to thee, for they be true, and can not be denyed.

Hovv vve should forget all creatures, that vve might finde our Creator. The .36. Chapter.

LOrde, I haue great neede of thy grace, & that of thy great singuler grace, or that I may come thither, where no crea­ture shall let nor hinder me from perfect beholdinge of thee: for as longe as anye transitorye thinge hol­deth me, or hath rule in me, I maye not flye freelye to thee. He coueted to flye without let, that sayde thus: VVho shall geue me winges like to a doue, that [Page] I may flie into the bosome of my sauiour, & into the holes of his blessed woundes and rest me there? I see well, that no man is more restfull, nor more likinge in this world, then is that man, who alway hath his minde, and whole intent vp­warde to God, and nothinge desireth of the world. It behoueth him therfore that would perfectlie forsake him selfe, & be­holde thee, to surmount al creatures, and him selfe also, & through excesse of minde to see and behold, that thou maker of all things hast nothing amōge all creatures like vnto thee: & but a man be cleerely de­liuered frō the loue of creatures, he may not fullie tend to his Creator? And this is the greatest cause, why there be so fewe cōtēplatiues, that is to say, because there be so fewe, that willinglye will sequester them selues from the loue of creatures. To cōtemplation is great grace required, for it lifteth vp the soule, and rauisheth it vp in spirit aboue it selfe. And except a man be lift vp in spirite aboue him selfe, and be clearelie deliuered from all crea­tures, as in his loue, and be perfectly and fullie vnited to God, whatsoeuer he can, or whatsoeuer he hath, either in vertue or cunning, it is but litle worth afore God. Therefore he shal haue but litle vertue, & long shall he lye still in earthlie likinges, that accounteth any thing great or wor­thy to be praysed, but onelie God, for all [Page 93] other thinges besides God are nought, & for nought are to be accoūted. It is great difference betwene the wisdome of a de­uout man lightened by grace, and the cunninge of a subtill and studious clerke, and that learninge is muche more noble and muche more worthy, that commeth by the influence and gracious gifte of God, than that that is gotten by the la­bour & study of man. Many desire to haue the gifte of contemplation, but they will not vse suche thinges as be required to contemplation. And one great let of con­templation is, that we stande so longe in outward signes, and in sensible things, & take no heede of perfect mortifying our body to the spirit. I wote not howe it is, nor with what spirit we be led, nor what we pretend, we that be called spirituall persons, that we take greater labour and study for transitory thinges, than we doe to knowe the inwarde state of our owne soule. But alas for sorowe, anone as we haue made a litle recollection to God, we ten forth to outwarde thinges, and doe not search our owne conscience with due examination, as we shoulde do, nor we heede not where our affection resteth, ne­we sorowe not that our deedes be so euill & so vnclene as they be. The people cor­rupted them selfe with fleshly vnclēnes, and therefore folowed the greate floode: and veryly when our inward affection is [Page] corrupted, it is necessarie that our dedes folowinge thervpon be also corrupted, for of a cleane heart springeth the fruite of good life. It is ofte times asked what deedes such a mā hath done, but of what zeale, of what intent he did them, is litle regarded: whether a man be riche, strong, fayre, able, a good writer, a good singer, or a good labourer, is ofte enquired, but howe poore he is in spirite, howe pacient and meeke, howe deuout, and howe in­wardlie turned to God, is litle regarded. Nature holdeth the outwarde deede, but grace turneth her to the inwarde intent of the deede. The first is ofte deceyued, but the seconde putteth her trust wholly in God, and is not deceyued.

Hovve vve should forsake our selfe, and thruste dovvne all couetise out of our heartes. The .37. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lorde, thou shalt not haue perfect libertie of minde, vnlesse thou wholly for­sake thy selfe. All proprietaries, and al louers of them selues, al couetous persons, curious, vaine glorious, and all runners about, and also such as seeke thinges softe & delectable in this worlde, and not of Iesus Christe, ofte fayninge, and greedilye seekinge thinges that shal not longe endure, be as men fettred and [Page 94] bounde with chaines, and haue no per­fect libertie nor freedome of spirit, for all thinges shall perish that be not wrought of God. Holde well in thy minde this short word: Forsake all thinges, and thou shalt finde all thinges, forsake couetise, and thou shalt finde great rest. Print wel in thy minde that I haue sayde, for whē thou haste fulfilled it, thou shalte well knowe, that it is true. Lorde, this lesson is not one dayes worke, nor a playe for children, for in it is conteyned the full perfectiō of all religion. Also, my sonne, thou oughtest not to be turned from god, nor to be anye thinge discouraged from his seruice, when thou hearest the straite lyfe of perfect men, but rather thou oughtest to be prouoked thereby to hi­gher perfection, and at least to desire in harte, that thou mightest come ther­to. But woulde to God thou were firste come to this point, that thou were not a louer of thy selfe, but that thou wouldest keepe my commaundementes, and the commaundementes of him that I haue appoynted to be thy father spi­rituall: for then thou shouldest plea­se me greatlye, and then all thy lyfe shoulde passe forth in ioye and peace. Thou haste yet manye thinges to for­sake, whiche vnlesse thou can whol­lye forsake, thou shalt not get that thou desirest. And therefore I counsayle thee, [Page] to buye of me bright shininge gold, that is to saye, heauenlye wisedome, that des­piseth all earthlye thinges, and cast fro thee all worldlye wisdome, and all mans comfort, and all thine owne affections, and that thou chose to haue vile thinges and abiect, rather thē precious and high in the sight of the worlde. But thee true heauenly wisedome seemeth to manye, to be vile and litle, and well nigh forgotten. Many can saye with their mouth that it is good, not to desire to be magnifyed in the worlde, but their lyfe foloweth not their saying. And therefore they desire it priuily in their heart, but yet that is the precious margaret, and the high vertue that is hid fro much people for their pre­sumption, get it who so may.

Of the vnstablenes of mans harte; and that our finall intent in all thinges shoulde be to God. The .38. Chapter.

My sonne, looke thou beleeue not thine owne affection, for it chaungeth ofte from one to an other. As longe as thou liuest thou shalt be glad to chaunge habilitie whether thou wilt or not, as nowe glad, nowe sorowfull, nowe plea­sed, nowe displeased, nowe deuout, nowe [Page 95] vndeuout, nowe lustie, nowe slouthfull, nowe heauie, nowe lightsome. But a wise man that is well taught in ghostlie tra­uayle, standeth stable in all such thinges, and forceth litle what he feeleth, nor on what side the winde of vnstablenes blo­weth, but all the intent and studie of his minde is, howe he may moste profite in vertue, & finallie come to the most fruit­full & most blessed ende. By such a wholle intent fullie directed to God, may a man abide stedfast & stable in him selfe among many aduersities, and the more pure and the more cleane that his intent is, the more stable shall he be in euery storme. But alas for sorowe, the eye of mans soule is anone darkened, for it beholdeth lightlie delectable thinges that come of the worlde, and of the fleshe, in so muche that there is seldome founde any person that is free & cleare from the venemous desire of hearinge of some tales, or of some other fantasies, and that by their owne seekinge. In suche maner [...]ame the Iewes into Bethany, to Martha and to Marie Magdalen, not for the loue of our Lord Iesus, but for to see Lazarus, whom he had raysed from death to life. VVhere­fore the eye of the soule is to be kept full bright, that it be alwaye pure and cleane, and that it be aboue all passing thinges, wholly directed to god: the which graunt vs to. &c. Amen.

Hovve our Lorde God sauoureth to his louer svveetly aboue all things, and in all things. The 39. Chapter.

OVr Lorde God is to me all in all, and sith he is so, what would I more haue, or what can I more desire? O this is a sauoury worde & a sweete, to saye, that our Lorde is to me all in all. But that is to him that lo­ueth the worde, and not the worlde. To him that vnderstandeth this worde, is sayd inough, but yet to repeate it ofte is likinge to him that loueth. I maye ther­fore more plainely speake of this matter, and saye, Lorde when thou art present to me, all thinge is pleasaunt and likinge, but when thou art absent, all thinges are greeuous and greatly mislikinge. VVhen thou commest thou makest myne harte restfull, and bringest into it a newe ioye, thou makest thy louer to feele and vn­derstande the truth, and to haue a true iudgement in all thinges, & in all thinges to laude and prayse thee. O Lorde, with­out thee nothinge may belonge likinge nor pleasaunt, for if any thinge shoulde be lykinge and sauourye, it muste be through helpe of thy grace, and be tem­pered with the spicerie of thy wisedome. To him to whom thou sauourest well, what shall not sauour well? And to him [Page 96] that thou sauourest not well vnto, what may be ioyfull or likinge? But worldlie wise men, and they that sauour fleshlye delightes, fayle of this wisedome. For in worldlie wisedome is founde great vani­tie, and in fleshlie pleasures is euerla­stinge death: and therefore they that fo­low thee Lord by despising of the world, and by perfect mortifieng of their fleshly lustes, be knowen to be verie wise, for they be led from vanitie to trueth, and from fleshelie likinge to spirituall clean­nes. To suche persons God sauoureth wonderous sweete: and whatsoeuer they finde in creatures, they referre it all to the laude and praysing of the Creatoure: for they see well, that there is great dif­ference betwixt the Creator and creatu­re, eternitie and time, and betwixte the light made & the light vnmade. O euer­lastinge light farre passinge all thinges that are made, sende downe the beames of thy lightninges from aboue, and puri­fye, glad, and clarifie in me al the inward parties of my heart. Quicken my spirite with all the powers thereof, that it may cleaue fast, and be ioyned to thee in ioy­full gladnes of ghostlye rauishinges. O when shall that blessed hour come, that thou shalt visite me, & glad me with thy blessed presence, so that thou be to me all in all? As longe as that gifte is not geuen to me, that thou be to me all in all, there [Page] shall be no full ioye in me. But alas for sorowe, mine olde man, that is my fleshly liking, yet liueth in me, and is not yet fully crucified, nor perfectly deade in me, for yet striueth the fleshe strongly against the spirit, aud moueth great inward bat­tayle against me, and suffereth not the kyngdome of my soule to lyue in peace. But thou, good Lorde, that hast the lord­ship ouer al the power of the Sea, & doest aswage the streames of his flowinges. Aryse and helpe me, breake downe the power of myne enemies, which alwaye moue this battayle in me. Shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes, & let the power of thy right hande be glorified in me, for there is to me none other hope nor refu­ge, but in thee onely my Lorde, my God: to whom be ioy, honour and glorye euer­lastingly. Amen.

That there is no full suretie from tempta­tion in this lyfe. The 40. Chapter.

OVr Lorde sayeth to his ser­uaunt thus: Thou shalte ne­uer be sure from temptation and tribulation in this lyfe. And therefore, armoure spiri­tual shal alway, as long as thou liuest, be necessarie for thee. Thou art amōg thine enemies, and shalt be troubled and vexed [Page 97] with them on euery side, and but if thou vse in euery place the shielde of patience, thou shalt not long keepe thee vnwoun­ded. And ouer that, if thou set not thy hart stronglie in me, with a readie will to suffer all thinges patientlie for me, thou mayest not longe bear this ardoure, nor come to the reward of blessed saints. It behoueth thee therfore manly to passe ouer many thinges, and to vse a stronge hande against all the obiections of the enemie. To the ouercommer it promiseth Angels foode, and to him that is ouer­come, is left much miserie. If thou seeke rest in this lyfe, howe then shalt thou come to the rest euerlastinge? Set not thy selfe to haue rest here, but to haue patien­ce, and seeke the true soothfast rest, not in earth, but in heauen, not in man, or anye creature, but in God onelie, where it is. For the loue of God thou oughtest to suf­fer gladlie all thinges, that is to saye, all laboures, sorowes, temptations, vexa­tions, anguishes, needines, sickenesse, in­iuries, euill sayinges, reprouinges, op­pressions, confusions, corrections, and despisinges. These helpe a man greatlie to vertues, these proue the true knight of Christe, and make redye for hym the heauenlie crowne, and our Lorde shall yeelde him againe euerlastinge rewarde for this short laboure, and infinite glorie for this transitorie confusion. I [...]owest [Page] thou, that thou shalt haue alwaye spiri­tuall cōfortes after thy will? Naye, naye, my Saintes had them not, out manye great griefes, and diuers temptations, and great desolations, but they bare all with great patience, and more trusted in me then in them selues: for they knewe well, that the passions of this worlde be not able of them selues to get the glorye that is ordeined for thē in the kingdome of heauē. VVilt thou looke to haue anone that, whiche others coulde not get but with great weepinges & labours? Abide paciently the comming of our Lorde, doe manfully his bidding, be cōforted in him, mistrust him not, nor go not backe from his seruice for paine nor for dread, but lay forth thy body and soule constantlye to his honour in all good bodylye and ghostly laboures, And he shal reward thee againe moste plenteouslye for thy good trauayle, and shal be with thee, and helpe thee in euery trouble that shal befall vn­to thee, So may it be. Amen.

Against the vaine iudgementes of men. The 41. Ch [...]pter.

My sonne, fixe thy hart stedfastly in God, and dreade not the iudgmētes of man, where thine owne conscience withnesseth thee to be innocent and cleare. It is right [Page 98] good and blessed, sometime to suffer such sayinges, and it shall not be greeuous to a meeke harte whiche trusteth more in God than in him selfe. Many folke can saye many thinges, and yet litle fayth is to be geuen to their sayinges, & to ple [...]e all men it is not possible. For though S. Paule laboured all that he might to haue pleased al people in God, & did to all men all that he coulde for their saluation, yet neuerthelesse he coulde not let, but that he was sometime iudged of other. He did for the edifyinge and health of other as much as in him was, but that he shoulde not sometime be iudged of other, or not be despised of other, he coulde not lette, wherefore he committed all to God that knoweth all thinge, and armed him selfe with patience and meeknes, against all thinges that might be vntruelye spoken against him. And neuerthelesse sometime he answered againe, lest that by his silēce hurte or hinderance might haue growen to other VVhat art thou then that drea­dest so sore a mortall man? this daye he is, and to morowe he appeareth not, dread God, and thou shalt not nede to dread man. VVhat maye man do with thee in wordes or iniuries? he hurteth him selfe more than thee, and in the ende he shall not flee the iudgement of God, whatsoeuer he be. Haue alwaye God before the eye of thy soule, and striue [Page] not agayne by multiplyinge of wordes. And if thou seeme for a time to suffer cō ­fusion that thou hast not deserued, dis­dayne thou not therefore, nor through impatience minishe nor thy rewarde, but rather lifte vp thy harte to God in hea­uen, for he is able to deliuer thee from all confusion and wronges, and to rewarde euery man after his desert, and muche more then he can deserue.

Of a pure and a vvholle forsakinge of our selfe and our ovvne vvill, that vve might get the freedome of spirite, and folovve the vvill of God. The .42. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lorde, forsake thy selfe, and thou shalt finde me. Stād with­out election, and without folowinge of thine owne wil, & also without al pro­prietie, & thou shalt much profite in grace: and if thou whollie re­signe thy selfe into my handes, and take nothinge to thee againe, thou shalt haue the more grace of me. O Lorde, howe ofte shall I resigne me vnto thee, & in what thinges shall I forsake my selfe? Alwaye, and in euery houre, in great thinges and in small: I except none, for in all thinges [Page 99] I will finde thee naked and verie poore, and voyde of thine owne will: els howe maiest thou be mine, and I thine, but if thou be cleerely berefte within and with­out of thine owne will. And the sooner that thou canst bringe it about, so muche the sooner shall it be better with thee, & the more perfectlye and the more cleerely that thou canst doe it, the more fully shalt thou please me, and the more shalt thou winne. Some persons resigne thē selues vnto me, but it is with some exception, for they trust not fullye to me, and there­fore they studye to prouide for thē selues. And some at the beginning offer thous to me, but after, when any temptation com­meth, they soone turne agayne to their owne will, and to that, which they pro­mised to forsake, and therefore they pro­fite litle in vertue. And truely such per­sons shall neuer come to perfect clennes, and to freedome of heart, nor to the grace of familiaritie with me, but through a perfect forsakinge of them selues, and through a dayly offering of them, and all that they haue wholly to me, for without that maye no man haue perfect fruition and vnitinge with me. I haue sayde to thee many times before, and yet I say to thee againe, forsake thy selfe, and resigne thy selfe whollye to me, and thou shalt haue great inward peace in me. Geue all for all, and nothinge keepe to thy selfe of [Page] thine owne will, but stand purelye and stably in me, and thou shalt haue me, and thou shalt be so free in heart and in soule, that darkenes of conscience, nor thral­dome of sinne shall euer haue power in thee. Endeuour thy selfe therefore to get this freedome of spirite that I speake of, pray for it, studie for it, and alwaye desire in thy harte, that is to saye, that thou mayest clerely be spoyled and bereft of all propertie and of thine owne will, & that thou beeing naked of all wordly thinges, mayest folowe me that honge naked for thee vpon the Crosse, & that thou mayest dye to thy selfe & to all worldlye thinges also (as in thy loue) and blessedly to liue to me. Then if thou doe thus, al vanities, & all vaine fantasies, and all superfluous cares of the world, and of the fleshe, shall faile, and fade, and go awaye. Then also immoderate dread and inordinate loue shall dye in thee, and thou shalt blessedly lyue in me, and I in thee. Amen.

Hovve a man shall rule him selfe in outvvarde things, and hovve he ought to call to God for helpe in all perils aud daungers. The .43. Chapter.

OVr Lorde Iesu sayeth to his ser­uant thus, Thou oughtest to take heede diligentlye, that in euery place, in euery deede, and in eue­ry [Page 100] outwarde occupation that thou doest, thou be inwardlye free in thy soule, and haue the rule ouer thy selfe, and that all thinges be vnder thee as in thy loue, and thou not vnder them: but that thou be the Lorde & gouernoure ouer thy deedes, not as a seruāt, or a bond man, but rather exempted as a true Hebrewe, that is to saye, as a true christien man, goinge into the number and into the freedome of the children of God, which stand vpō things present, and looke towardes thinges euerlasting, and beholde thinges transi­torye with their lefte eye, and thinges euerlastinge with their right eye: whome worldlie goodes can not drawe downe to the loue of them, but they rather drawe worldlie goodes to serue, in suche wise, as they be ordeyned to of God, and as they be instituted to doe by the high ma­ker of all thinges, which leaueth nothing inordinate in his creatures. Also, if thou stande in euery aduenture, and doubt that shal happen to thee, not to the iudg­ment of thy outwarde apperance, but anone in euery suche doubt thou entrest into thine owne soule by deuout prayer, as Moyses did into the tabernacle, to aske counsell of God, thou shalte heare anone the aunswere of our Lorde, which shall instruct thee sufficientlye in many thinges, both present, & that are to come. It is reade, that Moyses had alwaye re­course [Page] [...] [Page 100] [...] [Page] to the tabernacle of God, for doub­tes and questions to be assolied, and that he there asked the helpe of God through deuout prayer for the perils and daun­gers, aswell of him selfe, as of the people. So shouldest thou enter into the secrete tabernacle of thine owne heart, & there aske inwardlie with good deuotion the helpe of God in all such doubtes & perils. VVe reade that Iosue, and the children of Israel were deceaued of the Gabaoni­tes, because they gaue light credence to their sayinges, & did not firste aske coun­saile of God, as they should haue done, and so by the fayre wordes of the Gaba­onites, and thorough a false pitie, Iosue and the children of Israel were illuded and greatlie deceaued.

That a man shoulde not be importune in his busines. The .44. Chapter.

My sonne, saith our Lorde, cō ­mit alwaye thy cause to me, and I shall well dispose it for thee whē time shal come. Abide mine ordinaunce and direction, and thou shalte finde thereby great profite and helpe. O Lorde, gladlie will I commit all thinges to thee, for it is litie that I can doe for my selfe. VVould to God that I did not [Page 101] cleaue to desires of worldlie thinges, but that I might alwaye offer my selfe whol­lye to thy will and pleasure. My sonne, so it is good for thee to doe, for often times a man that trusteth muche in him selfe, and in his owne will, setteth his minde muche to bringe about this thinge or that, as he desireth: but when he hath attayned that he desireth, thē beginneth he to feele all otherwise of it then he did before: for the affections and desires of man be not alwaye one, but ofte driue a man from one thinge to another. There­fore it is no small thinge, a man fullie to forsake him selfe, though it be in right litle and small thinges. For truelie, the verie perfection of man is a perfect de­nyinge, and a full forsakinge of himselfe, And suche a man is verie free, & beloued for God. But the olde auncient enemye the fiende, which resisteth goodnes all that he maye, ceasseth not longe from temptation, but daye and night he ma­keth greeuous assaultes, to see if he maye catche any vnware person into his snare of deceit. There­fore wake ye, and praye, that ye be not deceaued by temptation.

That man hath no goodnes of him selfe, and that he may not rightfully glorifye him selfe in any thing. The 45. Chapter.

O Lorde, what is man, that thou doest vouchsafe to ha­ue minde on him? Or what hath he done for thee, that thou wilt visit him with grace? And what may he cō ­playne, although thou sometime forsake him? Or what maye I righteouslye saye, though thou graunt me not that I aske? Truely, I may well thinke and say thus: I am nought, nor I haue no goodnes of my selfe, but in all thinges I am of my selfe al insufficiēt, and go to nought, and but if I be holpen of thee, and be inward­lie informed and taught by thee, I shall be altogether s [...]outhfull, and to all thinge vnprofitable. O Lorde, thou arte alwaye one, euer shalt be one, alway good alway righteous and holy, well, righteously and blessedly disposing all thinges after thy wisedome: but I wretche, that alway am more redy & prone to euill then to good, am not alwaye abidinge in one, for seuen times be chaunged vpon me. Neuerthe­lesse, it shall be better with me, when it shall please thee to put to thy helpinge hand, for thou onely act he, that without [Page 102] man mayest helpe me, and so cōfirme and stable me in thee, that mine heart shall not so lightlie be changed from thee, but that it maye be wholly fired in thee, and finallye to rest in thee. And verilye, if I coulde cast awaye from me all mans com­fort, either for getting of deuotion, or for that I am compelled therto of necessitie, for that I finde no comfort in man, then might I well trust in thy grace to haue of thee newe visitations, & newe heauenlie consolation: But I confesse it for truth, that I am vnworthy to haue anye suche consolations, and I thanke thee, as ofte as anye good thinge commeth to me: for all that is good cōmeth of thee. I am but vanitie, and nought before thee, an vn­constant man, and a feeble, and therefore, whereof maye I righteously glorifie my selfe, or why should I looke to be magni­fied? Truelye vaine glorie is a perillous sickenes, a greeuous pestilence, & a right great vanitie: for it draweth a man from the true ioy that he should haue in God, and robbeth him cleerelye of all heauenly grace. For when a man pleaseth him selfe, he displeaseth thee, & when he delighteth in mans praysinges, he is depriued from the true vertues: for the true stedfast ioye & gladnes is, to ioye in thee, & not in him selfe, in thy name, and not in his owne vertue, nor in anye creature. Therefore thy name be praysed, and not mine, thy [Page] workes be magnified, and not mine, and thy goodnes be alwaye blessed, so that nothing be geuen to me of the laude and praysing of man. Thou art my glory and the ioy of my hart, in thee shall I be glo­rified, and alway shall I ioy in thee, and in my selfe nothinge, but in my infirmi­ties. Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge them selues, but I will seeke none but that is onely of thee, for all mans glory, all temporall honour, and all worldlye highnes to thy eternall glorye compared, is but as foolishnes, and a great vanitie. O truth, O mercy, O blessed trinitie, to thee be laude, honour, and glory euerla­stingly. Amen.

Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised. The 46. Chapter.

My sonne, take it not to greefe, though thou see other men ho­noured and exalted, and thy selfe despised & set at nought. If thou raise vp thine hart to me in heauē, the despites of man in earth shall litle greeue thee. O Lord we be here in great darknes, and are soone deceyued with vanities, but verilie if I beheld my selfe well, I should openlie see, that there was neuer any wrong done to me by any creature, nor that I haue nothing wher­of I maye righteoussie complayne. But [Page 103] for as muche as I haue ofte sinned, and greeuouslie offended against thee, there­fore all creatures be armed against me. To me therefore is due, confusion and despite, to thee lande, honour, and glorye. And vnlesse I can bring my selfe to this point, that I woulde gladlye be despised and forsaken of all creatures, & vtterlye to seeme as nought in the worlde, I may not be inwardlye pacified nor stablished in thee, nor spirituallie be illumined, nor yet fully vnited to thee.

That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people. The 47. Chapter.

My sonne, if thou set thy peace with anye person for thyne owne pleasure, or worldlye frendshippe, thou shalt alway be vnstable, and neuer shalte thou be cōtented: but if thou haue alway recourse to the truth euerlasting, that is God himselfe, then the death or goinge awaye of thy dearest freende, whatsoeuer he be, shall litle greue thee. The loue of thy frend ought alwaye to be referted to me, and for me he is to be beloued, howe good and howe profitable soeuer he seme vnto thee in this life. VVithout me frēd­ship is nought worth, nor maye not long endure, nor that loue is not true and [Page] cleane that is not knit by me. Thou oughtest therefore to be so mortified in all such affections of worldlie men, that in as much as in thee is, thou wouldest couete to be without all mans comfort. So muche a man draweth nerer to God, as he can withdrawe hym selfe from the worlde, and from all worldlie com­fort, and so muche the more he ascendeth higher to God, as he can descend lower in him selfe, and as he can waxe vile and abiect in his owne sight. He that ascri­beth any goodnes to him selfe, withstan­deth the grace of God, and letteth it to liue in him, for the grace of the holye ghoste seeketh alwaye a meeke and an humble heart. If thou couldest perfectly annihilate thy selfe, and whollie put out of thy heart all humane and create loue, then shoulde I (sayth our Lorde) dwell in thee with great aboundaunce of my grace But when thou lookest to creatu­res, then is righteouslie drawen from thee the sight of thy Creator. Learne therefore to ouercome thy selfe for the loue of him that made thee like to hym selfe. and thou shalt anone come to great ghostlie knowledge. Howe lytle soeuer the thinge be that a man loueth, yf he loue it inordinatlie, it hindreth and let­teth him greatlie from the true and per­fect loue that he shoulde haue to God.

That vve should eschevv vayne se­culer cunninge. The .48. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lorde, let not fayre and subtil wordes moue thee, for the kingdome of heauen standeth not in wordes, but in good ver­tuous workes. Take hede to my wordes, for they enflame the harte, and lighten the vnderstandinge, and bringe in also compunction of harte for sinnes past, and cause also ofte times great heauenlie comfort, sodenly to come into the soule. Reade neuer in any sciēce, to the intēt thou wouldest be called wise, but studie rather to mortifie in thee all stirringes of sinnes, as much as in thee is, & that shall be more profitable to thee, than the knowledge of many harde and subtill questions. VVhen thou hast reade and vnderstoode many doubtes, yet ne­uerthelesse, it behoueth thee to come to one that is beginninge of all thinges, that is, God him selfe, and els thy know­ledge shall litle auayle thee. I am he that teacheth a mā cūning, & do giue more vn­derstāding to meeke persons, than can be taught by mās teaching. And he to whom I speake, s [...]al soone be made wise, & much shall he profit in spirite, when payne and wo shall be to them that onelie seeke for [Page] curious learninge, takinge litle heede to the waye to serue God. The time shall come when Christ Lorde of Angels, and master of all masters shall appere to heare the lesson of euery creature, and to exa­mine the conscience of euery person, and then shall Ierusalem, that is, mans soule, be searched with lanternes and lights of Goddes high knowledge, and rightfull iudgmentes, and then also shall be made open the deedes and thoughtes of euery man, & all excuses and vaine argumentes shall ceasse, and vtterlie be set apart. I am he also that sodenlie at a point illumine and lifte vp a meeke soule, that it shalbe made able to take and to receiue in short time more perfectlie the true reason of the wisdome of God, then an other that studieth ten yeres in scholes, and lacketh meekenes. I teache without sounde of wordes, without diuersitie of opinions, without desire of honour, and without strife and argumentes. And I am he that teach all the people to despise earthlye thinges, to lothe thinges that be present, to seeke and to sauour eternall thinges, to flee honoures, to beare pacientlie all euill wordes and speakinges, to put their trust whollie in me, nothinge to couet without me, and aboue all thinges bren­ninglie to loue me And some folkes tho­rowe an inwarde loue that they haue had to me, haue learned many great thinges, [Page 105] and haue spoken high misteries of my God head. They profit more in forsaking all thinges, then in studyinge for highe & subtill learning. But to some mē I speake common thinges, to some speciall things, to some I appeare sweetlie in signes and figures, and to some I geue great vnder­standinge of Scripture, and open to thē high secret misteries. There is in bookes one voice, and one letter that is reade, but it enfourmeth not all persons alike, for I am within secretlie hidden in the letter, the teacher of trueth, the searcher of mans hart, the knower of thoughtes, the promoter of good workes, and the rewarder of al men, after as my wisdome and goodnes iudgeth them to haue de­serued, and none otherwise.

That vve shoulde not regarde muche outvvarde thinges, nor po [...]der but litle the iudgement of man. The 49. Chapter.

My sonne, it is profitable to thee to be ignoraūt in many things, and to thinke thy selfe as deade to the worlde, and to whom all the worlde is crucified. And thou muste also with a deafe eare let many thinges passe, as thou neither heard them, nor sawe them, and to thinke on such things [Page] as shall cause in thee an inwarde peace in soule. It is also more profitable to thee, that thou turne the eye of thy soule from thinges that displease thee, and to let euery man holde his opinion therein as him seemeth [...]est, rather than to striue againe with frowarde wordes. And true­lie, if thou were well stabled in God, and beheldest well his iudgementes, thou shouldest lightlie be content to be iudged of other, and to be ouercome of other, as our Lorde Iesus was for the [...] in time of his passion. O Lorde, sith it is true that thou sayest, what shall become of vs that heede so muche worldlie thinges, and be­weepe so greatlie a litle temporall losse, and we labour and tunne for worldlie profite with all our might, but our spiri­tuall profite and the health of our owne soules, we litle regarde? Suche thinges as litle or nothinge profiteth vs, is much set by, but that that is most necessarie to vs is nighe forgorten. For why? all men runne gladlye into outwarde thinges. And truelie but they shortlye turne backe agayne, they shall gladlie rest still in them, whiche in the ende shall be to them great perill and daunger.

That men be not alvvaye to be beleeued, for that they so lightlye offende in vvordes. The .50. Chapter.

LOrde sende me helpe in my troubles, for mans helpe is litle worth. Howe ofte haue I not founde frendship where I thought I should haue found it? And how ofte haue I founde it, where I least presumed to haue founde it? wher­fore it is a vayne thinge to trust in man, for the true and soothfast trust and health of righteous men is onelie in thee. Bles­sed be thou Lorde therefore in all thinges that happen vnto vs, for we be weake and vnstable, soone deceiued, and soone changed from one thinge to an other. VVho may so warelie and so alsuredlie keepe him selfe in euery thinge, but shall sometime fall into some deceipt, or into some perplexitie? truelie verie sewe: but he that trusteth in thee, and that seeketh thee with a cleane hart, s [...]deth not so lightlie from thee. And if it happen him to fall into any trouble or perplexitie, whatsoeuer it be, & how greeuous soeuer it be, he shall anone eyther be deliuered by thee, or be comforted by thee, for thou neuer forsakest him that trusteth in thee. It is right harde to finde so true and so faithfull a frende that wil perseuer with his freende in all his troubles, but thou [Page] Lord art most faithfull in all thinges, and like to thee none can be founde. O howe well sauoured that holy soule in ghostly thinges, that sayde thus: My minde is stablished in God, and is fully grounded in Christ. Truely if it were so with me, the dread of man should not so lightly enter into me, nor other mens wordes shoulde not so soone moue me. VVho may forsee all thinges? or who may preuent all euils that are to come? and if thinges foreseene do yet ofte times great hurt, VVhat shall then those thinges doe that be not fore­seene? But why haue not I, wretche, bet­ter seene to my selfe? and why haue I so lightlye beleeued other mens sayinges? truelye for that we be but men, and that but frayle men, though we be esteemed & thought of many to be as Angels in our conuersation VVhom may I beleeue but onelye thee? Thou art the trueth that deceyuest no man, nor mayest not be de­ceyued. And on the other, side, euery man is a lyer, weake, and vnstable, and s [...]ding (most especially) in wordes, so that scarse­lie it may be beleeued that seemeth open­lie to be true. Howe prudentlie therefore haste thou warned vs to beware of the lightnes of man, and that our familier seruantes maye be our enimies, so that it is not to be beleued, though one will say, Lo here is thy frend, or there is thy frend, for I am taught with mine owne hurt: [Page 107] but would to God it might be as a war­ninge to me, and not to my more follye. Some saye to me, Beware, beware, kepe riose to thy selfe that I shall the we thee. And when I kepe it close, and beleeue it to be secret, he can not be secret in that him selfe desired, but anone he betrayeth both him selfe & me, and goeth his waye. From suche tales, and from such vnstable men Lorde defende me, that I fall not into their handes, nor that I neuer com­mit any suche thinges. A true worde and a stable Lorde geue into my mouth, and a deceitfull toung driue farre awaye from me, for that I woulde not haue done to my selfe, I ought to be ware that I doe it not to other. O howe good and how pea­cefull is it to kepe silence of other mens wordes and deedes, and not to geue full credence till the trueth be tryed, and not to report lightlye to other all that we heare or see, nor to open our hart fullye but to very fewe, and to seeke thee alway that art the beholder of mans hart, & not so be moued with euery flake of wordes, but to desire in harte that all thinges in vs inwardly and outwardlye may be ful­filled after thy will: howe sure a thinge is it also for the keepinge of heauenlye grace, to flee the conuersation of worldly people all that we may, and not to desire thinges that seeme outwardly to be plea­saunt and liking: but with all the studye [Page] of our hart to seeke such thinges as bring in feruour of spirit, and amendement of life. It hath bene truelie a great hurte to many persons, a vertue knowen, & ouer timelie praysed: and contrariwise, it hath beene right profitable to some, a grace kept in silence, and not lightlie reported to other in this frayle life, that is full of temptation and priule enuie.

That vve shall put all our confidence in God, vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lord, stande stronglie, and truste faythfully in me. VVhat be wordes but winde? they flye in the ayre, out they hurte neuer a stone on the grounde. And if thou knowe thy selfe not giltie, thinke that thou wilt suffer gladlie suche wordes for God. It is but a litle thinge for thee to suffer some­time a hastie worde, sith thou art not yet able to suffer harde strokes. But why is it that so litle a thinge goeth so nigh thy heart, but that thou art yet fleshelie and carnall, and heedest to please men more then thou shouldest. And because thou dreadest to be despised, thou wilt not gladlie be reproued of thine offences, and thou searchest therefore busilie, and with great studie how thou mayest be excu [...]ed [Page 108] But behoulde thy selfe well, and thou shalt see, that the worlde yet liueth in thee, and a vaine loue also to please man. VVhen thou refusest to be rebuked and punished for thy defaultes, it appereth euidentlie, that thou art not yet sooth­fastlie meeke, nor that thou art not yet deade to the worlde, nor the worlde to thee yet truelye crucified. But heare my wordes, and thou shalt not neede to eare for the wordes of ten thousand men. Loe, yf all thinges were sayde against thee, that might be most maliciouslie and vn­truelie fayned against thee, what shoulde they huit, if thou suffered them to ouer­passe & goe awaye? truelie no more then a strawe vnder thy foote, & one heare of thy head they might not take from thee. But he that hath not a man [...] heart in­wardly, nor setteth not God before the eye of his soule, is soone moued with a sharpe word, whē he that trusteth in me, & will not stand to his owne iudgement, shall be free frō all mans dreade, for I am the Iudge that knoweth all secrettes: I knowe howe euery thinge is done, and I know also both him that doth the wrōg, and him that it is done to. Of me this thinge is wrought, and by my suffe­rāce it is come about, that the thoughtes of mennes heartes maye be knowen, and when the time commeth I shall iudge both the innocent, and hym that [Page] is giltie. But firste through my righteous examination I will proue them bothe. The witnes of man ofte times decea­ueth, but my iudgement alwaye is true, and shall not be subuerted. And howbeit it is sometime hid, and not knowen, but to fewe, yet it is euer true, and erreth not, neither may erre, though in the sig [...] of some persons it seemeth not so. There­fore in euery doubt it behoueth to runne to me, and not to leane muche to thine owne reason, but with euery thinge that I shall sende thee to be content, for a righteous man is neuer troubled with any thinge that I shall suffer to fall vnto him, insomuch, that though a thing were vntruelie spoken against him, he shoulde not muche care for it, neither shoulde he muche ioye, though he were sometyme reasonablye excused, for he thinketh al­waye [...] that I am he that searcheth mans hart, and that I iudge not after the out­warde apperance: for ofte times it shall be founde in my sight woorthy to be bla­med, that in mans sight seemeth muche woorthy to be praysed. O Lord God most righteous Iudge, stronge and patient, which knowest the frayltie and malice of man, be thou my strength and wholle cō ­fort in all my necessities, for mine owne conscience (Lorde) suffiseth me not, for thou knowest in me that I knowe not. And therefore in euery reproufe I ought [Page 109] alway to meeken my selfe, and patiently to suffer all thinges in charitie, after thy pleasure. Forgeue me (Lorde) as ofte as I haue not so done, and geue me grace of greater sufferaunce in time to come. Thy mercy is more profitable, and more sure maye for me to the gettinge of pardon and forgeuenes of my sinnes, then a trust in mine owne workes, through defence of my darke conscience. And though I dreede not my conscience, yet I may not therefore iustifie my selfe, for thy mercie remoued and taken awaye, no man maye be iustified, nor appere righteous in thy syght.

Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered, for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come. The .52. Chapter.

My sonne, sayth our Lord, be not broken by impatiēce, with the labour that thou hast taken for my sake, nor suffer thou not tribulatiō, to cast thee in dispaire, nor into vnreasonable heaui­nes or anguishe in any wise, but be thou comforted & strengthed in euery chaunce by my promises & behests, for I am able, and of power to rewarde thee and other my seruauntes aboundantlie more then [Page] ye can thinke or desire. Thou shalt not laboure long here, nor alwaye be greeued with heauines: tary a while my promises, and thou shalt shortlye see an ende of all thy troubles. One hour shall come, when all thy labours and troubles shall ceasse: and truely, that hour will shortlye come, for all is short that passeth with time. Doe therefore as thou doest, labour busily and faithfullye in my vineyarde, and I shal shortly be thy reward. VVrite, reade, singe, mourne, be still and pray, and suffer gladlye aduersitye, for the kingdome of heauen is more woorth then all these thinges, and much more greater thinges then they are. Peace shall come one daye, which is to me knowen, and that shall not be the day of this lyfe, but a day euer­lastinge, with infinite cleerenes, stedfast peace, and sure rest without ending. And then thou shalt not saye, VVho shall de­liuer me from the bodye of this death, neither shalt thou neede to crie, woe is me, that my comming to the kingdome of heauen is thus prolonged. For death shal then de destroyed, and health shall be without ende of bodye & soule, insomuch that no maner of vnrestfulnes shall be, but blessed ioye, and moste sweetest and fayrest companye. O if thou sawest the euerlastinge crownes of my Saintes in heauen, in howe great ioye and glorye they are, that sometime seemed to be vile [Page 110] persons, and as men despisable in the worlde, thou shouldest anone meken thy selfe lowe to the grounde, and shouldest rather couete to be subiect to all men, then to haue soueraintie ouer anye one person, and thou shouldest not desire to haue mirth and solace in this worlde, but rather tribulation and paine, and thou shouldest thē accompt it as a great win­ning, to be despised and taken as naught amonge the people. O if these thinges sauoured well to thee, and deepely pear­ced into thy hearte, thou shouldest not once dare complaine for anye maner of trouble that shoulde befall vnto thee. Are not all painefull thinges, and moste gree­uous laboures gladlye to be suffered for the ioyes euerlasting? yes verilye, for it is no litle thinge to win or lose the king­dome of heauen. Lifte vp thy face there­fore into heauen, and beholde howe I and all my Saintes that be with me in heauē, hadde in this worlde great battall and conflict, and nowe they ioye with me, and be comforted in me, and be sure to abide with me, and to dwel with me in the kingdome of my father without ending. Amen.

Of the daye of eternitie, and of the miseries of this lyfe. The 53. Chapter.

O Blessed mansion of the hea­uenlie Citie, O moste cleerest daye of eternitie, whom the night maye not darken, but the high truth, that God is, illumineth and cleereth the daye, alwaye merie, alwaye sure, and neuer chaunging his state into the contrarie. VVoulde to God that this daye might once appere and shine vpon vs, and that these tem­porall thinges were at an end. This bles­sed daye shineth to Saintes in heauen with euerlastinge brightnes and claritie, but to vs pilgrimes in earth it shineth not but a farre of, as through a mirroure or glasse. The heauenlye Citizens knowe well, howe ioyous this daye is: But we outlawes, the childrē of Eue, doe weepe and wayle the bitternes and tediousnes of this daye, that is, of this present lyfe, short and euill, full of sorowes and an­guishes, where man is often times de­filed with sinne, encōbred with passions, inquieted with dreades, bounden with charges, busied with vanities, blinded with errours, ouercharged with labours, vexed with temptations, ouercome with delightes & vaine pleasures of the world, and greeuouslie tormented, sometyme [Page 111] with penurie and neede. O Lorde, when shall the ende come of all these miseries, and when shall I be cleerelie deliuered from the bondage of sinne? when shall I onely Lord haue minde on thee, and fully be made glad and mery in thee? whē shall I be free without letting, and in perfect libertie, without griefe of bodie & soule? VVhen shal I haue sadde peace without trouble, peace within and without, and on euery side stedfast and sure? O Lorde Iesu, when shall I stande and behoulde thee, and haue full sight and contempla­tion of thy glorie? And when shalt thou be to me all in all? and when shall I be with thee in thy kingdome, that thou haste ordeyned to thy elect people from the beginning. I am lefte here poore, and as an outlawe in the lande of mine ene­mies, where daylie be battailes & great misfortunes. Comfort my exile, asswage my sorow, for all my desire crieth to thee. It is to me a greeuous burden, what­soeuer the worlde offereth me here to my so lace. I desire to haue inwarde fruition in thee, but I can not attayne therto. I couet to cleue fast to heauenlie thinges, but temporall thinges, and passions vn­mortified pull me awaye downward. In minde I woulde be aboue all temporall thinges, but whether I will or not, I am compelled through myne owne default to be subiect to my fleshe. Thus I moste [Page] wretched man fight in my selfe, and am made greeuous to my selfe, whiles my spirits desireth to be vpwarde, and my fleshe downewarde. O what suffer I in­wardlie, when in my minde I beholde heauenly things, and anone a great mul­titude of carnall thoughtes enter into my soule? Therefore Lorde, be not longe frō me, neither depart in thy wrath from me thy seruant. Send to me the lightnes of thy grace, and breake downe in me all carnall thoughts. Sende forth the dartes of thy loue, & breake therewith all phan­tasies of the enemy. Gather the wits and powers of my soule together in thee. Ma­ke me forget all worldlie thinges, & graūt me to cast awaye, and whollie to despise all phantasies of sinne. Helpe me thou euerlastinge truth, that no worldlie va­nitie hereafter haue power in me. Come also thou heauenlie sweetnes, and let all bitternes of sinne flie farre frō me. Par­don me, and mercifully forgeue me, when I thinke in my prayer of any thinge, but of thee: for I confesse for truth, that in time past I haue vsed my selfe verie vn­stable therein, for many times I am not there, where I stande or sit, but rather I am there, where my thoughtes leade me, for there am I where my thought is, and there as my thought is accustomed to be, there is that that I loue, and that ofte times commeth into my minde, that by [Page 112] custome pleaseth me best, and that most desireth me to thinke vpon. VVherefore, thou that art euerlastinge truth, sayest: VVhere as thy treasure is, there is thy heart. VVherefore, if I loue heauen, I speake gladlie of heauenlie thinges, and of such thinges as be of God, and that pertaine most to his honoure, and to the glorifyinge and worshippinge of his holy name. And if I loue the worlde, I ioye anone at worldlie felicitie, and sorowe anone at his aduersitie. If I loue the fleshe, I ymagine ofte times that plea­seth the fleshe, and if I loue my soule, I delight muche to speake and to heare of thinges that be to my soule health. And so whatsoeuer I loue of them, I gladlye heare and speake, and beare the images of them ofte in my minde. Blessed is that man that for thee (Lorde) forgetteth all creatures, & learneth truelie to ouercome him selfe, and with the feruour of spirite crucifieth his fleshe, so that in a cleane and a pure conscience he maye offer his prayers to thee, and be worthy to haue companye of blessed Angels, all earthlie thinges excluded from him, and fullye set apart. Amen.

Of the desire of euerlastinge life, and of the great revvarde that is promised to them that stronglye fight agaynst sinne. The 54. Chapter.

My sonne, when thou feelest that a desire of euerlastinge blisse is giuen vnto thee, & thou couetest to go out of the tabernacle of thy mortal bodie, that thou might clea­relie without shadowe beholde my clea­renes, Open thine harte, and with al the desires of thy soule, take that holie inspi­ration, and yeelding most large thankes to the high goodnes of God that so wor­thilie doth to thee, so beninglie visiteth thee, so brenninglie stirreth thee, and so mightelie beareth thee vp, that through thine owne burden thou fall not downe to earthilie likings, and thinke not, that that desire commeth of thy selfe, or of thine owne workinge, but rather that it commeth of the gifte of grace, and of a louelie beholdinge of God vpon thee, that thou shouldest profite thereby in meekenes and vertue, and that thou shouldest also prepare thee to be readye against another time for battels that are to come, and the more surely to cleaue to God with all the desire and affection of thy hart, and to studie with all thy power how thou mayest most purelie and moste [Page 113] deuoutlie serue him: and take heede of this common prouerbe, The fire doth oft burne, but the flame doth not ascende without some smoke: So likewise the desire of some men draweth to heauenlie thinges, and yet they be not all free from the smoke of carnall affections, and ther­fore they doe it not alwaye purelie for the honour and loue of God, that they aske so desirouslie of him. Suche ofte ty­mes is thy desire that thou shewest to be so importune, for that desire is not cleane and perfect that is mixte with thine owne commoditie. Aske therefore not that is delectable and profitable to thee, but that is acceptable and honour to me: for if thou do well, and iudge aright, thou shalt preferre my ordinaunce, & my will, before all thy desires, & before all thinges that may be desired beside me. I knowe well thy desire: Thou wouldest nowe be in libertie of the glorie of the sonnes of God: nowe the euerlastinge house, & the heauenlie countrey full of ioye and glory delighteth thee muche, but that time cō ­meth not yet, for there is yet another time to come, that is to saye, a time of labour and of proufe. Thou desirest to be fulfilled with the high goodnes in heauē, but thou mayst not yet come therto I am the full rewarde of man, abide me till I shall come, and thou shalt haue me to thy rewarde. Thou art yet to be proued here [Page] vpon earth, and more throughlye to be assayed in many thinges, some comfort shall be geuen to thee, but the fulnes thereof shal not yet be graunted. Be thou therefore comforted in me, and be thou strong, as well in doeing as in sufferinge thinges contrary to thy wil. It behoueth thee to be clothed in thy blood, and to be chaunged into a newe man, and thou must ofte times doe that thou wouldest not doe, and that thou wouldest doe thou must forsake & leaue vndone. That shall please other shall goe well forwarde, and that shall please thee shal haue no speede: that other men saye shall be well heard, and that thou shalt saye, shall be set at nought Other shall aske, and haue their askinge, thou shalte aske and be denied. Other shal be great and haue great lande and prayse of the people, and of thee no worde shall be spoken. To other this of­fice or that shall be committed, and thou shalte be iudged vnprofitable in euery thinge: for these thinges and other lyke, nature will murmure and grudge, & thou shalt haue a great battaile in thy selfe, if thou beare them secrete in thy hart with­out complayning & missaying. Neuerthe­lesse, in suche thinges and other like my faithfull seruauntes are wont to be pro­ued, howe they can denie them selues, and howe they can in all thinges breake their owne wylles, and there is nothinge [Page 114] that thou shalt neede so muche to ouer­come thy selfe in, as to learne to be con­tented not to be set anye price by in the worlde, and to suffer suche thinges as be moste contrarye to thy will, especiallye when suche thinges as in thy sight seeme vnprofitable, be commaunded to be done. But (my sonne) consider well the pro­fite and fruite of all these laboures, the shorte ende, and the great rewarde, and then thou shalt feele not greefe nor paine in all thy laboures, but the most sweetest comfort of the holye ghost through thy good will, and for that litle wil that thou forsakest here, thou shalt alwaye haue thy will in heauen, where thou shalt haue all that thou canst or mayest desire. There shalte thou haue full possession of all goodnes, without dread to lose it. There thy will shall be euer one with my will, and it shall couete no straunge nor pri­uate thinges. There no man shall re­siste thee, no man shall complayne on thee, no man shall let thee, nor no man shall wythstande thee, but all thinges that thou canst desyre shall be there present, and shall fulfill all the powers of thy soule vnto the full. There shall I yeelde glorye for reprofes, and a palle of laude for thy heauines, and for the lowest place here, a seate in heauen for euer. There shall appeare the fruite of obedience, the labour of penaunce [Page] shall ioy, and the humble subiection shall be crowned gloriously Bowe thee there­fore meekelye nowe vnder euery mans hande, and force litle who saith this, or who commaundeth this to be done. But with all thy studie take heede, that whe­ther thy prelate, or thy felowe, or anye other lower than thou, aske any thing of thee, or will any thing to be done by thee, that thou take it alwaye to the best, and with a glad will studie to fulfill it. Let this man seeke this thing, and another that, and let this man ioy in this thing, & another in that, whatsoeuer it be, and let them be lauded and praysed a thou­sande times, but ioye thou neither in this thinge nor in that, but onelye in thine owne contempt and despising, and in my will to be fulfilled, and whether it be by life or death, that I may alway be lauded and honoured in thee and by thee. Amen.

Hovve a man that is desolate, ought to offer hym selfe vvhollye to God. The .55. Chapter.

LOrde holy father, be thou bles­sed now and euer, for as thou wilt so it is done, and that thou doest is alwaye well: let me thy poorest seruaunt and most vnworthy, ioye in thee, and not in my selfe, nor in nothinge els beside the [...], [Page 115] for thou Lorde art my gladnes, thou art my hope, my crowne, my ioye, and all my honor. VVhat hath thy seruant but that he hath of thee, and that without his de­sert? All things be thine, and I am poore, and haue bene in trouble & in paine euer from my youth, and my soule hath beene in great heauines with weeping and tea­res, and sometime it hath bene troubled in it selfe through manifolde passions, that come of the world, and of the fleshe. VVherefore Lorde, I desire that I maye haue of thee the ioye of inwarde peace, and I aske the rest of thy chosen children, that be fedde and nourished of thee in the light of heauenly comforts, but with­out thy helpe I can not come therto. If thou Lorde geue peace, or if thou geue in­ward ioye, my soule shall be anone full of heauenlye melodie, and be deuoute and feruent in thy laudes and praysings: but if thou withdrawe thy selfe from me, as thou haste sometime done, then may not thy seruant runne the waye of thy com­maundementes, as he did first, but then he is compelled to bowe his knees, and knocke his brest, for it is not with him, as it was before, when the lanterne of thy ghostlie presence shone vpon his heade, and that he was defended vnder the sha­dowe of thy mercie from all perils and daungers, O righteous father euer to be praysed, the time is come that thou wilte [Page] thy seruaunt be proued. And righteouslie is it done, that I now shall suffer some­what for thee: now is the hour come that thou hast knowen from the beginninge, that thy seruant for a time should out­wardlie be set at naught, and inwardlie to liue to thee, and that he shoulde a litle be despised in the sight of the world, and be broken with passions and sickenes, that he might after rise with thee into a newe light, and be clarified, and made glorious in the kingdome of heauen. O holie father, thou haste ordeyned it so to be, and it is done as thou hast commaun­ded: this is thy grace to thy freende, to suffer, and to be troubled in this worlde for thy loue, howe ofte so euer it be, of what person soeuer it be, & in what ma­ner soeuer thou suffer it to fall vnto him: without thy counsayle & prouidence, nor without cause nothinge is done vpon earth. Oh, it is good to me, Lorde, that thou hast meekened me, that I may ther­by learne to knowe thy righteous iudge­mentes, and put from me all maner of presumption and highnes of minde. And it is verie profitable to me, that cōfusion hath couered my face, that I maye learne thereby to seeke for helpe and succour to thee rather thē to man. And I haue ther­by learned to dreade thy secrete & terrible iudgementes, which scourgest the righte­ous mā with the sinner, but not without [Page 116] equitie and iustice. I yeelde thankes to thee, that thou haste not spared my sins, but haste punished me with scourges of loue, and hast sent me sorowes and an­guishes within, and without, so that there is no creature vnder heauen that may comfort me, but thou Lorde God the heauenlie leach of mans soule, which strikest and healest, and bringest a man nigh vnto bodilie death, and after resto­rest him to health againe, that he maye thereby learne to knowe the littlenes of his owne power, & the more fullie to trust in thee. Thy discipline is fallen vpon me, and thy rod of correctiō hath taught me, & vnder that rodde I whollie submit me, strike my backe and bones as it shall please thee, & make me to bowe my cro­ked will vnto thy will, make me a meeke & an humble disciple, as thou hast some­time done with me, that I may walke all after thy wil. To thee I commit my selfe, and all mine to be corrected, for better it is to be corrected by thee here, then in time to come▪ Thou knowest all thinges, & nothinge is hidde from thee that is in mans cōsciēce. Thou knowest thinges to come before they fall, & it is not nedefull that any man teache thee or warne thee of any thinge that is done vpō the earth. Thou knowest what is speedefull for me, and howe much tribulation helpeth to purge the rest of sinne in me: do with [Page] me after thy pleasure, and disdayne not my sinfull life, to none so well knowen as it is to thee. Graunt me Lorde that to knowe, that is necessarie to be knowen: that to loue, that is to be loued: that to prayse, that highlie pleaseth thee: that to regarde, that appeareth precious in thy sight, and that to refuse that is vile be­fore thee. Suffer me not to iudge after my outwarde wits, nor to geue sentēce after the hearinge of vncunninge men, but in a true iudgement to discerne thinges vi­sible and inuisible, and aboue all thinges alway to searche and folowe thy will and pleasure. The outwarde witnes of men be ofte deceyued in their iudgementes, And in likewise, the louers of the worlde be deceyued through louinge onelie of visible thinges. VVhat is a man the bet­ter, for that he is taken better? truelie no­thinge. For a deceitfull man deceyueth an other, a vayne mā deceyueth an other, and a blinde & feeble creature deceyueth an other when he exalteth him, and ra­ther confoundeth him then prayseth him. For why? howe muche soeuer a man be in light of God, so much he is, and no more, sayth the meeke Saint Fraunces, howe holye and howe vertuous soeuer he be taken in sight of the people.

That it is good, that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures, vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion. The 56. Chapter.

My sonne, thou mayest not al­waye stande in the high feruēt desire of vertue, ne in the hi­ghest degree of contemplatiō, but thou muste of necessitie through the corruption of the first sinne sometime descende to lower thinges, and against thy will, and with great tedious­nes, to beare the burden of this corrupti­ble body: for as longe as thou bearest this bodie of death, thou must neede feele some tediousnes and griefe of heart, and thou shalt ofte times beweepe & mourne the burden of thy fleshlie feelinges, and the contradictiō of thy body to thy soule, for thou mayest not for the corruption thereof perseuer in spirituall studies, and in heauenlye contemplation as thou wouldest doe, and then it is good to thee to flie to meeke bodilie laboures, and to exercise thy selfe in good outwarde wor­kes, and in a stedfast hope and trust to abide my comminge, and my newe hea­uenlie visitations, and to beare thy exile, and the drines of thy hart patientlie, till thou shalt be visited by me agayne, and [Page] be deliuered from all tediousnes and vn­quietnes of minde. VVhen I shall come, I shall make thee forget all thy former laboures, and to haue inwarde rest and quietnes of soule. I shall also laye before thee the florishing medowe of holy scrip­ture, and thou shalte with great gladnes of heart in a newe blessed feeling, fele the very true vnderstāding thereof, and then quickly shalt thou runne the waye of my commaundementes, and then shalt thou saye in great spirituall gladnes. The pas­sions of this world be not woorthy of thē selues to bring vs to the ioy that shall be shewed vs in the blisse of heauen, To the which bring vs our Lorde Iesus. Amen.

That a man shall not thinke him selfe, vvorthy to haue comfort, but rather to haue sorovve and payne: and of the profite of contrition. The 57. Chapter.

LOrde, I am not woorthy to haue thy consolation, nor any spirituall visitatiō, and there­fore thou doest righteously to me, when thou leauest me needy and desolate: for though I might weepe water of teares like to the Sea, yet were I not woorthy to haue thy con­ [...]olatiō, for I am worthy to haue nothing [Page 118] but sorowe and paine, for I haue so gree­uouslye and so ofte offended thee, and in so many things greatly trespassed against thee. Therefore I may well saye and con­fesse for truth, that I am not woorthy to haue thy leste cōsolation. But thou Lord benigne and mercifull, that wilt not thy workes doe perish, to shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes in the vessels of thy mer­cy, aboue all my merites or desert, doest vouchsafe sometime to comforte me thy seruaunt more then I can thinke or de­uise. Thy cōsolations be not like to mens fables, for they be in them selues sooth­fast & true. But what haue I done Lorde, that thou wilt vouchsafe to geue me any heauenly consolation? I knowe not that I haue done anye thing well as I should haue done, but that I haue bene prone and readie to sinne, and slowe to amend­ment. This is true, and I can not deny it: for if I would deny it, thou shouldest stand against me, and no man might de­fend me. VVhat haue I then deserued, but hell and euerlastinge fire? I confesse for truth, that I am woorthy in this worlde of shame and despite, and that it becommeth not me to be conuersant with deuout people. And though it be gree­uous to me to say thus, yet (sith the truth is so) I wil confesse the truth as it is, and openlye will reproue my selfe of my de­faultes, that I may the rather obteine of [Page] thee mercy & forgeuenes. But what maye I then say Lorde, that thus am giltie and full of cōfusion? truely I haue no mouth nor tonge to speake, but onely this word: I haue sinned Lorde, I haue sinned, haue mercy on me, forgeue me, and forget my trespasse, suffer me a litle, that I maye weepe & waile my sinnes, or that I passe hence to the lande of darknes couered with the shadowe of death. And what doest thou Lord aske most of such a wret­ched sinner, but that he be contrite, and meeken him selfe for his sinne, for in true contrition & meekenes of heart, is found the very hope of forgeuenes of sinne, and the troubled conscience is therby cleered, and the grace before lost is recouered agayne. Man also is thereby defended fro the wrath to come, & almightie God, and the penitente soule mete louinglie together in holie kissinges of heauenlye loue. A meeke contrition of heart is to thee Lorde a right acceptable Sacrifice, more sweetlie sauouringe in thy sight, then burnynge incence. It is also the precious oyntment, that thou wouldest should be shed vpon thy blessed feete, for a meeke and contrite heart thou neuer despisest. This contrition is the place of refuge, from the dreade and wrath of the enemie, and therby is washed & clensed, whatsoeuer is before misdone, or that is defiled through sinne in any maner.

That grace vvill not be mixt vvith loue of vvorldlye thinges. The .58. Chapter.

My sonne, grace is a precious thing, and will not be mixte with anye priuate loue, nor with worldlye comfortes. It behoueth thee therefore to caste awaye all lettinges of grace, if thou wilt haue the gratious gift thereof. Those therefore a secrete place, and loue to be alone, and keepe thee from hearinge of vayne tales and fables, and offer to God deuout prayers, and praye hartily, that thou mayest haue a contrite hart, and a pure conscience. Thinke al the world as naught, and preferre my seruice before all other thinges, for thou mayest not haue minde on me, and therwithall delite thee in transitorie pleasures. It be­houeth thee therefore to withdrawe thee from thy deerest freendes, and from all thine acquaintaunce, and to sequester thy minde whollie fro the inordinate desire of all worldlye comfort as muche as thou mayest. Thus prayed Saint Peter, that all Christien people might holde them selues as strangers, and as pilgrimes vpō earth, for then they shoulde not set but litle price by the comfort thereof. O howe suce a trust shall it be to a man at his de­partinge out of this world, to feele in­wardlie [Page] in his soule, that no worldlie loue, nor yet the affection of no passinge or trāsitorie thinge hath any rule in him. But a weake feeble person newlie turned to God, may not so lightlie haue his hart seuered from earthlie likinge, nor the beastlie man knoweth not the freedome of a man that is inwardly turned to god. And therefore if a man will perfectlie be spirituall and ghostlie, he must aswell re­nounce strangers as kinsfolke, and spe­ciallie before all other, that he be moste ware of him selfe, for if he ouercome him selfe perfectlie, he shall the sooner ouer­come all other enimies. The moste noble and most perfecte victorie, is, a man to haue the victorie of him selfe. He there­fore that holdeth him selfe so muche sub­iect, that the sensualitie obeyeth to rea­son, and reason in all thinges obeyeth to me, he is the true ouercommer of hym selfe, and the Lorde of the worlde. But if thou couet to come to that point, thou must beginne manfullie, and set thy axe to the roote of the tree, and fullie to cut awaye, and to destroye in thee all the in­ordinate inclination that thou haste to thy selfe, or to any priuate or materiall thinge, for of that vice that a man loueth him selfe inordinatlie, well nigh depen­deth all that ought groundlie to be des­troyed in man. And if that be truely ouer­come, anone shall folowe great tranqui­litie [Page 120] and peace of conscience. But foras­much as there be but fewe that labour to die to them selues, nor to ouercome them selues perfectlie, therefore they lye still in their fleshlie feelinges and worldlie com­fortes, and may in no wise rise vp in spi­rite aboue them selues: for it behoueth him that will be free in heart, & haue cō ­tēplatiō of me, to mortifie all his euill in­clinations that he hath to him selfe, & to the world, & not to be bounde to any crea­ture by any inordinate or priuate loue.

Of the diuersities and diuers mouinges be­tvvene nature and grace. The 59. Chapter.

My sonne, take good heede of the motions of nature and grace, for they be verie subtil, and much contrary the one to the other, and hardlie may they be knowen asonder, but it be by a ghostly man, that through spirituall grace is in­wardlye lightned in soule. Euerye man desireth some goodnes, and pretendeth somewhat of goodnes in all his wordes and deedes, and therfore vnder pretence of goodnes many be deceaued. Nature is wylie, and full of deceit, and draweth many to her, whom she often times sna­reth and deceyueth, & euer beholdeth her owne wealth, as the ende of her worke. [Page] But grace walketh simplye, without de­reyte, she declineth from all euill, she pre­tendeth no gyle, but all thinges she doth purelye for God, in whom finallye she resteth. Nature will not gladlye dye, nor gladlye be oppressed or ouercome, neither will she gladlye be vnder other, ne be kept in subiection: but grace studieth howe she may be mortified to the world, and to the flesh. She resisteth sensualitie, she seeketh to be subiecte, she desireth to be ouercome, she will not vse her owne li­bertie: she loueth to be holden vnder holy discipline, and coueteth not to haue lord­ship ouer anye one creature, but to lyue and to stande alway vnder the dreade of God, and for his loue is alwaye readie to bowe her selfe meekely to euery creature. Nature laboureth for her owne profite and aduantage, & muche beholdeth what winning commeth to her by other. But grace beholdeth not what is profitable to her selfe, but what is profytable to manye. Nature receaueth gladlye ho­nour and reuerence, but grace referreth all honour and reuerence to God. Nature dreadeth reprouinges and despising, but grace ioyeth for the name of god to suffer thē both, and take them when they come as speciall giftes of God. Nature loueth idlenes and fleshlie rest, but grace can not be ydle without doeinge some good deede, and therefore she seeketh gladlye [Page 121] some profitable labours. Nature desireth faire thinges and curious, and abhorreth vile thinges and grosse: but grace deligh­teth in meke and simple thinges, she des­piseth not harde thinges, nor refuseth not to be clad in poore olde clothing and simple garmentes. Nature beholdeth gladlie thinges temporall, she ioyeth at worldlie winninges, is heauie for world­lie leesinges, and anone is moued with a sharpe word, but grace beholdeth things euerlastinge, and trusteth not in thinges temporall, nor is not troubled with the losse of thē, nor she is not grreeued with a frowarde worde, for she hath layde her treasure in God, and in ghostlie thinges whiche may not perishe. Nature is coue­tous, & more gladlie taketh than geueth, and loueth muche to haue propertie and priuate thinges: but grace is pitifull and liberall to the poore, she flieth singuler profite, she is content with litle, and iudgeth it more blessed to geue then to take. Nature inclineth to the loue of creatures, to the loue of the fleshe, and to vanities and runnings about, and to see newe thinges in the worlde: but grace draweth a man to the loue of God, and to the loue of vertues, she renounceth all creatures, she flieth the world, she hateth desires of the fleshe, restrayneth libertie and wandringes about, and escheweth asmuch as she may to be seene among re­course [Page] of people. Nature hath gladlye some outwarde solace, wherein she maye faylably delight in her outwarde wittes: but grace seeketh onelie to be comforted in God, and to delight her in his good­nes aboue all thinges. Nature doth all thinges for her owne winninge and sin­guler profite, she may doe nothinge free, but hopeth alwaye to haue like profite or better, or laude or fauour of the people, and coueteth much that her deedes and workes be greatlie pondred and praysed: but grace seeketh no temporall thing, nor none other reward for her hire, but onely God, she will no more of tēporall goodes then shall neede for the gettinge of the goodes euerlastinge, and careth not for the vayne prayse of the worlde. Nature ioyeth greatlie in many freendes & kins­folkes, and is glorified much of a noble place of birth, and of her noble bloud and kinred she ioyeth with mightie men: she flattereth riche men, and is merie with them that she thinketh like to her in no­blenes of the worlde: but grace maketh a man to loue his enemies, she hath no pri­de in worldlie freendes, she regardeth not the noblenes of kynne, ne the house of her father? but if the more vertue be there, she fauoureth more the poore then the riche, she hath more compassion of an innocēt then of a mightie man: she ioyeth euer in truth, and not is falsehoode, and [Page 122] alwaye comforteth good men more and more to profite and growe in vertue and goodnes, and to seeke daylie more higher giftes of grace, that they may through good vertuous workes be made like to the sonne of God. Nature complayneth anone for wantinge of a right litle thing that she woulde haue, or for a litle world­lie heauines, but grace beareth gladlie all needines and wantinges of the worlde. Nature inclynethe all thinges to her selfe, and to her owne profite as much as she maye: she argueth for her selfe, and striueth and fighteth for her selfe: but grace rendreth all thinges to God, of whom all thinges doe flowe and springe originallie. She ascribeth no goodnes to her selfe, nor presumeth of her selfe: she striueth not, nor prefer [...]eth her opinion before other mens, but in euery sentence she submitteth her meeklie [...]o the eternall wisedome and iudgement of God▪ Natu­re coueteth to knowe and to here newe secret thinges, she will that her workes be shewed outwarldlie, and will haue ex­perience of manye thinges in the worlde by her outwarde wittes, she desyreth also to be knowen, and to doe great thinges in the worlde, whereof laude and praysinge maye folowe, but gra­ce careth not for anye newe thinges, nor for anye curyous thinges what­soeuer they be: for she knoweth well, [Page] that all suche vanities commeth of the corruption of sinne, and that no newe thinge maye longe endure vpon earth. She teacheth also to restraine the out­warde wittes, and to eschewe all vayne pleasure and outwarde shewinge, and meekelie keepeth secrete thinges, that in the worlde were greatlie to be meruayled and praysed. And in euerie thinge, and in euerie science she seeketh some spirituall profite to her selfe, and laude and honour to almightie God. She will not, that her good deedes, nor her inwarde deuotion be outwardly knowen, but most desireth, that our Lorde be blessed in all his wor­kes, which geueth all thinges freelie of his high excellent charitie. This grace is a light supernaturall, and a spirituall gifte of God, and it is the proper marke and token of elect people, and an earnest penie of the euerlastinge life, for it raui­sheth a man fro loue of earthlie thinges, to the loue of heauenlie thinges, and of a fleshlie liuer maketh an heauenlie per­son: and the more that nature is op­pressed and ouercome, the more grace is geuen, and the soule thorough newe gratious vi­sitations is daylye refor­med more and more to the image of God.

Of the corruption of nature, and the vvor­thynes of grace. The .60. Chapter.

O Lorde, which haste made me to thine image and likenes, graunt me this grace that thou haste shewed to me to be so great and so necessarye to the health of my soule, that I may ouercome this wretched na­ture which draweth me alwaye to sinne, and to the losinge of mine owne soule. I feele in my fleshe the lawe of sinne figh­ting strongly against the lawe of my spi­rite, which leadeth me as a thral or bond­man to obey to sensualitye in manye thinges, and I may not resist the passiōs therof, but if thy grace doe assist me ther­in. I haue therefore great neede of thy grace, and that of the great aboundaunce of thy grace, If I should ouercome this wretched nature, which alwaye fro my youth hath bene readie & prone to sinne. For after that nature was vitiate & be­filed by the sinne of the first man Adam, the payne thereof descended into all his posteritie, so that, that nature which in the first creatiō was good & righteous, is nowe taken for sinne and corruption, so farre forth, that the motiōs that are now lefte vnto nature, drawe man alwaye vnto euill. And that is for this reason, for [Page] that the litle strength and mouinge to goodnes, that yet remayneth in it, is as a litle sparcle of fire, that is hid and ouer­hilled with ashes, that is to saye, the na­turall reason of man, which is all about belapped and ouerhilled with darkenes of ignoraunce, whiche neuerthelesse hath power yet to iudge betwixt good and bad, and to shewe the distance and diuer­sitie betwixt true and false. Howbeit that through weakenes of it selfe, it is not able to fulfill all that it approueth, nor hath not sith the firste sinne of Adam the full light of truth, nor the sweetnes of af­fections to God as it had firste. Of this it commeth, most mercifull Lorde, that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule, I delite me in thy lawes and in thy teachinges, knowinge that they are good, and righteous, and holie, and that all sinne is euill, and to be fled and esche­wed: and yet in my outwarde man, that is to saye, in my fleshelie felinge, I serue the lawe of sinne, when I obeye rather to sensualitie then to reason. And of this it foloweth also, that I will good, but to perfourme it without thy grace I maye not for weakenes of my selfe. And some­time I purpose to doe many good dee­des, but for that grace wanteth, that shoulde helpe me, I goe backeward, and fayle in my doinge. I knowe the waye to perfection, and howe I shoulde do, I see [Page 124] it euidentlye, but for that I am so op­pressed with the heauye burden of this corrupt bodye of synne, I lye still, and ryse not to perfection: O Lorde, howe necessarye therefore is thy grace to me, to beginne well, to continue well, and to ende well, for without thee I maye no­thinge doe that good is. O heauenlye grace (without whom our merites are nought woorth, nor the giftes of natu­re nothinge to be pondred, neither craf­tes or riches any thinge to be regarded, nor beautie, strength, wit nor eloquen­ce nothinge maye auayle) come thou shortlye and helpe me. The gyftes of nature be common to good men and bad, but grace and loue are the giftes of electe and chosen people, whereby they be marked and made able and wor­thy to haue the kingedome of heauen. This grace is of suche worthynes, that [...]eyther the gyfte of prophecie, nor the workinge of miracles, nor yet the gyfte of cunninge and knowledge maye nothinge auayle wihout it, ne yet fayth, hope or other vertues be not acceptable to thee without grace and charitie. O blessed grace, that maketh the poore in spirite to be ryche in ver­tue, and hym that is ryche in worldlye goodes, maketh meeke and lowe in heart, come and descende into my soule, and fulfill me with thy ghostlie comfortes, [Page] that it fayle not, nor faynt for werines & drynes of it selfe. I beseeche thee Lord, that I may finde grace in thy sight, for thy grace shal suffice to me, though I doe wante that nature desireth. For although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery side, yet shall I not neede to drede, whiles thy grace is with me: for she is my strength, she is my comfort, and she is my counsayle and helpe, she is stronger then all mine enemies, and wiser then all the wisest of this worlde. She is the maystres of truth, the teacher in discpline, the light of the hart, the comfort of trouble, the driuer awaye of heauines, the auoy­der of dreade, the nourisher of deuotion, and the bringer of sweete teares and de­uoute weepinges. VVhat am I thē with­out grace, but a drie stocke to caste awaye? Graunt me therefore, that thy grace maye preuent me and fo­lowe me, and that It may make me euer busie and diligent in good workes vnto my death. So may it be. Amen.

That vve ought to forsake our selfe, and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse. The 61. Chapter.

My sonne, as much as thou canst go out fro thy selfe, and fro­thine owne will, so much as thou mayest enter into me: and as to desire nothing outward­lie bringeth peace inwardlie into mans soule, so a man by an inwarde forsakinge of him selfe ioyneth him to God. I will therefore, that thou learne to haue a per­fect forsaking, and a full resigning of thy selfe into my hands, without withsaying and complayninge, and that thou folowe me: for I am the waye, I am the truth, and I am the life. VVithout a waye no man maye go, and without truth no man maye knowe, and without life no man maye lyue. I am the waye which thou oughtest to goe, the truth which thou oughtest to beleue, & the life which thou shalt hope to haue. I am the waye that can not be defyled, the truth which can not be deceyued, and the life that neuer shall haue ende. I am the waye moste straite, the truth most perfect, and the life most soothfast. A blessed life, and a life vn­made that made all things. If thou dwell and abide in my waye, thou shalt knowe the truth, and truth shal deliuer thee, and thou shalt come to euerlastinge life. If [Page] thou wilte come to that lyfe, kepe my cō ­maundementes, If thou wilt knowe the truth, beleeue my teachinges, If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou haste, If thou wilt be my Disciple, forsake thy selfe, If thou wilt haue the blessed lyfe, despise this present life, If thou wilt be exalted in heauen, meeke thee here in earth, And if thou wilt reigne with me, beare the Crosse with me: for truely, only the seruauntes of the Crosse shall finde the life of blessednes, and of euerlastinge light. O Lorde Iesu, forasmuche as thy waye is narowe and straite, and is also muche despised in the worlde, geue me grace to beare gladlye the despisinges of the worlde. There is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde, nor any Disciple aboue his master. Let thy seruaunt therefore be exercised in thy wayes, for therein is the health and the very perfection of lyfe: whatsoeuer I reade or heare beside that way, it refresheth me not, nor delighteth me not fullye. My sonne, forasmnche as thou knowest these thinges, & hast reade them all, thou shalt be blessed if thou ful­fil them. He that hath my commaunde­mentes, and keepeth them, he it is that loueth me, and I shall loue him, & I shall shewe my selfe vnto him, and shall make him sitte with me in the kingdome of my father. Lorde as thou hast sayde and pro­mised, so be it done to me, I haue taken [Page 126] the Crosse of penaunce at thy hand, and I shall beare it vnto my death, as thou haste put it to me to doe. For the lyfe of euery good man is the Crosse, and it is also the way and leader to Paradise, and nowe it is begonne, it is not lawfull for me to go backe fro it, ne it is not behoue­full for me to leaue it. Haue done there­fore my welbeloued brethren, go we forth together, Iesu shall be with vs, for Iesu we haue taken this Crosse, for Iesu let vs perseuer, and he shal be our helpe, that is our guyde and leader. [...] our kinge goeth before vs, that shall fyght for vs, folowe we hym stronglye, dreade we no perils, but be we readye to dye stronglye with hym in battayle, that we put no blot into our glorye, nor mi­nishe not our rewarde, by flyinge co­wardlye awaye from the Crosse.

That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes, though he happen to fall into some defaul [...]es. The .62. Chapter.

My sonne, patience and meke­nes in aduersitie, please me more, then much consolation and deuotion in prosperitie. VVhy art thou so heauy for a litle worde sayde or done against thee? yf it had bene more, thou [Page] shouldest not haue bene moued therwith, but let it nowe ouerpasse, it is not the first, and it shall not be the last if thou lyue longe. Thou art manfull inough as long as no aduersitie falleth to thee, and thou canst well giue counsaile, and well canst thou comfort and strengthen other with thy wordes: But when aduersitie knocketh at thy doore, thou failest anone both of counsayle and strength. Beholde well therefore thy great frayltie, which thou hast daylie experience of in litle ob­iectes▪ Neuerthelesse, it is for thy ghostly health that suche thinges and other like be suffered to come vnto the Purpose thy selfe in thy harte to doe the best that lieth in thee, and then when suche tribu­lations shall happen to fall vnto thee, although it greeue thee, yet let it not whollie ouerthrow thee, nor let it not longe tarie with thee. And at the least suf­fer it pacientlie, although thou maye not suffer it gladlie. Moreouer, though thou be loth to heare suche thinges, and that thou feele great indignation therat in thy hart, yet thrust thy selfe downe lowe in thine owne sight, and suffer no inor­dinate worde passe out of thy mouth, whereby any other might be hurt, and then all such indignation shall be anone assuaged & soone appeased in thee. And then also that which before was taken to so great heauines to thee, shall anone [Page 127] be made sweete & pleasaunt in thy sight. For yet lyue I (sayth our Lorde) redie to helpe thee, and to cōfort thee, more then euer I did before, if thou wilt whollye trust in me, and deuoutly call for helpe to me. Be quiet in hart, prepare thy selfe yet to more sufferance. For it is not all lost though thou feele thy selfe ofte troubled or greeuouslye tempted. Thinke thou art a man, and not God, a fleshlye man, and no Angell. Howe mayest thou alwayes be in one state of vertue, when that wanted to Angels in heauen and to the first man in Para dise, the which stoode not longe? I am he that rayse vp them that be so­rowfull to health and comfort, and those that knowe their owne vnstablenes, I lifte them vp to be stabled in the sight of my Godhead for euer. Lorde, blessed be thy hol [...]e word. It is more sweeter to my mouth then honye combe. VVhat should I doe in all my troubles and heauines, if thou diddest not sometime comfort me with thy wholsome and sweete wordes? Therefore it shall not force what trouble or aduersitie I suffer here for thee, so that I maye in the ende come to the porte of euerlasting health. Geue me a good ende and a blessed passage out of this worlde: haue minde on me, my Lorde my God, and direct me by a straite and redy waye into thy kingdome, I beseech thee. Amen.

That a man shall not searche the iudge­mentes of God. The .63. Chapter.

My sonne, beware to dispute of highe-matters, & of the secret iudgemēts of God, why this man is so left & forsaken of God, and why this man is taken to so great grace, why also one man is so much troubled, and another so greatly aduaunced. These thinges ouer­passe all mans knowledge, for to serch gods iudgement no mans reason maye suffise, nor yet this disputation. Therfore, when the ghostly enemy stirreth thee to such thinges, or if any curious men aske of thee suche questions, answer with the prophete Dauid, and say thus, Lord thou art righteous, & thy iudgemēts are true, and be iustified in them selfe, thy indge­ments are to be dread, & not to be discus­sed by mans wit, for they be to mans wit incomprehensible. Beware also that thou search not, nor reason not of the merites of Saintes, which of them was holyer then other, or which of them is higher in heauen: Suche questions ofte times nou­rishe great strifes and vnprofitable rea­soninges, and proceede of pride & vaine­glory, wherby enuy springeth and discē ­tion: that is to saye, when one laboureth [Page 128] to prefer this Saint, and another that. And truely a desire to knowe such things rather displeaseth Saints then pleaseth them For I (saith our Lord) am not God of discention and strife, but of vnitie and peace, the which peace standeth rather in true meekenes, than in exalting of them selues. Some men be more stirred to loue this Saint or that, and that with muche greater affection, but truly that affection is oft time more rather a manly affectiō, than a godlye. Am not I he that haue made all Saints? yes truelye: and ouer that I haue giuen thē grace, and I haue geuen them glorye: I knowe all their merites, I preuented them with the sweetnes of my blessinges, I knewe my elect and chosen people before the worlde was made, I haue chosen them from the worlde, they haue not chosen me, I called them by my grace, I drewe them by my mercy, I led them through temptations, I sent them inwarde comfortes, I gaue them perseueraunce, I crowned their patience, I knowe the first man and the laste, I loue them all with an inestimable loue. Thus I am to be praysed in all my Saintes, and aboue all thinges to be bles­sed and honoured in all, and in euery of them whom I haue so glorioussye ma­gnifyed and predestinate without anye merites in them goeinge before. There­fore he that despyseth the leaste of my [Page] Saintes, doth no honour to the greatest, for I haue made both the lesse and the more, and he that disprayseth any of my Saintes, he disprayseth me and other of my Saintes in the kingdome of heauen, for they be all one, faste vnited and knit together in one sure bonde of perfect charitie. They feele all one thinge, and they will all one thinge, and they loue altogether all into one thinge, and they loue me muche more then them selues, or their own merites, for they be rapt about themselues, and be drawen from their owne loue, and whollie be turned into my loue, in the which they rest by eternal fruition. There is nothinge that maye turne them from my loue, nor that may thrust them downe out of their glorie, for they be full of eternall trueth, and burne inwarldlie in soule with fyre of euerla­stinge charitie, that neuer shall be quen­ched. Let all them cease therefore that be carnall and beastly, and that can not loue but priuate ioye, to searche the state of my blessed Saintes in heauen, for they put awaye, and adde to their merites as they fauour, and not after the pleasure of the eternall truth of God. In many fol­kes is great ignoraunce, but moste spe­ciallie in them that haue so litle light of ghostlie vnderstanding, that they can not loue any person with a cleane loue. Many also be moued by a naturall affection, or [Page 129] by a worldly frendship to loue this saint or that, and as they imagine in earthly thinges, so they imagine of heauenlye thinges, but there is a distaunce incom­parable betwixt thinges which imperfect men imagine by naturall reason, and which men truelye illumined with grace beholde by heauenlye contemplation. Beware therefore, my sonne, to treate curiously of suche thinges, for they passe thy knowledge, and endeuour thy selfe, that thou mayest be worthy so be nūbred with the least Saint that shall come to heauē. And if percase a man might knowe who were holyer, or who should be taken greater in the kingdome of heauen, what shoulde that knowledge auayle him, but if he would therby the more meeke him selfe, and the more ryse thereby, into the laude and praysinge of my name? truelie nothinge. Therefore he is much more ac­ceptable to God that thinketh on the greatnes of his sinnes, and of the little­nes of his vertues, and howe farre he is from the perfectiō of the least Saint that is in heauē, then he that argueth of their greatnes, or of their litlenes, or blessed­nes of life, forgettinge them selfe. It is better also with deuout prayers, & with weepinges and teares meekelie to praye to Saintes, and to call to them for helpe, then vaynelie to searche for their perfe­ction. They be verie well contented with [Page] the ioye that they haue, if men woulde refrayne themselues from suche vayne arguments. They glorifie not them sel­ues of their merites, ne they ascribe no goodnes to themselues, but they referre all goodnes to me, for they knowe well that I of my infinite goodnes and cha­ritie haue geuen all vnto them. And they be so muche fulfilled with loue of the godhead, and with ouerpassing ioye, that no glorie maye want in them, nor anye felicitie. And the higher that they be in heauen, the meeker be they in them sel­ues, and the more nighe and the more louing to me. Therefore it is written in the Apocalips, that Saintes in heauen layde their crownes before God, and fell prostrate on their faces before the meeke lambe, that is Iesu, and they woorship­ped him as their Lorde God, that is and shalbe lyuing euermore without ending. Amen. Manye searche who is highest in heauen, that knowe not whether they shall be worthy to be numbred with the least that shall come thither: for it is a great thinge to be the least in heauen, where all be great, for all that shall come thither shall be called the sonnes of God, and so shall they be in deede: the lest there shall be counted for a thousande, and a sinner of a hundred yere shall be set at naught VVhen the Apostles asked amōg them selues, who shoulde be greatest in [Page 130] the kingdome of heauen, they heard this answer of Christ: but ye (sayde he) be con­uerted from your sinne, and be made meeke as litle children, ye maye not en­ter into the kyngdome of heauen. He therefore that meeketh him selfe as this litle childe, he shalbe greatest in the king­dome of heauen. VVoe then be to them that disdayne to meeke them selues with litle children, for the meeke part of hea­uen will not suffer them to enter into it: wo also be vnto the proude riche men that haue their cōsolation here, for when the good poore men shall enter into the kingdome of God, they shall stande wee­pinge and waylinge without. Ioye ye then, ye that be meeke and poore in spirite, for yours is the kingdome of God, so that ye walke and houlde your iorney assu­redlye in the waye of truth.

That all our hope and trust is to be put in God onelye. The 64. Chapter.

O Lorde, what is the trust that I haue in this life? or what is my moste solace of all thinges vnder heauen? Is it not thou, my Lorde God, whose mercy is without measure? where hath it beene well with me without thee? or when hath it not beene well with me, thou being present? I had leuer be poore with thee. then rich without thee, I had leuer be with thee as a pilgrime in this world, then without thee to be in heauen, for where thou art, ther is heauē, and where thou art not, there is both death and hell. Thou arte to me all that I desire, and therefore it behoueth me to sigh to thee, to crie to thee, & hartily to praye to thee, I haue nothinge to trust in that maye helpe me in my necessities, but onelye thee, for thou art my hope, thou art my trust, thou art my comforte, and thou arte my moste faithfull helper in euerye neede. Man seeketh that is his, but thou seekest my health and profite, and tur­nest all thinges into the best for me, for if thou sende temptations and other ad­uersities, thou ordeinest all to my profite, for thou art wont by a thousande wayes to proue thy chosen people. In whiche [Page 131] proufe thou art no lesse to be lauded and praysed, than if thou haddest fulfilled thē with heauenlie comfortes. In thee Lorde therefore I put my trust, and in thee I beare patientlye all my aduersities, for I finde nothinge without thee but vnsta­blenes and follie, for I see well, that the multitude of worldlye freendes profiteth not, nor that stronge helpers nothinge maye auayle, ne wise counsayler geue profitable counsayle, ne cunninge of doc­tours gyue consolation, ne ryches dely­uer in tyme of neede, ne secrete place any thinge defende, yf thou Lorde doe not assist, helpe, comforte, counsail, informe, and defend. For all thinges that seeme to be ordeined to mans solace in this world, if thou be absent, be right nought worth, nor maye not bring to man anye true fe­licitie, for thou art the ende, Lorde, of all good thinges, the highnes of lyfe, and the profounde wisedome of all things that is in heauen and in earth. VVherfore to trust in thee aboue all thinges, is the greatest comfort to al thy seruauntes. To thee therefore I lifte mine eyes, and in thee onely I put my trust, my Lorde my God, the father of mercy, blesse thou, and halowe thou my soule with thy heauen­lie blessinges, that it may be thy dwelling place, and the seate of thy eternall glorie, so that nothinge be founde in me at any tyme, that maye offende the eye of thy [Page] maiestie. Beholde me (Lorde) after the greatnes of thy goodnes, and of thy ma­nyfolde mercies, and graciouslye heare the prayer of me thy poorest seruaunt, outlawed, and farre exiled into the coun­trey of the shadowe of death, defend and keepe me amonge the manyfolde perils and daungers of this corruptible lyfe, and direct me through thy grace by the waye of peace, into the countrey of euerlastinge clearnes with­out ending. Amen.

VVith hovve great reuerence Christe is to be receaued. The firste Chapter.

O My Lorde Iesu Christe, eter­nall truth, these wordes aforesayde be thy wordes, al­beit they were not sayde in one selfe time, nor written in one selfe place. And for that they be thy wordes, I will thankefully and faithful­lie accept them. They be thy wordes, and thou haste spoken them, and they be now myne also: for thou haste sayde them for my health. I will gladlye receyue them of thy mouth, to the end they maye be the better sowen and planted in mine heart. Thy wordes of so great pietie, full of sweetnes and loue, greatly excite me. But Lorde, my sinnes feare me greatlie, and my cōscience not pure to receaue so great a misterie, draweth me sore abacke. The sweetnes of thy wordes prouoketh me, but the multitude of mine offēces charge me verie sore. Thou commaundest that I [Page 133] shall come vnto thee faythfullie, if I will haue part with thee, & receaue the nou­rishinge of immortalitie, and couete to obteyne the glorie and life eternall. Thou sayest Lorde, come ye to me that laboure and be charged, and I shall refreshe you. O howe sweete, and howe amyable a worde is it in the eare of a sinner, that thou Lorde God wilt bidde me, that am so poore and needie to the Communion of thy moste holie bodie? But what am I Lorde, that I dare presume to come to thee? Loe heauē and earth may not com­prehende thee, and thou sayest, come ye al to me. VVhat meaneth this moste meeke worthynes, and this louelie and frendly biddinge? howe shall I dare come vnto thee, which knowe not that I haue done any thinge wel? Howe shall I bringe thee into mine house, which so ofte haue offē ­ded before thy face? Angels and Archan­gels honor thee, & righteous men dreade thee, And thou sayest yet, Come ye all vn­to me: but that thou Lorde haddest sayde it, who woulde beleue it to be true? And but thou haste commaunded it, who durst attempt to go vnto it? Noe that iust man laboured an hundred yere to make the shippe, to the end he might be saued with a fewe of his people. Howe maye I pre­pare me then in an houre to receaue thee with due reuerence, that art maker and Creatour of all the worlde? Moyses thy [Page] seruant? and great familier and speciall freende made the arke of timber not cor­ruptible, whiche he couered with right pure golde, and put in it the tables of the lawe. And I a corrupt creature, how shall I so lightlie date receaue thee, that art maker of the lawe, & geuer of grace and lyfe vnto all creatures? The wise Salo­mon, kinge of Israel, edified a meruelous temple to the praysinge of thy name in the space of seuen yeres, and by eight dayes halowed the feast of the dedication of the same: he offred a thousande peaci­ble hostes, and put the arke of God in the place made readie for it with great me­lodie of clarions and trumpetres. Howe dare I then that am moste poore amonge other creatures receaue thee into mine house, who scarcelie haue well spent one houre of time, or one halfe hower of my life? O my good Lorde howe muche stu­died they to please thee, and howe litle is it that I doe? Howe litle time take I, when I dispose me to be houseled? seldo­me am I gathered together in thee, and more seldome and I purged fro hauinge my mind ouermuch on worldlie thinges. And certainly, no vnprofitable thoughts ought to come into the holie presence of thy Godhead, nor no creatures ought there to haue place, for I shall not recea­ue an Angel, but the Lorde of Angels into my heart. Neuerthelesse, there is great [Page 134] difference betwene the arke of God with his reliques, and thy most pure & precious bodie, with his vertues, which are mo then can be spoken: and betwene the Sa­crifice of the olde lawe, that was but a figure of the newe lawe, & the true hoste of thy precious bodie, whiche is the ac­complishement of all the olde sacrifi­ce. VVhy then am I not more inflamed to come to thee, why do I not prepare my selfe with greater diligēce to receaue this holie and blessed Sacramēt, sith the holy auncient fathers, the patriarches & pro­phetes, Kinges and Princes, with all the people, haue shewed so great affectiō to­wardes thy seruice in time passed. The moste deuout & blessed Kinge the Kynge Dauid, went before the arke of God, and honoured it with all his strength, alwaye remembringe the great benefites before geuē vnto the fathers: he made Organes of diuers maners, & also Psalmes, which he ordeyned to be songe, and he him selfe sang them with great gladnes, and ofte times with his harpe, he beinge fulfilled with the grace of the holie ghost, taught the people of Israel to laude and prayse God with all their heart, and dayly with their mouth to blesse him, & preache his goodnes. And yf there were shewed then so great deuotion and remembraunce of laude and praysinge to God, before the arke of the olde testament: howe muche [Page] reuerence and deuotion ought we then nowe to haue in the presence of this holy Sacrament, and in the receauinge of the moste excellent bodye of our Lorde Iesu Christe? Many runue to diuers places to visite reliques of Saintes, and meruayle greatlye when they heare of their blessed deedes, they see great buyldinges of tem­ples, and beholde howe their bones and holie reliques be couered with silke, and lapped in golde: and loe thou my Lorde God, thou arte present here with me vpon the Aultar, the most holie Saint of Saintes, maker of all thinges, and Lorde of Angels. Ofte times there is great cu­riositie and vanitie in the sight of suche thinges, and litle fruite and amendemēt is had thereby, and that speciallie, where there is so light recourse and waueringe, without anye contrition goinge before. But thou my Lorde God, my Lorde Iesus Christ, god and man, art here wholle pre­sent in the Sacrament of the Aultare, where the fruit of euerlastinge health is had plenteoustie, as ofte as thou art wor­thilie and deuoutlie receaued. But if that shall be done fruitfullie, there maye be no lightnes, curiositie, nor sensualitie: but stedfast fayth, deuoute hope, and pure charitie. O God inuisible, maker of all the worlde: howe maruaylous [...]ye doest thou with vs, howe sweetelie, and howe graciouslie disposest thou all thinges to [Page 135] thy chosen people, to whom thou offerest thy selfe to be taken in this glorious Sa­crameut? Certainlie it surmounteth all vnderstandinge, and it draweth the har­tes, and kindleth the affection of all de­uout men. The true faythfull people that dispose all their life to amendement, re­ceaue ofte times through this glorious Sacrament great grace and deuotion, and great loue of vertue. O meruaylous and secretlie hid is the grace of this Sa­crament, the which faythfull people of Christ doe onelie knowe: for infidels, and they that liue in sinne, maye haue thereof no maner of experience. In this Sacra­ment spirituall grace is geuen, and the vertue that was lost in their soule is re­payred, and the beautie that was defor­med through sinne, returneth agayne: and the grace of this Sacrament some­time is so much, that of the fulnes of de­uotion that commeth thereby, not onelie the minde, but also the fee [...]le bodye re­couer their former strength. But verilye, it is greatlie to be sorowed, that we be so slowe and negligent, and that we be stirred with no more affection to recey­ue Christ then we be, for in him standeth all merite and hope of them that shall be saued. He is our health and our redem­ption, he is the comfortour of all that liue in this worlde, and the eternall rest of all Saintes in heauen. And it is also [Page] greatly to be sorowed, that so many take so litle heede of this high misterie, which gladdeth the heauen, and preserueth all the world. Alas the blindnes and hardnes of mans hart, that taketh no greater heede to so noble a gifte, but by the dayly vsing thereof is negligent, and taketh litle heede thereto. If this blessed Sacra­ment were ministred onelie in one place, & cōsecrate but by one priest in the world, with how great desire, thinkest thou, the people would runne to that place, and to that Priest, that they myght see there these heauenlie misteries? Nowe there be manye priestes, and Christe is offred in many places, that the grace and loue of God to man maye appeare so muche the more, as the holie communion is spreade the more abrode throughout the worlde, thankinges be to thee therefore, my Lord Iesu, that thou vouchsafe to refresh vs poore outlawes with thy precious blood and to stir vs with the wordes of thine owne mouth to receiue this holie misterie, sayinge, come ye all to me that labour and be charged, and I shall refresh you.

That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament. The second Chapter.

O My Lorde Iesu, trustinge in thy great goodnes & mercye I come to the, as a sicke man to him that shall heale him, and as he that is hungrye & thirstie to the fountayne of life, that is needie, to the Kinge of heauen, as a ser­uaunt to his Lord, a creature to his crea­tor, and as a desolate persō to his meeke and blessed comfortour. But howe is it that thou commest to me? who am I that thou wilt geue thy selfe vnto me? howe dare I a sinner appeare before thee? and howe is it that thou wilt vouchsafe to come to so simple a creature? Thou kno­west thy seruant, and seest well that he hath no goodnes of him se [...]e, whereby thou shouldest geue this grace vnto him. I confesse therefore mine owne vnwor­thines, and I knowledge thy goodnes, I prayse thy pietie, and yeelde thee than­kings for thy great charitie. Verily thou doest all this for thine owne goodnes, & not for my merites, that thy goodnes may therby the more appeare, & thy cha­ritie the more largelie be shewed, and thy meekenes the more highlie be commēded. Therefore because this pleaseth thee, [Page] and thou hast cōmaunded that it shoulde thus be done, thy goodnes also therein pleaseth me: and woulde to God that mine iniquities resisted me not. O my Lorde Iesu, howe great reuerence and thankinges, with perpetuall praysinges of thy name, ought to be geuen thee for the receyuinge of thy holie bodie, whose dignitie no man is able to expresse? But what shall I thinke in this communion, and in goeinge to my Lorde God, whom I can not worship as I ought to doe, and yet I desire to receyue him deuoutly. But what may I think better or more health­full to me, then whollie to meeke my selfe before thee, exaltinge thy infinite good­nes farre aboue me. I laude thee my Lord God, and shall exalt thee euerlastinglie, I despise my selfe, and submit me to thee, and sorowe greatlie the deepenes of mine iniquitie. Thou arte the Saint of all Saints, and I am the filth of all sinners, and yet thou enclinest thy selfe to me, that am not worthye to looke towarde thee. Thou commest to me, thou wilt be with me, thou biddest me to thy feast, thou wilt geue me this heauenly meate, and this Angelles foode to eate, which is playnlye none other but thy selfe that art the liuely bread which descēdest from heauen, and geuest lyfe to the worlde. Beholde Lorde from whence all this loue proceedeth, and howe great goodnes shi­neth [Page 137] vpon vs, and howe great thankes & prayses are due to thee therfore. O howe helthful and howe profitable a counsayle was it whē thou ordeinedst this glorious Sacrament? and how sweete and ioyous a feast was it when thou gauest thy selfe as meat to be eaten? O Lorde howe mer­uailous is thy worke, howe mightie is thy vertue, and howe farre vnspeakable is thy trueth? By thy worde all thinges were made, and all thinges were done as thou hast commaunded. It is a meruay­lous thinge & worthy to be beleeued, and farre aboue the vnderstandinge of man, that thou Lorde that art God and very man, art wholly conteyned vnder a litle likenes of bread and wine, and art eaten without consuminge, of him that taketh thee: and that thou that art Lorde of all thinges, and that needest nothing in this world, wouldest by this glorious Sacra­ment dwell in vs, kepe thou mine heart & my body immaculate, that in a glad and a pure conscience I may ofte times cele­brate thy misteries, and receiue them to my euerlastinge health, which thou haste ordeined most speciallye to thy honour & perpetuall memory. O my soule be thou mery and glad for so noble a gift, and so singuler a cōfort left to thee in this vale of misery, for as ofte as thou remembrest this mistery, & takest the body of Christe, so ofte thou workest the worke of thy re­demption, [Page] and art made partaker of all the merites of Christ. Truely the charitie of Christ is neuer minished, & the great­nes of his mercy is neuer consumed, and therefore thou oughtest alwaye with a newe renewing of minde to dispose thee to it, and with a well aduised and a deepe consideration to thinke on this great mysterie of health. It shoulde seeme to thee as newe, and as pleasaunt a ioy and comfort, when thou singest masse, or hea­rest it, as if Christe the same daye first en­tred into the wombe of the virgin, and were made man, or if he the same daye suffered and dyed vppon the Crosse, for the health of mankinde.

That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled. The .3. Chapter.

LOrde I come to the to thēde that it maye be well with me through thy gifte, and that I maye ioye at the holy feast that thou of thy great good­nes haste made redy for me. In thee is all that I may or shoulde desire, for thou art my health & my redemption, my hope, my strength, my honour and glorie. Make me thy seruant this daye mery and glad in thee, for I haue lifte my soule vnto thee, nowe I desire deuoutlie and reuerentlie to receiue thee into mine house, that I [Page 138] may deserue with zeale to be blessed of thee, and to be accompanied amonge the children of Abraham. My soule coueteth to receiue thy body, my hart desireth to be vnited with thee, betake thy selfe to me Lord and it suffiseth, for without thee there is no comfort, nor without thee I may not be, nor without thy visitation I may not liue, and therefore it behoueth me ofte times to goe to thee, and for my health to receiue thee, leste happilye if I should be defrauded from that heauenlie meat I should faile in the waye. So thou sayedst thy selfe, moste mercifull Iesu, as thou were preaching to the people, & hea­ledst them of their sicknesses: I will not let thē returne into their houses fasting, lest they fayle by the waye. Doe with me therefore in like maner, that hast left thy selfe in this glorious Sacrament for the comfort of all faithfull people. Thou art onely the true refection of the soule, and he that worthily eateth thee shall be par­taker and heire of eternal glorie: it is ne­cessarie to me that so oft do offende, so soone ware dull and slowe, that by ofte prayers and cōfessions I may renewe my selfe, purifie my selfe, and kindle my selfe to quicknes & feruour of spicite, lest hap­pily by long abstaining I might fall from that holy purpose: for the wittes of man and woman be from their youth proude and readie to euil, and but this heauenly [Page] lie medicine do helpe, man maye anone fall to worse and worse, therefore this holy communion draweth a man from euill, and comforteth him in goodnes. If I nowe be ofte times so negligent and slouthfull when I am cōmaunded, what should I be if I receiued not that biessed medicine nor sought not for that great helpe? And though I be not euery daye apte nor disposed to receyue my Creator: neuerthelesse I shall take heede to re­ceyue him in times conuenient, so that I maye be partaker of so great a grace, for it is one of the moste principall consola­tions to a faithfull soule, that is to saye, that as long as he is as a pilgrime in this mortall bodye, that he ofte remem­ber his Lorde God, and receyue him that is his onely beloued aboue all thinges. It is a marueilous goodnes of the great pi­tie that thou Lorde haste against vs, that thou Creatour and geuer of Iyfe to all spirites, vouchestsafe to come to a poore creature, and with thy godhead & man­hood to refresh his hunger and neede O happie is that man, and blessed is that soule that deserueth deuoutlie to receiue his Lorde God, and in that receiuinge to be fulfilled with a spirituall ioy. O howe great a Lorde doth he receiue? howe wel­beloued a gest doth he bringe into his house? howe ioyous a felowe doth he re­ceiue? howe faithfull a freeude doth he [Page 139] accept? howe noble a spouse doth he im­brace that receiueth thee? For thou art onelie to be beloued before all other, and aboue all thinges. Let heauen and earth, and all the ornamentes of them be still in thy presence, for whatsoeuer they haue worthy laude or praise, they haue that of the larges of thy gift: and yet they maye not be lyke to the honour and glorie of thy name, of whose wisedome there is no number nor measure.

That many commodities be geuen to them, that deuoutly receaue this holye Sacrament. The 4. Chapter.

O My Lorde God, preuent thy seruant with the blessinges of thy sweetenes, that he may deserue to go reuerent­ly and deuoutly to this high Sacrament. Stirrs vp my hart into a full beholdinge of thee, and deliuer me from the great slouth and ydlenes that I haue bene in in time pas­sed: visite me in thy goodnes, and geue me grace to taste inwardlie in my soule, the sweetnes that is hid secretlie in this blessed Sacramēt, as in a most plenteous fountaine. Illumine also mine eyes to see and beholde so great a misterrie, & streng­then [Page] me, that I maye alwaye faythfullie and vndoubtedly beleeue it: for it is thy operation, and not the power of man, thy holie institutiō, and not mans inuention. And therefore to take and to vnderstand these thinges, no man is sufficient of him selfe, and they also ouerpasse the subtility of all Angels and heauenlye spirites. VVhat may I then moste vnworthy sin­ner, earth and ashes searche and talke of so high a secret, but onelye that in sim­plenes of hart, in a good stable fayth, and by thy commaundement I come to thee with meeke hope and reuerence, and be­leue verily, that thou art here present in this Sacrament God and man? Thou wilt therefore, that I shall receaue thee, and knit my selfe to thee in perfecte cha­ritie. VVherefore I aske thee mercy, and desire, that thou geue me thy special gra­ce, that I maye from henceforth be fully molten, and relented into thee, flowe in thy loue, and neuer after to intermit my selfe with any other comfort. This moste high and moste worthy Sacrament is the life of the soule and body, the medicine of all spirituall sicknes, wherby all vices be cured, passions refrayned, temptations ouercome and diminished: the greater grace is sent, vertue increased, and faith stablished, hope strengthed, and charitie kindled and spread abroade. Thou haste geuen, and ofte times geuest manye great [Page 140] giftes by this Sacrament to thy beloued seruantes that deuoutly receaue thee, for thou thereby art the stronge vpholder of my soule, the repairer of all the infirmi­ties of man, and the geuer of all inward consolation, and of cōfort in tribulation: and from thee deepnes of their owne de­section thou raysest them againe into a strong hope of thy preseruation, and re­newest them, and lightest them inward­lie with a newe grace, so that they that felte them selues before receauing of that blessed Sacrament, heauy and without affection, after when they haue recea­ued it, haue founde them selues chan­ged into a great ghostly feruour. And all this thou doest to thy elect people of thy great goodnes, that they may see and knowe openlye by experience, that they haue nothing of them selues, but that all grace and goodnes that they haue, they haue receaued of thee, for of them selues they be colde, dull and vndeuoute, and by thee they be made feruent, quicke in spirite, and deuout folowers of thy will: who maye go meekly to the fountaine of sweetnes, but that he shall bringe awaye with him great plentie of sweetnes? or who may stande by a great fyre, but he shall feele great heate thereof? and thou Lorde arte the fountaine of all sweet­nes, and the fyre alwayes brenning, and neuer faylinge, and therefore, though. I [Page] maye not drawe the fulnes of that foun­taine, nor drinke thereof to the full, I shall neuerthelesse put my mouth to the hole of the heauenlie pipe, that I maye take some litle droppe thereof to refreshe my thirst, so that I be not all dried away. And though I be not all heauenlye and brenninge in charitie, as the Seraphins and Cherubins be, neuerthelesse I shall endeuour me to set my selfe to deuotion, and to prepare mine heart, that I maye get some litle sparcle of the brenninge of heauenlie life, through the meeke rece­uing of this liuely Sacramēt: and what­soeuer wanteth in me, I beseeche thee my Lorde Iesu, most holie & blessed, that thou beninglye and gratiouslie supplie in me: for thou haste vouched safe to call all to thee, saying: Come ye all to me that la­bour and be charged, and I shall refreshe you. I labour in the sweate of my bodie, and am tormented with the sorowe of mine heart, and charged with sinnes, trauayled with temptations, intriked and oppressed with many euill passions, and there is none that may helpe, or that maye deliuer me, ne that maye make me safe, but thou Lorde God my onely Sa­uiour, to whome I commit me and all mine, that thou kepe me, and lead me into life euerlastinge: accept me and take me into the laude & glorye of thy name, that haste ordeyned to me thy bodie and [Page 141] bloud to be my meate and drinke: and graunt me Lorde, I beseech thee, that by the ofte receauinge of thy high misterie, the feruour of deuotion maye daylie in­crease in me.

Of the vvorthines of the Sacrament of the Aultar, and of the state of priesthood. The .5. Chapter.

IF thou haddest the puritie of Angels, and the holines of S. Iohn Baptist, thou shouldest not for that be worthie to re­ceaue nor touche this holy Sa­crament: for it is not graunted for the merites of man, that a man shoulde con­secrate and touche the Sacrament of Christe, and take to his meate the breade of Angels. It is a great misterie, and it is a great dignitie of priests, to whome it is graunted, that is not graunted to An­gels, for priests onely that be duely orde­ined in the Church, haue power to singe Masse, and to consecrate the bodye of Christ: for a priest is the minister of God, vsinge the worde of consecration, by the commaundement and ordinance of God: and God is there the principall doer, and the inuisible worker, to whom is subiect all that he willeth, and all obeyeth to that he commaundeth. Thou oughtest therefore more to beleeue almightie God [Page] in this moste excellent Sacrament, then thine owne wit, or any other visible tokē or signe. And therefore with dreade and reuerēce it is to go to this blessed worke. Take heede then diligentlie, and see from whēce this mistery and seruice commeth that is geuen vnto thee by the touchinge of the handes of the bilhop. Thou aste nowe made a priest, and art consecrate to sing Masse. Take heede therefore, that thou faithfullye and deuoutlye offer thy sacrifice to God in due time, and that thou keepe thy selfe without reproufe, thou haste not made thy burden more light, but hou arte nowe bounde in a straiter bonde of discipline, and of muche more high perfection then thou were be­fore. A priest ought to be adorned with all vertues, and to geue other example of good life: his conuersation shoulde not be with the common people, nor in the common waye of the worlde, but with Angels in heauen, or with perfect men in earth, that be best disposed to serue God. A priest also clothed in holye vestimentes beareth the place of Christ, that he should humblie and meekly praye to our Lorde for him selfe, & for all the people: he hath before him and behinde him the signe of the Crosse of Christ, that he shoulde dili­gently remember his passion: he beareth before him the Crosse, that he maye dili­gently behould & see the steppes of Christ, [Page 142] and study feruentlye to folow them, and behinde him also he is signed with the Crosse, that he should gladly and meekly suffer all aduersities for the loue of God: he beareth the Crosse before him, that he shoulde bewayle his owne sinnes, and he beareth it behinde hym, that he maye through compassion beweepe the sinnes of other, and knowe him selfe to be set as a meane betwene God and al the people, and not to ceasse of prayer and holye oblation, til he maye deserue of almighty God mercy & grace. VVhen a priest saith Masse, he honoreth God, he maketh An­gels glad, he edifieth the Chruche, he hel­peth the people that be a liue, and ge­ueth rest to them that be deade, and ma­keth him selfe partaker of all good dedes.

Of the invvarde remembraunce and exercise that a man ought to haue afore the re­ceauinge of the bodye of Christe. The 6. Chapter.

LOrde, when I thinke of thy worthines, and of my great filthines, I tremble stronglie, and am cōfounded in my selfe: for if I receaue thee not, I flie the eternall life: and if I vnworthylie re­ceaue thee, I runne into thy wrath. VVhat shall I then do my good Lorde, my helper, my protectour, comforter, and right sure Counsailer in all my necessi­ties? [Page] Teache me (good Lorde) the right waye, and purpose vnto me some readie erercise conuenable to the receauinge of this holye misterie, for it is necessarye vnto me, & greatlie profitable to knowe, howe deuoutlie and reuerentlie I ought to prepare mine heart to receaue it, or to consecrate so great and so goodlie a Sa­crifice as it is.

Of the discussing of our ovvne conscience, and of the purpose of amendment. The 7. Chapter.

IT behoueth thee aboue all thinges with soueraigne re­uerence and profounde mee­knes of hart, and with full fayth, and humble intent (to the houour of God) to cele­brate, take and receaue this holie Sacra­ment, examine diligentlie thy couscience by true contrition and meeke confession, and make it cleane after thy power, so that thou know nothing that greueth or biteth thy cōscience, or that may let thee to go frelie vnto it: haue displeasure of all thy sinnes in generall, & for thy daylie excesses and offences haue sighinges and sorowinges more speciall. And if the time will suffer it, confesse vnto God in secrete of thine heart the miseries of all thy passions, weepe and sorowe, that thou [Page 143] art yet so carnall and worldly, so vnmor­tified from thy passions, so full of motiōs of concupiscences, so vnware, and so euill ordred in thy outward wits, so oft wrap­ped in vayne phantasies, so muche incli­ned to outwarde and worldlie thinges, so negligent to inwarde thinges, so redie to laughinge and dissolution, so harde to weepinge and compunction, so readie to easie thinges, and to that that is likinge to the fleshe: so slowe to penance & feruor of spirite, so curious to heare newe thin­ges, and to see fayre thinges, so lothe to meeke and abiect thinges, so couetous to haue muche, so scarse to geue, so glad to holde, so vnaduised in speakinge, so in­continent to be still, so euill ordred in ma­ners, so importune in deedes, so greedie vpon meate, so deafe to the word of God, so quicke to rest, so slowe to laboure, so attentiue to fables, so sleepye to holye vigils, so hastie to thende, so vnstable to take heede to the waye to the ende, so negligent in the seruice of God, so dull and so vndeuout to go to Masse, so drye in thy housell, so soone fallen at large to outwarde thinges, so seldome gathered together to inwarde thinges, so soone moued to anger and wrath, so lightlye stirred to the displeasure of other, so rea­die to iudge, so rigorous to reproue, so glad in prosperitie, so feeble in aduersitie, so ofte purposinge many good thinges, [Page] and so seldome bringinge them to effecte. And when thou haste thus confessed and be wept all these defaults and such other like in thee, with great sorowe and dis­pleasure of thine owne fraylenes, set thee then in a full purpose to amende thy life, and to profite alwaye from better to bet­ter, and then with a full resigninge and a wholle will offer thy selfe into the ho­nour of my name in the Aulter of thy hart, as sacrifice to me, that is to saye, faythfullie committinge to me both thy bodie and soule, so that thou mayest be worthye to offer to me this high sacrifi­ce, and to receyue healthfullie the Sacra­ment of my holie bodie, for there is no oblation more worthie, nor satisfaction greater to put awaye sinne, then a man to offer him selfe purelie and whollie to God, with the offeringe of the bodie of Christ in masse and in holie communion. If a man doe that in him is, and is true­lie penitent as ofte as he commeth to me for grace and forgiuenes, I am the Lorde that sayth, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be conuerted to liue, and I shall no more remember his sinnes, but they all shall be forgeuen and pardo­ned vnto hym.

Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse, and of a full forsakinge of our selfe. The 8. Chapter.

OVr Lorde Iesus sayth to his seruant thus: As I hanginge all naked with mine armes spread abroad vpon the crosse, offered my selfe to God the father for thy sinnes, so that nothinge remayned in me, but that all went in sa­crifice to please my Father, and to appea­se his wrath agaynst mankinde: so thou oughtest to offer thy selfe freelie to God as muche as thou mayest, in a pure and holie oblation daylie in the Masse with all thy power and affection. VVhat re­quire I more of thee, then that thou shouldest studie whollie to resigne thy selfe vnto me? for whatsoeuer thou geuest beside thy selfe I regarde it not, for I looke not for thy giftes, but for thee. For as it shoulde not suffise to thee to haue all thinges beside me, so it maye not plea­se me whatsoeuer thou geue beside thy selfe. Offer thy selfe to me, and geue thy selfe all to God, and thy oblation shall be acceptable. Lo I offered my selfe whol­lye to my father for thee, and I gaue my bodye and bloude to thy meate, that I shoulde be all whollie thine, and thou mine. But if thou haue a trust in thy selfe, and doest not freelye offer thee to [Page] my will, thy oblation is not pleasaunt, and there shall be betwene vs no perfect vnitie. Therefore a free offeringe of thy selfe into the handes of God, must go be­fore all thy workes, if thou wilte obteine grace and the true libertie. Therefore it is that so fewe be inwardlie illuminate and free, because they can not whollye forsake them selfe (for my words be true) but a man renounce him selfe he may not be my disciple. Offer thy selfe fullie to me with all thine affection and loue. Amen.

That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God, and to praye for all people. The 9. Chapter.

LOrde all thinges be thine that be in heauen & earth. I desire to offer my selfe to thee in a free and perpetual oblation, so that I may per­petuallie be with thee. Lord in simplenes of hart I offer me this daye to thee to be thy seruant in the seruice & sacrifice of laude perpetuall, accept me with this oblation of thy precious bodye which I this daye offer to thee in the presence of thy holie Angels that be here present inuisible, that it maye be to my health, and to the health of all the people. And Lorde I offer to thee all my sinnes and offences that I haue committed be­fore [Page 145] thee and thy holie Angels fro the daye that I might first offende vnto this daye, that thou vouchesafe through thy great charitie to put away all my sinnes, & to clense my cōscience of all mine offen­ces, and restore to me agayne the grace that I through sinne haue lost, and that thou forgeue me all thinges past, and re­ceyue me mercifullie into a blessed kissing of peace and forgeuenes. VVhat may I do then but meekelie cōfesse and bewaile my sinnes, and continuallie aske mercye of thee? forgeue me mercifull Lorde I be­seeche thee, for all my sinnes displease me muche, and I will neuer commit them againe, but sorow for them, readie to doe penance and satisfactiō after my power. Forgeue me Lorde, forgeue me my sinnes for thy holie name, saue my soule that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloode. I commit my selfe whollie vnto thy mercie, I resigne me whollie into thy handes, doe with me after thy good­nes, and not after my malice and wret­chednes. I offer also to thee all my good deedes, though they be verie fewe and imperfect, that thou amende them, and sanctifie them, and make them likinge and acceptable to thee, and alwaye make them better and better, and that thou bringe me, though I be a slowe and an vuprofitable person, to a blessed and a laudable ende. I offer also to thee all the [Page] desires of deuout persons, the necessitie of mine auncesters, freendes, brother, si­ster, and of all my louers, and of all them that for thy loue haue done good to me or to any other, & that haue desired & asked me to praye, or to doe sacrifice for them or for their freendes, whether they be a­liue or deade, that they maye the rather feele the helpe of thy grace, and the gifte of thy heauenlie consolation, thy protec­tion from all perils, and the deliuerance from all payne, and that they so beinge deliuered from all euils, may in spirituall gladnes yeelde to thee high laude and praysinges. I offer to thee also my prayer and my peaceable offeringe, for all them that haue in any thinge hindred me, or made me heauy, or that haue done me any hurt or greeue: and for all them also whom I haue at anye time made heauy, troubled, greued, or slaundered, in worde or deede, wittinglye or ignorantlye, that thou forgeue vs altogether our sinnes and offences against thee, and of eche of vs against other, and that thou Lorde take fro our heartes all suspition and indignation, wrath, variance, and whatsoeuer may let charitie, or diminish fraternall loue, that eche of vs shoulde haue to other: haue mercie Lorde, haue mercie on all them that aske thee mercie, and geue grace to them that haue neede, and make vs to stande in suche case, that [Page 146] we be worthye to haue thy grace, and finallye to come to the lyfe euerlastinge. Amen.

That the holye Communion is not light­lye to be forborne. The .10. Chapter.

IT behoueth thee to runne ofte to the fountayne of gra­ce and mercye, and to the fountaine of all goodnes and puritie, that thou mayest be healed from thy passiōs and vices, and be made more stronge against all the temptations and deceytfull crafte of our enemie. The fiende knowinge the greatest fruit, and highest remedie to be in receauinge of this biessed Sacrament, inforceth him by all the wayes that he can, to let and withdrawe all faythfull and deuout people from it as muche as he can: and therefore some men, whē they dispose them selues to it, haue more grea­ter temptations then they had before: for as it is written in Iob, the wicked spirit commeth amonge the children of God, that he maye by his olde malice and wic­kednes trouble them, or make them ouer­much fearefull and perplexed, so that he maye diminishe their affection, or take awaye their fayth, if happilie he maye thereby make them eyther vtterlye to [Page] ceasse from beinge houseled, or els that they goe to it with litle deuotion. But it is not any thing to care for al his craftes and phantasies, howe vyle and vgglye soeuer they be, but all phantasies are to be throwen agayne at is owne head, and he so far to be despised, that for all his assaults and cōmotions that he can stirre vp, the holy communion be not omitted. Sometime ouer much curiousnes to haue deuotion, or ouer great doubt of making confession, letteth muche this holye pur­pose. Doe therefore after the counsayle of wise men, and put awaye all doubtfulnes and scrupulousnes, for they let the grace of God, and destroy whollie the deuotion of the minde. Also it is not good that for any litle trouble or griefe, that thou leaue this holie worke, but go lightlie and be confessed and forgeue gladlye all that haue offended thee. And if thou haue offē ­ded any other, meekelie aske of them for­geueues, and God shall right mercifully forgeue thee. VVhat profiteth it longe to tarie from confession, or to deferre this holie Communion? Purge thee first, and quickelie cast out thy venim, and haste thee after to take the medicine, and thou shalt feele more profite thereby, then yf thou tariedst lōger for it. If thou deferre it to daye for this thinge or that, to mo­rowe we may happen to come a greater, and so thou mayest be let longe from thy good [Page 147] purpose, and be made afterwarde more vnapt vnto it. Therfore as soone as thou canst, discharge thy selfe from suche hea­uines and dulnes of minde, and fro all slouth, for it nothing profiteth long to be anguished, long to go with trouble, & to sequester him selfe for suche dayly ob­stacles, fro the diuine misteries: but it doeth great hurt, and cōmonly bringeth in greath slouth, and lacke of deuotion. But alas for sorowe, some slouthfull and dissolute persons gladlye seeke causes to tarye from confession, and so defer the longer this holye Communion: and that they doe, to the intent that they shoulde not be bounde to geue them selues to any more sure kepinge of them selues in time to come, then they haue done before. But alas, howe litle charitie, and slender de­uotion haue they that so lightly leaue of so holie a thing, & howe happie is he, and howe acceptable to God that so liueth, and that so keepeth his cōscience in such cleannes, that he is euerie daye readie, & hath good affection to be housled, if it were lawfull vnto him, & that he might doe it without note or slaunder? He that sometime abstaineth of meekenes, or for any other lawfull impediment, is to be praysed for his reuerence, but yf it be through slouthfulnes, he ought to quic­ken him selfe, and to doe that in him is, and our Lorde shall strengthen his desire [Page] for his good will, for to a good will our Lorde hath alwaye a speciall respect, and when he is lawfullie let, he shall haue a good will and a meeke intent to it, and so he shall not want the fruite of the Sa­crament. And verilie euerie deuout man maye euerye daye, and euerye houre go healthfullie, and without prohibition vnto the spirituall Cōmunion of Christe, that is to saye, in remembringe of his passion, and neuerthelesse, in certaine dayes and times he is bounde to receaue Sacramentally the bodie of his Redemer with a great reuerēce: and rather to pre­tende therein the laude and honour of God, then his owne consolation. For so ofte a man is housled misticallye and inuisibly, as he remembreth deuoutly the misterie of the incarnation of Christ, and his passion, and is thereby kindled into his loue. He that doeth prepare him selfe for none other cause, but because the feast is comminge, or the custome compelleth him therto, he shall cōmonlie be vnready to it. Blessed is he therefore, that as ofte as he sayth Masse, or is housled, offereth him selfe vnto our Lorde in holie Sacri­fice. Be not in sayinge Masse ouer longe, nor ouer short, but keepe the good com­mon waye, as they doe with whom thou liuest: for thou oughtest not do that shoulde greeue other, or make them te­dious, but to keepe the common waye, [Page 148] after the ordinance of the holie fathers, and rather to confirme thy selfe to that that shall be profitable to other, then to folowe thine owne deuotion, or priuate pleasure.

That the bodye of Christe and holye Scrip­ture, are moste necessarye for the health of mans soule. The .11. Chapter.

O Moste sweetest Iesu, howe great sweetenes is it to a deuout soule, when he is fedde with thee at thy hea­uenlie feast, where there is none other meate brought forth to eate, but thou his onely beloued, and that art most desirable to him, aboue all the desires of his heart. And verilie it shoulde be sweete and pleasaunt to me, by an inwarde and meeke affection, to weepe before thee, and with the blessed woman Marie Magdalene, to washe thy feete with the teares of mine eyes. But where is that deuotion? where is that plenteous sheddinge out of holie teares? Certainlie all my heart ought to breune, and to weepe for ioye in the sight of thee, and of thy holye Angels: for I haue thee verilye present with me, though thou be hid vnderr another likenesse, for to behold [Page] thee in thy proper and diuine cleerenes, mine eyes might not beare it, neither all the worlde might susteyne to see thee in the cleerenes and glorye of thy maiestie. Therefore thou greatly helpest my wea­knes, in that thou hidest thy selfe vnder this blessed Sacrament. I haue him veri­ly, & worship him, whom Angels worship in heauen, but I onely in faith, and they in open sight, and in thine owne likenes without any couerture. It behoueth me to be content in the light of true faith, and therein to walke till the day of euer­lasting eleerenes shall appeare, and that the shadowe of figures shall go awaye. VVhen that that is perfect shall come, all vse of Sacramentes shall ceasse, for they that be blessed in the heauēly glorie, haue no neede of this Sacramental medicine: for they ioye without end in the presence of God, beholding his glory face to face, & so transformed fro clerenes to clerenes of the godhead, they tast the glorye of the sonne of God made man, as he was in his godhead fro the beginninge, and shall be euerlasting. VVhen I remember all these maruailous comfortes, whatsoeuer solace I haue in this world, though it be spiri­tual, it is greeuous and tedious vnto me, for as longe as I see not my Lorde open­lie in his glorie, I set it at naught al that I see and heare in this world. Lord, thou art my witnes, that nothing may cōfort [Page 149] me, nor any creature maye quiet me, but thou my Lorde God, whom I desire to see and beholde eternally: but that is not possible for me to doe, as longe as I shall be in this mortall life. VVherefore it be­houeth me to keepe my selfe in great pa­tience, and to submit my selfe to thee in euery thinge that I desire, for thy holye Saintes that nowe ioy with thee, abode in good fayth & patience all whiles they liued here the comming of thy glory. That they beleeued, I beleeue, that they hoped to haue, I hope to haue, and thither as they by thy grace be come, I trust to co­me, and till then I shall walke in faith, & take comfort of the examples of the sayde holy Saints. I haue also holie bookes for my solace, as a spirituall glasse to looke vpon, & aboue all these I haue for a sin­guler remedie thy holye bodye. I perceue wel, that two thinges be much necessarie vnto me in this worlde, without which this miserable lyfe should be to me as im­portable: for as long as I shall be in this body, I cōfesse my selfe to haue neede of two things, that is to say, of meat & light. These two hast thou geuen vnto me, that is to saye, thy holy body to the refreshing of my bodye and soule, and thou haste set thy word as a lanterne before my feete, to shewe me the waye that I shall go. VVithout these two I may not wel liue, for the worde of God is the light of my [Page] soule, and this Sacrament is the breade of my lyfe. These two may also be called the two tables, set here & there in the spi­ritual treasure of holy Church: The one is the table of the holy Aultar, hauinge this holie bread, that is the precious bodie of Christ: The other is the table of the lawes of God, conteining the holie doctrine of the lawe of God, and instructing man in the right fayth, and in the true beliefe, leadinge him into the inwarde secrettes that be called Sancta Sanctorum, where the inwarde secrettes of Scripture be hid and conteyned. I yeelde thankinges to thee my Lorde Iesu, the brightnes of the eternal light, for this table of holie doctrine the which thou hast ministred to vs by thy seruauntes, Prophetes, & Apo­stles, and other doctours: and thankings also be to thee the creator & redeemer of mankinde, that thou to shewe to all the worlde the greatnes of thy charitie, pre­paredst a great supper, in the which thou settest not forth the Lambe figured in the olde lawe, but thy holy body and bloude to be eaten, gladding thereby in that holy feast all faithful people, and geuing them to drinke of thy chalice of health, in the which be conteyned all the delightes of Paradise, where Angels eate with vs with much more plenteous sweetenes. O howe great and howe honourable is the office of Priestes, to whom is geuē power [Page 150] to consecrate with the holye wordes of consecration, the Lorde of all maiestie, to blesse him with their lippes, to holde him in their handes, to receiue him into their mouthes; and to minister him to other. O howe cleane shoulde the handes be, howe pure a mouth, howe holye a bodye, and howe vndefiled shoulde be the heart of a Priest, to whom so ofte entreth the au­thour of al cleannes? Truely there ought to procede from the mouth of a priest that so ofte receaueth the Sacrament of Christes bodie, no worde but that is holy, honest, and profitable, his eyes should be full simple and chaste, that vse to behold the bodie of Christe, & his handes shoulde be full pure, & lifte vp into heauen, which vse to touche the Creatour of heauen and earth: and therefore it is speciallye sayde in the lawe to Priestes, be ye holye, for I your Lord God am holy. O God almigh­tie, thy grace be with vs, and helpe vs that haue receiued the office of priesthood that we may serue thee worthely and de­uoutly in all puritie, and in a good con­science. And though we maye not liue in so great innocēcie as we ought to do, yet geue vs grace at the least, that we maye weepe and sorowe the euils that we haue done, so that in spirituall meeknes, and in full purpose of a good will we may serue thee here­after. Amen.

That he that shall be houseled ought to pre­pare hym selfe therto before vvith great diligence. The .12. Chapter.

I Am the louer of al puritie, and the liberall geuer of all holines. I seeke a cleane heart, & there is my restinge place, make rea­dy for me a great chamber stra­wed, that is thyne hart, and I with my Disciples shall keepe mine Easter with thee. If thou wilte that I shall come to thee, and dwell with thee, clense thee of all the olde filth of sinne, and clense also the habitacle of thine heart, and make it pleasaunt and fayre. Exclude the worlde, and all the clamorous noyse of sinne, and sit solitarie, as a sparowe in an house ea­singe, and thinke vpon all thy offences with great bitternes of hart, for a true louer will prepare to his beloued freende the best and the fayrest place that he can, for in that is knowen the loue and affe­ction of him that receyueth his freende. But neuerthelesse, I knowe that thou mayest not of thy selfe suffise to make this preparinge fullie, as it ought to be in euerie point, though thou went about it a wholle yere together, and haddest none other thing in thy minde to thinke vpon, but of my mercie and grace onely: [Page 151] Thou art suffred to go vnto my table, as if a poore man were called to the dinner of a riche man, and he had none other thinge to geue him againe, but onelie to humble him felfe, and thanke him for it: doe that in thee is, with thy best diligēce, and doe it not onelie of custome, nor of necessitie onely, for that thou art bounde to it, but with dreade and reuerence and great affection take the bodie of thy be­loued Lorde God, that so louinglie vou­chethsafe to come vnto thee. I am he that hath called thee, I haue commaunded that this thinge shoulde be done, I shall supplie that wanteth in thee. Come ther­fore and receaue me, & when I geue thee the grace of deuotion, yeelde thankes to me therefore, not for that thou art wor­thy to haue it, but for that I haue shewed my mercy louinglye to thee. And if thou haue not the grace of deuotion through receauinge of this Sacrament, but that thou feelest thy selfe more drye, and more vndeuout then thou were before, yet cō ­tinue still in thy prayer, wayle, weepe, & and call for grace, and ceasse not, til thou mayest receaue some litle drop of this helthfull grace of deuotion. Thou haste neede of me, and not I of thee, ne thou commest not to sanctifie me, but I come to sanctifie thee, and to make thee better then thou were before. Thou commest to be sanctified, and be vnited vnto me, and [Page] that thou mayest receaue a newe grace, and be kindled a newe to amendement. Do not forget this grace, but alway with all thy diligence prepare thine heart, and bringe thy beloued vnto thee: and it be­houeth thee not onelye to prepare thy selfe vnto deuotion before thou shalt be housled, but also, to keepe thy selfe there­in diligentlye after the receauinge of the Sacrament. And there is no lesse keeping requisite after, then a deuout preparatiō is needefull before: for a good keepinge after is the best preparation to receaue newe grace hereafter, and a man shall be the more vndisposed thereto, if he anone, after he hath receaued the Sacrament, geue him selfe to outward solace. Beware of much speakinge, abide in some secrete place, and kepe thee with thy Lorde God, for thou hast him that all the worlde may not take from thee. I am he, to whom thou must geue all, so that fro henceforth thou liue not in thy selfe, but onely in me.

That a deuout soule shoulde greatlye desire vvith all his heart to be vnited to Christe in this blessed Sacrament. The .13. Chapter.

VVho shal graüt vnto me (Lord that I maye finde thee onelie, and opē all mine heart to thee, and haue thee, as mine heart [Page 152] desireth, so that no man maye deceaue me, nor any creature moue me nor drawe me backe, but that thou onelie speake to me, and I to thee as a louer is wont to speake to his beloued, and a freende with his beloued freende? That is it that I praye for, that is it that I desire, that I may be whollie vnited to thee, and that I maye withdraw my hart fro all things create, and through the holie cōmunion, and ofte saying Masse, to sauor and taste eternall thinges. Ah Lorde God, when shall I be all vnited to thee, and whollie be molten into thy loue, so that I wholly forget my selfe? Be thou in me, and I in thee: and graunt, that we maye so abide alwaye together in one. Verilie, thou art my beloued, elect and chosen before all other, in whom my soule coueteth to abide all dayes of his life. Thou art the Lorde of peace, in whom is the soueraine peace and true rest, without whom is la­bour and sorowe, and infinite miserye. Verilie thou art the head God, and thy counsayle is not with wicked people, but with meeke men, and simple in heart. O howe secrete and howe benigne is thy holy spirite, which to the intēt. thou wol­dest shewe to thy chosen people thy swet­nes, haste vouchedsafe to refreshe them with the most swete bread that descēdeth from heauen Verilie there is none other nation so great, that hath their goddes [Page] so nigh vnto them, as thou Lorde God art to all thy faithfull people, to whom for their daylie solace, and to rayse their heartes into the loue of heauenly things, thou geuest thy selfe as meat and drinke. O what people be there, that be so noble as the christien men are? or what creature vnder heauen is so muche beloued as the deuout christien soule, into whom God entreth, and feedeth her with his owne glorious flesh and bloude? O inestimable grace, O meruaillous worthines, O loue without measure, singulerly shewed vnto man: but what shall I yeelde againe to God for all this grace and high charitie? Truelie there is nothing more acceptable to him, then that I whollye geue mine heart, and inwardly ioyne my selfe vnto him, & then shall all mine inward partes ioye in him, when my soule is perfectlie vnited vnto him. Then shall he say to me, If thou wilte be with me, I will be with thee: And I shall answere to him againe, and say, Vouchesafe Lorde to abide with me, and I will gladly abide with thee, for that is all my desire, that mine heart maye be fast knit vnto thee without departinge. Amen.

Of the brenninge desire that some deuoute persons haue had to the body of Christe. The 14. Chapter.

O Howe great multitude of sweet­nes is it Lorde that thou hast hid for them that dreade thee? But what is it thē for them that loue thee? Verilie, when I remember me of manye deuout persons that haue come to this holie Sacrament with so great fer­uoure of deuotiō, I am then many times astonied and cōfounded in my selfe, that I go vnto thy aultar, and to the table of thy holy communion so coldely, and with so litle feruour, and that I abide still so drie, and without any affection of hart, and that I am not so whollie kindled be­fore thee my Lorde God, nor so stronglie drawen thereby in affection to thee as manie deuout persons haue beene, the which of the great desire that they haue had to this holte communion, and for a feeleable loue of hart that they haue had therto, might not refrayne them from weping, but effectuously with the mouth of their heart and bodie together, opened their mouthes to thee Lorde that art the liuelie fountaine, because they coulde not otherwise asswage, ne tempt their hūger, but that they tooke thy holie body, which they did with great ioye and spirituall gredines. Truelie the great brenninge [Page] s [...]ith of them is a probable argument of thy holy presence, and they also knowe verily their Lorde in breaking of breade, whose heartes so stronglye brenneth in them by the presence of their Lorde Iesu, sacramentallye then walking with them. But verily, such affection and deuotion, and so stronge feruour and loue be ofte time far from me. Be thou there fore must swete and benigne Lorde Iesu, mercifull and meeke vnto me, and graunt me thy poore seruaunt, that I maye feele some­time some litie part of the harty affection of thy loue in this holy Communion, that my fayth maye the more recouer and amende, & mine hope through thy good­nes be the more perfect, and my charitie being once perfectly kindled, and hauing experience of the heauenlye Manna, doe neuer fayle. Thy mercy (Lorde) is stronge ynough to graunt to me this grace, that I so muche desire: and when the time of thy pleasure shall come, beninglye to vi­site me with the spirit of a brenninge fer­uour to thee. And though I doe not bren­ne in so great desire as suche speciall de­uout persons haue done, yet neuerthe­lesse, I haue desired the grace to be in­flamed with that brenninge desire, praying and desiring, that I maye be made partaker of all such thy feruent louers, and to be num­bred in their holy companye.

That the grace of deuotion is gotten thorough meekenes, and for sakinge of our selfe. The 15. Chapter.

IT behoueth thee abidinglie to seeke the grace of deuotion, and without ceassing to aske it, pa­tientlie and faithfullie to abide it, thankefullie to receaue it, meekelie to keepe it, studiouslie to worke with it, and whollie to commit to God the time and maner of his heauenlte visitalion, till his pleasure shall be to come vnto thee: and principallie thou oughtest to meeke thee, when thou feelest but litle inward deuo­tion, but thou shalt not be ouermuche caste downe therfore, nor inordinatlie be heauie, for our Lorde geueth many times in a short moment, that he denied longe time before: he geueth also sometime in the ende, that in the beginninge of the prayer he deferred to graunt. If grace shoulde alwayes anone be graunted, and should anone be present, after the will of the asket, it shoulde not be well able to be borne by a weake and feeble person, and therefore in a good hope and meeke pa­tience the grace of deuotion is to be abiden and taried for, and thou ough­test to impute it to thy selfe and to thine owne sinnes, when grace is not geuen thee, or that it is secretlie taken from thee. Sometime it is but a litle thinge [Page] that letteth grace or hideth it awaye, if it maye be called litle, and not rather great, that letteth and prohibiteth so good a thinge, but whether it be litle or great, if thou remoue it, and perfectlye ouercome it, it shall be graunted vnto thee that thou desirest, and forthwith as thou betakest thy selfe with all thine hart to God, and desirest neither this thinge nor that for thine owne pleasure, but whollye puttest thy will to his will, thou shalt finde thy selfe vnited to him, and set in a great inwarde peace, for nothing shall sauour so well to thee, nor so muche please thee, as that the will and pleasure of God be fullie dene in thee. VVhoso­euer therefore in a pure simple harte lifteth his intent vp to God, and voyde him selfe from all inordinate loue and displeasure of any worldlye thinge, shall be more apte to receiue grace, and shall be best worthy to haue the gift of deuotion. For there our Lorde geueth his blessinge where he findeth the vessels empty and voide. And the more perfectlye a man can renounce him selfe & all worldly things, & can by despising of him selfe the more die to him selfe, so much the sooner grace shal come, and shall the more plenteouslie en­ter into him, and the higher shall lifte vp his hart into God. Then his harte shall see and abounde, and shall marueile and be delated in him selfe, for the hande of [Page 155] our Lord is with him, and he hath whol­ly put him into his hande for euer. Lo, so shall a man be blessed that seeketh God with all his hart, and taketh not his soule in vaine. Suche a man in receiuinge this holye Sacrament deserueth great grace of the vniting in God, for he looketh not to his owne deuotion and consolation, but to the glorie and honour of God.

That vveshoulde open all our necessities to Christe, and aske his grace. The 16. Chapter.

O Moste sweete Lorde, whom I desire deuoutly to receiue, thou knowest the infirmitie and ne­cessitie that I am in, in howe many sinnes and vices I lye, howe ofte I am greeued, tempted, trou­bled, and defiled, I come to thee for re­medie, and I make my prayer to thee for comfort, & I speake to him that knoweth all thinges, to whom all my secrete and inward thoughtes be manifest and open, and the which onelye mayest perfectlye counsayle me & helpe me. Thou knowest what I neede to haue, and howe poore I am in vertue. Lo I stande before thee poore & naked, askinge and desiringe thy grace. Refresh me therefore thy poorest seruaunt, begginge for spirituall foode, kindle my hart with the fyre of thy loue, [Page] and illumine my blindnes with the cle­renes of thy presence: turne all worldlye thinges into bitternes to me, and all greeuous thinges & contrarious thinges into patience, and all create thinges into despisinge, and into forgettinge of them. Lifte vp myne harte to thee into heauen, and suffer me not liue vaynlie, nor to erre in this worlde. Thou Lorde from henceforth shalt be sweete to me for euer, for thou art onelye my meate and drinke, my loue, my ioye, my sweetnes, and all my goodnes: woulde God that thou wouldest kindle me, enflame me, and turne me wholye into thee, that I maye be made one spirite with thee by grace of inward vniting, and meltinge of burning loue into thee: suffer me not to depart from thee fastinge and drye, but worke with me mercifullye, as thou haste ofte times marueillouslye wrought with thy beloued seruauntes in tyme paste. VVhat maruaile were it if I were all in­flamed into thee, and fayled in my selfe, sith thou art the fyre alwaye burning, and neuer fayling, the loue puri­fying the hartes, and light­ning the vnderstanding of all creatures.

Of the burninge loue and great affection that vve shoulde haue to receyue Christe. The 17. Chapter.

VVith high deuotiō and bur­ninge loue, and with all fer­uour and affection of the hart, I desire to receiue thee Lord, as many Saintes and deuout persōs haue desired thee in their communiō, & that most spe­ciallie pleased thee in the holines of their life, & were in most burninge deuotion to thee. O my Lorde God, my loue eternall, all my goodnes and felicitie without en­dinge: I couet to receyue thee with as great desire, & as due reuerēce as any ho­lie man euer did, or might do: & though I be vnworthie to haue such feelinge in de­uotiō as they had, yet neuerthelesse I of­fer to thee the whole affection of my hart as verilie as if I onelie had all the bur­ninge & flaminge desires that they had, & ouer that, all that a meeke minde maye imagine & desire, I giue and offer to thee with high reuerēce & worship, & inwarde feruour: & I desire to reserue nothinge to my selfe, but me and all mine I offer to thee in sacrifice freely and most liberally. And also my Lorde God, my creatour and redeemer, with such affection, reue­rence, laude and honour: with such than­kes, dignitie and loue, and with suche [Page] fayth, hope and puritie, I desire to recea­ue thee this daye, as thy most holie and glorious mother the virgin Mary desired and receaued thee, when she meekely and deuoutlie answered the Angel that she­wed her the misterie of thy incarnation, and sayde: Ecce ancilla domini, fiat secundum verbum tuum, that is to saye, Loe, I am the hand mayd of God, be it done to me after thy worde: and as thy blessed precursour Saint Iohn the Baptist, moste excellent of all Saintes, was glad, and ioyed in great ioye in the holle ghost through thy presence, when he was yet in his mothers wombe, And after when he saw thee wal­kinge amonge the people, verie meekelie, and with deuout affection he sayde: The fceend of a spouse that standeth and hea­reth, ioyeth with great ioye to heare the voyce of the spouse: and so couete I in great and holie desires to be inflamed, and to present my selfe to thee with all mine heart, and also I offer and yeelde to thee all the laudes of deuont heartes, the brenninge affectiōs, excessiue thoughtes, spirituall illuminations, and heauenlie visions, with all vertues and praysinges, done, or to be done by any creature, in heauē or in earth for me, and for all them that be cōmitted to my prayer, that thou mayest be worthilie lauded and glorified for euer. Accept Lorde God my minde, and the desires of the manifolde laudes [Page 157] and blessinges, that by me are to thee due of right, after the multitude of thy great­nes, more then can be spoken. And all these I yelde to thee, and desire to yelde to thee euerye daye, and euerye moment, and with all my desire and affection meekelye exhort and praye all heauenlye spirites and all faythfull people, to yelde with me thankinges and laudes to thee. And I beseeche thee that all people, tri­bes and touges maye magnifie thy holye and moste sweete name with great ioye and brenning deuotion, and that all they that reuerentlie and deuoutlye minister this moste high Sacrament, or with full faith receyue it, maye thereby deserue to finde before thee thy grace and mercy: and when they haue obteyned the de­uotion that they desired, and be spiri­tuallye vnited to thee, and be thereby well comforted and maruelouslye refreshed, and be departed from thy heauenly table, that they will haue me poore sinner in their re­membraunce. Amen.

That a man shall not be a curious searcher of this holye Sacrament, but a meeke folovver of Christe, subduinge alvvaye his reason to fayth. The 18. Chapter.

THou must beware of a cu­rious, and an vnprofitable searching of this moste pro­founde Sacrament, if thou wilt not be drowned in the great depth of doubtfulnes, for he that is the searcher of Gods ma­iestie shall be anone thrust out of glorie. God is of power to worke muche more then man may vnderstand, neuerthelesse a meeke and an humble searchinge of the truth, readie alwaye to be taught, and to walke after the teachinges of holye fa­thers, is sufferable. Blessed is the simpli­citie that leaueth the waye of harde que­stions, and goeth in the playne and sted­fast waye of the commaundementes of God. Manye haue lost their deuotion, be­cause they woulde search higher thinges then perteineth to thē. Faith and a good life is asked of thee, and not the highnes of vnderstanding, nor the depenes of the misteries of God. If thou maye not vn­derstād nor take such thinges as be with in thee, howe maiest thou then compre­hend those thinges that be aboue thee? [Page 158] Submit thy selfe therefore meekelie to God, and submit also thy reason to faith, and the light of knowledge and true vnderstandinge shall be geuen vnto thee, as it shalbe moste profitable and ne­cessary for thee. Some be greuously temp­ted of the fayth, and of the Sacrament, but that is not to be reputed to them, but rather to the enemye: therefore care not for him, nor dispute not with thy thouh­tes, nor aunswere not to the doubtes that thine enemie shall laye vnto thee, but beleue the wordes of God, and beleue his Saintes & Prophetes, and the wicked enemye shall anone flee awaye fro thee. And it is ofte times much profitable, that the seruaunt of God shoulde feele and susteine suche doubtes for their more proufe: and cōmonly the enemy tempteth not vnfaithfull people & sinners, whom he hath sure possessiō of, but he tempteth & vexeth in diuers maners the faithfull and veuout persons. Go therefore with a pure and vndoubted faith, and with an humble reuerence procede to this Sacra­ment, and whatsoeuer thou canst not vn­derstand, commit it faithfullye to God, for God will not deceaue thee, but he shall be deceaued that trusteth ouermuch to him selfe. God walketh with the sim­ple persons, he openeth him selfe, and sheweth him selfe to meeke persons. He geueth vnderstanding to them which are [Page] poore in spirite, he openeth the wit to pure and cleane mindes, and hideth his grace from curious men and proude men. Mans reason is feeble and weake, and anone maye be deceyued, but faith is sta­ble and true, and can not be deceyued, therefore all reason and all naturall wor­kinge must folowe faith without further reasoning: for faith and loue in this most holy and moste excellent Sacrament sur­mount and worke high in secrete maner aboue all reason. O the eternal God, and the Lorde of infinite power doth great thinges in heauen & in earth, that maye not be serched, for if the workes of God were suche that they might be lightlye vnderstanded by mans reason, they were not so marueylous and so inestimable as they be.