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OUr mercyfull lorde god cryst Ihesu chastyseth his chyldren and suffreth them to be tempted for many proufytable causes to theyr soules helth / & therfore
sholde noo man nor woman be heuy or sory for ony temptacyon. For as saynt Iames the appostle techeth vs we sholde haue very greate Ioye whan we be tempted with dyuers temptacyons / for as the golde is pured and purged by the fyre / and a knyght in batayle is proued good: ryght so is a man by temptacyon proued for good / but yf he suffre hymselfe to be ouercome / that is to saye but he consent therto by delyberacyon. For sothely whan a man is sharpely tempted he may than haue hope of gr[et]e vertue / and it is necessary for a man moche to be troubled with temptacyons / for euery vertue is proued by his contrarye. Our enemy the fende is besy daye and nyght to tary and trauayle good men and women with dyuers temptacyons / in doubtes of the fayth and dredes of saluacyon and other many moo in dyuers maners, and specyally now in these dayes he is full besy to deceyue many soules / and therfore wysely rule you to withstande his vyolent sterynges of temptacyon / & for all that take ye noo dredes of his assawtes / ne haue ye ony doubte of his erroures ne dyspytes nor of his false leasynges or fantasyes or ony maner of trauayle of that foule fende; whether ye here hym / se hym or thynke of hym take noo hede therof / for all be maters of grete mede and noo synne in noo wyse be they neuer soo troublous or full of anguysshes whyles it cometh of the malyce of the fende or of euyll dysposycyon of mannes nature or compleccyon. And therfore all suche trauayle men ought not to charge but suffre mekely and abyde pacyently tyll god doo remedy therto. And for as moche as they be maters of grete mede none ought to stryue there agaynst / nor meruayle of them ne seke the cause nor thynke by what skyll he is soo trauaylled / for the more that a man laboureth in sechynge and thynkynge of suche anguysshes the more depely he falleth in to errours / and therfore in as moche as mannes thought is often vayne and dyuers and none ende hath: it ought not to be forced or be taken hede of / ne a man sholde not angre hymselfe therwith ne blame ne impute it to his owne defaute that he is so troubled / for suche trauaylles ben paynefull but not synfull in soo moche as they be gretely agaynst his wyll. Saynt Augustyne sayth that euery synne lyeth in wylfull wyll, And what that is agaynst mannes wyll is noo synne. And the holy doctour ysodore de summo bono sayth that the fende tempteth a man noo more than god gyueth hym leue. Therfore let vs haue alway a good wyll to wyll well and doo well / and god wyll kepe vs and gyue vs the vyctory / & so the fende shall be confounded. Fayth & hope is grounde of all perfeccyon and rote of all vertue / and therfore our olde enemy the fende is full besy with all his sleyghtes to drawe the soule downe therfro, And it happeth somtyme that the fende tempteth and trauaylleth a ryghtwyse soule so sharpely that it is ouerlayde with care and dryuen to dyspayre: and yet all that tyme though the soule perceyue it not it dwelleth styll in the drede and loue of god / and all that trauayle is to theyr grete mede afore god / for our lorde of his endles mercy arrecteth not to þe soule that synne whiche hymselfe suffreth the fende to werke in the soule without the consente or wyll of the sayd selfe soule. But whan we wylfully doo ayenst the wyll of god with delyberacyon than we commytte synne actually. But whan we be drawen with wycked vyolence or vyle thoughtes & turmented with dyspayre ayenst our
wyll thorugh the fendes vyolent temptynge we suffre payne but we do no synne / & yet the sely soules knowlege is hydde by that turment.
BUt yet ryght often the temptynge of the fende that maketh the soule to erre in fayth and foule fantasye & in dyspayre: semeth to the selfe soule grete synne / but it is not soo. For all holy doctours sayth that fayth and hope be vertues of mannes wyll / wherfore who so wolde ryghtwysly byleue in this lyf: he is in ryght byleue before god / and lykewyse who so wolde here trustly hope he is in trusty hope before god / though he be neuer so moche troubled with ferefull thoughtes. The appostle saynt Poule sayth that in a mannes blyleue is wylfull byleue of ryghtwysnes; Of the whiche wordes sayth the glose that all onely in mannes wyll whiche may not be constrayned lyeth bothe mede and gylte / that is to saye: a man afore god hath neuer mede ne gylte for no dede but onely of the dedes that be done wylfully. But somtyme mannes thought[es] and womans be soo troubled and ouerlayde that they knowe not theyr owne wyll / & yet though it soo be they ought not to care. For good dedes sheweth alwaye good wyll / and euyll dedes euyll wyll, wherfore a man that dooth in dede the seruyce of god that man hath a good wyll to god / though his trauaylous herte deme the contrarye. Also there sholde noo creature deme his euencrysten for ony doubtfull fantasyes / but yf they haue a very open knowlege of that thynge whiche they sholde deme hym for: Than it is euyll and vnreasonable for ony creature to deme his owne soule in that plyght, that he sholde be parted from god for ony doubtfull fantasye.
ANd than yf it so be ye haue consented & fallen to synne by ony temptacions / than be sory and crye god mercy therof. And yet be ye not dyscomforted but thynke well on the grete mercy of god how he forgaue Dauid his grete synnes, Peter & Magdalene, and not onely them / but also all those that haue ben or now be or shall be contryte for theyr synnes & meke them lowly and crye our lorde mercy. And therfore syster flee to hym that all mercy is in / and aske mercy & ye shall haue it with forgyuenes of all your synnes / and meke you lowly & take the sacramentes of holy chirche / & than ye ought to byleue faythfully that your synnes be forgyuen / and that ye be receyued in to the grace of god. For god sayth hymselfe by his prophete Ezechiel that whan a synfull man soroweth for his synnes he wyll neuer haue mynde therof. & yf a man perceyue in his herte no very sorowe / and though he thynke whan he byddeth his bedes or cryeth to god for mercy that he dooth all ayenst herte: yet therfore sholde he not deme hymselfe graceles / for who so wolde haue very sorowe for his synnes or wold crye god mercy for them or in his herte wold crye for mercy: he cryeth god mercy truly / for as I haue sayd before / god taketh hede to mannes wyll & not to his trauayllous fantasyes / it is good that a man take noo hede of suche fantasyes or sterynges that cometh in suche maner. For god hydeth from them the knowleges of suche fantasyes for many causes vnto the
proufyte of theyr soules / wherfore suche passyons be not synfull / but rather mater of grace and of grete meryte. And soo good syster thynke ye alwaye / and yf it be soo that temptacyon cease not but wexe alwaye more & more be not afrayed but saye somtyme amonge in the worshyp of god and in the spyte of the fende your crede and knowlege your byleue and hope [by mouthe], and thynke on the wordes of saynt Poule that sayth: Knowlege of mouth is done to the helpe of soules; and they shall not be deceyued by the fendes whyles that with a good auysement bothe in worde and wyll withstandeth hym strongly. For there was neuer man deceyued of the fende but by consent of his owne wyll / & that with suche a wyll as the herte consented with the same / for other fantastycall troublous wylles putteth not awaye man from god.
ANd therfore sholde noo man care nor be heuy that he is so troubled more than an other. Syster alwaye whan I speke of a man in this wrytynge take it bothe for man and woman / for so it is ment in all suche wrytynge / for all is mankynde: and ferthermore as touchynge your troubles thynke in all your dyseases what troubles goddes seruauntes hath suffred and what paynes and turmentes they haue had here in this worlde in many sondry maners and ye shall fynde cause to suffre. Leo the pope sayth / it happeth somtyme that good and ryghtwyse soules be styred sharpely by the fende / & somtyme by theyr owne compleccyon to angers, troubles, dredes & suche other taryenges that it semeth to them theyr lyf a turment, in so moche that somtyme for very drede the[y] begyn to dyspayre bothe in lyfe of body and soule / thynkynge they be forsaken of god / whiche dooth it but to assaye and proue his chosen chyldren and frendes by suche temptacyons. For as I afore haue sayd at the begynnynge of this wrytyng, in lyke maner as fyre purgeth golde and as a knyghte is proued good and hardy by batayle: ryght so temptacyons and troubles purgeth a ryghtwyse soule; this is proued well by Toby / for the aungell Raphaell sayd this to hym: Toby for as moche as thou arte ryghtfull to god it is nedefull that temptacyon sholde preue thy wyll. And well it is knowen that sykenes falleth to a man after the dysposycyon of his compleccyon: So lyke wyse temptacyon, as Leo the pope sayth: The fende our ghostly enemy aspyeth in euery man what wyse he is dysposed by his compleccyon / and by that disposicyon he tempteth hym. For there as he fyndeth a man full of malencoly he tempteth hym moost with ghoostly temptacyons of Ire. But they that wyll attende to withstande it for the loue of god they must shape them to pacyence & saye with Iob: Sythen we haue receyued of god so grete benefaytes why sholde we not receyue and suffre dyseases. And thynke on the grete anguysshes, sorowes and dyseases that our lorde Ihesu cryste suffred hymselfe here in erth, And also suffred his blyssed moder to haue the same. And thynke that to suffre dysease pacyently is the waye to heuen-warde. And that ye may not in this frayle worlde be so free as an aungell that is confermed by grace / but whyle your body and soule be togyder in this lyf they must receyue troubles as well as eases. And thynke not that god hath forsaken
you: but mekely abyde the comforte of hym and without doubte whan it nedeth ye shal not fayle therof. But some men whan they haue drede of saluacyon or be tempted to dyspayre by vysyons or ghostly sterynges of theyr owne frayltye / they wene anone that they haue synned in the synne of the holy ghoost / and than the fende putteth in them that they may neuer be saued nor forgyuen of theyr trespaces. Thus speketh the fende within them, so ferynge s[um]e good creatures that they wene to goo out of theyr myndes. But [ye] that ben thus tempted answere the fende thus agayne that he is false and a lyer as his nature is to be. For the synne of the holy ghoost as clerkes sayth is infynyte without repentaunce. And that is whan a man wylfully by delyberacyon wyll neuer repente nor aske god mercy ne forgyuenes of his synnes / nor wyll be tourned / but wylfully departeth hym from the goodnes of god / and in [t]his wretchednes abydeth wylfully with full consent of wyll; he that doth thus synneth in the holy ghoost whiche may not be forgyuen here nor elles where / for he wyll not trust in the goodnes of the holy ghoost nor aske forgyuenes of his synnes, And therefore he that wyll noo mercy aske noo mercy shall haue / for his synnes be infynyte without repentaunce. But thoughe a man or a woman haue or fele all these vycyous sterynges and as many moo as ony herte can thynke ayenst theyr owne free wyll, and whan reason cometh to them they be sory therof & flee alwaye hastely to the mercy of god: it is to them but a preuynge or a clensynge of theyr synnes though they be neuer soo ofte in the nyght and the daye now vp now downe as wrestlers be / & thoughe ye haue ony tyme fall in ony synne ghoostly or flesshely & layne therin wylfully by delyberacyon and full content of herte: ye than ought to be sory and aske god forgyuenes with as grete contrycyon as god wyll gyue you grace / and than thynke fully the goodnes of the holy ghoost surmounteth all synnes that euer was done or euer shall be done / [for] though a man had synned in them all / as well in dede as thought / he beynge truly contryte & confessed mekynge hymselfe lowly to almyghty god and to his sacramentes of holy chyrche / doubte ye not he so askynge mercy shall haue full forgyuenes of all his synnes / for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes. And therfore thoughe ye somtyme here by spekynge or elles of wrytynge or redynge in bokes sharpe wordes and harde sentences: yet comforte your selfe and thynke well that all suche harde wordes be sayd and wryten to chastyse the synners and to withdrawe them from euyll / and also to pourge and pure goddes specyall louers as the metall is in the fyre afore rehersed / and in them god wyll make his hous. And wete it well many wordes that seme full harde be ment full tenderly whan they be well vnderstonde / and though some wordes be ment ryght hardely as the playne texte sheweth / yet sholde ye not take them to you-warde / but comforte your selfe and thynke that all those harde sentences shall be fulfylled in Iewes and sarasyns / for the crysten people that wyll be contryte & trust in goddes mercy or haue a wyl so for to do: they shal escape all perylles / so þat they shall not perysshe but be saued / where as the Iewes & sarasyns in theyr perylles shal vtterly persysshe to pardycyon / for they
haue not the strength of Baptym ne the precyous oyntement of crystes passyon / that sholde gyue to theyr soules lyf and helth. Of this [we] haue example & a grete fygure in holy wryte that where as Moyses ledde the chyldren of Israell ouer the reed see whiche were goddes people, Moyses wente before them and smote the water with his rodde and therwith the water parted & the chyldren of Israell wente ouer in suertye, And they of egypte that folowed perysshed & were drowned. By Moyses I vnderstonde our lorde Ihesu cryste / and by the yerde or rodde that departed þe water I vnderstonde his holy passyon / and by the chyldren of Israell that were not perysshed all crysten people: for ryght so our lorde Ihesu cryst came from his faders bosome to the see of trybulacyons & temptacyons to be our guyde & leder / he gooth before vs with his precyous passyon & smyteth awaye the perylles of our troublous temptacyons / so that we shall not perysshe / but it shall brynge vs to suertye of euerlastynge lyf; and therfore gyue we to hym thankynges, louynges & infynyte praysynges as the chyldren of Israell dyde. For thoughe a crysten man were neuer soo synfull thynkynge hymselfe þat he stode in the sentence of the hardest wordes that be wryten: yet sholde he trust faythfully in the mercy of god / for and he wyll forsake his synnes & tourne hym to good and vertuous lyf: he shall haue grace and forgyuenes / and the harde sharpe wordes of dampnacyon sholde tourne hym to mercy and saluacyon. For thus sayth our lord god in holy wryte by his prophete Ieremye: though I make grete thretes I shall repent me of my wordes yf my people wyll repent them of theyr synnes. O beholde the grete goodnes of our lorde / and how pyte alwaye constrayneth hym to mercy, worshyp and thankes be euer to his goodnes; he is so benygne and mercyfull to them that be repentaunt that he frely wyll chaunge his sentences from sharpe vengeaunce to forgyuenes / & of the paynes that they be worthy to suffre / gyue them alygeaunce or lyghter payne to suffre. He sayth also by the prophete I saye: I shall forgyue the synnes of euery man that with very true contrycyon wyll drawe hym to good and vertuous lyfe. And this grete mercy shewed our lorde openly vpon the Cyte of Niniue / and also by kynge Eȝechie. Therfore lette noo man dyspayre but alwaye trust fully to goddes mercy that so well can redresse our myscheues and tourne all our woo to wele / and our sorowe to Ioye. O thou gloryous [&] myghtyfull god that thus meruayllously werketh in thy creatures, it is to se that thy mercy is large and brode whiche maketh the to chaunge thy sentence that before was bothe thy wyll and worde / blessyd be thou good lorde in all thy vertues for thou canst / may / and wyll tourne and chaunge all our infyrmytees to our moost proufyte yf we wyll not flee from the / but tourne to thy goodnes and aske mercy. But for all this grete goodnes / god forbede that ony man sholde be the more bolder to synne, or wylfully and wyttyngly by delyberacyon sholde presume to falle to synne vpon trust of [his] mercy; and [for] our lorde is so mercyfull I surely trust that euery true courteys soule wyl be the more lothe to offende his goodnes. [But] as for you that be tempted ayenst your wyll / and wyll not for all the worlde dysplease god wylfully: but that ye be thus begyled and encombred by the fende with many paynefull thoughtes / be ye not afrayde of the fende nor of his fere-
full assawtes / for he is full sore dyscomforted whan that he seeth a man or a woman whiche he soo tempteth is not aferde of hym. Somtyme the fende cometh and tempteth a soule fyersly lyke a dragon / and somtyme he assaylleth hym lyke a rampynge lyon; but and yf a creature strength hymselfe saddely in the passyon of almyghty god / and arme hym with that holy passyon / a thousande suche fendes how someuer that they come shall haue noo more power ouer hym thenne hath as many flyes or gnattes. And therfore strength you all in god / and be not abasshed soo to strength and arme you in hym though ye be synfull / for he sayth hymselfe in the gospell he came for synners. And in an other place of the gospell he saythe that he came for mercy and not for noo vengeaunce / and to be our shelde and strength; and so lette vs humbly with a meke herte take hym. And yf ye fele ony dredes by ymagynacyon or temptacyon or for wordes that ye haue herde or redde in bookes by the whiche ye doubte of saluacyon / than thynke on the wordes that cryste hymselfe taught to a man that doubted / sayenge and askynge of our lorde who sholde be saued / for he thoughte it was to harde to hymselfe for to eschewe all the poyntes that ledde man to pardycyon. And our lorde badde hym for to saye Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem creatorem celi et terre, Et in iesum christum filium eius, Byleue sayd our lorde Ihesu that god the fader is almyghty and that no thynge to hym is impossyble but that he may forgyue all synnes and redresse all wronges and brynge the soules to his blysse. and thynke ferthermore that his myght and power may do all that his wysdome can / and his goodnes wyl / and therfore truste fully that by his goodnes he wyll saue you and brynge you to euerlastynge Ioye whan he seeth best tyme / for he hath bought you full dere with his precyous blode and paynefull deth. And I dare sauely saye that there is none so synfull a caytyf whiche is crystened or wolde be crystened this daye on the erthe all thoughe he were in the syght of god dampnable and in the syght of all creatures also, ye and yet were Iuged to be dampned by all scrypture, and he wolde forsake his synne and be contryte and aske god forgyuenes he sholde haue mercy and forgyuenes of hym / & yf it were so that he stode in that case or had a good mynde to stonde so in the tyme of deth he sholde be saued / the myght & mercy of god is so grete that it surmounteth all his lawes, Iugementes and scryptures. And so our lorde Ihesus sheweth vs by an example in the gospell of a woman that was founde in aduoutry and by Moyses lawe whiche was ordeyned by god þat she sholde be stoned to the deth: But the myght and the wysdome of that blessyd lorde god was soo gretely shewed to the pharyȝens whiche accused her that they so largely perceyued theyr synnes that they myght not for shame deme her but stale awaye out of the temple, And our lorde Ihesu wolde not deme her but of his gracyous mercy forgaue her all her synnes. And therfore be a man or woman neuer soo synfull and that they fele neuer soo many bodely and ghostly synnes alwaye rysynge and sterynge within them / they sholde neuer the rather dyspayre of the mercy of god / ne be dyscomforted. For there as moche synne is / there is shewed moche mercy and grace / and the goodnes of god is knowen by the forgyuenes of the synne whan a body turneth hym there-from and is very
contryte; but god forbede as I sayd before that ony creature be the more recheles or bolde to synne wylfully / for in so moche the mercy of god is so large we ought to be the more besy and dylygent to loue and prayse hym. Almyghty god werketh lyke a leche / for a leche suffreth somtyme the deed flesshe to growe on hym that he hath in cure / but afterwarde he taketh away the same and maketh the quycke flesshe to growe / and soo he heleth the pacyent. Ryght soo dooth our lorde Ihesu cryste maker of heuen and erth, suffreth somtyme a man or a woman to fall in deedly synne: but afterwarde of his grete mercy and pyte he putteth-to his hande of grace / for they that were deedly wounded thorough synne he heleth them and wassheth away theyr synnes with the water of his well of mercy / & maketh in them quycke vertues to growe wherby he gyueth to theym euerlastynge lyfe. Oure lorde god is also lyke a gardyner: for a gardyner suffreth somtyme wycked wedes to growe in his gardyn / and whan the erth thorugh moysture of rayne wexeth tender he taketh & pulleth awaye the wedes bothe rote & rynde. So in lyke wyse dooth our lorde Ihesu cryst, he suffreth somtyme in his gardyn whiche is mannes soule wycked dedes of synne to growe / but whan the herte of man wexeth tender by mekenes and moysture of contrycyon he than taketh away all the synnes bothe rote and rynde and planteth and setteth in his gardyn herbes and fruytes of good vertues / and watreth them with the dewe of his blessyd goodnes / wherby the soule of man shall come to euerlastynge Ioye and reste. Now than sythen our lorde god is so good, so pyteous and soo mercyfull to synners that wylfully offendeth hym by commyttynge of horryble synnes / moche more he is mercyfull and hath pyte and compassyon of a soule that thorughe trouble and temptacyons falleth to synne / for almyghty god suffreth often tymes the soule of man for to be tempted and vexed in withstandynge temptacyons / wherof it deserueth the more meryte. And therfore be ye not doubtefull nor heuy for it shall neuer tourne you to peryll ne daunger but to grete proufyte. For therby ye shall wynne the crowne of glorye and the palme of vyctorye whiche shall be gyuen to you for withstandynge of suche temptacyons & to the fende it shall tourne to shame and confusyon; and though it semeth to you somtyme that ye fele dyscorde bytwene god and you be not therfore recreaunt ne dyscomforted, For almyghty god sayth by his prophete Isaye: A lytell whyle I haue forsaken and hydde my face from the: but I shall call the to me agayne by my ma[ny]folde mercyes whiche euer shall endure.
ANnd therfore grutche not agaynst the wyll of god ne meruayle not of these temptacyons / for the more that a man or a woman be tempted in this maner or in ony other agaynst theyr wyll and they withstande it that is to saye not wyllyngly consentynge therto but mekely suffreth the same: the more they shall encreace in vertues to the proufyte of theyr soules in the syght of god thoughe it be hydde from them. For perauenture whan ye be sharpely tempted ye thynke ye be to dull and neglygent in ghoostly excercyse thorughe wyckednes of your spyryte that is sore trauayled and vexed / wherby ye thynke that ye haue [in] wyll consented to suche temptacyons as ye be tempted with; but it is not so.
For ye shall vnderstonde that euery man and woman hath two wylles, a good wyll and an euyll / the euyll wyll cometh of sensualyte the whiche is euer inclynynge downwarde to synne / and the good wyll cometh of grace whiche alwaye styreth the soule vpwarde to all goodnes; and [for] whan reason cometh to you ye haue alwaye a good wyll to do well / & [ar] myscontent with all euyl thoughtes & sterynges that ye fele / and putteth your wyll onely to the wyll of god: though ye thrugh suche wycked thoughtes & sterynges by vyolence and sharpnes be enclyned to sensualyte yet ye do it not ne consent therto but it is the sensualyte that dooth it in you / and your good wyll abydeth in you styll vnbroken though the cloudes of euyll thoughtes stoppeth your syght from the felynge of your good wyll: as ye may se by ensample of the mone / for the mone shyneth alwaye in her dewe place as well whan we se her as whan we se her not, But oftentymes the cloudes shadoweth and putteth from vs the syght therof; and so in lyke wyse it fareth by your good wyll whiche standeth alwaye vnbroken in you by the grace of almyghty god though ye fele it not thrugh trauayllous thoughtes whiche taketh awaye the syghte of your knowlege. Therfore ye good chyldren that sharpely be vexed with suche temptacyons & tribulacions, comforte yourselfe in your benygne & mercyfull fader that sayth to you by his prophete in holy wryte: my chyldren though ye go in þe fyre drede ye not / for þe flambe therof shall not trouble you. As who sayth ye that be crysten people wyllyng to do well, though ye goo in the fyre of trybulacyons & temptacyons drede you not for it shall tourne you to no peryll / but thorugh my goodnes & the merytes of my passyon it shall tourne you to grete proufyte & comforte of your soule. The maner of all these temptacions & þe remedyes of þe same sheweth our sauyour Ihesu cryst to his apostle saynt Peter as it appereth in þe gospel where he sayth thus: Peter sathanas asketh & desyreth to syfte the as men syfte whete / wherby it appereth well þat the fende hath no myght ne power to attempte þe seruauntes of almyghty god but by his suffraunce / & that was euydently knowen by the temptacyons of Iob whome the fende besyfted and tempted. For þe more þat whete is syfted & cast from syde to syde the more clene it is: Ryght so the more þat a man or a woman be tempted with the fende ayenst theyr wyll / the more clene they be afore god / wherfore it appereth playnly þat almyghty god suffreth not his seruauntes to be tempted but for theyr grete wele & profyte yf they purpose them-selfe myghtely to withstande the fendes temptacyon; whiche no man may withstande without the helpe of god, Therfore of his helpe he maketh vs sure lyke as he sayd to peter these wordes: I haue prayed for the that thy fayth fayle the not. And therfore that man whiche pacyently is redy to suffre all troubles and dyseases for the loue of his maker almyghty Ihesu not takynge hede of all the fendes mocyons and temptacyons: that man thrugh the myght and grace of cryst bereth downe and ouercometh the fende / wherby he may be called a vaynquyssher or ouercomer. And to suche men may be sayd thus: thou that arte thus tourned to almyghty god by the vertue of pacyence / but yf thou helpe to counseyle & conferme thy bretherne And teche them to suffre as the grace of god hath taught the: or elles thou arte vnkynde. For Salamon sayth that one brother well counseylled & confermed by an other is a myghty Cyte ayenst the
fende / and therfore they that be sharpely trauaylled and tempted, whan they haue had the good counseyle of theyr brother they ought to take comforte to them sayenge with Dauid whiche sayth: O my soule why arte thou so vnstedfast thus to assayle and trouble me: trust onely to almyghty god that is full of benygnyte and mercy, whome I onely confesse and knowelege to serue be I neuer so sore trauaylled ne troubled. And to suche men thus vexed with thoughtes, mocyons & sterynges is behouefull to take the counseyle and techynge of the wyse and dyscrete persones fleynge vtterly theyr owne wylde fantasyes whiche often tymes gretely troubleth them. And in eschewynge of suche temptacyons and troubles they must gyue themselfe to good & vertuous occupacyons / as to redynge and sayenge the seruyce of almyghty god / and doynge other vertuous dedes / and euer amonge prayenge to almyghty god they may haue strength in theyr soules to resyste suche mocyons and temptacyons. And though they fynde in themselfe noo maner of swetenes ne sauour in goddes seruyce: yet they ought not to be heuy therfore yf theyr wyll and mynde be to fulfyll the same. For as holy wryte sayth euery good wyl is accepted for the dede. Saynt Barnarde sayth that somtyme god withdraweth deuocyon from prayer to make the prayer more medefull / for he wyll be serued somtyme in bytternes and somtyme in swetenes whiche bothe two we muste mekely receyue. And therfore Arystotle sayth that with the more dyffyculte and trauayle vertuous ben goten: the more they proufyte and encrease in the soule. It was no maystry for saynt Peter whan he sawe almyghty god on the hyll of blysse, to saye / lorde it is good for vs to dwell here. But afterwarde whan he sawe hym amonges his enemyes cruelly turmented a womans worde fered and put hym in suche drede that he forsoke and denyed his mayster. But whan thorugh the myght of the holy ghoost he was reconsyled and confermed agayne: than was there no turment in erth that kinge or prynce put vnto hym coude fere hym. Ryght so yf a man be in perfyte rest and quyetnes of herte / it is no maystry for hym to serue god: But it is a maystary to hym that is in trauayle and out of quyetnes of herte to serue hym. Therfore that creature that is tempted or vexed in the seruyce of almyghty god and is in wyll to withstande the sayd temptacyons tyll he after be strengthed and comforted by the holy ghost the fende shall neuer haue power to fere ne put hym in drede / for though it be longe or he fele comforte yet let not hym drede / for our mercyfull sauyour knoweth what tyme comforte is moost nedefull to hym [&] than he fayleth not to gyue it hym. For somtyme the felynge of swetnes is withdrawen from man or elles he sholde wexe proude and presumtuous or neglygent and recheles in vertuous lyuynge / and therfore it is withdrawen for the best to the helth of his soule / wherfore hardnes and sharpenes sente to a creature is full proufytable to the soule: as saynt Austyn sayth in techynge vs of the maner of almyghty god that whan a man is feble and newly tourned to hym he gyueth hym peas and swetnes to the entent to stablysshe hym in his lawe and loue / But whan he is stablysshed and sadly grounded in his loue: than suffreth he hym to be vexed and trauaylled, for two reasons / one is to proue hym and to crowne hym the hyer in the blysse of heuen, An other is to pourge hym of his synnes in this worlde that in noo wyse he be from hym in the euerlastynge worlde.
ANd for as moche as many men can not nor wyll not in tyme of temptacion se or perceyue it but haue a dredefulnes and a sorynes in themselfe by sterynge of theyr compleccyon / therfore to all suche men thre thynges be nedefull & necessarye. The fyrst is that they be not moche alone. The seconde is that they thynke ne study to depely in ony one thynge / but fully ordre them by some dyscrete persone as afore I sayd / and thoughe it come in theyr mynde that they sholde be in Ieopardye or peryll vtterly to be lost: they sholde take no hede of suche sterynges or thoughtes / for it neuer may tourne them to daunger of theyr soules. Almyghty god sayth in the gospell: yf the entent of a mannes purpose be good the dede is good. The thyrde remedye is this / that for as moche as the fende laboureth to make a man dredefull and sorye / a man agayne ought to the honour of god and confusyon of the fende to strength hymselfe and be mery though it be ayenst his herte / and drede noothynge the fendes malyce. For the lesse gladnes that he feleth in hymselfe the more meryte he shall haue whan he so enforceth hymselfe to be mery to the honour of god / and in spyte of his ghoostly enemy the deuyll. For as holy wryte sayth the holy appostles wente awaye mery & gladde whan the Iues enemyes of god had shamefully beten them. Also a man ought to be gladde for thre causes whan the fende tempteth and turmenteth hym: The fyrst is that he is troubled by the enemy of god. The seconde is by suche temptacyons and turmentes the fende sheweth playnly that he is his enemye, and euery man ought to be gladde that goddes enemy is his enemy. And the thyrde is that by suche turmentes a man is not onely released of the paynes in purgatorye but also it maketh hym to wynne euerlastynge blysse. Our lorde Ihesu sayth in the gospell: blessyd be they that suffreth persecucyon for ryghtwysnes for they shall haue the kyngdome of heuen.
ALso it is to vnderstonde that our olde enemy the fende is ofte tymes aboute to begyle mannes soule in dyuers and many maners / somtyme he styreth man vnder colour of goodnes to deceyue hym whan he is well dysposed, and specyally in thre thynges whiche I wyll speke of. One is that though a creature be it man or woman be neuer so well ne soo ofte shryuen / yet the fende maketh them byleue they are not well shryuen / and that he dooth to brynge the soule in heuynes / and so anoyeth & troubleth the poore soule that he maketh hym to forgete what he wolde saye / & therby maketh hym out of rest tyll he be newly shryuen agayne. But this doth he not for that he wolde that ony were often and well shryuen: but fully to lette and trouble hym / and to make hym byleue that he were blynded by synne and out of grace wherfore he myght not make hymselfe clene. The seconde whyle and colour that the fende maketh to withdrawe goodnes is th[is] whan a man or a woman by deuout sterynges of thoughtes haue felynges of contemplacyon and medytacyon as perauenture some solytarye persones hath: and he maketh them to thynke that to holde & kepe that medytacyons is to theyr moost proufyte to thentent they sholde leue theyr dyuyne
seruyce that they be bounde to / and bryngeth them in suche a combraunce that they wote not whyche waye is best to them to take; and all this he dooth vtterly to deceyue them and cause them to be vnquyet to doo ony of theym bothe. The thyrde crafte or wyle that he tempteth with is whan a man or a woman gyueth them to honest dysporte to strength themselfe ayenst his false wyles to the comforte of theyr owne soule / than wyll the fende cause theym to haue a conscyence therof / and putteth in to theyr myndes that all suche dysportes is but synne and vanyte, And many tymes bryngeth in to theyr myndes agayne the synnes that they before had done and were confessed of; And all that dooth he to brynge them in to heuynes and dyscomforte to thentent he myght brynge theym to dyspayre. Neuertheles there be good remedyes in these temptacyons. For as vnto the [first] where the fende whan they be neuer so clene shryuen alwaye putteth them in a doubte that they haue not shryuen them well or elles that there is yet some synne in theym that they perceyue not: but for all these fantasyes they oughte to take noo fere nor thought but verayly thynke that it is by suggestyon of theyr ghostly enemy that wolde lette theym from rest and peas of theyr soules; and though it be so somtyme that by the meane of suche fantasyes and troubles they forgete some thynge of theyr charge whiche they ought for to haue sayd: lette hym than be confessed yf he may, and yf he may not conuenyently and lyghtly haue his confessour: than lette hym haue a full wyll and purpose to be confessed as soone as he can possyble, And in the meane tyme crye god mercy and with a contryte herte aske forgyuenes for his synnes / and than trust fully it is forgyuen hym; for a man is not soo redy to aske forgyuenes and mercy: but our mercyfull lorde of his grete goodnes is moche more redy to forgyue theym. And as to the seconde temptacyon wherby the fende wolde lette a man from his dyuyne seruyce that he is bounde vnto vtterly temptynge hym to leue it: than ought he to be the more dylygent deuoutly & reuerently with good aduysement to saye it; & yf it be so he say alone his seruyce he may whan good thoughtes come or that it wyll please god with swetenes or some hye vysytacyon of the holy ghoost to vysyte and touche hym / than shall it be but well done for to stynte of his seruyce & attende to that medytacyon for a tyme, and after to saye forth / soo that his seruyce that he is bounde vnto be not lefte vnsayd or vndone; and in thus doynge it shall be but lytell lettynge to his seruyce / and he shall fynde grete comforte and ease therin; For though it lette hym for the tyme: it shall well further hym to the quyckenes of his soule an other tyme. The thyrde temptacyon is this: whan a man in due tyme gyueth hymselfe to honest company & dysporte for the strength and comforte of his soule / and the fende putteth in his mynde his synnes tofore done and that he synneth in vayne spendynge the tyme; for all suche temptacions gyue ye no charge for it is the ghostly enemy that so tempteth and troubleth you; For neuertheles ye may be sure that all thynge whiche is truly grounded in god pleaseth his goodnes & nothynge offendeth hym. Wherfore all goddes seruauntes must grounde them fastely in god / and do by the counseyle of holy chyrche / and yf they soo doo they shall neuer be deceyued / and therfore a man that
hath ben sore troubled wel done it is to take hym to dysporte in dyspyte of the fende / and put awaye all other fantasyes / and at tyme conuenyent to aske god mercy of his offences and to praye vnto hym for grace.
ALso the fende is full besy to meue men & women to tender conscience / and to brynge them in suche erroures and maketh them wene somtyme whan they do euyll they do noo synne, And somtyme that is well done they thynke it synne, and maketh a venyall synne as greuous as a deedly; And somtyme also the fende encombreth them so gretely that what soeuer they do or leue vndone they be so sore bytten in conscyence that they can no whyle togyder haue ony rest in themselfe. And all this the cruell enemy dooth by the meane of puttynge them in a false drede and blynde conscyence that he bryngeth them to. But the remedy of these and all other temptacyons is to be gouerned by theyr confessour or some other dyscrete persone / and fully put them to theyr rule as afore is sayd and nothynge folowe theyr owne blynde conscyence; For yf they folowe theyr owne conscyence it were a grete pryde / in that he wolde holde his owne wytte better than the true counseyle of holy chyrche. For a man that so wyll doo must nedes fall in grete errours and in to the fendes handes. And yf suche an errour of conscyence made to you by your ghostly enemy make you thynke that other men fele not that ye fele And for that cause they can not gyue you good counseyle or remedye, And therfore ye nedes must folowe youre owne fantasyes: yet for all this charge not your herte therwith / but put away all suche errours of conscyence as fast as they come to mynde / and let them not tarye ne sinke in your soule. And yf ony persone wyll saye that they may not ne can not put theym awaye they saye not truly / for who so is in very wyll to doo away ony suche false suggestyon, tofore god it is put awaye though they haue in them neuer soo false demynges / and therfore haue he neuer so many of them ayenst the wyll of his conscyence: he nedeth not to drede them. For out of doubte almyghty god wyll comforte hym or he dye / and the lenger tyme that he suffreth suche vexacyon and trouble the more is he thankefull in the syght of god.
ALso though the fende put in you ony thought of dyspayre or make you to thynke that in the houre of deth ye shall haue suche euyll thoughtes and greuous sterynges / and that ye than shall be but lost: yet for all that byleue hym noo thynge / but answere that ye haue fully put your truste in god / and therfore for all his temptacions by the grete powers of almyghty god and merytes of his passyon thynke verayly it shall be to you noo peryll of soule / but tourne to the shame and confusyon of your ghostly enemye. And yf ony creature man or woman speke to you sharpe or dyscomfortable wordes / take it mekely and pacyently & thynke that perauenture it is done by the temptacyon of the fende to trouble and lette you / or that it is a chastysynge of god for some worde or dede that ye haue done contrarye to his wyll. For our lorde god dooth lyke a kynde moder; for
a louynge moder that is wyse and well taught herselfe she wolde that her chyldren were vertuously and well nortured / and yf she may knowe ony of theym with a defaute she wyll gyue theym a knocke on the heed / and yf the defaute be more she wyll gyue hym a buffet on the cheke / and yf he doo a grete faute she wyll sharpely lasshe hym with a rodde. And thus dooth god that is our louynge fader from whome all vertue and goodnes cometh. He whyll that his specyall chosen chyldren be vertuously and well taught in theyr soules / and yf they doo a defaute he wyll knocke them on theyr hedes with some wordes of dyscomforte and dyspleasure / and yf they doo a greter faute he wyll gyue them a buffet with grete sharpenes in sondry maners after the dyuerse condycyon of the defautes / and yf they doo a moche greter trespas than he chastyseth theym moche more sharpely. And all this our blessyd lord doth for the specyall loue he hath vnto vs / for as he sayth hymselfe: them that he loueth / them he chastyseth. Now truly, and we toke good hede of these wordes we wolde be gladder of his chastysynge than of all this worldes cherysshynge / and yf we so dyde / all dysease and trouble sholde tourne vs to comforte and Ioye. But it is full harde thus to doo in the tyme of sharpe heuynes whan a soule standeth naked from all ghoostly and bodely comforte, to take and fynde Ioye in dysease; al be it they that be in suche inwarde dures they must seke in all wayes how they may comforte themselfe in god / and thynke and trust fully that god sente neuer suche chastysynge but that he wolde in longe tyme or in shorte sende comforte wherby they sholde be brought out of these heuynes. For the prophete sayth many be the trybulacyons of ryghtwysmen / and all suche god shall delyuer. And though ye fele somtymes sterynges of [dyspayre or of] vnkyndly euyll thoughtes comforte you euer in the goodnes of god / and in the paynefull passyon that his manhode suffredde for you; for the fende tempteth many of the seruauntes of god to dysperacyon and drede of saluacyon / as well worldely men as other ghoostly lyuers / puttynge in worldely mennes myndes the greuousnesse of theyr synnes / and to the ghoostly lyuers he putteth drede & strayte consyence in many more sondry wyses than I can tell: and full gracyously god hathe comforted theym and brought theym out of theyr errours. And now I am styred and moued for to tell you of one of them whiche was a squyer that hyght Iohn¯ Holmes. A narracyon. This squyer that I haue named had ben a grete synfull man / and soo at the last thorugh the beholdynge of his grete synnes, And by the temptacyon of the fende, he fell in to dyspayre, soo depely and greuously that he had nygh loste hys mynde. And thus he was troubled forty dayes that he myght neyther slepe ne ete but wasted awaye and was in the poynte to destroye hymselfe. But that blessyd gracyous lorde that is soo full of mercy and pyte wolde not haue hym loste. And vpon a day as he walked in a wood alone an aungell came to hym in fourme of a man and saluted the squyer full goodly / and talked with hym in full curteys maner / sayenge vnto hym: man thou semest to haue grete heuynes and sorowe / tell me I praye the the cause of thy dysease. Nay sayd the squyer it is not to be tolde to the. Yes hardely sayd the aungell / thou wotest not how well I may helpe and remoue thy dysease; For a man beynge in dyscomforte sholde alwaye dyscouer his heuynes to some
creature that myght ease hym / for thorugh good counseyle he myght recouer comforte and hele / or in some wyse haue remedye. The squyer answered the aungell agayne and sayd that he wyste well he neyther coude ne myght helpe hym, And therfore he wolde not tell it to hym. This sayd squyer wenynge alway that this aungell had ben an erthly man / and dredde that yf he had tolde it vnto hym he sholde haue sayd some worde that sholde vtterly haue greued hym more. And whan the aungell sawe he wolde by no way tell it vnto hym / he sayd vnto the squyer in this wyse: Now sythe thou wylte not tell me thy greue I shall tell it the. Thou arte sayd the aungell in dyspayre of thy saluacyon: but trust me faythfully thou shalte be saued / for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes / and surmounteth all synnes. It is sothe sayd the squyer, I wote wel that god is mercyfull, but he is also ryghtfull and his ryghtwysnes must nedes punysshe synne, And therfore I drede his ryghtfull Iugementes. The aungell spake vnto hym agayne and tolde hym many grete examples how gracyous and mercyfull our lorde god is to synners. But the squyer of whome we spake was so depely fallen in dyspayre that he coude take no comforte of ony thinge that he coude saye. Than the aungell spake agayne to hym in this maner: O sayd he that thou arte harde of byleue! but wylte thou haue an open shewynge that thou shalte be saued? Than sayd he to þe squyer I haue here thre dyce that I wyll throwe / and thou shalte throwe them also / & who that hath moost of the dyce sykerly shall be saued. A sayd the squyer how myght I in this throwynge of the dyce be certayne of my saluacyon? / & helde it but a Iape; / that notwithstandynge the aungell threwe the dyce and he had on euery of the dyce vpwarde the nombre of syxe. And he than bad the squyer throwe the dyce. O than sayd the squyer certaynly that dare I not doo / for I wote well though I caste / more than thou hast caste sholde I not cast ne haue / and yf I had lesse than sholde I fall in ferther dyscomforte. / But so specyally the aungell desyred and spake that at the last the squyer threwe the dyce / and in throwynge by the gracyous myght and power of god euery dyce deuyded in two / & on euery dyce was the nombre of syxe / and so he had the double that the aungell had. And as he was meruaylynge therupon the aungell vanysshed out of his syght / wherfore he thought veryly than it was an aungell sente from god to brynge hym out of his sorowe / and than he toke moche comforte and Ioye in the grete mercy & goodnes of god in suche maner that all his dredes and sorowes were clene departed / and he became a vertous man and the very seruaunt of god / and lyued blessydly. And whan he sholde departe from this worlde he deuysed there sholde be a stone layde vpon hym / with these wordes wryten aboute it that foloweth: Here lyeth Iohn¯ holmes that of the mercy of god may saye a larges. I knowe a worshypfull persone that was in the same abbey here in englonde where as he lyeth, that redde the same wordes afore sayd wryten on his tombe. Now than sythen our mercyfull lorde god sent thus his gracyous comforte to this man that was a worldly synfull man & receyued hym to grace and brought hym out of dyspayre: There sholde noo man be dyscomforted nor dyspayre of ony temptacyons / for hardely god wyll
comforte hym whan he seeth his tyme / and thoughe he sende not a man comforte shortely it shall be to his more mede / & therfore thynke alwaye whan ye thynke of ony temptacyons bodely or ghostly that ye stande in the blessynges of all holy chyrche / for holy wryte sayth: blessyd be they that suffreth temptacyons, For whan they be well proued they shall haue the crowne of lyf the whiche almyghty god hath promysed to them that loue hym.
O ye chyldren of holy chyrche that hath forsaken the worlde for the helth of your soules & pryncypally to please god: comforte you in hym whome ye haue chosen to loue and serue / for he wyll be to you full free and large: as ye may se by example of Peter in the gospel where as he asked our lorde Ihesu cryst what rewarde he sholde haue that had forsaken all thynge to folowe hym, And our lorde answered hym and sayd that he sholde Iuge with hym the twelue trybes of kynredes of Israell at the daye of dome; and ferthermore our lorde sayd also vnto him that not onely one or two or some / but he sayd all tho that forsake for his loue kynne / frendes / possessyons / or ony erthly goodes: they shall haue in this lyfe an hondred folde more / and after blesse withouten ende. Therfore syster cast awaye all suche false dredes that wolde trouble and lette you from loue and hope of our mercyfull lorde god / for no thynge pleaseth soo moche the fende as to se the soules withdrawe from the loue of god And therfore he besyeth hymselfe full sore daye and nyght to lette and trouble loue and peas in mannes soule / and on the other syde noo thynge confoundeth nor dyscomforteth hym so moche as whan he seeth a man sette all his desyre to haue the loue of god. Alas though ye fele not that feruent loue of god / shall ye by your Imagynacyon fall in dyscomforte and heuynes of herte / & thynke yourselfe lost? Nay / nay / put awaye all suche dyscomfortable heuynes & thynke well it cometh of your enemy the fende / & euer haue a good wyl to loue and please god / and prynte well these wordes in your herte that a good wyll is accepte[d] as for a dede in the syght of god; and comforte you alwaye in the name of Ihesu / for Ihesu is as moche to saye as a sauyour / & therfore thynke well euer therupon / & bere it in your mynde with his passyon / and also his other grete vertues / for nothynge shall so soone put awaye all dredefull temptacyons & fantasyes as the remembraunce of this name Ihesu / his bytter passyon and gloryous vertues. These thre be shelde and spere / armure / & strength to dryue downe the fendes power be he neuer so fyersly set to tempte man or woman; & specyally to thynke on his grete vertues: how god the fader in hymselfe hath all dyuyne nature & in whome is all myght and power and to whome is all thynge possyble and no thynge impossible to hym, And god the sonne is all wysdome that all thynge may make and gouerne / and god the holy ghoost is all loue and bounte that in a moment of tyme all synnes may forgyue. I saye not to you thre goddes but thre persones and one god / in whome is all blysse and glory. He is so fayre and bryght shynynge that all the aungelles meruayle of his beaute / his gloryous blessydfull beaute & presence fedeth and fulfylleth all the courte of
heuen with suche myrthe and melody that is euerlastynge. In hym is all benygnyte kepynge vs from vengeaunce / and in hym is all grace and gentylnes / curtesy / fredome / and largenes / pyte / mercy / and forgyuenes / Ioye / swetenes / and endles helth; our socour he is in all trybulacyons whan we call vpon hym / our comforte / our strength / our helpe / and our soules helth. Iwys syster this is [y]our spouse / whome ye desyre to loue and please; the gretenes of his vertues ne the multytude of his Ioyes whiche spredeth to all them that be in the courte of heuen noo herte can thynke nor tonge tell / for the blessydness of his presence can neyther be sayd nor wryten. Ioye ye therfore [in] our lorde cryst Ihesu / for he hath bought you full dere to brynge you to that blysse / and therfore saye to hym: O holy god in whome is all goodnes / whose pyte and mercy made the to descende from the hygh trone downe in to this wretched worlde the valay of woo and wepynge / and here to take our nature / and in that nature thou suffre[d]st payne and passyon with cruell sharpe deth to brynge our soules to thy kingdome: Therfore mercyfull lorde forgyue me all my synnes that I haue done / thought / and sayd. Gloryous trinite sende me clennes of herte / purete of soule / restore me with thy holy vertues / strength me with thy myght / that I alway may withstande the fende and all euyll temptacyons. O good lorde comforte me with thy holy ghoost and fulfyll me with perfyte grace and charyte: that I may from hens forth lyue vertously And loue the with all my herte / with all my myght and with all my soule / so that I neuer offende the but euer to folowe thy pleasures in wyll / worde / thought and dede; now graunte me this good lorde that arte infynyte / whiche eternally shall endure. And now good syster yf ye doo thus I hope it shall do you grete ease. And thoughe ye fynde noo maner of comforte, swetnes nor deuocyon whan ye wolde / be not therfore dyscomforted / but suffre it mekely. For ryght many there be that stryue with themselfe as thought they wolde haue swete deuocyon by maystry: And I saye you for trouth so wyll it not be had / but by mekenes moche sooner it may be goten, And that is as thus that a man holde and thynke hymselfe vnworthy to haue ony swetnes or comforte & offre hymselfe lowly to the wyll of god and put his wyll fully to the wyll and mercy of that blessyd lorde; for a man sholde not desyre to haue that swetnes & deuocyon for his owne comforte and pleasaunce: but purely and onely entendynge to please god and to folowe his wyll / and than it suffyseth vnto vs whether we haue it or noo. Some also weneth that and they haue not suche swetnes & deuocyon that they be out of grace: but certaynly some there be that in themselfe feleth noo swetnes nor deuocyon that be in more grace then the other that feleth it / for they haue many comfortes / and better it were mekenes without felynge than felynge without mekenes. Therfore syster suffre mekely and pacyently what euer falleth vnto you / & euer haue a good wyll to do that may be moost pleasynge to god / and whan ony dyscomforte cometh by temptacyon or ymagynacyon of your enemy haue the wordes in your mynde that ofte is sayd in this wrytynge before, whiche is that a good wyll shall be accepted for a dede / for and ye desyre to be vertuous and to loue and please god it is accepted as for dede before our lorde god / yf you so folowe
it with your myght and power / as whan reason cometh to you with a desyrefull wyll to lyue and doo well; and yf ye ony tyme fele comforte & swetnes and after fele these temptacyons as ye dyde before / yet be ye not dyscomforted therfore ne thynke therupon, Say not alas it is comen agayne it wyll neuer away from me, And by the meane of your owne ymagynacyon fall agayne in discomforte; doo not soo / but comforte you in god / & be gladde that the fende hath enuy vnto you / for whyle the lyfe is in the body he wyll alwaye trouble and tary the seruauntes of god / he is so fully sette ayenst them with al malyce to dysease and dyscomforte theym in all the dyuerse maners that he can or may. Saynt Augustyne sayth þat in many maner wayes temptacyons be hadde by the whiche the serpent adder enemye to all mankynde tourmenteth mannes soule. And saynt Gregorye sayth that there is noo thynge in the worlde [in] whiche we ought to be soo syker of god as whan we haue these tourmentes and troubles. And yf a man saye that bodely turmentes be medeful and not ghoostly turmentes he sayth not ryght / for doubtles the ghoostly tourmentes be more greuous and paynefull that come ayenst mannes wyll than be bodyly tourmentes / and soo moche more be they medefull / and therfore many men doo dyshonour to god that sayth with full aduysement that the fende in this world may more turment than god may gyue meryte / wherfore truly there is no thynge more medefull, charytable nor more godly than for to strength and comforte the soule that the fende soo troubleth / for who so comforteth them that be dyssolate and in sorowe the lorde of comforte Ihesu cryste our lorde and god wyll comforte them without ende in the blysse of heuen / the whiche lorde thorugh the myght and meryte of his paynefull passyon and precyous blode hath puth downe þe power of þe fendes / & hath graunted to crysten soules the vyctory ouer them to the worscyp of all the hole trynyte / fader / sone / and holy ghoost that lyueth & reyneth with-outen ende. Amen.