A boke newly translated out of Latyn in to Englisshe, called The folowing of Christe with the Golden epistel of saynt Barnard.

¶Of the Imytacion or ••o∣lowynge of Christe / and of the despysynge of all vanyties of the worlde. The fyrste Chapitre.

HE that fo∣loweth me sayth Christe our Sa∣uyoure walketh nat in derkenes / but he shall haue the lyght of lyfe / these be the wor∣des of our lorde Iesu Christe: wherby we be admonys∣shed and warned that we shal folowe his teachynges and his maner of liuynge: yf we wyll truely be illumyned and be dely∣ueryd from all blyndnes of herte. Let all the study of our hert be therfore frō hens∣forthe to haue our meditacion holly fired in the lyfe / & in the holy teachyng of Ie∣su christe: for his techynges are of more vertue & of more ghostly strength thā are the techynge of al angelles and sayntes. And he that throughe grace might haue

the inner eye of his soule / openyd ī to the sothfaste beholdynge of the gospelles of Christe / shulde fynde in them (Māna) y^t is to say spiritual fode of the soule. But it is oft tymes sene that some persōs which ofte here the gospelles of Criste: haue ly∣tell swetnes therī / & that is for they haue nat the spiryte of Christe. Wherfore: yf we wyll haue the trewe vnderstandynge of Cristes gospelles we muste study to cō¦forme our lyfe to his lyfe as nighe as we can. What auayleth it a man to reason highe secrete mysteries of the Trynite yf he lacke mekenes wherby he displeaseth the Trinite: truely nothynge / for hyghe curious reasons make nat the man holy nor ryght wyse. But a good lyfe maketh hym beloued with god / I had leuer fele compunction of herte for my synnes / thā onely to knowe the diffinicion of compūc¦tion. If thou couldest all the Byble with out the boke▪ and also seynges of all Phy¦losophers by herte what shulde it profyte the without grace & charite. Al that is in this worlde is vanyte: but to loue god & onely to serue hym. This is the moste no¦ble and the most excellent wysdome that may be in any creature / by dispysyng of

this worlde / to drawe dayly nerer & nerer to the kyngdome of heuē. It is therfor a greate vayne / to laboure mordinatly / for wordely ryches that shortly shall peryshe & to coueyte honour / or any other inordy∣nate pleasures or fleshely delytes in thys lyfe wherby a man after this lyfe shal be sore & greuously punyshed. Howe greate a vanyte is it also to desyre a longe lyfe & lytell to care for a good lyfe / to hide thyn¦ges present: and nat to prouyde for thyn¦ges that are to come / to leue thyng{is} that shortely shall passe awaye / & nat to haste thyther where is Ioye euerlastyng. Also haue thys common prouerbe ofte in thy mynde that the eye is nat satisfied ne ful¦ly pleased with the syght of any bodely thynge / ne the eare with herynge. And therfore studye to withdrawe the loue of thy soule frō all thyng{is} that bene visyble and tourne it to thynges that be inuysy∣ble. For they that folowe theyr sensualy∣te hurte theyr owne conscyence / and lese the grace of god.

❧:Agaynst vayne seculer cōnynge and of a meke knowynge of oure selfe. The .ii. Chapytre.

EVery man naturally desyrethe to knowe: but what auayle the knowledge without the dreade of god. A meke Husbandman that seruethe god is more acceptable to him / than is a curyouse Phylosopher whiche consyde∣rynge the course of heuen / wylfully for∣getteth hym selfe: he that well knoweth hym selfe is vyle and obiecte in his owne syghte and hathe no delyte in the vayne praysynges of man / if I knewe all thyn∣ges that be in this worlde without cha∣rite / what shulde it auayle me before god that iugethe euery man after his dedes / let vs therfore c••sse fro the desyre of such vayne knowlege / for oftētymes is foūde therin greate dystracyon and deceyte of the enemy wherby the soule is much hin¦drede and let from the perfyte and trewe loue of god. They that haue great con∣nynge desyre cōmonly to be sene and to be beholdē wyse in the worlde / and there be many thynges that the knowynge of them brynge but lytell profyte and lytell ••rute to the soule / and he is very vnwyse that taketh hede to any other thynge thā to that / that shal profyte him to the helth of his soule word{is} fede nat the soule / hut

a good lyfe refressheth the mynde / and a clene conscyēce bryngeth a man to a fer∣me and a stable truste in god. The more cōnyng thou haste / if thou lyue nat ther∣after / the more greuously shalt thou ther∣fore be iuged for the mysusynge therof. Therfore ryse nat thy selfe in to pryde for any crafte or cōnīg that is gyuē vnto the but haue therfore the more feare & drede in thy herte / for certayne it is that thou muste hereafter yelde therfore the stray∣ter accompte / if thou thynke that thou knoweste many thynges and haste great cōnynge / yet knowe it for certayne that there be many mo thyng{is} that thou kno∣west nat. And so thou mayste nat ryght∣wysely thynke thy selfe cōning / but ough¦test rather to confesse thyne ygnoraunce & vnconnynge: why wylte thou preferre thy selfe in connynge before other / sythe thereby many other more excellēt & more connynge than thou / and better lerned in the lawe? if thou wylte any thyng lerne and knowe profytablye to the helthe of thy soule / lerne to be vnknowē & be glade to be holden vyle & noughte and vncon∣nyng as thou arte. The moste hygh and the moste profytable cōnynge is this. A

man to haue a sothfaste knowlege / and a full despysynge of hym selfe. Also a man nat to presume of hym selfe / and alwaye to iuge and to thynke well and blessedly of other / is a sygne and a token of greate wysdome and of great perfection and sin¦guler grace / yf thou se any person syne or cōmytte any greate cryme openly before the / yet iuge nat thy selfe to be better thā he. For thou knowest nat how lōge thou shalt perseuer in goodnes we be al frayle but thou shalte iuge no man more frayle than thy selfe.

❧Of the teachynge of trouthe. The .iii. Chapitre.

HAppy and blessed is that person whome trouthe teacheth / & en∣formeth nat by fygures / or by deceytfull voyces but as the trouthe is / our oppinyō and our wytte many tymes deceyueth vs / For we se nat the trouthe / what auayleth vs the knowlege of suche thīg{is} as shall neyther helpe vs at the day of Iugement yf we knowe thē nor hurte vs if we knowe them nat. It is therfore greate foly to be neglygent in suche thyn¦ges as be profytable and necessary to vs /

and to labour for suche thynges that be but curyous and dampnable. Truely yf we do so we haue eyen but we se nat / and what auayleth vs the knowledge of the kynde and werkynge of creatures truely nothynge / he to whome the euerlastynge worde that is Iesus speketh: is dyschar∣ged of many vayne opynyōs / and of that worde all thynges procede and all thyn∣ges openly shewe / crye and belyue that he is god. No man without hym vn∣derstandeth the trouthe ne ryghtfully iu∣geth / but he to whom all thynges is one and he that all thynges draweth ī to one and all thynges setteth in one / and desy∣reth nothynge / but one may anone be sta¦blyd ī herte and be fully pacifyed in god. O trouthe that God arte / make me one with the in perfyte charyte / for al that I rede / heare / or see / without the is a gre∣uous thyng to me for in the is all that I wyll or may desyre / Let all Doctours be styll in thy presence: and let all creatures kepe thē in silēce & thou onely lorde speke to my soule. The more that man is onede to the / & the more that he is gathered to∣gither ī the / the more he vndstādeth with out labour hygh secrete mysteries / for he

hathe resceyued from aboue the lyght of vnderstandynge. A clene / pure and a sta∣ble herte is nat broken ne lyghtely ouer∣come with ghostly laboures / for he doth all thynge to the honoure of god / & for he is clerely mortified to hym selfe / therfore he coueyteth to be fre fro folowynge his owne wyl. What hyndreth the more than thy affeccions nat fully mortysied to the wyll of the spirite / truely nothyng more. A good deuoute man so ordreth his out∣warde besynes that it drawe nat hym to the loue of it / but that he compell it to be obedient to the wyll of the spiryte and to the ryght iugement of reason. Who hath a strenger batayle: thā he that laboureth for to ouercome hym selfe / and that shuld be our dayly labour & our dayly desyre to ouercome our selfe / that we may be made strengers in spirite / & increase dayly from better to better. Euery perfeccion in this lyfe hath some imperfeccion annexed vn∣to it / & there is no knowyng ī this worlde but that it is mixte with some blyndnes of ygnoraūce. And therfore a meke kno∣wynge of our selfe is more syker waye to god / than is the serchyng for hyghnes of connynge. Connynge well ordred is nat

to be blamed for it is good and commeth of god / but a clene conscyence and a vertu¦ous lyfe is moche better & more is to be desyred / bycause some men study to haue cōnynge rather than to lyue well. Ther∣fore they arre many tymes & bryng forth lytel good fruit or none. O if they wold be as busye to auoyde synne & to plante ver∣tues in theyr soules / as they be to moue questions: there shulde nat be so many e∣uyll thyng{is} sene in the world / ne so moch euyll example gyuen to the people / ne yet so moche dyssolate lyuyng in religion. At the daye of Iugement it shall nat be asked of vs what we haue red but what we haue done ne howe wel we haue sayd but howe religiously we haue lyued. Tel me nowe where be all the great clerkes & famous doctours whome thou hast well knowen. Whā they lyued they flourisshed greatly ī theyr lernyng / and nowe other men occupie theyr prebendes & {pro}mociōs and I can nat tell whether they thynke any thynge on them. In theyr lyfe they were holden great in the worlde / & nowe is lytell spekyng of them. O howe short∣ly passeth awaye the glory of this world with all the false deceyuable pleasures of

it / wolde to God theyr lyfe had accorded wel with theyr lernynge / for than hadde they well studyed and rede / howe many peryshe dayly ī thys worlde by vayne cō∣nynge that care lytell for a good lyfe / ne for the seruyce of god. And bycause they desyre rather to be great ī the worlde thā to be meke / therfore they vanysshe awaye in theyr lernynge as smoke in the heyre. Truely he is great / that hath greate cha¦rite: & he is great that is lytel ī his owne syght & that setteth at nought al worldly pleasures as vyle dunge / so that he may wynne Chryste. And that person is very wel taught that forsaketh his owne wyl and foloweth the wyll of god.

❧That lyght credence is nat to be gyuen to wordes. The .iiii. Chapitre.

IT is nat good lyghtely to by∣leue euery worde / or instyncte that cōmeth / but the thynge is auysedly and leasurely to be cōsydered / & ponddred that almyghty god be nat offē∣ded thoroughe oure lyghtnes. But alas for sorowe we be so frayle that we anone

byleue of other euyll soner thā god: But neuertheles parfyte men be nat so lyghte of credence / for they knowe well that the frayltye of mā is more prone to euyll thā to good and that it is in wordes very vn∣stable. It is therfore great wysdome nat to be hasty ī our dedes / ne to truste moch in oure owne wyttes / nor lyghtely to by∣leue euery tale / nor to shewe anone to o∣ther all that we heare or byleue. Take al way counseyle of a wyse man and coueite rather to be instructed and to be ordered by other than to folowe thine owne inuē¦cyon / a good lyfe maketh a man wyse a∣gaynst god and instructeth hym in many thyng{is} that a sinfull man shal neuer fele ne knowe. The more meke that a man is in hym selfe and the more obediēt that he is to god / y^e more wyse & the more please full shall he be in euery thynge that he shall haue to do.

❧Of the redynge of holy scripture. The .v. chapytre.

CHaryte is to be sought ī holy scrip¦ture / and nat eloquence / & it shulde be redde with the same spyryte that

it was fyrste made: we ought also to seke in holye Scripture ghostely profyte / ra∣ther than curyositie of style / and as glad∣ly shall we rede symple & deuoute bokes of hyghe lernynge and connynge / let nat the auctoritie of thyne auctoure myslyke the / whether he were of great connynge or lytel / but that the loue of the very pure trouth styre the to rede Aske nat who said this: but take good hede what is sayde: Men passe lyghtly away / but the trouth of god euer abydeth. Almyghty god spe∣keth to vs in his scripture in diuers ma∣ners without acceptynge of persons / but our curyosyte ofte letteth vs in redynge of scripture whan we wyll reason and ar∣gue thynges that we shulde mekely & sim¦ply passe ouer / if thou wylt profyte by re∣dynge of scripture rede mekely simply & faythfully and neuer desyre to haue ther∣by the name of connynge. Aske gladly & here mekely the sayenge of sayntes: and myslyke the nat the parables of aunciēt fathers / for they were nat spoken with∣out greate cause.

❧Of inordinate affeccyons. The .vi. Chapitre.

WHan a mā desyreth any thynge in∣ordinatly: forth with he is inquyet in hym selfe. The proude man / and the couetous man neuer haue reste: but the meke man and the pore in spiryte ly∣ueth in greate abundaūce of rest & peace. A man that is nat yet mortifyed to hym selfe / is lyghtly tempted and ouercomme in lytell and small temptacyons. And he that is weyke in spyryte / and is yet som∣what Carnall and inclyned to sensyble thynges maye hardely withdrawe hym selfe frō wordly desyres. And therfore he hathe ofte greate grefe & heuynes in hert whan he withdraweth hym from them. And he dysdayneth anone yf any man re¦syste hym / and if he opteyne that he desy¦reth: yet he is inquyeted with grudge of conscyence for he hathe folowed his pas∣sion which nothynge helpeth to gettinge of the peace that he desyred. Than by resystynge of passyons is goten the very true peace of herte & nat by folowynge of thē / there is therfore no peace ī the herte of a Carnall man / Nor in the herte of a mā that gyueth hym selfe all to outward thyng{is} / but in the herte of a ghostly man or woman whiche haue theyr delyte in

god / is founde greate peace and inwarde quyetnes.

❧That vayne hope and elacyon of mynde are to be fled & auoyded. The .vii. Chapytre.

HE is vayne that puttethe hys truste in man or in any creature be nat ashamed to serue other for the loue of Iesu Christe / & to be pore ī this worlde for his sake / truste nat ī thy selfe / but al thy truste set in god / do that in the is to please hym: and he shall well helpe forthe thy good wyll. Truste nat in thyne owne connynge: ne yet in the con∣nynge or policye of any creature lyuynge but rather in the grace of god whiche hel¦peth meke persons / & those that presume of them selfe he sufferethe to fall tyll they be meke / gloryfye nat thy selfe in thy ry∣ches nor in thy worldely frendes for that they be myghty / but let al thy glory be in god onely that gyueth all thynges / and that desyreth to gyue hym selfe aboue al thynges. Exalte nat thy selfe for te lar∣genes or fayrenes of bodye / for with a ly∣tell syckenes it maye be sone defoueled /

Ioye nat in thy selfe for the habylyte / or rydenes of wyt lefte thou dysplease god / of whose gyfte it is all that thou haste / holde nat thy selfe better thā other / leste happely thou be therby impeyred in the syght of god that knoweth all that is in man / be nat proude of thy good dedes / for the iugemēt{is} of god be other thā the iuge¦mentis of man to whō it dyspleaseth ofte tymes that pleaseth man. If thou haue any goodnes or vertue in the / belyue yet that there is moche more goodnes / and vertue in other / so that thou mayste al∣waye kepe the in mekenes. It hurteth nat thoughe thou holdeste thy selfe worse than any other / thoughe it be nat so in dede / but it hurteth moche yf thou pre∣ferre thy selfe aboue any other be he ne∣uer so great a syner. Great peace is with the meke mā but in the herte of a proude man is alwaye enuye and indygnacyon.

❧:That moche famylyaryte is to be fledde. The .viii. Chapytre.

OPē nat thy herte to euery {per}son but to him that is wyse / secrete and dredynge god / be seldome with yonge folkes and straungers flater

nat ryche men / & afore great men do nat lyghtly appere. Accōpany thy selfe with meke persons and symple in herte that be deuoute and of good gouernaūce and treate with theym of thynges that maye edifye & strength thy soule. Be nat famy∣lyer to any woman. Couete to be famy∣lyer onely with god and his Angell{is} / but the famylyarite of mā as moche as thou maiste loke thou eschewe / charite is to be had to all / but famylyarite is not expedy¦ent. Somtyme it happeneth that a persō vnknowen throughe hys good fame is moche cōmendable / whose presence after lyketh vs nat so muche. We wene somty∣me with our presēce to please other / whā we rather dysplease theym throughe the euyll maners and euyll condicyons that they se and wyll consyder in vs.

❧Of meke subiection and obedyence and that we shall gladly folowe the counseyle of other. The .ix. Chapitre.

IT is a greate thynge to be obedy∣ent to lyue vnder a Prelate / and in nothynge to seke oure owne lybertye.:♣

It is mochemore suerer waye to stande in the state of obedyence / than in the state of prelacye. Many be vnder obedy∣ence more of necessyte than of charyte / and they haue great payne and lyghtely murmure & grudge: and they shall neuer haue lyberte and frydome of spyryte tyll they hooly submytte thēselfe vnto theyr superyoure. Go here & there where thou wylte / & thou shalte neuer fynde perfyte rest: but in meke obedience vnder the go∣uernaunce of thy prelate. The ymage∣nynge & the chaungynge of places hathe deceyued many a religious person / trou∣the it is that euery mā is dysposed to do after his owne wyll / and beeste can agre with thē that folowe hys wayes. But yf we wyll that god be amōge vs: we muste somtyme leue our owne wyll thoughe it seme good / that we may haue loue & pea∣ce with other. Who is so wyse that he can fully knowe all thynges: truely none. Therfore truste nat muche to thyn owne wytte. But here gladely the counseyle of other. And yf parcase the thynge whiche thou woldest haue done be good and pro∣fytable / and yet neuerthelesse thou leuest thyne owne wyll therin and foloweste o∣ther:

Thou shalte fynde muche profyte therby. I haue ofte tymes herde say that it is more surer waye to here & take coun¦sayle than it is to gyue it. It is good to here euery mannes counsayle / but nat to agre whan reason requyreth it is a sygne of a greate syngularyte of mynde and of moche inwarde pryde.

❧That we shulde auoyde superfluyie of wordes and the company of worldly lyuynge people. The .x. Chapitre.

AVoyde the {con}pany of all world¦ly lyuyng people as moche as thou mayste / for the creatyng of worldly maters letteth greatly the fer¦uoure of spirite / thoughe it be done with a good intēt / we be anone deceyued with vanyte of the worlde / and in maner are made as thrall vnto it: but we take good hede. I wolde I had holdē my peace ma∣ny tymes whā I haue spoken / and that I had nat bene so muche amonge world∣ly company as I haue bē. But why are we so glad to speke & common to gyther fyth we so seldome departe without some

hurte of conscience / that is the cause by our cōmynynge to gyther we thynke to comforte eche other and to refresshe oure hertes whan we be troubled with vayne ymagynacyons: & we speke moste glad∣ly of suche thynges as we moste loue / or elles of thynges that be moste contrary∣ous vnto vs. But alas for sorowe all is vayne that we do / for this outwarde cō∣forte is no lytell hyndraunce of the trewe inwarde comforte that commeth of god. Therfore it is necessary that we watch & praye that the tyme passe nat awaye fro vs in ydelnes: If it be laufull and expe∣dient to speke / speke thā of god and suche thing{is} as are to the edyfying of thy soule or of thy neybours / & euyll vse and a nec∣lygence of our ghostely profyte / maketh vs oft tymes to take lytell hede howe we shulde speke. Neuerthelesse somtyme it helpeth ryght moche to the helthe of the soule / a deuoute commynge of spirytuall thyng{is}: specially whā men of one mynde & of one spyrite in god / do mete and speke and commen to gyther.

❧The meanes to gette peace / and of desyre to profyte in vertues. The xi. Chapitre.

WE myghte haue moch peace if we wolde nat medle w^t other mēnes sayenges & doynges that belonge nat vnto vs / Howe maye he longe lyue ī peace that wylfully wyll medle with o∣ther mēnes busynes / and that seketh oc∣casyons without fourthe in the worlde / & seldome or neuer gathereth hym selfe to gether in god / blessed be the true symple & meke persons / for they shall haue great plente of peace / why haue many sayntes bene so perfytly contemplatyue / for they alwaye studyed to mortifie thē fro world¦ly desyres that they myght frell with all the power of theyr herte tēde to our lorde But we be occupyed with our passyons / & be muche busyed with trāsytory thing{is} and it is very seldome that we may ouer come any one vyce. And we be nothynge quyke to our dayly dutyes / wherfore we remayne colde and slowe to deuocyon / yf we were perfytely mortified to the world and to the flesshe and were inwardly pu∣ryfied in soule we shulde anone sauour he¦uenly thynges and somewhat shulde we haue experyence of heuenly contempla∣cyon. The greatest hynderaūce of the he∣uenly contemplacyon is / for we are nat

yet clerely delyuerd fro our passyons and concupiscens / ne we enforce nat our selfe to folowe the waye that holy saint{is} haue gone before vs / but whā any lytel aduer∣syte cōmeth to vs we anone caste downe therin & tourne vs ouersone to seke man∣nes cōforte. But yf we wolde as stronge men and as myghty Champions fyghte strōgly en this ghostly batayle / we shulde vndoughtedly se the helpe of god come in our nede / for he is alwaye redye to helpe all them that truste in hym. And he pro∣cureth occasyōs of suche batayle to thēde we shulde ouercome & haue the vyctorye & in the ende to haue the greater rewarde therfore / yf we set thende and perfectyon of our religyon in these outwarde obser∣uances our deuocyō shall sone be ended. Wherfore we muste set our axe depe to the rote of the tree / that we purged from all passyons maye haue a quyet mynde. It we wolde euery yere ouercome one vyce / we sholde anone come to perfectyon / but I feare rather y^t contrary wyse we were better & purer in the begynnynge of oure conuersyon than we be many yeres after we were conuerted. Our feruour and de∣syre to vertue shulde dayly increase in vs

as we encreace in age. But it is nowe thought a great thynge if we may holde a lytell spercle of the feruour that we had fyrste / but if we wolde at the begynnynge breke the euyll inclinacyon that we haue to our selfe & to our owne wyll / we sholde after do vertuous werkes easely & with greate gladnes of herte. It is an harde thynge to leue euyl custommes: but it is more herde to breke our owne wyll▪ But it is moste herde euermore to lye in payne and endlesly to lese the ioyes of heuen. If thou ouercom nat small thyng{is} & lyghte howe shalte thou thā ouercome the grea∣ter. Resyste therfore quykely in the be∣gynnynge thy euyll inclynacons: & leue of hole all thyne euyll customes leste hap¦ly by lytell and lytel they brynge the af∣ter to greater dyffyculte. O yf thou wol∣dest consydre howe greate inly peas thou shulde haue thy selfe & howe greate glad∣nes thou shuldest cause in other in beha∣uynge of thy selfe well. I suppose veryly thou woldest be moche more dylygent to profyte in vertue than thou haste bene be¦fore thys tyme.

❧:Of the profyte of aduersyte The .xii. Chapytre.

IT is good that we haue sōtyme gryeffes and aduersites / for they dryue a man to beholde hym self and to se that he is here but as in an ex∣yle / and be lerned therby to know that he ought nat to put his truste ī any worldly thynge. It is good also that we suffre sō∣tyme cōtradiccyō / and that we be holden of other as euyll and wretched & synfull thoughe we do well and entend well / for suche thynges helpe vs to mekenes and myghtely defende vs frome vayne glory & pryde: we take god the better to be oure Iuge & wytnes / whan we be outwardely dispysed in the worlde / & that the worlde iugeth nat wel of vs / therfor a mā ought to stable him self so fully ī god that what aduersyte so euer befall vnto hym he shal nat nede to seke any outwarde comforte. Whā a good man is troubled or tempted or is inquyeted with euyll thought{is} / thā he vnderstandeth & knoweth that god is moste necessary to hym / & that he may no thyng do that is good without him. Thā he soroweth / waylleth & prayethe for the miseries that he ryghtfuly suffreth. Thā it yrketh hym also the wretchydnesse of this lyfe and he coueyteth to be dissolued

from thys bodye of dethe / and to be with Christe. And thā also he seeth well: there maye be no full peace ne perfyte syker∣nes in thys worlde.

❧Of temptacyons to be resysted. The .xiii. Chapitre.

AS longe as we lyue in thys worlde we may nat be fully without tēp∣tacyon. ☞:★: For as Iob sayth temptacyon is the lyfe of man vpon erth therfore euerye man shulde be well an∣nenste hys temptacyons and watche in prayers that the ghostely enemy fynde nat tyme & place to deceyue hym / whiche neuer slepethe but alwaye goeth about•• sekynge whome he may deuoute. There is no man so perfyte ne so holye in thys worlde / that he somtyme ne hathe temp∣tacyons / & we maye nat fully be without them / for though they be for the tyme ve¦rye greuous and paynfull / yet yf they be resysted they be very profytable / for a mā by experyence of suche temptacyons / is made more meke and is also purged and īformed ī diuers maners whiche he shuld neuer haue knowen / but by experyence of

suche temptacyons. All blessed sayntes that nowe is crowned in heuen grewe & profyted by tēptacions and tribulacions and those that coulde nat well bere temp¦tacyons / but were fynally outcome / be ta¦ken perpetuall prysoners in hell. There is no order so holye ne no place so secrete that is fully without temptacyon & there is no man that is fully syker from it here in this lyfe / for in our corrupte bodye we bere the mater wherby we be tēpted that is our inordinate cōcupyscence wherein we were borne. As one temptacyō goth / an other cōmeth / and so we alwaye haue somwhat to suffre / & the cause is for we haue lost our innocēsy. Many folke seke to fle temptacyon / and they fall the more greuously in to it. For by onely fleynge we maye nat haue victorye / but hy meke¦nes and pacyence we be made stronger thā all our enemies / He that onely fleeth the outwarde occasyons and cutteth nat awaye the inordinate desyres hydde in¦wardly in the herte shall lytell profyte / & temptacyōs shal lyghtely come to hym a¦gayne and greue hym more thā they dyd fyrste by lytell and lytell with pacience & with sufferaunce / and with the helpe of

god / thou shalte soner ouercome tempta∣cyons than with thyne owne strength / & importunyte. In thyne temptacyon it is good that thou ofte aske counsayle / and that thou be nat rygorouse to no person that is tēpted / but be glad to cōforte him as thou woldest be cōforted. The begyn∣nynge of all euyll temptayons is in con∣staunce of mynde and to lytell a truste in god. For as a shype without a guyde is driuē hether & theder with euery storme So an vnstable man that anone leuethe hys good purpose in god / is diuersly tēp∣ted / the fyre proueth golde / & temptacyon proueth the ryghtwyse man / we knowe nat many tymes what we can suffre / but tēptacyon sheweth playnly what we are and what vertue in vs. It is necessary in the begynnynge of euery tēptacyon to be well ware / for thā the enemye is sone ouercome yf he be nat suffred to entre in to the herte. But that he be resysted / and shytte out as sone as he {pro}fereth to entre for as a bodely medicyn is very late mini¦stred whā the syckenes hathe ben suffred to encrease by longe contynuaunce / so it is of temptacyon. Fyrste commeth to the mynde an vnclene thoughte / and after

foloweth a stronge Imagynacyon: and than delectacyon and dyuers euyll mo∣cyons / and in the ende foloweth a full as∣sent. And so by lytell and lytell the ene∣mye hathe full entre for he was nat wy∣sely resisted in the begynnyng / & the more floweth that a man is in resystynge the more weyke he is to resyste / and the ene∣mye is dayly the more stronger agaynste hym. Some persons haue theyr greatest temptacyons in the beginnynge of theyr conuersyon / some in the ende: and somme in maner all theyr lyfe tyme be troubled therwith / and there be many that be but lyghtly tempted and al thys cometh of the great wysdom & ryghtwysnes of god whiche knoweth the state and meryte of euery person: & ordeyneth al thyngis for the beste / and to the euerlastynge helthe & saluacyon of his electe & chosen people. Therfore we shall nat despyre whan we be tempted but shall the more feruentlye praye vnto god that he of hys infynyte goodnes and fatherly pyte vouche safe or helpe vs ī euery nede & that he according to the saying of saynt Poule so preuēt vs with his grace in euery tēptacyō that we shall may susteyne / let vs than meke our

soules vnder the strong hāde of almighty god / for he wyll saue all theym and exalte all them that be here meke and lowe in spiryte. In temptacyons & tribulacyons a man is proued howe moche he hathe {pro}¦fyted / and his meryte is therby the great anenste god / & his vertues are the more openly shewed. It is no greate maruayle if a man be feruent and deuoute whan he feleth no grefe▪ but if he can suffre paciēt∣ly in the tyme of temptacyons / or other aduersyte / and therwith all can also styre hym selfe to feruour of spiryte it is a tokē that he shall greatly profyte hereafter in vertue and grace. Some persons be kept from any great tēptacyons: and yet day∣ly they be ouercome throughe lytell and small occasyons / and that is of the great goodnes and sufferaunce of god to kepe thē in mekenes / that they shall nat truste ne presume of them selfe / that se thē selfe so lyghtely and in so lytell thinges dayly ouercome.

☞That we shall nat Iuge lyghtly other mēnes dedes / ne cleue moche to our owne styll The .xiiii. chap.

HAue alwaye a good eye to thy selfe: & beware thou iuge nat lyghtly other men. In iugyng other men a man ofte laboureth in vaine ofte erreth and lyghtly offēdeth god / but in iugynge hym selfe and his owne dedes he alwaye laboureth frutfully and to his ghostly profyte / we iuge oft tymes after our herte and our owne affeccyons & nat after the truthe / for we ofte l••se the true iugement throughe our pryuate loue. But if god were alwaye the hole intente of our desyre we shulde nat so lightly erre in our iugemētes / nor so lightly be trou∣bled for that we be resisted of our wyll / but cōmenly there is in vs some inwarde inclynacion or some outwarde affeccyon that draweth our herte with them frome the true iugemēt. Many {per}sōs throughe a secrete loue that they haue to theyr self worke vndescretely after theyr owne wil and nat after the wyll of god / & yet they wene nat so / & they seme to stande ī great inwarde peace whan thynges folowe af∣ter theyr mīde: but if it folowe otherwyse than they wolde / anone they be moued with impacience and be ryght heuy and pensyfe. By diuersities of oppynyons be

sprōge many tymes dyscenciōs bytwene frendes & neyghbours / and also bytwene religious & deuout persones. And olde cu¦stome is hardly broken and no man wyll lyghtly be remoued from his owne wyll / but if thou cleue more to thyne owne wyl or to thyne owne reason thā to the meke obediēce of Iesu Christe / it wyll be longe or thou be a mā illumined with grace / for almyghty god wyll that we be perfytely subiecte & obediente to hym / and that we ascende & ryse hyghe aboue our owne wil & aboue our owne reason by a great bren¦nynge loue and a hole desyre to hym.

❧Of werkes done in charite. The .xv. chapiter.

FOR nothynge in the worlde nor for the loue of no creature / no euyll is to be done / but somtime for the nede cō¦forte of oure neyghboure a good dede maye be deferred or be tourned in to a no¦ther good dede / for therby the good dede is nat destroyed / but is changed in to bet¦ter without charite the outwarde dede is lytell to be praysed but what so euer is done of charite be it neuer so lytell or ne∣uer

so despisable in y^e syght of the worldes it is ryght profytable before god / whiche iugeth all thynge after the entente of the doer and nat after the greatnes or wor∣thynes of the dede: he dothe moche that moche loueth god: & he doth moche that dothe his dede well: and he dothe his de∣de well that dothe it rather for the com∣mynalte than for his owne wyll. A dede somtime semeth to be done of charite & of loue to god / whā it is rather done of a car¦nalite & of a flesshhy loue than of a chari∣table loue / for cōmonly some carnall incli¦naciō to our frendes / or some inordynate loue to our selfe / or some hope of a tempo¦rall rewarde or a desyre of some other {pro}∣fyte mouethe vs to do the dede / & nat the pure loue of charite. Charite sekethe nat him selfe ī that he doth: but he desireth to do onely that shall be honoure & praising to god / he enuieth no mā for he loueth no pryuate loue: nor he wyll nat Ioye ī him selfe but he coueteth aboue al thīg{is} to be blessed in god / he knowethe well that no goodnes begynneth originally of man / & therfore he referreth al goodnes to god of whome al thinges procede & ī whome all blessed saītes do rest ī euerlastyng feniciō

O he that had a lytell spercle of this par¦fyte charite shulde fele sothefastly in his soule that all erthely thinges be ful of va¦nyte.

❧Of the sufferynge of other mennes defautes. The .xvi. chapiter.

SVche defautes as we can nat amēde in our selfe nor in other / we muste paciently suffre tyll our lorde of his goodnes wyll otherwyse dispose. And we shal thynke that happe∣ly it is so best for to be for prouyng of our pacyence: without whiche our merytes are but lytell to be pondred / Neuertheles thou shalte praye hertely for suche impe∣dimentes that our lorde of his great mer¦cy and goodnes vouchesaue to helpe vs that we may pacyently bere thē. If thou admonysshe any persone ones or twyse & he wyll nat take it: stryue nat ouermoch with hym but cōmytte al to god that his wyll be done and his honoure in all his seruauntes / for he can well by his good∣nes tourne euyl in to good: studye alway that thou be pacyēt in suffrynge al other mēnes defaut{is} for thou haste many thin¦ges

in the that other do suffre of the / and if thou cane nat make thy selfe to be as thou woldest / howe mayste thou thā loke to haue an other to be ordred in all thyn∣ges after thy wyl. we wolde gladly haue other perfite / but we wyl nat amende our owne defautes / we wolde y^e other shulde be straytely corrected for theyre offences but we wyll nat be corrected. It mynsly∣keth vs that other haue lybertie: but we wyll nat be denyed of that we aske. we wolde also that other shuld be restrayned accordynge to the statutes / but we in no wyse wyll be restrayned. Thus it appe∣reth euydently that we seldome pondre our neyghbours as we do our selfe: if all men were perfyte what had we than to suffre of our neygbours for god / therfore god hath so ordeyned that one of vs shall lerne to bere anothers burden / for in this worlde no man is without defaute: no man without a burden / no man suffy∣cyent to hym selfe / nor no man wyse ynoughe of hym selfe / wherfore it beho∣ueth eche one of vs to bere the burden of other / to comforte other / to helpe other / to enforme other / and to instructe and ad¦monysshe other in all charite: who is of

moste vertue appereth best in tyme of ad¦uersite. Occasiōs make nat a man frayle but they shewe openly what he is.

☞What shulde be the lyfe of a true reli∣gious persone. The .xvii. Chapiter.

IT behoueth the to breke thyne owne wyll in many thynges if thou wylt haue peace and con∣corde with other. It is no lytell thynge to be in monasteries or in congregacions and to contynue there without complay¦nynge or myssaynge and faythfully to {per}∣seuer there vnto thende. Blessed be they that there lyue well & make a good ende. If thou wylte stande surely in grace and moche {pro}fyte in vertue: holde thy selfe as an outlawe and as a pylgrime here ī this lyfe / and be glad for the loue of god to be holden as a fole and as a vyle persone in the worlde as thou arte. The habyte and ••onsure helpe lytell / but the chaungynge of lyfe & the mortifienge of passiōs make a persone perfyte and true religious / he that seketh any other thynge in religion thā purely god and the helthe of his soule shall fynde nothynge there but trouble &

sorowe / & he may nat stande longe there in peace & quyetnes / that labourethe nat to be lefte & subgect to al. It is god ther∣fore that thou remembre ofte that thou cāmeste to religion to serue and nat to be serued. And that thou arte called thyther to suffre and to laboure / & nat to be ydle ne to tell vayne tales. ♣ In religion a man shall be proued as golde in a furnace and no man maye stande longe there in grace and vertue / but he wyll with al his herte meke hym selfe / for the loue of god.

❧Of the examples of holy fathers. The .xviii. Chapitre.

BEholde the lyuely examples of holy fathers and blessed saintes in whome flourisshed and shone all true perfeccyon of lyfe and all perfyte religion. And thou shalte se howe lytell it is and welnyghe as nothynge that we do nowe in these dayes in cōparyson of thē O what is our lyfe if it be to thē compay¦red. They serued our lorde in hunger & in thurste / in heate / in colde / in nakydnes / in laboure: and in werynesse / in vygylles

and fastynges / in prayours and in holy meditacions in persecucions and in ma∣ny repreffes. O howe many & howe gre∣uous tribulatyōs suffred y^e apostles mar¦tyrs / confessours / virgins and other holy sayntes that wolde folowe the steppes of Chryste. They refused honoures & all bo¦dely pleasures here in this lyfe: that they might alway haue the euerlastynge lyfe. O howe strayte and howe adiecte a lyfe lede the holy fathers in wyldernes: howe greuous temptacions they suffred / howe fyersly they were with theyr ghostly ene¦myes assayled: howe feruēt prayour they dayly offered to god / what rygourous ab¦stynence they vsed / howe great zeale and feruour they had to spirituall {pro}fyte / how stronge batayle they helde agaynste all synne / and howe pure and hole intēt they had to god in all theyr dedes / on the day they laboured & on the night they prayed And thoughe they laboured on the daye bodely / yet they prayed in mynde / and so they spente theyr tyme alwaye frutefully & thought euery howre shorte for the ser∣uyse of god / & for the great swetnes that they had in heuenly contemplacion / they forgete ofte tymes theyr bodely refeccyō

All rychesse honoure dygnytes kinnesmē and frendes / they renounced for the loue of god / they coueted to haue nothynge of the worlde and scarsely they wolde take that was necessary for the bodely kynde. They were poore in worldly goodes but they were riche in grace and vertue: they were nedye outwardly / but inwardlye in theyr soules they were replenysshed with grace & ghostly comfortes. To the world they were alyens and straungers / but to god they were ryght dere and famylyer frendes. In the syght of the worlde and in theyre owne syght they were vyle and abiecte / but in the sight of god and of his saintes they were precious and synguler¦ly electe. In them shone all perfeccion of vertue / true mekenes / symple obedience / charyte / and pacyēce / with other lyke ver¦tues & gracyous gyftes of god. Wherfore they profyted dayly in spirite and obtey∣ned great grace of god. They be lefte as an example to all relygious persons and more ought theyr examples to stere them to deuotion and to {pro}fyte more and more in vertue and grace / than the great mul∣tytude of dyssolute & ydele persons shulde any thynge drawe them aback••. O what

feruour was in religious persons at the begynnynge of theyr religion / what de∣uocion in prayers / what zeale to vertue / what loue to ghostly dyscyplyne / & what reuerence and meke obedience florysshed in them vnder the rule of theyr superiour truely theyr dedes yet bere witnesse that they were holy and perfyte that so mygh¦tely subdued the worlde and thruste it vn¦der fode. Nowe adayes he is occompted vertuous that is no offender and that may with pacyence kepe some lytell spar¦cle of that vertue & of that feruoure that he hadde fyrste. But alas for sorowe it is throughe our owne slouthe & neclygence and throughe lesynge of tyme that we be so sone fallen from our fyrste feruoure in to suche a ghostely weykenes & dulnes of spirite / that in maner it is to tedyous to vs for to lyue / but wolde to god that the desyre to profyte in vertue slepte nat so vtterly in the: that ofte haste sene the ho∣ly examples of blessed sayntes.

♣Of the exercyses of a good re∣ligious persone. The xix. Chapi∣tre.

THe lyfe of a good religious man shulde shyne in all vertue and be inwarde as it appereth outwarde and that moche more inwarde for almyghtye god beholdethe the herte whome we shulde alwaye honoure and reuerence as if we were euer in his bode∣ly presence and appere before hym as aū∣gelles clene and pure shynnyge in al ver∣tue / we oughte euery daye to renewe our purpose in god / and to stere our herte to feruoure and deuocion: as thoughe it were the fyrste daye of our conuersyon & dayly we shal praye and say thus. Helpe me my lorde Iesu that I maye perseuer in good purpose and in thy holy seruyce vnto my deth and that I may nowe this present daye perfitely beginne for it is no thynge that I haue done in tyme paste. After our purpose & after our intent shall be our rewarde / & thoughe our intente be neuer so good yet it is necessarye that we put therto a good wyll and a greate deli∣gence / for if he that ofte tymes purposeth to do well & to profyte in vertue yet fay∣leth in his doynge / what shall he do than that seldō or neuer taketh suche purpose.

Let vs entend to do the beste we can / and yet our good purpose maye happen to be letted and hyndred in dyuers maners / & our speciall hyndraūce is this / that we so lyghtly leue of oure good excercyses that we haue vsed to doo before tyme / for it is seldome sene that a good custome wylful¦ly broken may be recouered agayne with out great spiritual hyndraunce. The pur¦pose of ryght wyse men dependeth in the grace of god more than in them selfe or ī theyr owne wysdome / for man purposeth but god disposeth / ne the waye that man shall walke in this worlde is nat in hym selfe but in the grace of god. If a good cu¦stome be somtime lefte of for helpe of our neyghboure / it maye sone be recouered but if it be lefte of through slouthe or ne∣glygēce of our selfe it wil hindre vs great¦ly and hardly wil it be recouered agayne Thus it appereth that though we incou¦rage our selfe all that we can to do well / yet we shall lyghtly fayle in many thyn∣ges. And neuertheles thoughe we maye nat alway fulfyl it / yet it is good that we alwaye take suche good purpose especial¦ly agaynste suche thynges as hyndrethe vs moste / we muste also make dylygente

serche bothe within vs and without vs / that we leue nothynge inordynate vnre∣formed ī vs as nyghe as our fraylte may suffre / & yf thou can nat for fraylte of thy selfe do thus contynually / yet at the ••eest that thou do it ones on the day euenyng or mornyng. In the mornīge thou shalte take a good purpose / for that daye folo∣wynge: and at nyght thou shalte dyscusse dylygently howe thou haste behaued the the daye before in worde / in dede / and in thought / for in them we doo ofte offende god & our neyghboure. Arme the as chri∣stes true knyght with mekenes and cha∣••ite agynst all the malyce of the enemye. Refrayne glotony & thou shalte the more lyghtly / refrayne at carnall desyres. Let nat the ghostly enemy fynde the all ydle but that thou be redynge / wrytynge / pra∣ynge deuoutly / thynkynge / or some other good laboure doynge / for the cōmynalte. Bodely exercyses are to be done secretly / for that that is profytable to one is som∣tyme hurtfull to a nother / and also spiri∣tuall labours done of deuocion are more surely done in priuite than in open place. And thou muste beware that thou be nat more redy to pryuate deuocions than ••o

them that thou arte bounde to by duetye of thy religion / but whā thy duety is ful¦fylled than adde therto as thy deuocyon gyueth. All maye nat vse one maner of exercyse but one in one maner / another in another maner as they shall fele to be moste profitable to them. Also as the ty∣me requyrethe so dyuers exercyses arr to be vsed / for one maner of exercyses is ne∣cessary on the holy daye / another on the feriall daye / one in tyme of temptacyon another in tyme of peace & consalacyon / one whan we haue swetnes in deuocion / another whan deuocyon withdrawethe. Also agaynste principal feastes we ought to be more delygente in good w••rkes and deuoutly to call for helpe to the bles∣sed Sayntes that than be worshypped in the Churche of God / than in other ty∣mes and to dyspose our selfe in lyke ma∣ner as if we shulde than be taken out of this worlde. And be brought ī to the euer lastynge feaste in heuen. And sythe that blesse is yet deferred from vs for a tyme we maye well thynge that we be nat yet redy ne worthy to come therto. And ther¦fore we ought to prepayre our selfe to be more redye another tyme / for as Saynte

Luke sayethe. ♣ Blessed is that seruaunt whome oure Lorde (whā he shall come at the houre of dethe) shall fynde redy / for he shall take hym and lyfte hym vp hyghe a¦boue all erthly thynges in to the euerla∣stynge ioye and blesse in the kingdome of heuen. Amen.

❧Of the loue of onlynes and scylence. The .xx. Cha••iter.

SEke for a conuenyente tyme to serche thyne owne conscyence. And thynke ofte on the bene∣faytes of God / leue of all curyous thyn∣ges. And rede suche maters as shall stere the to cōpunccion of her••e for thy synnes rather than to rede onely for occupyenge of the tyme / if thou wilte withdrawe thy selfe from superfluous wordes & fro vn∣profytable rennynges aboute & frome he¦rynge of rumours & of vayne tales / thou shalte fynde tyme conuenyent to be occu∣pyed in holy meditacions. The moste ho∣ly men & women that euer were: flede the company of worldly lyuynge men vppon theyr power / and charce to serue god in se¦crete of theyr herte / & one holy man sayde

as ofte as I haue bene amonge worldely company I haue departed with lesse fer∣uour of spirite than I came / and that we knowe well whā we talke longe for it is nat so harde to kepe alwaye sylence / as it is nat to excede ī wordes whā we speke moche. It is also more lyght to be alway solytary at home / than to go forthe in to the worlde and nat offende. Therfore he that intendeth to come to an inwarde set∣tynge of his herte in god and to haue the grace of deuocion / muste with our sauy∣our Christe withdraw him from the peo¦ple. No man may surely appere amonge the people / but he that wolde gladly be so¦litary yf he myght / ne no man is sure in prelacy / but he that wolde gladly be a sub¦ge•• / ne none may surely cōmaūde / but he that hathe lerned gladly to obeye / & none ioyeth truely / but he whose herte wytnes¦sethe hym to haue a clene conscyence / ne none speake the surely / but he that wolde gladly kepe sylence if he myght. And al∣waye the suertie of good men and of bles∣sed men hath ben in mekenes and in the drede of God / and thoughe suche blessed men shone in al vertue / yet they were nat therfore lyfte vp in to Pryde / but were

therfore the more delygent in the seruyce of god and the more meke in all theyr do¦ynges / and on the contrary wyse the sure¦ty of euyll mē ryseth of pryde and of pre∣sumpcion & in the ende it deceyueth them Therfore thynke thy selfe neuer sure in this lyfe whether thou be religious or se∣culer / for ofte tymes they y•• haue ben hol¦den in the syght of the people moste per∣fyte: haue bene suffered to fall more gre∣uouslye for theyr presumpcion / also it is moche more profytable to many persons that they haue somtime tēptacyons / leste haply they thynke them selfe ouermoche syker and be therby lifte vp in to pryde or renne to sekynge of outwarde consolaciō. Then that they be alwayes without tem¦ptaciōs. ♣ O howe pure a cōsciēce shulde he haue that wolde dyspyse all transitory ioy / & neuer wyl medle with worldly busi¦nes / and what peace and inwarde quyet∣nes shulde he haue that wolde cut awaye from hym all busynes of minde and only to thynke on heuenly thynges / no mā is worthy to haue ghostely comfortes / but we haue fyrste ben well execrysed in holy compunccion / and if thou wylt haue com¦punccion go in to a secrete place / and put

from the all the clamours noyse of the world. ☞ For the prophet Dauyd sayth Let the sorowe for thy synnes be done in thy secret Chambre / ī thy cell thou shalte fynde greate grace whiche thou mayste lyghtly lese without. Thy cell well conty¦nued shal ware swete and pleasaūt to the and shall be to the hereafter a ryght dere frende / and if it be but euyll kepte / it shall ware very tedyous and yrkesome to the. But if ī the begynnyng thou be ofte ther¦in and kepe it well in good praiers and in holy meditacyons it shall be here after to the a synguler frēde and one of thy moste specyall comfortes: in scylence and quiet∣nes of herte a deuoute soule profyte the moche and lerneth the heed sentences of scripture and fyndeth there: also many swete trees in deuocyon wherwith euery nyghte she washed her nyghtely from al fylthe of synne that she may be so muche the more familyer with god / as she is dys¦serued from the clamours noyse of world¦ly busynes. Therfore they that for the loue of vertue withdrawe them fro theyr acquayntaunce and from theyr worldely frendes / oure lorde with hys Angelles shall drawe nyght to them & shall abyde

with them. It is better a mā be solitayre and wel take hede of hym selfe. Thā that he do myracles in the worlde forgettyng hym selfe. It is also a laudable thynge in a relygious persone / seldome to go forth / seldome to se other: & seldome to be sene of other why wylte thou se that is nat law∣full for the to haue / the worlde passeth a∣waye with all his concupyscence and de∣ceyuable pleasures. Thy sensuall apetite moueth the to go abrode: but whan the tyme is paste what bareste thou home a∣gayne but remorse of conscyence and vn∣quyetnes of herte. It is o••••e sene that af∣ter a mery goynge forth foloweth a heuy retornynge / & that a glade euyntyde cau∣seth a heuy mornynge / and so all flesshely ioye entreth plesaūtly / but in the ende it byteth & sleeth what mayste thou se with out thy tell that thou mayste nat se with in / lo heuen & erthe and all the clementes wherof all erthely thynges be made / and what mayste thou elles where se vnder y^e sonne that maye longe endure / & yf thou myghte se all erthly thynges & also haue all bodely pleasures presēt at ones before the / what were it but a vayne syght: lyfte vp thyne eyne therfore to god in heuen

and praye hertely that thou mayste haue forgyuenesse for the offense / leue vayne thynges to them that wyll be vayne / and take thou hede onely to tho thinges that our lorde commaūdeth the. Shyt••e faste the dore of thy soule / that is to say thyne ymagynacyō and kepe it warely from be¦holdynge of any bodely thynge as moche as thou mayste / & thā lifte vp thy mynde to thy lorde Iesu & open thy herte fayth∣fully to hym / and abyde with hym in thy Cell: for thou shalte nat fynde so muche peace without. If thou haddest nat gone forthe so muche as thou haste done / ne haue gyuē herynge to vayne tales / thou shuldest haue bene in moche more inward peace thā thou arte / but for as muche as it delyteth to the here newe thinges / it be houeth the therfore to suffre sōtyme both trouble of herte & vnquyetnes of mynde.

❧Of compunccion of the herte. The .xxi. Chapitre.

IF thou wylt any thynge {pro}fyte to the helthe of thy soule / kepe the alwaye in the drede of god & neuer desyre to be fully at lybertye / but

kepe the alwaye vndersome holsome dys∣cyplyne. Neuer gyue thy selfe to no vn∣dyscrete myrthe / for no maner of thynge as nyghe as thou mayste. Haue perfyte compunccyon and sorowe for thy synnes and thou shalt fynde therby great inly de¦uocyon Cōpuncciō openeth to the syght of the soule many good thynge / whiche lyghtnes of hert and vayne myrthe / some dryueth awaye. It is meruayle that any man can be mery in thys lyfe / yf he consy¦der well howe farre he is exiled out of his countre: and howe great peryll hys soule dayly standeth in / but through lyghtnes of herte / and neglygence of our defautes we fele nat: ne we wyl nat fele the sorowe of oure owne soule / but ofte tymes we laughe whan we ought rather to wepe & morne: for there is no perfyte lyberty nor true ioye / but in the drede of god and in a good conscyence. That person is ryght happy that hathe grace to auoyde from hym all thynges that letteth hym fro be∣holdynge of hys owne synnes / and that can tourne hym selfe to gody by inwarde compunccyon / and he is happy also that auoydeth fro hym all thynges that may offende or greue his conscyence. Fyght

strongly therfore agaynste al synnes and drede nat ouermoche all though thou be encombered by an euyll custome / for that euyll custome maye be ouercome with a good custome. And excuse the nat that thou arte let by other mē / for if thou wylt leue the familyaryte with other they wil suffre the to do thy ded{is} without īpedimēt Intrike the nat with other mēnes good{is} ne busy the nat in great mennes causes / haue alwaye an eye to thy selfe and dyly∣gently enforme & admonyshe thy selfe by fore all other. ♣ If thou haue nat the fa∣uour of worldely lyuynge people sorowe nat therfore: but be this thy daily sorowe that thou behauyst nat thy selfe in thy cō¦uersaciō as it besemeth a good relygious person for to do. It is muche expedient & more {pro}fytable that a mā somtyme lacke cōsolacions in his lyfe than that he haue thē alwayes after his wyl namely flesshe¦ly cōsolaciōs. Neuertheles that we haue nat somtyme heuenly cōsolacyōs or that we so seldome fele theym as we do. It is through our owne defaute: for we seke nat to haue the true cōpunctyon of herte ne we caste nat fully awaye from vs the false outwarde consolacyons: holde thy

selfe therfore vnwordy to haue any con∣solacyon and worthy to haue moche try∣bulacion / whan a man soroweth perfytly for hys synnes / than all wordly comfor∣tes be paynfull to hym. A good man fyn∣deth alway mater inough why he oweth ryghtfully to sorowe & wepe / for yf he be¦holde hym selfe or if he thynke on his ney¦ghbour / he seeth well that none lyuethe here without great mysery and the more throughly that he may cōsyder him selfe The more sorowe he hath and alway the mater of true sorowe and of true inly con∣punccyō is the remēbraūce of our synnes wherwith we be so bylapped on euerye syde that seldome we maye beholde any ghostly thing{is}. But if we wolde more oft thynke on our deth than we do on longe lyfe no doute but we shulde more feruent¦ly apply our selfe to amendement / & I be¦leue also that yf we wolde hertely remem¦bre the paynes of Helle & of Purgatoyre that we shulde more gladly susteyne al la¦boures and sorowes & that we shulde nat dred any payn in this worlde with that we myghte auoyde the paynes that are to come. But for as moche as these thyn¦ges go nat to the herte & we yet loue the

flateringe and the false pleasures of this worlde / therfore we remayne colde and voyde of deuocyon / and ofte it is through the weykenes of the spirite that the wret¦ched body so lyghtly cōplayneth. Praye therfore mekely to oure lorde / that he of his greate goodnes gyue the / the spyryte of compuncyon / and say with the Pro∣phete. ♣ Fede me lorde with the brede of cōpunccyon / & gyue me to drynke water of teres in great habundaunce.

❧Of the consyderynge of the mysery of mankynde / and wherin the fe∣lycyte of man standeth. The xxii. Chapitre.

A Wretch thou art where so euer thou be / & where so ••uer thou tourne the / but thou tourne the to god / why arte thou so lyghtly trou¦bled / for it falleth nat to the as thou wol∣dest and desyrest / what is he that hath all thyng after his wyll / neyther thou nor I ne no man lyuynge / for none lyueth here without some trouble or anguysshe be he Kynge or Pope. Who thynkest thou is in moste fauour with god / truely he that suf¦fereth

gladly moste for god. But many {per}¦sones weke and feble in spyryte say thus in theyr hertes. Lo how good a lyfe that a mā ledeth howe ryche he is / how mygh¦ty he is / howe hyghe in auctori••e / howe great in syght of the people / & howe fayre and beauteous in hys bodely kynde / but if thou take hede to the goodnes euerlas∣tynge / thou shalt wel se that these world∣ly goodes and worldly lykynkes are but lytell worthe & that they be more rather greuous than pleasaunte / for they maye nat be had ne be kepte but by greate la∣boure and busynes of mynde. The felicy∣te of man standeth nat in abundaunce of worldely goodes? for the meane is beste. And verely to lyue in thys worlde is but mysery: and the more ghostly that a man wolde be / the more paynfull it is to hym for to lyue: for he feleth the more plainly the defautes of mannes corrupcyon / for why to eate / to drynke / / to slepe / to wake / to reste / to laboure / and to serue all other necessytes of the body is greate myserye and great affliccion to a deuoute soule. Whiche wolde gladlye be fro the bounda∣ge of synne that it myght withoute lette serue our lorde in puryte of cōscience and

in clennes of herte. The in warde man is greatly greued through the bodely neces¦sites in this worlde. ☞ wherfore the pro¦phete Dauid desyred that he myght be de¦liuered fro suche necessites. But wo be to thē that knowe nat theyr owne mysery & wo be to them that loue thys wretched and this corruptible lyfe / for some loue it so muche that yf they myghte euer lyue were thoughe they myghte porely gette theyr lyuyng with laboure and beggyng yet they wolde neuer care for the kynge∣dom of heuen. ♣ O madde and vnfayth∣full creatures are they that so depely set theyr loue on erthely thynges that they haue no felynge ne taste but in fleshely pleasures. Truly ī the houre of deth they shal knowe howe vyle & howe noughty it was that they so muche loued. But ho¦ly sayntes & deuoute folowers of Chryste hedede nat what pleased the flesshe / ne what was pleasaūte ī syght of the world But all theyr hole intent and desyre they helde to thyng{is} inuysyble & fered leste by syghte of thynges vysyble they myghte be drawen downe to the loue of them. ♣: My welbeloued brother / lese nat the desyre to profyte in spyrituall thyng{is} / for

thou haste yet good tyme and space. Why wylt thou any lenger dyfferre the tyme. Aryse & nowe thys same instāte begynne and saye thus / nowe is tyme to laboure ī good workes / nowe is tyme to fyghte in ghostly batayle / & nowe is tyme to make amendes for trespas passed / whan thou art troubled than is beste tyme to meryte and get rewardes of god. It behouethe the to go through fyre and water or thou mayste come to the place of recreacyon / •• but thou can full haue the maystry ouer thy selfe thou shalt neuer ouercome sinne ne lyue without great tedyousnes and so¦rowe we wolde gladly be delyuered from al misery and synne / but bicause we haue throughe synne loste our innocensy. We haue loste also the very ioye and felicyte / wherfore we muste holde vs in pacyence and with good hope abyde the mercy of god tyll wretchydnes be ouerpassed: and that thys bodely lyfe bechaunged in the euerlastyge ♣ O howe great is the frayle tye of man that is euer redy and proue to synne. Thys day thou arte confessed and to morowe thou falleste agayne. Nowe thou purposeste to be waie: and inten¦deste to go forthe strongely in good

workes & shortly after thou doest as thou neuer haddest taken suche purpose / ryght¦fully therfore we ought to meke our selfe and neuer to thynke in vs any vertue or goodnes: for we be so frayle and so vnsta¦ble. Sone may it be loste throught negly¦gence / that with muche labour and specy¦al grace was hardly gottē / but what shal become of vs in the ende whā we so sone wax dull and slowe. Sothely sorowe and wo shall be to vs if we fall to bodely reste nowe as thoughe we were in ghostly sy∣kernes. Whan there appereth nat as yet neyther sygne ne tokē of vertu ne of good lyuynge in our conuersacyon. Wherfore it were expedyent to vs that we were it a∣gayne instructe as nouyces to lerne good maners / yf hapely there myght by that meanes be founde here after any truste of an amendemēt and spyrytuall profyte in our conuersacyon.

❧Of the remembraunce of deth. The .xxiii. Chapitre.

THe houre of deathe wyll shortely come / and therfore take hede howe ••ou or d••creste thy selfe for the comon pro¦uerbe

for the cōmon prouerbe is true: to daye a mā to morowe none. And whan thou art out of syght thou art anone out of minde and sone shalte thou be forgotten. O the great dulnes and hardnes of mānes hert that onely thynketh on thynges presente and lytell prouydeth for the lyfe to come. If thou dydest well / thou sholdeste so be haue thy selfe in euery dede and in euery thoughte as thou shuldeste thys instance dye / yf thou haddeste a good conscyence thou shuldest nat moche fere deathe. It were better for the to leue synne than to feare deth. ♣: O my dere brother / yf thou be nat redy this daye / howe shalt thou be redy to morowe. To morowe is a day vn¦certayne: & thou canste nat tell whether thou shalte lyue so longe / what profyte is it to vs to lyue longe / whan we therby so lytell amende oure lyfe / longe lyfe dothe nat alwaye brynge vs in to any amende∣mente: but ofte tymes encreasethe more synne / wolde to god that we myghte be one daye well conuersaūt in thys worlde many rekyne theyr yeres of cōuersyon / & yet there is but lytell frute of amendemēt ne of any good example sene in theyr con¦uersacyon / yf it be ferefull to dye perad∣uenture

it is more peryllous to lyue long blessed be to personns that euer haue the houre of deth before theyr eyen: and that euery day dispose thē selfe to dye / yf thou euer sauest any man dye / remembre that thou muste nedely go the same waye / In the mornynge doute whether thou shalle lyue tyll nyght: and at nyght thynke nat thy selfe sure to lyue tyll on the morowe. Be alway redy & liue in such maner that deth fynde the nat vnprouided. Remēber how many haue dyed sodaynly & vn{pro}uy∣ded: for our lorde hath called thē in suche houre as they leest went And whan that laste houre shall come thou shalt beginne to fele al otherwyse of thy lyfe passed / thā thou haste done before / & thou shal••e than sorowe greatly that thou haste bene so slowe & negligent in the seruice of god as thou haste bene. ♣ O howe happy & wyse is he therfore that laboureth now to stāde in suche state in this lyfe / as he wolde be foūde ī at his deth. Truely aperfyte dispi¦synge of the worlde / & a feruent desyre to profyte in vertue / alone to be taughte a frutefull laboure in workes of penaūce a redy wyll to obey / a full forsakyng of our selfe / & a wylfull sufferynge of all aduersy¦tes

for the loue of god / shall gyue vs a greate truste that we shal dye wel. Nowe whylest thou arte in helth thou mayst do many good dedes / but it thou be sycke I can nat tell what thou mayst do / for why fewe be amended throughe sykenes / & in lyke wyse they that go muche on pilgry∣mage be seldome therby made perfyte / & holy / put nat thy truste in thy frendes / & thy neyghbours / ne di••••er••e nat thy good dedes tyll after thy d••th for thou shall so¦ner be forgotten than thou weneste / bet∣ter it is to prouyde for thy selfe betyme & sēde some good ded{is} byfor the / thā so tru∣ste to other that {per}auētur wyll lyghtly for¦get the / if thou be nat nowe busye for thy selfe & for thyn ••wne soule helth: who shal be busye for the after thy dethe. Nowe is thy tyme very precyous / but alas for so∣rowe that thou spendeste the tyme so vn∣{pro}fitable: in the which thou sholdest wyn the lyfe euerlastynge. The tyme shal com whan thou shal••e desyre one daye or one houre to amende the / but I wot nat whe¦ther it shalbe graūted vnto the. ♣ O my dere brother fro howe great peryl & drede myghtest thou nowe delyuer thy selfe / yf thou woldest alwaye in this ly••e drede to

offende god / & alwaye haue the cōmynge of deth suspecte. Therfore studye nowe to lyue so that at the houre of deathe thou mayste rather ioy than drede / lerne nowe to dye to the worlde that thou mayst thā lyue with Christe / lerne also to dyspyse at worldely thynges that thou mayste than frely go to Christe / chastite nowe thy bo∣dy with penaunce that thou mayste than haue a sure and a stedfaste hope of salua∣cion. Thou arte a fole yf thou thynke to lyue longe▪ syghe thou arte nat syker to lyue one daye to the ende / howe many ha¦ue bene deceyued through truste of longe lyfe: and sodenly haue bene taken out of this worlde or they had thoughe / howe ofte haste thou herde say that suche a mā was slayne / and suche a man was drow∣ned: and suche a man fell and brake hys necke / this man as he eat his meate was strangled / & thys man as he played toke his dethe / one with fyre: an other with y∣ren: an other with sykenes: and some by thefte haue sodenly peryshed / and so the ende of all mē is deathe for the lyfe of mā as a shadowe sodaynly slydeth & passethe awaye / Thynke ofte who shall remembre the after thy dethe / & who shall praye for

the / and do now for thy selfe al that thou causte / for thou wotrest nat whan thou shalte dye nor what shall folowe after thy deth: whylest thou haste tyme gather the ryches immortall / thynke nothynge aby¦dingly but on thy ghostly helth. Set thy studye onely on thynges that be of god and that belonge to his honoure. Make the frendes agaynste that tyme / worshyp hys sayntes & folowe theyr steppes / that when thou shalte go out of thys worlde they maye receyue the in to the euerlas∣tynge Tabernacles. Kepe the as a pyl∣gryme & as a straūger here in this worlde to whom no thynge belōgeth of worldly besynes / kepe thy herte fre alway lyfte vp to god / for thou haste no cytye here longe abydynge / sende thy desyres & thy dayly prayers alway vpward to god / and pray perseueraūtly that thy soule at the houre of deth / may blessedly departe out of this worlde and go to Christe.

❧Of the laste Iugement and of the payne that is ordeyned for syn. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

IN all thynges beholde the ende / & ofte remembre howe thou shalte stande byfore the hyghe Iuge to whome

no thynge is hydde: whiche wyll nat be pleased with rewardes: ne receyue any maner excuses / but in all thynge wyll Iudge that is ryghtwyse and trewe. O moste vnwyse / and moste wretchyd syn∣ner / what shalte thou than aunswere to god / whiche knoweth all thy synnes and wretchydnes / syth thou dredest here som∣tyme the face of a mortall man / why do∣ste thou nat nowe prouyde for thy selfe against that day / sith thou mayst nat thē be excusyd ne defendyd by none other. But euery man shall then haue ynoughe to do to answerere for him self. Now thy labour is fruteful / thy weping is accepta¦ble / thy mornynge is worthy to be herde and thy sorowe also is satysfactorye and pourgynge of synnes. The pacyent man whiche sufferyth of other iniuryes and wronges / and yet neuertheles soroweth more for theyr malyce than for the wrōg done to hym selfe / hath a holsome and a blessyd purgatorye in this worlde / and so haue they that gladlye cā praye for theyr enemyes / and for theym that be contra∣ryous vnto them / and that in theyr herte can forgyue those that offende them / and tary nat longe to aske forgyuenes. And

so haue they also that more lyghtely he styred to mercye than to vengeaunce / and that can as it were by a vyolence br••ke downe theyr owne wyll and strongly re∣syste synne / and laboure alway to subdue theyr bodye to the spyryte. It is better nowe to purge synne / and to put awaye vyce then to reserue it to be pourged here after / but verely we deceyue our selfe by inordinate loue that we haue to our bode¦ly kynde / what shall the fyre of purgato∣rye deuoure but thy sinne truly nothyng. Therfore the more thou sparest thy selfe nowe / and the more thou foloweste thy fleshly lykynge / the more greuously shalt thou wayle hereafter / and the more mat∣ter thou reseruyste for the fyre of purga∣torye. In suche thynges as a man moste hath offendyd shall he moste be punyshed the slouthfull persons shalbe there pryc∣ked with brennyng pryckes of yron / and glotens shalbe tourmented with greate hunger and thurste. The lecherous perso¦nes and louers of voluptuous pleasures shalbe fulfyllyd with brennynge pyche / & brymstone / and enuyous persons shall wayle / and howle as dothe woode dog∣ges. There shall no synne be without his

proper tourment. The proude mā shalbe fulfylled with all shame & confusyon / and the coueytous man shall be pynyd with penury & nede / one houre there in payne shall be more geenous then here a hon∣dreth yere in mooste sharpest penaunce. There shalbe no rest ne consolacyō to dā∣pned soules. But here somtyme we fele relefe of our paynes & haue somtyme con¦solacyō of our frēdes. Be now sorowefull for thy synnes that at the daye of Iuge∣mente thou mayste be syker with blessyd saintes / Thē shall ryght wyse men stande in great cōstaunce agaynst thē that haue wronged them & oppressed thē here. Thē shall he stande as a iudge that here sub∣mittith hym selfe mekely to the iugemēt of man. Then shall the meke poore man haue greate confidence and truste in god & the obstynate proude man shall quake & drede. Thē shall it appere that he was wyse in thys worlde / that for the loue of god was cōtentyd to be takē as a foole & to be dyspysed & set at nought. Thē shall it also please hym muche the trybulacion that he sufferyd pacyently in thys worlde & all wyckidnes shal stop his mouth. Thē euery deuoute person shall be ioyfull / and

glade & the vnreligyous {per}sons shal way∣le & drede. Thē shall the fleshe that hathe bē with dyscrecyon chastysyde ioye more Than if it had bene noryshed with all de∣lectacyon and pleasure. Then shal the vy¦le habyte shall clere in the syght of god: and the precyous garmentes shall warre foule and lothsome to beholde. Then the poore cotage shal be more alowed thē the palayes ouer gylted with golde. Thē shal more helpe a constante pacyente / then all worldlye power & ryches. Thē shal meke obedyence be exalted more hyghe thē all worldelye wysdome and polycye: & then shal a good clene conscyēce make vs more glad some and me••y / then the cunnynge of all philosophye. Thē the dyspysynge of worldly good{is} shall be more of valure then all worldly ryches and treasure. Then shalt thou haue more comforte for thy deuout prayeng / then for all thy dely¦cate fedynge. Then shalte thou also ioy more for thy scilence kepyge / thē for thy longe talkynge & ianglinge. Then good dedes shall plentyouslye be rewardyde / & fayre wordes shall lytell be regarded. Then shall it please more a strayte lyfe & harde penaunce here / than all worldely

delectacyon & pleasure. Lerne nowe ther¦fore to suffre the small trybulacyō in this worlde that thou mayste than be delyue∣ryd from the greater there ordeyned for synne. Fyrste proue her what thou may∣ste suffre hereafter. And if thou mayst nat now suffre so lytell a payne / howe shalte thou than suffre the euerlastynge tourmē¦tes / and if nowe so lytell a passyon make the inpacyent what shall then do the in∣tollerable fyre of purgatorye or of hell. Thou mayste nat haue two heuens / that is to say to ioye here & to haue delectaciō here / and after to ioye also with christe in heuen. More oue•• if thou haddest lyuyd alway vnto this day in honoures and in freshely delectacyons▪ what shulde it pro∣fyte the now yf thou shuldest this present instaunt departe the worlde. Therfore al thyng is vanyte / but to loue god and to serue him / he that louyth god with al his herte / dredyth neyther deth / tourmnt iu∣gemēt ne hell / for a perfyte loue makyth a sure passage to god / but if a man yet de∣lyteth in synne it is no meruayle though he drede both deth & hell. And thoughe suche a dede be but a thralle drede / yet ne¦uertheles it is good that yf the loue of

god withdrawe vs nat frō synne that the drede of hell constreyne vs therto / he that s••t••yth apart the drede of god: maye nat longe stand in y^e state of grace / but sonne shall he renne in to the snare of the fende & lygh••ely shall he therwith be deceyued.

❧Of the feruent amendynge of all our lyfe & that we shal specyally take hede of our owne soule helthe by∣fore all other. The .xxv. Chapy¦tre.

MI sone be wakynge & dylygent in the seruyce of god / and thynke ofte wherfore thou arte come / & why thou haste forsaken the worlde / was it nat that thou shuldest lyue to god / and be made a spyrytuall man / yes trwely. Therfore styre thy selfe to perfeccyon for in shorte tyme thou shalte receyue the ful rewarde of all thy laboures / and from thensforth shall neuer com to the sorowe nor drede: thy laboure shall be lytell and shorte / and thou sha••te receyue therfore agayne euerlastynge reste and cōforte: yf thou abyde faythfull and feruent in good dedes withoute doute oure lorde wyll be faythfull & lyberall to the in his reward{is}

Thou shalte alwaye haue a good truste that thou shalt come to the palme of vyc¦tory / but thou shalte not set the in a ful sy¦kerners / therof leste haply thou war dul and proude in herte: A certayne persone whiche oftimes douted whether he were in the state of grace or nat / on a tyme fell prostrate in the churche and fayth thus. O that I myght knowe whether I shuld perseuer in vertue to the ende of my lyfe And anone he harde inwardely in hys soule the answere of oure lorde sayenge / what woldeste thou do yf thou kneweste thou shuldeste perseruer do nowe as thou woldest do thē / and thou shalte be saufe / & so anone he was comforted and commyt∣ted hym selfe holly to the wyll of god and all his doutfulnes cessyd / and neuer after wolde he curiously serche to knowe what shulde be come of hym / but rather he stu∣dyed to knowe what was the wyll of god agaynst hym / and howe he myght begyn and ende al his dedes that he shulde do to the pleasure of god and to hys honoure. Truste in god & do good dedes sayth the Prophet Dauyd / inhabyt the earth / and thou shalte be fed with the ryches of thy good ded{is}. But one thynge withdraweth

many from profytynge in vertue & from amendement of lyfe / that is an horrour & a fals worldely drede that they maye nat abyde the payne and laboure that is ne∣defull for the gettynge therof. Therfore they shall moste profyte in vertue byfore all other that enforce theym selfe mygh∣tely to ouercome tho thynges that be mo¦ste greuous and moste cōtraryous to thē For a man profyteth there moste & there wynneth moste grace where he mooste o∣uercommeth hym selfe / and wherin he moste mortyfyeth his bodye to the soule. But all men haue nat in lyke muche to mortyfye and ouercome / for some haue mo passyons then some haue. Neuerthe∣lesse a feruēt louer of god though he haue more greater passyons then other / yet shall he be more strōger to profyte in ver¦tue than an other that is better manered and that hathe fewer possyons but he is lesse feruēt to vertu. Two thynges helpe a man moche to amendemente of lyfe / that is a myghty withdrawynge of hym selfe from those thynges that the bodye mooste inclineth hym to / and a feruent la¦boure for suche vertuous as he hathe moost nede of. Study also to ouercom in

thy selfe two thynges that most myslyke the in other men. And take awaye some specyall plofyte in euery place where so∣euer thou become / as if thou se any good example enforce the to folowe in / and yf thou se any euyll example loke thou es∣chewe it as thy ioye consydereth the wor¦kes of other / ryght soo and in the same wyse thy workes be consyderyd of other O how ioyous and howe delectable is it to religyous men deuoute and feruent in the loue of god well maneryd and well taught in ghostely lernynge / and on the contrary wyse howe heuy and sorowfull is it to se theym lyue inordynately nat v∣synge to thynges that they haue chosyn and taken them to. Also howe inconue∣nyente a thynge it is a man to be necly∣gente in the purpose of his fyrste callinge And to set hys mynde to thynges that be nat commyttrd to hym. Thynke oft ther¦fore on the purpose that thou haste taken and sette before the eye of thy soule the mynde of Cristes passyō / and if thou be∣holde well / and delygentely hys blessyd lyfe / thou mayste well be ashamyd that thou haste no more conformed the to him then thou haste done / he that wyll inwar¦dely

and deuoutely exercyse hym selfe in the moste blessyd lyfe and passyon of our lorde Iesu Chryste / shalte fynde therin plentuously all that is necessary for hym so that he shall nat nede to seke any thing without hym. O if Iesu crucyfyed were ofte in oure hertes and in oure remem∣braunce we shulde sonne be lernyd in all thinges that be necessarye for vs. A good relygious man that is feruent in hys re∣lygyon takyth all thynge well and dothe gladly all that he is commaunded to do. But a relygyous personne that is necly∣gent and slouthfull hath trouble vppon trouble and sufferyth greate anguysshe & payne on euerye syde / for he lackethe the true inwarde cōforte and to seke the out∣warde comforte he is prohybyteth. Ther¦fore a relygyous person that lyueth wit∣houte discyplyne is lyke to fall to greate ruyne. Also he that in religyon sekyth to haue lybertye and relessynge of hys due∣tye shall alwaye be in anguysshe & sorowe for one thynge or other shall euer dysplea¦se hym. Therfore take hede howe other relygyous personnes do that be ryghte straytly kept vnder the rules of theyr re∣lygion. They go seldom forthe / they lyue

hardly / they ete poorely / and be clothed grosely / they laboure moche / speke lytell / watche longe / ryse erly / make longe pray¦ers / rede ofte and kepe them selfe alwaye in some holsom edoctryne. Beholde the Chartusyenc••s and the Cysteur and ma¦ny other Monkes / & Nonnes of dyuers relygyons / Howe they ryse euery nyght to serue oure lorde / And therfore it were greate shame to the y^t thou shuldest waxe slowe and dull in so holy a warke where soo many laude and peayse oure lorde. O howe Ioyous a lyfe were it yf we shul¦de nothynge els do but with herte / and mouthe contynuelly to prayse our lorde / nowe truely yf we shulde neuer nede to ete / drynke / ne slepe but that we myght al way laude hym and oonly take to spyry∣tuell studyes / then were we moche more happye and blessyd / than we are nowe when we are bounden of necessyte to ser∣ue the bodye. O wolde to god that these bodely merytes were tourned in to spyry¦tuell refeccyons whiche al as for sorowe we taste but seldome / when a man is com¦men to that perfection that he sekith nat his consolacyon in any creature / then be∣gynneth good fyrste to sauer swete vnto

hym / and then he shall be contentyd with euery thynge that cōmeth be it lykynge or myslykynge. And than he shall nat be glad for no wordely profyte be it neuer so greate ne sory for the wantynge of it for he hath set hym selfe and stablyshed hym selfe holy in god the whiche is to hym all in all / to whom nothynge perysheth / nor dyeth / but all thynge lyueth to hym and seruyth hym without cessynge after hys byddyng. In euery thyng remembre the ende and that tyme loste can nat be cal∣led agayne without laboure and dylygen¦ce thou shalte neuer gette vertue If thou begyn to be neclygent thou begynnest to be feble and weyke / but if thou applie the to feruoure / thou shalt fynde great helpe of god and for the loue of vertue thou shalt fynde lesse payne in all thy laboures then thou dydest fyrste / he that is feruent and louinge is alway quycke and redy to all thyng{is} that be of god and to hys ho∣nour. It is more laboure to resyste vyces and passyons / then it is to swynke and swete bodely laboures / he that wyll nat fle small synnes / shall by lytell and lytell falle in to greater Thou shalt alwaye be glad at nyght when thou haste spent the

daye before frutefully. Take hede to thy selfe and styre thy selfe alway to deuocyō admonyshe thy selfe / & what so euer thou do of other forget nat thy selfe / and so muche shalte thou profite ī vertue as thou canste breake thyne owne wyll and folowe ye wyl of god

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