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

❧:Of the helpe of god to be asked / and of a full truste to recouer through deuoute prayer our former grace. The .xxxv. Chapitre.

MI sone I am thy lorde that sendeth cōforte in tyme of tribulacyō / come therfore to me whan it is nat well with the. This is it that letteth the most: that thou tourneste the ouer slowly to me / for before thou pray hertely to me thou sekest many other confortes and refresshest thy spirites in outwarde thynges. And ther∣fore it is / that all that thou doste: lytell auayleth the tyll thou can beholde and se that I am he that sendeth conforte to all that faythfully do call to me / and that there is nat withoute me any profytable counsayle ne perfyte remedye. But nowe take a good spiryte to be and after thy troubles be thou conforted in me / and in the lyghte of my mercye: haue thou full truste / for I am nere to the to helpe the & to restore the agayne nat onely to lyke grace as thou haddeste fyrste / but also to muche more ī great abundaūce. Is there any thing herde or inpossible to em / or am

I lyke to hym that sayth a thynge and doth it nat / where is thy faythe. Stande strongly and perseuerently in me / be sted∣faste abidinge my promys and thou shall haue conforte in suche tyme as it shall be moste expedient to the. Abyde abyde and tary for me and I shall come soone / and helpe thē. It is temptacyon that vexeth the & a vayne drede that fereth the muche But what auayleth such fere or drede for thynges that perchaūce shall neuer come but that the ghostly enemye wolde thou shuldeste haue sorowe vpon sorowe. Bere therfore pacyently thy troubles that be presente / and drede nat ouermuche those that be to come / for it suffysethe to euery daye hys owne malyce. ☞ It is a vayne thynge and an vnprofytable to be heuye or glad for thynges that perchaunce shal neuer happen ne come. But it is the vn∣stablenes of man that he wyl be deceyued and so lyghtely to folowe the suggestyon of the enemy for he carethe nat whether he may deceyue be true suggestyon or by false / ne whether it be by loue of thynges presente: or by drede of thynge a to come. Therfore be thou nat troubled: ne drede thou nat / truste strongly in me and in my

mercy haue perfyte hope / for whan thou wenest that thou arte ryghte farre fro me ofte tymes I am ryghte nere vnto the / and whan thou weneste that all is loste / than ofte tymes foloweth the greater re∣warde. It is nat thehfore al lost thought some thynge happen agaynste thy wyll and thou shalte nat iudge therin after thy outwarde felynge / ne thou shalt nat take any grefe so sore to herte / but that thou shalte haue good truste to escape it. ne thou shalte nat thynke thy selfe all hooly forsaken of me: thoughe I sende the for a tyme some heuynes and trouble / for that is the seker way to the kingdome of heuē and doutles it is more expedyent to the and to other my seruauntes that ye som∣tyme be proued with aduersites / thā that ye haue alwaye all thynges after your wylles / I knowe the hid thought of man and that it is much expedient to the helth of the soule that he be lefte somtyme to hym selfe without ghostly sauoure or con¦forte: lest haply he be reysed vp into pryde and thynke hym selfe better than he is. That I haue gyuen I may take awaye and may restore it agayne whan I shall lyste / whan I gyue a thynge to any per∣sone

it is myne owne that I haue gyuen and whan I take it away againe / I take none of his for euery good gyfte and eue∣ry perfyte rewarde commeth of me. If I sende to the trouble or heuynes in what wyse so euer it be / take it gladly and dys∣dayne it nat ne let nat thy herte fayle the therin / for I may anone lyfte the vp a∣gayne & tourne thy heuynes in to greate ioye and ghostely gladnes / and verely I am ryghtwyse / and muche to be lauded and praysed whan I do so with the / yf thou vnderstande a ryghte: and beholde thy selfe truely as thou arte / thou shalte neuer be so dyrectly heuy for no aduersy∣te / but rather thou shalte ioye therin and thinke it as the gretest gyfte that I spare nat to scourge the with suche trouble and aduersyte / for I sayde to my discyples th{us} ☞As my fader loueth me I loue you. ♣ And yet I sente theym nat forth in to the worlde to haue tēporal ioyes: but to haue greate batayles / nat to haue honoures / but dispytes / nat to be ydle but to laboure nat to rest / but to bryng forth much good frute in pacyence / & in good workes. My sone remēbre wel these wordes y^t I haue spoken to ye for they be true & can nat be denyed)